updates

I can see I have been very delinquent in my writing. Not that I have been very good it it in the first place. Summer is still going on over here. We have until after Sept 7th to start school. I guess since home schooling, vacation has not been so needed. We definitely had more time on our hands and saw each other all the time. The kids will start public school again in the fall. They really wanted to meet friends and I don't blame them. I just need to choose the school. I really enjoyed having the kids home but they have made the decision. I always said they could if they wanted to.
We have had Sammi's friend over for at least one day a week for the summer. We have had her over for 3 and still were all getting along. Sometimes Sammi needs a nap after she goes home, she gets cranky sometimes. I need a nap most days:). jk. some.
We went to Joe's uncles funeral in Georgetown, CA the first weekend in Aug. We had a good time visiting with family. When we lived in Sacramento, Joe and I would always visit this family and became good friends with Joe's cousins that lived in town. We visited for Christmas and Thanksgiving and got together for different things. It was good to see them all again. Garner will sure be missed.
After I called up Laurie and found out she was planning a trip to the mall that was across the road from our hotel. Sammi and I went with her and Ananda to shop. We had fun and both of us thought even though it has been 6 years since we have seen each other, it didn't seem like any time has passed. Just kids growing up. We went over to her house for dinner and had a blast. I really have missed her.
I have not been reading as mush as I was wanting to in the summer. I guess that will have to wait till school starts again. I have watched a few movies I am enjoying again. I know the romantic in me or something, I have enjoyed dr. quinn and watched anne of green gables. Maybe it's a life so foreign that intrigues me.
Speaking of, I have met a woman here that I have really loved getting to know. Her name is ruby. She is from the Philippines and she and her family live here for 6 months and there for 6 months. She is very interesting and I love learning things from her.
Joe is doing well at work. Of course the ins and out of a new job are there, but he is doing great and getting things done others have not been able to do. Joe is going out hunting when he can, serving our church in driving a pear picking truck, serving in cub scouts, finnishing up school hopefully by the end of the year, if he can clep out of some classes he could be done in 2 months, and being home every night. We are SOOO happy.
I have more pictures to share of some more fun times we are having but are on the camera Joe has with him. My mom and step dad will be coming out in less than a month and we are counting down the days for their arrival.







Went bowling as a family, and bowling with me and the kids a few times. Together as a family was MUCH better and less hectic.

John and Tyler made army spiders. Laurie gave these to us and the kids are having a blast.

Joe has been asked to drive the pear picking truck for the church's only pear Orchard. The pears provide all of the pears given to those in need throughout the world through the bishops storehouses. It really makes the importance of serving that much more important. I guess Joe's service, my support.

Blackberry eating faces of Ty and Ian

Sammi went with Joe to the range. She sat there and watched the target the whole time. She would tell him little to the right or right on that time...

At the beginning of the summer unloading the first load of wood.

We had a play date. 10 boys and 1 girl. I was the only adult. Another girl came later to play with Sammi. It was a good day and the kids got along really well.

The trail camera took lots of pictures of the deer and this was one I liked.

Coyotes

Johnny and Adam helping to put up the trail camera

Fun times at the park. We go there often and hardly remember to bring out the camera.
One of the many tricks Adam does. Couldn't capture all of them. The whole blog would be of him and all the tricks I could miraculously capture on still photos.

Ty and Ian played in the sand in the baseball field throwing it on each other and digging holes, while we played touch football

Johnny and Ty collecting shells

Michael and Paul visited

Here are some pictures of what we have done the last few weeks. Paul, Joe's dad came with our nephew Michael. We had a wonderful time being together. More pictures to come.

11 Years

Well these didn't load the way I wanted but they are here. This picture is taken a few months ago.

This picture was one of the first pictures Joe and I took together before we were married. We went to a cabin of Matt and Lisa parent's and we had a blast there.

This picture is of a few minutes after we came out of the temple. Joe's cousin's husband followed us around taking pictures for us. He was not the photographer we paid to come take our pictures, that man came 3 hours after our wedding.

A fun picture

We loved this picture. The tree was uprooted when the tornado came to SLC a few months later. The tree is no longer there.

This is a trip Joe and I went on with Matt and Lisa to St George. We were engaged and had a wonderful time there.

Another picture of us when we went to St George.

Eleven years have gone by so fast. I am so happy we are married. I couldn't ask for anyone that would love me more. Thank you for all you do to make our life better everyday. Thank you for making me smile and laugh everyday. Thank you for balancing me, being the one I can always come to if I need to talk and help me work my ideas and thoughts out with.

I know we have had ups and downs everyone does. I am grateful we have been able to do them together. I am glad you are happier than you have ever been. You remind me of that almost everyday. I am glad we have forever.

Thank you for our beautiful children. I sure am glad we decided to have each one of them. They bring such joy to to both of us. Thank you for being a great dad.

Many more adventures await us, and I am excited to have this life and the next to share them with you.

Happy 11th Anniversary!

movie of Ian

the kids thought this was funny and thought I should share it. I don't know if the sound will come out very well, the sound was loud in the car. its a miley syrus song.

Tyler playing on Sammi's bed with their wonder pets

Ian in the cupboard. I don't know how to spell that word. Pretty soon he will be so big, and won't easily fit in there.

Showing how tall he is in relation to the cupboard for my memories

Tyler's first horse ride. He loved it. I wanted the kids to experience both bareback and saddle.

Sammi making her birthday pizza. I don't have her pictures of her birthday party, they are on another camera. Happy 10th birthday Sam!

The kids 1st ride on horses. They took a few rounds having us lead, and then the kids took to it very well and had fun riding in the pasture. (Sam and John)

Sam and Adam having fun learning to ride by themselves.

2nd time riding for John, 1st time bare back. He loved it.

1st time riding. Obviously the horse pictures are on a different day. We went a week apart. We will be going every week, when the weather is good.

Adam didn't want me to lead him. I didn't want to get the bridles. The first time they came, I only had the oldest 3, this time I had all the kids alone and I didn't want to deal with a run away horse.

The first time for Adam. He loved riding alone.

Adam taking Johnny on a ride

Ian sitting on the horse. He tried to hug the horse a couple of times while sitting up there and would get a mouthful of mane and then sit back up. He loved the horses.

A few pictures of Johnny's 5th Birthday. Happy birthday Johnny!

We have been having tons of fun and lot of work at the same time. School is going well and all encompassing. One of our extra curricular activities is going to be the horses. learning to groom, saddle, ride, and clean up after. The kids are so excited. Of course I am too, as some of you know I lived on my horses as a kid. I would even pick up my older sister from the bus stop on our horse. I would usually have to walk home as my sister would be mad at me for bringing the horse. :) I was a slow learner to what would make her mad. hahaha. But really, I am excited to be riding again, and give the kids opportunities to learn and appreciate animals. I have been offered to have the kids even be watched so I can go riding with adults, on A REAL RIDE! so cool.

Joe and I got a sitter on Sat and had a date getting firewood. We put sides on the truck and with a few delays we finally started around 11am. We loaded the last of it around 400 and came down the mountian. With the delays we had the sitter here for 7 hrs. yuck. We definately couldn't take the van up there. 4wd only. We loaded the truck and have a beginning of a good dent of firewood for next winter. Joe strained his back, that happenes to him quite often. Maybe I should have been a chiropractor.