Summer pics

I just decided I would do a post of all the rest of the summer pics of us around the house. Completely random....then again it's basically how we roll during summer.

Parks. We went to the parks A. LOT! (a place that all ages enjoy)

Here is Everly in her SC onesie that I just love.

Snuggling. These faces....... 

I think this picture will always bring an instant smile to my face.

However with 8 kids in close quarters all the time, it's not like it's all snuggles and nice-play all the time. There is teasing, arguing, tattling, etc. 

Even when they START out playing and having fun, it can end like this all too quickly.

Learning life lessons, right? If someone pushes you, make sure you push them harder so they won't think of doing it again...... oh wait.......

We went to a fanTAStic peach-picking orchard that I wish we visited more. We just devoured them pretty quick.

They had jobs everyday (besides cleaning their rooms and kitchen clean-up jobs), and one day Royce was in charge of blowing the leaves/grass off the driveway. He LOVES doing anything with the leaf blower.....and apparently, it's rather entertaining to Brooks too, because I came outside to see him making Royce's belly "fat" move.

He thought it was hilarious

However we thought THIS was even MORE entertaining

Everly is quite.....um.....destructive, I mean "curious". She had climbed up on the fireplace, knocked down the screen and started playing with all the millions of black rocks in the fire place. She's CLEARLY very sorry about it all.

Aleeya, at times has been showing a more sassy side that we are trying to stop permanently. Like the time when she said to Brooks, "Do you even have a brain?!?"

Yea, that didn't go over so well. She didn't like her one-way ticket to her room so much.

There was a lot of noise/wailing for a while. Then silence, then this note slid out from under her door apologizing and asking if Dad wanted to read with her again. 

With some money from his birthday, Camden bought these remote control fighting robots. Which of COURSE gets put into a bracket tournament.

Aleeya won two tournaments in a row. 

The third one the championship round was between Bronson and Aleeya. Bronson's robot actually punched Aleeya's making her robot's head pop off. 

Bronson immediately started celebrating his first win while Aleeya just sat there in disbelief staring at the head rolling around. The fact that I captured this picture perfectly of the emotions is an added bonus.

There are a lot of nature trails close to where we live so we did that quite often. 

One time  the kids were playing in the river right over by this tree. After they got out of the river and we looked over RIGHT by where they were and saw this POISONOUS snake SUPER camoflouged in the sticks. Hol.ee. COW!

Another time we caught a much less harmful animal..... "Doisy"

Camden named him that because he has a "2" on his shell and "2" in portuguese is "dois".

Doisy also had a REALLY elastic-y neck!

We happened to be dog-sitting at the time and the dog LOVED the turtle. We would hide the Doisy for a game and the dog could always sniff him out and find him.

Yet, another normal look for my kitchen during the summer.....when all the kids want to "cook" (with potatoes and cut up styrofoam cups)

The fact that it entertained them so long was worth the disaster to me.....plus, they had to clean it up which took MORE time. :)

Camen is 11

On August 2nd my second born, FIERCELY loyal/protector, imaginative and honest Camden turned 11. Especially lately, I've been so grateful for him and  our honest and private talks when he will come to me and say, "Mom, can you and I just talk in your room for a while?" 

This kid will ALSO not let a bully go un-punished (for better or worse). A kid made the mistake of picking on Iris on the bus. #hisbad 

Another kid mistakenly swore three times in Camden's face....and he learned his lesson. #swearingpolice #wontdoTHATagain

He also will tell EVERYONE that he is a "Mormon" and if they want to know more he has a book to give them. He really is fearless in all aspects of his life. 

The piñata that he wanted me to make him this year was an Enderman.

I know, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!?!?! Apparently it's a thing on Minecraft (the game he plays on his kindle). Anyway, that's what he got......my strongest EVER piñata made!

It took SO long for them to break it was actually funny to watch this tough group of boys trying to crack it with a metal bat even!

He's lucky he has an August birthday because he has the OPTION to do outside/water-y stuff. Once again, he wanted to have a water-sack fight with his friends.

But sometimes it looks like a reason for Brooks and I just to start nailing our kids. I should throw them next time thinking, "THIS is for not cleaning the toilet right. and THIS is for giving me that face when I cooked the 'wrong' breakfast!"

WHO doesn't love a captured face shot?!?!?! I'm sure Bronson felt that one. (he also probably had a smile on his face too)

I don't even remember WHICH friend this is, but I still can't stop laughing when I look at this!

WELCOME TO THE SMITH HOUSE, *WHAM*!!!

Kellyn wanted to be where the action was but not get wet, or get hit or join in. She's a walking contradiction......kinda like her inside-out swimsuit that she put on herself.

One thing is for sure, when Brooks zeros in on you, it's like his bag has a tracking device. You can TELL his eyes were set on getting the birthday boy here.

AAAAAAAnd he NAILED him. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and TAKE THAT!

Beach-action

Even though we told the kids we went to Utah instead of a big week-long beach vacation I couldn't pass up a quick one-nighter with the family. Brooks had to work in Myrtle Beach anyway so me and the kids decided to come along. After all, WHAT use is living 4 hours from the beach if you never go ONCE in the summer!!!!??? 

So two days after we got home from Utah, we packed up again for the beach.

Although the view was nice from our balcony, let's just say, I didn't pick a winner when it came to the hotel.

But hey, it had a hot tub which counts for SOMETHING, right?

Let's face it, we came for the beach anyway and we spent almost ALL of our time there while Daddy was working. Even Everly took to the sand this time. It got old for her during naptime and she didn't want anything to do with the water, but all in all, she wasn't too bad.

Sweet baby.

Kellyn was more brave this time too. She giggled SO hard when Aleeya and her would wait for a wave and then jump over it together. But this is about as far as Kellyn would go out.....thankfully. (easier to keep an eye on her this way)

The other 6 kids LOVE the beach though. I mean LOVE it and ALWAYS talk about it.

I was mostly impressed with Iris (usually more cautious) and Royce this time. I could NOT get them out of the water. They took some boards and kept riding the waves back in over and over.....for hours.

(hair-in-eyes. haha)

It was trickier to get the older boys in a picture since they would go out far, jump over waves, ride them in, dunk each other, etc.

A few times Royce wanted to be with the big kids and Bronson would jump over the waves with him on his back. It was so sweet. #olderbrothersarethebest

Obviously, I couldn't go in the water since I had my two land-locked babies.  I would just sit in my chair and look out at my kids all playing, laughing and enjoying themselves TOGETHER and I couldn't help but think, "They are so lucky to have each other". 

I was overwhelmed with that warm-Mommy feeling that tells me "I have the best job ever".

The day before we left I was on facebook and saw a picture of one of my close friends from when I lived in Brazil as a teenager standing in front of the farris wheel in Myrtle beach!!! I quickly contacted her and sure enough, SHE WAS THERE!!!! So I met up with two of my FAVORITE Brazilian friends EVER! (they are sisters)

My portuguese totally bit the BIG one, but still it was SO nice to get all our families together.

It was funny seeing our little girls interacting with neither of them speaking the same language.

Kellyn just warmed RIGHT up to Camila though, language barrier or NOT! She knew Camila would hold her and snuggle her all day, so she took FULL advantage of it. #opportunistchild

We are REALLY looking forward to spending more time at the beach next summer. This quick jaunt was just too short!

The LAST Day

Our last full day in Utah was spent at the Smiths and on a Sunday.

Brooks thought it was REALLY ironic how I would pack ALL my things for the 20 day trip in a carry-on and then decide to pack this HUGE dress for Everly to wear. I couldn't resist. #worththespace

After church two families full of cousins were going to come!!!! It felt like it was taking FOREVER for my kids so Brooks pulled out a little RLC game to play (stands for "Right, Left, Center".) Normally you play with chips but Brooks thought it would make it more interesting with each person starting with 3 Oreos. The winner gets all 18. Emerson ended up winning them.

Then Brooks decided to up the ante and gave everyone two chips and one dollar ($6 total). The smiles on ALL their faces are priceless just KNOWING they might get the money.

Bronson WON!

Aaaaaaaaaaand Royce didn't take it too well.

Kellyn just kept asking when (Aunt) "Jodi" would get there.....and she FINALLY did. 

I loved Bo's cute little photobomb.

Iris and Emma........inseparable.

A quick kickball game in the field and then ice cream from the neighbors. I'm sure they didn't mind 16 extra kids getting ice cream from them at ALL!

This girl-cousin-cuteness is just too much.

These two just melt my heart. Two-year-olds just two months apart.

Then the older kids and some of us adults went in the basement for a little "Around the World" in ping-pong.

 After that the COUSINS all played a little RLC with three quarters each for the chips. And the lucky little rascal, Bronson, won all the money again. Must've been this lucky kiss he gave the dice.

I ran Iris and Aleeya over to my sister's house who so GRACIOUSLY invited my girls over there for a girly-sleepover. (However, I was personally grateful for two less littles around while I tried to get everything packed)

I loved the pics my sis sent me.

 Xbox, matching outfits, doing hair and a fashion show. 

 They seriously had a BLAST!!!!! #aleeyasearrings

The day we left Aleeya and Iris were still at my sister's and Brooks took Bronson, Camden, Emerson and Royce to Lagoon to meet up with cousins.  I stayed home and packed while the babies slept. When I dropped them off Emerson got back in the van.... he was BURNING up with the constant fever sickness that someone had almost the whole time we were there.

They were a little late in getting out to the van when I picked them up so we were really rushing to the airport to get our bags checked in. Brooks shows the guy his license and then checks our bag and golf clubs in here.

"Mom take a picture of me with my suitcase"

I doubt ANYBODY noticed us walking through the airport.....we were like a stealth ninja family......Not.

All was well until we get to the security and Brooks does NOT have his license. He JUST used it to check in our bags but now did NOT have it. I went to the gate with all the kids and I could see some of the kids just stop and drop their heads to pray that dad would be able to fly on the flight (THAT WAS ALMOST LEAVING) with us. I wasn't so formal, it was just a constant replay of praying in my mind.

The plane started loading and no Brooks. He called me and asked if I could bring a check book and a credit card with Brooks' name to the security people they will let him through. I left Bronson in charge of some kids and I took the others and ran back to security....then RAN back to the gate.

Seeing Brooks running towards the gate was probably the best thing I saw all day!!

They held the plane for us and we were the last ones on....with all our carry-ons in every part of the plane. I just looked at Brooks and said, "I don't feel as settled going into this plane ride."

I should've known that was a sign. 

We had switched seats because of Iris' BEGGING to sit my Everly (HUUUUUUGE mistake, she can't keep her hands off her)....meaning Everly didn't sleep and kept demanding to get out. Not only THAT but we had her HUGE carseat taking up a ton of space. At one point we just stuck Royce in it.

It felt like musical chairs the WHOLE plane ride.

Well, except for Emerson, who was feverishly napping the whole time.

I pulled out EVERYTHING I could. Snacks, coloring, play dough, stickers, raisins-FOR-DAYS!!!, barbies, Legoes, stick-on-window things....

Everly was STILL antsy to get out and she is SO loud. Not crying, just loud. Brooks was walking up and down the aisle with her and I was sitting in the bathroom with her just so she could play with the water coming out of the sink (THAT'S how desperate I was). Once again we got comments from people on how good my baby was. WHAT THE HECK?!?!? DID THEY NOT SEE THE TORTURE I JUST WENT THROUGH?!?!? 

By the time we landed, Brooks and I were both SO stinking exhausted with JUST EVERLY!!!! (Man, am I grateful he made the flight!) I basically wanted to run out and kiss the nasty humid South Carolina airport ground.

Brooks ended up finding his license in his CHECKED luggage pocket (lovely) and then he took Everly (I was kinda done with her) to the hotel to grab the Yeti and come pick the rest of us up. It was 11 pm, but the kids still had PLENTY of energy to play around.

Except Emerson......obviously.....

When we got in the Yeti I couldn't BELIEVE how much I missed it.

It was SO nice being in our van with a AC THAT WORKS!!!!! And cool leather seats and SPACE!!!!  (We took out the bench RIGHT behind us so there's us, HUGE SPACE and then the kids. They can't hear us, we can't hear them in the loud Yeti. It works out great.) We got home at 2 a.m.

Unanimously it was HANDS-DOWN the best family vacation ever......but honestly, there is 

NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!!!