Update

I cannot believe the summer is so close to ending.  I feel like we started out with so many plans and staying busy and structured, lagged a bit in the middle, and now I feel a rush to do a bunch more things with the kids before they go back to school.  It will be tough however because we start things like soccer practice (Vincent) and preschool orientation (Lauren) this week.  Well, at least we all have very nice dark tans to show for all of our hours in the pool this summer.

Hadley gave an excellent talk in primary today on the 13th article of faith.  She even used our saying (from the primary) that we practice around the house of "Reading, watching and listening to wholesome things keeps my mind clean."  I was so proud of her that she thought of sharing that all on her own.

Vincent is absolutely loving the new set of brothers he's suddenly come into by having the cousins move here to Tustin.  He enjoys every one of them for different reasons and I enjoy watching him follow their examples that they set for him.  I hope the example of serving full-time missions will also sink-in, although I know right now, Vincent is anxious to go on a mission AND play major league baseball when he gets home.

Lauren in all of her fiery independence and confidence insisted on walking by herself into the baseball stadium last night for the Quakes game we went to with Gma & Gpa and A.Molly.  If you offer your hand to hold, she won't but if you don't, she will hold it.  She is my first specimen of raising a child with reverse psychology.  I was so proud of her today when she asked to turn off a show they were watching because they were using the word 'stupid' too much and it was making her uncomfortable.

Gentry - well, she may make it through going to nursery the fewest number of times than all of my kids combined.  Thankfully she will be entering primary next year so Chris and I don't really push it but I do hope that going to primary will be easier for her.  She even takes her blankie with her to nursery when she goes - something I would have always frowned upon for other children.

Serving as 1st counselor in YW is becoming more and more enjoyable each week although it still brings its challenges.  I hope that my daughters have caring, loving and giving leaders when they are in YW someday.  In this world - I am sad to say I think they are going to need all the help they can get.