You Betcha....

Tonight was our ward party. it was alot of fun and everyone did a great job.  Our family was the characters from Peter Pan, Ryker being the Peter, Melia as the cutest Tink I have ever seen, Shaun a young Captain Hook and I was supposed to be Wendy. But today talking with a friend, a thought popped in my head. I should be Sarah Palin. Well my mom had a dress suit and broken glasses. I pulled my hair back and what do you know, the Governor from Alaska.

Peter and Tink

Well I look out of place but I will dress up as Wendy for a few more events we have. It was so fun being Sarah Palin for the night.

Ok so I'm not a dead ringer of Sarah but you get the picture.

We had a costume fashion show so here I am giving my Sarah Palin wave.

Vote for me please. I came in 2nd place in the fashion show, I lost to Captain Moroni who was stinkin cute.  

Day 3, 7 and 8 - Playing around in Virginia

Ok I know everyone including myself is sick of all the post. So here is a few from the few days we were in Virginia just hanging around. I'll finish by posting New York  tomorrow and be done with it. 

Me, Sarah and Ryk on my Grandpas Razor. This thing is a blast, we just cruised around all over.

You can't go to a place with horses and land and not ride a horse. Ryker loved his horse ride around the property.  I love his cheesy smile.

Sweet Wuggie (Adelle) walked him all around. She is great with animals, and loves them. I have no idea where she got it from!!!

This was Ryker every night. He played so hard, hardly ever ate, look at his dirty feet and wore his clothes to bed. I tried to give him a shower and stuff but he would just pass out before I even got to him. One of the nights around 6:00pm he fell asleep on the razor while out driving around.

They have the best park ever just up the road. The weather was perfect and it was just beautiful. Lots of fun toys to play on as well.

Cute girlie!!!

Yes they really do have rocking chairs on the front porch!!!!!

I was a razor hog!! I loved driving this thing. Since Shaun doesn't like Quads and I haven't been on one since highschool I had to get my 4-wheeling out of my system since it will be another few years till I can again!!

Us on the last day. NO ONE wanted to leave. I could have stayed another week!!!  I thought I would be sick of my family by the end but we had way to much fun.  

I like this picture because Amelia has a weird face. And I love my mom!!!

I laughed so hard when Ryker would drive this around. Something about a little guy driving a little car. I don't know I just think it is funny!!

Leaves and more leaves. I should have brought some home to show my preschoolers. Try teaching then about seasons in Arizona!! We just look at pictures in books.

Day TWO- Man of the hour!!

On to day 2 of our big adventure.  This was the day of the big party.  We spend the morning helping get everything ready for the party and enjoyed the beauty of Virginia. 

This is my Bompa and Noni. (my dads dad)

Noni, mom, Caleb (my cousin), Me, Adelle, Sarah and Shantay

My dad, Uncle Jason (he is only 3 years older than me) and you know the rest

All my Noni's relatives live in a 3 hour radius, so here they all are eating up some great food.

They had a band come and play every couple hour. I thought it would be bluegrass stuff but they played all sorts of popular songs, they were great.

The whole "Fam-Damly" as my dad calls us

(my dad side is alot smaller than my moms) I only have 4 cousins compared to the 30 on my moms side. I have my Aunt Sheryl with her hubby Ray and 2 girls- Sophie and Sonia, then my Aunt Windi with 2 kids- Caleb and Montana and my Uncle Jason

All the women folk

This cake was yummy- amazing good. It had some great photos of my Bompa's past!!! He has done so much in his life.

My dad put together a 15 min slideshow of all Bompa's pictures, it was so fun to watch and see all the many things her has done in the past 80 years.  Ryker crashed during it, he played NON-STOP from sun up to sun down. I'm not joking I couldn't even get him to stop and eat. That whole day he ate a bowl of cereal and 4 slices of an apple for lunch. Hey I tried to get him to eat but he would rather play.

Sweet Amelia all bundled up. It was not freezing but my Arizona babe is not use to 60 degree weather.

Day ONE

Ok here goes a LONG series of pictures. I decided to break it down by each day.  Friday Oct 10th we had to be at the airport by 4:30 AM and our first flight left at 6 AM. I guess I should set it up a little better. My whole family: Dad, Mom, Abe, Shantay, Sarah, Adelle, Ethan, Me, Ryker and Amelia were headed off to Virginia to surprise my Bompa (my grandpa) for his 80th birthday. Shaun booked a wedding months before this was planned, so he wasn't able to join us till Sunday. We had a long day of traveling but with a bag full of snacks and candy and lots of goofing around we made it.

Holy business I owe Abe and Shantay a HUGE thank you!!! They were such a great help. Ryker did great on the plane but Amelia not so much. She didn't scream they whole way but she was fussy and wouldn't sleep much!!! They help her and played with her and gave me a break.

My sisters helped with Ryker, he did great and sleep alot!!

Oh and ring pops help too.

The Dallas TX airport was awesome, it had a kids play area so my kids got their wiggles out between flights. 

 

Then from Dallas we flew to Greensboro NC which is 2 1/2 hours from my grandparents. So all 10 of us loaded up into the big van and off we went to Virgina!!

So how many of you have ever monorail surfed!!!!  From Phx we flew to Dallas TX for a 3 hour layover. At least the airport was amazing and had a MONORAIL system. To past the time we would ride on the monorail and played a fun game. We wouldn't hold on to the bars and tried to stay standing as the monorail whipped around. I of course was doing good until I looked down at Amelia and it made a turn and I screamed and flew backwards. Well I didn't win but everyone else on the monorail got some good laughs at my family.

All that traveling was worth it when we drove up to this wonderful sight!!!!!!

My grandparents have a beautiful home. In this picture you can't even see the huge stable and indoor ridding arena. My grandparents are not hicks, farmers, cowboys etc. My grandpa has had several hobbies over the past years and got into breeding race horses.

Sarah, Shantay and Adelle with some of the horses.

They live at the top of the hill and this is some of the view!! Pictures don't even do it justice.

This is more of the property!!! 

To be continued........ Day 2

GO Wildcats!!!!!!

Well we are back from our WONDERFUL trip to Virginia and New York. I have to many pictures to sort through so I will hopefully get around to blogging tomorrow.  My sister will make fun of me big time for posting this but most of you know I'm OBSESSED with the Highschool Musical movies. The 3rd one is in theaters Oct 24th and I really want to go, but not my myself (but I will if I have to).  So any takers???? Or am I really just a big loser who will go sit with a bunch of tweens????? Ok don't answer that.  

Udall Conference Dinner

For the past several years ( I don't remember when this started) We go to my Grandparents house (my moms Family) and have a yummy dinner. We get to talk with all our cousins and family, the little ones run around and play then after awhile we get in a big circle and whoever wants to stand and share their favorite talk from conference they can. I love doing this. It is great to hear what talks from conference touched everyone else. We are all going through different trials and struggles and we know their is a talk for everyone. I loved L. Tom Perry's, he spoke first in the Saturday Morning Session. He said we need to simplify our lives and told us of the 4 basic things we need 1. Food, 2. Shelter, 3. Clothes and 4. Fuel. I LOVED his explanation of each of them. Also our Prophets talk Sunday morning was amazing "Joy in the Journey"  simple and powerful!!!

We ended up going into my Grandparents house half way through because the mosquitoes were out in full force.  They never bite me (I guess I have sour blood) but they were getting everyone else.

This is all of the great-grandkids I know I will spell names wrong- sorry!!

Addison, Jessie Mae, Ryker, Blaze, Lane

Lexi, Mattie, Amelia, Grayson, Brinkley

Cooper, Braxton,Jett and 2 more in bellies right now!!!!

Now this is all the cousins with kids. 

My grandma switched playrooms. Growing up she had a playroom in the back.  Now it is a room off the kitchen and all the kids seemed to squeeze in and have fun. They trashed the place so Shelley and I (the good moms we are) were laughing as we cleaned up because most of the toys were the ones we played with. Oh how time flies, but I'm so GRATEFUL to be so close with my family and have so many wonderful friendships!!!!!  

Virginia, here we come!!

I just have to keep looking at this picture and reminding myself what a BEAUTIFUL place I will be in!!!!  Our plane leaves at 6 AM, yes that means we have to be at the airport no later than 4:30 in the morning. Talk about messing up my children's sleeping routines but my whole family will be flying with me so I won't be alone with the children. Shaun booked a wedding months before we planned this trip so he is flying to Virginia Sunday, which stinks because the reason we are all going is to surprise my Bompa who is turning 80, and my Noni has been planning a HUGE Surprise birthday party for him!! Anyways so that is Saturday night so Shaun will miss it.  I'm not looking forward to the day of traveling but way worth it to actually see FALL!!!! I can't wait!!!

If it is not one, it is the other!

Why is it so hard to take just ONE good picture of your kids? I only have 2 and it only gets harder and harder with more kids!!  The first picture I have Ryker bellowing, showing off his HUGE mouth. Then we have sweet Melia  looking absolutely precious!!  Then the second shot they switched, Ryker laughing and Amelia trying to open her little mouth like brothers. Got to love them.

But really this picture is the day and life of what happens in our home. Ryker is crazy and Amelia just sits and laughs at her brother!!  

Oh and you will be seeing the so cute dress again because she will be wearing in for our family pictures, we are taking in 2 weeks!! I do have a cute bow to go with it but daddy always takes it off. Men don't get the cuteness of the bow!!