Family Reunion

When we found out that our extended family Fishing Derby on the Young's side was cancelled, my family decided we would have to do our own little reunion out at the ranch. Even though we had just been out west in March I knew there was no way we were going to miss seeing all of my siblings and parents. So we made the long journey yet again. Tanner is such a good sport, although I did tell him I was going whether he came or not. 

Tanner took a half day on Friday so we left once he got home and went as far as we could that first day. 

Eliza sure was cute leaving the hotel with her little backpack. She's smiling because it hadn't hit her yet that she would be in the car all day long. 

One of the first things we had to do when we got to the ranch was ride horses. Mariah loved petting them and feeding them treats but wasn't so keen with the riding part. On her last riding experience her horse spooked a little and that was enough...but I'm going to keep trying with her. Chet on the other hand couldn't get enough even after his horse started running, because he kept kicking it, and he fell off. There were a few tears but then he jumped right back on. Just one example of how Mariah and Chet are different. Austin and Eliza loved riding, Eliza threw a big fit when she had to be done. 

I know everyone is wondering where I got my great riding attire...I only wear the best.

Come Follow Me that week was covering Captain Moroni so we had Tanner act out the Title of Liberty for the kids. And then we put some more things that are important to us on our Family Title of Liberty. 

Can you tell what toy was the favorite? There was no way Austin was going to put it down, even for a bathroom break. 

Grandma did her traditional tea party and the kids loved it. Their British accents and upheld pinkies are improving as well.

Uncle Sevy set up the Game Cube and played Mario Cart with the kids. We learned one unplugged controller was perfect for the younger kids. They were totally involved punching away on their controller. 

We ended up being out there on my Birthday. Tiffany made an amazing chocolate cake and my mom and sisters got me some beautiful framed artwork. And here's a series of photos with my favorite photo-bomber in the back...

That night we went up the canyon on a hay ride and had hot dogs and hamburgers. It was a perfect ending to my birthday because my favorite thing to do as a child on my birthday was to ride horses up the canyon. The kids got to play in the creek and we had a great time visiting. The ride down the canyon on the hayride was a little like a roller coaster/crack the whip especially for those in the back. But it isn't a good time for Papa Ralph if there isn't some peril. 

All the grandkids minus Benson, because we won't wake a sleeping baby if we don't have to

Because of fire restrictions we went all the way up to the ranch's meadow so we could still have a fire. I have so many fond memories of this place and I love these grungy clothed family pictures we took. The only thing that would have made it better is if Dan, DJ and Mike were there. 

Hamming it up for Aunt Mandie 

Tanner decided to bring his new mountain bike out with us and was able to go on several rides. He rode down the canyon after our dinner and made it home way before us. My dad dropped him off on top of the mountain one morning for another downhill ride too. 

One day all the kids were given squirt guns and challenged to go on a dinosaur hunt. They found a huuuge T-Rex. Some of the kids were actually freaked out at first until they realized it was just Uncle Sevy. It was so funny watching him run around. 

Brigston found this huge scorpion (which was already dead) and Chet was so excited to bring it home to add to his specimen collection. And then we forgot it; so here's a picture to always remember. 

And I have to add this series of photos of the only grand daughters (for just a little while longer!)...

Grammie also threw a "Pop Party" which is always a hit. Here we were lined up to watch the Mento rockets. They were a little lackluster, but the Poprocks, soda, and bubble wrap dance party made up for it.

There were so many fun little activities to keep the kids busy: corn hole, digging in the dirt, a big water trough, digging for dinosaurs, trampoline, slip and slide, epic water balloon fight (where we learned that Trey has deadly aim and my children fall apart after one too many water balloons to the face)...the kids ran hard all day long every day. 

Eliza was so clingy to me most of the trip but Grammie and Papa Ralph were able to get a little attention from her. 

Later in the week we made shields

We threw a little baby shower for Em the last night we were there. Amanda organized some great games and we had a wonderful time. Can't wait to see that baby girl!

After seeing their cousin Tate catch a snake, Chet decided he needed to catch one of his own. He caught it on our last morning there. I had to make sure it didn't come along for the drive. 

We spent an evening at Ty and Lisa's and the next morning Tanner got up early to go mountain biking with Spencer and Timmy. He had a good crash and was coated in puff dirt. I'm sad we didn't get a picture. 

Eliza needed a little help falling asleep at the hotel and she and Tanner looked so precious together. Tanner didn't love the flash; just imagine a calm peaceful look on his face. 

It was a whirlwind of a week but it was so wonderful. Whenever we are making the long drive out I tell myself that it's crazy and there's no way we are going to do it again. But then we are with family and I realize that it is all worth it and we'll keep doing it over and over again. 

4th of July

We were all so excited for the cousins to come up from Missouri for our weekend celebrations. When Chet found out that Terron's birthday had been a few days before, he made him this birthday banner. Austin made the shooting star that is taped to the window. 

 Early Friday morning Tanner and our neighbor Tyler poured cement for our new basketball hoop. The kids were outside all day long. We set up a slip and slide and the sprinklers in the afternoon for the kids to play in. 

 These toddlers are the best. They had to get in their swim suits so they could relax in these lawn chairs and stay completely dry. 

The next morning the girls decided to set up a nail salon and paint their finger and toenails red and blue. Not one to be left out of anything, Chet decided it was only fair if the boys got their faces painted. And he was finally persuaded that the world was still just if the girls had their faces done too. 

 Tanner built a massive swing set and the kids played on it all throughout the day. 

We made a huge slip and slide the next day and the kids had a blast. Tanner, Baydon and I even jumped in on the action. I was reminded of my age when I could feel it the next day in my neck and back. But it was still worth it. 

 On the Fourth we had Egg rolls and stir fry for lunch, and Tacos for dinner, followed by a Tres Leches American Flag Cake. It was delicious and we still felt it represented the United States well. It is a melting pot after all. I've decided I want to start doing the flag cake because it brings back so many memories of Fourth of July as a child. My mom would make one every year for my Grandma's Fourth of July birthday. Tanner inspired the Tres Leches flavor and we used fresh raspberries and blueberries. 

After dinner we walked around the Welcome Home Soldier Monument. The kids had fun ringing the bell and looking at the state flags. As we were leaving, a woman was gathering the flags and all the kids rushed to help her clean them up. 

We talked about the Star Spangled Banner and the story of its creation. Then we sang all the verses and it was so fun to watch all those kids sing with such gusto. 

That night the kids got to stay up late for fire works. Sparklers with 11 kids is not for the faint of heart. But they had fun. 

We ended the weekend Sunday night with amazing fireworks at the Havard's house. They set up their fireworks to go off right over their pond and it was awesome. 

While we were all a little grumpy Monday morning from lack of sleep and mosquito and chigger bites, there were no regrets. I'm so grateful for this country we call home. God bless the USA!

Three!...No, Two

Whenever we ask Eliza how old she is she always says, "three!". But half the time she acts like an eight year old so I can't say that I blame her for being confused. The last two years with this little spitfire have been so delightful and exhausting for all of us. The girl is so full of life and sass and either leaves us giggling or gritting our teeth. 

 Eliza loves her babies. She wants to feed them, burp them, dress them, and take them for walks in their stroller or with her in her stroller. 

 Austin isn't always thrilled to play with Eliza, she has the tendency to try to take over; but they are starting to play together more and it's pretty precious. Plus it gives me some peace and quiet for at least five minutes. 

 Eliza is not a fan of getting her hair fixed but she also isn't a fan of her hair in her face. It's quite the conundrum. Lately when I suggest to fix her hair she brushes it out of her face and says, "I fix it!". 

Chet and Eliza are similar in a lot of ways. Both are high energy, both can talk your ear off and they always are hungry. The two of them are giving me the most gray hairs. 

 A few months ago Eliza was always trying to get everyone to sit on her "blap". She really wants to mother her cousin Jack who is only a few months younger then her. "Co-mere Jack, sit on my blap!" Jack is pretty wary of that and gives her a wide berth which is probably wise on his part. 

 She loves to wear her swimsuit as long as she doesn't get wet...but she loves to tell us, "I swim!". 

 We aren't sure whether Eliza will be right or left handed. She uses her right to eat and her left to draw with so we'll just have to wait and see. And boy can that girl eat. I've seen her polish off three bananas in a day and they were just her snacks. She especially gets excited when someone gets out cheese. "Dad, cheesa me?" 

 I got her all dolled up in some of my dresses and shoes and she was happy about it for the first five minutes. But besides walking through two feet of snow, and uphill both ways to school, my generation also had to wear itchy clothes. Eliza has been spoiled and couldn't handle it. 

 We love hearing her count: "three, four, five, chicken...". One day while out in the yard she gasped and said, "Oh look at that tiny bird!". It was a butterfly. She is always quick to invite us to join her in whatever she is doing, "Mom? Sit by me?" or "reading" books to us. 

If she is interrupted, or perceives that she has been interrupted, she says, "I'm talkin!" over and over until she drowns us all out so that she can continue to monopolize all conversations. 

Eliza has to say a prayer whenever there is a prayer. They usually consist of, "Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen". And if we try to prompt her to say anything else she cuts us off with a "wait!" and says it her own way. 

Eliza has loved home church and insists on bearing her testimony every Sunday. She also tries to sing along to the hymns and MUST have her very own hymnbook. 

 Eliza loves Gus, especially bossing him around. Whenever she gets her hands on his treats she begins shouting out commands, "Comere Gus! Sit! Kenna! Yeave it! Wait...wait..." And good ol' Gus knows that if he just sits in front of her and waits long enough she'll give him the treats regardless with a gusto "Boo-boy!". 

 Eliza gets so excited when Tanner gets home from work. "Dad! He come! Hi Dad!"

 Eliza wants to be just like Mariah, and I'm ok with that. She will find music books and knows that she should either play the piano with them or sing. Her favorite song to listen to is "Lello Goobye" and she could listen to it on repeat all day long. 

She recently found this bottle and has now decided that it's pretty cool. Just wish she would have figured that out around 20 months ago...

 At the beginning of the year, whenever we asked if she was poopy, she would accuse someone else of having a poopy diaper. "No I not poopy! Grandma poopy!" The blame would also extend to her toots. But lately she has taken great pride in those. One day Chet claimed her toot, and she was indignant, "No Chet! My toot!". The boys have had a huge influence on her as far as potty humor goes. Whenever she thinks it's time to be funny she says, "poopy diaper!". Not my favorite. 

For the first time in almost two months we had family come up the weekend before Eliza's birthday. I decided to make the cake then. Eliza loved when we all sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She even sang along for part of it. But she wasn't a big fan of the cake. I thought it was delicious though, which is more important. 

 On her actual birthday we opened presents and ate the rest of the cake that I had frozen. 

 She was really excited about her "pack-pack" and "Kitty-cat". 

 That evening we went for a walk to see the "horsies" and then had popsicles with the neighbors. Then they ran back to their house and made  snow cones in honor of Eliza's birthday. When they asked her if she wanted grape or cotton candy Eliza replied, "hotdog". 

Exhausting and Exasperating as she may be, we are just crazy about our Eliza girl. She is always surprising us with her big vocabulary and even bigger personality. It just melts me when she says, "Che Chu Mom!" Or, "I love you!". This girl has brought so much to this family and we are all so grateful for the light and laughter she brings. Happy Birthday baby girl!