One I don't want to forget for sure...

While visiting family in Utah, Luke had had a long hard day of playing with cousins.  It was getting about time for bed and he was walking up the stairs with Lance right behind him.  He stopped after about the third or fourth stair, turned around and said to Lance, "Daddy, my batteries are dead.  Can you carry me?" 

Funny kid!

Things Luke says

"Come on Laneybug! We have fun to do!" Then he takes his little sister by the hand and leads her off on their adventure.

"But, why?" VERY frequently. Then when the question is answered, followed with several other "but whys" until I usually end up saying, "Because that's just how it is." :)

Delaney's 1st Birthday!!!

During our last week of staying in Utah, Delaney turned 1. I had some really cute Ladybug themed birthday stuff I was going to use for her first birthday, but of course I forgot to pack the box. Oh well! Here are some pictures celebrating our baby girl!

The cake. I divided up the batter and colored it red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple just for fun.

Here's Lucas looking in such nail-biting anticipation to EAT THE CAKE already!!!!

The best Daddy and his birthday girl!

Helping Laneybug blow out the candle.

Not quite sure what this is...let me poke at it a bit and I'll let ya know.

Hmmm...Taste it....

Love it!

Roll it.

Maybe dad should help.

That seemed to do the trick. There was no turing back from this point.

She looks rather unimpressed at this point, doesn't she? She's like...okay...I ate it and made a mess of myself...now what?

Courtesy smile. :)

"I call this look Blue Ice."

HaPpY BiRtHdAy baby girl!

This year has gone by way too fast! You are such a joy and blessing in our lives! You're quick to smile and such a happy baby! We love you!!!

And we're off!!!

Delaney has been walking for a couple weeks now. One day she just decided to take off. My baby girl is getting so big. :( It sure is fun now that she walks though. She just gets her little self wherever she wants. :) Here's some video.

Cutest kids...EVER!!!

As if Lucas didn't look enough like Lance already...I gave him a big boy haircut just like dad. He thinks it's pretty cool and I think he looks so handsome, but it sure makes him look like such a big boy. :( It was combed much better for church today. This was taken later this evening, but you get the basic idea.

And here's a couple pictures of Delaney's "new do". Pig tails! :) She's such a cutie!

The cutest piggies of all!

I love painting tiny piggies to match mine. :) It will just get more and more fun as she learns to like having her toes painted...not to mention sooooooo much easier!

WHOA! My garden?

Upon returning home from my three week visit to Utah, I fully expected to find my garden completely dead. Instead I found this...

A green jungle. Can you spot the garden plot??? LOL

After about three hours of weeding, this is what FINALLY turned up.


Along with this...my poor hand. I don't like to weed with gloves because I can't grasp the weeds as well and usually just end up breaking them off instead of getting the root. So...if my hand looks like I dipped it in a pot of scalding hot water and burned it...that's how it felt. My skin burned for quite a few days...not to mention the soreness of the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Then after that was all over, boy did I get some WiCkEd calluses. Hurray! ;)

Utah Trip: Part 2...PICTURE OVERLOAD

The second week of Utah I spent four days with my sister and her family in Brigham City. We went to the midnight showing of Eclipse which was really fun. I had never been to a opening showing like that. It was quite the experience with all the teen aged screamin girls. :) We hung out, did some crafting, swam in their above ground pool, celebrated Jaden's 11th birthday, played some rockband and just chillaxed. We had so much fun and it was good to spend time with her and the fam. Sorry, no pictures...we really need to get a new camera!

The next week Lance flew back into Utah and we spent the remainder of our trip with his family. We first stayed at his Aunt Katie and Uncle Ron's cabin in Island Park, ID. That was a lot of fun. They keep three 4-wheelers up there which Luke absolutely LOVED riding on. I didn't get any pictures... :( We floated down the river, played lots of games, toasted marshmallows and hot dogs, had a parade and ate WAY toooo much junk!!!
After the cabin we went back to Lance's folks house and stayed the rest of our trip. We had another parade around the turn-about they have in the front of their house on the 5th of July. All the grandkids decorate a bike or scooter with streamers and ribbons and ride around the circle a couple times while the parents and Mimi and Papa stand and cheer. Then Uncle Mike drives around in his car with some patriotic decorations, honks and throws candy. :) I don't think they weren't going to do it again since we did it on the 4th at the cabin (minus the kid parade part), but I think they did just so Luke could participate...we hauled his bike all the way from Texas, afterall. ;) Thanks guys!

The following pictures are courtesy of Melinda and Kim (Lance's sisters). They are not in chronological order...sorry.

Papa taking Tucker, Lucas and Delaney for a wheel barrow ride. I think this was toward the end and Delaney was just about done. :)

Lucas and Tucker going for a ride on the firetruck. :) They became pretty good buddies.

Luke riding in the kid parade around the circle at Mimi and Papa's.

Luke and cousins in the kid parade.

Toasting marshmallows at the cabin. This was Luke's first campfire experience. He LOVED it! Not to mention the S'mores were delish!!!

This is Laneybug's greasy hot dog hair. YIKES. She's into this thing now of playing with her hair. She does it in the highchair and when she's drinking a bottle. Funny, Luke used to play with his hair when he was little too.

Luke looking in anticipation as Uncle Mike drives up to throw candy in the "parade" at the cabin. They each had a flag to wave and a little bag to put their goodies!

Collecting candy!

The first pass of the Uncle Mike parade. :) You can't see in the pictures but he had some streamers and USA banners hanging on the side of the car.

The whole gang...all of Lance's family...every last one! :)

Our little family! Delaney is already such a cheeser...although it may look like she was screaming, she was actually just smiling REALLY big. :)

Tucker, Wyatt and Lucas. These boys played so well together...and got REALLY dirty.

Aunt Katie had a bunch of metal work trucks and tractors at the cabin that the boys LOVED to play with. Shoot...I even played with them!

Three little babies sitting in a Lovesac! Bella, Gavin and Delaney. Bella was just 8 weeks old, Gavin was 7 months and Delaney would be turning 1 in just 5 days. Gavin won the chubs prize though. Just look at those cheeks!!!! :)

Me and my homie Gavin chillin'.

Lucas and Wyatt doing some push-ups while Papa takes a snooze on the Lovesac.