Happy 4th Of July!!

Our 4th of July girl turned 9!!

Sweet Liberty!!

July 4, 2010

Happy Birthday! We LOVE you!!

As always, we had a big party with lots of food & fireworks.

Sparkler fun...


Libby

Tyler

Zack

Steve still had a smile on his face after lighting MANY sparklers for the kids!
It all went well this year...only one chair caught on fire!
Once it got dark...

Steve & my brother Scott put on a great show for us!
These two crack me up!



Steve getting ready...he brought out a couple ladders this year!

It was their best show so far!

Everyone enjoyed it!

Dallin, Tyler, Bailey, Josh, Libby & Jazzy

It was a HAPPY 4th!

All my kids LOVE Libby's birthday!!
We are also so grateful to live in the USA!! Happy Birthday America!
Of course, I took a lot of pictures so here is a slide show of the fun day....

Rockport....

June 2010

Last weekend, we headed up for our 1st camping trip. We went with my sisters Shelly & Sherry & her three kids (John, Josh & Jazzy). The water was still a little too cold & we had some people in the next camp site that were kind of like stalkers...the girl liked my nephew & was constantly staring at us. It was quite interesting & then it got just a little creepy! We always seem to have a few adventures whenever we go.

Of course, we roasted hot dogs and smores.

Did a little tubing...

Libby, Josh, Tyler & Zack


Zack & Josh

Josh, me & Libby

Libby is growing too fast & her feet were already too big for the ski's we got her last year.
Steve had her try on mine, just to get her used to the feeling, but they were way too big for her.
Then we tried out Steve's new toy...I call it the "dolphin" it's a little motor with handles that takes you around the lake.

Libby & Steve trying it out.

My sister Sherry always takes cute pictures....


My cute Zack



Tyler-Man


Josh


Sherry & Josh
and

Shelly

Tyler LOVES his daddy!


Me & My crazy Tyler
Whenever I tell him that I love him, he answers, "I love you and dad!"
Did I mention that he LOVES his dad!!
And of course,

His "demon" dog Mickey!

Then the next day, we got on the lake & the battery to the boat was dead for the second time!

Luckily, Steve spent "the best $30.00 ever!" (with this little charger thingy)
and he was right, it started right up!

We weren't on the lake too long, when Steve looked up & noticed some grey clouds & then the wind really started kicking up...then came the fun part of trying to get the boat out of the water. Of course, everyone on the lake rushes over & it's a line, but with a little help from other boaters we got it out safely. Luckily, we had Shelly to help watch the kids!
She's the best !!


I have to admit...I adore her as much as my kids do!



I also have to admit...

This is how I feel when we are done camping & boating!


It is a lot of work!
But, that won't stop us from doing it again!

Especially, because this is who I'm married too! And he LOVES adventures!!

Father's Day 2010

It was a nice Father's Day...
The kids always like to spoil Steve. They made him cute cards & pancakes for breakfast.

They sure do love him!

And they are SO lucky to have such great Pa-Pa's too!

Grandpa Peterson is on the left & Grandpa Steen is on the right!
We Love you!!

California Trip: Final post!

We took a lot of pictures on our trip so I'm going to make a slide show of the rest of them. This blog is like my scrapbook so this will keep my pictures organized. Now that we've come home & there's yard work & laundry & more laundry it's nice to look back over pictures & have them bring back the memories.
Here are a few pictures in the airport waiting to go home....


Tyler & Zack enjoying their chocolate bars.
My dad is next to Tyler & he asked, "Are you going to eat ALL of that?"
He replied back with a wink & shook his head yes! He cracks me up.


Here he is with his monkey (pillow pet) he got from Disneyland. He loves that thing.
I'm watching him and he says to his monkey, "best friends, best friends forever!"

Then he gave him a kiss!
It's funny how you go on a trip & it's the little things that stand out the most!!

California Trip: part 3

American Girl Store

Libby has always wanted to go to an American Girl Store. So we thought, we'll be in California for a whole week, we can go to LA one of the days. Let's just say it turned into a WHOLE day & it went into the night when we got lost on the way there & on the way back to the beach house...oh, the memories we'll have!

It started with our stupid GPS we were using, it kept winding us through neighborhoods instead of staying on the freeway. Let's just say we were pretty glad it wasn't dark when we went through the one. This was the neighborhood where I saw a sign that said, "kids safe zone" If you commit a crime in this area you'll get some huge fine. Well, we are driving along & there are these guys jay walking across the street right in front of our big van. So Steve decides to honk at the last guy when he's almost across, lets just say I got the big glare as we passed by & his friends didn't look too nice either. I asked Steve to please not honk at the gangsters as I'm on the side of the car where they will shoot! Unfortunately, that was just one of the many arguments Steve & I would have in the car that day!

We did FINALLY find the store & Libby was very happy!



It front of the entrance

The Cafe....
There wasn't anyone in there, so we took a few pictures.

It was decorated really cute!

Libby & her doll Morgan at the table

The waiting area for the cafe

They have a theater where they have plays.


Here she is in front of the doll's of the year.

Tyler was having fun, but it was torture for poor Zack.
I had to keep reminding him that he got to do the Star Wars thing the day before.

Tyler found a stroller & took his dog Gigi for a ride.

Libby has wanted the doll of the year, Lanie for a long time. She even tried to win her in a contest where she had to take photographs & write an essay. She didn't win one, but if you can tell by her smile she bought Lanie!! She used her allowance that she had been saving for months & early birthday money from us & my mom. Her birthday came a month early this year!

All the contention in the car on the way there & on the way back was worth it! Libby is such a good kid! It's amazing how her sweetness does stand out. It happened twice on the trip where complete strangers were amazed by her.

The first time, we were eating lunch at a McDonald's that had a playland. As we were leaving, I went to refill my drink & a man asked me if that little girl in the pink was my daughter. I said, it was and he said, "She is so sweet! I was so amazed how she treated her little brother. She was so good to him, she treated him like he was her own child!" I said, She really is a good girl & he was still so amazed by her. I think that was quite a complement to have a complete stranger notice her actions.

Then the day we were leaving, we were killing time waiting to go to the airport and we found a street craft fair. We were at a stand where they made beaded jewlery & bookmarks. We were talking to the ladies that made them & It came up that her name was Liberty & that she was born on the 4th of July. We bought a few things & as we were leaving the lady wrapped up a bookmark that Libby had really liked and gave it to her. She said, that this was a birthday present from her grandaughter who's birthday is on July 12th. So to think of them on the 4th of July. Libby was so surprised that she even got a little teary eyed. What a great example of kindness they were to Libby too! Now if only Steve & I could work on being a good example while driving in the car ;)!


Let's just hope she stays this sweet!!