Monday, September 22, 2014

Pictures from the iPhone Make me Smile

Since I only have a minute I thought I would catch up on a few misc moments as caught on the iPhone this month.  A lot of them make me laugh as I look back through them.  

This is pretty telling of this month...usually on the first day of school I bake special cookies for when the kids come home.  This year, it was was treats at Maverick.  No time for baking cookies!  

The Elementary Crew got to hang out at the High School while I finished registering Joshua for his Sophomore Classes.  

The days are getting shorter, and as usual, I can't help myself snapping pictures during my favorite time of the day.  

I took Joshua's phone away one day for some minor infraction.  Sophie and I posed and reset all his screen savers to this. "I love my Mom" pictures!  Unfortunately, that feature doesn't have a passcode to lock it...he changed it right away upon getting his phone back.  I don't know why he would not want this as his screen saver. Sheesh, kids these days. 

My favorite tree at our house.  I told Ryan when we move to our new house we need to plant this one right away.  Then I discovered our new house has the same tree!  I had not noticed it before!  Yahoo!

Dear Judy, Thank you so much for giving Ryan Papa's old leather jacket from the 90s.  When paired with Ryan's favorite BYU sweats, it really makes for the perfect work attire for this hard working engineer.   
We all can't help snicker whenever we see Dad hard at work in his leather jacket.  Hey, it keeps him from getting the chills and that's all the matters...or so I have been told. 

Disclaimer:  I stole this off the internet.  My dear friends and I have been passing pregnancy pictures via text back in forth that we find on photography sites and whatnot.  I wonder if my kids will be sad I never got a belly snapshot when I was prego...especially with some teddybears.  Kidding.  These type of photos leave me feeling very confused.  

The flowers at the temple a couple weeks ago were just gorgeous!  I was in a huge hurry and literally snapped these running in my heals.  Still so beautiful!  


Some people can't wait to get home to test out the raspberries.  

We went to the Parade of Homes in Idaho Falls this weekend.  I don't feel super legit posting lot of pics since most you were not even supposed to take pictures.  However, most of these I am just showing because they make me laugh.  And some are really cool so I snuck a few in.  The pictures are all terrible lighting and quality.  

I love this screened in porch.  

We loved this medicine cabinet and I think I love Ryan showcasing it even more. 

This whole house was so classic and traditional...and so beautiful.  What girl would not love that great window seat to read a book on? 

Their theater room was the best theater room I have ever been in.  I wanted to get a picture so Ryan and Michael posed in a warm brotherly embrace. 

The pictures of Carly make me laugh the most.  Since she is due in less than a month...she especially appreciated the reclining chairs and I think she would have been happy to stay there for the remainder of the tour. 

Carly said the seats had warming and cooling features...sweet. 

We thought it was especially cool that they had a little stage up by the screen.  We figured if we were ever so lucky to have such a room, the kids could get up on the stage and perform for us.  Michael demonstrated the possibilities with a little jig. 

And then we found the workout room...aka "Heaven".  Carly said this massage chair was better than getting a real massage.

I really don't think she wanted to leave.  Ryan was trying to check out the brand of chair it was...as if we are going to be getting one any day now. 

A few more beauties from another house...


I will say this...there are a lot of happy little girls in some sweet bedrooms. 

More pictures of Carly, just because I think it is funny to harass people who are 9 months pregnant.  This is her trying to catch up with us fast-non-pregnant people. 

My favorite thing on the tour?  We have ALWAYS wanted to do this in the boys bathroom...and  we are not alone!  Someone else thinks it is a great idea and they actually did it. Nothing more fabulous to me!  

And we wanted to do this same thing...
Locker room/MTC style....one drain in the bathroom, spray the whole thing down.  What is not to like!!!???  With my four boys, I am all over this! It was so fun to see it actually done. 

And I leave you with....a laundry room.  
That is what my laundry room looks like, doesn't yours? 

Yesterday evening, I stopped by Jennifer's to chat with her and Heather while Abigail modeled her Homecoming dress for me.  Sooooooo cute! 

 For some reason on my phone there are several "church" pictures.  Here's Joshua and I during church in Bear Lake.  

Ryan said we were being inappropriate doing our nails in church. 

The next week Ryan snapped this at Stake Conference.  He said it was perfect cause he caught me giving him the "you are being inappropriate look".  I guess we are even.  

And finally, it is never inappropriate to snap 20 million pictures every evening because the sky is just so beautiful.  I am so grateful for beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  What a beautiful world we live in.  And guess what?  Even if you will never live in a home that looks anything like a "Parade of Homes" tour.  Sunsets are FO FREE.  That's right.  Heavenly Father blessed the rich and the poor equally with the sun in the sky and beautiful clouds.  Glad we don't have to pay because they would be worth a million bucks fo sure. 





Saturday, September 6, 2014

4th of July at the River

Idaho Falls has the second largest 4th of July Fireworks in the COUNTRY.  You heard me right....ranked right below Philly.  They last about 30 minutes and every minute looks like a Grand Finale.  It doesn't get dark until after ten at night so we just play cards, people watch, and eat while we are waiting for the party.  The real show really is the people watching part.  

Card playing...

A little football...

These two were sporting their new 4th of July Maxi Skirts.  

I need my family to jump on the photography thing. Whenever I ask someone to take my picture it is blurry, or cuts half of us off...you get the idea.  (A kind lady at the river was the photo taker this time and most were not so great, but hey-we got one!)


This was my favorite picture of the night.  
 Those guys are my sister-in-law Melissa's parents (who are our kind neighbors/friends).  He is in the Stake Presidency and she is in the RS Presidency.  My kids have been known to sneak out and escape to their house.  They make themselves at home, get some yummy food, and think about moving in. 

I love these pictures of Will and Sophie. 



Who would have guessed Will could have taken Sophie down...I remember when the twins were just teeny wheeny coming home from the hospital, maybe four or so pounds and Sophie was a chunky 20 lbs.  What Will may lack in chunk he makes up in spunk, even with a broken collarbone. 

Joshua

James

Cousin Lauren and her newest little cousin on the other side.  

And that is a wrap on our 4th of July.   I sure miss it staying light that long!  By the time the fireworks finally start, we have to be packed up because we beeline it to the car so we don't get caught in traffic.  The 4th of July is our Christmas of the Summer, and now it seems we are cruising towards Christmas and it will be here before we know it!

Friday, September 5, 2014

Slip and Sliding

Every Fourth of July we go to my Mom's house for a BBQ and she sets up a giant Slip-n-Slide for the kids.  This year we had an extra huge crowd since my brother-in-law's family joined us and also some good friends of my brother's from England.  We had to show him how we do it here in America. :)  

 Holden taking one of the twins down...or I should say it looks like one of the twins is taking Holden down.  :)

Luke

Joshua

Alexis and Emmaline

James

Holden, Michael, and the Twins

James

I don't know why...I had a ton of pictures of James.  I think he had a lot of fun!

Chloe

James again....

Here comes Annie...

I can't tell if Isabelle is happy or in pain.  

Nic

Abigail

Chloe

Sophie was happy to watch from the side...

Will  (I think!)

Wonder what these girls were chatting about...

Or these girls...

I also wonder why Joshua thinks this is a good face to make when I try and take his picture.  

 I wonder if my mom will be mad at me for posting this cute picture of her sporting Grandpa's Hat.  

Michael

I think Chloe took this picture for me....she took a bunch of pretty landscaping pictures around the yard. 

This little guy was all worn out after a fun day in the sun. 

 We really all need a nap on the 4th of July...it is one exhausting holiday in these parts!
This year I decided to skip the parade in the morning.  You have to be up and out the door early, then you come home and party all day at Grandma's...and then it is off to Fireworks at the River that don't start until after 10pm. It is insanely long for the little ones so I decided not to wake most of the kids up for the parade.  BIG MISTAKE, they were not happy when they woke up and realized that we missed it. 
 "That is my favorite thing on the 4th of July!"  
"What?  How could we miss it?" 

 Lots of moaning took place.  Oh, well. I still think the sleep was worth it!