My Own Little Bobble Head

 
 

I just had to share these. CJ is so entertaining at times. Of course, with spending so much time at the track and around motorcycles, he has grown quite fond of them. The other day, he got ahold of Jeff's helmet and wanted to put it on. Not only did he want to wear it, but he had to sit on the motorcyle and make the noises along with it. He sat up there a good ten minutes and was not happy when we decided we were done holding him on the bike. He threw a bit of a fit, but got over it, thank goodness.

An Afternoon at the Lake

We finally had a chance to take the boat out and use it for the first time this summer. Jeff and I decided to take the kids out for an afternoon on Willard Bay. Megan brought her friend Michelle, (who seems to Meg's other half, second pea in the pod, etc. :)) and we all had a great time. We were there only about three hours, but the kids definitely wore their selves out with the swimming and tubing. The lake was a perfect temperature and it seemed like we were the only ones out there. It was soo nice to be able to do and think of something other than motocross for awhile.

Going for a little ride!


Parker having a good time! Belly flops and front flips, it was definitely entertaining!


Tubing time! They probably did this for a good two hours!!


Ash and me

Jeff and Parks

CJ was a bit nervous at first about being on the boat, but really started having a good time. We was our flagger, not out of choice, but he wouldn't give the flag to anyone else. Oh well, whatever it takes to make the kid happy!

The Tradition Continues...

July 3rd in Talon Court has become a major affair, thanks to the master planning of Jami Jerman. Our neighbors here on Talon Court (and surrounding areas) have enjoyed for the last 4 years an Independence Celebration like no other. Our family missed it last year, but were thrilled to be a part of it again this year. Jami is an amazing party planner and it was fun to share in all chaos.

We were all a little tired from our long trip back, Jeff and I took the red eye back from Maui on Wednesday night, flew into Vegas on thursday morning, caught a shuttle to St. George (about 2 hrs), then picked up the car and kids from my sister, Kim (who is a saint for taking them all for 9 days, you're the best!!), and continued home in the car for another 5 1/2 hours or so. (I know, poor us! A week in Maui, wah, wah!) Anyway, to say the least we were thrilled to be home and I'm not in any hurry to get back in the car for an extended period of time anytime soon.

Oh, got off subject a bit...sorry. Anyway, Jami had everything organized and planned with the help of Melissa, Emily, Coke, Trish, and Julie. They had the pony, bounce houses, the popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, watermelons and even games for the kids to play and win prizes.

CJ found the water game and decided to go for a dip. It actually worked for me because it kept him entertained for quite sometime.

Daddy's Girl!!

What could be better than a snowcone??

CJ LOVED the pony, we had a hard time getting him off and the pony had had enough!

What a smile!

This was the 2nd annual Dad's watermelon eating contest, totally hiliarious!!

It took some begging and pleading from the kids before Jeff would take part. He tried, but wasn't even close to the winners!

This was classic! There were some extra slices of watermelons that were left from the contest that some of the kids started eating into. I turned my back on CJ for just a few minutes and then found CJ eating into a watermelon. I don't know where he got it, but went over to the chair and handed me the watermelon while he climbed in the chair. I gave him back the watermelon and then let him go at it. He was in heaven!! He would have probably eaten the whole thing, but some fireworks were lit in the circle and it completely freaked him out. So, I took him in and put him down for the night.

The Eaglewood Golf Course puts on an amazing firework show that we can see from our neighbors backyard, so we went over and set up camp there to see the show. The fireworks display from the Golf Course was just the icing on the cake. It was beautiful! Thanks all for such a fun night!!

And the Sun sets!!

 
 
 

The time has quickly come for me to say goodbye to the beautiful island of Maui. The trip has seemed to come an end way too fast. I have had such a fantastic time. We have adventured alot, laughed alot, we ate alot, and just all around had a fantastic time. Joel and Julie, thank you so much for inviting us on your vacation, it was awesome, all 100% of it! (haha)

Sunday we went up to Mount Haleakala to see the sunset. It was an experience that I won't forget and words can not describe the beauty I witnessed that evening. Here are some perfect pictures that describe the end to such a great week. I promise these are real pictures, not us just standing in front of a screen pretending that we were standing in the clouds!

Las Vegas Baby!

Ok. So, I guess I need to back up about a week, before the surfing jaunt. Before Jeff and I headed over here to Maui, we took the kids to Vegas for a few days before they went to spend the week at Aunt Kim's in Gunlock. We had a free room at Balley's for 3 days, so Jeff and I thought it would be fun to take them there for a minivacation and just hang at the pool and maybe do some other random things.

It was fun, but stressful. I don't think Las Vegas (the strip) is an ideal location for a minivaca for small children. We decided it was a little too stressful for our liking. We did have a good time playing at the pool and the older kids really had fun with dad when he took them to M&M world while CJ and I stayed back in the room. In the future, we decided we will stick to a more kid friendly location that does not include naked women trading cards and scantily dressed men and women on cars, trucks, and bill boards.

 
 
 
 

Hang 10 Baby!!!

 

So, I found my calling in life. It maybe took almost 33 years, but I found it. I was supposed to be a surfer chick. I could have been famous, I could have graced the cover all those surfer magazines. Blue Crush could have been my story. I could have...

Joel, Julie, Jeff and I decided to take surf lessons yesterday and I had a riot!! I was nervous, very nervous to do the lessons. I didn't want to screw up or make a fool of myself out in the water, I just didn't think I could like it as much as I did. We got a little instruction on the beach, maybe 5 minutes...where to stand on the board, how to get from laying on the board to standing up, and how to steer the board so you don't run into everyone else out there in the water. And then we were headed to the water. Rento (our instructor) of course yells to me, "C'mon Tami, you're up!" My brain went completely blank for a moment, I didn't think I would remember a thing he told me. We paddle out to the breaks and I turn around and he tells me to "Go". I got up on my first try and it was so fun!! It's really amazing at how small the waves need to be in order to push you in (obviously, you can tell by the picture), but it was awesome! I could ride the big ones, I just know it! I must have been a surfer in another life, I rock!!


Julie

Joel

Jeff

Championship of the World!!

 

So, there it is my friends! The trophy that was won in the Championship of all Championships...at least for Parker (and maybe Jeff and me for a moment!)

Parker decided he didn't want to play T-ball this year, he wanted to play with someone pitching to him, "I just don't want to be bored!" were his words, so we played him up a year. He played his first year in the Pinto League and had a blast. He had quite a few buddies from the neighborhood that he already knew and a coach that had more determination than anyone I have ever met to this point, to make these boys winners!! The beginning of the season brought us many days of rain and even a few days of snow, but two practices a week, two hours a day, were never cancelled just moved to covered locations. (Mind you, 6,7, & 8 yr olds)Age didn't matter...they were anxious to play!

The opening of the season came and those boys played their little hearts out! They did a fantastic job, but finished up with three losses in the end. Tournament time came and those boys were driven (the coach a little more, but that's good right?), they wanted one of the trophies they had to earn! The night of the first game and we were caught in a torential downpour, they called the game...postponed to the next night, Coach was not happy (thank goodness for the thunder/lightning). Anyway, rained again thursday, no game. Friday comes and we have to play two games to make up for the rain. It was so fun!! The boys played awesome! Game 2 against one of the top teams that we had lost to in regular season was a total NAIL BITER! The boys were on FIRE!! All of them were hitting and fielding, the boys from the other team were doing a fantastic job as well. It was really an intense game! Everyone was on their feet cheering and going crazy. The Reds won it!! Not the Championship of the World, yet! That game was on Monday!! I do have to say, it was pretty hard watching the boys on the other team deal with the loss! Heart breaking actually.

Monday comes and the boys are ready. There are a double header, if they won game one, they were heading to the CHAMPIONSHIP!! They had their supporters there, mostly everyone in red cheering them on! They did great, the other team did great! They lost to them as well in the regular season, so they had to redeem themselves, and that they did! It was close, really close! They won though 2-1. On to the BIG ONE!!





So, I had to leave half way through the game. Ashley had a make up game from a tournament that she played in Saturday, that got rained out half way through. I wasn't able to get anymore pictures and I guess I missed some GOOD baseball. The boys were on FIRE, but the other team was definitely trying to put it out. The first couple innings nothing got past our team, they were hitting and bringing in runs, when they were outfield they were catching the ball and fielding it like Pros! I left and I believe we were up by four. I guess at that point, the other team was not ready to give up! They rallied and brought the score within one. In the end the Reds squeezed out the victory! The Championship of all Championships! The Davis County Pinto League Champions! What a fun, fun, season! Not only did Parker's coach Justin, put so much time into the boys, but quite a few of the other dads were there to help at the practices AND the games! It was really fun getting to know some new friends (for me too! :D) and getting to know others better!!

Although Parker was the youngest on the team, he did really well at holding his own. He made some great plays and got hits at most of his games. I'm really proud of the job he did. He learned alot and is excited to play next year! I think mostly because he wants a bat bag, a new mit, and new bat. Whatever the reason, I'm excited to see him play next year!


Just had to post this picture, too cute not to! These were the "heavy hitters", just there in case the team needed them!