Going Home to Twin Falls, Idaho

After spending a week in Utah (continuing the "Summer Vacationing" post), we got to go to my hometown, Twin Falls, Idaho. It has been a couple years since I was there and it was nice to go "HOME." We stayed with my one and only favorite sister, Margie. Our kids had a great time playing together and my kids eventually warmed up to the dogs and cat. (Sometimes I think I am doing something seriously wrong by not letting my kids have a pet-pieve.) Chloe and Mason are so afraid of animals...at least when they are in their face...which animals usually are. I think I had so many years around pets that I got my fill...who knows, maybe someday when we move out in the country and the dog won't chew up our sprinkler system. (Yes, I am speaking from experience!) ANYWAYS, I wasn't meaning to go off on animals. I do love them deep down...just don't tell anyone! :) So, we spent a couple days visiting my sister and her family. It was great fun. Margie and I, of course stayed up very late talking also. We just don't get to see each other nearly enough. It was good to spend some quality time without any interuptions. :) Love ya Margie. Thanks for a really special time.

This is us...Margie and I...or me and Margie reading from left to right. :) I love this picture. The last picture we had taken together was at Margie's wedding and she looked beautiful...I on the other hand, had recently had a baby and was not the most...lovely. :)
She has such a cute home. We got to camp out in the backyard in her tent. It was so nice and fresh outside. We haven't been camping enough this year, so we felt spoiled. Here we are without the babies.

Riley wasn't enjoying himself as much as the rest of us. :) Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't fully dressed for pictures...I guess we should have thought of that before we forced him to
"say- cheese!"
Mason is eating a delicious homemade bran muffin. Margie is a really great cook. She got all of those "skills."
I think he is oblivious to the fact that I am taking his picture.

This was the cutes game. Kris is a real sport when it comes to entertaining the kids. He kept chasing them around the yard and they thought that was a blast! They all had big smiles as they ran. We were sitting on the sidelines with our bellies jiggling in laughter also. :) Couldn't help it!

This is sweet Madelyn.

Carter had a ball climbing the great big trees out front. We really need to plant some trees for this boy. He was born a tree climber!

Josie, just being sweet...like always.
Mason took right to Riley's quad. We had to watch him so he wouldn't ride it right into the road. I think little boys just have a nack for "rough-housing."

Chloe holding Madelyn for the first time.
Tree hugger!
Playing on Riley's swingset.

This is my home where I grew up. It has changed quite a bit since I was there last, but nonetheless, it was home for a lot of years.

Summer at the Beach

This blog is also in continuation to "Summer Vacationing." We took the kids to the Alpine Peppermint Factory, (it has a different name now and I can't remember what it is) and they got to pick out a little treat. I also found a 5 lb. box of chocolates for $8. That was a great treat for me! We also took them to this Discovery Park and they had a great time running and playing at the park. When is a park not fun for kids? :)



Carter and his new best friend AJ.


Calissa helping Mason. She was so wonderful with the kids.

Seriously working up a thirst!

We stayed most of the week with Matt's Uncle Randall and Aunt Jill Beach. So, we didn't really go to the "beach" but it was lots of fun being in the Beach's home. :) Carter and Chloe had a blast with AJ, who really is a cousin (2nd cousin even!) Even Mason played with them everyday. They have an acre lot with goats and chickens, so the kids had fun being around the animals. They just played their little hearts out each and every day. Carter said that one evening when it was a little dark outside, AJ told them "ghost stories" on the trampoline. When I heard that I was glad that I wasn't out there...I hate scary stories!!! :) You wonder how scary the stories could actually be, as young as they are. Anyway, he said they didn't get scared. :) These pictures were of the kids playing in the water and jumping on the trampoline. Mason of course kept stripping down...nothing new for him.


He like it best when he was alone on the trampoline...and the other kids liked it better when he wasn't bugging them while they were jumping. It is hard being the "little guy."
We are so grateful for Randall and Jill allowing us to stay in their home. It was so much fun visiting with them. Jill and I always had so much to talk about and we chattered away until the kids were screaming for food, or reminding us that it was naptime. By the time Matt and Randall would get home in the evenings and we would get the little kids to bed, we would gear up for another long night chatting with all their older kids. It was exhausting by the end of the week. We had spent some really late nights talking, so we finally had to give ourselves a curfew. Randall and Jill aren't as young as they used to be! :) Just kidding. Josie was well taken care of by Kerstin and Calissa the two older girls and it was a wonderful break for me. We just can't thank them enough for all that they did for us. It was a great week!

Meeting up with my Ricks College Roomates!!!

Well, this blob "blurb" is in continuation with the previous "Summer Vacationing." We spent the first couple days of our trip to Utah visiting some of my best friends in the world. We spent a couple great years at Ricks College back in 1993-1995. Many of my roommates still live in Utah so they get together often. Well, all of them do, but me. So this was a special trip for me to get to be part of the reunion. I realized how much I miss each of them and the great times we have laughing together.

I got to visit with Krissy as we passed through Provo and see her home. It was so fun meeting her little girls and talking to her and her husband. I totally forgot to get a picture with her...darn me! I think my brain was fried from travelling all day...

This first picture is Loralee and Dayna. It was fun talking to them and each of us sharing our stories about how we "fell in love" with our spouses. We haven't really had a chance to do that. It was a great reminissing opportunity. Sara was also there, but once again...I didn't pull out the camera until she was gone. Darn me again!
Here is Becky, and Loralee. We spent the whole day together with our 8 kids. It was a wild and VERY fun adventure. We started out at the park where the kids had a great time playing in the sand...see the pictures.


Mason looking into the future with Syd. :)
Chloe posing for another "photo shoot."

Brianna having a sad moment, but what a great picture Becky. I have to thank Becky for sharing her camera abilities. I supplied the memory card and she used her fancy schmancy camera. Now I want one!
Cute kids. Chloe thinks they are all cousins. :) She and Rachel (far right) became great friends because they are both 4.

Carter and Erin were great pals too. Carter misses her.
After the park we went to Becky's home and watched our roommate video. It was just as funny...ok maybe funnier than it was when we made it. Becky and I took a ton of pictures at College and then secretly developed the film and put together a picture video with music. We have watched it many times and it usually tortures anyone other than the roommates. We used to say that the man that would watch the roommate video with us...was worth marrying. Well, I don't know if any of our "men" have watched it, in its entirity...but nonetheless, it is a beautiful video!!! As we were watching, we were able to remember how carefree those college days were and how they are good memories to reflect on, when times get hard.

Becky bought us pizza and we sat out on the front lawn and ate dinner. Thank goodness for beautiful green grass...something we are waiting to do to our yard in New Mexico. We still have a very large sand pit.
And shall we say "Hooray for capri-sun?" I think everyone got two. :)
These are Becky's cute girls, Aubree and Sydnee. (Hope their names are spelled right!)
Loralee with Colton and Brianna.

Even Josie wanted to get in on the dinner. She decided licking the plate would do.

Lots of kisses from Brianna.
Then we went to a splash park in Ogden by Becky's home. It was fun for the kids to play and get wet. They had a very exhausting day! I am sure that they all slept quite well that night.
I am so grateful to have such great friends. Months and even years slip by without contact, and it is nice to know that when we reunite, it seems like time has stood still. We really can pick right back up where we left off and catch up on everything quickly.

I think friends are God's way of taking care of us. I am grateful to be well taken care of!

Thanks for spending time with me and helping me remember who I am.