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 & ? 

Family Fridays...Luke

aka "Lukie", "Luke, Luke Bo Booc"

Things We Love about Luke:

• He is so creative.
• He is a hard worker.
• He loves to build with wood and has built a bench, a cupboard, a saddle rest, a roping calf, a stand for Megan's harp for a primary program presentation. hopefully you get the idea.
• He worked out a deal where he mows the riding school lawn in exchange for riding lessons.
• He is raising a goat, Hank, to sell at the county fair to raise money to buy himself a saddle.

Fun Memories of Luke:

• Luke calling me in September 2004 and asking me what I was doing and when I asked him what he needed he replied "nuttin' just come sit on da couch." 
• Luke calling and asking "grandpa when are we going shoot'n?"
• When living with us for a few months at age three he was asked to go to his room by his mom.  All I heard was him stamping up each of the 6 steps saying "Damn, Damn, Damn...."
• Sleepovers, movies and popcorn. We have our own little ritual and sleepovers include...movies, popcorn and an egg and bacon breakfast!
• When recently installing our new patio, Luke was out putting the stone in place and telling the workers were it looked and fitted best.  He REALLY has a good eye for it.

May 2011...heavy stone

Luke is our first cowboy grandson.  He has gone elk hunting on horseback.  He has gone camping on horseback.  He did Mutton Busting when 4 years old at the Davis County Rodeo.  He has babysat chickens and horses while the neighbors have gone on vacation.  Luke is a lot of fun to be around and has an energy about him that is very much like the "Energizer Bunny."  He is an all around good grandson....and

We love our Luke!!!

Family Fridays...Matthew

It really seems hard to believe that it has been 38 years since Matthew joined the family as the first born.  What a brave soul he was and still is.

Fun Facts about Matthew:

Cheam Park Farm School Soccer Football Team

Matthew Team Goalie

Mayors Cup...yup I'm tired

• He served a mission to Bordeaux, France.  As an Englishman in France that was very brave.
• He tried his hand at being a horticulturalist in high school during which time he babysat plant(s) for a friend.
• He loves sports and is a soccer ref who when a coach was complaining about a call asked him how much he got on the ref test.  Matt calmly let the game proceed and then in a break answered the coach..."99%, Sir".  
• Helped run one of the biggest Soccer Tournaments in Utah for several years.
• He is a great singer and helps keep his dad in line when they are playing in the band.

Things we love about Matthew:

• He married a sweet girl, Steffanie, and they gave us four cute grandkids, Caleb, Ben, Joseph, and Chloe.
• His sense of humor.  He used to take a joke book to church and entertain the older sisters when he was little.
• His love of the gospel and his willingness to serve when or wherever he is needed. 
• His hard work in raising a family and graduating from BYU with a MBA, while a young dad.

September 30, 1994

April 25, 2003

Memories of Matthew:

• The strange sounds that used to come from his bedroom.  I thought he was talking rubbish and really he was practicing his Latin!
• The night he called and asked "Should I get a plastic surgeon or not to stitch up my face?"
• Peter trying to change his dirty nappy, diaper when only a few days old and ....well maybe that is not a story for here.
• The smelly goat cheese he brought back from France on a school trip.
• Tickle fights with Peter and his siblings.
• His love of video games
• Never sleeping as a toddler...right up to when he started school. I still think he exists on very little sleep!
• The Gotcha Song by the Beatles...I love when you sing that and Johnny Be Good and.....

Like I said earlier...Matt was very brave being the first one to come to our family.  No manual is given when your children are born and you try the hardest you can to do the right things.  Mistakes are made but in the end you hope they will always love you as much as you love them.

We love you Matthew!!!

Band Practice

Peter, you're in the way!!