This week fire and fireworks filled the air.  We had out traditional neighborhood of fire where whichever families are able come over to BBQ, have a water balloon fight and show of their pyromania.  We all had a great time visiting and shooting off fireworks.
Notice the wooden frame structure on the other side of the street.  Our neighbors constructed this wooden platform to hold a series of fireworks that were strung together with fuses.  It was an awesome sight as it went off for several minutes.  And while fireworks were being shot off, this is what our sky looked like as the mountain next to Alpine burned. It was called the Quail Fire and Jeremy ran over and took some photos on the first day it started.
But Wednesday came along with cooler temperatures and rain. It only lasted for a day but put out the fires, everyone chilled for a day and we could open our windows for a little bit.  God's way of answering prayers with the fires and giving everyone a day to slow down a little.
Other exciting news this week is that we went to the dentist.  This is our after picture of us getting snow cones.  Can you tell that Robyn was the only one who didn't have any work done?
Allison had two teeth pulled and a retainer put in.  She has been busy all week trying out her new "voice".  It is pretty funny to listen to although she is getting better at enunciating.  Spencer had a tooth pulled, a cavity filled and a new retainer as well.  I always thought teeth just fell out!  Instead with our kids their adult teeth come in sideways or up by their gums as their baby teeth refuse to come out.  Jeremy kids that we are just paying for our dentist's new boat.

Friday night Jeremy and I had a date to go see Spiderman and then good guy that he is, he drove me up to SLC at 11 pm just to get a piece of cheesecake.  Sitting outside on a bench in the middle of the night snuggling and eating cheesecake made me realize how lucky I am.  It also enabled me to go home and figuratively take up the job of raising kids again.  I love my kids and I love summer but it is seriously a job and a half with few breaks thrown in.

Saturday night the kids and I along with Allison's friend Evelyn hiked up to the Y.  Allison and Evelyn were like mountain goats leaping and running ahead of us, Robyn is a cheerful plodder by my side while Spencer was gasping that he was having serious leg complications.  But he did make it to the top red faced, sweat dripping off his nose and gasping.  I mentally apologized to him that he inherited my tendency to sweat like a pig and to be nonathletic.  But he ran the trail all the way back to the car when he was motivated about getting to the creamery for ice cream.  So his leg injury must not have been too severe.
Spencer started tennis lessons this week and is really enjoying it so far.  Allison and Robyn started up another swimming session.  Robyn freaked out the first day when she realized her teacher expected her to swim across the pool (25m) by herself.  So with lots of tears she moved back down a level to get a little stronger.

Today after church and meetings were done we threw everyone into the truck and headed up the canyon.  Jeremy did some serious four-wheeling to get us up this dirt road where we just hung out and ate our sandwiches.  Our kids are already asking if we are going again next week.  Cooler temperatures, a river, no cell phone service and cookies for dessert.  What else could a kid want?
Taylor had a bad day today.  A few grand-mal seizures tend to do that.
Robyn found an old fishing line and a hook in the rocks.  Allison tied it to a stick for her and Robyn was in heaven as she "fished".

I taught my first sharing time today and remembered how much I like Primary.  I also remembered how much kids like to talk to each other given the slightest opportunity!  It was fun though and definitely is never boring.  I heard somewhere that kids need to be bored so they can then use their imagination to think of something to do.  It has made me feel a lot better about my kids coming up to me to say that they are bored and what should they do.  My stock answer is to clean some toilets.

Robyn has been making us laugh lately.  My two favorites are first when she was complaining that she didn't have many miles done on her mileage chart to earn money.  Allison told her that she could run with her at 7:30 before family prayer.  Robyn replied sobbing in utter heartbreak "but I like sleeping in so much!".  Then the other night she said she didn't know what she could do.  I told her she could come tell me what an awesome mom I was.  She replied, "I could...or I could go to the bathroom".  So she went to the bathroom.  Lets me know where I stand in the scheme of things.  Kids, laugh or cry there is always something.