Mom and Dad's

After the reunion I drove home with my parents.  I love taking long trips with them because I get them all to myself. :) The only bad part about the trip was the stop we took to eat.  We had the worst experience I have ever had ordering food at a Wendy's  I may never go back....that's how bad it was.  I had my niece with me.  I swear it took and hour to get to order our food and there were only five people in front of us! The people taking orders were moving SO SLOW.  Normally I wouldn't have cared.  I would have walked across the street and tried something else.  But we were in the middle of NO WHERE and we were hungry.  After waiting an hour to order, we got our food within 15 minutes.  I had to laugh when we got home and my sister was there.  She left way after we did.  

The next several days were filled with the things I love about being at my parents house.  I had breakfast with my parents.  I listened to my Dad crack jokes.  I watch my sister be the best Mom to her children.  I love watching my sisters be Moms.  It brings me so much joy and I learn so much from them.  

We painted with my sister Kimberly.  The next day she stayed up all night with me painting a picture for Audrey's room before I left.  It meant so much to me that I got to spend time with her and that she was willing to do that for Audrey.  Last of all, I got to take pictures of my sisters cute little boy.  I couldn't help but run for my camera when I saw him eating his cereal.   

Family Reunion

 I've been gone....for a really long time.  Good news, I'm back, and it feels good!  We'll talk later about why I disappeared, but right now it's time to get caught up.  Are you ready! Yay! 

Looking at these pictures makes me want to be here.  I want to relax on the hammock on the front porch, and breathe in the fresh mountain air.  I want to ride a horse in the quiet of the evening, or ride a four wheeler for miles with the wind blowing in my hair while Audrey giggles in front of me.

It all sounds so relaxing.  I might have to beg my sister Michelle to let me visit again soon.  

We went to my Brother-in-laws family's ranch for our reunion.  My Dad's family hasn't gotten together in years and years, so I didn't want to miss it.  I love visiting with my Aunts and Uncles, and there are so many cousins I wished I lived closer to.  

My favorite parts: 

Listening to my Dad and his brother, my uncle Mark get caught up.  They are so much like each other.  

Playing volleyball with Emma and Tyler.

  Riding horses with Audrey.  

Going on four wheeler rides with my Mom.  It's fun to see the farm girl come out of her.  

Eating and chatting with my siblings.  

Watching Audrey play with cousins.  

Driving the law mower for the train.  

Watching my nieces and nephew be cowgirls and cowboys, I might be a little jealous

Looking through quilting books with my sister Lisa and Aunt Diana

Watching the Cowboy Sam and Kimberly romance begin.  I love you Kimberly!
Talking about Grandma and Grandpa.  I miss them so much.
Fishing with Audrey.  She's never been fishing before.  Every time I would reel in some moss she would say in her most excited voice...."Look Mom, we caught some SEAWEED!"  We never did catch a fish.  We'll have to try again soon!

This might be a picture overload....but I think they tell a good story!
I love my family!  I just wish Paul could have been there. 

Days of Painting

I feel spoiled.  We don't get family here very often but Paul's parents came out for the second time this summer.  We had planned to do a little painting while they were here.  Little, meaning a room and maybe the hallway.  When they got here they suggested we do more.  I wasn't sure we could do it.  Paul sprained his ankle so bad that he couldn't put any weight on his foot, so we were one man down.  Keeping Audrey away from the paint was quite the task too. She loves to paint and she didn't think it was quite fair that we got to have all the fun.  If only she new.  

We taped on the 4th of July with the help of James, Jenny, Rod, and Anne.  Then, after 3 days of working from morning till evening we did it!  I couldn't be more happy with the results.  It looks bigger and brighter.  The best part....it's not brown.  

I couldn't have done it so quickly without family.  I'm sure we wore them out.  They may never want to come back.  Next trip we will devote to doing only fun things.  

 This picture does not do the brown justice.  It was much darker than it seems.  

 Finished product in all it's glory.  It kind of has a hint of mint to it.  

The Big 30

Paul turned old.  He's finally 30.  He's been teasing me to two months about my age and now we are even.  I don't think he expected much because I did a big surprise breakfast for him last week with his family.  

Audrey was so excited to go shopping for his party. She was pulling everything off the shelves. She really wanted party hats, and balloons, and streamers.  Audrey loves to decorate so this party stuff is right up her ally.  She helped me get the house ready for him, and was so excited about his reaction as he walked in the door.  Paul's know just how to make her day.

True to Paul we had chocolate cake.  He never wants anything else.  I can't blame him.  

After cake we opened gifts.  Audrey got him some of those pull back cars so that she could race him, and I bought him some lacrosse sticks and balls because he needs to make time to have more fun.  He spends too much time working on the house and taking care of us.  

All in all it was not what I planned.  I was hoping to have a huge surprise party, but it's probably what he preferred. Maybe at 40. :)  

Happy Birthday Babe!  I'm so glad that you are mine.  Here's to another year.   

Building Forts

Daddy's make the best forts.  Paul made two houses, one for his little girl and one for him.  Oh, and a tunnel between the two so that they could visit each other.   From here on out my forts will never be up to par. 

If Paul looks like he's in pain here it's because he is. :)  Couching down in Audrey's doorway of two feet was a little difficult for a man of  6 ft 2 inches.  

Father's Day

If I was a really awesome wife I would have taken one of those beautiful pictures of Paul and Audrey outside of our church building on this very special day.  Instead I didn't even get one picture of him. Failure. Next year I vow to try harder.  For what I lack in pictures I hopefully made up for in yummy desserts.  For Mothers day our church leaders spoiled us.  They rolled carts out and filled two buffet tables full of just about every dessert you could imagine.  I felt a little guilty as I indulged during relief society knowing Paul was going to be left out.  I started to wonder what they were going to end out doing for Fathers day. 

My soap box.  I don't think that good Fathers receive as much recognition as they should.  Good ones are hard to come by these days.   I feel so blessed to have a good Father.  He was and is everything I needed/need him to be.  I also married someone who has been that for Audrey.  So my goal on this special day was to celebrate good Fathers.  I wanted to do a dessert buffet of my own.  We invited a few of the families we know and I went crazy making desserts (not all pictured here).  I also told each family to bring something to share.  

We had so much fun spending time with friends and celebrating with each other.  Even the kids enjoyed helping me with cupcakes.  In the picture below Audrey was eating sprinkles.  She had no interest in the camera.  

If you didn't get to come to our party this year, you should really consider adding yourself to the Father's Day Dessert Night guest list next year.  This will definitely be a continued tradition.  

Happy Father's Day! 

Stars and Constellations

That big trip we've been planning to see stars out to the middle of no where was a bust.  We got out there and it was a little cloudy.  By the time the sun went down it was a lot cloudy. We didn't even see one star. Audrey pointed out a couple only to be disappointed that they were airplanes.  We are true city folk here.  She whined when we went to go home.  With promises of stars, she was not too happy to leave.   I think we'll have more luck seeing them on our next trip to Utah.  We'll see how it goes.  Who's down for start gazing?

 We've been learning about constellations.  I don't know much about about them either so we got a couple of books from the library and watched some science shows on youtube.  Like this one: click here.  I really like the sci show kids videos.  They are short and sweet and Audrey never gets sick of watching them.  In short we both really enjoyed learning a little bit more about constellations and stars.  

 Audrey asked to take my picture.  I didn't think it would turn out.  I think she might be growing a talent.