Girls WEEKEND!

I had had IT! I had a melt down one day towards the end of the summer. I was DONE with Josh being gone all week, and then working all weekend. Rationally I knew that it had to be done. I knew it wasn't his fault. BUT all the same I was tired. Josh knew right what to do!

We went on a girls weekend.

We started off at the salon and spa where we got massages, toes and hair done. It was fabulous! Just what us mommies needed!


We went to dinner, and then checked into our gorgeous condo! We hit the hot tub and sauna right away.

We did face masks and stayed up late!

The next we got up and went shopping!

and ended the day at a 3D movie! It was a great break and so much fun to get away!

A Tribute to a lady who deserves a standing O!

This is my Grandma Carrie. She passed away on August 5th. I was so glad that we were still in Utah so we could be there to honor this amazing lady. She TRULY left behind a LEGACY! She had nine kids, which I think says it all! The thing she was most remembered for was never saying anything mean about anybody. WOW, what an amazing quality.

I remember her talking about the squirrels outside her house. Always twiddling her thumbs and lazily kicking her foot, adding a sniffle in there every once in awhile. Always wanting a treat, she passed her sweet tooth down to many of us. Feeding me a WHOLE chicken one time at dinner when I was in college. And saying "shoo fly shoo" about a hundred times in an hour.

She had them!

They had us!
This is most of the first cousins (I think we are missing 3) with no spouses included. We are quite the group! It was so amazing to see everyone again. I truly love my cousins and love what a close group we are, and have been throughout our lives.

We had them!
This is some of the great-grandchildren, not even close to all of them.

My grandma loved to hold and rock the babies. She just loved them. With so many grand kids there were always enough to go around. Who ever had the newest baby was always a favorite.

My grandma wanted to be buried in Toquerville, which is in Southern Utah about 4 hours from where we live. The five of us loaded up with my parents and made the drive down to the burial. Our amazing spouses stayed home with the kids and held down the fort. I am so thankful for this little trip. It was such a bonding time.

Girls in one car boys in the other!

We even squeezed in a couple hours of shopping. Though the brothers were not happy about this, they came along!

The graveside service was beautiful, peaceful, and a perfect end.

I love you Grandma!



****Cousins, and Aunts: I have MANY pictures from the weekend. I am trying to figure out the best way to get them to everybody. If you want copies, let me know!

Old friends, New friends!

The best thing about Virginia has been the amazing friends we have been able to make. There have been so many people that we are so grateful to have been close too. A few of them just happened to be in Utah all at the same time so we got together for a picnic. AND I finally met the infamous Chablis Adams. When I first moved to Virginia every where I went somebody would ask me if I knew her, she had just moved away. It was fun to finally meet her.

This was the last time we would see the Heckers. When we get back they will be in Pennsylvania. Hope and Isabella.

lydia, Hailey, gracie, and brielle

This was our goodbye! Who knows when we will see each other again. It was really hard for me to think that I can't walk down the side walk to say hi. I am going to miss her.

It was so fun to meet Chablis, we feel like we have heard so much about each other that we are instant friends. It was fun day. Fun to see Caroline and her girls and Abbi who I haven't seen in a year. I love Utah, and that we all have roots here!

Sweet hour of prayer!

Since Hope could talk we have been trying to get her to pray. She has never wanted to say the prayers. We would try to help her and she would not want anything to do with it. Well, this summer is has seemed she has found her voice. She is talking like crazy, Talking back at me (which she hasn't done before), and even telling the whole family off at a time. It may seem to you that I am excited about this poor behavior, and to be honest I am a little. She has been so quiet for so long it is nice to see her voice her opinions. So we were all a little shocked when one night she INSISTED on saying bedtime prayers. It went a little something like this:

ME: ok Hope you can say the prayers. I will help you "Heavenly Father.."

Hope: "NO! I dude (d0) it!"

Me: "Oh, OK you can do it!"

Hope: "Heavenly Father thank you for this day. Thank you for Brielle, and Mommy and Daddy and baby Rigdon. Thank you for Grandma and Grandpa Thank you for my best friend Isabellas polka dot flip flops....

We all started laughing. This did not go over well.

Hope: {yelling} BE QUIET GUYS!!!! I saying the prayer!

she had to start over!

Hope: "Heavenly Father.....

At one point Brielle interrupted to help her out and she had to start over.

"Heavenly Father......

After having to start over multiple times and the prayers being rather lengthy Brielle really annoyed said "AMEN! Say AMEN!" right in the middle of her prayer.

Josh and I were frustrated because we knew she would have to start over. And start over she did.

I can't remember how many times she started over but it took us a long time to get through prayers that night. We were all so happy though that she was saying prayers finally.

Watch me grow!

Rigdon at 4 mos.

Before we left for Utah. He was rolling from his stomach to his back. He started grabbing his toes. He loved to suck on his fist, fingers or whatever he could get in his mouth. And smiled at just about anyone who would talk to him. i started calling him 'my little thumper because he is always thumping with his hand or foot over and over. He giggles every time I undress him because he is so ticklish.

Rigdon at 5 mos.
Eats sweet potatoes, pears, avacado, bananas, and rice cereal. The pears are his favorite by far. He LOVES to eat real food. oh, lets face it he just loves to eat. He started rolling from his back to his stomach. although he can do it, he doesn't very often. He is content to just lay on his back and watch. He started to reach and grab things. He loves his exersaucer and spends a lot of time playing in it.

Rigdon at 6 mos.

Rigs turned 6 months 2 days ago and I can't believe how the time has flown. He had applesauce for the first time yesterday and he thought that was pretty great. He has started rocking forward when he gets excited and just wouldn't stop when I was feeding him the applesauce. This kids loves food. He still loves to nurse. He still loves his bottles, and he is learning to love all different tastes and textures. He gets so happy. He is sitting wobbly. I don't trust to leave him up alone yet, but he sits with me next to him. He is still happy and content. He has been sleeping until 6-8. When he wakes up in the morning I bring him in to feed him and he usually ends up in bed with snuggling with me. He loves this. I often wake up to him 'THUMPING on me with his leg. He loves Grandma because she spoils him and rocks him to sleep. He has started blowing bubbles with his mouth and thinks it is pretty funny.

Three generations...

Of Baldness!

God only created a few perfect heads, the rest he covered with hair!

Happy 4th!

Small town fourths are the best, and this year did not disappoint. We started the day watching the parade at my aunt Bea's

The kids checking out each others candy!
(Hope insisted on wearing a yellow bow...she has all of the sudden found her voice this summer!)

I gave Rigdon this flag so I could get a picture and he loved playing with it, so I let him keep it. A few minutes later my cousin came over and said "Rigs had this flag and was choking and stabbing himself with it so I took it away. I don't know who gave it to him but that was stupid."

I laughed and said I was the stupid one.

The 3 newest additions
Kate-8 1/2 mos. Rigdon- 5 1/2 mos. Caden-1 week

Aren't these two the cutest. They were both so tired and still so smiley!

We ended the night at the fireworks. All three kids stayed awake the entire time. Rigdon was crying and stopped as soon as the fireworks started. He was mesmerized. We had a great day, with family and friends.

I heard a lot of chatter one morning.
I wondered what all the commotion was.
This is what I found.....

I LOVE them!

DELTA!

We are had so much fun, at Delta this year. It is a perfect mix of FUN and RELAXATION!
All the kiddos loved that little paddle boat.

Hangin out on the dock

This is how Angela spent most of her time!

Kelsey, Marissa, Devin and Brielle


Kelsey, Marrissa, Devin, and Brielle

My grandpa even joined us for the occasion this year, he got out on the wave runner with my Dad. Pretty good for an 83 year old man.

My sweet little Brielle overcame her biggest fear...the water. After last years tubing incident she wouldn't do anything. This year she went on the wave runners, only with Alexa, but at least she went. I took her out and she said she wanted to go back because I wasn't as safe as Alexa.

She got on the boat...another HUGE step!

AND tada......she even got back on the tube. And look NO HANDS! Uncle Cody was the coolest (according to her!)

We took lots of naps...to catch up on our rest! Notice the babies are both wide awake....hmmm guess they don't need to catch up!

These two little ladies were so cute together they played forever with the hula hoop, and then moved to floating around in the tube.

The brothers (and Alexa) were awesome loading and unloading all the water toys!

The whole gang..minus the Stephens who were off doing more important things like having a baby! We all had so much fun and were so excited to go home and welcome Caden Scott!

Big thanks to Cody and Alexa and the Bakker family! Love you guys!