Eva with hair????

Fun with the Jamisons at the BEACH!!!!

We had such a fun time at the beach with the Jamisons...we went in the evening so we didn't bake and didn't have to worry about the sunscreen (score!) The kids had a blast and didn't want to leave! They had quite the sand lakes and rivers that they built. Aw I love the beach!

Eva's FIRST time at the beach!!!!

I don't know of anything cuter then a little 4 1/2 month old in a swim suit!!!

Our long lost son is BACK!!!!

About 7 1/2 years ago we had the privilege of having Brandon live with us for a few months. He was fresh off his mission and needing a place to stay and he was a great addition to the family. Now he is married to a beautiful girl, Amanda, and has 2 adorable kids, Tessa and Cooper, and one on the way. They currently live in Texas and since he is between jobs and has the week off before he starts the next one, it was the perfect time to come see us....well really to see Mickey Mouse and Brandon's mom and uncle, but I am glad they had time to come stay with us for a little while.

The kids have LOVED playing with their kids. They have run through the sprinklers, played on the swing set, played play dough, bubbles, and Barbies. Then tonight we went to the beach! I am so grateful to see Brandon so happy. It's fun to see him as a dad and husband :)

I don't know why this picture won't flip...anyway I thought this was THE CUTEST little note that Emma wrote for Brandon and his family...it took her forever to write each letter a different color! So sweet!

Luke's last football game of the season

His team - the Steelers - ended up UNDEFEATED!!!!! Go Steelers! Great job Luke - I think he was the MASTER flag puller!

Gavin's LAST basketball game and FIRST trophy!

Gavin had a great basketball season and his coach was wonderful! I was the team mom and so I collected money from everyone and was able to buy him a restaurant gift card and movie tickets. Well the card I got to go along with it was one of those funny talking cards with those two crazy rabbits or whatever they are. On the front it said they wanted to thank him a million times. When you opened the card they said "Thank you thank you thank you thank you..." Then it said "Was that a million? No it was only 20! Now you just have to keep opening it to get to a million" (Or something to that effect) Gavin was so excited to give it to him so when we got to the game he ran up to him and said "I have a card for you that says thank you thank you thank you thank you" The coach laughed and then after the game when he was opening it he said "Gavin is this what you were talking about???"

What a fun season...I am so proud of my little Gavin for the great job he did!!!!

Church Ranch Rodeo 2011

We go to the Church Ranch Rodeo all the time but this one is one we will never forget...LUKE CAUGHT ONE OF THE PIGS!!!! Every year he tries and every year he comes back to the bleachers feeling defeated and to make himself feel better he says "It's only the ranch kids that ever catch them". Well tonight I don't know what got into him, but he was determined. Maybe it was because he looked like one of the "ranch kids", maybe he has just grown up and overcome his fear of catching livestock, or maybe he really wanted one of the Snickers candy bars that they won if they caught a pig...I don't know but it was exciting! And of course my camera couldn't capture the moment :( So these dark photos are of Luke dragging the little pig back to the trailer by one leg. (It doesn't help that it was a black pig)

It was a fun night!

This helped me today...

This beautiful thought helped me remember the important job I have and how lucky I am to be a mom...

Emma lost another tooth!

After days and days off wiggling, pulling, twisting and lamenting over this loose tooth we are proud to announce it finally came out! I tried tugging and then Matt did and then he left the final pull out to Emma! She looks so darn cute. It should be interesting because she has about 4 others that are loose right there in the front. She and Eva are going to look a lot alike with their smile full of gums :)

Panda Express

Gavin's basketball practices fall on Wednesday nights. The first practice we went to Panda Express afterward for dinner. The next practice came around and Gavin felt it was his right to go to Panda Express again....soon it became our family ritual to go after practice on Wednesday nights. I do not complain, one less night to cook :) Tonight here is the fortune that Gavin got in his cookie...

I think it fits Gavin...he is the first to jump up and give me a kiss, tell me I look beautiful, make us laugh, share with a friend, tell you he loves you, or share his LAST M&M with you. What a sweet boy!

My daughter for a day...

Amy and John Lopez went to Utah for a nieces wedding and Amy's parents 50th Wedding Anniversary and wouldn't you know it THAT is when Kennedy is chosen as student of the month at school! So I got to go with her to her breakfast where they gave her an award and read all the nice things that the teachers wrote about her and they had the chorus come sing to us too! I felt special being Kennedy's adopted mom for the day and I was so proud of her and her accomplishment. I think it would be harder in middle school to be recognized where you only get an hour or so with each teacher instead of all day with the same teacher. I am so glad the teachers recognized what a remarkable girl Kennedy is!

Preschool conversation

I love the little preschool that we do with Gavin and his friends. They always crack me up. I love to just listen to their funny conversations. For instance this one took place this afternoon at snack time:

Suzie: Gavin, I like to nibble on carrots.

Gavin: Nibble? What's nibble?

Cooper: Oh oh oh, my dad has a dibble! (I think he meant dimple)

Gavin: Dibble? What's a dibble?

Cooper: A circle on his cheek.

Gavin: Do I have a spot on my face?

Cooper: No just moms and dads when they smile.

Suzie: But my brother Sam has dots on his face called freckles

Zachary: My dad has freckles

So there you have it, in moments we can go from carrots to freckles :)

Lots of Laughs with the Lopez's

The Lopez family is like family to us....so we were lucky enough to have the kids stay with us while John and Amy went to Utah for a wedding and her parents 50th wedding anniversary. We have had such a great time with them. We had Kennedy Saturday until Sunday but then she went to stay with a friend. So we have only had Kinsey, Carver and Cooper Saturday thru Wednesday. A couple of my favorite moments:

• Watching Gavin and Cooper dance together...they have some really sweet moves!
• When Cooper called Family Home Evening: Ham-0-feeney
• When we were playing Sunday games. One of the games we spin our phone and whoever it lands on has to pick out of the box something to do. Some of the things are sing a Primary song, or it asks questions like what do you do during a prayer, etc. We wrote some additional ones and put them in. Cooper picked one and it said "Hold Eva the whole time". Emma jumped up and immediately protested! She had written that one for HER to pick out. Sneaky way of monopolizing Eva time :)
• We played another family game for Family Home Evening called "Help Your Neighbor" You roll the dice and have to get certain numbers. Kinsey and Cooper were on the same team and they each rolled one of the dice and won and we all started hollering and clapping and Cooper's face was shocked. He didn't realize they had won and was so confused as to why we were all going crazy. The next day at preschool I overheard him telling his friends that he rolled the dice and everyone cheered for him.
• Our trip to Sweet...everyone chose frozen yogurt for their last night together treat. And then Kinsey, Matt and I snuck in a cupcake! (Hopefully my kids aren't reading this :) he he he)

I think this picture is so funny because it looks like Eva is pointing to Cooper all surprised like "Mom are you actually going to let HIM hold me???"

And then this one cracks me up even more because I think this is one of the funniest faces she has pulled :)

During the game Luke had to knock on the door like a missionary and he ran and got his suit jacket and tie on :)

The kids have played HARD and are worn out!!!! I don't think they are used to playing hard 24/7 and staying up late too. Gavin and Cooper BOTH fell asleep while watching t.v.

Cooper even fell asleep AT Panda Express :)

We had a blast! Thanks Lopez kids!