the ones you live with, laugh with, love: July 2008

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Videos of lake trip.....

Here are the videos of the lake trip that I was having trouble uploading the other day.
This one is of Big A on the tube..... His only request was to be thrown off fast. Crazy kid!

This one is of Triple A on the knee board. He really showed he can do about anything! The girls did it too I just didn't get it on film. Sorry kiddos!

Okay, James is probably going to kill me for this one but it is really cool footage! So, this is James attempting a 360 on the knee board. It didn't quite work. :) But for the record and in his defense he can do them and so can Melinda. Infact they are really good at it. I just didn't get footage of it.

One more year of swim team done.....

We are now done with swim team. It was a great year and the kids did great! Big A and Double A are going with M to Master swim until after their triathlon. What troopers! This starts at 5:00. Then they go to the track and run. They completely out do me!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Happy 12th Anniversary!

Okay, this is so late, but Happy Anniversary, My Love!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Navajo Lake Trip....

Okay, I survived, but not with honors.

I was sick on Saturday and wimped out very pathetically. But once I started to feel better it was great. This post is going to be filled with tons of pictures, so please be patient with me.......

Fishing...... We did a little fishing the first evening there. Did we catch anything? Do we ever? This is definitely not our thing, even though we love to fish we better not depend on it for survival! :)

While the fishing was going on Double A and I went and did a little exploring. It was absolutely beautiful there!

Tiny A's rock collecting.... Don't you love the way she carries them?

The view from our campsite! Very peaceful there!

Triple A hanging out....

On the boat....

Big A learning to ski. He got up but not while I was on the boat . So I don't have pictures or video of it.

James on the wake board..

Tiny A "wiped out" on Grandma Lynette. She actually fell asleep while taking a bite of her s'mores.

Breakfast..... We definitely ate good while we were there.... And Little A had a great time with her new friend.

Big A hanging out on the tube....

In the raft....

Little A on the beach...

Tiny A on the beach and playing in the water....

My girls......

Roland and Tiny A......

My Family.....

Oh Yea!

Catching some Sun!

Joshua...

Trip home......

I have some fun video below, unfortunately I was only on the boat once, so I missed my girls doing there thing on the tube. Sorry cuties! But I am told they did fantastic. My kiddos are so much braver than I am..... I just don't think I would be able to muster up enough nerve to do it... When I grow up I want to be just like my kids... :)

M jumping off the rock.....I thought I took some video of Big A jumping but some how I was a genius and messed that one up... OOOPs!

Okay, I can only get one video to upload, I'll work on it tomorrow....

Thursday, July 24, 2008

We're off for a camping trip!

We are off to M's family's annual camping trip. (Okay, I am really tired ...Did that sound right?)
If you know me at all you know this is hard for me...... Wish me luck. :) I am the only one who needs it...... I am the only wimp here! But I am going for my family! Oh the sacrifices you make as a mother.... ( I have to keep saying all of these noble things to myself to feel better and slightly feel okay about this :0) ) Anyway, see you when we get back! Have a great weekend!

Great Friends!

I feel so blessed with our friends! I am especially grateful for the friends our kids have. I really couldn't ask for anything more from them! They are the best. :)

Dish soap and a sprinkler make for lots of fun on a trampoline!

M even joined in on the fun! :)

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Triple A's Baptism

Okay I know this is late......but I forgot to take any pictures, so I was waiting for a friend to get some pictures to me that she took. Thank goodness for someone else being with it! :)

Anyway...... Triple A's baptism was wonderful. It is always so special to see these sweet kids who have chosen for themselves to be baptized. They all bore their testimonies in church the next day and it was the sweetest thing to hear their sweet and simple testimonies. And it is that simple but I think we as adults sometimes make it complicated. Oh, to be like unto a little child.....

Anyway, we are so grateful for all of our family and friends who were here to share in this special day with us. My entire family was here. That just does not happen very often.... It was great!

So thank you, thank you all for coming! We love you!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Our new backyard!

Okay, so maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself.....It is not finished yet....but we are getting there.... We are working on doing the rest of our backyard.... It is a crazy big job and we love it! My brother came up one day and took down the part of our corrals where we want to have grass. And this week M took off and we went to work. :)

First we leveled a little spot for our patio and added some retaining walls for flower beds. The next day we made the patio. I thought this would only take a couple of hours but it turns out when you are laying over a thousand bricks it actually takes a whole day. What was I thinking!????

Then the next day the 40 tons of fill dirt came so we could level the spot where the basketball court is going.

And then later in the day the 28 tons of rock for our borders came....

Tiny A did a great job at comforting her baby that was scared of the dump trucks.....What a good little mommy she is going to be someday!

And we got to work. We rented this fun little machine/tractor thing that did everything ( i.e. trenched, shoveled, augured, rota tilled) Everyone got in on the action and tried their hand at driving the little thing...... It was great fun! The boys were especially thrilled at the opportunity at hand! They were really great at it too!

Big A living out a dream! He has been fascinated with tractors since he was one!

Triple A riding with Matt. I was later let in on a little secret that M let him drive by himself as well....Just not while mom was around! :)

Double A having some fun!

Little A fought for her turns just as often as the boys!

The kids loved the rocks! And the trenches!

We finally got all of the rock in and the BB court leveled and we trenched for the new sprinkler system and we dug the holes for the trees.

M was worn out! I don't blame him, We had been getting up before 6:00 and not coming in the house till around 9:00. We did this for 3 long days. Tomorrow the pipes for the sprinkler system are going in...So I should probably get to bed considering it is 11:45 .

Oh, here are some comparison shots of the yard. obviously all of the plants and trees are not in and the bb court will not be poured for another 2 weeks. But hey it's coming along......