And so it begins. . .

I thought that I had a couple of years before it would begin, but Spencer has proven me wrong (once again). Spencer's birthday is in a couple of weeks, so while driving in the car one day we asked him what he wanted for his birthday and do you know what he said? A phone. And not just any phone. A phone like dads, an iPhone. Yes, my soon to be 5 year old just asks us for an iPhone for his birthday. Maybe next year he will be asking us for a car!

Lake Powell 2008

Lake Powell this year was one of the best years we have had as far as the kids go.  It was so neat to have Spencer a little older and actually ENJOY being in the water, on the tube and even trying out water skis!  Spencer also enjoyed being with all his boy cousins.  That kid is growing up way too quickly.  Grandma planned lot of crafts and fun things for the kids to do, which was especially nice for Natalie (she is SO into that kind of thing right now).  Grandma and Natalie were best friends the entire trip, which was good to have a companion on the house boat because she was completely terrified of the speed boat.  She would scream the entire ride, but luckily by the end she had eased up a little and would only cry if we let go of her hand (even if the boat was stopped).  Bailey probably had the hardest time being there, just not the right age.  She was terrified of the water, so she spent most of the day in the hot boat.  I think that she loved a little more attention than normal from mom and dad though.  Tanner just couldn't wait to get into the water so that he could fall to sleep.  Literally every time that we went in the water for a swim he fell to sleep.  Cute boy!  The food was awesome as always and the company was even better.  Someday we will be able to completely enjoy ourselves when ALL of our kids are old enough to enjoy the water and the sun without being forced.  But until then we will take what we can get.

Grandma and Natalie putting together visors.

Natalie and Grandma again, watch the FLAT SCREEN they put on the houseboat this summer.

Mom doing Megan's hair in braids.

Picture of everyone crammed into the family room the first night of our trip.  It began to rain and rained hard.  A funny site to see 25 people trying to get down the narrow spiral staircase.

Another shot of the room.

Natalie girl

Spencer with the cool visor he made.

Bailey girl.

Our sleeping Tanner boy.

Adam, Grayden and Spencer enjoying themselves in the tube.

Spencer and Dad water skiing.  

Brett

Tanner, Mom, Natalie, Spencer, Megan, Talmage and Natalie.

Tanner boy sleeping again.

Dad and our Tanner boy.

Everyone enjoying the water.  

Oh, and Tanner sleeping AGAIN!

Tanner and Grandpa were having so much fun playing on the shore.

Pure joy.

Bailey

Natalie

Bailey, Spencer and Natalie on the car ride home.

Mom trying to catch some Zzzz's (Natalie and Tanner played tag team on the houseboat)

Dad showing off the growth of his beard over the week.

Busy, Busy Times

It has been a busy six weeks for the Bruschke Family. Mom and Dad Higham got home from their mission on June 29th and since then we have been going non stop. It actually all started the week before they got home. Mom and Dad had all of their furniture and personal belongings stored in a storage unit in El Toro. We wanted to surprise them so before they got home we made 5 trips with Brett's truck and a twenty foot trailer full of their stuff to the house. Thank goodness that we had the help of family and friends to do it all! We were able to get it all done in a couple of days and saved the Saturday before they got home for some fun in the sun. So that was the week before Mom and Dad got home and the the next couple of weeks were full of trying to get them all unpacked and settled. And some fun of course. On the Fourth of July we kept the good old tradition of going to the beach for the day and staying for fireworks that night. I was a little nervous that Brett wouldn't make it through the day (I know most people would probably worry about the kids making it through, but every time we go to the beach, after about 1 1/2 hours, Brett is asking when it is time to go home), but he was a trooper and survived the 12 hour day at the beach. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It stayed overcast much of the day, but when you are out in the sun for that long, a good cloud cover is a blessing. And the fireworks were amazing as usual. Spencer loved the fireworks and asked us which were our favorites. When our favorite ones would come up he was sure to point them out it us. It was adorable. I love the Fourth of July at the beach.

Natalie and Spencer digging a "deep" hole (I think that for every shovel full that they got out they knocked two shovels full back in).

Mom and Dad Higham enjoying their first full day of relaxation.

Jimmy and Christi came down to join us from Utah.

Our happy Tanner boy.

Taylor Yee

Kelsie and Hailey Valgardson

Tami and Hailey

Daniel Yee

Liz Higham

Brett and Rachel

Tanner and Brett

Bailey and Taylor Yee

Tanner and Grandpa Higham

Our attempt at a family picture

Natalie, Spencer and Kelsie wrestling while they wait for the fireworks

The beautiful sunset we had

Bailey and Teddy (doesn't she look so tired?)

Valgardson Family

Daniel, Sarah and Morgan