Cousin Day @ Eagle Island!

Sam and Dallas had a birthday combo party at Eagle Island!

We had a great time!  The weather was lovely, not too hot, slight breeze!  The water was shallow all the way to the yellow guard tube! Even Graden made it out there!  We had pizza and donuts!  It was a grand ol' time! 

My kids love nothing more than spending time with their cousins!  

The only bummer of the day were the goat heads.  They were SO terrible!!!  

Graden turns 5!!!

4*20*12

Graden had a great 5th birthday!  

*birthday breakfast picnic with Burke and I....Krispie Kreme's with sprinkles!

*lunch at the mall with daddy.  happy meal, new BSU Bronco hat!

*special bday card from G'ma/pa Blue!

*party at Settler's on a gorgeous day!  

*pizza

*gifts

*call from G'ma/pa Blue

*lego's

*WWE ring and wrestler guy

*mom let him take his scooter to the park :)

*balloons! (thanks Dina)

*skittles

*cousins, aunts, and friends

(Cake by Jennifer Luchini, i.e. Miss Jen, i.e. Aunt Jennifer, i.e. my sister)

We love this punk so much!  He can push everyone of my buttons, but I adore him.  

Happy Birthday Bubba.  :)

Easter 2012

We had a wonderful weekend!  

Hope you did too!  

{Eggs and Cake}

Saturday we celebrated Easter and Graden's birthday as a family. It was quite the bash! My sister Jennifer filled and hid over 300 eggs for this PARTY! Along with 3 coveted golden eggs! One of which Taylor found! With a little help from Mom! Graden has really enjoyed playing Donkey Kong on the Wii. So I asked Jennifer to make a DK cake for my boy. This is what she came up with......

As you can tell....He loved it! I always feel bad eating such awesome cakes!

We also played some music outside and the cousin's got their DANCE on!

Here is my sweet 4 year old. He asks me everyday if he is still 4. Yep!

Here is a picture of all the cousins including the Frogley kids (Keaton, Kole and Evi). Although I cannot see Kole in this picture, but I know he is up there somewhere!

Comparing some legs. One of these kids is going into Nursery in a few weeks. The other one is not even one yet! ;)

The Browne's stopped by on Friday night to say goodbye. I tried to keep it as low key as possible. I know my girls were really bummed and did not want them to get upset. We kept it casual. No tears! Just hugs!
I talked to Candace last night and they are doing well. They had help moving in and the Bishop's wife has already brought dinner! My friend Tricia's husband works for Apple as well (Scott's boss) and they had them over for Easter dinner. It makes me feel good knowing that there is a ward wherever you move to take care of you!

Miss you CanDance!

We are blessed~

I know you really cannot tell how blessed I am in this picture of Jason putting me in a head lock. But I am. We had a wonderful Christmas. We had so many special Santa's that made it a miracle! We are blessed beyond words~ Literally, I cannot breathe in this picture.

I don't think Graden can either! He is getting the royal tickle treatment from cousin Austin!

The girls had a great time at the Crazy Cousin Extravaganza. We all did!


This is my favorite picture of the night~

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Blue Turkeys and other funness~

I (I would say "we" but let's get real), had the chance to host Jason's entire clan for Thanksgiving.

His Grandparents Clifford and Audrey Nielsen of Hillsboro, OR.

Parents Graden and Teri of Rainer, OR (or somewhere darn close).

His big brother Adam, wife Keri, daughters Kate and Haylee of Roseburg, OR.

Younger sister Darelyn, husband KC, kids, Keller, Emery, Amelia, and Unice(December)...and that is not her real name. But if you have a suggestion, they are open to them! Of Springville, UT.

And his other younger sister Valerie, husband Jayson, and kids, Ella, Clayton and Easton of Bend, OR.

Can you believe these crazies traveled into the depths of winter hell to have dinner with us? Well, we are pretty cool, so I guess I can! ;)

They arrived at various times on Wednesday. We chatted and the kids played and the majority of them headed for the hotel. On Thursday I put the Turkey in and Teri and I headed to the church. I was able to reserve it for our family dinner! Talk about a miracle! We slaved away while the husbands played with the kids in the gym. Tossed a football and shot hoops. I know the little girls played on the piano in the Primary room. I was in the kitchen most of the time, so I am not quite sure what else went on!

We are your traditional Thanksgiving meal. My mom made the stuffing for us. Cause for me it's not Thanksgiving unless I have her stuffing. She ate with my sister and her kids. (Missed you guys) :(

I had this great idea to have a Minute to Win It game after we ate. In theory it all sounded great in my head. But hind sight is 20/20. I never actually practiced any of the games. So the feather in the air one and the Johnny Applestack one were flops. But the stack the nut one was really fun. Haylee won! (And Adam) We also played This Blows. Where you blow red dixie cups off the table with a balloon. Pretty fun too! The best was the Oreo cookie face one! Everybody played. Even Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen!

The kids swam at the hotel after dinner and then headed back to our house for a wicked rad dance party with BLACK LIGHT AND A STROBE LIGHT!!! Yes please! (This is what we will be getting our family for Christmas!) I think that was the highlight of the adventure!

All the siblings had to return home Friday :( WOMP! But......not before Adam and Keri treated us to TUCANOS BRAZILLIAN GRILL! Um........heck yeah! I done died and gone to heaven! Yeahaaaaaww! I porked down so much food! I cannot wait to go again with our birthday club cards! Thanks dudes!

All in all, it was a wonderful get together! We are all so busy and these gatherings are becoming further and further apart. So goes life I guess.

Thanks everybody for coming! We just love you all so much!

And on that note? I'd just like to end on the Pineapple! (inside joke) :)

(Google Images)

H.2.O=F.U.N

We have really been taking advantage of the warm, scratch that, HOT weather. The pool in the backyard has saved us. I don't know what we did before we had it. The kids were in it all day for the first week. They all looked like drown rats. In a good way.

**************************************

We have also uncovered a gem about 10 minutes away. Eagle Island State park. I used to go when I was little. It was kinda scummy then. The bottom of the water was all sea-weedy (yes, it's a word, my word). The beach was yucky and had awful horse flies. I have been hearing for the last few years about friends going and thought I would try it out. And yes, I am well aware of all the drownings that happen there.

Last Tuesday we decided to check it out with my sister and her boys. The girls were shocked that there was a beach so close to home! The cost is $5/vehicle and you can bring your own food and drinks. As we rounded the bend to the beach I was so happy to see that it was clean and so well groomed. The kids were all so excited too! We played and ate, built a sand castle, enjoyed the sun.......it was bliss.

We went this week too. And we are going again on Monday. I would love to be able to take my kids to Roaring Springs, but let's be honest.....$$$$$$$$HELLO???? The cost is bananas.

Here are some pictures of our 1st trip. (Burke has yet to go, but will on Monday)

Hauling in all our goods!

Taylor Bug

Nattie Girl

Caillou. jk Graden John

Sand Castle 101

Voila!

4th, food, fireworks, family...fun

Big surprise....We had the Gauby's over for the 4th. We were officially ditched by Austin and Caitlin. I guess sparklers and ground bloomers are not "cool" enough for teenagers. Pssshh.
So Jeff, Julie and Mason came over for wings, and works. Fire works that is.

The Chefs.

A match made in culinary heaven.

DUR.


Our neighbor Paul has inspired us to become wing masters. Just kidding. I would have had him cook them but they had their baby. Geez. ;) He did get us some of his famous BB Wolfe sauce! holla! Not too shabby if I do say so! Thanks Paul.

Eat your heart out.

This is when the real fun begins. NOT! My mom is such a worrier that it turns me into a worrier. When she rides me about the kids and safety, I get all gnarley. As you can tell, Jeff is having the time of his life listening to Judy!

~SpArKlErS~

Graden kept trying to light the wrappers from the poppers on fire. It was funny. He also did this bizar sparkler dance. It ended in the word "Fyyyya" (fire). Scary huh?

We walked down the street by the Bishops house. I guess theie cul de sac had crazy fire works! Did you see them Cherie? They were all done by the time we went down!

(um, crack kills Graden!)

It was a great day.