Vacation to LA

Our vacation plans changed at the last minute this year. My boys wanted to spend a week at grandma's without mom and dad, so we made plans to go to LA.
Lance is a huge Dodger fan. We had great seats both nights, and Lance was able to meet the owner of the Dodgers.
This was from our seat the second night. Lance had a contact who was able to get us seats behind home plate.


I decided if we were going to go to Dodger games then we would go to the beach as well. This is a picture I took while we were sitting on the freeway on our way back from the beach. I thought the trip to the beach just might end in a divorce, but we survived.
Proof that we were at the beach. It was a lot of fun. Lance didn't want to go, but I was sure glad we did. We didn't even stay and hour, but the water was great and there were not that many people there.

First night at the game and Lance is smiling. He hates that I have to take pictures. The game was great....even though they lost. I love watching live games.

24th of July

This is a picture of two of the best people I know. This is my mom and dad. I hope some day to be like them. The are kind, compassionate, accepting, loving and yes a little hickish. They love each other dearly and are great examples to a lot of people. As you will see from the following pictures that sometime we all enjoy enjoy getting back to our "roots."

The previous pictures are of my family waiting for the parade to begin. My dad wears a hard hat and yells at every "float" so they will throw a lot of candy in our direction. It works out pretty well for most of us. My dad also wears overalls almost all of the time.


My sister-in-law planned a bunch of games for all of us to play. Enterprise has races and things for the kids but we really don't like to socialize with other people from Enterprise. We had a lot of fun and really appreciate all of the work she went through.
My older two boys are really good with little kids. They were both enjoying having a little girl they could watch and give her back to her parents.
Here is Lance with our niece. Lance likes little kids...until they learn to talk.
Boys will be boys. This is a picture of my brothers...Chuck and Steve.
I believe Russell, Bert and Briley are all wrestling my brother Steve.
Brendan enjoying the giant swing set.


Russell only made it half way down on this attempt.
Lance claims when we brought out the HUGE tarp to slip and slide on, we went over the edge with showing we were all "hicks." He was back at his parents home watching TV, so what does he know about the fun we had. Obviously, this was not planned because half of us were in our clothes...but it was A LOT of fun. The tarp was huge and we could get several of us going down at once. Maybe sometimes the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You can't say that we don't know how to have fun and laugh at ourselves. I really enjoy spending time with my family and I wish we would get together more often. We missed our sister who thought it was too far to travel from Saudi Arabia just for the weekend....maybe some year she will live back in this country.

Amanda's Wedding

I know I look terrible...very tired, and whatever...but this one shows Lance. We were at my friends wedding and I had gone early in the morning to help out....I guess I am too old to be on my feet all day.
Just cute Brock and he was almost smiling.
Brendan thought it was a lot of fun to dance in the mist. I was a HOT July day.
Me and Amanda...the bride.
Once again.

MS Bike Ride

Yes these pictures look the same, but they are the only ones I took of our MS bike ride. We rode 46 miles. It was a much better ride than the Breast Cancer ride...no wind.
The was after the ride and we were smiling. My family (Lance and the boys) all came up and waited for us at the finish line. Good times. The ride was June 27 and the weather was perfect.

Brendan and Baseball

Lance was Brendan's coach....Russell and Brock got to help as well.
Yes, he is a lefty but only when he bats.
Look at the focus on that child.
Coach Lance and the team.

Kelly Clarkson Concert @ UVU

Russ, Nathan, Liz and Justina...just hanging out and waiting for the concert to begin.
Yes, it was an outdoor concert and yes it rained. Stephanie and I are looking good in the rain jackets. I think I might have embarrassed my son...job well done.
We actually got pretty close to the stage. It makes it hard to push your way around when you have 5 people trying to get close with you.
After a long day of work...we get to hurry up and wait.
The kids just hanging out and trying to ignore their mom and her friend.

Officially a teenager

As you can see Brock was very excited to be 13. (June 4) My boys prefer mud pie to birthday cake.
Blowing out the candles. I remember when I turned 13...where does the time go?
Brock and Russell have decided to try playing tennis. Brock got a new tennis racket.
Brock was not happy that he had to wait until we got home from work to celebrate and open presents.

He is so excited that he can hardly contain his emotions. Oh well. Happy Birthday Brock. He is the one who is most like me...lucky him.