Carving Pumpkins

With our crazy lives it took us several days to get our pumpkins carved. On Wednesday while Ryan was at his Bishopric meeting the kids and I took the insides out of our pumpkins. Hailey just loved it. I thought it was gross but she enjoyed taking the goop out.

Then Thursday night we started carving. Hay drew her own and carved most of it. I helped a little but she did really good.

When I went to my Primary Presidency Meeting Ryan finished carving the boys pumpkins. Jacob picked what he wanted it to look like but Ryan carved it and then he carved Ben's too.


I think he did a pretty good job and they turned out good.

Ryan was worried for our pumpkins, because one year, right after we carved them the next morning we got up and some punk kids had smashed our pumpkins. I told Hailey a little white lie that year when she asked where our pumpkins were I told her someone took them because that was easier to explain to a little girl then somebody smashed them.

Sewing wows

Jacob's super man costume was way to big so I cut the legs off and shortened them. I got it all done and called Jacob over to try it on for me so I could admire my handy work. and realized I put the legs on back words so now the feet of the costume are facing backwards. So now I have to rip it all out and start again. OK you can laugh at me now.

Picking Pumpkins

I like to take the kids every year to a pumpkin patch. I don't like to get them in the store because I like to get pictures of the kids in with all the pumpkins.

Ben really enjoyed it. He loved the little baby pumpkins that he could carry.


I put him in the wagon to keep him with me because he was so excited about all the pumpkins he kept running off.


cute kids


They had to have their pictures taken in the cut out.




My cute family

When I picked Ben up out of the Wagon to put in the car. I freaked out on me. I think he thought we were leaving his pumpkin. And he cried and screamed and fought me every step of the way. Poor baby he thought we were leaving his pumpkin.

Big Boy Bed

Ben has been climbing out of his crib for 3 or 4 months now, and I have been nagging Ryan all that time to convert the crib into a toddler bed. Well after months of nagging he finally did it. So Ben got a big boy bed 6 months before either of the big kids.

3D Glasses

Ryan bought the kids Monsters VS Aliens and it came with a bonus movie I'm not sure what it's called but something about Bob the blob in 3D. I didn't watch it with them but when I came out of the room I found them all sitting there glued to the screen with their glasses on. I'm not sure how he got Benners to wear the glasses, but they sure looked cute.

Disney through the years

We went to Disney Land in October of 2005 Hailey was 3 1/2 and Jacob was 9 months
and we went to Disney world in October of 2006 Hailey was 4 1/2 and Jacob was 21 months. So I created some collages of us in 2005,2006 and 2009

Us with Mickey Mouse



Hailey girl in her Minnie Ears


Jacob in his Mickey ears, I'm a bad mom and didn't take pictures of him with his ears on in 2006


Since Ben wasn't alive for the first two visits there's only the one picture of him


Hailey with Sleeping Beauty


Ryan with Kids on his shoulders. Hay in 2005 Ben in 2009

Goofey Golf

We got packed up and went to lunch and we had a couple of hours to kill so we took the kids goofy golfing. They even had a little plastic club for Benners. He thought he was hot stuff until half way through when he threw it on the ground and I ended up carrying it.

Hailey, Brianna, Nate, Jacob, Ben

Mattie, Ryan, and Big Nate

Jacob and Andrea

Cool pictures of a pond full of Lilly pads. The kids had a good time, they could care less if they win or not they just liked playing.

Beach

On our last day of vacation we went to the beach. It was a long drive but it was worth it because the kids had a great time It was an hour or more drive and Ben sang to us almost the whole way. I got a couple videos sorry I know they are sideways I forgot you can't change the direction of a video. Well may be you can but I just don't know how.

It was an adventures drive. I forgot to give Jacob his Dramine and so half way there he threw up and of course I didn't have another swimming outfit for him with us. So Ryan said he can just wear his underwear. Well Jacob didn't like that idea at all. He told us I can't go on the beach everyone will see my unders. So we had to stop at the towns walmart so I could run in and get him some new swim trunks. But being that it was October they had put all there summer stuff up and had the hats and gloves out which seems silly to me because we were in Florida. I'm not sure it ever gets cold there. Well I found one pair of shorts on the clearance rack and I bought a size smaller because my kids have no waste and no butts to hold up there shorts. and when I got them out to the car they were still to big for him. But at least everyone didn't see his underwear.

Hailey and Jacob My beach babies just love the beach. Jacob wasn't to hip on getting in the water but he enjoyed playing on the beach.

Ryan and Ben and Mattie. He wasn't a huge fan of the water either. when we tried to take him in he would climb up us to stay out of the waves.


What a view

We tried to build a sand castle but we just ended up with a bunch of these. and some how I ended up stuffing all the buckets with sand. I was working and I looked up and I was the only one working on it the big kids had run off downs the beach with Ryan

Two of my favorite men . I have a picture like this of Jacob and Ryan walking down the beach.

Playing on the beach

Ryan and Mattie and Ben

We found this blue floatie bobbing down the waves so we played with it for a while and then sent it on it's way, hopefully back to it's owner

My burrito babies. The kids love when Ryan wraps them up like burritos after bath and they were all cold so he wrapped them all up and I had to take a picture of them all cute and still. But don't be fooled there not always so cute and silent.

Snack time. Me and Benners, Jacob making a funny face, Ryan and Hay bug

I love back shots and Hay and Ben just sat down and were watching the waves come in. They're so cute.

magic kingdom

Us at Disney
10/2005
Hailey-3 1/2
Jacob-9 months


















10/2006
Hailey-4 1/2
Jacob-21 months



















10/2009
Hailey 7 1/2
Jacob 3 3/4
Ben 22 months

We were out so late at the trick or treat that we slept in and went to the park later then everyone else. It was nice to be able to sleep in and get a leisurely start to the day


We were standing in line waiting to go on the Jungle cruise and Jacob was bored so I took his picture making faces at me so then he wanted to take a picture of me making a face so I let him.

Because we had just been at the Animal Kingdom and been on a ride with actual animals, when we got on the ride and got started Jacob says to me "These animals aren't real their fake"





I was trying to take a picture of Ben in the stroller but he wouldn't look up. My cute Family waiting to ride The Aladdin ride.


Hay and Ryan, Me, and Ben and Jacob.


I love the parades. We didn't plan on watching it but as we were walking through it was happening and we couldn't get where we were going so we found a spot and stopped and watched it.











Poor Benners fell asleep. It had been a really long week for him.


Hailey really wanted to ride the teacups and there was a huge line so I had her get in line and I walked along the outside of the line with her as I was outside the gate with a sleeping Ben. I was waiting for Ryan and Jacob to come back from ridding the roller coaster, well the line moved faster then I thought it would so I started to get stressed because Hailey was getting closer to the front of the line and Ryan still wasn't there. But just in the nick of time Ryan showed up and jumped in line with Hay. It was a really stressful couple of moments for me.




I don't ride roller coasters, but the kids wanted me to go on the goofey one with them so I did but I still didn't enjoy it. They stress me out.



Silly girl posing

Jacob really wanted to see inside Mickey and Minnie's house. So Hailey decided to tag along.


My cute kids in Minnie's house







Mickey's house







outside of Mickey's house was super cute too.




The kids wanted to pose on the great big pumpkin.



Kids with Minnie's Mail box. I'm not sure if she's kissing or biteing her nose.


When I came back from Mickey and Minnies house this is what I found. Good thing Mattie was there to actually watch Ben.


Since Ryan and Ben were both asleep THe big kids both wanted to go play at the Donalds house which is a water area. At first I say no because I don't want them all wet and then for some stupid reason I decided to let them. It was a bad idea they got soaking wet so I then had to go around to 3 different stores to find and buy them dry clothes. It was a huge pain in the butt and the only bottoms I could find were really big and they spent the rest of the night pulling there pants up.



We got the kids changed into thier dry clothes and then watched the light parade which was really cool and then the end of the night fireworks then ran and hit The haunted Mansion one more time before we headed home. It was a great end to our Disney trip.


As we were walking out through the castle I noticed the murals on the walls and had to snap a couple of pictures they were so cool

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween

This was the highlight of the trip. The kids got to get dressed up in their costumes and go trick or treating in Disney world, how cool is that. And on top of that they had lots of rides open and because there weren't as many people there as normal we walked on to most of the rides. It was great.




The castle changed colors all night long.




My crazy super kids waiting for the parade to start. We went and found a spot to watch the parade. Ryan went and found us some dinner and we ate while we waited for the parade to start.


The Boo to you parade. The kids and I loved the parade. And Ryan humored us and watched it with us.







They didn't throw candy I think there is a concern of kids running out in front of the floats but when Goofey's candy float comes by all these workers start coming by with huge bags of candy and give the kids handful of candy. It was great





Theses pictures didn't come out but I have to tell the story behind it we were leaving the parade headed to the first trick or treating spot and they were all three running across this bridge and it was so cute, I'm sad the pictures didn't come out.



Our first trick or treating spot. What a cool experience for the kids to say they got to trick or treat in Disney World



Ryan and the kids on and outside of Pirates of the Caribbean. It was so cool no line we just walked right on to the ride. There was so much stuff Ben couldn't go on that anytime he got to go he was so excited.



The kids loved the haunted Mansion. I snapped these before I got yelled at because "no flash Photography"



I wasn't going to stand in line to take a picture with the kids with Cinderellas carriage but I had to get a picture of it.




Next it was on to "It's a small world" I know it's cheesy but it's one of my favorite rides. So when we got to just walk on it was great.





I don't know if I was suppose to take pictures or not but It's my favorite ride. But Hailey started freaking out on me. "Mommy your going to get yelled at again" I told her it was OK and she just shook her head at me like she was scolding me.



I took the picture of the monkeys for Ryan as they are his favorite animal



I took the picture of the Kola Bears for my mom as they are her favorite animal





I took the picture of the little cowboy because I thought it was the cutest.



Ryan and Big Ben. So cute.



Ben wasn't big enough to ride the Speed way ride so Ryan and I took turns taking the big kids on it, and the other stayed out with Ben well while I was on with Jacob I guess the bubble guy came by and the kids really enjoyed it.


We closed the place down. We wanted to ride as many rides as possible, we wanted to hit as many rides as possible so we wouldn't be as pressed for time the next day. So we went on the buzz light year ride then I took the kids on Stitch ride which by the way I hate and forgot I don't enjoy it. While I took the kids on Stitch Ben and Ryan went on Buzz again.

I'm not sure what this is, because Ryan took it but it looks cool.


I know it's not a great picture but it's one of the only ones of the 5 of us together.

MGM Studios

I love MGM Studios. It's one of my favorite parks. We came to Florida when I was a kid and for some reason I have the most fond memories of this park.






The big kids were so excited to see playhouse Disney on stage. Ben didn't know what was going on but I knew he would love it. This is us waiting in line and Hay and Jacob hamming it up before the show.


Mickey Mouse clubhouse


Handy Manny



Little Einsteins


My friends Tiger and Pooh



Mattie and Jacob, Me and Big Ben


Little Nate looking cute


Star Tours


Us waiting to go on Start Tours


Me, Ryan Hailey, Jacob and Ryan, Mattie, Jacob and Hailey
Once again poor Big Ben couldn't ride.


This is the New Toy Story Ride it was super cool and really fun. If the line hadn't been so long we would have rode it again.

waiting to ride the ride Jacob, Hailey, Brianna



I'm not sure why but everyone was making crazy faces at the camera. So I decided to document them.



The block Party parade.



Of course it was to loud for miss muffet so she watched it with her eyes closed.


When the parade stopped and they started dancing they pulled the kids onto the street to dance well out of no where they pulled Nate out to dance and he actually danced with them. Which is funny because during the week we would break into song or dance Nate would get really embarrassed and walk away from us as fast as he could.






The Indiana Jones show. It was really cute. but they could only do part of it because of the rain. And it hasn't changed much since I saw it when I was a kids.



I love this Ice cream stand. We didn't get icecream at it this day but we ate ice cream at it when I was a kid, so it made me a little sentamental.

Swimming

We had a pool at the house we stayed at the kids wanted to swim every minute that we were there.

Animal Kingdom

None us have ever been to Animal kingdom so we decided to give it a try. It was great there weren't a ton of people so the lines were very short and it was a very low stress day It was great.

Hailey rode the Avalanche roller coaster. She told me it was super scary but she rode it with Ryan twice.


They have a Safari ride where you get to see actual animals. We all loved it. Kids and adults alike. I can't remember what the tree is called but is sure is cool.


a Rhino and a deer


Birds and Hippos


Alligators and a cool scenery picture


Elephants and African cow of some kind


A lion and I think a Cheetah


Brianna, Hailey, and little Nate.


Ryan and Jacob---Mattie and Benners


There was this tree women. I'm not really sure what this was all about but she was cool


Pictures with flik from Bugs life


The tree of life. Hailey was really excited about it because her and Ryan watched a show on TV about how they made this tree



Jacob had taken pictures with tons of characters but for some reason he decided he was scared of them and from this point on he refused to stand with any of them unless I was in the pictures. I was so annoyed.


One of the towns is a Dino town



Me and Jacob who you can't see--Mattie, Ben, & Mattie.

Jacob was so excited to ride the dinosaur ride that we saw on line. But after he rode it it scared him to death. Poor Ben was to short to ride on most of the rides but it worked out because Andrea and I don't like roller coasters so we hung out and let Benners play on the big dinosaur

Ben--Little Nate, Jacob, Brianna, Hailey


I thought this was cool. A bridge made of Dino bones.

We were getting ready to see the bugs life show.

Ryan and Baby Ben


My Hailey Bug--and Buggy Boys Jacob and Little Nate
It scared them to death The bugs coming out at them and things being thrown into the audience. Ben kept freaking out and the big kids were on either side of me both freaking out.


I thought of all the characters the pooh Bears Ben would take too considering his favorite lovies are his pooh bear, and tiger. But still no luck. Hailey was so cute hugging all of them.


Eeyore



Tiger
When we got done standing in line and seeing the characters, Nate asked Andrea what was the ride we were going on, he was a little annoyed when she told him we stood in line just to see the characters.

We ate at this really cool African buffet. We got to try some new food, but they also had American food for the kids.

This was the view outside the restaurant and I just thought it was such a cool view.
Hailey has a likeing for Jimmeny Cricket. And when she saw him she got so excited and ran over to him

They had a lady with a snake and all of the kids got to touch it. They were all very excited to touch it. Ben Jerked his hand back so quickly I didn't get a good picture.







Hailey & Pocahontas, and Rafiki. Ryan and I were joking around with him saying he needed a shave and a haircut and it hurt his feelings so to make up for it he made me kiss him on the cheek .

The petting zoo. The kids all loved the animals. Petting and combing them.





The daily Parade. We didn't actually stop and watch it we just watched it as we walked by.




This was the end of the day festivities. The kids loved the music. I wish I'd had my video camera to take some video of them dancing like crazy.

Epcot

Epcot was the first park that we went to. I worked with the kids before hand on what to do if they got lost from us. So I taught Hailey Ryan's cell phone number and I worked with both of them that they needed to find someone with a name tag or a Mommy with kids, and Jacob would say like Renee (our neighbor). and I thought he was just associating the two together. Well as were walking into the park I say to Hailey "what are suppose to do if you get lost" and she repeated it to me just like we had worked and then told me Ryan's phone number so I felt good that she was ready for an emergency. So then I ask Jacob the same question "what are suppose to do if you get lost" and he looks at me and says "find Renee" so I had to go back and reexplain it to him that Renee was not there and what her was really suppose to do.

I'm not sure what this ride was, Jacob and Andrea, Little Nate and Mattie



All five of the cute kids. Ben, Little Nate, Brianna, Jacob, Hailey
Andrea had these super cute Disney shirts made but little Nate refused to wear his. But they still looked cute in their mostly matching shirts.

Little Nate & Jacob.

Ben and his girlfriend Mattie. Cute Haiely girl

The line for the Race track was super long. Andrea doesn't like roller coasters so she agreed to sit out with Big Ben because he was to short to ride most of the rides. Being this was one of the first rides we went on Hailey also refused to go so she sat out with them.


My cute and silly boys. and me and my boy waiting in line to ride the race track.



We finally got to the ride and it was fun but that's as close to a roller coaster as I get. I hate fast and or scary rides.



Our table at the restaurant wasn't going to be ready for 30 minutes so we ran to do the nemo ride, while Ryan held our spot. Well right after we got on the ride Ryan called saying our table was ready Which would have been ok but the ride stopped half way through and we just sat there and waited for the ride to get back going.
Hailey and Brianna,Benners and Mattie on the Nemo ride





Ryan,Vicki,Ben, Little Nate, Jacob, Nathan, Mattie, Hailey, Brianna, Andrea

This restaurant is so cool. The entire back wall is glass so you can watch the aquarium activities, they even had scuba divers entertaining us. I also ate here when I came as kid with my family





Jacob & Nate, and my three stinkies in a shark. The pictures didn't come out very well.



The aquarium Ben just loved it. He watched all the fish's swim by, and squealed with delight.



The Owens' and The Crane's outside of the Nemo ride.


I wanted the kids to be able to meet the characters but I knew they wouldn't be able to handle waiting in line for 45 minutes. So while everyone else went to see Hunny I shrunk the audience. Which hasn't changed any since I was a kid and we went there like 20 years ago. I went and stood in line to see the characters. Ryan, Mattie, and the kids walked in in perfect time, there were like 3 families in front of me, so they hoped in line with me.






I think Pluto had a thing for Mattie. she was helping me out getting the kids book signed while I took pictures. After Pluto signed their books he reached out and grabbed Mattie and gave her a great big hug.


Ben was having no part of the characters unless Ryan and I were with him so Ryan had to stand in all the pictures. Hailey was so excited to see Minnie To show her her Minnie ears and her Minnie shirt.



Minnie tried really hard to get Ben to come to her but he was having no part of it.



My Goofy family with Goofy. Hailey asked me if Pluto and goofy were both dog why Pluto walked around on all fours and didn't' talk and goofy walked on two legs and talked. I couldn't answer her question.



I usually take my own stroller but a couple people were like oh just rent one so that's what I did. I was so annoyed at what I ended up paying for it for 4 days. But oh well I know better for next time. I'll take my own stroller. The nice part was my 3 kids figured out a way that all 3 of them could get in the stroller. And since they all way nothing I didn't have to drag anyone along.


Brianna, Jacob, and Little Nate in the thing in Canada. Hailey must have been in the stroller with Ben.




Hailey With Sleeping Beauty and Bell. Hailey is right on the edge of still wanting to see characters. If there wasn't a line she wanted to get their autograph but if there was a line she would have to wait in she would say nope I don't want to see them.




Poor Ben the days were so long for him. He would just crash in the stroller.





Hay & I waiting to watch a show in France.

Me and Benners, Hailey & Mattie watching the Drummers in Japan.




Buildings in the untied states





Germany


China where we stopped and ate Dinner

Mexico. By the time we got out of dinner it was already dark so my last pictures didn't turn out so well.


The Epcot Ball with the water fountain in front of it.
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Fall Garden Part 2

our garden is coming along nicely Everything is budding.

Magnolias

Green Beans

Broccoli

The carrots haven't started budding yet. I think it's still to hot for them.

Jacob and Ben

I came home from my Primary presidency meeting and I peeked in to check on the kids and re tuck them in. Hay was sleeping away but when I went to check on the boys Jacob wasn't in his bed, so I assumed he was in bed with Ryan. But when I went to check on Benners this is what I found. Because the room was dark at first I was confused but then I realized the boys were in Ben's crib together. So I had to flip on the light and get a picture. Brotherly Love.

Luke & Maddie's Birthday Party

our next door neighbors and very good friends have 2 cute little kids and their birthdays our Days apart. Maddie Mo turned one and Lukie turned 4



What a great mom Renee is. She made home made cakes for each of the kids.








The cute Davis Family. Renee, Tim, Lucas and baby Maddie


For some reason I didn't take any pictures of Lucas opening his presents. I must love Maddie more.




This is our other friend Carrie's baby who is also 1 year old. His name is also Benjamin. We were comparing their sizes.




All of the kids at the party


Addy, Hailey, Luke, Jacob, and Alex

Brad Paisley

Mom and I went to Brad Paisley when I was pregnant with Hay so what was that 7 years ago? Well when mom found out he was coming to town she told me she was buying us tickets to go. Was a great deal for me I get to see one of my favorite singers for free.

The opening acts were Jimmy Wayne who sings "Do you believe me now"



Me and one of my BFF's my Momma

Another opening act was Dierks Bentley who was fantastic who is from Scottsdale, and sings a ton of great songs, my favorite is "Settle for a slow down"




Carol (mom) and I at the concert. We had such a good time.





And our favorite Brad Paisley We just love him. He has so many wonderful songs I couldn't pick a favorite if I wanted to.






It was great they had 3 huge screens up and they played the video for each song while he sang it. We had such a great time we were so tired and worn out by the end of the night.




This video was for Waiting on a woman.




Then my Battery died so I got no more pictures after this.

Fall Garden

Back when I didn't have 3 kids and a huge church calling Ryan and I made a square foot garden box. Well Life has been so busy that I haven't planted anything for several seasons. Those of you who don't live in AZ we have 2 growing seasons here one in the spring and one in the fall. So this year I took the time and did it. I went online to the agricultural website found out what was good to plant this time of year and planted my garden. I have to put a fence around mine or my dog gets in it and eat's my plants. So I locked poor Ben outside the fence but I let the big kids come in and help me.






We planted Green beans, Broccoli, and Carrots and one box of marigolds because someone told me one time that marigolds keep afids away. Several years ago I planted Asparagus and they all died but one plant. And that one plant just keeps hanging on. When there's nothing else alive in the garden and I forget to water it it still continues to grow. It must have found an underground water source somehow.

Primary Activity

For our Quarterly Primary activity we did scripture in a bag. Which is we put together a bag full of house hold items and they had to make a skit out of them to go with a particular scripture. My pictures turned out really crummy. So sorry for the poor quality.

These are the groups putting their skits together.




Brother Morris & Brother Johanson's group did Danielle in the Lions Den.



Sister Potter and Sister Hansen's group did the story of Abinadi


Sister Evans and Sister Davenports group did David and Goliath



Sister Takahashi & Sister Winchell's group did Noah's ark



Sister Smith & Sister Milius's group did Joseph and his coat of many colors. On a side note this was the bag I put together. Do you like my towels and Hailey's head bands?



Sister Christensen's group did Alma the Younger. on another Side note this was the group my cute kids were in. Jacob was Alma the Elder and Hailey was the Angel. She told sister Christensen that "I should be the angel because that's what my mommy calls me"



The kids all did a great job. The Adults did a great job of helping the kids put their props together and making up lines. They had a great time. I just wish I would have gotten better pictures.

Poor Boy

We went on a bike Ride to Lucinda's and about half way there I turned around and Jacob had fallen asleep.

Tramatic Bike experience

just had a traumatic bike experience. we rode to the other end of the neighborhood, As we are headed home it's getting dark and about 1/2 way home the chain falls off of Hays bike. Do you think any of the dozens of cars that passed us stopped an...d helped? NO! So I tried to fix the chain and had no idea what i was doing so called my friends hubby and he came and saved us. Thank you so much Brother Fish.

Bowling

We went bowling with our friends Matt and Tammy and their little girl Maddie.

Me showing off my mad bowling skills. I really like to bowl, I'm just not very good at it. If I break 100 then I've had a great game. In fact this game. Hailey got a higher score then I did. But she got to use the gutter bumbers and Ryan wouldn't let me, so really she cheated.

Jacob showing off his mad skills. Good thing for gutter bumbers.

Hailey & Maddie

Matt and Ryan strutting their stuff. I felt bad Ryan asked me like 3 times to bring him a change of clothes. I even set them out, but I walked off with out them. He was super mad at me and I don't blame him, poor guy had to bowl in his work clothes.

My cute girl posing and Big Ben hanging out with daddy. He wasn't very happy that we wouldn't let him have a bowling ball.


The kids were hiding and the guys were pretending to be monsters that were trying to get them. so they were all screaming. it was like we had 6 children with us instead of just 4.


We ordered some sort of ice cream brownie dessert. Everyone had a bite or two and Ben ate the rest. He ate it with such gusto that his shirt was soaked in melted ice cream. We had to take his shirt off and let him run around shirtless. We had white trash baby.

Chocolate covered boys

We had doughnuts for breakfast, the boys enjoyed them so much. My mom use to say you can tell when a little kids really enjoying something they eat by how much of it they get on their face.

Peaches

I canned peaches this year. Bashas had them on sale, so i bought two cases and got busy. It was a lot of work But I was excited to add the Peaches to our food storage.

Down town Mesa

We went out with our friends Matt and Tammy and their little girl Maddie. We went and had Mexican Hot dogs which look really gross but they are so good. They are wrapped in bacon and then covered in everything. Beans, salsa, mayo, mustard, onions, guacamole. and tons of other stuff. I know it sounds gross but they are so good. Then we headed to down town mesa where there was a art festival thing going on. It was kind of a flop, but it didn't matter because we just had fun hanging out. If you've been to down town Mesa you know they have all these weird different statues. They kids decided to climb all over the polar bear.

Artist in training

Benners got a hold of one of the big kids pencils and drew all over my fridge. I started taking pictures to send to Ryan to show him what "his" son had done. Every time I snapped a picture the stinky little baby would say "cheese" So I snapped couple of the stinky little artist.

Picnic On Mt Graham

Before we went home we went up Mt. Graham and had a pick nick. The kids had a great time. Poor Ben fell asleep in the car on the way up in the mountain, so he missed most of the fun.


More Frisbee time with Daddy & pooh Pa




Pooh Pa & Tahsa with the kids.



A good picture and a silly picture of the crazy Owens five






My 4 favorite people


Me and my cute Baby Boy

Safford

The kids begged Tasha to let them pick vegetables, so they got to help pick peppers. They really thought they were big stuff. I'm sure they picked more peppers then Tasha and Pooh Pa needed but they enjoyed it. Daddy entertained Ben to keep him out of the garden.





The kids played Frisbee and football with Daddy & Pooh Pa for forever.








We finally had to force them to go in the house because it was dark. But they wanted to keep playing even though they couldn't see in front of them.


My cute family. I love them they are so entertaining

Fishing with Pooh Pa

We took the kids up Mt. Graham to go fishing


Cute Boys



Cute kids. Ben loved the mud. He played in it all day.



Poor Ryan having to help all the kids with their lines.



My cute boys. Trying to fish, and being in the way.



My Cute girl fishing and with Flat Trinity


We didn't catch anything but Seaweed. But we had a good time trying to catch fish.



Me and my cute boys. I was trying to help Jacob fish, but Ben was trying to help us both. But he is not super helpful.


This is the water fall we drove by half way up the mountain. We stopped so the kids could check it out.

Safford

We went to Safford for Labor Day. To spend the weekend with Steve & Tasha. The kids were trying to talk Tasha into letting them play on her computer. I think they eventually got her talked into it.


We told the kids to get in bed. So Ben ran in there and jumped in the Big kids bed with them. He thinks he's a big kid too. He was not very happy when we made him get out and get in his play pen.

Flat Trinity

We have these friends in Denver Kim & Andy. Andy and I have been friends since Jr. High. So his little girl Trinity was doing the Flat Stanley project. For those of you not familiar with "flat Stanley" it is a children's book about a boy who gets squashed and his family puts him in the mail and sends him places. So Trinity sent us her "flat trinity" and she hung out with us. Hailey loved playing with her. She was always wanting me to take pictures of her doing different things with her.

Ben in a box

Who needs toys when you've got an empty diaper box to play in.

Hay bug got involved in the pictures

A boy and his dog

My cute baby boy and our stinky dog.

Breathing treatment

Hailey hasn't needed a breathing treatment in a long time so Ben had never seen her have one. So he climbed up on the couch with her and was very interested in it until Hailey jokingly growled at him when he went to touch her mask. It scared him to death, and he curled up in my arms and cried for 5 minutes.

Rock Band

No family visit would be complete with out a round of rock band

Owens Lake Trip

While Chris & Toni were here we went to the lake. We left Ben & Jacob at home with the Lucinda.

Us chilling on the boat.

Me and my cute girl and Toni looking good.


I'm not sure why Ashley's giving me the evil eye but she is. Flex those muscles.


Mammy & Ryan Styling on the boat




Ryan & Jammie Aren't' they cute. Chris & Toni strutting their stuff.






Chris Skiing and slaloming


Ryan Skiing and slalome skiing


Ashley showing her stuff

Mammy showing her stuff





Jammie skiing




me skiing, crossing the wake and my first time slaloming. I had never dropped a ski before.





We stopped at the little beach down the canyon and ate our snack and let Hailey play in the sand she made a hole and filled it with water.



Hailey loves the shark(Banana) she wouldn't let Ryan drive very fast. She kept telling him slower. But Uncle Chris figured out how to do it with out her noticing. He just slowly sped up and she had a blast.





They found a rope swing that someone had left behind, and they took turns. Hailey, Toni and I declined our turns but the rest of them had a good time

Ryan & Ashley


Chris and Jammie



Ashley & Mandy


Hailey was scared to get in the water, but somehow Aunt Ashley talked her into getting in.

All of us in the water



The nerds were all trying to stick their legs in the air.

Rock Climbing

We went Rock Climbing while Chris and Toni were here. I had no desire to do it but I went along because that's what everyone wanted to do. It was so much fun. I really enjoyed it.


I'm not really sure what they are doing but they sure look like they're having fun.



We learned how to climb and belay first before he let us loose on our own.
Toni and Mandy showing their skills



Grandma entertaining Big Ben, Ryan climbing I know it looks like he's using that ladder, but i promise it's just a trick of the eye.


Me and Jammie almost to the top. Reach Jammie reach!!!


Chris showing his belaying skills.


Ryan entertaining Big Ben


Mandy at the top.


Chris at the top and Toni working her way to the top.


Owens' having fun Mandy, Ryan, Chris, Ashley, and Jacob



Chris & Ashley may be their racing to the top. who will win? Jammie at the top


Jacob & Aunt Ashley

Me & Ryan. I'm getting ready to climb. Me almost to the top


Me next to the wall I just climbed. It was called stuck in the corner. Ashley showing her mad skills


They had a little kid climbing area. Jacob was fine with climbing up but then he would refuse to come back down so one of us would have to climb up and help him down.

Ben loved the little kids climbing wall. He went up and down a dozen times. The only problem was he wasn't very good at the down. He would try to jump down instead of climbing down.

Attacking Uncle Chris

The kids love Uncle Chris. He plays rough with them like their daddy does. The problem is when uncle Chris gets tired and ready to be done the kids are still wanting to play. So they keep attacking him to try to get him to play with them. Poor Uncle Chris. Luckily he got to go back to Grandma Jammie's house to have some peace.

My super smart girl

Hailey's teacher called today to let me know that they had almost finished there beginning of the year testing, She told me Hailey was reading at the 4th grade level. So they would be moving her up to the highest 2nd grade reading group and they had to do another test but if she did as well on that test as she had on all the others she would be moving her up into the 3rd grade class for her reading. I'm so proud of her. She's so smart. I just love that she's not struggling. Now we just have to work on her handwriting and we'll be good to go.