Instagramming

This week has been a big blur of getting ready for Ben's birthday and shopping to go camping with our church over the weekend. Summer sure is flying by, but I'm glad it's flying by because we're having so much fun! I know I'll miss this time when winter hits and there's not much to do indoors. Though right now I'm just craving a long, quiet day indoors with magazines and movies.

It makes me feel so old that Ben just turned 9, it's kind of the same feeling I got on my birthday--good but a little scary. Him getting older means I'm getting older. I always wanted to be a young mom, though, so I can blame myself if I want someone to blame. :) I especially love when people see me and then see Ben, and start nonchalantly popping questions into the conversation like how long I've been married, how old I was when I had him, how old I was when I got married, etc., etc.

This kid of mine is so smart, and so inquisitive. He does so well in school, and math just comes to him. He doesn't have to work for it at all. But he also loves science projects and figuring out how things work. He was obsessed with origami recently, and he would come up with the most intricate designs all on his own. I swear he could write an origami book himself. He loves helping B fix things and do manly things together. He is his Home Depot buddy.

He's handy to have around, too--he helps me get things when I need something, he buckles up Olivia in the car for me, he reminds me of things...it's interesting to see my kids transforming from little beings that can't help themselves to little people who are able to tell me what's up. :)

I'm proud of the fact that he's such a good reader, and he's been devouring books all summer long. I have fun finding books for him that I remember reading and loving, and now I get to share them with him. (This also makes me feel old, because it doesn't seem that long ago that I was reading those books.) I am so excited to see what God has in store for Ben, and what all his inquisitiveness about the way things work will lead to. But I have a hunch he will end up designing and building something, whatever that is.

1. We got to see four people get baptised.
2. All five of us after the baptism.
3. Messy braid at the pool.
4. Celebrating Ben's 9th birthday with dinner and cake with the family.
5. Hanging out at Wahooz watching the girls play and staring at the carpet.
6. Olivia getting to know her passenger.
7. Watching the go-kart drivers get ready to race.
8. Olivia's first go-kart ride about to begin, and I can tell she's nervous.
9. Girls golfing.
10. The boys trying to get a hole in one so fire comes out the top of the temple.
11. The bumper boats were so refreshing!
12. Pit stop in McCall on the way to Warm Lake. We had to take the long way around, 4 1/2 hours instead of 2 1/2 because of a fire.
13. I took my Instax camping with us.
14. The crowd at Warm Lake. And the water was pretty cold, not warm. :)

xoxo,
Tanya