River Trip

We went to the Colorado River in Blythe with some friends for a few days. It was a great way to start the summer! It was 108 degrees but none of us seemed to care. It felt great in the water. We would get up and play in the water for a few hours and swim around.

Abby was so good. We kept her cool and gave her lots of Gatorade bottles.

The kids didn't even fight once. Now that is amazing.

Hailey and Karis relaxing on the beach eating grapes and giggling. The two of them had fun doing dance routines in the water.Back at camp the kids would play with water balloons or play ball. Madison and Aiden had a serious match going on. When it was too hot the kids would watch TV in the air conditioned motor home. Our air conditioning went out the first night so the Dale and Leanne let us hang out in theirs during they day and we slept with a fan on at night. It wasn't so bad we could have been in a tent. At night we would hang out and play games late into the night.

Late afternoons we would go back down to the river. The water was perfect then for wakeboarding and there were hardly any boats on the river. Leanne was the official lifeguard on the waverunner. I was really glad she was there when I attempted to wakebaord after many years of not doing it. I of course did not get up this time. Thanks Leanne, especially for not taking any photos of that.

Here is Aiden getting pulled on the knee board.

Todd took each of the kids for rides on the waverunner. The loved the speed!

Todd was pretty happy to be wakeboarding again and even cleared the wake a few times. He is not as rusty as thought. Madison was very into watching him from the boat. When he would let go and we would bring the rope around she would tell him "your not supposed to let go Daddy". When I gave it a try all I got was "you kinda suck Mommy". Look what I have to compete with though :)

Our friends' son Matthew did awesome on the wakeboard also. He just had open heart surgery a few months ago and look at him go. Way to go Matthew you are my hero!

We got a giant island raft for the trip. There are six seats to sit on and the center is mesh so a little bit of water comes in so Abby had a little pool of water to splash in. The other kids loved jumping in and off of it.
Everybody loved it when Dale and Todd would spin the raft.

Matthew and Blake had a great time being knocked over by a water football that they Dads would throw and try and peg them.

We had a great time with our friends. The kids were amazing and all got along great. This is going to be a fun summer!

In the Rainforest

Daddy was away in business in D.C. and we went to the rainforest. One of the days my parents were here we drove into Ontario and went to the outlet mall, TiaPan and the Rainforest Cafe for lunch. Madison hated the elephants. She didn't want to look at them and had this face on the whole time. She wanted her food in the car.

Hailey is quite the little actress.

Blake wanted to show Madison that all the animals weren't scary.

Abby loved it and was making funny faces all through lunch.

Happy Father's Day

This Father's Day was extra special because my Dad was here to celebrate it with us. The kids and I made my Dad and Todd a special breakfast. Blake was a super helper in getting everything ready with me. He was very excited to give them breakfast on the couch instead of breakfast in bed. Grandpa gets up and ready way too early for us. The kids and I are both very lucky to have the best Dad's ever! We are also lucky to have Grandpa Ryan and Gramps!

They are the greatest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Here is what the kids have to say they love the most about Daddy:

I love Daddy because he wrestles with me and plays video games with me. -Blake

He makes me giggle and he throws me onto the couch. -Hailey

He lets me ride my bike and eat blueberries. -Madison

Happy Father's Day!

Yummy Blueberries!

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit this weekend. We were so excited to see them. Daddy was going on a week long business trip so we tried to fit in a few fun things before he left. We decided to go blueberry picking on Saturday morning.

The kids loved it! Blake was the least bit excited when we told him what we would be doing. I think he exact words were "this is my worst day ever". By the time we got there he and the other kids were so into it. He and I were both pleasantly surprised how fun it was.

Madison was so funny. Her and Blake were determined to get the best and biggest. She loved show all of us when she found a bunch of perfect blueberries.

Abby spent most of the time being pushed in the stroller and then we finally let her free and she loved it. We had to keep her from eating them which was not very easy. As you can see she wasn't so happy to leave.



Between Mom and Dad's buckets, the kids and Todd's we got lots of yummy blueberries. I froze most of them. They are delicious frozen and taste like blueberry ice cream. I will be making lots of salads this summer with blueberries!!

Blueberry picking got a thumbs up in our family this weekend. We will have to go again next year. It was a perfect morning. After we went to Old Town for lunch and then Grandpa and Daddy treated the kids to a movie. What a fun day!

Fair, Friends, Fun and Fried Food

Scott and Christine invited us to the fair with Christine's family. Scott had some amazing flower displays there. It was lots of fun. Christine's niece and nephew stayed with her over spring break so our kids became good friends. Blake was stoked to see Mason again and Hailey and Madison love little Emma. We got wristbands for the kids to ride on what ever. Did we ever get our money worth. I think they rode every ride in the park. Todd and Scott took the older kids to the bigger rides that night, but we spend hours during the day at the kiddie area.

Noah and Madison were paired up all day. They had so much fun.

Madison is just like Hailey and Blake and loves a thrill ride and so does Noah.

I think that is why the two of them get along so well.

Mason and Blake did every ride at least twice I think.

Abby was great! She loved just people watching.

She did not like the noise outside the fun house.

I love that she just covered up her ears.

All in all we had a great time as you can see on the kids faces.

Last Day of School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School is out for the summer! I am so happy to not have to be in my car all day dropping and picking up for preschool, kindergarten, and grade school. Blake is ready to hit the pool and play xbox with his buddies and he has decided that he also gets to stay up a half hour later.

Blake loved his teacher. One of his favorite things in 2nd Grade was the Writers Workshop were he got to make his own books and present them to his class. He did great this year and got excellent grades. Way to go Blake!Hailey isn't as excited about school being out. She really loves school and loves her teachers. She made all the parents cry at Kindergarten promotion. You'll have to click on the slide show to see. She has so much school spirit.

That afternoon Blake and Hailey went to a pool party at Hailey's friend Emma's house. I think all 20 of Hailey's classmates were in spa at one time. It wasn't until the party that Hailey realized summer isn't so bad!

Madison's Madagascar Debute

Madison was super quiet in the car and then all of a sudden she starts singing the Moto Moto song from Madagascar. Luckily I had my camera in the front and was able to capture her on video. We thought it was hilarious. She makes us laugh all the time. The real singer in the song has a super deep voice and in the movie is a hippo. You can see in the video that Abby sleeps through anything and what the two in the very back really act like in the car.

Having a ball watching Hailey in her Kindergarten Performance

Hailey had her kindergarten performance tonight.
She was in the baseball part of the program so she wore some of Blake's baseball clothes. These are some of her favorite boys in Kindergarten, Max and Cruz.
She really thinks Cruz is the cutest. They look the same to me.

Hailey and friends before the big performance. She did a great job

and loves to be on stage in front of everyone.

Hailey's in Take Me Out to the Ballgame.