Kind of busy....

Wow is all I can say to the summer rushing by.  We have been busy and have enjoyed the summer for the most part...

Kristin, James & Annie (not in St. George)

We moved James, Kristin & Annie to St. George and I wasn't even in St. George's 105 degree weather long enough to get hot or take a picture. (600 and a bit round trip miles in one day...but that's another story!)

Two days later was the July 4th big big Water Baseball Game and BBQ at Tiffany's. Water Baseball pictures here

The next day Casey, Cindy, Lucy and I headed off for Pasadena, California. Casey driving the moving truck and Cindy, Lucy and I driving their car.  We stopped in St. George to visit James, Kristin and Annie in their new home that I had been to 3 days prior to this trip.  We stayed long enough to eat a take out Thai dinner and let it stink up their house.  We then hit the road and traveled as far as Primm, Nevada where we spent the night.  It took me three times to the front desk to get a room that the key opened and a room with air conditioning.  The next morning found us leaving early to get to Pasadena so that the movers Casey had hired could unload the truck. Boy, did they ever work hard!

I enjoyed playing with Lucy and going to the beach when really I should have helped with more unpacking but we had a great time doing both.  We played in the water and ate on the Huntington Beach Pier.

Nana & Lucy

Cindy, Lucy and Nana - July 7, 2011

I flew home on Friday night in time to fulfill a Handcart Day calling that required me to help with an Art and Craft show exhibit and to watch the band, Last Chance, participate in the event.  The police were very nice when the complaints from the neighborhood rolled in.  The Mayor was called and the Chief of Police.  As it was a city event they just asked the band to turn their speakers away from the audience and the people who lived across the street and to aim them towards the library and the Police Station. (next time the event organizers will get an "Amplified Noise Permit")  

Kort, Matt & Peter - July 9, 2011

Last Chance - Art Show July 9, 2011

I was relaxing on the Sunday evening when my mom called to say a friend of the family had died and that Paula, my sister in law, was taking her to the funeral the next day.  Not to miss out I said "Count me in!" and off I headed with them to Nampa, Idaho. (this time only a 5 1/2 hr drive)

Mom & Paula - Glenns Ferry, Idaho - July 19, 2011

We managed an impromptu birthday party for my dad, a working FHE, a birthday picnic in Mueller Park Canyon, Amber's birthday party, a street party with the band playing again (yes we really like Last Chance!) and over 125 friends boogieing, chatting, eating and laughing the night away.  I'm ready for a vacation....oh wait that's coming soon!!

Summer Fun 2011

Cousin Camp 2011 Memories

In 2009 I got a bee in my bonnet and thought..."Let's have a cousin camp. Invite all the grandkids for a day, a night, and a day." So we did.  We just completed our third year. The first year we had trouble with rain so a few of the things we planned ended up indoors.  The last two years have been hot and perfect. (a parent's perspective 28 Hours Cousin Camp, Glorious Cousin Camp)

2009 Silly Face Picture...Awesome shirts!

2009 Indoor movie as it rained

 2009 Ellie and Chloe doing hair

2009 Caleb, Megan and Chloe

2009 Megan, Ellie & Chloe

2009 Indoor Rain gutter ice cream Sundaes....dang rain

2010 Tie Dye Shirts

Hanging and drying

2010 Outdoor Movie

2010 They rolled down the hill in the night and ended up in the flowers

2010 Smores up the canyon - Megan

Ben

2010 Rain gutter ice cream sundaes

2010 Picture with our new Cousin Flag

We start with a snack (well this year we didn't get around to it because we were so busy making our shirts)  The first year we used fabric markers and decorated our shirts and then signed our name on each other's shirts.  The next year we made tie dye shirts.  This year we made stencil spray shirts.  They turned out so cute.

We have our traditions: we play chalk games, blow bubbles, draw on the sidewalk and driveway.  We have watched movies, eaten snacks, had pancake breakfasts, made a cousin camp flag, root beer floats, rain gutter sundaes, smores, glow sticks, weenie roasts, BBQ's, water slide, hot tub antics, picnics in the canyon, picnics in the park, hikes, pictures, photo albums, disagreements, laughter, giggles, and cuddles. The grandchildren have grown...just look at the pictures.  This year we added two two-year-olds to the day activities and our cute Lucy joined us for the closing events.  Oh what fun!

2011 T-shirt creating

2011 Haven't they grown

2011 - Aren't we clever?

2011 Luke and Ben hiding from the squirt gunners

2011 - Drew and Annie and giggles

2011 Hot tub fun

2011 - Lazing in the park

2011 - Joshua playing hide and seek

2011 - Lucy's first Cousin Camp

Annie & Drew playing with the ducks

Drew just chill'n

Luke drawing his goat Hank

Girls being girls

Caleb...showing us his artistic talents

Annie and the bubbles

"Can we just start the movie?"

Kristin showing the kids how to hula hoop

2011 Rain gutter Sundaes

Pick up time

 2011 Ellie, Nana & Lucy

2011 - Sometimes Joshua just doesn't want his picture taken

Annie had to go home a day early so this is her shirt picture

We have hopefully created bonds of love and have helped make memories that will last a lifetime!

We love you, Caleb, Megan, Ben, Joey, Luke, Ellie, Chloe, Joshua, Drew, Annie, Lucy & ?