I think I can I think I can

So it seems to be a little bit harder then I thought to keep this blog up! I am way behind and it seems almost impossible to catch up, but I know little by little I can do it! This last summer we had a family reunion on Gary's side of the Family in Lake Tahoe! It was a blast, the drive was peaceful and the scenery was beautiful! I will let the pictures do the story telling!


We well I decided to eave like at 3:00 in the morning so that the kids would be asleep most of the drive. So I packed up the car and at 3 we left, I started the rive and By 8:00 I was done and it was Gary's turn to take over so I could catch some zzzz's. Mind you I had at this point gotton no sleep in 24 hours and have no idea how I did that, but I did. We got there around 11 and went to chek in to out Hotel, but could not until 3, so we decided to meet up with some Family who was already there, grab a bite to eat, and start our vacation! We ended up going to the Lake, and stayed there most of the afternoon. Later on ALL the Family meet up for a Family dinner. We ate and enjoyed some card games while the kids watched a movie. I turned out well!


Here are most of the kids enjoying movie


Derick was pretty blindsided by the flash!


Tim and Raegan chillin!on

The next morning we woke up and Dad and Jeanne were taking the kids Duck Tour! So we went and grabbed some breakfast real quick, an sent them off, yes the kids off with them to go and tour Lake Tahoe!


The Boat!


Jeanne with the kids ready to board!

They were gone for a little over an hour, so Gary and I decided to do some shopping and enjoy each others company! We were walking around and an into Carly(Gary's sister) and ha her snap a shot of us, and this is what she got! Yes we are goof balls!

We decided to meet up with Lani an Ryan and grab some lunch, so we did, not having a whole lot of time we grabbed some pizza, and before we got it, it was time to go and get the kiddos. Carly and I took off to do so, and in the shopping plaza they had bungee jumping, so Gary at the pizza place and I am here decide to let the kids do it and I would go an pick him up after! (who needs to eat when you can play)Well this took FOREVER! We waited patiently fr almost 40 min before it was our turn, and from the pics below and the look on my boys(Raegan wanted nothing to do with it) face it was so worth it!




Raegan sitting on Grandpa's lap while waiting! If looks could kill!!!


Derick a little nervous, but did great and had a blast!


An Aiden, well picture speaks for itself! Love this kid


After a morning and afternoon, w rushed back to the Hotel to get ready for Family Pictures, then off to another Family dinner and game night! Here are some pictures of the whole Family together!

This is Derick and I waiting for everyone to get there, great location so i wanted to take advantage! Raegan and Aiden were to busy playing!



A Family shot(the good one will be in the Christmas card)


THE FAMILY!

From there we went back and ate and played min it to win it games, here are some fun photos! Enjoy getting a chuckle from us being dorks!

Derick and Gary! Gary won, this was a loud but fun game!



Gary all geared up for is challenge to knock down 8 water bottles with only using the balls on his head( a great laugh)



Derick giving it a shot!



And Carly and I giving it a go! Seriously so much fun!



and of course Aiden!


The Watson brothers giving it a go, these boys are so competitive it ended up with them all wrestling!



Gary and Aiden, just a cute picture I wanted to throw in there!


Well the night was over and off
to our Hotel we went for a good night's rest. We all meet u for a Family breakfast, and then ff we all were home! We decided to grab a bite to eat before we left, and let me tell you Big Daddy's was the bomb! Great burgers and fries!




So off we were, beautiful drive home, but before we got all the way home we stopped in Bishop for this yummy bakery an stocked up on yummy breads and treats!





!
...and a horse ride of course! We had such a blast on this Family renunion and can not wait for our next one in 2013! It should be an adventure since I decided to be in charge! haha what was I thinking and why do I do this to myself? but in all seriousness, we enjoyed being around Family and creating memories that will last a life time!

Yes I am still here!

It has been way to long since I have last updated, so here is what we have been up to in no order from January until now!





Derick turns 9, here is with his Aunt Shae
Uncle Brandon, and Bentley at Baskin Robins!



Jackson and Reece celebrating with us!



The Birthday Boy himself!



The Fam Bam



D-man and Grandma!



Celebrating Bentley's FIRST rock-n roll
Birthday!



eating yummy crepes!



Having Brookelynn come to Cali for a visit!



Planning a wedding with thee great people!



D-man and me on his actual Birthday!



making homemade cream puffs!



Pinewood derby with Boy Scouts!





The set up!



Going wedding dress shopping, and getting one! ONLINE!
Thi wedding will have it's own post!



Taking kids to the snow, what snow there was!

This is only in one month, as I am sitting here picking from the million pictures I have, I am realizing a couple of things, 1 I am way behind, 2 I take tooo many pictures, 3 that there i no way that I am going to be able to do this in one post, and 4 the fun titles! that I am brainstorming 5 I really suck at writing in my journal, and I do consider this one! 5 what I am going to do differently to not get behind! There is lots more to post, and lots more fun things we have done, and I hope that the kids will be good enough and that this movie that is babysitting them will allow me to continue blogging! For now this is what I have done, now the goal is for me to be able to catch up before school starts because I have to post the last day of school from last year! hahaha!

More Texas

So I am really trying to get caught up on my blogging, and I am so far behind, that instead of doing separate post with picture overload I decided to do a slide show! There will be two different slide shows because I have way to many pictures! While in Texas we did so many things, from building and decorating our own ginger bred houses, to playing minute to win it games(which was hilarious) to sleepovers to bowling, hanging out, to spending time together, to having my van window broken on Christmas Eve Morning. We did so much together that it is a lot easier and less time consuming to let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Bigger the...

FUN TIMES!

So my mom really wanted to get a picture of all her grand kids(the ones who were there) at The Picture People, so one day we went to the mall and achieved to get a good picture of 9 kids at the age 2-8! It was Chaos and fun at the same time, we had Megan's boy Owen who was like get me outta here, did not want to do it at all, Kaden and Gavin who did not want to sit still, and getting all the other kids to just look at the camera and not do anything else. It was crazy fun, but we were able to do it and the picture came out great! Not everyone was looking at the camera, and not everyone was smiling, but it was what it was. I do not have a picture to show you know, but I promise I will post as soon as I get it. We also did pictures of the kids. They all came out so cute, and we are all glad that we did them. While we were waiting for our appointment me and my sister Ashely waited in line to see Santa and got a picture of the kids with Santa! fun for them, and way cute picture! After pictures which took like 3 hours, we went to this place called Red Hot and Blue. It is a BBQ place and it was really , good. They were able to get all 18 of us in 4 high chairs 2 booths and a big table right away. Thank goodness because we were all sooo hungry. This place was cool because the kids could color on the wall, so it was a kid friendly place, and great for moms and dads! They had good food, and the company was not bad either ;)
They had these BBQ sauces that the names were super funny so I just had to take a picture of them cause it was a good laugh. I only tried one of them, and it was good. Good times today, good food, great family fun, and great pictures!


Picture of my kids! LOVE IT


Picture with Santa


Raegan coloring on the wall



Brookie Pie and I


The Sauces
I had Mojo Mild
hope the names crack you up as much as
they made me laugh

Santa Claus is...

coming to town.

Since we were going to be going to Texas this year, we wrote Santa a letter one night for FHE and asked Santa if he would come to our house early as Mom and Dad would not want to drive home with a lot of presents n the car;)
So indeed Santa came early! We woke up one morning to a cute little tree (that this year we let the kids decorate) with presents under, and happy and excited kids. We let them open there presents from Santa first, and then Gary and I after. Santa was great to the kids this year. They all got what was on there list, and were so happy. The 1 thing they wanted Santa did not bring them, and they were so bum bed out..... until they opened the gifts from us! The look on there faces was truly priceless, as this year they all got a DSI! For the past year or more they have been praying for a DSI by color, every time they sad a prayer they would pray that they would get one, so when Santa did not bring them one they were sad, but you better believe that we took the credit for this one! This is what saved our butts for the 22 hour drive to Texas! Here is a cute video o them opening there presents from us! SON OF A BUCK!







Our Tree


Derick's face says it all!


Pretty Kitty loves her car


Aiden, this toy is trouble:)


gifts from Mom and Dad

EVERYTHING IS BIGGER

IN TEXAS...
Day 1 & 2

So this year for Christmas we went to Texas. We knew it would be a long drive, so we prepared carefully, and packed wisely for space and room to move around since we would be spending 22 hours in the car over 2 days. We left on Friday the 19th at 5:00 in the morning. We headed over to my sister Kelly's house as we would be following each other. We started off getting doughnuts and yep a soda(if you know me that is a must) and off we were. We drove all day and at about 9:00 at night we were in Los Cruses New Mexico. We stayed in a really nice place, which I did not get any pictures of:( but rested well enough to be off and going again in the morning.We woke up, had breakfast, and were off for another long day in the car. We finally arrived at my moms house around 8:30-9:00 that night and the kids were so happy to see everyone, and to just be out of the car. Here are some pictures of what you do for 2 days in the car with 4 kids.


Watch movies


be silly


sleep


play the DSI


Take pictures of Mexico
on a side note, I had never seen Mexico
before so that is why I got pictures. It was
eye opening to see!


more of Mexico


Smile

These pictures were taken of the kids the night we got to the Hotel, and then the morning after the first day of driving! just some fun pictures to remember!

Derick, Raegan, Ashton passed out


Cousins, Friends after a good night
of sleep!

Best Friends

My nephew had a Birthday a while back, and I got the best picture of cousins. Landon is 7, Ashton is 7, Derick is 8, Aiden is 4! They are all so close in age and for the most part have a blast every time they are together. I snapped this picture and I just love how you can see there individual personality.