Pool Party at the Taft's!

 

(Left to right: Aliyah Donigan, Jessica Campbell, Samantha, 

Lyllee, Brianna Campbell (lil sis), and Emily Anderson)

Somehow I ended up hosting an impromptu swimming party in our backyard this afternoon. The girls found a bunch of friends and talked me into blowing up our pools because "it's soo hot!! Please!! We want to swim in the pool to cool off!" They had a blast, I guess summer has begun.

They had the pools setup so they could run through some obstacles in each pool and then jump on the trampoline. It was quite the setup.

Swimming with the fishes!

Lyllee invited all her closest friends and cousins to go swimming for her EIGHTH birthday party! Everyone had a great time, and Lyllee felt so loved by everyone!

Here are some of Lyllee's best friends right now, Mya, Hailey and Kate.










These girls are such goof balls, I can tell why Lyllee loves them all so much!


Dad took Madi and Sami around in the pool. These two loved getting so much attention from dad.


Lyllee's favorite cousins of all time are both named Abby.

Lyllee and her friends, starting on the left, Kate, Paige, Avery, Abby, and Kamryn.

 

It's Great to be Eight!

 

Lyllee was baptized this morning by her daddy, Hyrum. Baptized, wow! My first baby was baptized! The time has absolutely flown by. Lyllee has such a tender and loving spirit about her. She loves to help anyone and anywhere she is needed, and always has a smile on her face. She has a beautiful testimony of her Heavenly Father and knows that the church is true. She loves to get up just about every fast and testimony meeting to proclaim her love for her Father in Heaven. She loves to learn about the gospel and tell you about all the things she has learned. I am just in awe of how much she knows and how eager she is to learn more about everything around her.

After the baptism service, we talked to Lyllee about how she felt. She said that she could feel the spirit so strong and that she felt like she was an adult now. I am looking forward to all the many amazing experiences that we will get to share with our sweet Lyllee in the coming years.

April Swimming Lessons

Another session of swimming lessons has come to a close. The kids have made some improvements and mom has had kept her sanity while we have been off track. I was able to read a whole book in the two weeks! Madelyn has had a hard time just sitting on the side lines. She really just wanted to jump in and swim but, I have kept her pretty busy with toys, snacks and playing on my phone.

Update..

Yep, as you can see Kevin the minion is still with us. He has become part of the family, he is everywhere we are, running errands to the store, the dinner table, family prayers, he is there!

(In this picture the kids are wishing one of their favorite babysitters a happy birthday and asking her to come watch them soon! They are so sweet!)

Girls Night Out!

Lyllee and I met up with my sister-in-law and her daughter for a girls night. We took the girls to get some pedicures. It was so relaxing, and the owners treated us to some free designs! (it helps to know the owners of course. lol) After our pedicures we did what any girls like to do.. went to the MALL!! We walked around all the stores, got some ice cream and tried to talk Lyllee into getting her ears pierced. She didn't want to even though I told her I would get mine done too. She just wasn't interested. Oh well, it was a really fun night hanging with the girls. We will have to do it again soon!

 This is Lyllee's first time getting a pedicure. She said we should do this every week!

 Me and my pedi-buddy!

 My other pedi-buddy!

 Abby and her mom Rachel.

 Abby has had a pedicure before so she was a pro.

 A girls night out with your best friend, getting pampered at the nail salon and then going to the mall. Can life get any better for these two?? Oh yes, yes it can! SLEEPOVER!!!

 Our finished toes, so cute!

Cutie-pies!

My little swimmers!

While we are off track I decided that we needed to find more ways to pass the time. So, I signed the kids up for swimming lessons. They have been having so much fun learning new skills and getting to play in the water. Madelyn has a bit of a hard time at swimming lessons, she doesn't like to be on the side lines just watching all the fun. She wants to get in the water!

They are having too much fun! 

On the last day of class they ended early and let all the classes go play in the playground and then sent them home with a treat. They didn't want to get out of the water!