My nephew, Tommy is officially a high school graduate.  Pictured below with his dad, my brother, and grandpa, my dad.  He really was happy this day regardless of the lack of smiles.

After his graduation we all went over to his house for a party.  There was a small stream next to the house, and the girls thought it was the coolest thing ever. 

Kenzie, Mik and Jill

It was a perfect time for a group photo.  I only wish more of my siblings could have been there.  Those that made it were me and my family, Jolyn and her family minus Hubert, Julia and her family, my mom, and of course Brian and his boys.  My dad and Rhonda left before this picture was taken.

Anthony and Grandpa, my dad

Brian and Tommy

Austin, Brian, and Tommy

Kyler loved the cupcakes

Three generations:  Grandpa, Grandsons, and Son

Solar Eclipse 2012

In case you've never looked through solar eclipse glasses, they are dark.  Very dark. The only way to see is to tip your head back and try to look down and out.   A word of warning, this can cause you to look "special".

Very "special".

At least I know Kay will love me even if I'm "special".

But, seriously.  The eclipse was pretty cool.  May 20, 2012 was the annular solar eclipse, and we happen to live in a path that got to have a pretty cool view.  We didn't see the complete "ring of fire", but it was close so very close.  We popped popcorn, took out some blankets, put on our specs and set waiting.

and waiting,

still waiting,

finding ways to entertain themselves,

as we watched the moon makes it's way past the sun.

But hey, we had popcorn so we were set to wait for as long as it took.

Sam called over her neighbor friend, and my mom joined us.

 An eclipse is pretty cool, literally.  As the moon covered more of the sun we could feel the temperature start to drop, and it was slightly darker.  It left a weird feeling of calm.

Kay

And the hi-light is over.  The fullest part of the eclipse was done.

Dad, girls, grandma, and Max's tail

My mom

After the popcorn was gone, I took pictures to pass the time. 

Releve

This is my Sammi.  She can twist and bend and fold herself in ways I never knew were possible.  But that isn't all. 

She's also very determined, talented, works very hard for goals that she sets, and she's self-motivated.

That is how we ended up watching her in the Releve dance competition.  The last part of April she decided she wanted to enter herself into a solo competition with Releve dance company.  She emailed the lady in charge to find out if she could go without a dance teacher, or team.  So she registered as independent.  Next step was to choreograph a dance, which she did completely by herself.  With less than a month until competition she had a lot of work ahead of her.

We left the two youngest at home with grandma and took two of her friends so she could have a cheering section, and cheer they did!  When it was time for awards all the dancers went up on stage with their classes to wait.  Sam was the only on there as an independent, and she didn't have a team.  When some of the girls learned this they didn't quit know what to think, but they did invite her to sit with them. 

Awards were handed out according to age and category of dance.  Samantha was a "teen recreational contemporary".  All of her hard work paid off, and she won "queen" which entitled her to a trophy taller than she was, a crown, and a gift card to get a jacket!  We were all so excited!

Sam getting crowned

Sam and her huge trophy

on stage

 We were so glad to have a traveling cheer section along with us.  Her Grandpa also came to cheer her on, but he got away before I could get his picture.

Proud mamma and proud dad with Sammi :)

After eating, shopping and visiting with family we were on our way home.  To close our super day we got to see the "super moon" for the year on our way home.

Life's Simple Pleasures

Going up to the mountains is one of our simple pleasures in life.  It doesn't really matter what we are up there for, we just love it.  One of our favorite spots to stop for awhile is at Johnson's Creek.

The water was pretty cold, but it didn't stop the girls from playing in it.

The girls and dogs enjoying the mountain air

 Up the road a ways, we found snow!  Kay couldn't resist chucking a few snowballs at the girls.

Jill bracing for the blow

Sam dodging the snowball

 We have a lab who is scared of water.  Strange I know.  We've never been able to get him to swim.  Today was the day to change that.  This is the water, aka dry wash reservoir.

This is the floating raft at dry wash, and this was our ticket to making our lab swim. 

The girls got onto the raft and called for Max. He wouldn't go anywhere near the water. So, I got onto the raft and called my "baby". He jumped onto the raft thinking it had to be safe if I was there. Poor little guy didn't know what he had coming at him. The first time Kay stayed on shore holding onto the rope so the raft didn't get away. We went out a ways and Kay started calling Max. He did jump off the raft, but managed to clear the water so far that only one of his paws got wet. Round two: this time we went a little further out, Kay called him, and he was a little more cautious this time. After a minute of coaxing him he decided to make a jump for it. This time he got all four legs and his belly in the water. Round three:  By now he was very hesitant to get back onto the raft, but eventually he did. We went even further out this time, but when Kay called him he wouldn't budge. So, Kay let go of the rope, went and dropped the tail gate on the truck, and started calling for him. This did the trick. Max jumped into the water and was forced to swim to shore. We cheered and yelled for him! We finally tricked our lab into swimming.

Our labs after their adventures in swimming

We've had a birthday

Our Jilly Bean had a birthday this month.  I can't believe how fast my girls are growing up.  These last few years I've really grown to appreciate and understand the advice I always got when my kids where little, which was "Enjoy them while they're little.  They'll be grown before you know it."  At the time I thought it was going to take forever before my kids would turn five, let alone grow up.

 Jill's birthday was split into two days.  Because the day of her birthday also fell on the same day that her older sister was going to the temple with the youth, we let her open one present and had her birthday dinner the day before her actual birthday.  She picked the present from her sisters, and was so excited to find the animagic dog that she had asked for.

On the day of her birthday we had her cake, which was a turtle cheesecake by request, and she opened her other present.

After her birthday song she made her wish and blew out the candles.

She had a friend stay for dinner and cake.  Here you can see her friend covering her ears when Jill opened her present to find a Kindle touch!  She'd been wanting one for a very long time.  I love my Jilly Bean!  I love her excitement and love for life.  I couldn't imagine my life without her, and count my blessings everytime we celebrate her birthday (as well as Sam and Miki's bday)  I love my girls!!

The following Friday Jill had her friend party.  She had 17 girls come to her party and they had a lot of fun.  Here they are doing the conga line during a game of freeze dance.

Next they divided into groups and with a stack of newspapers and rolls of duck tape designed dresses.

Miki is the model for this group

Jill is the model here

Miki's finished dress

Jill's finished dress

Jill opening her presents... she got quite the loot

 After eating banana spits the girls played "chubby bunny".  A game that involves lots of marshmallows, and filling your mouth with them until you can't say chubby bunny anymore.  HaHa!  Love those chubby bunny cheeks, and love you Jilly!!