Buds

This summer seems to have brought some sort of "migration" to our ward. Sadly, we are losing some really great families- like 8, crazy! Seth has been a bit bummed because one of his best buds left for Utah yesterday. He has asked that Ryan begin looking for a job in Utah so that we too can move. He just loves Utah! But the Utah he knows is 'vacation Utah'. When everyone is on vacation and there are always fun things planned to do. It is hard to convince him that if we lived there he would still have to go to school and everyone else back to work - not too much different than life here. He'll survive though. At least his bud moved to Utah where we will for sure be visiting. Hopefully sooner than later.....still waiting on some wedding or something to bring us out this year! :)



Seth & McKay on their way to twilight camp this week!

Bayou Visit

Ok, so here are quite a few pics. of this last week............

We went over to the Bayou this last weekend to attend baby Annabeth's blessing. She is the most precious baby girl!


Family Pic. at Brent & Laura's. We had a yummy BBQ

Seth & Emma loved meeting their new little cousin

They fought over who would hold her first each time they saw her

Erin liked having someone her age around. Her duet w/ Brooke

Annabeth enjoyed the water & was so stinkin' cute in her suit

What trip to the bayou would be complete without our usual boardwalk shopping with Grandma where they were each spoiled with a treat of their choosing.

Taking a break in front of the fountains

Erin loved the water fountains! She wanted to get in and cool off.

The nights were actually really nice while there so the girls went for a walk while the boys....

golfed! Yes, right in the front yard. I think they spent more time looking in the bushes for lost balls though. Very few made it in the bucket where they were aiming. But they enjoyed it.

As it got a little darker we began our hunt for fireflies

where we actually caught a few but were a little sad when they didn't glow in the jar

Grandpa brought home a YUMMY watermelon and Erin devoured it!

I just love this picture of her! Notice all the watermelon on her shirt!
We had such a fun trip and look forward to the many more visits with family over the summer.

Summer Fever!!!

We have totally had summer fever around here for weeks and I'm so glad it is finally here. It has been a busy couple of weeks! School is finally out! The kids celebrated with class parties, award ceremonies and the annual treasure hunt on the last day of school. We have also been able to enjoy the fruits of our labors with our garden. Pictured are the yummy "salmonella free" cherry tomatoes that Erin eats like candy. Our blackberry bush also did very well this year. We were even able to save enough for a blackberry cobbler while still eating them right off the bush. The kids love to pick and eat them. I tried roma tomatoes as well this year in hopes of being able to make garden fresh salsa but I'm not so sure they are going to make it. We'll see. I love the summertime ~the sun, swimming, popsicles, fruit, late nights outside and the chance I feel it gives me to slow down. My goal this summer is to take the advice in Elder Ballards talk 'Daughters of God' given by author Anna Quindlen which is to not rush past the fleeting moments....live in the moment....not be in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed...treasure the doing a little more and getting it done a little less.