We are still here!!

Time for an update, I'd say! Well you see we kinda had to start all over with our computer. We had a little liquid accident that disabled our hard drive....luckily our computer was still under warranty so we got a new hard drive at no cost. However all my pictures and programs are on the damaged hard drive, we are hoping that good ol Best Buy can get at least the pictures off. So I have been busy getting this new one loaded back up, so my computer time hasn't included blogging.
It has been a great summer so far, and the weather has nothing to do with it, because quite frankly, it hasn't been anything worth bragging about. The kids seem to be enjoying it, and thats whats most important. I, on the other hand, have had a bad cold for nearly two weeks, I am just getting over it, and I decided to fall last night and I rolled my ankle....yea, that really hurt! So, hopefully things will look up for me, but how thankful I've been that my husband has been around! We just had Jake for almost a week and a half, it was so nice to spend that much time with him. He did a basketball camp in the morning during the week,and he and his dad made some time to go golfing! Kelsey and Madison have been involved in a two week Musical Theatre Camp, in which they are performing Alladin Jr. That takes up most of their day. Well I guess thats enough for now, I'll try to be better with updates...hope all is well with everyone!

We went to Meenderinck's gazebo on the Hampton for a family bridal shower for Chad and Trina...Jake, Chad and papa Jimmy fishing...

The kids enjoying one of the nicer days we've had.....
Do you remember... how fun it was to put your butt in the sprinkler?!!

Or act like a superhero while jumping right through the center?!!....

Or crouching down close to the sprinkler as to not get wet?!!.....

Or picking up the sprinkler and spraying your siblings?!!.....

Or simply just practicing your golf in the sprinkler?!!..... O.K....maybe not this one!

"What? You want me to get WET??"

DIVA!!

Celebrating Father's

Our father's day celebration with gifts for Brian actually happened on Thursday. We have to do things a little different around here, if you haven't figured that out yet!! Of course, the girls are gone this weekend, but they didn't want to miss out on showing their love and appreciation to Brian so we had ourselves a little party Thursday night while we were all together! We went out for mexican food with my mom and dad and Chad and Trina and came back to our house and opened gifts. Today, Jake had a baseball game in the morning and he and Brian were back by noon and the rest of my family came over for lunch to honor our dad! We had a nice time together....as always! Love my husband for being such a great dad, love my dad for being a great dad, and I love my father-in-law for being a great dad to both Brian and I....just wish he wasn't so far a way so we could spend some time with him!! Hope everyone had a great day!



Daisy reading her card with her daddy....

Jake giving his dad a couple new golfing shirts...

The girls made their own cards for Brian....


Kelsey insisted on getting Brian a pair of Crocs....she succeeded and got a pair for herself, oh yea....and the rest of the family!!

Chad and Trina got dad a shrimp cage for when we go boating...YEA!!!

I made my dad a collage and wrote him a poem....I worked pretty hard on it so I was pretty excited to give it to him....

I made him read it out loud...

This was the poem I wrote.....

A Dad to four of us you will be
For two of us, you had to set free
A Pa Pa to four
That’s a guarantee
Will there be more?
We will have to wait and see

You have opened your heart to the ones we love
Looking to the Lord above
You have taken our burdens through the years
Drying our eyes as we shed our tears
Always lifting our heads up high
While praying for wings to fly

You have had to plead silence
Even when it’s been tough
But your wisdom and guidance
Has brought us through the rough
You always know the right thing to say
We know we can count on you day after day

A Dad like you is hard to find
Your humor is one of a kind
So on this day and those to come
Please know we have so much fun
Someone special you will always be
And we really want you to see
That our love for you we have vowed
And hope that we will always make you proud

Happy Father’s Day!

Trina's first bridal shower!

I, along with my mom, had the honor of putting on a bridal shower for Trina on Sunday! I really enjoy planning these get togethers, especially for my soon to be sister! I will only have one, so I truly did feel honored to be able to do it. It so happened that it was the first bridal shower that Trina had. We had fun...well at least I did! Not long to go before the big day....oh wait, it's exactly one month from today! I'm sure thats why I waited to do this post!! So enjoy a couple of pictures from our day.....

The set up....

My mom was clever and had a cake decorated like the stamp on the RSVP's that Trina had specially made. It's a picture of a heart in the sand with C+T written in it that her and Chad did in Mexico when they got engaged.

Trina with all her sisters and mom!!

The paper clip and rice game....with eyes closed and 30 sec pick out as many paper clips as possible...harder than it sounds!!

Trina's twin sister, Treva....

The girls were such a big help!!

"Oh, this will look so nice on my counter in our apartment...thanks grandma!"

Trina received many nice gifts...she won't need any coffee pots though! hehe

Thank you Grandma for opening your home for us to have the shower...we so appreciated it....we love you!

Crazy busy = Ton of Fun!

Oh my! It has been a busy last couple of days....but so much fun! Let's see, as I mentioned before, the last day of school was Wednesday. I picked the girls up and we had a special celebration at The Cup of Tea with their grandma and great grandma. We are so proud of how well the kids did this year, and again it's hard to believe the school year is over!



On Thursday morning we got Jake and headed out of town with my mom and dad and grandparents.....we took a road trip over the pass to Yakima to celebrate Lindsay's graduation and to see the newest addition to our extended family. My cousin Stephanie had her baby, Elisabeth Natalie, a week ago. We spent the night at a very nice hotel and enjoyed some time with our kids and family. We got a little swimming in, however the camera didn't make it to that part. It was a lot of driving for not a lot of time, but the kids were great and it was nice for Brian to get to see where Yakima was, as he had never been there.......semi retirement is so nice for times like this!!

Our road companions....

Our stop at The Pancake House on top of the pass for lunch

I guess all the writing on her leg really wore her out!!

The boys being boys....

Girls being girls....

And...Daisy being Daisy...choking the poor dog!


After we returned home on Friday late afternoon we had just enough time to repack our bag and head out to Birch Bay to celebrate Trina's 25th Birthday! It was so much fun and perfect weather! Trina's whole family was there along with my mom and dad....it's so neat to get together with all of them, I am so thankful they include us in their family gatherings! The kids had a blast playing on the beach with the other kids. Of course, since Trina is a twin, the celebration was for her sister Treva, as well. Me, being the brainiac that I am, never even thought about this factor until Treva was given a gift and I had to ask the question why...DUH!! Oh well....Happy birthday to my very special sis-in-law and friend! You have blessed our family in so many ways, you don't even know and I am so proud to call you my sis, and friend....love you Treens!


Look mom...baby crabs!!

Ummm..Dad, that will be a 150 dollar fine!!

Tanner and Madison catching crabs!

Jake, Kelsey, Jordan, and Scooter on the hunt...

Daisy, Ryker, and Karsyn on a walk...


Grandma giving Madi some loves....

Time for S'mores!!


Looks like Chad was enjoying himself....

The group....

They are just so darn cute...


Sorry for the long post....I went a little picture crazy, but we packed in a lot in the last couple of days...thats why we are doing this...