Slip 'n Slide, Cub Scout Camp, and Bowling

We had a great time with our Utah cousins for a few more days after everyone left. We had to try out the slip 'n slide! :)

Dakota working on sitting up

 But at 6 months old, she started scooting everywhere! And even getting up on her knees.

  

Drew is a cub scout now that he's 8 and he went to his first cub scout camp. David volunteered one day as well. Drew had so much fun and loved trading "swaps" which stand for something with a pin. He chose to bring swaps with whistles on them representing a train whistle. You pin all the swaps you trade on your hat for the remainder of the week.

 lunch time

 making things

 relay with his troop

 archery

 shooting bb guns

 making his own teepee

We also went bowling with friends for the first time. The kids loved it! But Drake was the most animated. He would scream and yell when he hit pins but also cry when he had difficultly waiting his turn.

We are having the best summer ever. Drew even told me at the end of June that he knows he is having the best summer because he hasn't said, "I'm bored!" once. And that's so true!!! :)

Drew's baptism and birthday

Drew woke up with balloons on his 8th birthday which is our tradition. The kids get to pick whatever color they want. This year Drew chose white because he was getting baptized on his birthday. This is one way I knew he was ready as he really understood everything about it. He felt like white represented being clean from sin which he knew he would be once he entered the waters of baptism. Drew spent the night at the hotel with my mom and Sam and when he came in the door Saturday morning, he was greeted with lots of white balloons and tons of cousins singing to him. What a memory to start the day with!

Me, Drew and David at the baptism waiting for it to begin. Thanks to my sister, Keely, who took all of these pictures at the baptism. I was too nervous, flustered, anxious, excited to even think about that job.

 One of the reasons I was nervous is because I was to speak at Drew's baptism. I spoke on the topic of baptism and why it was so important that Drew was making this decision today.

 After Drew was baptized, the special musical number was all of his cousins singing, "I am a Child of God," with him. Even Lacey joined us who had never sang that song before but because she was Drew's cousin, she went up to sing along with him too. :)

 Colleen or "Mimi" gave the talk on the Holy Ghost

 Drew about to be confirmed a member of our church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost by his dad

 This was just one picture of how packed the room was and you couldn't see everyone in it.

 My dining room table getting ready for the luncheon.

 Drew and his friends and cousins eating at our kitchen table

 Drew and his "CTR" cake. CTR stands for Choose The Right. :)

 After friends left, Drew got to play trains with all of his cousins. What more can he ask for on his 8th birthday?

 A picture of Drew and all of his cousins before they went swimming after the luncheon

 Drew and cousins along with David and Uncle Damon swimming on the afternoon of his birthday

 That night we grilled hamburgers and had another cake - this time it was his birthday cookie cake. Since he didn't really have a theme this year because we focused on his baptism and that he was 8, we put a big number 8 on the cake and 'eight is great.' Drew loved it! And this year he wanted to put his candles on his cake all by himself.

 David lighting the cake

 blowing out the candles

 Gifts from family

 PawDee gave Drew the new train, Luke, and an awesome new train book. He also gave Drew $

 The Pratts gave Drew a tie tack and scripture markers

 Lucas' gave Drew a CTR tie in his favorite color. He wears it every Sunday now. :)

 Pratts and Saenz families gave Drew a slip 'n slide

 Drouets gave Drew a soccer goal for the back yard

 Mimi gave Drew more $

 Our good friends, the Hines family, gave Drew this awesome memento for his room

 Our Maryland friends we miss dearly, the Kelly family, sent Drew his favorite series books from Diary of  Wimpy Kid. Once everyone left, he read them and re-read them immediately. Plus a very cool bookmark of the character, Greg.

 Drew talking to MawDee on the phone on his birthday

 David and I got Drew the blue dog flashlight friend Drew has been asking for for his birthday present. So much fun getting your kid exactly what he wants. :)

 All in all, you can see why Drew said this was the best day of his life. He made covenants with God that were so important and all of his family and friends were here for it. His birthday was filled with creating awesome memories and spending it with literally all of his family. I'm so thankful for a wonderful son and for an unforgettable day. I know Drew felt very special.

Drew's Baptism

Drew's 8th birthday was even more special this year because Drew got baptized as well. We had been preparing him for this day for a long time, especially this last year. He was so excited and as the Bishop said,  Drew was "very ready." David baptized Drew and confirmed him a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We had over 80 people in attendance at the baptism and about 60 come over to the house afterwards for lunch. It was stressful but worth it. At the end of the day, Drew said it was "the best day of his life." Indeed it was. :)

A special moment caught on camera as Drew and Dilan peered into the baptismal font for the first time

 David's side of the family

 Kinsey's side of the family

All of the family who came to be with Drew for his baptism. It meant so much to have all of them here.

June...

June started with the end of school and going to Drew's end of the year party.

Games were played!

 Then, Drew and Dilan attended VBS or Vacation Bible School at a Baptist church up in Prosper. It was free and they had friends attending as well. Drew had SO much fun! Dilan struggled the first day only because it was a new place and she cried when I tried to drop her off. I told her she didn't have to go but she wanted to go so badly but just felt scared. She eventually (after almost an hour) calmed down and bravely stayed. She ended up loving it and wanting to go back each day. Drew's favorite part had to be the music and learning all about the apostle, Paul. He also made a craft each day and told me he learned to stand up for Christ and for what he believed in. :)

Then, we had our WHOLE family come in town for Drew's baptism and his 8th birthday. On Friday (day before the big event), we toured a train museum.

Drew and two of his cousins - they all turn 8 within the same year

 Drake and Dilan watching the model train

 All of David's family who were here visiting. We were missing his sister's husbands and only two nephews, one on a mission in Argentina and the other one was working. But everyone else made it and it was so much fun to have everyone here!

Dakota eats!

At the end of May, Dakota finally turned 6 months old and could start solid foods. We started all of our other kids earlier around 5 months but with the allergies in our family, I held off longer. She had green beans for her first meal as opposed to rice cereal as my pediatrician says there isn't much nutrients in that. Dakota did fairly well eating and her favorite food seems to be carrots right now. She went a week in there where she wouldn't eat for me at all but then picked it up again later. I went as far as taking her old bottle, cutting a bigger hole in the top and putting some oatmeal in with her formula to get her to eat something. But she is once again eating regularly. Drew wanted to help me feed and then Dilan and Drake were the ones to wipe Dakota's mouth. :)