4 Generations of Bullocks

Basketball 2010

2010-12-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

Devon chose to play basketball this fall instead of soccer. He was so happy when Blake said that he would be the assistant coach this time. The new skill taught this year was "setting the screen". Devon was given this task and seemed to do this every time he ran down the court.

We need to practice how to go to the net after you have set your screen.....not hug the opposing player from behind. Small steps.

Our Little Cub Scout

2010-11-05T13:17:00.001-07:00

Okay, this just melted my heart when I saw him all dressed and ready for his first den meeting. He came with Blake and I to the scout store and had fun getting all his gear. We worked hard and passed off all his requirements for the bobcat badge. Great job Devon.

A Spooktacular Evening

2010-11-05T13:04:00.001-07:00

Even though we weren't going to trick or treat, we still had a great time. Dev and Chan helped me make pumpkin sloppy joes and mummy dogs. Devon wrapped his hotdog not like a mummy, but it looked like it was wearing a robe. ( he wears his robe to bed every night!).

While Blake and the kids waited outside to hand out candy, Melissa helped me make our traditional BUFFY BOYS! She thought she'd better learn so that if she went away to school she could keep our tradition going.
Ohhh, this batch turned out soooooo yummy. I had to leave the kitchen or I would eat them all night. We have had the same families over for years to enjoy this treat...Jorgensen's, Snow's, Hughes, and Brittners. Missing some kids....I think they were running wild through the neighborhood. Thanks for coming over friends.

2010-11-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

Blake enjoyed getting in the Halloween spirit. He dressed up like Joseph Smith. Before he gave away candy, he made the child recite an article of faith. Not sure he had very many repeat customers. The trunk or treat was a success...great food and two wards so lots of candy.

Melissa did all of her partying last weekend, so she was a good sport and dressed up for the trunk or treat. She was an expert face painter.....don't quit your day job Melissa. I must say, something looks amiss between this and when you wore this dress to prom!

Brooke, Haley, and Sydney went to Savers a few weeks ago to see if they could find some princess dresses....score! They all found some that hardly needed altering. Melissa and I helped them do their hair princess like. I found the prettiest crown for Brooke when I went to the district in down town LA. Personally, I think they just wanted an excuse to dress up....lovely ladies.

A Spooky Weekend

2010-11-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

Blake has wanted Dev to be Calvin for a few years, but Devon didn't want to....shocker. This year I said, "why don't you get out your comics and let him read them. He doesn't even know who Calvin is". That did the trick. Blake read and Chantelle and Devon couldn't stop laughing.

It all started on Friday afternoon. The kids were allowed to wear their costumes to school for the afternoon. Devon prayed the night before that someone would know who he was.......no one did. But once he told the teachers that he was Calvin....they all went aha.

Annual HALLOWEEN Party

2010-11-01T13:01:00.001-07:00

Last year, Melissa and Brittany started hosting a Halloween party. I found some great cook books with fun looking "SPOOKY" food that we had every couple bring. This year the girls had it on Oct. 16th.... a bit early, but Brysen, Brits date was leaving on his mission 6 days later, so earlier was a must. We decorated the back yard really cute, and then the girls came up with a ton of great games.

1. pumpkin carving ( each couple ended up carving it to match their costumes).

2. big, bigger biggest. Took a small paper clip and had to go to houses in the neighborhood and trade them for a bigger item. Melissa''s group first traded for a stuffed duck, then kitchen knives, and then met some guys smoking pot and they traded the knives for a snowboard. One of the smokers was worried because he couldn't have a knife while he was on parole......IS THIS REALLY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.....yikes!

3. donut eating from a string

4. eating dinner with odd utensils

5. snickers game (have to ask Melissa)

They had such a fun time, and everyone helped clean up which was a HUGE help as the party ended at 11pm and we were exhausted.

I'm not sure if the fish won for biggest. Notice Devon..... the kids end up giving the fish to Dev and it sleeps in his bed, under the covers, while he is at school. The final " Biggest" things were, our neighbors dog, a locker, this fish, a snowboard, and a printer.
I think Dallin ate with a measuring spoon - and he did have syrup up his sleeve!
Shaun did surprisingly well eating with the potato masher. I didn't even realize her date was Dallin Ray until halfway through the evening when I all of a sudden wondered....hey Dallin was suppose to be here. He kept that mask on the whole night!
Man from Snowy River.....Jace Tilly and Jacquie Zuniga
These kids were so on top of it. They all watched the movies that they dressed from and were quoting one liners the whole night. I'm so glad that nobody dressed in anything from "Nacho Libre" !

Beautification

2010-11-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Brooke has been training so hard with the swim team that she thought it was time to kick back and relax with some of her friends, during fall break. They went all out: facial masks, cucumbers, and manicures. Then, movie, treats and lots of laughing.....it was fun to listen to.

Brooke and CariAnn kicking back

Amanda does some great nail designs and Brooke got quite creative too. They may have some Asian blood after all.

Great music is a must to set te MOOD
Melissa and I joined in on the fun and did some highlights. I had a minor brain blip and ended up forgeting to weave the hair while highlighting....what is that all about. She was very patient, and after I wove back some dark brown, her red highlights looked very nice.
Cute girls!

2010-10-20T21:34:00.001-07:00

It was sure nice to have Grandma and Grandpa Bullock fly in for Devon's baptism. After the birthday party, we got to enjoy cousin Kelsey's soccer game. In the morning, Chantelle wowed us with her soccer skills. The Brittners and Hagermans were able to make the baptism which we really appreciated, along with some friends.

Devon wanted his grandparents to speak at his baptism. A special treat was the blanket grandma gave him to remind him of the comforter. He wrapped himself in this for the rest of the day.
One of Devon's requests for his birthday was a real tie. The only problem now is that Blake goes to church before us and I don't know how to tie ties. I guess its time to learn!

We ate this humongous 7ft sub after the baptism and for lunch the next 2 days. I had Brooke and Melissa go pick it up and it almost didn't fit into the van!

Turning 8 is GREAT

2010-10-20T21:13:00.001-07:00

I was a bit tender when Devon turned 8. I think it has something to do with him being the youngest and my last to be baptized. I sure love my little guy. So, we partied it up...... starting with dinner, on his actual birthday, at Sonic. Then on Friday, after school, we headed with some fun friends to the bowling alley.

These sweet bowling pin cupcakes were kind of tricky to make. You use a big cupcake, small cupcake, and then a donut hole on top. They were a bit tippy looking, but way yummy!
It has been a long time since Grandpa has bowled. He gutter balled it for the first 7 turns. Poor guy!
Grandma was a great spectator. There was lots to laugh at....these little kids were funny.

The kids bowled for 1 1/2hrs, enjoyed fries and pop, played in the arcade for a bit, and then back home for presents. We were so pushed for time that I had to hand their cupcakes to them on the way out the door. Great Party!

Homecoming....

2010-10-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

First: The dress. We found this cute dress this summer in Montana. I decided it needed a bit of bling, I glued crystals into the center of each flower. Also, since we couldn't find a shrug that matched, I had to make one. I think if I were to do it again, I would have made it a bit shorter....oh well.

Second: The date. Clay Petrie, a good friend of Melissa's. He strung this string from our house, to the park behind our house, all around the park, and then back to the house. Luckily Melissa saw some neighbor girls following the string from the other direction, so she didn't have to follow it all around the park. When she got home there was a pot of Recees Pieces gold waiting for her with letters of his name under the chocolate pieces.

Third: The reply. With lots of help, all of the rainbow string was untangled. Then the plotting began. She took Brooke, Chan, Amanda (Brooke's friend), and Dallin to help spider web Clay's whole room. Then she scattered skittles. In a few spots, she spelled the word YES. It took him until 1am to find the yes. Poor guy!

Fourth: The game. What a great time they had. I have never seen such great face painting. And her school even won the game.

Fifth: The day date. Can you believe all the fuss for one dance. They sure live it up. This date started at 5pm and went until 11pm. She was exhausted when she got home. They did a mini olympics at the Tilley's home and then had dinner.

Sixth: The big night. She reffed for three hours, in 109 temps, and came home with a super sock tan on her calves. After cooling off, she started beautifying. Melissa had been feeling sick all week, and the heat didn't help. Fortunately, by the time Clay arrived she was doing better. The group of 7 couples ate at the Macaroni Grill. Her friend, Shaun, broke her fake nail. They made a quick stop at Walmart for glue, which they couldn't buy since they weren't 18. Luckily, Clay saw a guy he knew and he bought the glue for them. CRAZY

Working with dad

2010-10-19T17:16:00.001-07:00

Devon is such a great helper in the yard. Blake was tackeling the palm trees and Devon just climbed right up that ladder.

Back to school...2010

2010-10-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

It has been a tradition to take photos of my children on their way out the door on the first day of school. However, with Brooke leaving at 6:05am, shockingly, I didn't get a picture of her. Melissa didn't have zero hour this year....horray! She was so excited. She and her friend have the same half day schedule so they take turns driving. NO MORE BUS which she is very greatful for. I have to laugh, because when Chelsae arrived at 7:05am, Melissa was just starting to do her hair. She thought that she had another hour to get ready and was taking her time. So, no picture for her, as she went to school with wet hair. Great way to start off her senior year. Two new events: Brooke got braces and Devon has glasses...blue, his favorite color.

OH, What a night!

2010-05-18T11:01:00.002-07:00

Prom....need I say more. One of the big rites of passage. It was a fun experience from beginning to end. Beginning: Dallin and Jace put a note on Melissa's car telling her to go home and change, she was at a YW broadcast at the church. When she got home, she went up to her room, but was already changed. She came out of her room confused.....and thats when the boys, with shirts around their heads to hide their identity, grabbed her. A mighty scream shook the house. They took her to Jaces house were she was sent on a scavenger hunt. The clues led her to a big dirt pile with the instructions to look under the bucket for the next clued. Dallin had burried himself in the dirt and had his head under the bucket. When she lifted off the bucket, he asked her to prom. We were so happy, because we had already bought the dress 2 months earlier. YAHOO!
Dinner was at the Tilleys with about 8 other couples and then off to the indoor soccer complex where the dance was being held. We totally scored.....her shoes were wedges so she didn't have to take them off during the dance.
Melissa you looked so beautiful, I loved dressing you up as a little girls and I especially love dressing you up now.

I love my relationship with my daughter. We go looking for jewelry together and she even asked me to do her hair....which by the way turned out gorgeous

The previous week, we made a trip to the mall and found these fantastic red shoes. She was tall... good thing Dallin is taller
I was out running errands and happened to see this super fundress at the mall. I took Melissa back that night and she loved it. I was so glad that we didn't have to run do endless stores!

We took a paint chip that matched her shoes to Dallin so he could coordinate with the right shade of red. Nice job

Dinner at the Tilleys, Olive Garden, before the dance.

This was the groups of kids that she went to the Mormon prom with.

OH, What a night!

2010-05-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

Mazatlan...a great place to kick back

2010-03-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

Mazatlan has been a favorite place for our family to vacation. We love the ocean and boogie boarding, Blake loves speaking the language, we love the weather, and of course we love it when our spring break overlaps with our Colorado cousins! This year we were able to spend 4 days with just our family, and then a week with cousins. It was so much fun. We loved trying to grocery shop at Mega, making tons of guacamole and salsa. Corrine and I chopped endless amounts of avocados and tomatoes. Blake was a great chef for the whole week. Some of his specialities included: carnee asada, marlin tacos....104lb marlin caught by Blake and Devo, scrambled eggs with this great sausage, tacos, and then cutting all the peppers for the salsa.

Melissa and Brooke have learned Spanish at school, so they were great at trying to speak it. They had a lot of fun trying to take to their new friend FRANSISCO. He came with his family to watch Justin get baptized in the ocean.

Here are a few highlights of our trip.

Riding in the peso bus is always fun, this own was totally blinged out with spinners on the wheels. Our favorite thing to ride is the pulmonea, kind of a blinged out golf cart. The girls loved singing to the 70's music that always seemed to be playing.
Pueblo Bonita was a great restaurant for the whole family. We gave the kids a budget and they were so good, we were able to do dessert. Melissa, Corrine and Danielle were brave and tried the squid

A trip to the marcado is always fun but a bit smelly. Some of the fine meats included whole pig and cow heads. There was even a half side of beef on the butchers table, just skinned......yummo

These girls just loved posing. They were the best of friends and just loved being together. It was so funny, 5 girls in one room having to share one mirror.

The pool was a bit on the green side at first, but with the addition of about 30 chlorine pucks it cleared up. With such warm weather, the pool was quite pleasant to swim in.

We spent a day going to deer island. We took this trimaran, kind of a huge sailboat, out to the island. Then we snorkeled, used kayaks, and went on a banana boat ride. I was kind of bummed because the water was a bit murky so it was hard to see. I had everyone bring their snorkel gear to Mexico, and we only used it this one time!

So many iguanas. The kids tried to get close, but were thankfully cautious. I guess they don't have teeth but can grab onto hands if threatened.

Yummo, anyone for OCTOPUS

Spy poses were big this trip.

Devon and I made a dolphin, sea horse, and a cute crocodile in the sand

Its HALLOWEEN! No just $18 worth of Mexican candy from Justin's 8th birthday pinata. We just tried to avoid the chili coated candies that surprised us the last time.

Melissa demonstrated a yoga move to her dad. We loved going for early morning walks on the beach. That's my kind of exercising. I never felt like I was in danger as so many visitors did their morning walks out on the beach.

The kids all wanted to do horseback riding this year. Danielle and Brooke had great horses. Blake and Devon's horse bucked them off, no one was injured thankful, but a guide had to hold the reigns after that. Mike, Corrine, Melissa and I opted not to go. Melissa and I decided that we would rather spend our money on Jewelery.

Cute braids, kept their hair our of their eyes the whole time....thanks Orturo, he was a speed braider and very good.

I loved walking with Blake, boogie boarding and just chatting while we watched the kids play in the water. It was so nice not having work or any distractions. What a great 12 days!!!!

Mazatlan sunset

chef Blake was so helpful. Makes me sad that he is too busy to help cook at home.....he is so good at it!

The waves were so fun to ride. We just had to be careful not to get pulled beyond the furthest waves coming in.

The kids spent hours boogie boarding every day, then would rest on the sand and build creatures or do SUDOKU.

Aren't Boys Great

2010-02-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

We love our Devon and the energy he brings to our family. He still says and does some pretty cute things even though he is getting so big......SADNESS. Here are some things I've enjoyed this past month.

I always love the 100th day of school celebration. This year, he brought in 100 pieces of lego to do a class activity.
Arent' boys great....Devon brushes his teeth in our bathroom. One night I came up to get ready for bed and found this at the top of our mirror.

Dev was waiting for me to come up and tuck him in.....awwwwww

His friend showed up late, so I got to be his dance partner at the sock hop......he was NOT impressed. When his friend did show up, all they did was run around the gym. Such heart breakers!

This was a kick. They always have a hula contest, per grade, at our sock hop. Dev got right up there and proceeded to swing the hoop around his ARM.....what is that about.

Starting Christmas Vacation Right

2010-01-20T16:41:00.000-08:00

The Christmas break started off right for these girls. Winter formal was the day after school got out and the girls were so excited to go. I must hand it to Melissa's and her friends, when they want something to happen, they make it happen. The high school decided not to have Winter Formal this year...not very well attended in the past. So, the girls that still wanted to have one got together and found a place to have one, at a golf and country club. It was sweet because they included decorations and a meal. They also were able to find a DJ for the evening. Then, these smart ladies had a dress exchange so that they wouldn't all have to buy new dresses. Kind of like, bring a dress and take a different one home to use. So much fun. Melissa really felt like a princess in this one. Grandma and Grandpa Korella were in town, so it was so fun to have them see all the primping and excitement. I think Grandpa embarrassed the girls a bit when he told the boys they were very lucky to be taking such beauties to the dance.

Better Late than Never Thanksgiving Memories

2009-11-29T11:13:00.000-08:00

It has been our tradition, since moving here 10yrs ago, to have Thanksgiving with my cousins. Its great spreading the cooking burden, and we get so many yummy dishes....I look forward to this every year. However, I must say that I do prefer the October Canadian Thanksgiving to this November business. It seems like I just finish making a huge meal, and then I'm doing it again 4 weeks later. Oh well, good thing I love turkey. Michelle and family were suppose to join us, but some had the flu so they bailed.....thank you for not sharing. We did however get to see my uncle from Canada which I really enjoyed.
I asked Blake if he could be in charge of the pies. He jumped at the opportunity to dust off his pie making skills. He learned how to make pies in YM growing up....who says those boys don't pay attention! He even took the time to teach the girls how to make one.

Kicking back on the couch waiting for the finishing touches in the kitchen....smells yummy!

Danny, Uncle Trev, and Blake.....come and get it!
Chantelle decided that she wanted to have a piece of only 4 of the desserts.....the chocolate pie was her favorite....my kind of girl

A great meal for those we love. Thanks for all the help! And we don't really look that worn out.
A little after dinner playtime...Dev just can't stop wrestling.

Zoo Outing

2009-11-15T15:04:00.000-08:00

With our family getting older, we don't seem to go to the zoo that often anymore. However, one perk that we get from the MBA that Blake did a few years ago is that we are invited to their annual lunch and free afternoon at the zoo. So, after the kids soccer games, and refereeing, we headed to the zoo....and luckily it was a beautiful day.

While waiting in line for lunch, we overheard a current student say, "its so great to have this event after our exams". I leaned over to Blake and told him that it is even better coming to this event being completely finished the program! I think our favorite thing there was petting the rays. Some were a bit overenthusiastic!

Everyone except Devon brought a friend. It was kind of weird...the bigger girls went off on their own.....sure glad that I still have some younger kidlets to enjoy the day with. Melissa and her friend took a camera and ended up making a documentary movie of their zoo experience....so great that her camera does that.

Julia and Channy really enjoyed the lunch.

For some reason, Devon felt he needed to bring his "whaley" on our outing. Glad to report, they both had a great time.

okay, I LOVED touching these guys. They just were smooth and rubbery....so very cool. The would just glide by, kind of like a little water ballet.

Devon was most insistent that he got to pet the shark that swam at the bottom of the pool. His little arm would reach, so Blake had to lift him and dip him in...yuck, I hope that he kept his mouth shut! He was soaked when we finished

Happy Halloween

2009-11-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

This year was special because we had 3 sets of cousins to Halloween with. The day started off with soccer games and then we rushed back home to get ready for the evening. We started the evening out right with sloppy joes/ chili and yummy sides. I cut the cheese to look like a pumpkin face...kind of cute. Then all the kids got ready.....the bathroom was packed! My niece Emily made a comment while we were trick or treating. She noticed how nice it was that everyone sat outside and sometimes in groups of neighbors so it was one stop shopping. She said to me, "I love it here. Back home, we have to go up to everyones door. I can only do three houses and then I'm pooped!"

BEAUTIFICATION!!!! I can't believe how many could fit in our bathroom!

These guys are ready to get going!~Paige told me that she loved Halloween here because she didn't have to wear her SNOWSUIT! It turned out to be a beautiful night....no jackets required.

These guys got to ride in the back of Michelle's van to the greatest Halloween street. I think we counted 11 in the car.....we drove very slowly. This street is so much fun, games, smoores. The kids had a blast.

Devon is ready to make a trade for his licorice. The trading was so fun to watch. There were no arguments at all.

Can you believe all this candy

Brooke was exhausted after a very fruitful night of trick or treating....enjoy it because I think it will be your last...teenage witch!

This truly looks disgusting. But when you let bread dough rise, then chop it off in chunks and deep fry it....followed by shaking it in sugar........you get a delicious BUFFY BOY.

Betsy and Dev are such good buds. She came over for our traditional buffy boys.
These cute girls had such a great time together....Lets make Halloween an annual family event!

SCAREY PARTY

2009-10-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

I was walking through Target one day and I found this great Halloween recipe book. When I brought it home, I told Melissa that she had to have a party so that we could try out some of the great recipes. She jumped on that one. I did the invite on photo shop for her...took a few hours since I'm still just learning, and then we started collecting the recipes and making and invite list. She decided to invite the girls and have them bring a pumpkin and a dish, that we assigned. They also each brought a date. The evening was "LEGENDARY' Melissa reported when the party was over. Blake and I were the official photographers and butler/maid. Whats new!

The backyard looked so cool. It was hard to capture all the light though. We had candles on the back wall and two torches going. Blake lit the chiminea and there were also candles and sparkly spiders on the table.....very cool!
The dinner consisted of spaghetti/sauce and various GHOULISH side dishes, and we gave them tongs, measuring spoons, chopsticks, and someone even got a knife to eat with.....I just about died when I saw the kid eating with a knife and quickly gave him chopsticks.....no real blood allowed!

Frankenstein Jello

Witches brew

donut hole eyeballs

dip your ladle into this beauty

Werewolf teeth

The activities included dinner, carving pumpkins, scary memory....dead scorpion included, donut hole chomp, balloon tangle, and pass the apple. Everyone was so involved and having a great time for the entire 4hrs. I was exhausted by the end....and all of the cleanup, but Melissa and Brittany and their dates were good helpers. So much fun! I was impressed at how thoughtfull all the dates were. I'm glad that there are some nice boys around.

Poor Doug had to each jello with tongs
They had to pass the apple from under their chins to under the next persons....looks a bit scandalous

Happy Halloween my sweet Melissa

The BIG date!!!!

2009-10-23T15:50:00.000-07:00

Yahoo!!!Homecoming has arrived and let the pampering begin. Melissa did an ALL DAY DATE the week before the dance. Her group of 13 couples did a very long scavenger hunt from 1pm to 6pm in the afternoon, ending in a big bbq at one of person's house. One of the things they had to do was climb the goal posts at the football field. I was impressed that she got up there with out injury or ripping her jeans!

We decided to not pick the 5" heels that we found....these were lower and kinder on the feet

She curled all that thick hair and we pinned it in a half updoo. She even let me help her with some makeup....I'm so glad that she trust me and doesn't think that I'm fuddy duddy....that would be so insulting. She looked stunning and had such a great time. He only nervousness came when it was time to pin on his flower....so to prevent blood and injury, I pinned it on.

Her good friend drove over, just got her liscence, and gave her some moral support

Melissa had me paint her toes and fingernails with a silver and black french tip. Using my sweet skills.

Celebrating SEVEN

2009-10-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

Ok....I don't know how this happened, but my little guy is getting BIG. We decided to have a "S" party to help bring in his new year right. We did scooter races, played soccer, and went swimming. I made a spotted snake cake....bought cake decorating tips to really be professional. There was sure a lot of fun and laughter. I sure love my little boy and all the fun he brings to our family. Happy birthday Devon!

16 and Loving it

2009-09-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

We are having many "FIRSTs" with a brand new 16 year old in our family. She had her first date this summer and now was so excited to get to go to her first HOMECOMING dance. We got a knock at the door one evening and opened it to find a bag of wrapped potatoes. No one was there...very mysterious. We started unwrapping the potatoes, but nothing. Then we noticed that some of the tips of the potatoes had been cut and then sealed with toothpics. Inside was letters to her homecoming dates name.......DOUGLAS. Everyone had fun with this one.

For her response we made funeral potatoes and she did a scavenger hunt for him. One clue was on a bush down a road by the church, then at the bottom of the pool, and finally his fridge.

Sensational Kicking

2009-09-28T17:03:00.001-07:00

Devon was INTENSE this weekend at his soccer game. The poor guy has to play at 2:15pm and wear a black jersey. They just run their little hearts out. I think it was 104! He had more fans this weekend, with his cousins Natalie and Maddisen as well as Cooper being there. Thanks for your support guys....it helped that we bribed them with snowcones. Devon scored 2 goals!!!!!You were so fun to watch.

Yummy Fruit

2009-09-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

With all the fruit on sale this month, what better time to try my skills at canning. After some inspriation from my cousin Janice on how easy it was to can raspberry jam, I gave it a whirl. Those jars were such a pretty red! I will try and forget how much sugar it takes to make these babies.

Of course you need fresh rolls to try the jam with. After all this cooking, I admit I was burnt out. Then Melissa tells me that her friend is selling peaches for their group and do I want some Utah peaches.

So, the following Monday, I canned 17 jars of peaches. This took some time and I missed having a buddy to chat with while I worked. Next time I will have to share the love and get someone to buy some peaches and can with me.

Island Park Memories

2009-08-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

This year our summer trip took a new turn. Grandma found an excellent "cabin" using the term lightly as the house was huge.....slept 25. Idaho was a great place to vacation. It was a closer drive from home and allowed us to visite Yellowstone for the first time. We loved all the new experiences. Grandpa found some excellent places for the kids to hike - although they were much longer than first expected. The lake was calm and with it being right out our back door we just hopped in the boat whenever there was glass. Loved the biking trails, Yellowstone, Mesa Falls, seeing moose, great yard for kids to play in, could have done without the mosquitos though. And of course, lots of fun and games with the family. It was a great trip. Thanks grandma and grandpa. We had a blast.

Chantelle doing a 360

Wild tubing with the cousins

Blake was on demand for his YUMMY Dutch oven desserts

Channy and Nat

Blake tried Fraser's Wake kite...ite was AWESOME

The Mesa Falls were so pretty and Huge.

This is Castle Geyser. This baby erupts every 10hrs so we were lucky enough to be there. It went for 20min and shot higher than Old Faithful

Roosevelt trip

2009-08-24T09:41:00.001-07:00

It has been our tradition to go to Roosevelt lake with some close friends and start the summmer off right. This year, there were 5 families, 3 boats, 2 moterhomes, 1 trailer, and the Jayco. We always look forward to great water times, night games, super food, and lots of laughs. We sure weren't disappointed.
Mudd island is a must stop. I stayed in the boat with Cooper...didn't want mud in all of his white fur. They did mud angels, mud muscles, and mud flops

Devon and Brooke Hardy

The "aquadam" was new this year. It was great to slide on and prevented the boats from getting scratched.

Melissa boarding

Channy wanted to try everything. Slolom skiing, kneeboarding, tubing, and wakeboarding.

The kids loved to tube. Good thing Blake and Chad like to pull them, because there was plenty of choppy water to help make crazy rides. Brooke, Paige, McKenna and Syd would jump from one tube to the next.

This picture was too cute. It is Aiden and Cooper. They were watching a skier out the back of the boat. Both have great hair!

Blake had some awesome turns when we were able to find calm water. It was kind of a windy 3 days.

I had probably my shortest ski every. Since my hip has been injured, I have to take it easy. So I only did about 10 cuts and dropped. Felt kind of wimpy, but my hip didn't hurt afterwards and that was great news!

Bills mud angel

Kate was brave and tried to get up on one ski after her 4th baby. She decided that dropping one would be better...good for you

Aly and Melissa kicking back.

For some reason, I didn't get a picture of our hand picked campsite. It was awesome. Sonja and Kate planned and organized our great food....we never starve. All the kids and teens got along. A very memorable time. Since I was our boat all the time, I didnt' get a group shot of the shore people. I've got to find one!

Past Happenings at a Glance

2009-08-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

I have been without my own computer since the virus attacked in April. Since then, we have had to share with Blake on his work computer....so kind of difficult. We are up and running again with a great new, and very fast, computer. So, I'm excited to share a few of our fun moments.

Chantelle just before we left for her Gr. 4 piano exam. Melissa did her level 11, and Brooke did her level 8 piano exam also. WAY TO GO GIRLS!

We celebrated Brooke's 8th grade promotion. She is very excited to go to high school...I, however, am floored that she is old enough to go. It kind of makes me sad that my kids are getting so big!

This just cracked me up. We are leaving from a Baptism....obviously Dev. thuroughly enjoyed it. What a nice sister!

OUR BABY IS 16. It was a perfect day to try out some new skills on my camera. The temple and overcast day really helped make a perfect backdrop for our pictures.

Devon enjoyed himself just as much as Melissa. He would find wierd new places and say, "hey mom, take a picture of me here".

Going in With a BANG

2009-04-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

I was told recently that 40 is the new 30. I hope this is true because we are now face to face with that age. After getting a great idea from my friend Amie, I started putting together what I thought would be a fun and memorable 40th birthday party for Blake. He knew that we were having the party, but what he didn't know was that I had asked each couple to come dressed in something that represented an event in his lifetime or a year. Our friends didn't let us down....they were hysterical! We had so much fun talking about growing up in the 80's. I also had each couple read about an event in Blake's life so that they could all get to know "Blake through the years". What a great night, but I don't think that I got my bangs high enough or my eyeshadow blue enough!

2009-04-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Blake was on an overnight scouting trip...riding 26mi the first day and 44mi on Sat. This gave the girls and I a chance to set the house up with him gone. I looked through many photo albums, had a good laugh, and was able to find quite a bit of memorabilia. (good thing he is a bit of a sentimental pack rat). Melissa helped me put some pictures together on 12x12 cardstock so we could view Blake growing up. The yearbooks were a laugh, actually, some of the comments were pretty bad. My girls kept asking me, "mom, what does this mean"? What was wrong with those Wisewood Students!

Lets have a look back in Blake's life!

Blake has always loved building and lego. She even had lego earings...very cute!

Beautiful 80's chicks

Michelle covered Blake's injuries....my cousin's were in ski gear

Motorola has been a great employer

Scott was depicting Blake's life as a DJ

Blake did landscaping in highschool...he still loves to work in the yard

Melissa and Maurine found some of my old 80's dresses

This was Blake's love for Mazatlan, and his mission with the spanish people...NICE!

Spring Break Chillin

2009-03-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

This year we voted to go to Victoria for spring break and see my parents. Unfortunately, Blake was unable to get time off, so he stayed home, for the 10 days, and bonded with our dog Cooper. He said that for the first few days, Coop would just sit outside Brooke and Chan's door waiting for them to open it. Poor guy!

We had a fantastic time. It was hard convincing my kids that 45 degrees was going to be cold and they needed to bring gloves and jackets....they were glad they had a smart mom! Despite the rain that fell on and off, every day except 2 days, and the occational flurry, we had a great time and didn't let the weather hold us back.

My brother, Travis, took a three day weekend and flew out to be with us. He has so much energy and was so fun...it was great to see him. He judged our sea shell contest, threw kids around in the wavepool, took us to a movie, and tried to dominate on the Wii. Here are a few highlights of our vacation.
My mom and dad arrived home, from their 2 week cruise, just and hour after we arrived. Dev jumped out and surprised them.
Very intense sea shell judging
of course, dad's cookies, and countless other Canadian treat we ate!
Mom cooked great meals all week...even a TURKEY dinner
Playing hard with Trav.

2009-03-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

My parents friends showed us how to catch crabs....kill them (many tears since Chantelle had named them all, and then we ate them...yummy!

Butterfly Gardens

2009-03-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

This was the coolest place. We were not allowed to touch the butterflies, but we could let them land on us. The had a hatching place and then just the most beautiful garden area to walk around in. The very large blue butterfly was fast but would swoop in and land on us....he evaded my camera! The kids also loved the flamingos and cool flowers. Devon had one butterfly creep all the way up him...he got kind of worried when it got to his neck.

I can't remember the name of this HUGE moth, but it is in its cacoon for like 9 months and then is alive for only 48hrs she said.

This new butterly just kept crawling up Dev.

The blue butterfly was so quick, it would land on you, scaring you with its speed and size, and then take off

Devon was so patient trying to get this little butterfly to land on him...

Lots of Exploring

2009-03-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

We did lots of walking and looking at trees and areas that are foriegn to us Arizonians. We took a picnic lunch one day to a lake and could walk around the whole lake. Sydney, my parents dog, actually went swimming after sticks...crazy dog, it was freezing in the water.

The kids loved climbing on all of the big mossy trees that had fallen over. Melissa and I made the comment that we felt like we were in the Twilight book and that we'd better watch out for vampires...cute ones. Then we read in the local paper that they were filming scenes for New Moon on the island....cool.

This Rocks

2009-03-02T13:35:00.001-08:00

2009-03-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

2009-03-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

I just purchased the new photoshop elements 7 program. Then Michelle and I took 2 classes learning how to organize our photos and digital scrapping purchases, and then how to use the program to make the page. It has been a bit stressful, I have bitten off 4 nails! But, this is the first page that I have finished and then tried to put it on my blog....a miracle, it worked. I think you have to double click on it to actually read the text though.....a bit of a pain.

So, yes I am going to start to be a better blogger. I'm sure I will loose a few more nail in the process, but things are looking more encouraging!

Dever Ski Trip

2009-01-09T15:25:00.000-08:00

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for the ski tickets. We were able to take our family out to Loveland 2 days. We are kind of beggers when it comes to winter attire. The Brittner family generously lent us most of the kids snow clothing, along with a very fashionable Roxy snow clothes from aunt Kristin. Mine and Blakes stuff are ancient, but who cares. Then we spent quite a bit of time getting all the rental skis and boots....but totally worth all of it. The first day, Devon only had to use the harness for one and a half runs....then he thought he was a master. He only went out of control a few times. I'm sure all the skiiers that day could hear me yelling, "do your s turns Devon", as he rocketed down the hill at one point. Devon and Chantelle loved skiing with Paige,Steph and Emily.
Not far into the second day, my legs began yelling at me. My skiing muscles were not used to the effort of 2 days in a row. The second day we enjoyed skiing with Mike Bullock and his family. The older 5 girls I'm sure will always remember getting stuck half way down a black diamond run and having to slide down the rest of the way. At the beginning of one run, Dev turned to me and said, "Mom, I was born to do this". Not at all confident is he. What a memorable day...and no broken bones.

2009-01-09T15:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome Toothfairy!!

2008-12-04T15:41:00.000-08:00

Devon was so excited when he discovered his first loose tooth. When I checked it out, I noticed the adult one was poking its head out right behind. So, I waited patiently for a week, letting Dev wiggle it loose. He thought it was neat having shark teeth. After lots of wiggle time, mom had to move in and pull it out. I am always amazed at how small these little teeth are! He was sure the toothfairy had magic and would get under his pillow - and sure enough, he is now a dollar richer.

SILVER.....BE GONE!

2008-10-16T17:32:00.001-07:00

I drove Melissa to her ortho appointment for her last tightening.....and she came running out to tell me that they were taking them off. YAHOOOOO! It has been 13 months and she now has a beautiful "straight" smile.

Darthvader Birthday

2008-10-16T17:21:00.001-07:00

Devon was so excited to celebrate his birthday....oh, those were the days! Anyways, he was a bit ripped off that we had to wait 5 days after his birthday for the party. We purchased anything Star Wars. I struggled a bit with the cake. I ended up buying action figures and just putting them on the top.(a sad cake compared to the beautiful ones my friend Kate makes) You do what you can! The kids built rockets from 2L bottles, and then we launched them in the park using an air compressor. Lots of giggles when these babies went up 40ft.

Not So Much a BABY Anymore.....

2008-10-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

Our little Devon is 6....I can't believe it. It seems like not that long ago he would fit perfectly in my arms. He still loves to be cuddled thankfully! Now he loves soccer, playing lego Jones and Lego Star Wars, building legos with his sisters, cooking, helping his dad do anything handy, and playing the piano. He is a joy to have in our family....a perfect gift for us.

2008-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

2008-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

2008-09-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

Back to School

2008-09-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Its always a bit sad to send off my kids to school. I love having them home in the summer. We have such a great time playing, swimming, crafting, and travelling. This year was especially exciting for Dev....he started kindergarten. I was trying to feel sad.. now that I was home without any kidlets, but watching Dev skipping into the school yeard just brought a huge grin to my face. How can you feel bad when he is just so darn excited. The house is definitely quieter....but I just rush around like always....just don't have my cute little friend with me. I do miss our Costco dates though. Dev and Chan said they'd be happy to go to Costco on Sat...so accomodating

2008-09-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I finally found a moment to get these summer pictures up. It was a great 3 week adventure. Great weather and lots of family fun in Whitefish, Flathead, and at Bear lake. The kids were so much braver this year. Everyone loved the new knee board. After watching his big cousin Josh, Dev got on it and did a 360 right away! I loved being outside....chatting, and playing in the water. We are so glad that our parents let us come visit....it is so nice to get a break from the heat, and be able to see the whole family in one trip. We really enjoyed our first time at Bear Lake. Lots of new cousins to meet and the water is the most beautiful color of blue. It was a bit different having all that wind blowing in the afternoon, but the tube and waverunners got a good workout. Dev and his cousin would just sit on the parked waverunners and pretend to drive for hours. I think one of the highlights was learing how to ride motorbikes. My kids loved the freedom. I think it just got Melissa more excited about getting her drivers liscence. Seeing Dev and Chan blasting down the dirt road was a bit scary!

FUN AT FLATHEAD

2008-09-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Whitefish Trip

2008-09-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

Birthday Girl

2008-07-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

Our 15 year old Beauty

2008-07-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know how this happened, but we have a 15 year old living in our home. She is eager to remind us that on Jan. 1 of 09 she can get her learners permit!!!!It is hard to think of that when I can still remember her learning to ride a 2 wheeler. She is a joy to have in our home. Let me share a few things that we love about her:

1. She is so loving to her brother, always trying to help him.
2. She always looks for things to help me out with...AND DOESN'T NEED TO BE ASKED
3. A true lover of cooking... she often drifts into the kitchen to help me prepare meals.
4. She is a good girl and always tries to do the right thing
5. kind to her friends.....she has huge group of kids that just love to hang out
6. she is obedient, and respectful to adults
7. she has a great laugh, right from the center of her being.
8. her love for music has blossomed and she is a beautiful pianist
9. she is not afraid to try new things.
10. a hard worker to the core.....tries to do her best on everything
11. a great student....strait A's in all of her classes even the honors
12. loves spending time with her extended family....
13. has a love of children.....a great baby cuddler.
14. Dependable...I can always count on her when I need her
15. becoming a beautiful woman
We are so blessed to have her in our family and it makes me cry inside that in 3 short years, she could be off on her own. So, we try to make every moment count.

Summer Theatre

2008-06-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

WE LOVE THIS PROGRAM!!!! The girls just love to sing and dance to all the fun music this summer program offers. I just love it because for 2 weeks straight there is singing and dancing all the time in our home. Devon doesn't appreciate it as much....he tells the girls they give hime a headache! Melis and Brooke got some awesome solos this year! I was so impressed with the whole thing that I went to the show twice!

Lights, Camera, Action!!

2008-06-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

On your marks, get set, GO!!!!!!

2008-06-18T17:08:00.001-07:00

Swim Team

2008-06-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

This year we have a new swim team member. Because of some awesome swim instruction in the spring, Devon was able to swim fast enough to be on the swim team. It is a lot of swimming for a little guy, and every morning I have to do some persuading to get him in the car and to the pool. Thankfully his best bud, Jacob, and two cute girls drive with us to the pool so he is in a good mood and happily runs out of the car. Chantelle joined late, but was glad to be able to race against her cousins for the first time last week. She and Kelsey made sure they were side by side.

A Few Trek Memories

2008-06-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

Our trek was 4 fun but tough days travelling 17mi. Blake and I weren't suppose to help with the pulling - but during the women's pull and up rocky ridge our help was greatly needed and I was greatful that we were in good enough shape to help. Our family consisted of 9 youth, and adult big sis and big brother, and Blake and I. The first night we pulled for 7mi, most of it in the dark. It was a great time to get to know our family. We realized that we had some great fast pullers as we were always on the heels of the cart in front, and always had a bit gap behind. Since we were blessed the previous weekend with the rain we needed, we were able to have fires. Horray because it was quite chilly at night. I slept in my coat, to cold to change into pj's I kept my day clothes on. I also had 3 hot shots to keep my warm. Blake slept under the stars....he is tough. The last night my coat stunk so bad of bonfire that I got brave and took it off to sleep....so I had to use 6 hot shots to keep warm...what a wimp.
Day 2 was the toughest with the women's pull followed closely by the Rocky Ridge pull. The men went off with the "mormon batallion" and watched us pull up this steep hill not being able to help until we almost reached the top. We quickly learned that it was going to take more than 7 girls to get up this hill. The girls were quick to come back and help the next cart....needing about 15 girls to get it up the hill. It was awesome seeing the girls go back again and again.....knowing there was more help needed. It really reminded me how the relief society works. Sisters tirelessly helping one another. It was quite remarkable! Many girls got sick and exhausted so we had a good lunch and rest to gear up for the next big pull...rocky ridge.
I must admit that this was probablythe toughest thing I have had to do. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest as it was asked to keep working. We stopped 4 times up the hill, but got little releif from it. My lungs were just bursting with effort...but there was no thought of quitting as my family needed me. 5ft from the top, help arrived. I was so greatful for the aid. It remineded me that we can't make it through life on our own. We need the help of friends and family to get through. This was made more evident when we arrived home on Sat. at about 5pm. I was so tired and dirty and I walked through my back door of our house to find that my friend had come in and had a crockpot on our counter cooking with dinner. What an angel. Just like those boys who helped us on Rocky Ridge.
A great experience. Part of our trek theme went like this...." ....we realized that their journeys parallel our own. There are lessons to be learned in every footstep they took. Lessons of love, courage, committment, endurence, devotion, and most of all faith." We surely saw this as we experienced this trek.

Giddy - up

2008-06-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

A Pioneer Treking We Will Go!

2008-05-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

Well, after many meetings, gathering supplies, sewing bonnets, flannel nightgowns, aprons, pantaloons, and last minute warm sleeping bag purchases, we are finally off on our trek tomorrow. I must admit that I wan't that keen at the beginning, but after all the reading I've done on the handcart companies and after finally finishing all of the sewing I'm getting kind of excited. It snowed last weekend in the area we are going so I think our dry streambed that we cross, is full. I will hopefully be able to post some terrific pictures. I must say that we look very stylish..... I haven't be able to post pictures for some reason, hopefully that will change. I have to get the one of Melissa playing the piano upside down. It is a hoot!

2008-05-21T23:53:00.000-07:00

Trying New Things

2008-05-21T22:12:00.001-07:00

Melissa came home one day from school with a great idea of a new way for her to play the piano. She actually played " If your happy and you know it" quite well. My girls just finished taking their piano exams. Melissa did her level 10, Brooke level 6, and Chantelle level 3. WAHOO!!!! They all received a SUPERIOR rating which was the top rating. Chantelle wasn't very impressed at having to take a theory exam, infact in her nightly prayers she prayed that she wouldn't have to do theory ever again. She managed to get an 88% so I'm not sure what she is complaining about - what a nut.

The BIG ADVENTURE

2008-04-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

Well, getting there and coming home were a bit miserable, but while we were in Florida....it was glorious. We had to unexpectedly stay overnight in Dallas...big pain...but managed to get on the 4th stand-by flight and arrived in Florida in time to do a half day at EPCOT. We were so happy to be their and managed to get on some fun and fast rides. Dev was big enough to do all of the rides except the Areosmith rollercoaster on the last day....no worries, he had the flu that day...poor guy. Disneyworld was so much fun. I loved seeing all of the excitement the kids had...our favorite had to be SPACE MOUNTAIN. Although, Dev got off the ride and said that he wasn't doing that one again. Jesse and Sara joined us for Animal Kingdom on Friday, the beach on Sat, meeting our parents on Sunday, and Disney Mgm on Monday. It was so fun seeing our cousins...thanks so much for coming. Proud to report that we didn't loose anyone...that was a huge concern. My parents got off a cruise on Sunday so we all started driving and met half way down the coast for the afternoon. It was glorious to get away, to be with our family and to be in such a pretty place.

Forida Disney

2008-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

UNDER THE SEA PARTY

2008-02-02T15:41:00.001-08:00

UNDER THE SEA PARTY

2008-02-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

Channy was sooooo excited to have a birthday party. We went out last weekend to get all the supplies and she has been counting down the days. We had 9 guests, so the volume waS LOUD! The girls were very giggly. We had a sand castle competition, ate pizza, painted nails and wacked a pinata. I don't know what possessed me, but I decided to teach the girls how to sew. So, during the week I sewed together beach bags but left a few seams for them to sew. I found 2 cute fabrics and sewed them together so it could be reversible. They loved it! It was a hit, and now the rest of us are recovering. Happy birthday Chan, we love ya

Comings and Goings

2008-02-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

Devon came home from school with these lovely spectacles. He just loved them and wore them ALL DAY LONG. He and Brooke have been avidly playing Lego Star Wars. I asked hime how long he thought he should be allowed to play each day, he replied, " three hours"! The other day we received some packages, and Dev and Brooke grabbed the boxes and headed outside. They came in just killing themselves laughing. They had drawn Han solo and Princess Leah on the outside, pretending that they had been carbon frozen like in the Movie......okay, they are playing far too long, I know!

HAPPY NEW YEARS

2008-01-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

2008-01-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

Between Christmas and New Years we enjoyed a lot of activity with family. My parents stayed until Friday, so we were lucky to get in the temple movie and lots of games. We have made so many treats.....its lucky we had passes for everyone to the gym so we could work some of it off. Brian and Cheryl were also in town so we were able to get together for some more family fun. We found a new activity, GEOCACHING. There is a great "mountain" trail south of the Brittners were 2 geocaches were hidden. We hiked up on New year eve day looking for the "treasure". It was a great hike for all, and we enjoyed great weather. Only 2 accidents....Natalie was attacked by a cactus while posing for Uncle Blake's picture, and Dev wiped out on a path....thankfully not close to any cactus. Luckily Michelle was prepared with anti itch and bandaids! We also had a fun time bringing in the new year with our family. I think the kids played lego star wars for 4 straight hours that night!!!

A Merry Christmas

2008-01-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

Blessed at Christmas

2008-01-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a FABULOUS Christmas this year. My parents arrived Thurs night before Christmas so we were able to rushed around for last minute shopping before the big day. Travis and Jacquie were also intown and stayed over for 5 days.....it was a busy house, but we had a lot of fun. Dev loved his new golf set and thinks he is now ready for a real course after only 2 times hitting balls in the park. Channy was so fun and enthusiastic this year. She layed out glittered raindeer food and wrote many letters to Santa. She loved getting her American girl doll. It was great fun having little Montana around. She sings constantly and thinks she is big enough to do everything. Jacquie surprised Trav with some speedos since he has taken up swimming.....I could hardly stop laughing. They were promptly returned the day after Christmas. It is a good thing that we have a circle track around our house as it was a great course for the new scooter.

Big Time Transformation

2007-12-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

2007-12-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

When we moved into our house, the only thing that I wasn't too keen about was the plentiful green carpet. But....I'll have to admit that it hid a multitude of spills and dirt. So thanks for the good times, but good bye green carpet! I hadn't anticipated the huge amount of work it would be getting ready and organizing after the carpet was installed. It took them 2 days to put it in, and we just had to laugh at the chaos. Then of course we just couldn't put things back....we had to organize and chuck. This took a lot of time but it was so worth it. We love the change and house seems so much lighter. Having all this occur 2 weeks before Christmas was kind of bad timing.....but we managed to get our tree up on the 15th so I think we are doing ok.

Loving Every Minute of HALLOWEEN!!!

2007-11-07T09:35:00.001-08:00

2007-11-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

As always, Halloween was hugely anticipated. Brooke decided on the Sunday before Halloween that she wanted to be Little Bo Peep and have our dog Cooper as her sheep. So I looked all around for a costume to buy and just couldn't find a cute one. So, I bought a pattern and started to sew. I haven't sewn for a while so this was great fun. I was able to get it finished for her Halloween party which was a tight schedule. Dev rediscovered the bat costume I made for him 2 years ago, well that worked out perfect. Channy had sparkely eyelashes and glittery makeup for her Diva.....she was in heaven. Melissa costume brought me back in time. It was so nice to get her bangs to stick straight up and put blue eyeshadow on to complete the 80s look. The kids had a great night trick or treating with cousins.

Devon turns FIVE

2007-10-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

2007-10-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

Devon was so excited to have all his buds, and one buddet, to his party. Everyone was involved in the preparations. Brooke drew and awesome alien for pin the eyeball on the alien. Blake was so excited to make the rockets. I was amazed at how high they flew in the park. Blake had us all watch October Skies the night before so we would be prepared for the launch. Out of all the kids, I think Blake was the most excited at the launch. The party was a huge success, but having nine 4 & 5 yr olds for 2 hours is a lot of work. I checked out for and hour afterwards for a well deserved nap!

Back to School

2007-09-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

2007-09-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

We starting school on Aug. 9....Can you believe it, it seems so soon. The kids were all ready to start though. Each are in a different school so that is a bit challenging for us. Dev. got into the early learners program for kids that missed the kindergarden cut off. He goes 5 days a week for 2.5 hrs and likes it sometime, and sometimes asks why we have to go to school. Channy got the greatest teacher and loves 3rd grade. Brooke started 7th grade and has been adjusting to the homework load at the Jr. high. She couldn't quite understand why she had to take social when she didn't want to be a social studies teacher. Melissa took a huge leap and is doing great at the high school. (9th grade is high school here). It is a massive school, but she is enjoying her teachers and the social life. She does yoga for her zero hour at 6:55am each morning.....good way to start the day. Now she is adjusting to braces. Luckily they will only be on for 10mo to 1yr. So...we are again a very busy family.

COUSIN PARTY WEEKEND

2007-05-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

2007-05-27T13:08:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we had our cousins come over for 2 days. Devon was so excited to have his first cousin sleep over. The kids exhausted themselves swimming for about 4hrs on Sat afternoon. Then it was playstation and dressups. I was amazed that we were ready ON TIME for 8am church. We did beautiful hair creations and all of the girls looked like princesses.

PROMOTION TIME

2007-05-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

GROWING UP

2007-05-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

The last week of school has arrived and what a fun and busy one it was. Devon enjoyed a fun last day at preschool - well a water field trip. He loved doing water angels.
Brooke had 6th grade promotion this week, so we were able to have some fun fancying up her hair. So next year she is off to Jr. high....CAN'T BELIEVE IT. The following day we attending the 8th grade promotion for Melissa at the Jr High. Her choir got to sing the national anthem, which she loves to do. It was so much fun for them to have these big event....but a bit teary for me. How do they grow up so fast? Enough of the sadness.....we are ready for a FUN SUMMER. Its girls camp, EFY, Musical theatre, swim team and swim lessons for my group.

FATHERS AND SONS CAMPOUT

2007-05-24T10:54:00.001-07:00

Father and Sons campout

2007-05-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Devon was so excited to "have fun in the woods" with his dad. They enjoyed sleeping in a tent, cooking over a campfire, and even got to fish. This was the first year that Blake has been able to go to this annual event. Devon is looking forward to going next year!

Arizon Spring

2007-04-16T14:47:00.001-07:00

We have had a very busy spring. Devon started it off great by getting his cast off. He was so excited to finally be able to swim. The kids are crazy....the pool is freezing and they just hop right in. We had a great Easter with the siblings that are here in Arizona. Lots of yummy food and fun company. Only six more weeks of school - can you even believe it!

2007-04-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

It was such a treat having so many family memebers come for Chantelle's baptism. She felt like a princess in her new dress. All of Blake's siblings were there and my mom also was able to come. Grandpa and Grandma Bullock came for Channy's baptism as well as the blessing of our new nephew Ben.

Broken Arm

2007-03-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

Devon, the dare-devil, decided to stand on top of the Little Tykes car to enable him to look over a wall. Well, lets just say the mission failed as he fell into the rocks below. He was a pretty sad little boy. He broke his arm just above the elbow and is now sporting a very lovely blue cast. The cast doesn't seem to bother him much, but his stellar soccer carreer has been put on hold for 5 weeks. He will just have to watch Brooke and Chantelle play soccer for most of the season.

January and Febuary Adventures

2007-02-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks you everyone who came and made Chantelle's baptism so nice. It was great to have so many family members here. We loved having grandmas and grandpa visit. My mom and I slaved away for a few days and were able to finish valences for the diningroom and kitchen. Horray....they turned out great!

Home Improvements.....Horray!

2007-02-04T21:38:00.000-08:00

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We were so excited to finally get our colors picked and get started on our huge project. Devon was so excited each day for his "painter friends" to come over. He would follow them EVERYWHERE! Even out of the house for their smoke breaks - yikes! After a week of chaos, we are getting our house back together. I haven't finished all the rooms, but here is a peek at what feels like a new house.

2007-02-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

Free Countdown Clocks at WishAFriend.com

2007-01-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

Here are just some of the fun experiences we had with family in Denver. Thanks everyone for coming!

2007-01-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas we were off to meet Blake's parents and Lisa and Michelle's families at Salida Co. The plan was to ski for 2 days. We poor Az. folk were able to borrow ski clothes and gear and we so excited for snow. The big girls skied with their cousin Josh and Allison all day. What freedom...they loved it. Channy and Cassie skied with Blake and I and they were very confident going down the hill. It freaked me out watching the girls go up by themselves on the chairlift.....there was no safety bar! Dev got to ski for the last 90 min of the day and that was enough for him. The storm came early so we left early and missed the second ski day. After a very long and slippery drive, gramma's house was a welcome sight. Devon asked, "is this the North Pole"? As you can see, there was lots of outdoor fun in Denver. (picture taken from Bullock's front porch)

Snow fun

2007-01-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

Snow Pals

2006-12-31T17:58:00.000-08:00

Denver was a winter wonderland. After the snow fell for 2.5 days, there was lots of snow to play in. The cousins spent hours building snow caves and clearing off neighbors driveways with the snowblower. Dev and Paige were inseperable both inside and out. It is official, Steffi pronounced their snowfort to be the best ever!

Arizona Christmas

2006-12-25T17:07:00.000-08:00

Our family enjoyed a very warm Arizona Christmas. Its sometimes hard to really feel like Christmas when you can wear shorts for the whole day. One thing this year we were especially thankful for was good health! (last year all but 2 of us enjoyed the flu all Christmas day) Chantelle was overjoyed to see that Santa brought her the ultimate gift.....Polly Cruise Boat. The boys loved the Sizzler race track. I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, Blake, Cooper, or Dev. Cooper spent the whole time trying to catch the cars as they roared around the track. It was so fun to watch. Melissa was a true teen and enjoyed her new wardrobe. Brooke just loved everything!

Arizona Christmas 2006

2006-12-25T16:14:00.000-08:00