Happy Birthday, Christmas, Easter, 4th of July Mom and Dad

We had a family reunion!  I know, right?  We have only had one of those that I can remember, other than this one.  It's hard when you drop your kids off all over the country and when 2 of them marry military men themselves and some just need an attitude adjustment!  But hey, we did it and plenty of people came!

Finishing the binding on the quilt on the trip up to Mom and Dad's!

Mom came up with the theme of celebrating all the holiday's that they miss celebrating with all their kids and grandkids because everyone is so spread out.

We had 4th of July with sparklers and pool and slip and slide time,

We had Christmas presents- white elephant gifts,

We had birthday celebration complete with mini cakes to frost and decorate,

The book has pictures of all the kids and grandkids.  The quilt was a representation of each family.  They chose the main color.  I chose the square that would represent the family.  We have green and a hunters star since Rob is Army and we move a lot and we own a lot of guns.  Karl's is red- I assume for Arizona State and his is Wheel of fortune, because he is in the finance game.  Mike's is maroon, I assume for Texas A&M and his is Sister's choice, since they have a lot of girls in their family.  Cindy's is robins egg blue (not sure why.  Probably because she likes that color) and is a windmill- they live in Washington state and were Air Force, so it seemed to fit.  Dan's is.... I can't remember!  It was birds in flight though.  Was it blue???  Anyway, him and his wife both work for the airlines, so that's why the pattern.  Lise's was purple, because that fits her and the pattern was bento box, because she loves anime.  Tim's was a pattern that just looked digital to me, because he is into everything digital and it was grey, because he likes things plain.

We had Easter with the only two littles left that would participate in an egg hunt. 

We went on a treasure hunt of places that Mom knew growing up.

I can't tell you now what any of these places are, but we went there and checked them off our list!

We went to the temple and did baptisms for our dead ancestors.  

We visited with Great Grandma Keck

We played games and we chatted

What a great fun family reunion Mom and Dad planned!  It was so good to see everyone that came.  I haven't seen my sister in years and I had never met the two littles.  Gretchen and Dan were a blast.  I love people who aren't afraid to get into the fun even if it means getting soaking wet! 

 Until next time family!  Love you all!

Independent Celebration

Not much traveling has gone on since we left Europe.  Travel isn't as easy in the states.  Everything is so darn expensive and so....far...a...way! But for the 4th of July weekend we decided to get away.  We only made it an hour or so north, but it was away!  

We visited Santa Fe and went to their pancake breakfast and old fashion car show.

We visited Los Alamos and saw how middle of nowhere it really is!

 No wonder all those wives were going absolutely bonkers while their husband's did secret work that they couldn't discuss during World War 2!  

We had fun at the casino- well kind of- everything was closed for the holiday and they didn't heat their water in the swimming pools at all.  I guess the hotel part was not really used to being used.  Who closes their restaurants on a holiday??  

Nice little holiday.

Samuel turns 18

Summer birthday's are hard, especially when your summer birthday happens to land on a major holiday weekend.  Not many people around.  Poor Sam hasn't had many parties.  But he seems to be Ok with it.  For his birthday we went to a trampoline park,

 Out to eat and then to the movies.

We also had cake!  Why he is half naked to eat his cake is anyone's guess! We realized how badly we were singing "Happy Birthday" so sped up the song at the end- you're welcome!

Summertime!

Summer!!!  I love Summer!!  I finally don't have to get up at 5:30 am!

 This year we took a trip up to Wolf Lodge in Colorado to celebrate Max turning 12.  Twelve is a pretty big birthday in our house.   Max got the priesthood at church and now gets to pass the sacrament.

 We are all looking pretty hot in our wolf ears!

 The kids loved playing Magi Quest.  

 Then we visited the Air Force Academy, where are good friends from Ohio, the Killpack's met us and did the tour for us.  He is currently a professor at the Academy

 Sam had senior pictures.  I took him to the mall to shop for something decent to wear.  He kept saying no to everything, so finally I just sent him into Express and didn't go in with him.  He came out with this.  Yep, those are fancy shorts, boat shoes and an expensive t-shirt.  That's the fanciest he has been in years!

 Sam went to several football camps, one over in Arizona, while the two younger boys went to Trek- which is reenactment of Pioneer time.  They had handcart teams and had to pull handcarts all day.  They try to make it fun with dances and games and some music.  This one was much more modern than the one Rob and I participated in.  We weren't allowed to have toothpaste or tents and we had to make all our own food pretty much from scratch.  We did not have to kill a chicken, though!  These guys had instant oatmeal and sandwiches and donuts. (Ok, maybe not donuts, but close enough!)  Since Max had turned 12 just a couple weeks before he got to go with the group!

While they were having a good time at camps, I flew to Las Vegas with Robert and enjoyed a little get away.  Rob started working in Vegas in the spring as the interim head of the department up there.  

 Sam got a car- a stick shift.  1) because it's cheaper, 2) in the auto theft capital of the United States thieves will actually pick an alarmed car before they pick a stick shift, and 3) so he can't be on his phone ever while driving!  So Sam had to learn to drive a stick shift

 And Emmmmmmmmmmmaaaa!  Emma came home for a month and learned to drive a stick shift as well- because it's a skill people!

 Sam turned 18!

We celebrated at the movies and at the trampoline park

 We went up to Santa Fe for the 4th of July

 And then up to Los Alamos- home of Fat man and Little boy!

 We played a lot of tennis

 I worked on a a quilt for my Mama

 We enjoyed the Ninja gym

 Joe Turned 15!

 And Sam experienced his first cupping.  I'm not a fan!  That just looks like it destroyed all the capillaries in his skin.  I don't know how that is supposed to help him!

And somewhere in all of that, I got a job and started working two 12 hour shifts every week as well as taking all the classes I needed to renew all my lost certifications!  I still have one more to go in November.  I have to have a lot of certifications!