Road to Reunion and then some!!!

***Road to Reunion***

This was the mother of all road trips!!! Many hours, or should I say days, in the car led to many hours of fun with the people we love the most!

A whole lot of ELMERS!!! Eighty-Nine to be exact. We were only missing 6 family members who were never far from our thoughts. We missed you Mom, Dad, Annie, Amanda, Emily, and Carl!



Every T-shirt was numbered according to when each person came into the fam. Every number counts!

I love this picture of Amy!

Elmer Reunion = Games, Games and more Games

Day Games
And of course the Money Dig
Little Ella kept giving every coin she found to the diggers around her. She didn't pick up on that whole "Finders Keepers" thing. We will have to train her for next time.Then, there are the Night Games. Every night at the same place, the same time, you'd hear a whole lot of laughing mixed in with a whole lot of trash talkin'. There was usually 4-5 different games going on at the same time.


It can get pretty serious.It's always fun!!!And there is a whole lot of this... See you gamers at the next reunion Thanks for the Memories! It was an unforgettable "Road to Reunion" - Love you all!!!!


Next, we squeezed in a trip to the new OquirrhTemple! We made it through without Ella showing off her lungs! I laughed at this pic because it's more parking lot than temple. The kids were ready to go, but I had to stop to document that we did it! Love this temple!

Just keepin' the tradition alive at Strawberry Reservoir. Dad and Mom these are for you.

Uncle Rob as The driver, The pole fixer, and The line untangler.
Who said princesses don't fish. She even had her sparkle shoes on in the boat.


Ella and Me.

There is always one who falls asleep.

***Next destination: Pasco, Washington***

Things I remember about this week:

Suz tackling a crazy canyon

Dutch Oven Cooking

Dental work and more dental work. We love you Dr. Rob

Boating with the Andelin's

Cinnamon Rolls

Swimming on a very cold day

So You Think You Can Dance

Creating Frames of our Family Roots

Hot and Cold Money Game with Suz and Kendall

Oh, and most of all...

Cousins laughing and playing and playing and laughing.

That's what it's all about!!!

Next, ***Sick Road back to UTAH***

Suz, thanks for taking care of a very sick me on the way back.

I couldn't stay sick for long. There was more fun to be had with more of our favorite people!

The Christensen's!!!

Pony Rides at Thanksgiving Point.
Every kid needs a big brother like Coy.

Ice Cream with Jake and Zack


We love our night with Grandma and Grandpa Walker. It's always one of our favorite things to do in Utah. It's precious time! We sit outside and laugh and talk, pick garden vegetables, ride the horse swings, play in the sprinklers, and eat ice cream. It doesn't get any better than that. Plus the view is remarkable!

A favorite feature at Grandma Anna's and Papa Roger's house is the Trampoline. Matt can still do his back flip at the ripe old age 33. Love ya Matty!

Two silly girls having the time of their lives!

Then there is this one who would rather be drinking out of the fountain than jumping on the tramp.

They say that "All good things must come to an end"!

We love you Christensen Family!!!

and

in the words of Ella, "We'll be right back!"

***Road back to Texas***

Leaving our mark at the Hole In The Rock!

THE END!

We aren't home... we're at the pool!

Texas heat has been blistering this summer. I'm not exaggerating when I say we've spent the summer at the pool. I'm actually going out on a limb to say my legs are no longer bright white. Now, they're more of an off white! Yay for me!

All day... Every day.... Swimming... Swimming... and more Swimming!!

Aliva's hair even started to turn green!

Gold swimmers! Grace, Livi, and Ella Swam for money at Joe and Steph's 4th of July Party

Everyone walked away with lots and lots!!!

We stopped swimming for a day to welcome these honorable missionaries home. Welcome back Jeff and Peg. They are happy to be on US soil again!!!

Blurry but so sweet

When I'm not swimming with my kids you can find me admiring this craziness.

There have been many towers constructed and built, but non like this. I know... I'm at a loss for words as well. What can I say, I love my yarn!!!

My latest creations from my loved fibers!

Lil' Toppers!!!

Cradled Blue Jean Baby

Cradled in Cream

Delivered via stork!

You won't be able to stop laughing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQcVllWpwGs

And.... It's over!

First Day of First Grade

Last Day of First Grade

You don't realize how they change until you look at a pic from the past. She's taller, wiser, and she's lost a few teeth in the process (8)!

Winding up scenes of first grade involved:

1) A field trip to the Dallas Aquarium

Grace and her friends. I was wondering were all the girls were?

(Seriously... pray for me!!!!)

Grace and Jailin. Jailin is Gracie's friend from church. They are great buddies!

2) Field Day and Class Party!

Braven, Grace, and Mason

There was one day I remember opening up Gracie's folder and finding lots of little heart notes from these two admirers.

The highlight of Field Day is the Tug of War contest! Mrs. Mooney's class came in second place. I think the parents get into it more than the kids. Before they started tugging there was some serious strategies and advise from parents on how to hold the rope, where to stand, explanations on how to dig your heels into the dirt and bend at the knees. Ya gotta love it!

Gracie won an award at school yesterday! I'm a proud and grateful mom of a graduated first grader. She has examplary behavior at school and at home! I love you Missy Grace!

Off to school for one last day! She wrote a note to her teacher, and you know I opened it and read it in secret.

It read... "Dear Mrs. Mooney, thanks for making me a great success."

She has always had a way with words!

GOOD-BYE FIRST GRADE!

Face to Face

Alivia meets the sidewalk face to face - literally!

The sidewalk was unforgiving.

A pretty girl that's pretty scraped up!

I actually think she is liking all the attention she has been getting. She likes telling the story of her bad run in with the sidewalk.

Alivia said, "Mom can you blog this?"

Round and Round we go!!!

Round 1: There is always fun memories to be had at the annual family camp out. My kids are most happy when they are camping. Mom is most happy when she can camp and them go home and sleep in her cozy bed!!!

This was my favorite skit: You know, the old time machine skit.

Mark went in the time machine

And Mark came out of the time machine. There's nothing like a grown man in a diaper with a hair bow in his hair.

I know this pic is blurry, but I love it anyway. Stephen and Grace were inseperable! Gracie was so sad to say goodbye to Stephen the next day. She cried and cried. She was devastated at the idea of only getting to see him once a year at the family camp out.

Round 2: We have really been doing a whole lot of nothin' around here.

This is Dad getting pampered at home. Gracie was referring to him as "Your Highness". It was complete with lotion being rubbed on Matt's hands and feet, a fan, and some apples. Every detail was perfect even down to the blanket fluffing!

Round 3: Gracie was so excited that school was closed because of Swine Flu! They decided to celebrate by dancing in the Texas rain.

Round 4: Grandam T and Papa J, this one's for you!

This is the reaction I got when I told Ella she couldn't open her box until her birthday party. If there was sound on this picture your speakers would be sure to blow.

That battle was not worth fighting. Come to think of it, there are many battles not worth fighting when Ella starts to scream!

She is a happy girl when she gets her way!!!