End of the Summer

After our amazing trip to California, we only had 3 weeks left of summer! 

Sadly, 2 days after we got back we found out our sweet 15 year old niece, Joy, was diagnosed with Leukemia.  It was heartbreaking news but we felt at peace that it would be ok.  It has been a hard road so far but as far as we know the cancer is now gone!  She still needs Chemo every week for the next year so the hard part is certainly not over.  She has to come down to Albuquerque every week for a few days.  Every week.  So hard.  We have been able to visit with her and are happy she is doing so well!

This is at the Playground for the sick kids at the hospital.  Such a fun place for them.

The Olympics started and to kick it off we went to a fun Opening Ceremonies partay.  We had olympic themed food, games, and watched the opening ceremonies of course!  

I became quite obsessed with the Olympics watching them every day.  I love the swimming, sand volleyball, and the gymnastics.  

We still played in the water lots and went to the pool as much as possible.

For Stacy's birthday we went out to Tucanos with Stacy and her roommate Amber.  We just love both of them and are so glad they are so close by!  Such a fun night.

We went to Hoots and yes this is the best picture I got.  I am so lame with picture-taking these days...

We also took a trip to Explora with a bunch of friends!  It was really fun.

A week before school started I realized we still hadn't camped all summer!  I called up the Johansons who we had planned to go with and they were in!  So the weekend before school started we went to the Jemez mountains to go camping.  We were looking for a spot and happened upon a dirt road.  We slowly recalled that this was the exact spot we had gone camping at just a few years before!  The spot is AMAZING!  Completely private, yet already set up for camping with a man-made firepit, and AMAZING views.  We really lucked out.  

 the kids spent a lot of time in the camper where they also slept!

 Camryn was stuck in baby jail.

Happiest baby ever.

This sequence of events perfectly summarizes what the men were up to...

gorgeous

 Jace and Spencer

family picture

The kids went down pretty good and we stayed up talking.  I love Jeff and Erika so much.  They are so much fun!  We always get so giggly around them and stay up way too late.  :)

The kids played a bunch the next morning while the adults packed up after some yummy breakfast burritos.  

My sweet girls.

 The Burns joined us and we went on a hike.  It was a perfect hike for kids, only about 1/2 mile or so.  The waterfall was really pretty.

After our hike we went down the mountain and had a picnic.  Then we let the kids get in the cold water.  They loved it.  It was a nice hot day so that water felt great! 

 

  My kids started to have meltdowns so we decided it was time to go.  It was such a great camping trip though and the perfect end to our summer.