Take me out to the ball game

We went to Mormon day at our local baseball field to watch a baseball game.  It was dollar hot dog day.  The concession stand person said they have never sold so many hot dogs.  I thought she has never had so many Mormon's there before, we are a frugal people!

Holly loved hang out with the other girls from our stake.  Some older girls (actually young adults)  took the kids to the kids place area to play.  Can you dig Holly's side pony tail?  She did it herself.

Josh trying to get the game.

And us, should never go with someone taking a picture going up, but going down. I love when we get to go together as family.  One of the best parts was we got in free because of a reading thing the kids did.  They each got two free tickets.  I think this may have to be a family tradition as long as we can cash in on that.  We didn't stay for the whole game or we would have been there to midnight it was slow going but Don and I enjoyed it.

Bowl BABY

One of the things we like to do every now and then as a family is bowl.

Holly does pretty good with bumpers.

Josh is trying to not granny it.  You know, he is getting older.  I just have  a hard time explaining to him how to hold it because he is left handed an I'm right handed.

Fourth of July fun

We went to Mississippi for the fourth of July.  We decided to take a road trip to Shiloh and see the historical site.

This is inside the museum.

Here we are at the cemetery, did I mention it was quite HOT!

Checking out the headstone.

We also went to some cemeteries in Mississippi to see some family headstones.  Every year before school is out we make a list of fun things to do, going to a cementary was one of Holly's ideas.

Holly in grandma's curlers.  Just had to add it because it is cute.

Josh's baptism

I can't believe he is already this old.  My little bug already baptized.  From the moment I entered the room I started to cry.  The Elders had set up the font and room.  They put out the nice chairs had a table with the podium on it; another table with tablecloth on it and pictures of children and Christ and a small round table with flowers and a place for programs and to sign-in at the door.  They even pushed in the piano.  It was beautiful!  That started the cry fest right there.

Don was the one to baptize Josh.  As he said the prayer he choked up, it was sweet.  Josh was beaming when he came out of the water.

We tried to make it a family affair, unfortunately Don's parents couldn't make it at the end so we rearrange somethings.  I wanted all the grandparents to be involved for sure.  I had Holly give the opening prayer, Aunt Arwen gave a talk on Baptism, Don baptized and Uncle Mike and Opa witnessed, the cousins sang a song, Oma gave a talk on the Holy Ghost and I said the closing prayer.  It was a spiritual experience that I will always cherish, I think Josh liked it too.

Josh's Birthday Great to be 8!

 Josh turned eight this summer, yay.  Our kids only get parties on certain birthdays, this was one of those years, he was so EXCITED!
We set a slip n slide and sprinklers and a huge beach ball that sprayed water out of it (thanks Uncle Mike and Aunt Arwen).  That's one of the perks of a summer birthday you just set up a bunch of water stuff have some water guns and let them go at it.  Through in a Spiderman pinata at the end (thanks Oma and Opa) and can life get any better.    The draw back to a summer birthday is that many of your friends are out of town, due to family trips, but

that's ok the cousins filled in quite nicely. 

Opa on the grill, hot dogs and hamburgers.  Sporting a UT hat, go VOLS, just kidding I am not really into sports.  Oh great, now they're gonna kick me out of Knoxville.

Holly and Cousin Eden

Holly enjoyed all of her cousins, she has three girl cousins so there was always someone to hang out with, ah that's the life.

Arwen holding Emmalynn and sporting a new do.

Katerina and Marion.

Oma taking pictures in adorable braids.

Josh getting ready for the birthday cupcakes I made little lego pieces on them.

Josh opening a ton of presents!

Family visits and summer

So here we go, the summer review.  Sometimes I think back about a summer and think that was a busy summer, but what did we really do.  Thank goodness for pictures.  So for the next week we will have summer review/catchup.

My brother Mike and his wife Arwen and their kids: Dallin, Eden, Marion, and Emmalynn came for a quick visit and we loved every moment of it.  They live overseas so anytime we get to see them is 
wonderful.  They came for Josh's birthday.  They came and stayed at our house.  All the girls in the same room (giggle-giggle) and 
 Josh and Dallin bunked it in the basement.  Poor Dallin got sick at the very end, but other than that we had a wet time.  We went to the downtown splash pad and the communtiy pool.  We had Josh's birthday party.  And of course staying up late and playing games. 

I love to play games.  I can play cards with my sister Arwen for hours, and we did.  We talk, eat, play, laugh, get loopy, it's awesome.  I really miss them.

Not only did my brother and his family come, but my parents came too.  Oma and Opa, as soon as they left my kids want to know when they'll come back.  The really sit down and play with the kids and listen to them.  The should get grandparents of the year awards.  While they were at my house Dad was introduced to Skip-bo and played many games with Josh.  Mom and Dad were introduced to Angry Birds on my sisters I pad.  I love when my family is all around me.  I guess that is what the celestial kingdom will be like.

A birthday Tradition

One of the things that I do on my children's birthdays is sing Happy Birthday to them for every meal. Who wants just one wish when you could have 3! They also get to choose what they want to eat. Breakfast: Yogurt and berries. Lunch: Ham and cheese roll up. I also made her a tomato flower.

Dinner was tacos and for her cake she wanted a strawberry cake with strawberries on it and a horse on top! I got a little carried away on size. Let's just saw that FHE treat and treat of the week will be Holly's birthday cake.

Summer list

Last summer I was very structured with our time, and I would probably be so again this year if our free summer movies hadn't turned into our 3 dollar movies and we weren't going to be gone half the summer. So I am trying to go by the seat of our pants. But, you know me I can't let go totally, with that said the kids and I made a list at the beginning of the summer of things we'd like to do. Here it is: Go to the splash pad, zoo, a museum (Josh is obsessed with this one, but there are no great museums here), movies (only one time this year instead of every week), play at a friends house, go to Fort Louden, go to Greenville, go to a fun park the Roses told us about, Bounce house, go to a park and play, go to McDonald's, a family date (this was Holly, when I asked what do we do on a family date she said we go out to eat, ohhh), putt-putt golf, movie night, have an all day movie day-at home, picnic at our house, have a play date, go swimming, go to Oma & Opa's house, go to Tu-tu's house, go to Grandma & Grandpa T's house, Make ice cream, go camping and have s'mores, go to the library, ride our bikes at the park, go to the beach and make sandcastles, see fireworks, go bowling, feed the ducks, go bowling, and go to Lookout point.





Pheww, that is a long list, but we've already been able to quite a few and mostly for free, because friends have invited us here or there. So, thank you for all those who are helping us make this THE BEST SUMMER EVVVVVVEEEERRR!!!

First Family Campout

Well, I brought my camera but forgot to bring extra batteries. So no pictures, when Katie emails me some pics I will post them.

We went with our friends the Teed's, camping. It was a quick trip, but I loved it. I don't know who was more excited me or the kids. I started packing 2 days before hand and our trip would only last about 24 hours.

Katie, the kids and I went up earlier on Friday and got a site and started setting up camp. Yep, we put up both tents, started a fire, and started dinner (roasted wieners). The guys carpooled up and met up with us after they got of work. Josh was so excited. Wow! look at our tent. Wow! look at the fire. You know I was doing the same thing inside. I love the campfire smell, I love making Smores, I love playing games, I love playing in the water, I love Don telling pretend ghost stories, I love Don pointing out the stars, I loved being together as a family. I would have stayed longer.

Holly loved the water, she kept catching minoes with her bare hands. I think she loved everything except , "The dirty part" on her marshmellow. I think she thought it was cool to pee in the river, play with her flashlight, and get to play the whole time.

Josh loved every new thing. He definetly liked the swimming, and the smores, sleeping in a tent.

Don loved that he didn't get eatten by bugs, playing games around the campfire, and squirting us all with water guns.

I can't wait to go back.

A huntin' we will go!

Along with our real eggs we hid quite a few plastic eggs filled with candy. (Note to self only buy to small bags of candy next year, other wise it will just end up on your hips!). We got home from our trip to Atlanta and the kids went down for a nap. We hid the eggs in our backyard. They were way excited for the hunt.

Don watched over the porch to help guide, if need be. We hid them everywhere on the playset, on the fence, in the garden, no not there Holly!

It probally took the 15 minutes to find them all. In the end Don had to point some out.



The rabbit was good this year!

Egg Dying for the first time EVER!

YES, this was the first time my kids have ever dyed Easter eggs. Why? you may ask. I don't like eggs, especially hard boiled eggs. I just discovered last Thanksgiving that my kids do and will eat eggs. They will eat deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches and Holly will just eat a hard boiled egg. Well that meant we wouldn't be wasting the eggs, so decorating we did. Everybody used their creative juices, even Don and I. We each did 3 I know not that many but a dozen was just the right amount.

Family Truip to Atlanta

In April we decided to take the kids to the Atlanta Temple open house. We drove up Friday evening and stayed at a hotel. The kids were way impressed. We even got to eat there and there was fruit for Holly and doughnuts for Josh. Does life get any better?





We packed our Saturday. First is was of to the temple. The tour was quick, but the kids thought it was neat. Holly loved the chandlers and Josh said that he felt the Spirit.

Me and the kids in the courtyard.

Next we went to the Fernbank Natural History Museum. Josh LOVED the dinosaurs. I wish we had more time here. We found the coolest kid play place in the last 15 mins we were there.

Don let me get a couple of goofy pictures of him.

After dinner at Outback another exciting and special thing for the kids (and mom and dad too) we headed over to Stone Mountain where once the sunsets they do this amazing laser show off of the mountain. This is a carving in the mountain of General Lee and part of the confederate army. (I tried to take pictures of the show I just couldn't get the right setting).

We spent one more night and drove home. We really had a fun family time.