Cornelius Chronicles

  We survived the first week of summer, which also happened to be the week of Twilight Cub Scout Camp.  Everyone was enrolled to join in the outdoor scouting fun and got to spend the evenings all week long with their new Den of friends learning how to shoot BB Guns and Bow and Arrows, doing fun crafts, playing lots of games, practicing new outdoor skills, and making great friends.  We sure had fun, but boy were we beat by the end of the night and happy to crawl into our soft, cozy beds.  Thank to everyone for making such a fun family experience possible! Check out Xavier's awesome football throwing form!  That kind of athletic beauty can only be passed on through quality genetics.  You're welcome, Xavier.  You get those mad sporting skills from you mother.  ;P  :)

We survived our first session of swimming lessons this summer!  Everyone except Owen was old enough to take lessons and they all did a great job of trying hard and having fun in the water.  No one passed their class, but we tried our best.  We were too nervous in the water or need to build some swimming endurance in order to pass on to the next swimming class levels.  It's tough not to pass lesson on your first try, but we are looking forward trying again and taking more lessons to improve our skills.  Now to spend the summer taking trips to the beach, the neighborhood pool, the city kiddie pool, and park splash pads.  If we can get wet every day then I think we'll be happy.  :) Happy swimming!

We figured our summer wasn't business enough this year with 5 kids out of school, 2 summer camps, swimming lessons for 4 kids, and 1 internship and 2 graduate classes for Dustin, so we decided to add a summer of part-time job fun for me at the library.  I'm enjoying my time using my library skills at the local library as a seasonal children's librarian. I enjoy the work, and the ladies I work with are amazing, but I do miss being home with Dustin and my kids.  I'm thankful for the gospel to help us know what priorities last the longest and mean the most.  Dustin and my kids are the most important priority to me and I am so glad I don't have to work all the time.  The summer is plenty of time for me to remember how much work it is to go to work and how much of a loss it is for me to be gone so much from my family.  Wishing you all a less busy summer than me!

Check out the amazing double rainbow we saw last night after a pretty good storm.  We were so excited to see not just one amazing rainbow, but two!

Oh well, at least it was fun!  Besides, everybody knows the crash is the best part!  :D

Last Day of School  It was the last day of 4th Grade, 2nd Grade, and Kindergarten this week.  We had a wonderful year of amazing teachers, great friends, lots of learning and growing, and early mornings at the bus stop.  This was also the year that Rebekah requested -  no demanded - that I stop giving her kisses and hugs before she got on the bus.  At least the boys still love their goodbye hugs and kisses.  After all was said and done, this school year turned out to be full of firsts, lasts, and everything in between.  Yea for education! First Day of Summer The last day of school also means the arrival of the first day of Summer.  Well, as you can tell from this picture of Owen sitting on my dresser eating stollen skittles, it's only day #1 of Summer break and I've already lost control of the house and children.  Wish me luck taming this crazy bunch! :)