Summer Overload

And REALLY...I am exhausted...I think I need a vacation from all my vacationing!!! I was hoping to learn how to collage all my blog photo's before I post...but that's just now happening until I get the kids in school and back from Labor day weekend. So a little post in between!! This explains it all!! AND MIND YOU ~ I'm not complaining one bit...I had an amazingly fun filled summer!!!!

Introducing Natalie!!

This is my newest Granddaughter...born on Shaylin's birthday!! August 1st! Of course I already need to update my photo's, which is a little hard when I'm not in Ohio!! She is such a beautiful baby! And has her Daddy's dimple on her left cheek!! So sweet!

She is even cuter swarming in PINK and polka-dots!!! My favorites!!
Proud Mommy and Daddy!!

I was able to fly to Ohio and spend some much needed time with my grandbabys!! Julia...almost 6, Zachary 2 1/2, and Natalie....now 3 weeks! I love these kids, they kept me hoppin' and I loved every moment of the 5 days I was able to spend with them. Zachary was so dang cute...granted he wasn't talking last time I actually saw him...this time he would say to Ryan...when he couldn't find me in the house...."Where dat Gamma go?!"

We made some GREAT memories....their favorite was me pushing them on the swing and doing under doggie!! Man...why can't they live closer!!? This is going to kill me!!

This is me and Natalie...6 days old!!

I love being a Gramma!! It's so cool to watch your children become parent's, and watch them interact with their kids!!

Now...I'm off to Phoenix AZ for "Creative Escape", in 2 days...can't wait to bask in the sun (as you all know~ I am a sun worshipper!!!) And learn some new creative techniques...in a beautiful resort for 4 days with my dear friend Trina and her 2 month old Kole!!

What a Summer~part 2

And it all began a few days ago..comin to see these two wonderful daughters of mine!! I just love these girls! They are the best~est of friends!! So Sunday morning after Shyns birthday bash...we decided to wake up and head down south to St. George to see some good friends! Stopped by to visit my Dad in Fountain Green...then, well....as you can see here...it took a little longer that we had planned~(sigh) We were about 40 minutes from St. George when the kids and I thought we heard a helicopter above us....when the sound suddenly got louder and louder...I looked in my rear view mirror to see pieces of my tire flying through the air....then the car started to shake...I immediately slowed down (as I was in the fast lane doing the speed limit...75) and pulled over...only to get out of the car and find THIS!!! WOW...how did that happen?! I considered flagging a trucker over....but had the kids with me...a scary thought! When suddenly I remembered I had friends in Cedar City...which I had just passed both exits. So after calling...some DEAR friends came to our rescue. It took Lynn, Lori and myself all to change the tire....I was Sooooooo grateful for them!! Finally arrived and had dinner with Elaine at 10 pm!!

WHAT A RELIEF!!!!! Note to self...never burn bridges with friends...you never know when you just might need a friend!!

This is Elaine....whe was so happy to see us finally arrive! The next day we went downtown and let the kids cool off in the water.....they had a blast...and wished we lived closer to St. George!

I also got to visit my dear friend Shay (My Shaylin is named after her!) who I hadn't seen in about 11 years! We have some great memories of my days living in St. George and opening the Marie Callendar's Restaurant which is now closed....those were some pretty fun days!!

We are Planning a trip to Maui with her and her husband in April...can't wait!

Our trip was much too short in southern Utah...we climbed the red cliffs in St. George...which I LOVE!! (See the Temple behind us?) Beautiful!!

Jaycee took this picture the next day of the St. George Temple...I love it!!!!

Then after meeting our good friend Jeremy in Lehi to do a photo shoot with my 4 kids....we went to Provo and did a little R & R at the pool...this was NICE!! I stopped by a couple scrapbook stores...couldn't possibly come to Utah and NOT stop by at least one!!!

Later that evening Shaylin was able to schedule her Patriarical blessing for when we were in town! What a neat experience to be able to be there for this!! It was a wonderful blessing! We celebrated at the old spaghetti factory for dinner!!Yummmm!
Then, the next evening was Kaylee's graduation from massage therapy school!! Hooray...she did it!! We are so proud of her and her accomplishments... (she gives a mean massage too!! ) Thanks dear!!
THE PROUD GRADUATE!!


Our Family after graduation....we picked Kev up at the airport just before graduation...we missed him!!!!So that pretty much wraps up my August in Utah...what an eventful week or so!! I love my Family...just glad we aren't further away!!

What a summer~part 1

Ok... I am going to re-cap my last 3 weeks slowly here....after girls camp, I had 3 or 4 days home...Jaycee had her best friend in the whole world come to visit and spend 2 nights with us. Kameron used to live here in Puyallup, then moved to California...so it was so good for them to get caught up with each other!!And they are the cutest of friends...they miss each other so much...both girls are starting Jr. High this year. They keep in touch through e-mail and web-cam....so life is good for them!!

Then, Tanner, Jaycee and I headed to Utah in the Excursion. We drove straight through. Left on the 30th of July. We wanted to go and be able to spend a little time there since it was summer! The girls came and stayed the night with us and took Friday off of work so we could play. The next morning the 31st, we got up and headed to the Oquirrh Temple Open House...it truly is a beautiful Temple!! Then we headed up North to Logan to see our good friends Kris and Dave and go boating and spend the day with them. We kind of took the long way up there...but we finally did make it! One of these days I will invest in a much needed GPS! We went to Hyrum Dam and had a nice day with them! Kaylee and Shaylin did a little wake boarding, the water wasn't the smoothest so it wasn't that easy! Tanner and Kaylee

Tanner can't get enough of his big Sisters....thing just aren't the same without them here at home with us!! Shaylin, Jace and Kaylee

And Jaycee just loves these girls to pieces...sure is fun having kids of all ages...so we can experience all sorts of activities all the time!! The next day.. Aug 1st~ was Shaylin's 19th birthday..we had all sorts of activities planned for today....but half way through the day.....we got the best news of all!! Shaylin had a niece born on HER birthday!! Ryan and Casey had little Natalie...7 lbs 15 oz.!! Hooray!!!! This was the best present Shaylin got today!! And of course Gramma was especially happy to see her born early (since I was flying out to Ohio on the 7th to meet her!) When I made my reservations, I did this knowing Casey would hopefully go early like she had the other 2 times...and luckily she did!! So sweet!!!

After the wonderful news of our newest addition to our Family...we went to Seven Peaks Water Park down in Provo to celebrate Shaylin's birthday...just for the start of a fun day!

Of course it was Soooo hot and beautiful, which made us want to be in the water...we went down some slides and enjoyed the wave pool ALOT! We left a little early so that we could get ready to head to Comedy Sportz in Provo. It's an improv comedy show for Family's...and we laughed our heads off!! They even had Shaylin on stage for her birthday song!! Great place to go!!
Our row of fun people!!

I could have listened to these guys all night, they were GOOD! And of course the company was awesome as well. I finally got to meet Lindsay...who I had been hearing alot about...that's her in the end in the gray shirt.., she's full of energy!! Cute!! It's fun to meet all the fun guys and girls we have been hearing so much about!! It was nice to see blue skies everyday, but also be close to the girls too! So that wraps up the first few days after girls camp and our couple in Utah...more to come!!