July 2010

July 1, 2010

Happy Canada day! Having some fun boating with Grandpa on Mackenzie lake.

July 2, 2010

It had been SO long since we had been to the Calgary zoo. We met up with Mary and Lucy and had fun exploring the new exhibits!

July 3, 2010

8 cousins, 8 free duckies, and a whole lotta laughs to be had at Calaway park!

July 4, 2010

Meet the cousins – on the Grunewald side, that is. All  13 of them. Yes, gorgeousness runs in our family :)

July 5, 2010

My sister and her gorgeous family. I have always wanted to raise such a fun, loving family like she has.

July 6, 2010

Let the scrapbooking begin! I love just being able to ‘be’ when I’m with my sister. It’s like taking a long deep breath after being underwater. 

July 7, 2010

This is scary, I know. But welcome to real us.  I know you wish you could rock the jammie jumping, but not everyone can. Deal with it.

July 8, 2010

I think Edward Cullen caught a glimpse of our awesome jammie jumping and couldn’t resist spending some quality time with us babes. He may live with Laurie, but… he likes me best. 

July 9, 2010

Coming home. That’s what a visit with my cousins Mark and Christie felt like. Truly. I miss you both so much. 

July 10, 2010

Jo, you are my scrap sistah, my dancin’ diva, and my sassy soul mate. I so wish we lived closer. It was nice to see you for the .05 seconds we stopped in on our way through. I love you and think of you often!

July 11, 2010

Meet the leper, the blind man, and Mary – sister of Lazarus. They were all witnesses to the healing miracles of Jesus Christ. Our Primary has amazing and touching Sharing Time lessons.

July 12, 2010

Our local branch of the library has this enormous display made from plastic bottle caps! I’m amazed at the talent people have.

July 13, 2010

A bunch of kids from the ward enjoyed playing at Maya’s birthday BBQ! It’s always great to have an excuse to spend more time with friends from church.

July 14, 2010

One of the small blessings I’m grateful for is to have garbage disposal services. It’s just one less thing for me to do!

July 15, 2010

B has always had a knack with animals, and a deep love and respect for them. And animals seem to sense that about her, and love her right back!

July 16, 2010

Witness the last time I ever try a slip ‘n’ slide. The end.

July 17, 2010

I can’t make a photographic record of my life without including a photo of our good friends, the Crapos. We were SO happy to have spent some time with them during our trip to Calgary. And even more grateful that Lynn is as avid a record-keeper as I am, and happened to have her camera there on Sunday. Okay, who am I kidding? She’s a WAY better record keeper than I am, but my goal is to become as good as she is someday.

July 18, 2010

After buying our hibiscus tree back in May, we finally have a bloom! And it was so worth the wait. One of God’s gloriously beautiful creations, right in our living room.

July 19, 2010

Family Home Evening was spent writing letters to my parents for their up coming 50th wedding anniversary! It’s so precious to read the girls’ sentiments for their grandparents. I wish we lived close enough for them to have more of a relationship with them.

July 20, 2010

Enjoying the hot weather at the local water park. 

July 21, 2010

Summer is where the girls go barefoot and their hearts are just as free as their toes.

July 22, 2010

Day spent at the beach, celebrating Justus’ birthday!

July 23, 2010

Why are you pouting, JJ? Is it because you always leave the bathroom door open, and only cover yourself with the cupboard door, then get upset when we walk by and see you? Maybe…. maybe that’s it.

 

July 24, 2010

Celebrating the day the Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley at our Stake Pioneer Picnic. The weather was perfect, the company was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the fireworks were amazing. I just love this Stake!

July  25,2010

A Primary Detective, teaching the kids how to Choose The Right!

July 26, 2010

Sitting in that cold dentist’s chair should be motivation enough to brush and floss better!

July 27, 2010

Following my own childhood tradition, we make a weekly visit to the library to browse through the storybooks and find a bunch that catch our eye. Hears to lazy summer reading!

July 28, 2010

While the moms are busy creating scrapbook pages, the kiddos are outside enjoying the sunshine and food during their picnic. 12 kids under 10. Good times.

July 29, 2010

Summer, in a photo. We loved having our friend’s little girl over for a play date, to add one more giggly girl to our gaggle!

July 30, 2010

I’ve got mixed feelings for you, Big Mac. I love the taste of the cheese and the special sauce, but I hate the 3” of flub you add to each hip. I guess it’s doomed to forever be a love/hate relationship.

July 31, 2010

Our ward Primary had an activity at the temple. It is such a blessing to have a temple in our midst, where our children can see the beauty, feel the special peace that is there, and have a visual reminder of what they are aiming for.

June 2010

June 1, 2010

JJ’s first time riding her bike to school, just like her big sisters. It took about 4 times as long as walking, but nothing could be more fun!

June 2, 2010

We found a glorious little music shop here in town, and I was fascinated with the many guitars all lined up neatly on the wall. TJ was there to buy a harmonica, but I could have stayed for hours, admiring the many instruments there. Just the smell of sheet music and piano strings make me giddy.

June 3, 2010

This year’s Volunteer Appreciation Tea was absolutely wonderful. The food, the cards, the music, the love just melted my heart. Thank you, girls, for your songs and for letting me be a part of your school year!

June 4, 2010

Sometimes, just in the midst of going through the mundane day-to-day activities, I glance at one of you and catch my breath. You are beautiful, and you are mine. How does that happen? Why am I so blessed?

June 5, 2010

I had an amazing opportunity to teach a class at our Stake Family History Conference, on Documenting our lives in photographs. It was well attended and I thought I did well – after all, it is my passion. One of the participants in the class suggested she take a photo of me teaching to document THAT moment in my life. An offer I couldn’t pass up.

June 6, 2010

Haircut time for TJ and B. I think they could have supplied a dozen bald people with fine wigs with the masses of hair they cut off. Even so, they both still have gorgeous, thick mops on their heads. We just weeded it to manageable status.

June 7, 2010

TJ has made good use of her $8 harmonica – blessing us with her unique musical ditties every chance she gets.

June 8, 2010

It’s officially summertime when we make the walk down to the Klein’s food mart on the corner to get some ice cold slurpees! Especially with unbrushed hair and our fabulous Tini Puppinis in tow.

June 9, 2010

Over 2 years of blood, sweat, and tears (and more than a few late nights and prayers) all culminated in Lyndon graduating with his MBA. He is truly an example of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication in every aspect of his life. Watching him walk across the stage brought tears to my eyes, and it was so wonderful to share that day with his parents.

June 10, 2010

This has become a regular occurrence around here. Gorgeous girls, all helmet-ed up and biking through the neighbourhood.

June 11, 2010

As a final year-end party, the Pre-K class went bowling! It was hilarious watching 3 and 4 year olds trying to get that heavy ball to the end of the lane. We were there for a while.

June 12, 2010

A reptile show at the mall made an ordinary errand-run into an exciting event!

June 13, 2010

Vietnamese night! Those spring rolls, salad rolls, and vermicelli fixin’s look good enough to eat!

June 14, 2010

Another afternoon spent playing at the park. Bayboo sure makes climbing look easy~! Such a little monkey.

June 15, 2010

End of the school year means fieldtrips! Bayboo’s kindergarten class had a fun morning at Candy Cane park, playing on their crazy playground equipment!

June 16, 2010

Scrapbook/Craft nights at my place are becoming a ritual with my girls and I! I just love sitting, talking, eating, and laughing with my besties! Love you girls!

June 17, 2010

JJ’s last day of Pre-K this year. We sure loved her teacher, Mrs. Jones. We’ll miss having her teach next year. She was so great!

June 18, 2010

TJ being a goof (as per usual) in our backyard. Signs of summer are sprouting up more each day, and the girls all love spending time out there.

June 19, 2010

The girls have a ‘secret’ hiding place to the side of our deck where they have the most wonderful adventures. I remember having my own little adventures to the side of our deck, growing up. It’s nice to see the circle of life in my girls :)

June 20, 2010

A quiet Sunday afternoon spent quietly playing together, making memories, and building relationships (oh, and a cute little farm, too).

 

June 21, 2010

Oh, the joys of the colors of summer are beyond compare. Yellow day lilies just make me happy!

June 22, 2010

B playing soccer in our yard. I sometimes have to pinch myself to be sure my life is real. Love my kiddos, love my yard, love my hubby, love my life!

June 23, 2010

Let the rains begin!

June 24, 2010

Poor TJ and her friend, Chassity, got caught walking home from school in the downpour. At least they made it inside before the hail came!

June 25, 2010

No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks! Wait… looks like the kids are having FUN at school. Well, even if they love school – summer beginning is worth celebrating! Happy last day of school!

June 26, 2010

Day one of our summer trip to Calgary! Due to major flooding on highway 1, we had to take a long detour which took us through Drumheller. So, we enjoyed a visit with the dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrell Museum.

June 27, 2010

We have a lot of nuts in our family tree :)

 

June 28, 2010

Cooling off with an oreo milkshake from Peter’s Drive-In. We loved reliving our memories of Calgary with our kids.

 

June 29, 2010

Cross Iron Mills Bass Pro Shop…. wow.

 

June 30, 2010

ECLIPSE date with the girls! We loved spending the afternoon together, eating at BP’s, then taking in the 3pm show of Twilight Saga: Eclipse. LOVED IT!