Welcome Back!

Well i am fully aware that we have slacked with the blog. We have had really good times and some not so goods times and everything in the middle the past few months. So like always I will break it down for you one Urmston at a time....

Nathan

or as I like to call him these days
Mr. Ironman

I don't really but maybe I should, He will be filling you in on his 140.6 mile adventure. Other than the iron man he has really enjoyed being home this summer. He finished his first quarter of the masters program at Cal-State only to find out that if he did become a High School counselor we would be taking a 13% pay cut. Ouch!!! He would really like to help High School Students but not that much. He went to Young Mens Camp and had a great time. Camp was only one week before the Vineman and he took extra good care not to injure himself, until the last day when he went down the zip line and hit his back. He also managed to loose his sunglasses and his wedding ring, OOPS, all in the same day.
JILL

were to begin, the carnival was great. It rained and so not a huge turn out but the kids had a blast. After the carnival is over I feel I can relax only to realize there are class parties, teacher luncheons, and all the other crazy end of the year celebrations. I have made great friends at the girl's school and so working with them on end of the year parties is actually not so bad. Once summer started I just try to lay low and not do to much. I enjoyed going to the beach for the Urmston Family reunion, Mom and Dad Urmston coming home from their Mission and hearing all the wonderful stories. We went to Disneyland one day with them and the Coontz family and had a blast. We also went to Cayucus with the Stotler side of the family and had so much fun. I signed up for a 10k run and was miserable the whole time. I am sooooo out of shape and when it was over I could barely walk. I did something to my foot and all I could do for 3 days after was lay on the beach (sigh). But other than that we had a great time. On the last night we were there we decided to jump in the ocean at 9:00pm a little freaky but something I will never forget. I also had a great time cheering Nathan, Peter, and about 1000+ other Triathletes at the Vineman and of course hanging out with the Peter Urmston Crew, Porter was missed. I do have to admit leading up to the race, (especially the week before) I'm not the nicest person to my triathlete, but I am working on it.

MIA

Is now a big 6th grader, holy smokes were has the time gone. She also celebrated her 11th birthday, holy smokes I'm getting so old. The school year for Mia was great she was involved in many activities and still managed to get fantastic grades. She did great in her piano recital and was asked to play for the Exchange Club by her teacher. This was her 7th year of dance and it was so fun to watch her perform. Mia has loved taking our dog Nanie for walks during these long summer days and we have started to let her walk to the corner store for an ice cream or slurpee. She swam this summer for McMurtrey 1 and had a great session. She improved in her times and did really well at the city meet. She has spent the summer just lounging around and hanging out with her friends and sisters.
GRACE

Has loved waking up, before anyone else, and making breakfast for herself. It has been so great. She can make eggs, bacon, mac and cheese, beans, grilled cheese, ok so you get the picture. She loves to cook and is always thinking of ways why we should have a cake or brownies. She will be a big 4th grader this year which is really hard to believe. Grace finished her 2nd year of violin and loved learning to play star wars and other popular songs on her violin. She also danced this year and loved learning River Dancing. This summer she was also on the swim team and enjoyed meeting new friends and watching her times drop in each event. At the beginning of the summer she held a few lemonade stands and was quite successful as well.
YIKES THIS IS A SUPER LONG POST PLEASE DON"T STOP I STILL HAVE 2 MORE TO GO...

SAMANTHA
The big news for sam is she turned 8 this past June and was baptized on July 4 with her cousin Hayden. IT was a really special day because most of the Urmston's were in town for the reunion.

no swim team this year for our little sam, instead she wanted to dive. She enjoyed it so much that she wanted to join the diving club. So she goes 3 times a week and dives for about 2 hours. She loves it and is actually sad when she has to miss. Sam is now a 3rd grader and like said before were has the time gone. She did really good this year with her reading and math. She loves to read Magic Tree house books and is working on the first Harry Potter. This was Sam's 2nd year of piano and she did a great job on her recital pieces. At her dance recital she did a jazz number and had lots of fun. She is our girly girl and I find her sometimes ready to go to church with blue eyeshadow and glitter on her cheeks and then have to remind her that make-up is only for fun. She also loves perfume and again we have to remind her a little goes a long way.

DREW

Last but not least. He has been a really trooper going to early morning swim practice, piano, violin, Dance recitals, and swim meets. As long as we have some type of candy and promise to go celebrate afterwards with ice cream is good to go. He has loved having his sisters home this summer to play with him. Drew is non-stop. He will be going to pre-school this year and is supper excited to see all of his old friends. I was called to serve in Primary at church and it is so fun to watch him and the other 4 little boys his age during sunday school. They are so funny and so boy. He loves to sing church songs and help during sharing time. He too loves to swim and is a little fish, lots of nights his eyes are blood shot from so much swimming.

Well I'm sure I have left lots out but this is what sticks out the most in my mind. Just a little re-cap or the CLiff's notes
Mom and Dad Urmston Home from there Mission

2 beach trips

Sam turns 8 and is baptized
Mia turns 11
Swim team

Diving

Lots more fun to come...