FHE

We have been wanting to have some fun FHE before school starts. We have had quite a few, but one thing the kids wanted to do was go swimming at the ShowLow pool. We decided to do this last Monday night. The Monday nights before school starts are quickly running out, unfortunately. Bruce took off work early so we could do some shopping before hand. After the shopping we had a dinner stop at

They ran out of toys for the kids meals so they gave the kids an ice cream cone, which they liked alot as you can see here:
The next stop was the swimming pool. My camera batteries died so this was the only picture we got, bummer. After about 20 min mine and Bruce's eyes were burning from the chlorine, yuck! The kids all have a great time. Rhett is a little fish. He loves the water. Dustin is a little more cautions. By the end of the night the 3 older kids were going down the water slide by themselves. It was a good night. Hope we have more family fun times like that!

Drowned RATS!!!

These pictures are from the rain last week, I just haven't had a chance to post them. This was a good rain. We're ready for another one like it.

Dustin and Rhett

Kaylee and a friend snuck into a puddle and were having a blast. When we found them they had their shorts off and were in a puddle, covered with mud.

What a morning ........

This morning I was having flashbacks of home, growing up. It seems like something was always broken, leaking, or who knows what else. These next 3 pictures were a matter of about 10 minutes this morning. I was just going about my normal business doing my laundry. I put a load of whites in and turned the water to warm/cold. I left the lid open because I wanted them to soak for a little while. I walked into the bathroom and much to my surprise there was water all over the floor. The warm water didn't shut off and the washing machine overflowed. I'm very thankful I was home! I was cleaning up this mess and Bridget came in and informed me ....

....the vacuum was broken. I was trying to get her settled and Dustin comes running in the house saying .......
.......the Rooster got out. Bruce wanted a rooster to go with our chickens so the eggs would be fertile so we could hatch some out. A guy here in town gave us this rooster yesterday and the other chickens were picking on it so the kids were trying to put up a wall thing in the chicken coop. In the mean time the rooster took off. We decided to leave it alone until Bruce got home to help us catch it. I got to leave all of this and go Visiting Teaching. How nice. I came home and Bruce had gotten the rooster caught, I got the vacuum going again and the washing machine is still broken so I don't have to finish laundry, although I would rather just finish it and get it done with.

None of this is that big of a deal but it was just several inconviences one right after another.

Pioneer Days

We had a great Pioneer Day Celebration as usual and Flake Family Reunion. It started Friday morning with the Flake Rodeo. This picture is of my brother Scott with Tylinn in the Grand Opening. Tylinn was a little nervous but liked it. She loves riding horses but there were lots of other horses around and their horse was nervous being away from the other horses.


This is Dustin and Rhett sitting on the fence with cousins watching the action at the rodeo.
This is of Bridget and cousin Clar getting ready for the ribbon roping. Bridget got ripped off on this deal. Reed roped and caught (good job Reed) Clar was a great mugger and held the steer for her she got the ribbon and ran to the flagger. Instead of announcing her time they said the timers weren't ready and they would have to do it again. They did it again and Reed missed so it was no time.
This is Dustin and Clar ready for the ribbon roping, Reed missed so it too was a no time. Reed caught for one of Bridget and missed for the 2nd one and Dustin but he did really good roping. He roped for lots of people and caught lots. He even caught for my niece Jill and between her, Reed and Will they put on quite a show. Reed was the best roper there. Good job Reed! After the Rodeo Friday was the family lunch at the big house. We had yummy Waldo's BBQ there thanks to Clay for cooking it for the family. Friday afternoon was spent relaxing. Bruce had to work Friday so he came Friday evening with Grandma Nena and Denna. After he got there we headed out for the town Rodeo. We enjoyed watching it with no kids.

Saturday morning were the races at the Main Street Church. Here is a picture of Kaylee running her race. They run a race and get candy. If they win, they get a quarter. None of my kids got quarters so I guess we didn't have any winners.

My camera died after this. We then had the parade which was really good and HOT. Saturday afternoon Bridget, Holli and I were able to get away from the crowd at home and watch the play Joseph, and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was excellent - great talent! It was fun to have some time with just Bridget. Saturday night we went to another town rodeo. It was better than Friday nights. This time we took our kids and they loved it. You would think after 3 rodeos in 2 days we would be tired of them but we aren't. We can't wait until October 18 for the Cody Hancock Bull Riding - we'll be there. After the rodeo we watched the fireworks. They were pretty but after watching and listening to fireworks here in Heber in the Canyon I don't know if any will compare. The boom and canyon wall shaking just make it great! Then we headed for home. We needed to be home for Sunday so we left after the fireworks. We were really glad we came home. One of my really good friends dad was the High Council speaker and I'm sure glad we were here to hear him. We enjoyed our weekend.

Celebration/BIG Flake Reunion

We are going to Snowflake tomorrow morning for the big Flake Reunion (Cousins, Rodeo, Picnic, Cousins, Program) and the 24th celebration(Races, Cousins, Parade, Cousins, Rodeo, Cousins, Fireworks). I could post pictures for it right now from previous years because every year it's the same thing, but the kids love it. I laugh when we watch old family video's because every year it's the same things, the kids are just a year older. They love it and it's a tradition, that's all that matters! One of the best parts is seeing people we don't get to see very often. I'll post about it when we get home.

Memories of Me game

I saw this on Melissa's blog and it looked like fun! Here is how you play:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Have fun!

Singing child

Tylinn loves to sing. She sings all the time. The older kids quite often are asking her to be quiet. Well I love it. It seems like she goes through stages singing the same song over and over. Here is her latest:

Tagged by Emily!

3 Joys

* Family

* Nature

* Food!!

3 Fears

* Snakes

* A child go astray

* Not being prepared (we are trying but I always wonder)

Current Obsessions

* Trying to get our landscaping done

* Chocolate

* Bruce

Surprising Facts (I don't know that I have any!)

* I have lived in 6 different places (Snowflake twice, Joseph City, Payson, Camp Verde, Rimrock, Heber)

* I love sleep in (who doesn't right?)

* I love riding 4-wheelers

I tag 5 people:

LeAnne

Amanda

Kami

Kristen

Shavan

The 4th was GREAT!

We had a really great weekend. We had no idea the 4th was so big here. There were thousands and thousands of people here. Some highlights were:

*great weather (we had homemade icecream during the fireworks but needed hot chocolate)

*Awsome fireworks - the echo and boom in this canyon was the best

* Eating lunch on Friday with Darrel and Teresa and family

*Dinner and patriotic program Friday night

*Watching Cameron speak at the program as a guest speaker

*Patroitic progam Saturday morning with pancake breakfast

*Watching parade with friends

*Being with family and friends

*Rain

Anniversary Date

As you know our anniversary was Wednesday. We decided to celebrate it on Thursday so Bruce could take Thursday afternoon off and be finished for the weekend. We had a great time! We didn't leave as early as planned becuase there was alot of mail that day. We were hoping to go hiking along the way somewhere but we didn't have time. Besides where we were going to go it was raining when we passed by there. Bruce's mom came to watch the kids for us for the day, that was great to not have to deal with a babysitter, especially pay one! We went to Payson and ate lunch at El Rancho, then on to a movie. We watched Get Smart. It was pretty funny! We enjoyed it but it isn't one I would say you have to watch. This picture is in front of the theater.


After that we went shopping along with everybody else and their dog. Holy Cow! I guess we were like everybody else and had to get stocked up for the weekend. From there we headed home. We very much enjoyed being with each other. Time away together is priceless!

Happy Anniversary - 11 great years!

Today is mine and Bruce's 11th Anniversary, I can't believe it has been that long!

Top 10 reasons I love Bruce:

1. He loves me

2. He has a strong testimony and lives it

3. He loves his family

4. He is a hard worker

5. He makes me laugh

6. He honors his priesthood

7. He supports our family

8. He helps around the house

9. He would do anything for me

10. He is the best man ever!

Thanks Bruce for the great life! I love you!

Hey, Hey, Hey Good Bye. . . . . . . . DIAPERS!

Kaylee is Potty Trained!! Yeah! She has done really well with very few accidents. Good Job Kaylee!!!

Poor Grandpa

One of my memories of my Grandpa Flake is him rubbing my hands with his wiskers and saying "Poor Grandpa". That has carried on to Bruce when he has long wiskers. He was camping with the kids so he didn't shave for a few days. I came home to this face:

Yuck! I don't like the wiskers!

And the girls love it!!!