September 2013

We made need to work on Joslyns teeth brushing skills! 

We should also work on lipstick application!

 The kids had fun helping GramE and Papa with their wards talent show performance. 

 My cute Tate is so creative!

Jack and Jos were so happy to meet their new cousin baby Dane. 

August 2013

We have really enjoyed our summer pass to the AZ Science center. 

 Tate was glad to have Brady along to help with an awesome block tower. 

 Tate loves cub scouts and is earning several awards and pins as a Webelos. 

 Joslyn had a fun mall playdate with her buddy Savannah. 

 Little miss sassy pants is always looking cute!

All the kiddos went back to school in August. Tate is in 5th Grade with Mrs. Malouff, and Jack is in 2nd with Ms. Schwartz. We are hoping for a great year!

 

Joslyn started her 2nd year of preschool with the wonderful Ms. Nicole. We love Ms. Nicole, and Jos is so excited!

We had the best time ever at the Labor Day weekend Stratton Family Reunion at Camp LoMia. We played with cousins, made tie-dye shirts, played games, danced ALOT, zip lined, ate too much delicious food, did a talent show, bid on amazing homemade items in the auction, ran around crazy, and just had a blast! Marie and Uncle Steve did a great job planning this event! We love our Fort, Abel and Stratton cousins and are so blessed to be a part of such an amazing family!

 This was on the way home from the reunion. I think they wore themselves out, but they were asking when we get to go again. They loved it!

July 2013

I am now a full year behind on this blog, but I am determined to catch up, so here's July 2013....

We had a fun 4th with all the McDowell's at Uncle Greg's House. Tons of food! Lots of fun!

And cute kiddos too!

Jos got to go to a cowgirl birthday party for Avery Hatch. She looked super cute!

There was a store in the mall that had some military stuff on display.  The kids thought it was super cool to hold the bazooka.

 Not summer without a Lemonade stand. Tate and Brady were the brains behind the operation. Due to  low sales, Jack and Jos became the customers.

 More fun at the Arizona Science Center.

 The weather room is one of their favorites!

 Trying out the AWESOME new swing set at Grandma Jeanene's.

 Good times playing Just Dance with cousins.

 They wanted to see if the lego boats they built would actually float. Not much room for the boats with three cute kiddos!

 Jos got to ride a horse for a few minutes at the Stake Pioneer Day Celebration.

 Our big event for July was a camping trip to Big Lake with the Mortensens. It rained almost the entire trip. We were camped in a meadow that I'm sure would have been lovely, had it been dry, but it was a SWAMP! We were camped in standing water all week. The kids had wet feet no matter what we did. We tried plastic bags with no luck. John and Chris drove around for hours searching for rain boots with no luck. We thought about going home early several times, but were certain the rain would stop and things would dry up, so we stayed, and it never stopped, or dried. It was a wet, muddy week that we will always remember!

Just moments after these lake pics were taken, the sky turned black and it poured soooo hard for hours!

 Just a sample of the swampiness we were camped in.

 With all the rain and mud there were tiny frogs EVERYWHERE! The kids had the best time collecting them, and one night caught over 100 of them.

 The kids had a great time shooting off water bottle rockets with some friends we met up there. They all had fun exploring the stream, catching critters, and getting muddy.

 The man with all the tools kept the fire going for us, even with wet wood.

 We had to do the smores over the grill though because it was raining too hard. We stayed halfway dry under the canopies.

 We made a white-trash clothesline in the trailer, but it was pointless. It was so damp, nothing dried.

Despite all the mud and rain, we had a fabulous time! I must say, I am SOOOOOOO grateful to have a trailer!!!!!