Friends...

Last week, we were so lucky to hang out with our good friends the Hammonds... It was so much fun. I literally have not laughed until I was sick, for a very long time.. The kids were so good and played so well together.. They even let Kris and I sneak away for some lunch and scrapbook shopping.. :) I missed them as soon as they pulled out of our driveway... Love our time together and cherish our visits.. Thanks Hammonds for a great few days!! Love you guys...

All of our kiddos...:)

Sacked out after a hard day of playing and laughing...:)


So sweet.. :)

Octogenarian...

This is one of my most favorite pictures of my Grandpa... Handsome fella isn't he.. :)

My Grandpa turned 80 today, what an accomplishment in life to achieve... Some of my favorite things about Grandpa...

G is for... Gagster... Not very often does Grandpa pull jokes on people, but when he does, he always wins.. Love it that even at 80 he is still a kid at heart.. :) So many good times with Grandpa playing jokes.. Water fights with him are infamous, and you will never win one...
R is for... Resourceful... I love it that my Grandpa is so smart... He knows a lot about everything... :)
A is for... Achiever.. Love that he is a go getter.. Has been his whole life and he taught that to his kids, who in turn taught their kids... Nothing my Grandpa could not or would not have done! Love this about him...
N is for... Number ONE Grandpa... I love that Grandpa Jones was really the only Grandpa I knew growing up, and that I always knew he loved me... I was a tad spoiled by him for a few years, being the only girl.... I have so many amazing memories of my Grandpa and I am so honored to be a part of his life, and to call him my Grandpa.. :)
D is for... Dad... I am so glad that he was blessed to have my Mom as a daughter.. What a great gift, I feel so lucky to have her as my mom. I am so thankful for the gift he gave me, my Mom... :)
P is for... Pipe... I have always and still do love the smell of my Grandpas pipe.. Takes me back to my childhood... :)
A is for... Adamant... Have to say my Grandpa has a bit of a stubborn side (wink,) which he may or may not have passed on to some of his kids (wink, wink,) but I love this about him... I love to tease him, just when I know he is being a tad stubborn.. :) Love you Grandpa!! :)

Hope you had a great day!! It was an awesome party, glad we got to share it with you...

Here is how you blow out 80 candles!!!! Go Grandpa!

Andy...

Just wanted to wish my older brother a Happy Birthday today... For a long time it was just Andy and I... I love that he was my best friend and someone I looked up too.. Here are just a few things I love about him...

A is for Ambitious...Andy is one of the hardest working people I know, works from sun up to sun down... Not a lazy bone in his body.. Love this about him...
N is for Nicest Uncle Around... No matter when or why he calls me, he always asks what his nephews are doing (yes he loves Court, or Gunderbutt as he calls her,) and insists on talking to one of them... He adores them (mostly Jade,) and is the best Uncle to them... I wished we lived closer, so we could see each other more often.. Thanks Andy for being so great to my kids.. :)
D is for Dedication... I love how devoted he is to those that he loves in his life, whether it be his family, his friends, his kids or one of the many older people he helps out, he is always there... I love that he would do anything for anyone and that he has a heart of gold...:)
Y is for Young... I love that Andy is my older brother, but at times he is just one of my boys.. :)

I miss these days when life was simple, and Andy was my best friend or some days my worst enemy... I love you Andy and hope you have a great day!!!

Latest at our house...

Going ons happening at our house in the past few weeks...

Glitter Toes... Courtnee has been practicing up on everyone trying to get it mastered.. I must say I absolutely LOVE them, and how they sparkle in the sun... I want to change my color everyday just to see the blingage... I have tried pink and orange so far, and I am loving it.. :) Thanks Court for letting us all be a practice tool for ya!





Swimming... Hot days=Lots of water... Have taken the kiddos swimming a lot over to Troy's grandpas house.. Amazing how Cole went from being scared of the water to swimming from side to side under water... Love it that Troy has taught them how to swim.. :)

Jaden & Kamden


Stock & Kam


Stock floating...(I know this picture does not look that nice, but it was purely innocent of him, and dang funny..)


Camps... Courtnee was gone for FIVE whole days, and this was just her first one this summer... That is way too long, how on earth am I ever going to let her go to college?? Stockton was also gone the first 3 days she was... It was entirely different at our house... Everyone asked me if my house was so quiet with them both gone, FUNNY people, very funny!!! I missed them both so much!! I think it was a humbling experience for both of them.. NO TV, no computers, no cell phone, no video games, no showers; just the spiritual experience with nature was really good for them.. Really happy they are back!! Here are a few pics of Court at camp, didn't have any of Stock...

Court and her friends...


Court at Archery, which she pegged the bulls eye twice.. Very impressive..


Their hike... Over 400 hundred girls.. WOW!!!


Funny Kiddos... Love it that at the end of the day, my kids still make me laugh...


Basketball... Some of Stockton's littlest fans...


Hand Sanitizer... You would think that my 7 year would be obsessed with the latest and newest toys out.. Not so much... Lately he is beyond fascinated with hand sanitizers... We went to Roberts today, and he saw Bath & Body and freaked out and begged to go there... He was like a kid in a candy store... So excited and yet so conflicted of so many different scents to choose from... It is a little disturbing to me that he has this fascination with hand sanitizers... He was so dang excited when we left and he had 5 of his very own miniature bottles of sanitizer... He then began to barter and bargain with Courtnee for an hour, about trading some of his scents for hers, that he liked better... OCD, oh maybe just a little... (wink)


Cupcakes... Ordered a few amazing books from Amazon on how to decorate cupcakes... The kids had a blast decorating them... Who would have thought a dozen cupcakes, 2 containers of frosting, M&M's and zip lock bags would keep them busy for hours.. Dang I should have done this weeks ago... Pretty cute, if I do say so myself.. Can't wait to try my hand at it... For some reason I am totally fascinated lately in cake/cupcake decor... May just have to take a class or two... :)









Hanging out with Cousins... Love it when we get to spend time with family!

Cuteness of a pregnant belly...

This is my darling younger sister Nancy.. I can't believe that in only 6 more weeks we will get to meet her sweet baby Ryker.. I just love pregnant bellies.. They make me smile, and just a tiny part of me wishes that just one more time I could feel that miracle inside me... I love feeling him kick her, what an amazing experience... This was her first shower and I begged her to let me take at least ONE pregnant picture of her.. She is so adorable.. Stayed tuned for the weeks to come, as we get to meet baby Ryker.. :)

Kriston...

Just wanted to wish my BF a very Happy Birthday... Hard to believe that we have been friends for over 20 years.. I love her like my own sister... Here just a few of my favorites about her...

K.. is for Keen... Kriston has and is such a smart girl.. She is such a good Mommy to her kiddos, they are so lucky to have a Mommy who is so smart, who makes sure they get what they need... :)
R.. is for Radiant... From the day I met her, I thought she was so gorgeous.. Today I still think it!! Not only is she beautiful on the outside but her beauty just radiates from within her... LOVE THIS!!!
I.. is for Ingenious... She is seriously a clone of Martha Stewart (only much cuter..) Crafty in every aspect of the word.. If there is something she hasn't tried, doesn't stop her.. She is totally amazing, and incredibly talented!!! So very inspiring to me!!
S.. is for Smile... I love her smile, it lights up the room, and is totally infectious.. Just seeing her smile makes me smile.. :)
T.. is for TOO far away... I really dislike the fact that we live hundreds of miles apart.. I know we do whats best for our families, but DANG I miss that girl!!!! :)
O.. is for Original... Kris is definitely one of a kind.. The mold was broken the day she was born.. I love her originality, her spirituality, and her absolute love for life...
N.. is for Nice... Kris is seriously the nicest person I know. She would do anything for anyone and she does... Love this quality about her!!

Kris I hope you have the best day ever, you deserve it!! Can't wait to see you in 2 weeks... Love you!!!

Sweet, sweet revenge...

Well for Courtnee anyway... As I have said before, my little Cole is a teaser... He gets the best of all of my kids on a daily basis... On the last day of school his teacher had given him a little stamp, which he was so proud of.. Maybe a little too proud, as he thought everyone in our family needed a stamp (whether they wanted it or not..) They got one... Well apparently he stamped Courtnee one too many times.. After a few minutes of squealing in the other room, he came into my room looking like this.. All I could do was laugh... I love it when she gets the best of her brothers, which is not too often... He was even laughing... Love it!!! Oh Cole, maybe someday he will learn, doubtful though!! :)

FUn FouRTh of JuLY....

What a great weekend we had... Swimming all day at Troy's sweet grandpas pool.. The kids had a blast. We packed a lunch and were set for a day of swimming... We were so happy that our cousins were able to come play too... After a hard day swimming, we headed to our house, to barbecue, hot dogs, eat corn on the cob, and yummy watermelon... Then it was off to the front to do fireworks... It was neat because all of our neighbors came out and we all did them together, it was so fun.. Decided it worked so well, we will do it again next year... :) Here are some favorite pics from the day... OK well lots of pics, however I say, the more the better..

Dakota, Stockton, Cole & Courtnee


Braden & Dylan


Connor & Jaden


Volleyball anyone?



A hot sidewalk beats any towel.. :)


Let the tricks begin...
Braden, doing his Superman pose... :)


Stockton, well being Stockton...


Dakota, upside down...


Levi, flip then flop...


Courtnee, toe touch...


Cole, karate kid maybe??


Connor, big jumps, 1st time off board..


Yummy dinner...


Cute baby belly.. :)


Court & Grandma...


Getting ready for fireworks..








South side spectators...


North side spectators..


What a great day!! Can't wait for next year!! :) Thanks family for an amazing time...