Goodbye, summer . . .

This was quite possibly the busiest summer we have ever had.  It was gone in a blink of an eye.  Between baseball games, trips, and doctor's appts, I pretty much lived in my car.  However, I loved the memories we made!  Here are just a couple photos from some summer end activities . . . . heavy on the Syd photos.  :)  We loved our pool dates with her, especially after Kaiya got out of her boot!  I've also included a couple pics from the Corn Roast Parade Kaiya was in and one of Kinley with her splint off and a perfectly healthy front tooth showing!

Her poor skinny calf after boot removal

Nothing beats swim dates with Syd

Two funny girls!!

Watching Kaiya at the Corn Roast Parade in Loveland--so much candy, too!

Seriously cute

Little did we know just a couple weeks after this photo was taken, Syd was pulling herself up and standing unassisted!

Too bad she isn't loved. :)

Kinley mid-air toss

So silly!

The splint came off and the tooth looks great--miracle!!

Varsity golf team, baby!

In years past, back to school time was a bit difficult for Cooper.  The vast majority of his buddies play football but having a pacemaker implanted under your armpit precludes him from joining them (OK and being just over 5 feet tall doesn't help, either).  I've always been OK that he can't play.  I love watching football--just not when my kid stands to get crushed.

At an early age, he was introduced to golf.  I grew up on a golf course and my dad has always played.  My brother, Brandon, is quite a decent golfer.  It's such a great sport because you can do it forever.  In fact, my grandmother played until her eyesight got bad enough that she just couldn't see the ball.

Coop developed a pretty good swing and has always wanted to play at the high school level.  Well, he is getting that chance.  Only about 8 boys are on the team, but he made the varsity traveling squad, even beating out a senior.  He has played in 3 tournaments (most of which are on school days, which means missing school, which means lots of stress) and done well.  His final score is always comparable to his teammates and he hangs right in there with the rest of the kids.  He has a maturity about him on the course that makes me proud and it's fun to see him just truly enjoying the experience.  I'm out there walking the course whenever I can and am looking forward to 3 more years of this.  Go, Coop!!

Sporting his FHS bag and shirt

Fist pump after a good putt 

2nd shot at a LONG course in Erie

Warrior Dash 2012

Let's see--drive several hours, run a 5K race at 9,700 feet, climb over several obstacles and cross the finish line by crawling through mud.  Sound like fun?  We thought so.

We went with 4 other couples to Copper Mountain to run the Warrior Dash race/obstacle course and it was a total blast!  We met for brunch, ran the race as a group and finished off the day at Beau Jo's famous pizza in Idaho Springs.  Fun stuff!

3 kids in 3 schools . . . here we go!

I don't even know how to summarize my emotions as this school year starts.  I guess it starts with total disbelief.  One in high school (what??), one in middle school and my baby half way through elementary school. Aside from the daily revolving door that starts each morning at 5:15 a.m and ends at 8:50 and then starts over again beginning at 2:30 and ending at 3:50, I am ready to do this thing!

My older two have been so nonchalant about their big jumps to new schools that it's hard to get too worried.  Cooper was pretty pumped to be the first freshman class at the brand new Frederick High School and I've to say--it's a very impressive facility.  He got a great schedule, made the varsity golf team (wohoo!) and has a great group of friends.  Living in a small town with great neighbors sure pays dividends.  Our neighbor teaches at the high school and moved into their house the same day we did 11 years ago, so we've watched each other's kids grow up.  She is not only allowing Cooper to be an aide for her at the end of the day so he can get homework done, but she took care of getting him the classes he wanted.  Sweet, right?  Cooper also started early morning seminary this year (church class kind of like a Sunday school class) and goes from 6-7 am before school.  Let's just say he doesn't argue about going to bed at night.

Kaiya is 11 going on 16 sometimes, so she really didn't freak out too much at all about starting middle school.  She walks with a group of girls from our neighborhood and also got a great schedule including a study hall hour at the end of her day to get homework done before she leaves for 4 hours of gymnastics each day.  She seems to balance it all quite nicely and was mostly just excited that her bulky boot came off just a few days before school started.

Kinley got the teacher she wanted (the same one that had Kaiya in 3rd grade and Cooper in 1st grade), so she's a happy girl.  She really thrives wherever she is and does well in school, so that sure helps in the mom department.  She is playing volleyball this fall and super excited for her first game coming up.

 

Lindhardt reunion 2012

I must say that attending a reunion was much more enjoyable than planning and being responsible for a reunion!  It had been two years since we hosted Doug's family reunion in Estes Park and this year, it was his sister's turn.  And, conveniently, it was Doug's parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

It was incredibly special to spend the weekend watching Spencer run and play (without a shirt on and sporting some sweet scars, I might add).  It was incredibly amazing to listen to him tell his story through each scar and top it off by showing me the picture of his heart donor.  I loved watching he and Cooper compare scars on their chests.  It was equally amazing to watch his mom put on a reunion for 40+ people and not skip a beat in giving him his daily medicine all while having her house overtaken.  You are one amazing woman, Nancy!

We did have a minor mishap (OK, a major mishap) on the 2nd day of the reunion.  Kinley apparently decided that she wanted some of the attention Kaiya had been getting for her broken leg and she smacked her face on the giant slip and slide and knocked out a permanent front tooth.

Kaiya and I had been up at Utah State visiting Lori at work and getting some free physical therapy (so fun to see her in action at work and to be in the training room with all the athletes) and we were headed to the slip and slide party.  The pictures tell the story, but this is no ordinary slip and slide.  It goes down a huge hill and continues on for almost a hundred yards into a corn field.

Kinley was going down the slide with several of her cousins in a train on their bellies and when the train came apart and reconvened, Kinley went flying and landed on her face.  Out came the front tooth, root and all, just as Kaiya and I were arriving.  I pulled up to the field in time to have Doug tell me he was on the phone with an oral surgeon and Kinley's front tooth was out.

I don't think I have ever run as fast as I did from my car to where Kinley was sitting.  By the grace of God, one of my sweet nieces found the tooth on the slide (even after a couple more kids had come down) and put it in a cup.  Being an ER nurse also came in pretty handy and I was able to get the tooth back in the socket before we rushed off to the oral surgeon who was able to splint it back into place.  Who knew that a permanent tooth if inserted back into place quickly will regrow new ligaments and reattach itself.  There is a very good chance the tooth will not only survive, but continue to be fine for the rest of her life.

Other than the giant slip and slide, we enjoyed a family kick ball game, an outdoor movie on a giant screen (the side of the house!) and a wonderful luncheon to celebrate the anniversary.  What a great week!

Enjoying some R&R

Cooper coming down the redneck water slide

Cousins and buds forever

Kara, Kaiya and Abbie

The 50th anniversary luncheon

A lot has happened between those two photos

You'd never know they are related, right?

Goofy Emmett

More cousins (and Kinley at the peak of her fat lip)

Love how these girls always pick up right where they left off

Jess and Jill

The event coordinator, CEO, and master of ceremonies for the reunion.  

Playing the "Newlywed Game"

Nothing but gauze holding in her tooth waiting for the oral surgeon

Sad girl

Naptime

My two favorite cardiac kids

Showing off her splint

Outdoor movie night

The day after

Girls outing to window shop

Trying on veils at the bridal store. Yikes!

Goofy girls

Family kickball game

Signing and stuffing the time capsule

We enjoyed the rest of the reunion and have lots of good stories to tell for many years!

Happy birthday, Hamma!

With just two weeks of summer to go, we packed in as much fun as possible.  For my mom's birthday, we spent the day at a private lake near Ft. Collins where my half-uncle, Matt, is a member. My aunt and uncle were in town from Hawaii and it was great to see them again.

It had been a couple years since most of us had been on waterskis, so we took full advantage of a really nice boat!  It was a super fun day (minus hitting a sandbar in shallow water) that made me realize I really am a summer girl.  I'll take waterskis over snowskis any day!

Erika and I went down on multiple occasions trying to do the paddle board together.    Nice that someone caught the moment with a camera. 

Surfing behind the boat with no rope.  So cool!

61 years old and still slalom skiing!

Soaking up some sun

My turn on skis--much better result than the paddle board!

Crazy tube ride at the end of the day

Can't have a birthday without cake!