Toes???

Bruce wears his shoes most all day every day. The other day he had his shoes off and he was holding Kaylee on his lap. She pipes up and says, "look dad you have feathers on your toes!" I guess she just discovered he had hair on his toes.

Card making and beautiful hair

We came home from Mesa on Wednesday with LeAnne and Garth. Went to piano lessons Thursday and Friday went to Snowflake for more fun. Rachel had got a deal going for a card exchange. We did that then all the little girls decided they wanted to make cards so Saturday morning we got card stuff out and the cameras. Everybody's hair was scraggly and so LeAnne and I had to add to the pictures. Such a great picture!!! We did baptisms for the dead Friday night so I guess the is slept on Baptism for the dead hair. We just happened to be wearing the same jammies we bought 2 years before at the sisters party.

Kaylee, Allison, Kimberly and Tylinn making cards.

We left for home Saturday afternoon and man it's good to be home. We had lots of fun with cousins.

Grandma Nena's

This trip to Mesa we stayed at Grandma Nena's. I have great memories of a kid staying there. Some of what I remember the most are watching Double Dare and eating Lucky Charms. I like for my kids to get to experience a little of what I used to. Grandma fell and broke her hip and hasn't been home for a while. It was great to see her at her house, like old times.

Dustin, Garth, Bridget, Melissa, Brooke and Tylinn

Kids playing games in the family room

Grandma Nena and Tylinn

Trevor William

Wednesday morning Holli dropped Katelyn off at Grandma Nena's house on their way to the hospital go have their baby. Katelyn were happy to see each other that morning.

Holli had her 2nd baby, Trevor William Wednesday morning around 7:00. It was a scheduled C-section so it was a pretty fast process. We took a whole heard of kids to the hospital to see her and Trevor. He is a cutie with lots of dark hair - for a Flake baby anyway.

Sisters

This picture downloaded in the wrong order. LeAnne and I got out of the house while in Mesa with Dustin and Garth to do some school shopping. Dustin and Garth were borth the same day just 30 minutes apart. They have lots of fun together.

Every year my sisters and I get together for a sisters reunion. This year it wasn't as long as the past but still fun. My sister LeAnne flew in from OR Monday midday. We went to lunch and went shopping. Here is a yucky (that I don't want to post but it's the only one that was taken)picture of us at lunch of all 4 of us with our mom.

Tuesday Kelli left for girls camp. The rest of us shopped Tuesday before Holli had her baby on Wednesday.

Flake Reunion/Celebration in Snowflake

We made it over to Snowflake for the the annual Flake Rodeo and the Pioneer Day Celebration. This is a tradition for years and years. In my life I have only missed part of it 1 year, hopefully my kids can say that when they are my age. Friday the big Flake family (anybody related to a Flake or heard of a Flake) has a Rodeo and a family lunch. This year at the rodeo Bridget did the Ribbon Roping. The ended up getting 2nd place in that and won $20. She was pretty excited. Here is a picture of Bruce and Bridget getting ready for the steer to come out. Reed has roped in the past but his horse was sick so Travis Flake did it this time. He caught the calf so that was a huge plus. The Flake Family doesn't pay for the stock for the rodeo, they just take whatever people have or will let them use. This year like always the steers were big with big horns. They are way bigger than Bruce, thankfully this year he got lucky and didn't have any bruises or blood.

This is Kaylee and Austin enjoying the rodeo.
After the rodeo it was off to the Big House for lunch. It was fun to see lots of people I only see once a year at that.
The rest of the day and night were spent at Grandma and Grandpa's visiting and playing with cousins. Friday night Bruce and I snuck off to the Town Rodeo. It is always fun to watch but this year was extra fun because Reed was in a few events.
Saturday morning was the usual races at the church, parade and more playing with cousins.
Bruce decided to run the 10K and had the camera in the car during the kid races so I didn't get any pictures. I didn't do too good in the picture department the whole weekend. Saturday night we watched the end of the rodeo and fireworks with the kids then came home for the night.
It was a good celebration as always. It's fun to see so much family and friends.

New Addition - Rabbits

I was going to do this sooner but was having issues with my camera. Sorry if anybody is disappointed what our family addition is but last Saturday we got 2 baby bunnies. We stopped at Uncle Buds feed store in Holbrook to buy some fertilizer. Two rabbits, a cage, rabbit feed and fertilizer later we were out the door. We had rabbits when we lived in Payson. The kids loved them- we had lots of babies the kids would pack around like dolls. We got tired of them so we got rid of everything. The kids have been asking for them so we/I decided it was a good time. The kids have loved it - their names are Fifi and Alfalfa.

New Addition

We got a new addition to our family - which do you think it is - maybe all 4??? If you already know don't give it away!

McLaws Reunion/work projects

This past Thursday, Friday and Saturday we went to Joe City for a family reunion that ended up being a work project. What got done was needed so it was all good. Mom and Dad needed a new roof put on their house so the boys started on that Thursday. It went pretty quick so Roy decided they needed to paint the outside of their house that has never been painted after 45? years. That was Fridays project. Saturday all the work was finished so the big kids and dads went to Chevlon Canyon and played in the water.

Bridget, Towanda, Tylinn and Kaylee helping get ready to feed the mob.

These boys were so funny Broc, Dustin, Rhett and Dallin - they sat by this motorbike for a long time. Finally Grandpa told them to get their dads to help them with it. It wasn't running. David worked at it for a few minutes and decided it was a lost cause. Grandpa told the boys for one of them to take it home. David said they had enough toys like that. Dustin and Rhett were hopeful, we didn't have room and I haven't heard anything about it after getting home so I don't know if it will make it here or not.

Roy (Bruce's brother), Robby (Nephew) and Bruce posing on the roof.

Roy and Bruce made a good painting team. They each had a paint gun - Roy primed and Bruce painted. At the end for the railing they were trying to mask off as little as possible and get the job done as fast as possible so Bruce held the board and walked (or ran depending if Roy was teasing him or not) along to keep paint from hitting the house.

The house painted with the new roof.

Independence Day

We had a great 4th of July. If you haven't ever been here or heard, Heber is a great place to be for the 4th of July. There are thousands and thousands of people in town, unbelievable. The morning started early with the loud booms heard very well with the echos of the canyon walls. A man in town drives his truck around setting off blank fireworks or something. It's a great wake up call for the 4th of July. Bruce and I have been hoping to run a 10K race the morning of the 4th but we have having too many pains/problems to do this. I have been having problems with my hip which has lead to the knee and last Saturday Bruce was riding on the range and a horse landed on him and made him fall then stepped on his calf. So, we didn't end up running. Hopefully the next 10K around we will be healed and ready for.
Our first activity for the day was the flag raising and the pancake breakfast. They have the community choir sing and a patriotic speaker. Holli and Katelyn came Friday night so they were able to enjoy the festivities with us.
Then it was on to the parade.

You would think by the amount of people there it was a great parade. The one this year and last year weren't anything too great. I think it's 95% out of towners in it. Jay and kids found us to sit with us during the parade. It was nice to have them to visit with.
After the parade we came home to rest and have naps. It was so exciting waiting for cousins to come. They finally made it.

The kids played and played. Grandma and Grandpa McLaws and Amber came, Scott and his kids and Jay and a crew of them. It was a beautiful evening enjoyed out side. We had a yummy dinner with lots of food - BBQ meat, salads, homemade rootbeer, watermelon then homemade icecream and cookies to top it off.

Family enjoying visiting.

Scott and Bruce

Fun cousins.




And then the lights went out and they started. We LOVE the fireworks here. They BOOM loud and echo in the canyon. Scott was trying to decide if they should be called Thunder in the Canyon or Fire in the Sky!! They light them off at the high school so we have PERFECT seats. Sometimes a little too perfect with little ashes falling on us. We did find quite a few big pieces but they didn't hit anybody. There are tons and tons of people that go to the softball/baseball fields to watch - so the road is kind of crazy getting here. They stop you and you have to tell them you are going to family's house for them to let you through to come here.

It was a great 4th spent with visiting and family - what more could you ask for? I'm thankful for the freedoms we have and the 4th to celebrate it.

A Wicked 12 years

I am a day late posting this but I guess better late than never. Yesterday was our 12th Anniversary. We started celebrating Tuesday. I dropped Dustin and Rhett off in Snowflake with Will and Rachel. The rest of us headed for the Valley of the HOT sun! The girls stayed in Mesa at the Ridings house. Bruce and I left for our room. We stayed the same place we did for Stamp Destruction a few weeks earlier. Before we settled for the night we made a stop at Oregano's (I love their cookies, along with their food!)

Waiting for our food at Oregano's.

Wednesday morning we slept in (so nice) and did a little shopping. This picture below is of Bruce with a pair of shoes that are SIZE 18! HUGE!

That night was the most excitement, we got to see WICKED! It was great.

Here we are getting ready to take our seats. I was amazed at the talent. My favorite was Glinda. We spent that night in Phoenix. Thursday morning shopped a little more and excitedly went to get the girls. It was so nice to get up the mountain to cool nice air. It was a great anniversary celebration.

I'm thankful for the last 12 years and look forward to eternity. Thanks Bruce, I love you!