We have FRIENDS....

okay...well we ALWAYS had friends,

but not always friends that INVITED us to do stuff...

and I have to admit...it's mostly our fault.

Ron's work schedule,

me working,

kids' schedule,

church schedule,

being party poopers, etc and the list could go on.

But the Letner's are

AWESOME

and didn't let any of those excuses stop them from being our friends!

So when an invite to Rocky Point (Mexico)

with them came about...we originally said NO.

Again...for all the reasons I listed above.

But Dennis is pretty persuasive and he DIDN'T take no for an answer.  

We are so GLAD he didn't...because we had a blast.

I can't believe how much fun we had in just 2 short days!

Here is our itinerary of fun in pictures:
 
GIRLS must SHOP!!
 

While the girls shop...the boys will wait!

After an afternoon of HOT shopping...ice cream is promised!
 
Thrifty Ice Cream...one of our favorites is everywhere!

Boy...my kids are CUTE!

The girls got cute cover ups and Christopher looks Top Gun stylish  in sunglasses.

Jacob got a slingshot...watch out!

Christopher

Rachel and Amorette

My BAYWATCH cuties!

 
 I love this baby...he is so HAPPY and the funniest kid ever.

I love how tender these pictures are and shows the LOVE and TRUST he has for his parents.

Seriously...does he just make your heart melt!

Jared, I sure do love you!

But this man is the MAN of my dreams.

(Ronald...you truly are the VERY best part of me.)

Awww...still got the love after 16 years!

Dennis and Kinley we sure love ya guys.

The kids couldn't wait to join us on the beach that first night after dinner.  The tide was low and we were on a mission to search for all kinds of sea life!

What an amazing sunset.

We spent hours and hours at the BEACH or POOL...

we have the sunburns to prove it!

Jacob had a LOVE hate relationship with the ocean...
he spent hours running from the waves...
then decided to jump on in,
before coming to the shore to spit out SALT water.
An unexpected taste he didn't like!

The girls spent lots of time with RON...
on his shoulders...what a great stepdad!

And we found out you can't leave Rocky Point without one of their 

FAMOUS

chili and lime covered Mangoes!

YUMMY!

YUM!

Kinley and I talked about what makes a great vacation for a mom is to know that her FAMILY is enjoying it...
and that we DID!

The list of KIDS activities goes on and on...

Now that summer is almost over...

(I can't believe school starts again in 3 weeks!)

I knew that I must not forget all the wonderful activities my kids

were able to participate in.

Christopher was in a 

BASKETBALL league 

with all his friends from church and while they didn't take any championship trophy home...they did develop and nourish many great relationships...and oh yea,

they had some FUN along the way.

Rachel was my BUSY bee 

being involved with Yearbook, Dance and Color Guard.

She also was in the coveted 6th grade year where all the kids were able to spend 3 days at Science Camp.

Her Color Guard kept our Saturday's busy with competitions and they went undefeated...even against high school teams.

Her dance pushed her to new limits as she learned a new style of dance...Lyrical.

She is EVER busy with friends, friends and Lots of friends.  

This girl could MAJOR in Sociability! 

Katie picked up TWO new activities this year including

volleyball and piano.

In just two months of playing the piano she played her

recital piece in front of 60 parents and kids at church.

I was so proud of her bravery.

Jacob tried his hand at a new sport...
FOOTBALL.
But came home angry on the first day...
saying he didn't know that he was going to have to
"practice!"
He soon learned he didn't know all that he thought he did...
and managed to even listen to the advice of
his coach, Ron and Cameron.
This is just a short list of the activities the kids participate in...
as I could go on and on about
Mutual
Activity Days
Friends Birthday parties
Sleepovers
Trips
Tournaments
School Dances
but it makes me tired just thinking about starting it all over again,
in just 3 weeks!
So for now...
I will take a minute to enjoy the calm before the storm,
and knowing that in the end...
"I love every minute of it!"

Proud accomplishments....

I hope my children know how VERY

proud I am of their 

MANY

accomplishments.

While most of their accomplishments are small,

like when they take out the trash without being asked,

or read to their sibling,

or pay their tithing...

some GET recognized by more than just Ron and myself.

Like Katie and Jacob

who both were Student of the Months this last year at school.

Jacob was student of the month in 

SEPTEMBER,

and those who know the struggles he had during his

kindergarten year know what an 

AMAZING accomplishment it was for him to be the FIRST kid

in his class to get Student of the Month.

Katie my EVER bright student was 

Student of the Month in January and went on to make straight A's

all year long.

A Day to REMEMBER...

We just had a perfect

day to remember!

Cameron and Chelsea

married last Friday, May 27th

in the Mesa, Arizona Temple!

When it was announced at church on Sunday...

I thought it was fitting that the Bishopric member said,

"Two people who are doing things at the RIGHT time and in the RIGHT place."

Here is a quick picture...I will have lots more to come!

Disclaimer: My little Rachie got sick and was throwing up just 30 minutes prior to this picture!  I thought she was a REAL trooper to put her hair back in a ponytail and smile one last time for pictures!

Spring weekend and HIGHER learning...

It is weekend's like this last one....

that make me LOVE living in Arizona!

My husband will cringe to hear me say that...since he does not like Arizona.

But it is true....

I LOVED that we could sit outdoors,

next to our new water fountain...

pretty flower bushes...

tomato, strawberries, apples and kiwi all growing around us...

that I realized how much I

LOVE it here!

(Don't ask me that in August....I'll be cursing the heat!)

I also LOVE

that while I was getting to enjoy the outdoors...

that I could hear 

GENERAL CONFERENCE

piped throughout the house...and oh my...was that beautiful music!

WOW...I love the talents of others!

I also enjoyed hearing talks about tithing, marriage, being a good parent, service and the

wonderful example our SAVIOR set for all of us.

I am setting NEW goals...

and I can't wait to achieve them!

We had smoothie fun!

Rachel spent the entire weekend in competition...earning a GOLD medal for their amazing performances!

 

One final note...our REUNION shirts for our family are designed and ordered!  Can't wait for June!

Spring Break....highlights!

As much as I 
LOVE
a good vacation...
this year's spring break was quiet, peaceful and relaxing.
I LOVED 
every minute of it!
I created a schedule...as my kids say,
"I'm a control freak!"
But keeping control meant that the ENTIRE house got clean,
kids had a constant flow of 
friends in and out of the house,
I still managed to get work done, laundry put away, and even to read a BOOK!
(That never happens anymore!)
But just like every controlled stretch in our lives...
it also means we can let loose for a few days and have a little FUN!
We were able to go camping with
FRIENDS
who are the best in the whole world
and who made us feel like we had one BIG new extra family.
 
Jacob loved the opportunity to get dirty and play with WORMS!

Chris loved playing in the creek...and playing 007 at night with the BIG kids.

Katie met and made LOTS of new friends.

We all had fun doing some archery!

Rachel can have fun anywhere...as long as she is with friends!

I didn't even have to have them POSE for this picture...they were just sitting there...talking and hanging out!

We took a HIKE to the concrete block...

Think of the show "LOST" with the HATCH!  (creepy!)

We played LOTS and LOTS of games!

We drove to a GORGEOUS waterfall...and if you look at the start of the waterfall, you will see grandpa Letner on the ledge!  (Gives you some perspective on how BIG the waterfall is!)

...the boys' weren't scared not even one bit!

Rachel wouldn't get in the FIRST picture...

she was terrified of the height...however, we finally convinced her but I still just laugh looking at the picture to see how far away she stood from the edge!

Ron enjoyed the COOL mountain air...I loved the BIG campfires and smores!

Rachel enjoyed staying 2 extra days hanging with Amorette...while we had to leave early!

I also LOVED taking pictures...and this BABY is so cute, I can't resist taking pictures of him!

I loved witnessing this moment...brothers walking down the path arm in arm.

Jacob had so much fun riding his bike to the creek...with the DOGS in tow, that I couldn't resist a little bike ride of my own.

Goodbye...Reynold's Creek...

until FALL break where we will be there for the ENTIRE weekend!

 

Lots of love to our dear friends the Letner's who made us truly feel like we were part of their family!

She's caught HIS heart...

CAMERON

is getting married!

The important details:

Her name is Chelsea Davies,

they share the same birthday,

MAY 1st.

(not in the same year)

She has completely captured 

CAMERON'S heart!

We absolutely LOVE and ADORE her 

and are so glad

she is joining our family.

I'm especially grateful they asked little ole' me...

to take some FUN pictures of how

completely and totally in

LOVE

they are.

I couldn't choose just a one or two so a warning:

LOTS and LOTS

of wonderful, loving pictures you will now get to VIEW!

 

If what we were able to capture in ONE afternoon is any indication of these two feel for each other...

then think what these 

TWO

can do with an 

ETERNITY together! 

LOVE YA LOTS 

Cameron and Chelsea!