4th Annual Wilkinson/Gardner Camp Out at Cascade Springs

I can't believe we've been doing this for 4 years already!  We started out with 1 kid each.  4 more kids and 3 states camped in... this is a tradition we'll always keep! We love the Gardners!

Possibly the best picture I have of Van and Luke together - they are both smiling!  But Van's head is cut off.  I'll keep trying! 

Love these two.  They are such great people and parents.  So glad to call them our friends. 

She makes me happy! 

I have at least a dozen pictures of these two hugging this trip.  They have really become good friends.  It's adorable.

 

The whole crew hiking at Cascade Springs.

We got rained on in the morning.  The kids found shelter in the back of the Black Pearl.  

The Gardner boys all 3 fell asleep on the way down the mountain... so we continued playing by ourselves at the Reservoir! 

And then we did some hiking.  Happy little hiker. 

This kid has some great new picture faces.  Nice bud. 

My sillies. 

Beauty. 

September

September was fun while we enjoyed some of the last of our warm weather!

Who needs to wear anything but a bike helmet when it's nice outside? 

This girl is a hoarder.  She has 10+ stuffed animals in her crib at any given time. 

Emery's little helper, wearing her backpack home from school. 

In September we put a 12x10' sandbox in the backyard.  It's deep enough you can bury someone in it.  Just like the beach.  Abby and Emery tried it out! 

Fun at Trafalga.  If you zoom in you can see Izzy is in the plan with the kids.  She loves it! 

Izzy LOVES playing with Van... and he loves playing with her.  They are so cute. 

Izzy being adorable at the Discovery Museum. 

They have a new exhibit at Discovery Museum by Primary Children's Hospital.  Emery tried out having a broken leg. 

Van too, of course. 

Fun with the Gardner boys.  Izzy and Grady just chilling. 

Whoa, buddy.  We're in for it when this guy gets older.  He has an affinity for anything sharp. 

Sweet and squishy after he bath. 

Bedtime hat! 

1st Day of School!!!

My 1st baby is a Kindergartener!  So sad!  She was so excited for her 1st day and she seems to love school as much as I did.  And I'm so glad.  Her teacher has nothing but praise for her.

1st day - next year I'll make a 1st grade sign!  

My 1st school kid

Dad came home for her 1st day.  

Walking to the bus stop

Almost all of the kindergarteners at her stop.  I told you there were a million kids.  And this is just afternoon kindergarten. 

Walking into school with her friend Quintin, who is in her class.

Izzy loves wearing Em's backpack when she gets home.  

Action shot - running onto the bus! 

Van had a 1st day of school too!!  A few other moms and I are doing Joy School this year.  We made out a fun little schedule and the kids are loving it!

Mikayla, Logan, Van (the giant) and Evaleigh

Izzy thinks she's in Joy School

1st day all of the moms came to break the kids in.  We did a Me Week and the kids had so much fun making a book about themselves!  

Van making his face out of apples, craisins, bananas and carrots.  :)

Rewind - Youth Conference and High Adventure

I forgot to post this back in June, but Aaron got to spend two weekends taking his Young Men to Youth Conference and High Adventure.  There are such a great group of kids in our ward.  For Youth Conference they did baptisms at 4 temples in 3 days and went to a ropes course.  For High Adventure they went to a high alpine adventure camp.  Aaron had fun... and he's just one of the kids, as usual.  

High Adventure

Youth Conference

playing a game - I love that Aaron looks like one of the kids (and that two of Aaron's Priests are 8 inches taller than him) 

ULCER Century Ride

Aaron is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, so when they took over the 111 mile century road bike ride around Utah Lake, Aaron volunteered to help.  And he rode in it too, of course!  He didn't have much time to train, but he did great.... even with multiple flat tires.  We were so proud of dad and he loved that we surprised him at the finish line!

pretty baby

the kids waiting - we waited a while because dad got a flat! 

what dad was doing while we waited  :(

where's my dad??

there's the man! 

Aaron collecting the first metal he ever earned (and didn't just make himself at the shop). 

Ya dad!! 

Riding back to the pavillion with dad

Wilkinsons Trophy - proud sponsor of the ULCER.  Aaron and one of his employees, Preston, in front of their sign. 

Aaron with our neighbor, Travis. 

Aaron and the head of the Chamber of Commerce, Val.