Speed...I am Speed!

This year for Rick's birthday we kinda went a long the same lines as Emma's birthday party, except we changed the theme to CARS!  We had the swimming pool out, the slip n slide and the the tramp, but we also had a water balloon sling shot that these boys just loved.  Rick just loves to play and be in the water, so it was easy to throw this together in the back yard and just 2 weeks after we had Emma's party.  Our little Man turned 4 and he is growing up too fast.  Happy Birthday Rick. We sure love you!

 

Aloha Birthday Girl!

This year Emma wanted a Luau birthday party.  So we set up the kiddie pool, a slip and slide, and a sprinkler under the tramp for all the friends to play on.  We decorated the backyard to be all luau, we had a limbo contest and a hula hoop contest.  The girls ate pizza and cake and then hit a tiki pinata and had a RIO cupcake cake.   Was a lot of fun, can't believe my little girl is 8 years old. SO grown up. Happy Birthday my little Emma(nem).  Love you!

Emma's Baptism

            
On Aug 6th our little Emma got baptized by her daddy.  What a special day it was.  So special to see her be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  For her special day I gave her a scrapbook journal, a CTR necklace, new scripture bag, scripture marker, Book of Mormon, and a baptism towel that my good friend Amy used her embroidery machine to put her name and date on it.  I also gave her a handkerchief with her name on it and a poem:

As you're Baptized

You have chosen to be baptized; To start your life anew,

Following in Christ's footsteps- For you know the Gospel's true,

When our lives are clean and spotless, The Holy Ghost can guide;

A companion and a prompter- He'll stay always at your side,

For your reflections of today, I give a gift to you;

Symbolic of these sacred vows, And of the Gospel true,

So clean and white, this hanky- Like you've become today;

When you vowed to follow Jesus, And your sins were washed away,

To follow in Christ's footsteps- The commandments to obey-

To remember His atonement, And for repentance, pray,

Remember God is near you; His love for you is great,

Stay near the straight and narrow path, Where lasting blessings wait.

Afterwards we met with friends at Emma's favorite restaurant "The Cracker Barrel" to share a meal. we have so many amazing friends that are close as family and we really appreciate the ward family we have here in TN.

Utah Fun, Road Trip 2011- part 4

On June 23rd we said goodbye to Spearfish and headed to Utah.  Its was a 4 car train as Me, my brother Jay and his family, my parents, and sister Heather and family heading to Utah.   Heather and Trav stayed one night and then headed home to San Diego.    Before they left we got one shot of all the grandkids and the grandparents.  This photo above was the best it was gonna get.

The next day Nick surprised me with a hotel stay at the Anniversary Inn theme rooms, we stayed in the Eqyptian room and it was nice to spend some time alone together. 

On Sunday we went to Lagoon with Dylan and Brandon. Kids loved Lagoon and still talk about going back. Emma passed out on the Wicked ride, but her favorite was the new surf ride.  Rick loved all the kiddie rides and playing games to win prizes.  We also had fun swimming in Lagoon a beach.

We also enjoyed riding on the 4-wheeler in the field behind Grandma and Grandpa Hamiltons house.

Every year on the first weekend of July is the Cache Valley Cruise In.  So awesome to walk around and see the classic cars, Rick and Daddy were in heaven.  Me and Emma were more interested in the booths and shopping.  We saw the Batmobile that was featured in the 95 movie, and we found Bumblebee, Rick was just loving it.  On opening night of the Cruise In, the Beach Boys put on a show,  Nick bought tickets and we went with his Dad Art and his wife.  Such a fun concert, we had fun dancing around and enjoying all my favorite Beach boys songs, this was the 2nd time I had seen them in concert.

We then met up with some of Nick's family to the stadium fireworks show with Diamond Rio, Rick fell asleep during the loud fireworks show, but the kids had fun and really enjoyed themselves.

Emma and her favorite uncle Dylan

The family at Temple Square.  Marianne and Kris were sealed exactly 1 year after they were married.  it was so great to be there with them. 

We then headed down to St George to visit Nicks sister Rebecca and family.  On the way down we called to confirm some flights and car rental info and found out that the rental charge was going to be really hefty and made the decision to drive back instead of flying to avoid a huge fee for returning the car in Salt Lake.  so we had to cut our trip a day short to drive back.  The kids did amazing in the car, if they hadn't- mom and dad wouldn't have made it.  Rick and Emma got a new toy for being so great on the long trip back.

Some pics of the beautiful scenery on the way home

It was such a great trip to see friends and family we hadn't seen in such a long time.   I really enjoyed our trip except maybe the long drive.  I am so grateful to family and friends we got to visit.

Love you all!

Mount Rushmore, Road Trip 2011 Part 3

June 22nd we set off the see Mount Rushmore.  It was a beautiful day and it was fun to spend it

with the family.  Holly and Jared didn't go with us, but we had a lot of fun hiking around the

mountain and going on the zip line.

Spearfish South Dakota, Road Trip 2011 part 2

We finally arrived in Spearfish South Dakota on Sunday night of the 19th for Holly and Jared's wedding on June 21st.  It was SO GREAT to see family and hang out with them for the next few days.  Holly and Jared live on 5 acres and are very self reliant.  They have a river that runs through the property and it has a water wheel hooked up to it to water the organic garden, they have solar pannels for electricity, a chicken coop,  and a man made sauna.  I am very impressed for what they have done with the land.  It was so great to see Heather and Travis, I hadn't seen them in over 3 years.  I got to meet my new neice Stella, who is such a doll, I was just wrapped around her little finger. 

                                      Rick and Emma loved swinging on the rope over the river.

            Rick and Jackson are only 3 months apart and just hung out together all week

Me and my Sisters Holly and Heather went and got Pedicures for the wedding!

Holly and Jared Capp got married at the court house on the morning of June 21st,

That afternoon family and friends gathered on their land for an exchange of the rings and

some vows along with a few friends and family sharing stories of the happy couple.  Then

we had a bbq and music as we partied the rest of the evening.

The sisters kiss on the cheek (its a tradition)

The happy couple with mom and dad

Emma trying on the flower head band

Heather and Baby Stella

Mom and Carson

Little Stella, how cute she is!

Father Daughter Dance

Jackson and Rick love Uncle Brandon

Me and the girls wearing sarongs and trying out the sauna.

Rick loves his aunt Holly

Me and little Stella

It was so great to be able to come to the wedding and spend some time with Holly and Jared.  They

are really happy and really glad I got to be here with them.