Isaac's baptism

Ok. these pictures go out of order b/c i can't for the life of me get them to rearrange.

Isaac got to share his big day with his fav cousin, Sam (whose baptism we had to hurry off to when we were done with Isaac's). These two are 3 days apart, born on each other's due dates, and shared blessing days and now baptism days and we're looking forward to a double missionary farewell in 11 years. These two, best buddies from the womb.

All of Isaac's cousin support.

We had our hands full trying to keep all these jokesters quiet for an hour,

impossible (and we're even short 6 in this picture!)

Isaac was baptized on August 8, 2009 by his dad (Who is 2 for 2 in getting overcome with emotion while performing this ordinance for his children:) He has been waiting for this day for some time as he is the last of his crew of friends to take the plunge. He was so excited to wear a matching tie with Matt and since he got his first "real tie" a few months ago, has learned to tie them himself and refuses to go back to zipper ties (as you see eli sporting here)

We had a little scare that our family was going to be in charge of the musical number

HA!! Can you imagine us giving that a shot?

But was relieved to discover a mix up on assignments where we (when i say we, i mean "I") got relegated to offer up the "talk on baptism" instead. Speeches aren't my forte, but is much more doable than a musical number.

summer fun

what we've been doing when we haven't been in idaho, camping, hanging out with cousins, or having a birthday party

AAAHHHHHH! Summer

just three more days and it's all over
'till next year

Isaac's eighth

Isaac turned the big eight this year--which means a friend party for him, too--we celebrated on his actual birthday with just us and a fancy schmancy cake-NOT created by me

He got to open his family gifts which consisted of ties, scout stuff and a new bike helmet

i can't believe i'm entering the world of scouting

His friend party was the next night where we had a "video game" party and took all his buddies to the nicklecade (a party option i highly recommend--only minimal planning required and they were super-entertained by me simply handing them a roll of nickles--no party games, no crafts, nothing to take home...ie: fabulous)

All nickled up

Eli's reaction to running out of nickles

Eli and Dad

Isaac taking a spin on some motocross thingy

Mal driving the big rig

After playing for an hour and rounding everyone up we headed back home for cake and snowcones

We got 'em all juiced up and sent 'em home to bounce off their parents walls:)

Viola!

Isaac at eight....

Lets see...

His newest job this summer has been mowing the lawn--an upgrade from last year

He's a computer/video game junkie...well as much as one can be with only one computer game and no gaming system. So i guess he's the junkiest member of our family (which isn't very hard)

He's a great reader--but he doesn't love to read like Megs--he'll only read when forced--otherwise he's playing his aforementioned video game

He played jr. jazz for the first time last winter and we could not for the life of us get him to use the backboard to bank in a shot--we have since gotten him a outside hoop and he's finally learned to use that stinkin' square! EVERY TIME!!!

He loves soccer and improves drastically every season. He starts up this week and can't wait to see what his new jersey color will be... hoping for something besides blue.

Isaac watches Matt and the young men very closely and knows which ones he wants to be like--he knows which qualities in those boys he wants to build in himself. i can see him measuring himself up to them. last month for a ym activity, matt had the ym run up to the temple while carrying gallons of water so they could pass out water to the patrons and workers there. Megs and Isaac wanted to go too so they carried their jugs of water and ran from our house up to the temple (about a mile--all uphill) with the priests. Matt said Isaac was determined to make it to the top without any help..to be just like those boys.

After school one day, i was asking him about his day..who he sat by at lunch today? and he thought for a sec..."um, today is tuesday...that means i sat by coleman. tuesday is coleman's day

Me: "What do you mean, tuesday is coleman's day?"

Him: "Well, all my friends were fighting about who got to sit by me every day so i made up a schedule, Monday is Jefferson's day, Tuesday is Coleman's day, Wednesday is Fisher's day, Thursday is Brennan's day, and Friday is Joey's day. That way everyone gets a turn and no one fights over me anymore" i couldn't stop giggling...this kid truly has kids flocking to him...which matt and i will take over being the smartest or most athletic any day...he's just a good kid. And we'll keep him. Happy Birthday Buddy!

liberty park

While Matt's sister and fam were in town for their biannual SL visit--we decided to beat the heat with a little spray park/feed the ducks action at liberty park

family campout

the mcqueens were in charge of the hawes family campout this year and we decided to take everyone up to diamond fork--up spanish fork canyon. our little clan got there a few days before everyone to scope out our campsite and test out the hike to the hot pots. we had a lot of fun with just us, but my kids couldn't stop asking when EVERYONE ELSE WAS GOING TO GET HERE?We took a 5 miler up and back to the hot pots (which BTW, was way too long for little kids and the hot pots at the end were scortching) and ended back to camp at noon where everyone was scortched so we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming in the diamond fork river that ran right by our campsite. (We could have just skipped the hike;)) and then played a lot of "PIT" and "Bocce Ball" and braided hair while we waited for everyone.

Of course i have no pictures of when all 30 of us were there--i'll just have to glean them off everyone else. We had tons of kids, food and fun: swimming, hiking (ok nature walking), family triviaing, and running around with flashlights scaring off any small creatures that lived anywhere near our campsites.

uh-oh

our first chipped tooth!

little eli came home from jumping on the neighbors tramp with part of him missing.

Double Digits

It was party year for Megs and so for her 10th B-day we had an... party with friends and cousins.

I sent them on different tasks throughout our neighborhood and the district. Megs was super excited and overly competitive as usual and even though i could sence her frustration...she took her 20 second loss in stride. all she wanted this year was an aeropostale shirt and a pair of converse. cha-ching!

One happy 10 year old.

HMMM...lets see, Megan at 10...
what can i say about Megan at 10?

well, first, she really wanted me to know this was an important birthday because she was finally in double digits. uh huh. super important

megan still loves to read and i can hardly keep her in books. we frequently have to untwist the lightbulb in her lamp so she won't stay up late reading.

She loves soccer! and Although she loves being out front scoring goals she finally talked her coach into letting her play goalie for a bit this season.

She's super dependable and is starting to babysit for me more frequently. She has the touch to be able to put Eli down for a nap like no one else.

She is a great biggest sister...but sometimes can't resist the urge to tease her little siblings to tears or screams. This is definately a Hawes trait

She told me last night that she's really nervous to start the 5th grade because she might not know how to do everything
She is a great helper; while on our latest trip to Idaho she told me that she was trying to do everything she was asked without complaining...i'm hoping her siblings follow suit.

She's my little shaddow. Whenever I'm headed out to the store or to run some errands, she always wants to come with me--by herself--without all the "little kids". She's much too mature for them:)

She's growing her hair out long enough to donate it to locks of love.

She is the anti-girly girl. Bows, lace, pink, glitter, froof...you'll find none of it in her posession. She's comf in her jeans rolled up to her knees w/ a tshirt.

She's a sweetheart and we love her tons

I can't believe I've been a parent for ten years!!!