"Touch the temple and it will touch you"

"Touch the temple and it will touch you" This is a comment our beloved prophet, Thomas S Monson has stated to the children. I mentioned this statement to the girls a couple weeks ago. When I came out of the temple Ally commented that she was able to touch the temple (she was very excited). The temple has brought many blessings to our life. My hope is that the girls will always remember the sweet feelings they have when they are on the temples sacred grounds. It truely is one of Heavenly Fathers greatest gifts here on the earth.

Thank you Jeannie for watching the girls while I attended my Becca's wedding. We all had a really nice time and are grateful we could enjoy a peaceful afternoon and lovely picnic together.

The Rodeo...a family tradition!

This was our 12th year attending the rodeo. The only bad part about that sentence is Great Grandpa was unable to attend. We are grateful for the 11 years he went with us, but understand it's better for him to be home then in all those crowds.

There were many fun sites. I had to take a picture of the rodeo princess...since that what the girls dream to be (at the moment). The Jaws, Claws and Paws was exciting...Jeremy always gets his thrills from the big game. Can you tell how much fun Jer had on the tea cups with the girls? I think he had more fun than they did. Too bad he spun them so fast that Kaitlyn that couldn't bring her head forward (lucky, no one got sick and they were all smiling afterward). Dock dogs was fun. We got to see how far the dogs could jump into the pool and catch their toy. The baby animals were adorable...especially the 3 goats climbing on their mother (we are going to have to breed our goats this fall!) The family agrees that the most fun was the Farris Wheel and the Rodeo. They weren't too scared and they actually payed attention this year :) Good times...I LOVE Family TRADITIONS!

Heather & Mya

When I arrived at mom's, monday afternoon, my neice Mya was fast asleep in Grandma's arms. Heather arrived shortly after and boy was Mya happy to see her mama. These smiles came seconds after hearing Heather. Aren't mom and daughter cure as can be!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Happy Birthday to the man of the house! You are an amazing father, husband and friend. We are very lucky to have you in our lives and cherish every moment. LOVE YOU!

Reaching the top

The photos above are taken at the top of multnomah falls. It was great to reach the top, the view was amazing and quite rewarding. It's only a 1 mile hike, but on a warm day and carrying a child half-way (thanks to Grandpa's help the second half) I was quite exhausted. This was our last opportunity to spend time with Leif, Rachel, Kierstin, Wes and Westin before they all headed back home. We're grateful for the time we got to spend with them and will miss them all until we meet again. Love you guys!

Overcoming Fears

We are SO proud of Ally! The day before we left the beach she overcame her fear of going under water. This has been a huge dilemma in the past. A couple years ago, she was kicked out of her swimming class because of her fear and taking too much class time away from the other children. The instructor told me she would need private lessons before coming back. Thursday night, everyone but Rachel and Leif left the pool. Rachel and I decided to work with her a little. It started with encouraging her to go under 3 times. 3 times turned into 30! We are so happy she got the hang of it. She's now excited for swim lessons and no longer has a fear of baptism when she turns 8! YEA for ALLY....and THANKS Rachel for ALL your help!

Beach Trip #2

This was our second year having a family trip where everyone was able to attend. It was a relaxing week that could not have been planned at a better time. Back home it was 107 degrees and miserable (according to all who were watching our place). The family had a great time together. We can't believe how fast the family is growing....who knows how many babies could come along by the end of 2010!


We were amazed at views that came out our back windows. The family was separated into 3 separate condos. Each condo was nice with fabulous views. In the bottom right picture, we were able to snap a shot of one of the many whale sitings. They were about 30 feet out and incredible to watch. The girls and I were able to attend an informative class on the resident grey whales. Each time the kids spotted a whale they thought it was "Eagle Eye" a resident whale that the instructor/biologist named.


I don't think Becky will be very happy with me...but I think this is a very cute picture of Jeremy and his siblings. It's the only picture I have of all 8 of them smiling and looking at the camera.


The grandkids had a blast playing together. I don't think there ever was a quarrel.


Tom and Jeannie are great grandparents. They show nothing but love to each of them. Can you tell how happy they are?


Grandma didn't scream when Jeremy threw her over his shoulder.
Aunt Rachel had fun making a sand turtle with all her neices and nephews.
Uncle Wes was the first to jump the waves in the freezing cold water.
Jeremy showed the kids how to dig for sand fleas & chase Rachel down.
Katie & Aaron were caught having a little romance.
Kierstin and Becky did what they could to keep Westin and Tori from eating sand.
Aunt Lairen took turns spending time with all the kids
Andrea loved snapping pics and playing frisbee with Dad, Steve, Rachel & Wes


Our family had a great vacation. Thanks Mom & Dad for making this such a memorable week!

"Daddy's Got Crabs Mama"

I couldn't resist the post title! There were lots of jokes cracked at Jeremy's expense. It was my first time crabbing thanks to some friends in our ward loaning out some crab pots. We had a great time catching 18 red rocks and 1 (legal) dungeness crab. Our girls couldn't stop the remarks each time Jeremy pulled up the crab pot and saw the crabs...the giggles continued throughout the week.

This was the first time any of us had seen sea stars (like a star fish with 20 or more legs). A seal, jelly fish and star fish were other exciting creatures the girls got to see. We had a blast!

Sleeping Under the Stars

On our week break Jeremy and I decided to sleep under the stars. The decision was made after the girls had fallen asleep. We left the door and a couple windows open in case the girls woke up in the middle of the night. Good thing we did cause Kaitlyn went to our room to snuggle and found no one. She screamed like crazy at 2am! Jeremy said he's never seen me run so fast :) A couple nights later the girls needed their fix....it's always fun sleeping under the stars!

Nathan's Visit

My second oldest brother Nathan and his family came to visit the day we got back from camping. They love in Virginia and we are grateful for the time we got to spend with him and his girls. Ksenya, the oldest neice on my side, is 9 years old. She and Ally were hip to hip the majority of the time and had a blast together. Kylie and Crystal, the twins, are 5 years old. I hadn't seen them in 2 1/2 years and boy have they grown! It was such a joy to get to know them and have some quality time together. Kaitlyn loved every minute she got to spend with them. I wish I could post some pictures, but need to respect the wishes of my brother and sister-in-law. They have asked us not to post any of their girls on the intenet...there are so many adorable pics...it has been hard! We had sleepovers two of the 3 nights. What a blast!

Unfortunately, Christine had a wedding to attend in Lake Tahoe so our time with her was limited.

Thanks for your time with us! We love you and hope we get to see you again soon!

The Ultimate Camping Experience

The girls have been such troopers with all the driving that's taken place over the past couple weeks. Luckily, living in the northwest there's nothing but beauty all 'round.


After a day's break at home from the beach, we left for another family outting. This time we went camping (with Porter and his family). We have friends in Oregon that have over 400 acres of beautiful property. A ranch that has fulfilled a life-long dream. We are so fortunate for an invitation to come up and camp for Porter and Jen's last night with us!

Rod has his own park by the creek for mini reunions and such. He finds much joy in entertaining the little ones with all the joys of his ranch life.



A hot day camping, cooled off quick by the creek and cool water! The girls couldn't wait to jump on the water slide and take their dip in the water. It was a blast just watching the girls. Ally was the most fun to watch...she flew down that slide...almost toppling over the edge several times. After about an hour of sliding, the fun was spoiled when Ally flew off her donut, 4 feet in the air, and landed belly down...slamming her hip and knees down on the slide (I was afraid she would come up with a broken nose). She was done at that point and Porter decided to show the girls how to make their own pool by building a damm in the creek.


Ally has been fascinated with horses since she was two or three. We have been up to the ranch a couple of times to ride. There are moments when she's riding that make me feel as if she's never been happier. I really need to sign her up for lessons!

The top picture shows the horses mare. The two horses needed to stay in each others line of site.


I can't believe that these are the only close ups I got of Rylie and Brynlie....the others turned out too dark. This ones for you Jen! Your girls are adorable!

Look in the background and you can see the awesome cabins that Rod built himself. There are three and each has 2 sets of bunks.


Lately, all the girls talk about is their desire to be horse riders. Rod mentioned that when Ally turns 10 he'll teach her to barrel race (oh heavens!) so she can be a rodeo Queen someday.


While preparing breakfast (eggs and sauseage, yum!), Rod brought the tractor down for hay rides. Does he have the set-up or what?! So much to see and do!


So along with the lessons, promised by Rod when Ally's 10, she's also promised a horse (it's already been picked and named)! I haven't heard the end of this one! Jeremy and I have told Ally for a couple years that we don't have the space for a horse...and that there's too much work involved. Well, Rod told her to never say "you can't", replace it with "believe and and it will happen". Boy, do we have a lot to live up to!

Our family had a blast...these are memories never to be forgotten! Thanks Rod and Anita!

Beach Trip #1

So I told ya I had a lot of pictures! ...And this is just the first half of our week!! Our hiking and camping pictures are still to come :0)

Lincoln City was the chosen destination for a 4 day get-way. There was only one day when the weather was NOT in our favor and that was Sunday (our second day).


I always wonder if Depot Bay has named the seal that hangs out by the dock. He hangs out practically begging for fish scraps. The kids were thrilled to watch...but even more thrilled when they saw their first whale spout at the whale watch center. We were happy they learned what to look for. The very next day we spotted a mother and its baby playing at a distance off the beach...tails out of the water and all! This was a first for Jeremy and myself too!


The girls did very well with their sleeping arrangements throughout the week. I couldn't believe that Ally and Rylie actually slept together in a navy bunk (very narrow) AND made it through the night. Kinda funny though how twisted they got.


Porter and Jen love photography. We were thilled with some of the shots Porter took. I can't get enough of Ally's sweet face!


As you can see the girls had a blast in the sand. Ally searched for rocks and seashells the majority of the time. Kaitlyn loved the sand, feeding the seagulls and doing what everyone else was doing.

I always forget how burned you can get on an overcast day! It was a couple hours into our day on the beach when I realized I needed to get sunscreen on my kids. Poor little Kaitlyn had a couple spots appear that night. She got it bad directly under her eyes and on her ear. She looked like a racoon and now has scabs under her eyes from the itching and scratching. So sorry munchkin!



One of Porter's choice activities was to agate hunt. We didn't realize how serious he was until the hunting began. He was happy to take a collection home and run it through his dad's rock turner.


Ever seen such intense roasting? We wanted to head down to the beach for a camp fire. That didn't work out so we were thrilled when we realized we could roast marshmellows off our back patio.


The final day we took a drive heading north on HWY 101. It was a beautiful day for a drive. The viewpoints were fabulous!!!


You can't head north and NOT stop at the cheese factory for samples and ice cream. Can you tell Kaitlyn is savoring the moment with her orange sherbet? LOL


I enjoyed being able to visit Cannon Beach. This has always been my parents favorite beach and the beach we frequently visited as a child. The tide wasn't out far enough to walk on the rocks at haystack rock, but the girls had a blast jumping some small waves and watching a kite surfer go crazy (the wind was pretty strong). It was fun letting the girls get wet without their bathing suits. Jen made an observation I've never realized....the sand at Cannon Beach is much finer and not nearly as course as the sand at Lincoln City. I love it!


Seaside was the final stop. As many times as we've been to Seaside we've never noticed the soda shops along main street. Porter and Jeremy seem very "into" their soda and spent a bit of time finding the match best for the them. Jeremy chose two ol time root beers. I think I'll stick with my "Mug" brand. Yum :0)

Ally and Kaitlyn were adorable during our stroll along the boardwalk. I love the look on Kaitlyn's face while Ally is holding her. She sure does admire and look up to "sissy". Can you tell how proud Ally is to be a big sister? I LOVE IT! Those are the moments I treasure most!

Our week...here's a start

Our family had a fun-filled week with our friends from Preston, ID. Porter was one of Jeremy's mission companion's back 13-14 years ago. This is the family's second visit to Washington. Porter, Jenny, Rylie (5) and Brynlie (3) were a lot of fun to be around. We are grateful for their visit and the many activities we were able to cram into one week.

I have way too many pictures to go through....so here's a start.

Startling Daddy

This was a little unexpected...Ally came in running after Daddy while he was on the couch. She was thrilled when Daddy jumped in his seat.

Baby Birds, Potato Bugs and Peas

When Ally took off for the neighbors house, Kaitlyn was devastated! I figured I better act quick and see how I could entertain Kaitlyn and get my tasks done at the same time. Baby birds, potato bugs and peas were the things we found to make her happy.

We took a stroll, with our friend Betty to the neighbors home for raspberry picking. There were few raspberries to pick, but the baby birds were well worth the trip. Thanks Kolleen for letting us come down!

The weeding is done! With each rock I picked up from the back pond, Kaitlyn was able to retrieve about 4-5 potato bugs. She was happy to collect them in her bucket and show them to Betty, Denis, Ally, Hannah and Peggy. She realized they needed to go back to their home so she found a special spot in back where she hopes to find them tomorrow.

To our surprise, the peas are ready! This is Kaitlyn's favorite veggie in the garden. We had a great time chowing down the peas after feeding the chickens and goats.

In the middle of all that we also cleaned the windows, washed down the back patio, table and chairs AND weeded the backyard. It all was well overdue, it sure does feel good to get it done. I was so happy for Kaitlyn's company and help....we had a GREAT afternoon together! Thanks baby!

Time for catch up!

Yes, its been a while. I always do this. Sorry!

4th of July

The morning started out attending my parents ward breakfast. We were happy to join them for a breakfast cooked up by their bishop and my boss. Troy and his bishopric did a fabulous job coordinating this event. We were happy to see several long-time friends and the kids had an awesome time decking out their bikes and riding in the bike parade. We all had a GREAT time.




After the breakfast we were able to head home for several hours to catch a few Z's and prepare for the day ahead of us. This picture was taken at Aunt Dawn's and Uncle Randy's. Don't the kids look cute in their red, white and blue! They did a great job gathering the extended family together, providing an excellent BBQ and entertainment for the kids. Happy 4th of July!


The day ending = my hands very tired of covering Kaitlyn's ears for an hour and a half! She loved watching, but boy does she have sensitive ears! Would you believe she fell asleep for part of it too?! Thanks Troy and Kim for providing such a fantastic display!

Sydney = Precious Ballerina

Sydney did a fabulous job at her ballet recital a couple Saturdays ago. I was very impressed with her little leaps (wish I knew what they were called) as she dazzled herself across the stage. Way to go Sydney...you make a beautiful ballerina!


We were glad we were able to show our support. The kids loved the recital and all I heard the rest of the day is "mommy when do we get to do ballet?"

The day before the recital, Steve announced the news of the transfer to Boise. They took off yesterday. We'll miss you guys being so close, but are happy for you and your adventures ahead!

Fathers Day

So I feel really guilty. I didn't get a picture of Jeremy with the girls on his special day! Sorry Hun! The girls were so excited for this day and to give daddy his gift. They ran the gift into the bedroom first thing in the morning, awaking daddy (Jeremy is always such a tropper being awaken this way). We cooked him a great breakfast; macadamia nut/blueberry pancakes with blueberry sauce (turned out SO yummy this time), sauseage and OJ. We all enjoyed our day together...no meeting in the morning, church, hung out at home and spent time with the family (as you'll see below). Jeremy, thanks for being such a great father to our beautiful girls. You are truely amazing!


Ally was sitting alone under this trellis at Katie's. Was so glad I grabbed Tom for this shot. Happy Father's Day Grandpa!


So happy to be with Papa!


HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD! It's not very often I get a picture with my dad. Dad had been pretty silly prior to this shot. I wish I could have got the picture of him flexing! Jeremy's fingers weren't fast enough.


The girls were excited to give papa his gift. I think because they knew of the possibilties when he opened it....is papa going to share?!!!!