4th of July Weekend!

Thursday we headed out to go camping with my dad and brothers and my sister Sarah. We tried to convince my mom to go but she was tending Brad and Janelle's kids and didn't want to bring them out. We were sad but we had a good time.

We got there a bit later then I wanted but it all worked out. We camped up at my dad's stake property in Spanish Fork Canyon. It was so pretty and we were all alone! Well except for all the flies and bugs....

I started dinner while Joe set up camp. My brothers got there about 30 min later and helped Joe and set up their own tent. Just as dinner was ready my dad and sister pulled in. We had a great dinner and then spent the rest of the night singing songs around the campfire. My brother Alan brought his guitar. It was a great night. I wish all my family had been there. But we can plan another time.

Friday the kids spent all day swinging on the rope swing and going on rides on the 4 wheeler. My brothers left just before lunch to go to their other 4th plans. We had some neighbors join teh area. He was friends with my other brother Brad. He had his wife Brooke with him and their friends Sharon and John.

Me, Joe, Dad and Sarah all read and then played games til it was time to start dinner. Dad and Sarah had to get back to mom and the other plans they had. My sister Holly and her fam were supposed to come down and Joe's cousins were supposed to come up that day but neither showed so we had a TON of food at dinner. Just as dinner was ready the neighbors came back so we invited them to come eat with us. It was a really nice evening!

Saturday we woke up early and broke camp. I wanted to be out by 9:30 but we didn't make it. 10:15 was prety good. We got to Joes family reunion up Springville Canyon just at the perfect time and all went well. I was in charge if games for the kids and they had a good time. We had a fishing thing and water fights. Then a raffle and a piñata. After most everyone had left we had a small b-day party for RyRy.

That night all of Joe's family that was up from New Mexico and his cousin Darren came over to do fireworks. Darren is a cop and had boxes of illegals. It was so fun! Until we got caught.... It was really good to see his family from NM. We love them and don't get to see them very much and when we do see them our time with them is so short. I think we will go down when the kids go off track again.

Busy Week 2

As you can see I had alot to catch up on. It just keeps comin....

Friday we went down to St George to buy a new trailer!!!! Love it and we love the family we bought it from! We are planning to go camping with them when they get a new trailer!

Monday we went to my parents house for Kyle's, Steven's and Ryan's birthdays.
We had a nice BBQ and time to just chill and hang out. I love my family. All the littles ones get along and love to play together. Steven made home made ice cream and it was so good!

Steven got gift card
good at the entire mall
downtown. Lucky....

We all pitched in and got Kyle a nice music stand and light so when he sings songs to teh kids on his guitar he can actually see his music! What a concept!


Ry was spoiled. We gave him a crap load of toys that Joe bought before he was even born. We had to wait til he was old enough to actually play with them.






That night we headed home with my brother Brad's dog Honey in tow. We kept her for 5 days while they went to Park City for their anniversary. She was a good dog and loved playing with my kids and dogs and my dogs loved having her around. We went camping for the 4th(another post) and she had a blast!




We went to Riverton Days for Ryan's birthday. We had Joe's cousin Darren and his family come with us. Kale(Darren's son) is Ryan's age and they are best buds. Everyone had a great time riding rides and playing games.

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Ryan is 4!!! Time has gone by so fast. I can't believe my youngest is already 4! One more year and he will be in in Kindergarten! I did the math a while back and realized that when he graduates I will only be 45!!! I am excited about that!

We are so blessed to have Ry in our family. He is such a joy and so very loving. He loves to give hugs and kisses just because. My favorite is when he comes up to me and hugs me and says "I love you momma." Or when he touches my face and says "Momma you are so beautiful."

Ryan has been a challenge for me. He is a crazy boy and I wasn't sure I would be able to do a boy. When he started all his mischief (see Ryan Out Takes photo album) I was sure I wouldn't last.

He LOVES Star Wars which Joe is SOOOOOOOOO happy about. Joe has always been afraid that we would name him with Anakin as his middle name and then he would hate Star Wars. But no worries. He even put in a special request that he get a Star Wars Pillow from G-ma Eames.

Ryan loves to play outside with he friend Ryan. He also loves to make new friends and does so very easily. More so then any of my other kids. He is so smart. He has been able to recognize his letters and numbers for a year now and if I worked just a little more with him he could be reading very soon.

His favorite thing to eat is cereal. Joe spoils him rotten. He is very much loved by all his sisters and the rest of our families. He really wants a baby in our home. He is finding it difficult to understand why we can't have one like all his friends do. He is excited to learn new things adn LOVES video games.

Busy week!

My niece Samantha turned 14! I can't believe how fast time has gone! She had a great party with her friends. She got some great gifts. Her fav was when her friend sang a song to her with his guitar. That was really neat.





On Wed I went out for a girls night. I came home and Joe informed me that the next morning I shouldn't be surprised if Ry Looks funny. Ryan was running through the house and slipped somehow in the front entry way and slammed his right eye into the corner of the bottom stair. He had a nice shiner for a few days.




The next day we had a surprise party to go to for our neighbors and friends. Rich turned 30! It was a great party. Every one had a great time. There was good food, a water slide for the kids to kmeep them busy so us adults could socialize. Lisa even made home made ice cream! YUM!








That night the girls had a sleepover. Every one got a make over. Even RyRy.

My Yellowstone Trip

Day 1

We took the back way to Yellowstone passing by Bear Lake. It was so pretty up there! From there we stopped at the cheese factory then headed to Jackson Hole. We were able to hang out there for a couple hours. I had never been. After I had been there for 20 min I called Joe and told him we are SOOOOOO going on our bike ride up there! I LOVED it!!!!!

We got to Yellowstone. We headed straight to Old Faithful. After we arrived we all ran to the bathrooms to change into our choir wear. That was hilarious! I don't how the guys faired but having 20 women all trying to change clothes in one bathroom...... need I say more?

Our concert was wonderful. We were asked to sing longer but we all really wanted to go watch Old Faithful erupt.

Our hotel was in West Yellowstone. I got to have 3 room mates and 2 of the ladies I was so glad to get to know better. I already knew Shalynn.

Day 2

Today was a FUN day! We hit the South Loop. We saw some beautiful waterfalls and tons of wildlife. We got to see a momma bear and her baby cub. That was amazing! Along the way we saw HUGE snow drifts. We made the driver stop the bus so we could make snow angels in June!! That was awesome! At one of the falls we stopped at we all go together and sang a few songs. What a neat experience!

We walked through the hot pots and geysers and got stopped by a few herds of Bison along the way.

That night we went to the Playmill theater to see Oklahoma. It was fabulous!

Day 3

We ran the North Loop today. We saw more hot pots and geysers. Did ALOT of walking and took tons of pictures. It was so much fun just being together as a choir outside of practice. Of course we saw more wildlife! We ended our day on a chuck wagon ride into a canyon for a chuck wagon dinner. That was SOOOOOOO yum! It was so wonderful being out there and eating good food! I will do that again!

Day 4

We were invited to sing for two church services in West Yellowstone. What a great day that was. Both congregations were so grateful that we came to bless them with such beautiful music. Between services we had lunch out in the forest is our formal wear. That was fun and I'm sure to all those who passed us it looked quite funny.

We stopped in Idaho Falls for dinner and my sister Holly came to meet us. She used to be in the choir as well. It was so fun to have her there. Everyone was so excited to see her again. She brought her boys with her.

We headed home and got stuck on the freeway for nearly and hour! But in the end we all made it and were happy to be home and pass out all the gifts.

Happy Birthday Katya!!!

I am late getting this posted. I was gone to Yellowstone on Katya's birthday and just got home late Sunday night.


Katya is now 10!!! A whole decade!! Its kind of surreal to know I am old enough to have a daughter that old.

It has been a wild ride with her. We never had the chance to have just her in our home. She was 3 months old when we found out I was pregnant with Tay. I went into a deep depression and had a hard time being a good mom to her. When her sister tried to come early twice I was not allowed to even hold her anymore. She had to learn to walk at 9 months at least while holding my hand. She was a very good sister when Tay came. I am sure she thought Tay was a doll. She was small enough to be one.

Katya has always been curious. I would find things in unusual places. Tampons in the cat dish, kittens in the garbage, dryer and dresser drawers, toys in the toilet, random items at the bottom of the stairs to the basement ect... Tay soon became her accomplice. As they grew up almost like twins they got into more trouble then sometimes I could handle. One such day they were 2 and 1. I put on Teletubbies and went to take my shower. When I came back down they had not only figured out how to open a child doorknob lock but had the buddy system down pat. They opened the door to the pantry then pushed a chair to it and had gotten the cannery cans of flour, oats and sugar off one of the high shelves. Then they covered my entire front room with the contents. I turned around went back up the stairs and called Joe. I told him he had to come home right then or his daughters would be dead. They also did it one day with green paint.

When Katya was around age 3 I noticed she had developed some anxiety issues. She was constantly worried about everything and every one. Temper tantrums got worse. Joe didn't see it. When Kindergarten came he did. She would cry all day long, hide under her desk and refuse to finish projects because they weren't perfect the first time. We decided to try teaching her how to recognize her feelings and change her reactions rather then run to meds first thing. It wasn't working so well. We continued that summer and hoped for the best in 1st grade thinking if its the same we take her in. A miracle happened that year. Marie Dalgleish. She saved our daughter. I really don't know how she did it. Katya still has her days but she is able to calm herself and control her reactions.

We love having Katya in our family. It is her anxiety that makes her so responsible. I know if I leave her in charge she will take charge and all will be well. She loves to create. Love animals. She loves school lasagna and chocolate milk. She loves to try new things with her hair and can do her own hair. She is very smart and does well in school. She is fantastic with little babies and will be baby sitting for her nieces and nephews sooner then I think.

We are so blessed to have her as our oldest. We love you Katya!

Joe

Joe is the best!
The best dad, friend, husband, lover, game player, maker of PB&J, provider, spoiler, snorter(when he laughs), date, ect...

He is amazing! He has been a real trooper for the last 6 months while I have had surgery after surgery AND he even found time to take us all to Disneyland. For the last 6 weeks he has been getting up early to get the kids ready for school and sent off while I slept(sleeping pills) and recovered from my last surgery.

He takes the kids each week out on a date and me too! He works so hard for our family and very rarely complains. He stays up all night working and then works all day too. We are fortunate to have him here at home with us. We love him very much and I think it would be a really sad day if he ever has to work in an office again.

He is my best friend and he spoils me rotten. He hasn't complained at how filthy our home has been all year. He has just gone with the flow and loved me and cared for me and made sure I recovered from each surgery. I don't think I could have done it with out him.

Thanks baby! We LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Father's Day was a fun day. We woke up early(church is at 9) and made Joe breakfast in bed. Then we gave him his gifts. New sheet music for him to learn and play, flip flops for the summer and a new Chuck Norris t-shirt. He also bought a 4 wheeler that we considered to be a fathers day gift for him.

After church we just hung out with dad in the yard and waited til it was time to go to g-ma and g-pa Days house. We spent he rest of the evening there eating and talking and playing games. It was alot of fun being with my family.

Yesterday we took his dad and mom out to dinner for fathers day. It was a nice time and his dad LOVED it. He is a hard guy to do anything for. So we were glad he enjoyed it.

We love all our dads in our lives and are so grateful for all they did to raise us and help us be who we are today.