Check-Up

This picture was too cute to not post. My favorite part about taking Jack in for his yearly check-up is seeing him in the cute little hospital gown!

Rewards

This has been our life for the past month or so...

Shoveling. Dirt. Soil. Manure. Compost. Every evening. Every weekend. I guess I can't really complain. Ty is the one who did most of the work. But, our garden is officially in and we are already seeing some rewards.

Birthday Boy

Jack turned four years old today. We had quite the celebration--all Backyardigans themed. The Tubmans came down from Page and partied with us and Cody and JoEllen's family on Saturday. We had a BBQ and pool party. My family came over for Sunday dinner today, and we got to open presents and eat birthday cake.

Brock, Hailey, Noah, & Jack

This kid is our whole life. We have the blessing of getting to focus all our attention, time, and energy on just him--everyday. I remember thinking when Jack was a baby that I couldn't wait to send him off to school some day. Now, he has just two more very short years at home before Kindergarten, and I've found that my attitude has changed completely. So, I'm slowing down a bit. I'm playing more. I'm scheduling less. When Jack wants to go swimming, we swim. When he wants to go for a bike ride to the park, we do it. When he wants to read books, I try so hard to stop whatever I'm doing and read with him. 

Jack is a very special kid. He's a social kid. He makes instant friends. He was on first-name basis with our mail lady in Virginia. They would talk for a few minutes everyday. If we weren't at the communal mailbox when she happened to deliver, she would drive by our apartment building and honk her horn until Jack came running out on the balcony. 

Jack loves the youth in our ward. They are so sweet to him and make a point of talking to him every Sunday. He has to "pound it" with each of the young men after church and, if he can work it, sit with the 11-year old girls during sharing time in Primary.

On the Fourth of July, we drove to a random field to watch a firework show. There were four adults in the car parked next to us. Jack started talking to them and by the end of the firework display he was sitting on the hood of their car and had them all laughing hysterically.

Wherever we go--the grocery store, post office, neighbors' houses--Jack makes friends. It's definitely one of his talents and I love it about him. What a special little guy we have on our hands. Happy birthday, Jack!

End of Summer Camping

We have had a bit of a crazy summer with moving from Virginia back home and making several changes on the house. Somehow, camping didn't really happen. Two weekends ago, the boys decided they'd had enough and they went camping near Kinder Crossing, AZ. Ty took some awesome pictures and posted them here.

Last weekend, we all went camping together along with the other Woods family. Jack, Ethan, and Gavin had such a fun time exploring the woods and using their imaginations. How nice it is for them to be at this age where they can entertain themselves for hours! The weather was just cool enough at night that we all needed jackets and welcomed the campfires. {Notice that I say "needed jackets," not to be confused with "had jackets." Many of you already know that I am horrible at packing, and yes, just like last year at this same camp spot, I forgot to pack jackets for me and Jack.}

Poor little Trevor was hard to keep clean

I love these "tough guy" faces

 Ethan, Trevor, Jack, Gavin, and Uncle Cody