A few "Summer 2011" favorites

The water slide was by far the best summer activity! We had many good days and nights on this beauty. Spence has shown us lots of different ways to slide down (and in spandex).

It's always more fun to go with someone else!

Sunny was getting CraZy!

The classic Brian, Spence & Chri slide (No, that's not a typo).

Doug was even enjoying it.

A little giddy...

This is by far the most classic pic of the summer. Sara's bum about to land on my head.

And my graceful moves.

Drew did a flip and got a bloody nose.

It was a pretty rockin flip!

My Cutie and me.

4th of July, Sky Sox game.

Spence catches a ball, left handed, no mitt, while eating a pretzel.

RyRy rockin' no hands while cruisin in the cars.

Maddy's pitching machine team.

Talan lost his 1st tooth!!!!

Maddy bathing with Kyla and Halle

So we used half the kids tokens to go on this ride. Back off. It was fun.

After 2 months of having the water slide Ryan goes down by himself for the first time!

I had to kick everyone off and go with him over and over for a half an hour for him to try it. Totally worth it!

Maddy's Baptism Day

Madalyn made a wonderful decision to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are all so proud of her. It was such a spiritual day that I hope she will remember for the rest of her life. Most of our families were here to support her on her special day.

Drew, Jasmin, Maddy, Kassadi & Summer

Poor Ryan slept through the entire baptism.

The whole fam

Maddy turn's 8!!!

Maddy had such a great day! All her amazing friends came to celebrate with us!

Ryan loves to say "I hate wawer, I like soda".

Our neighbors Diegra...

The new awesome water slide!!

Madds and her bestie Taylour

Katelyn

All our cuties

McKenzie

Ethan, Kyla & Halle

The balloon bouquet Maddy and her friend Emily made.

Aubrianna & Lillianna aka The Girls

(is she smelling her hair?!?!)

Rya & Gianna

Bailey & Kaden

Cole & Halle

Our 10 most favorite things about Maddy Paddy...

1. She has such a creative mind.

2. She can't sleep without Talan

3. She loves to be in charge of all the kids.

4. She loves playing teacher.

5. She is so inquisitive.

6. She loves making new art projects.

7. She has a new found love for science.

8. She will only wear skirts.

9. She gets so lovey and cuddly at night.

10. She is the best daughter ever!

Flowers...

I'm not a fan of getting flowers on my birthday, Mother's day or Valentine's day, I like to get them on random days just when Spence is thinking about me. I feel like it means so much more. This past month has been a pretty hard month and so I've been trying to focus on the little things in life that make me happy. Flowers for no reason is one of them.

My kids, obviously.

Ryan crawls into bed with us in the middle of the night and sometimes he'll start to giggle or talk while he's sleeping.

Watching Talan do anything. He'll be standing in the field during tee ball with a huge smile on his face. Or when he hasn't seen Evan for a couple days he'll smile the entire time they are together.

Watching Maddy with little kids and being so loving with them.

Seeing the excitement on Spencer's face when he gets a package in the mail, especially when it's spandex.

Going on the water slide.

Watching my kids water slide all hours of the day.

Taking my kids to the summer movies and being excited to see a movie they've seen a dozen times.

When my kids bake with me.

Having date night with Spence.

Ryan wearing shin guards all day long.

When I'm all done with eyelashes for the day.

Chocolate covered almonds.

When Spence calls me to go to lunch.

While I'm doing lashes and my boys are laying on the floor playing with their toys talking to them.

Seeing all of Maddy's creative art projects.

Finding out that Talan really is paying attention to everything that is going on around him.

Good Mexican food.

A clean house.

Hearing from an old friend.

When Ryan wants to give everyone a sticker for going pee pee on the potty.

The excitement we all feel when Spence gets home from work.

I could go on all day.....

Ryan Buddy turns 3!!

Ryan's birthday has been so much fun! It was on Thursday, but we celebrated it on Friday. So on Thursday we went up to Costco to get his "Hop" cake. Luckily it is Easter so they had cakes with frosting bunnies on them. He was super excited about the frosting flowers too! Then we ate at Smashburger, just us 3.

We had a bunch of his friends over for a BBQ on friday night. Maddy was making sure he didn't blow out his candles too early, but it took him about 2 minutes to get all 3 candles blown out anyway! He was trying so hard to blow without getting too close to the flame.

I was trying not to be a spazz about him opening his presents this year. I usually like it to be very organized with each child sitting by him while he opens their present. This year each kid pretty much opened their own gift with him. It was fun and chaotic!

Still blowing! :)

Julie (Talan's preschool teacher) brought over all the leftover Easter eggs from preschool for the kids to find.

She and Corey also gave us this sweet firepit for all the kids birthdays. Don't worry about the lighter fluid to the side. And don't worry about Spence, he just singed all the hairs off his arm when he started the fire.

Ryan got to go to Talan's preschool for the Easter egg hunt. He felt so big! He is so excited to start preschool (me not so much)!

He asks to have waffles everyday for breakfast, so that is what we made him. It is really dark at first but then we open the blinds so you can see.

The things we LOVE about RyRy

1. You still call spiderman "baa"

2. We can't call you cute. Only Mom is cute. You are awesome.

3. You are super athletic.

4. You love to sit by Dad during dinner and prayer.

5. You love to ride in Mom's car, not Dad's.

6. You smile the whole time you are on scooter rides.

7. You want to be big like Evan, even though you pretty much are.

8. You love to read Pinkalicious every night.

9. You tell Mom all the things that you love about her every night.

10. You love Madds and Tal so much and always love when they get home from school.

Happy Birthday my sweet little guy! We LOVE YOU!!!