First Official Day of Summer

I love Downtown Boise! It is one of my favorite parts about this great town. Right in the center of it all, there is a place called "The Grove." At Christmastime there is a huge beautiful Christmas Tree that lights up the night, and in the summertime, a water fountain that is mesmerizing to look at, and fun to cool off in! We decided to celebrate the official first day of summer playing in the fountain. The kids had a wonderful time, and I enjoyed every minute. Their personalities come out so apparently in situations like these. I have one who ran right through the very second we got there, and did all the "brave" tricks. I have one who pretended it was just too cold, afraid that mom would think of them as scared, and one who was happy putting only a foot over the closest spout, who of course got brave after 45 minutes when it was time to go. Then the other one who's main concern was that any small children who were also there that day, didn't get hurt, or sad for any reason. Now they are all asking to go back. It will be soon, I'm sure!

The Water Fight!

A long, hot day of yard work this weekend quickly turned into a refreshing and fun water fight... My favorite line of the day was what I repeated over and over to the hose-holder - "I'm holding the camera!!" This is where it all started - Chip hid the hose behind his back and told me to get the kids together for a quick picture..... it was all over from there!

PAYBACK!!

Star Wars

Oh how fun to be looking for something in the garage and come across all of Chip's Star Wars toys that were his when he was a child! All 98 figures and carrying cases are in such perfect condition considering Chip used to have little 7 year old heart attacks when his friends would actually get theirs dirty, or, the unthinkable - break Luke Skywalker's lightsaber! Jack has died and gone to heaven with the Millennium Falcon, and whatevertheheck you call the other ships.... I wonder what I could get if I put original Star Wars toys on ebay... Although I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing Chip as a boy through Jack and listening to all the sounds that Chip has taught Jack that these lightsabers and spaceships and characters make! Chip does do a pretty darn good Yoda...

Here's what we've been up to...

Life has been quite busy for the Schultz family... Let me share a little of what's been happenin 'round here!

Hannah got to be a "Nature Ranger" at her field trip this year. They visited the zoo and studied bugs and made peanut butter bird feeders.

Sixth grade camp was a life-changing experience for Taylor! She overcame her fears and walked across that log waaaayy high up in the air. Can you see her up there?

What an amazing time she had at E.F.T! (Environmental Field Trip) Chip was able to go also. (that put mom's mind at ease a little!) They talked about their trip for days!

We went to a stirring Memorial Day Program at the Idaho State Veteran's Cemetery. I am so glad this has become a tradition in our family. It starts our Memorial Day just right.

The winner of Chip's O.M.E.H. Letter Writing Contest. She wrote a beautiful essay about the American Flag that she got to read at the program. She is a 5th grader at Trail Wind.

We said goodbye to Lilly for the summer with a fun barbecue with her family. Her mom is a teacher, so we both get the summer off!

She is never short of kisses!

Chip heckled kids at the dunk tank at the school carnival. Older boys lined up for this opportunity and just kept giving away their dollar bills for 3 chances to dunk "Mr Chip." To make it more fun, Chip wore his USMC t-shirt, with pink arm floaties! In this shot - the ball is on it's way to the target!

On the way home from Taylor's dress rehearsal for her ballet recital, she wanted to watch her dance so she would know what she could work on for her performance later that night. All she wanted to do was nail that double pirouette!

Taylor danced beautifully, and the double pirouette was awesome!! Yay!!!

Aubrey's Nadia Comaneci biography project was wonderful! She had to pretend she was a picture of Nadia in a museum and then when people came up to her, she had to give them an oral, memorized biography about Nadia. She did a great job!

"Wagon's Ho" is a day when all the fourth graders get to see what it was like to live "back in the day." They saw logs and lasso horses and make butter and lots of other things.

Aubrey took Jack around to the different stations. Thank goodness, cause it was absolutely freezing that day and I needed to take poor Lilly and Sarah inside!

WELCOME SUMMER!!!!!

and... a parting shot of "the look" - Sarah gives this look in disapproval. In this case, Lilly touched Sarah's foot. I love these babies! Happy Summer everyone!