Safford Skate Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Justin and Brian decided to donate all the concrete for this project in honor of Doyle, who was an avid skateboarder.  

Justin has been pretty excited for this project as you can tell from his smiling face in this picture.  His head is above the woman in the blue shirt towards the right of the picture.

My other kids weren't feeling well so they didn't come to the ribbon cutting.  But Logan and Grant were stoked to go!

I wore my red vans and a vans shirt, in honor of the celebration.  

It is a super cool skate park and we feel so blessed to have been able to help contribute to making it.  Dr. Romero spearheaded the project and really made it come to life.  So grateful for her determination!

I know for sure, Doyle was smiling down on us today!  He would have loved seeing his cute nephews out there riding the park, even if they were on scooters instead of skateboards.  

The boys are already planning how they can ride their scooters from dance down to the skate park!  

Happy Jack

We were so luck and got invited by Tamra and Jed Hughes to get stay at their uncles cabin in Happy Jack for four days.

The cabin was huge....seven large bedrooms with 5 bathrooms, not including the smaller cabin that they are remodeling.  It was so fun to stay in the same cabin with the Hughes and the Peterson's. 

The cabin had foosball, air hockey, a pool table and lots of games.  

The kids enjoyed staying up late playing games.  One night us adults stayed up till midnight playing the card game Oh Heck.  It was super fun!  First time I learned sweet Michele Peterson is very competitive.  It was a fun night with lots of laughs.  Helps when you get super tired, it makes everything funny :)

You know it's a great trip when 20 minutes into the drive home you have all 5 kids totally ASLEEP!

We seriously had so much fun!  We are already talking about doing it again next summer!

Fossil Creek

On Tuesday, we drove to Fossil Creek.  Honestly I didn't even know these places existed in Arizona.

Such a fun group!  We have never gone on a trip with these two families before but I am thinking there will be more trips with them in our future.

We hiked about 1/2 mile to a cool little spot where we camped out for several hours.

The water is crystal clear here.  We all joked that this place should be called "Clear Creek," not Fossil Creek.

The water is so clear you can snorkel.  We all had a great time snorkeling.  Not that there was cool colored fish or anything.  But there were lots of fish so that was fun!  The boys enjoyed catching fish in the nets, looking at them and then letting them go.

The water was a little crisp!

Ella loved going out into the waterfall run off and having it push her down stream.

Kids enjoyed jumping from this small water fall.  All us moms also jumped from here.  Then of course Ella wanted me to hold her and jump from it as well.

This is Logan caught mid air!

Ella and Jayne Peterson

These two were so cute together and had a great time playing.  Jayne is exactly one year older than Ella.

Craziest thing happened....

while we were chilling at this spot Kiersten recognized two boys who were in her EFY company this year.  Not only that, but the one on the right was her C.O.W. (crush of the week)., Decker.  It was so random that we would run into them in this situation.  Kiersten had fun visiting with them.  

She was pretty giddy after that.  It was cute!  Kiersten said, "Wow I didn't know Decker had a sixpack.  He had his shirt on the whole time at EFY!  That was a nice surprise!"

I'd hope he kept his shirt on at EFY.  It was a fun surprise to run into them.  

Justin didn't get in the water much today.  He kind of just vegged out on the bank most of the time.  He was super helpful though and watched Tamra's baby Cruz, so then both her and Jed could enjoy the water.  

The kids all had a grand time riding tubes down the creek and down some waterfalls.  What adventures they came back and told us about.  I just have to hold my breathe and say a prayer, then let the kids run off and be kids!

I sure love this family of mine!

We love the Hughes too!  Thanks for planning and including us on such a fun trip!  It was wonderful!

We hiked up another 1/2 mile to the large waterfall.  It was gorgeous!!!

Where the guy in the blue shorts is standing, Kiersten, Hunter and ME jumped off from there.  It was scary but exhilarating!

The kids all had so much fun cliff jumping!  It started to rain cats and dogs as we hiked back to the parking lot.  Kind of fun, kind of annoying.  The sky cleared up fast though.  And we were able to find one more cliff to jump from.  So many awesome spots at Fossil Creek!  It's a beautiful place!

This spot was back by the parking lot.  Of course we had to get a few more jumps in.  Kiersten, Hunter, Logan, Grant all jumped from this spot.  Okay so did I......but Jed pressured me.  Just kidding it didn't take much convincing for me to want to jump again!  Super Fun!

We ending the day by driving in to Camp Verde and having dinner at La Fonda's Mexican Restaurant.  It was yummy and the company was great!

Had such a fabulous day!

Clear Creek

Jed and Tamra planned the whole trip.  Sunday we got up to the cabin and just hung out, played games and visited.  Then on Monday we drove to Clear Creek.

It is super cool there!  There are these gorgeous rocks on each side.  Just breath taking!

Everyone enjoyed chilling out on the Hughes' huge raft!  It was perfect!

Can you spot Hunter at the top of the rocks?

No he didn't jump from there, thank goodness!

The kids enjoyed jumping from the batman rock.  Okay so did I.......it was exhilarating!  The other husbands jumped as well.  Justin just wanted to veg today, which was fine.  I enjoyed cliff jumping, kayaking and hanging out in the water with everyone!

Hunter and I went for a little cruise down the channel.

Ella is such a wild child...

She loved jumping off of this cliff!  It was probably a good 15 feet to the water.  She did it no problem and kept asking to do it again!  There were 5 and 6 year olds from the other families that wouldn't even jump from it.

All the kids enjoyed the kayaks!

Ella is also a rock climber!  We really had to keep an eye on her because she would be half way up the rock wall in a matter of seconds if you didn't.

It was a wonderful day!

We ended with dinner at Pizza Hut in Winslow.  

Thank the Heavens

I have never been so excited for a kid to lose their teeth in my life!!!

It was a wonderful day today!

Grant lost both front teeth today!  Justin helped pull one this morning and then this evening at the Pioneer Day celebrating, Gloria's sister Ada Mae, popped out the other one.  I thought I might kiss her I was so excited!!!

Yay....no more buck teeth!  I can enjoy looking at Grant's cute face again!  He looks so darn cute missing his two front teeth!

And his IQ automatically increased......hahaha!  Or at least my ability to take him seriously increased greatly!

Oh Ella

Kiersten, Hunter and Logan have all been at extreme dance camp this week.  They go at 8:00 in the morning and don't get done till 5:30.  It is such a long day of dancing.  On Friday us parents get to go see them perform the production numbers they have been learning all week.  The kids really like their dances and I enjoy hearing about their day at camp.  After watching them perform, I went and picked up Grant and Ella from my dad.  My mom works in the temple on Fridays.  My dad is pretty good about watching kids, even Ella, if he knows its for a short amount of time.

Once I picked them up, we went to El Charro for lunch and met the older kids there.

So much fun having a 2 year old at a busy restaurant I tell ya.  Of course Ella had her kitty swimsuit on.  And she insisted on showing it to everyone. 

She was super hungry and ate her lunch really well.  But once she was done, she was done!  She wanted to crawl on the ground like a kitty.  I was making her get up off the floor when she said, "mom you are making me mad!"

We all started laughing! Well all of us minus Ella!

Man can this girl express herself!

Buck Teeth

This boys buck teeth are killing me!

I can hardly take anything his says serious.....

All I can think is "Who's hillbilly kid is living with me?"

Truly the past week I can hardly remember anything he has said.  Because once he starts talking, and I see those teeth, my mind starts wandering and I really stop listening to Grant's words.

Grant's two front teeth have been like this for a good week.  For what ever reason he is terrified to have them pulled.  I keep thinking once he falls asleep I am going to jerk them out.  But I keep forgetting to do it.

Happy Birthday!

Well today I didn't get to spend my day as I would have hoped.  Justin and I are trying a new therapist in the Mesa area.  We had a 6 hour session with him on Monday.  We both walked away from it frustrated and I would say I left feeling like it might be the end for us.  It was very discouraging in the least.

Wayne, our therapist, wanted to see us back on Wednesday, today.  Even though it was my birthday I decided it was fine, we'd go back.  After another 6 hour session, Justin and I both made MAJOR breakthroughs.  I feel like I really was able to work through some pain that I have been carrying around for quite some years.  Justin made even more of a break through.  He actually cried during the last part of our session.  He has only cried 3 times since I have known him and 2 of those times seemed forced at the least.  But today he was able to express what he was feeling inside.  He was able to say what he feels and there was raw emotion to his words!  It was honestly remarkable to experience!  Justin and I both are on cloud nine.  This is the first time in a decade at least that Justin hasn't seemed like a robot when it comes to his emotions or feelings.  Okay probably much longer than a decade to be honest.  He really has been shut down in that department since before we got married. 

We both left this session with so much hope!  I have to say it was the best birthday present I could have ever asked for!  My heart is full today!

I also received this cute candy gram from Kristen, Matt and the kids!  Made me feel special that they would make such a cute thing for me.

My mother in law also go me this cute sign to hang a wreath on, along with a nice card and some spending money.  I mean who couldn't use some retail therapy!

All in all, turning 39 was great!  Justin and I were exhausted after such a long, intense therapy session.  But we walked the mall a little afterwards, got back massages in the mall together and then ate at B.J.'s Brewery and Restaurant.  Even got Pizookie for dessert!

We enjoyed talking the whole way home from our therapy session.  It was a real treat to have such a great day with Justin.  As we went to bed, Justin said he didn't want to fall asleep because he was afraid he would wake up and today would have been a dream.

He feels so amazing having expressed his emotions today!

It was a wonderful day!  Thank heavens, prayers were answered today.  There is much work ahead of us, but my heart is more hopeful than ever!  I feel like my soul was able to take a breath today and boy oh boy does that feel good!

Friendship Dues

As I was going through my emails today I find one from the dance studio....

This is what is was.....

Friendship Dues.

I joke to Jenny Rogers all the time that I owe her friendship dues for her being my friend.  It made me laugh and then it made me cry to think she would be so thoughtful.  With Kiersten, Hunter and Logan all in company it can be expensive.  The intense dance camp that is next week from 8:00-5:30 each day cost $150 per kid.  So to get the 3rd kid at half price is a big help!

Thanks for making me laugh (and cry) and more importantly thanks for being such a good friend to me.  I love that Jenny Rogers!

When You Get New Cleats!

It doesn't matter if it is 110 degrees outside, you must play some soccer!

These two are the best of friends!

They both got to pick out new cleats for this coming soccer season!  Super cool cleats and they were even on sale...yay!  They are so excited about soccer camp next week!

I love these boys!

Logan absolutely LOVES soccer!

Not What I Wanted to Wake Up to!

Looks like little Ella has hand, foot and mouth disease.  Poor thing has been complaining about her feet hurting for days.  She was been pretty fussy for her normal self.  I could not figure out what was going on....

Till this morning when she woke up with these sore, kind of like blisters all over her hands, feet and especially all over her bottom.

It hurts too bad for her to walk so I carry her around.  After a dose of ibuprofen she seems to be much happier.

As the day went on the sores got worse and worse!

Poor Ella Jane!  She really has been a trooper though.  She was upset to know she couldn't go to nursery tomorrow.  Oh how this girl LOVES the nursery or "My church" as she calls it.

Hope you feel better soon and that no one else gets it.  It is highly contagious!