4th of July

Salina's festivities make for the best memories of my life, and now for my kids. Carnival games, races, snowcones, cotton candy, swimming, dive for coins, BBQ, and the parade just to name a few. I've probably missed this event once or twice in my entire life (once when I moved to New Jersey, and again when we moved to Oregon). Outside the out-of-state excuse, we just love to go, to be there with the old neighbors of the community, and especially be with Grandma Bird. 90 years and still climbing to the top step of the bleachers to watch the great-grandkids race. Happy 4th everyone, I hope your day was as memorable as ours!

Nauvoo... oh what a trip!

It starts on the bus.... it ends on the bus.... but oh the in between! I loaded up with 13 of my YW, 10 YM, Bishop, YM Pres, and one YW counselor to embark on the trip of a lifetime. Some of these kids may not appreciate all the spectacular sights we got to take in on our 8 day whirlwhind trip, but you couldn't ask for a better experience. Broken A/C, late nights, emotional girls and LONG Days on the bus. I can't re-tell it all, but here are a few of the highlights:
Independence (Some of the RLDS or Comm of Christ sites are there too), Liberty Jail, Far West and Adam-Ondi-Ahman, (too Muddy to make it to Haun's Mill) and finally crossing the Mississippi to Nauvoo (and all that that entails, too much to list :) But Carthage Jail and our temple experience for both Baptisms for the youth and a session for the leaders were amazing! As well as the slew of Sr. Missionaries serving there that do such a great job making the experience what it is. Just as you think we'll be heading home we stop at the tabernacle where Brigham Young was sustained as 2nd prophet, then to Winter Quarters not far off. We see Chimney Rock, Register Cliffs, Guernsey Ruts, and still... as if there could be more (We sneak in a dance with a stake in Wyoming) before our final days jaunt with handcarts to Martin's Cove. What an amazing experience, exhausting, entertaining, trying, and even a little whining about the humidity and lack of air conditioning. (As if the pioneers could be heard laughing at the A/C problem). We saw, we did, we played, we cried, we just had a great time and I was soooo ready to be home to see my kids and Giegh. What a great dad to man the for for an EIGHT day excursion. Help from Mom, and friends, but mostly just Dad... couldn't have been more ready for the bus to roll back into Nephi. What a Great trip!

Student Award Ceremonies

Bailey and Chance both finished with flying colors the 2nd and 1st grades respectively. Bailey was awarded "Best Writer" by her classmates, and Chance was given "Best All Around Student" by his teacher who said he just tried very hard and did everything well. Both had end of the year fieldtrips to the Zoo and the Discovery Museum, but independent as they are both becoming, we were not invited to fringe on their turf with friends ;) We sure love these two, I can't believe another year has come and gone.

Tumbling Tike

Reagan's Tumbling Review was this week and as her class did summersaults down the mat, she rolls with the best of them. We even called her "flipper" for a while earlier this year because she didn't want to walk through the house, only flip, especially if she had her ever-wearing tu-tu on. Anyway the next round down the mat were cartwheels, and I had no idea her class was all doing these. Here comes Reag's, both hands above her head high, toe-pointed, hands go down, body goes.... well not really over the top, more of a side hop with both feet while hands are planted firmly on the mat. She then finishes big by standing tall again, both hands up high as though she's won a gold medal for her performance :) This goes on ALL the way down the mat. Not one complete cartwheel bless her heart, but no lack of effort or sense of accomplishement on her part. We're so proud of you Reagy-Roo!

A refill run to Nashville

In high school my friends and I would often go for a "refill run" to Walkers or Conoco to get a nightly beverage. Not sure my parents ok'd that much soda, but for the most part, the social out of going, chatting, and coming home seemed a safe enough bet for keeping out of trouble. Well fast-forward almost 20 years (yikes I'm getting old) and Adrienne and Molly and I all live in 3 different states with 16 kids amongst the 3 of us. They come to Utah most summers and we meet for lunch at a park, but finally decided it was long past due for a real visit. So earlier this year we planned a few days to fly to Nashville to see Molly. She and Shae are stationed near the Clarksville Army base, and ironically after our trip was booked he was deployed to Irag. So at least we'll get to break up her "single-mom" stint with our visit. Hope it helps!

Adrienne and I would meet in Chicago and fly on to Nashville together, that was the plan. Mine as a little "delayed" as the airport would call it, I ended up landing Saturday instead of Friday, but finally caught up with the girls for dinner out and a laughter-filled evening at the Grand Ole Opry! What a great show, longest running radio program in the country. You can't argue that truth when Little Jimmy Dickens appears on stage in his 90 yr old glory. All 4'11" of him, he was a hoot! We laughed and drove home to stay up til 2 am laughing and catching up like we finished high school yesterday. The next day was more of the same, throw in our old ritual of Sunday night brownies even some 7-layer dip and some pretty kickin taquitos.... more chatting til 3 am, and then a bit of shopping on our way back to the airport on Monday and you can call it a trip. So fun to be together, to talk about family and lives as adults, and then flip right back to highschool humor and old friends we all remember. It was just fun! Thanks girls, can't wait for the next go!

Bailey’s 8 and she’s oh so great!

I'm sooo behind on blogging I'm firmly committed to making amends starting next week :) to get caught up. In the meantime, there are some events just so monumental that they have to be noted.... and while birthdays in general should always fall into that category, Bailey turning 8 is one of those moments for her Mom too. I can't believe that the little girl I anxiously awaited for so many months to arrive, came and flew right through eight full years of life in the blink of an eye. Time moves so fast and I wish I had a pause button, today is worth pausing.

So miss Bailey Sue, my oldest daughter... today I take just a minute to tell you how proud I am of you, what an amazing daughter you are to me and how much I love you! You are such a great helper to me, so often with a sure, or ok... whether its to pick up this, help Aly with that, finish your homework, go downstairs for that, play that with Reag's... the list goes on and on. You have you're moments, everyone does, but overall you are such a good sister! Such a sweet daughter, and so smart and beautiful to boot! I remember holding you the night before Chance joined our family wondering how I could ever manage to love another baby as much as I loved you. You were the first, so treasured to finally make it to our family :) we'd tried and tried and waited for you and I couldn't see how I could ever make room for another like I had you. And now I realize what a blessing your 3 siblings are, how they in fact expanded that room to love and I feel so lucky you lead the way! Happy Birthday my sweet girl, I'm so proud of you for getting baptized in a few weeks.... what an exciting time for you! I love you!

"Queenie" for the day in our house she had peach cobbler for breakfast, Dad, Aly and I took her Wendy's for lunch at school, we swam after, had sloppy Joes for dinner (her pick) and watched her new edition of Tangled (compliments of G Frame) and had her cupcakes and ice cream!! Family sang on Monday when we had FHE at Grandma's, and Rogerson grandparents are due in town in 2 weeks for the baptism to keep the party going... oh and there is the birthday party Friday night to watch Tangled... AGAIN! :) Go big or go home dad always says! xoxox love you

Redding Rogersons

We made it to Grandma and Grandpa Rogersons on Sunday evening and the kids were so excited to be there. An early Christmas present... a pink BB Gun :) and the kids were set to spend the next three days shooting on the hill. Giegh's parents live on 5 acres of property out in the middle of logging country... . shooting off your front porch is not unheard of. Chance was carrying that BB Gun up and down the hill anytime the rain let up so they could go out and play. Max turned 3 while we were there and there was lots of cousin time :) Bailey is outnumbered by Boy cousins in Utah, but in California Chance and Max are a bit outnumbered. What a great time to see family! Look at that Grandpa on the floor playing puzzles with the kids :)
ATTENTION!
Even Aly got in on the shooting with the Pop-cork gun
Ready, Aim, FIRE!