Summer update

So I haven't done an update post for awhile, and as you could see in the last post I finally figured out how to get pictures from our new camera to the computer. So I had a bunch of picures to organize from the last 3 months.
So starting back in May- Will graduated from preschool, and his preschool graduation was so great. I admit, I got a little teary-eyed seeing him up there with his class in his little ducky shirt and hat. He has been singing the 3 duck songs that he learned in preschool ever since them. He's really good at them- he does the motions and everything and it always makes me laugh. I will try to get the video posted here soon- yet another thing I need Billy's help with... he's so smart. :)
After preschool graduation Billy and Will went to their first Father's and Son's camp out- and the first time Will has ever gone camping. He was SOOO excited about it! And when he gets excited he talks non-stop in a loud and hyper voice. Billy said he was talking the whole car ride there and the whole time they were camping. He was telling everyone who would listen about their tent and sleeping bags and roasting hot dogs, etc. haha. He made some friends with the older boys in the ward there too, and I thought it was so cute to here stories about them and to hear how nice they were to my little boy. :)

So we are going to try to make camping a yearly family tradition. We plan to go as a family in a couple weeks- for the first time. We had never been able to afford vacations before but we figured if we buy all the camping stuff and go camping once a year- it'll be the cheapest vacation we could do and we think the kids'll love it.
So, we've also celebrated Will, Adalynn and Billy's birthday. Just one more this Summer and then the next one will be when our baby's born! Me and the baby are the odd ones out w/ Oct. and Nov. birthdays.
So Billy's birthday was a lot of fun. I took the kids shopping and they helped me pick out a new hat, belt, and shirt for Daddy. The shirt I wasn't planning on but it was only $3.50 and it made me laugh. It says stud muffin. Billy wore it all day- including on our date- haha. It worked out perfect that I got 3 gifts though b/c then I let each of the kids carry a present to give to Daddy. They seemed just as excited to watch him open presents as they get opening presents. I also bought his favorite cake: carrot cake. Walmart has a really good carrot cake! I learned that it's actually cheaper to buy it then to make it. So ok! This was the first time I had boughten a cake for a birthday- usually I make them. But it was so much easier and so good!

Our date was the perfect ending to a great birthday day! I love going out with Billy. I love that it never gets old. I seriously cannot spend too much time with him- if he was home all day every day I'd love it. AND I love that we have 2 Grandma's that live so close now that are willing to babysit! It is so incredibly awesome and wonderful to have them close. We missed them when we didn't get to see them as much. Now sometimes the kids will even have both grandma's come over at the same time and they think that is like the most incredible thing in the world- TWO GRANDMAS! haha.
So Billy used to work from home (for about 3 yrs) and it was so nice b/c he'd save time and money on not going into the office and he'd be here if we ever wanted to talk to him. And if he had a slow time he'd just come out and be with us. He almost always was able to eat dinner with us and be with us during family prayer before bed. I miss that. He now has new management and can no longer work from home. :( His new shift is 11:30-8 and he leaves the house at 10:30. So the morning goes by really quick and he's not usually home by the time the kids go to bed. So we miss him, but we are getting used to it. At least he's on summer break from school. He was thinking about taking some summer classes but with the new training and...stuff it didn't work out, and I am glad to have him home.
So when Billy's gone I don't have a car- we are sharing one car. Which is one thing that we really hate about the fact that he has to go in the office. I'd love to be able to take the kids places whenever I want, but oh well. Like I said, at least he's home in the morning for a little while- so it's not so bad. And hey, at least he has a job! Plus, he will be using some vacation days here and there soon b/c he has to use them up before Oct (when the baby comes) and then he will get a 12 WEEK paternity leave!! Yes!! We are SO lucky that he has a job that gives him a paternity leave. It's so nice. It was 8 weeks with our other 3, but after we had Tessa they changed it to 12. So we are excited about that. We have always had good sleepers too. So if this baby does what our other 3 did then the last month of the paternity leave will be really nice- we should be getting good sleep by that point. I hope! :)
Anyway, this is getting really long- I know I'm wordy and I ramble, but get used to it! ha.
So.. so far this summer has been really nice. Our kids go swimming in our little $10 pool outside probably every other day. We are making it to the library now probably once a week and even the mall occasionally. It is so fun to see them having fun and running around and just being kids. They have there moments where they fight but overall they seem to get along really well lately. At times (especially the girls or sometimes Will and Adalynn) will seem like Best friends. They are starting to play really well together lately- where I can actually be in the other room and just let them play in their room. It is so nice.
I will update more later on the kids individually. But here's one more picture of my kids being happy!