A Call for Dates & Pictures

Hey everyone!

Mom and I were talking when we were up there last week about putting together a family calendar. You can make them super easily on iphoto, and we were thinking it would be great to have everyone's birthdays and anniversaries in it, with great pictures of everyone.

SO, I am looking for dates and pictures from everyone so I can get one put together. I have pictures of everyone, but I'm guessing that all of your have some favorites in your own computers that you'd rather use. . . and if you don't, that's OK too. I'll pick some. I'm looking for an individual shot of everyone, kids and adults alike, as a birthday marker, a wedding photo for your anniversary, and then just a few of your favorites of you, your kids, your family all together. . . maybe 5-10 from each family. I'm hoping we can make something really cool.

And I think I know MOST of the dates I need, but just to be sure, if you could give me a list, including years, that would be awesome.

Let me know if you have questions or anything. . . You can just email the pictures to me. If you can send the highest quality you have (within reason, Jer & Em. . . you can size yours down if you want, so they aren't too huge. I always have to do that with mine)

Thanks!!
Mel

Crawling with Grandpa

Because this blog needed some love, and I thought this was pretty darn cute

Post

Hey, our Sea World one is finally posted, but it's from when I actually did the post so you won't see it at the top. It's called Sea World. Hope everything is going well. Jenny and Tanner are headed out to D.C. this week to see her dad get an award. Feel free to call me, cause I'm going to be home alone! Haha. Love you all!

Fourth of July Weekend Continued

Ok, so these are out of order because I still don't get this, but oh well.

We had a great 4th weekend. It was lots and fun and some work too. This weekend also marked the end of Jason's traveling for now...hooray!!! Since he is finally spending some time at home, things that have been sitting for a while are finally getting organized which is great!

Today we are going to help mom and dad spread sand around the trampoline and swing set. They've gotten a lot done this past week. It's almost all done!!!

Fun in the hole!!

Cute, huh?

Granny and the kids. They love going to the cabin, especially when Grandma and Grandpa are there.

So cute, but they just don't look anything alike...his dad on the other hand...

Getting ready for the snake hunt. The kids seemed more than slightly confused this year when Grandpa was trying to get them to act like soldiers.

Last night when we were at Mom and Dad's, we did the camera phone thing with Nathan, Jenny, and Tanner. It was hilarious. The kids wouldn't talk to each other, they just kept trying to stick their faces in the camera and made silly faces. Tanner did some awesome tricks for us, and we got a virtual tour of the apartment. It was fun to see them.

Growing a trampoline

To grow a trampoline, you need lots of bricks,

A big hole in the ground,

(And you will have to kill off any trees that might be in the way)

Then add a healthy dose of shade,

Mix them all together,

Cover

Wait about a year,

And presto, a trampoline grows right before your eyes!

Fireworks

Saturday night we spent a couple of hours working in the hole. You'll all be happy to know that a lot of progress was made, and dad is confident that the trampoline will be in that hole by the end of the week!! Hooray!!

Once it got dark, we went outside for some fireworks.

Nat brought sparklers for the boys to try.

Ethan had a bit of an allergy attack, so his eyes were crazy red.
Don't worry, we didn't put anything in the brownies.

Soon after this picture, Carter burned his hand on his sparkler... Poor kid.

And Nat gave us a little interpretive dance show with the sparklers. I really wish I'd gotten this on video. it was awesome. But Ben got a few good still shots:

Everyone had lots of treats and lots of fun, and Nolan managed to fall asleep on my lap during the grand finale. (That's how you know a baby is really tired)

Cabin Time

We spent the 4th of July at the cabin this year. The weather felt blissful compared to last year. (though that may have been because I wasn't pregnant) We spent a great day on Friday at Bear Lake, but we didn't take cameras. . . I'm regretting that now. But, here are a few good shots from the cabin. I know Nat has a lot more. Hopefully she'll share :)

Getting ready to go to the lake.
He liked the tube a lot better in the cabin than he did in the water.

Aubrey thought grandpa's shoes were a good accessory for the beach.
As was Carter's sword.

Ethan and Carter watching Ben play Zelda on his DS.

Aubrey trying out extreme Yahtzee

Nolan thought Aubrey's shoes looked like a nice chew toy.
She wasn't thrilled with that idea.

Nolan hangin' in the swing out back.

Sea World

Finally, here are some pictures and a movie from our trip to San Diego. It was an awesome trip!


Jenny and Tanner feeding the dolphins













Here's the dolphin Tanner named, "Dolphy," that he won in the water squirting game. We made sure that Tanner and I were the only players so at least one of us would win!













Tanner and I on the Elmo fish ride. We went on this ride probably 8 times. Tanner liked the swordfish one the best!













We met up with Mel and Ben for a few minutes in Sea World, and went out to dinner later that night. We happened to run into...

















And...



















Tanner finally worked up the courage to hold a starfish, and he found a six-legged one! Just for the record, we took this picture before the lady said over the loudspeaker, "Don't take the starfish out of the water!"