We just got back from a weekend of fun. We left on Friday and drove 8 hours to Sparks, Nevada. About half way there I realized that we forgot our camera. So the same night we arrived, Jake went to get us a new camera and save the day. :) I never leave home without one.
I was really sick of school and putting everything into it. So I talked Jake into getting some work done in Reno, Nevada since is company has branches there.

Jake went to work Friday. The kids and I headed to my cousin Kirsten's house to visit her family. It was neat to finally meet her family, Justice 2 and Kelsey 5 months. And then that night we went swimming. The Hotel Nugget has a outstanding pool. There is a huge hot tub several cold smaller pools and a swimming pool with a waterfall. We have stayed there before when Courtney, Kendra and Maliyah were small, but this time it was a lot more fun for everyone.

I am originally from Reno, so it was so much fun to show the kids where I used to live. My old childhood home, the parks I use to play at, and the old western town Virginia City where my Grandpa Warren has built and restored homes since the 1950s. Some of the pictures show the incredible craftsmanship of Grandpa Warren, the kids great grandfather. He loves to find old artifacts. Virgina City is the prefect place for him to live. Justin has a fascination with trains, so we took the kids on the train to the gold mines, about a 30 minute ride. And then spent the rest of the day playing with cousins. That night we got together with my uncle Greg and met his new wife Kay. The kids had a great time.

We just arrived home and the kids were excited to play outside with their friends. It was a lot of fun.

Jake realized that he is going to have to travel more. But we hope he can schedule some of his trips so we can all go. After going to Reno to visit family I realized that we need to go and visit Grandpa Warren more often. He is getting older and he has a lot to teach my children. It would be great to have him take my kids on treasure hunts like we did when I was young. I tried to get ahold of the kids great grandma, but couldn't. She is having a lot of health problems, so it would be nice to visit her in the next couple of months. I hope this will be possible. I am so glad my kids have great grandparents that they will remember. They will leave legacies that our family can be proud of.

WOW!! Time has flown by this summer!! The kids have 6 more weeks of freedom before school starts for them. They really have had the best summer. I haven't been able to entertain them as much this summer, but they have done a great job of that themselves. I just uploaded several pictures of family reunions we have gone to this summer. In one picture there are 4 generations, Great Grandparents, Grandparents, Jake and I and then the kids. On my side, the kids still have 3 out of the 4 Great Grandparents still alive. On Jake's side they have all passed on. So it was neat to get that picture with them. It will be a great memory!

In the next week, Courtney will be starting violin lessons. She is very excited!! Jake ordered her violin several months ago. This will be Courtney's last year of elementary school. She is excited for junior high, but the other kids are going to miss her. I was talking to Kendra's about Courtney going to junior high, she said "that there are always rides over to the secondary school", Kendra just thinks she can go visit whenever she wants. What a sweet little girl.

The girls are doing so well!! I am so happy that we haven't had any surgeries or sicknesses since April. Kendra had a fever of 104.2 in June, but that has been it. :) I think this is the longest break we have had in years!! We feel so lucky for the girls.

Jake has been helping the boys learn how to play soccer and got them a soccer goal. They start in the fall. I really enjoy watching the three of them play together. We have such a great family!