Cleaning, Yuck!!

Okay, so I'm almost up-to-date on my posting, but I really need to get downstairs and get some more cleaning done!! Yuck!@!@! It will be nice when it's done though! The kids might actually be able to find some of the toys in their playroom! We are also having a yard sale sometime soon, so it's not just the playroom that needs done either :( In the next week or so, I would like to sort through the whole house and de-junk! Wish us luck!! (Will post again soon.)

2nd Weekend in a Row!!!

Yeah!! We got to go camping two weekends in a row! We left our camp trailers up at Tropic Res., so we just packed our clothes and food and went back up on the 4th of July weekend. We used to always camp for the 4th. I sometimes missed being home to play games at the park and watching fireworks, but we also loved to camp. As it is now, we try to do both. Sometimes we will stay home and do the community thing, but this year, we just needed to get away!What a charmer!!! That's my dad!
Doesn't Dallen look like he's having a blast?? This was probably a time when dad wouldn't let him shoot....he doesn't care to supervise the shooting 24/7 like Dallen thinks!! (Cause yes, it is supervised!)

What a couple beautiful little girls. They can be very cute when they want to be!!

The four girls, anxiously waiting for a quad ride. Mandi's dogs even want to go along!

They finally get their wish! Billy Staton, Mandi's father-in-law finally gave in and took them. (He and his wife Tammy also camped with us this weekend.)

Yeah!! Grammy caught a fish!!

Cousin Time!

After our weekend at Tropic Reservoir, we decided to bring Buddy & Tami's kids home with us for the week. We tried to have as much fun as we could with me still keeping my sanity, and I think we pulled it off pretty well. I hope they had fun. And no, I didn't have to try very hard to keep my sanity. They were all soooo good!! They all played so well together! We went swimming at the KOA a couple of days.


We also went with my friend Gay to her property up on the bench. She is Dallen's Sunday school teacher and the class wanted to go up there to shoot their bows. We all packed a lunch and I dragged my other four chillens (Sierra was playing with a friend on Cedar Mtn.) and went with Gay to give her moral support. It was plenty hot that day, but the kids all had fun. They hiked down the hill to see the spring. I didn't care to hike that far on such a hot day, so I stayed up on top with a couple of the kids who didn't want to go.

One one of the other days, we went over to Kanab to let the kids play at the park. Mom came and met us too and brought Rylie & Saige. It was a little cloudy and sprinkly (is that a word??), so the kids didn't play in the water as much, but they had a blast playing in the rubber chips, of course they always do! They LOVE to bury each other!!
Hopefully, Tami was able to enjoy a little peace and quiet at home and go for lots of horse rides!! I told her we will definitely have to make it an every-summer tradition. The kids have a blast!

1st Campin' Trip of the Year!!!

So we finally got to go camping the weekend before the 4th of July! We went to Tropic Reservoir. We were so excited to get up in the cool mountain air!! We went up with Dad & Mom, Mandi & Jake, and Buddy & Tami. The kids had a blast running around all over and Dallen had a blast shooting things....any things....targets, chipmunks, birds, whatever. I don't really approve of him shooting up everything living, but he is such a good shot and it is such good practice for him! During one of the hot parts of the day, Tami and Luke watched as Saige sprayed her hair to make it beautiful, and Sierra & Baylee brought back a couple of Dallen's trophies to show off. However, in the next shot, they were on their way to the chipmunk cemetery for burial so the dogs wouldn't find dessert :) Beau was also standing by for his pic with a trophy. Later that day, we went up to the reservoir so the men could fish, the kids could swim, and the women could read....as if. Not much reading going on. The kids did have a good time playing in the water and I think Dallen even had fun. He was trying to catch minnows in his shirt to use for bait! We got to watch Mandi go for a ride on the tube behind their fishing boat. Most of the kids took a turn too. I think the kids all had a good time.....and so did we!!!

Our Little Guppies!!

Swimming lessons were pretty okay this year. Of course we have some great instructors!! Dallen improved quite a bit this year although I can tell it's not as much "his thing" as it is Sierra's. Sisi is like a little fish. It seems that everything just comes natural for her, as far as water goes...hence, the diving. Jentry loves the water too, but she was very nervous to let her instructors let go of her hands....unless she had the noodle. She did, however, manage to get used to having her face in the water this year. But I do have to say, that a couple weeks later, we went swimming at the KOA and she started swimming like a little guppy!! She does it all by herself now and can go across the 3-feet end with only coming up once for air!! We are so very proud of her. They all improved so much...it's exciting!!!

Back to the Beach!!!

Yeah!! We finally made it to the Lake!!! We went out for the day. Grandma Lamb's houseboat is still on land waiting for a new slide to be put on. We found a beach and all just jumped in to cool off. It was wonderful. Ellen's brother Andy's daughter Kathy is here staying for the summer and working at the KOA. She is so good and patient with the girls, who just idolize her. They made a beautiful sand castle!! Dallen waited patiently for his turn on the makeshift tubing rope (Kathy and Jentry would pull him and Sisi in to the boat with one of the ropes - they were pretending they were skiing - or tubing). And of course, the infamous picture of Jeff with a smile on his face. I am just glad I was quick enough to capture it. He actually does better with candids. He just hates posing for our family pictures - he thinks they take too long (can't imagine why...maybe cause he won't smile!!!). I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT like this pic of me, but it is soooo cute of Jents and her missing teeth, I had to put it on!!

Last year, I taught Sierra how to dive out at the lake off the back of the boat. She came back this year for the first time and pulled one off perfectly!!

Hiking the Squaw!!

Sorry I'm getting a little behind again. The hard part isn't getting the pics on my laptop, it's deciding which ones to use and what to say about them.
Anyway, on June 3rd I took my Webelos scouts on our 3-mile hike up Squaw Trail in Kanab. They were raring to go, but by the time we got to the second switchback, they thought they should be done!! What little whiners! I am about 70 pounds overweight, and if I can make it, dang sure they're gonna!! We finally made it to the top and Dallen was getting eaten alive by nats. You can see the beautiful city of Kanab in the background. I now have seven Webelos in my den. (I couldn't get my den assistant, Joanna, to get in any of the pics.) I can't say it was the most fun I've had (hike was much easier 20 years ago-wow, I'm old!), but we made it and signed them all off!!!

Dallen Turns 10 Years Old!

I think Dallen had a pretty good 10th birthday! We had all our family here to help us celebrate. We had Navajo Tacos (everyone's favorite). His cake overflowed a little, so we did the best at decorating as we could. Grammy helped decorate it and made sure the hunter on the cake got his deer. Dallen got lots of cool stuff. Jeff and I got him a Remington 204. (He has been wanting one for quite some time now.) Of course, he had to help pay for about half of it. (You just never know how long we will be able to buy them.) He loves it and has already killed a woodchuck with it!!

Aarica Graduates!

On May 17th we went over to Cedar City to cousin Aarica's graduation party at the Canyon Park. What a beautiful young lady she has become. We wish her all the best in Logan!! Love ya, Aarica!

Mother's Day at Yankee Meadows!!

We had a great Mother's Day! We went over and met Buddy and Tami at Yankee Meadows. Mandi and Jake brought their boat and we all took turns fishing out of it (us "Moms" went out by ourselves and were very tempted to stay out there all day with the guys watching all the kids on shore).

Jeff caught a retarded looking rainbow trout. It wasn't very long and was stubby and fat!! WEIRD :)

The kids had a blast playing in the water....

and in the MUD!!

Baylee and Sierra had to go wading in after Uncle Buddy's line. We actually caught quite a few fish. I think it was a success!

Dallen shot this woodchuck on the way! He is such an awesome shot!!!

Jentry Graduates from Preschool!!!

Jentry made it through preschool...Yeah!! However, she didn't really participate in the graduation ceremony. We were running a little late and when we got there, a lot of the kids were already up on the stage. She got nervous and wanted to sit by Elizabeth. But, that's not where she was supposed to sit. She wouldn't sit in her own chair, so Kyler had to say her part for her and everything. After it was all done (she wouldn't even help sing their cute little songs.), I finally got her to at least sit next to Mrs. Suzie for a picture. What a little TURD!!!!! Needless-to-say, Mommy and Daddy weren't very happy about the whole ordeal :(

She did look pretty though...didn't she!!

Brooklin's 2nd Birthday!!!

On May 9th we went down to LaVerkin to Aunt Patti and Uncle Sid's house for Brooklin's 2nd birthday party. We had a great time visiting with Patti, Sid, Linsey, Frank, Brooklin, Alicia, Cydnie, Cammie, Aunt Chelle, Uncle Gary, Aarica, Weston, Mason, and Connor. Linsey and Frank had rented a bounce house for all the kids (some of Linsey's friends were also there with their kids). Brooklin is getting so big...I can't believe how fast they grow!! They had BBQed and then we enjoyed darling cupcakes. Linsey is such a cute little mommy!! (She also just had a little boy about a week ago!)

Baseball, Baseball, Baseball!!

This May was crazy with three different ball teams to follow! Dallen played minor league, Sierra played coach pitch and Jentry played t-ball. Three different practice schedules and three different game schedules, WOW!! I helped Sierra's team a little with a couple practices and games and tried to help Jentry's coach out with practices and games when I could. It was a great season for all of them and I think they learned a lot. Dallen did end up playing even though he was a little nervous. I think they all had fun, but I'm sorta glad it's over and we can relax a bit.

Field Trips!

Well, this year, I was able to go on Jentry's and Sierra's field trips. Jentry's class went to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. They got to see cats, a parrot, bunnies and dogs. Jentry was lucky enough to get to pet the parrot while we were taking a snack break (animal cookies). After the tour of the sanctuary, we went up to Angel's Landing and ate lunch. We had a really fun time! Mrs. Suzie is so creative and they always have so much fun!!

Then, a couple weeks later, I went with Sierra's class to the Paunsagant Wildlife Museum up near Bryce Canyon. I was in charge of this group of three (Sierra, Kenley, and Robert). After we toured the awesome museum, and saw thousands of animals and butterflies, we headed down to Red Canyon, where we ate lunch at the visitor center and went on the Red Rim Trail. What a great day!! I'm so lucky to be able to go with the kids, (last year I was able to go with Dallen's class to Bryce Canyon). I know I won't always be able to go with them and help out in their classes, so I'm greatful for the opportunity I have to do so now!!!