when daddy studied

While Ryan was studying for the last several weeks, the kids and I had to keep ourselves busy with activities. I unpacked and got settled. The kids did other things such as:

Rode scooters,

Played in the water in the backyard,
Rode scooters some more,

Soaked up rays,

Collected ants,

Fought alongside of clones and destroyed the Death Star,
Rode bikes (in our pajamas!),
Rode our bikes some more,
Went on a middle-of-the-night Burger King run because it was too hot to sleep,


Ate a Kit Kat but decorated the surroundings more than consumed it,

Just played and goofed off,

AND stayed in our pajamas all day long!

Okay, we also worked really hard. We did our chores and made sure that we stayed out of Daddy's way. Thank goodness that the bar exam is over, hip hip hooray!

summer fun with the strattons!

Our sweet friends that we met in law school came through town last week. It was so fun to see them, but weird too! It was weird because we've only seen their faces in MOSCOW and never in Boise. We stayed up way too late, at yummy food, caught up on old times and played in the pool.

I think this is Hunter. ??

I think this blur of red hair is Emma jumping in.

Issy being all cute in the pool
Carter was too cold to swim for long, so I took him out early.
Cute Will enjoying a snack.
The whole gang!
Right after this was taken, Dawson yelled, "Bye Hunter! I love you!" I know he wishes he had an older brother like Hunter! Dawson has always looked up and admired him.
Issy and Carter were so cute, made Dawson jealous though!!
One time Dawson had tears in his eyes and came up to me just SOBBING. I finally was able to coax out of him what the problem was. He said, "I told Issy that she's my girlfriend and I'm her boyfriend and she said nooooooooooooooooo!" I told him that he didn't need girlfriends at his age anyway and that she would always be his friend no matter what. He didn't seem phased and said, "I'll just make her be my girlfriend anyway." I said okay.



We love you Strattons!

confusing lawyer flashcards

I have been helping Ryan study for the bar exam, which he started TODAY!!!!

This something that was terribly funny to me, but maybe you just had to be there...

Ryan made flashcards and I was quizzing him. I told him the card category and flipped it over, waiting for him to say the list on the back. He started talking but didn't say a single "key word" that was on the list. After a good 5 minutes of him going on and on about this subject, I asked him if I could read what he had on the card. When I got done reading the list, he said, "That's right. That's what I said! I know this one." (with me going, "HUH? You didn't say anything about this! Whatever.")

Later that same study session, as I was helping him with more flashcards, I read him the subject and flipped this card over waiting for him to recite what was on the back. As he was talking for yet another 5 minutes, he actually said the "key phrases" and went point by point down the list. I said, "Yay! You know this one! Let me read it to you." and I read it all back to him. He said, "Oh man, I didn't get this one at all. I don't know this one."

And this is why I didn't attend law school, when it's straightforward, it's wrong. And when it's confusing, it's correct! Go figure.