Another 1st Day

Where did the summer go and how is it possible for me to have a:

 

 

 

 and a:

 

 

Wow! It's crazy that Ki is in 4th grade. I remember 4th grade really well. We moved from Montana to Colorado that summer. My teacher was Mrs. Grigsby. One of our new neighbors was in my grade. We were best friends for the summer. Then we went to school and I made new friends. I am embarrassed to say that while playing four square at lunch, I ripped off my bbf necklace and threw it at the poor girl because I found a new bbf at school. I started caring about what I wore, and how I looked, who I ate lunch with and what the boys were doing. 

I want to protect Ki from mean girls-like I was. I know she's a strong girl but it's just the begining of the drama of being a girl. I am scared for her!

 

And then there's my little El. She lost one of her front teeth the day before school started.

She has Mrs. Tropea-a penguin loving rock star of a teacher. 1st grade is so important for building the foundation of learning and I am glad that El has a good attitude.

Only 5 more years and I will be sending my baby to school too.

 

Ward Campout

 

We fit in a camping trip before school started.

We went North up I-17 around Camp Verde it was a bit cooler than down here and we didn't really even need sleeping bags because it was still so warm.

There was good food and games to keep us busy. We had a good time.

 I hope that as it gets cooler we will camp more.

 

El

 



 

Steve

 

Brian

 

Ki and I were there, but I guess I don't have proof of that. And I think that Ki's blanket that Grandma Lois made got donated to the forest-I can't find it still.

I like camping with my family!!!

Banbury Hot Springs

When things settled down (I use that term lightly, we still had 16 people crammed into the Stott house), we went to Banbury Hot Springs in Buhl, ID it's about 40 minutes outside of Twin Falls.

It is more like a lukewarm pool than a hot pool which was great. We ate a picnic lunch and then played for several hours.

Me and Brian

Brian is tired, Mom and I probably have our eyes closed behind those sunglasses

We all made it on or to the log

Aunty Hailey and Brian

Ki on the slide

El such a stylish girl

Grandma is one adventurous lady!

She is always willing to try something fun for the grand kids sake.

We love her for that!

Still Gathering

I hope I speak for all of us when I say it was so good to be together again. We ate good food, swam, rode horses, played games, told stories, shopped, fished, golfed and laughed together and it was awesome. 

We try to get together at lease every other year. I know that the kids had so much fun together and I have fond memories of my cousins and getting together so I am glad that we can instill that family is so important to them too.

Thank you to my dear brothers and sister, for traveling with your families to spend time with us. I love and appreciate you all!!!

Annie and Beckam

Caleb told Annie that it was NOT okay for Beckam to ride the horse, but he was in Texas, so Pops talked them into getting on the horse.

 Uncle Jeremy and Brian

Hailey, Pops, Annie, Beckam and Jennifer

Cousin Pile-as apposed to dog pile

Jordan

Brian and Aunty Jenn

A. blowing bubbles

Lisa and Shiloh

Lisa and Mom

Jeremiah, fresh off the plane from Taiwan

Some mighty fisherman

Family Gathering 2012

It was no simple task, but I think that we managed to get all 13 Stott Grandchildren in a picture

I didn't say that they were all smiling

Pops, Beckam, Lucas, A., L., Oakley, and Holt

Rhea, Ainsley, Brian, Mum, Ki, Taryn, El, and Tye

In all their glory...

 or not.

Family Gathering 2012

The 4th of July isn't over until you see the fireworks.

The only problem is that it isn't getting dark until 9:00 pm so we kept the kids up

El, Ainsley, Ki and Oakley

A truck full of kids

Hailey, Rhea, and Jeremy

They look so excited too!

Taryn with sparklers

Jeremy was handing out the sparklers

Aunty Hailey with Rhea

It was a late night but the kids had so much fun running around and watching the fireworks.

Family Gathering 2012

Just some of the Peeps at the Stott House today:

Pops with Brian, & Mum with Beckam

This little sweet thing is Rhea

her big brother Lucas

and the youngest grandchild, Beckam

A Family gathering

It isn't often that all of us Stott kids find our way back home, let alone all at the same time. Colton is excused, he is serving a mission in Brazil. Caleb is excused, he is at Boot Camp, in TX for 6 weeks. Brandie and her clan even came home from Taiwan for a month and we are so happy to get to spend time with them!

One of the neighbors has a horse and said that he'd love to have the kids come ride and they were so excited to do that:

Holt, El and Taryn

Holt and Torrie

Elis Smith-no relation, just friend, and El

Can you tell how Ki felt about this??

If it wasn't clear before, she was scared but did have an OK time.

A pile of cousins-Tye, Oakley, El, and Ki

Taryn, Tye, El, and Ainsley-she enjoyed the horse ridding the most!!!

For some reason I was handed the lead rope and took El for a little walk.

I just have to say the horses are not my favorite. My mother and my father grew up with horses and are very comfortable around them. Most of my siblings are okay with them too. I will ride a horse if I have to, but I was not standing in line waiting for a turn, and I am certain that Ki shares my opinion.

A proud father

I think that Steve kinda likes his kiddos and I know that they love him!

He is an excellent papa. The girls think he is the greatest and I think they always will, and should. I know it won't be long and Brian will look forward to doing boy things with dad, but for know he is still a mama's boy.