VACATION!!!!!!

Last Wednesday we loaded up the mini and took off at 6am to start our Phoenix/Palm Springs vacation.  It was a 6 hour drive to our first stop and the kids did GREAT!  Look at how well they are set-up, though -- why wouldn't they do great?!!?!!..... 

Our first stop was in Goodyear, Arizona.  Jeff's aunt and uncle recently moved there from Tacoma so we stopped to say HI!

Jeff and his Aunt Anne......

Jeff and his Uncle Rich.....

Aunt Anne and Maleah.....

They fixed a very nice lunch for us and we got to be part of the first meal ever served in their new house dining room!......

After eating the kids took one last swim and then it was time for us to go.

It was really great to see Uncle Rich and Aunt Anne and it was a great first day of vacation!

Next stop -- Jeff's mom's house in Mesa, AZ.

FATHER'S DAY

Father's Day was a pretty mellow day for us.  Our big excitement for the day was going to the "luxury" movie theatre that recently opened near our house to watch Madagascar 3 in 3D. 

This is why it is a "luxury" theatre.......

.....the seats recline, you have little trays and lamps right next to you, you have a waiter that you can call at anytime and they will serve you and you can eat a whole meal right there while watching a show if you want to.....

You definitely pay for the service and comfort, but it was a fun treat for a special occasion!

THE PARTY AFTER THE PARTY

After Maleah's friends birthday party on Saturday we decided to have a family barbeque and invite some neighbors and friends over for the night...... 

The kids still got to do lots of playing.  They talked Shanda (Ella's mom) into pushing them and swinging with them on the swings......

We still had the bounce house for the night and it got a lot of use.....

Grace got to stay and her mom and dad and brother joined us too......

Maleah got a couple more presents.....

Maleah and Presley.....

Gabriel, Wendy and Presley......

Gabriel and Jeremy.....

 Jeff, Jeremy and Frank......

WHEW!  It was a long day -- Cameron decided to just fall asleep right in the middle of the party outdoors.....

It was a fun "after party"!

MALEAH'S 7TH BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Last weekend we had a birthday party with Maleah's friends to celebrate her 7th birthday.....

All of the girls -- (back row) Presley, Jasmine, Ella, Sydney, (middle row) Olivia, Lorea, Bella, Grace, (front row) Rena, Gabby, Maleah and Ashley.....

We had the party at home and rented a bounce house for the backyard.....

Jeff just couldn't resist and had to get in there to bounce.....

The girls also had the big toy to play on.....

And they had the new "twirl bar".....

Time for cake!.....

Presley, Ella, Maleah and Lorea......

My big helpers scooping ice-cream were Rena and Grace.....

Yummy!.....

What was Jeff doing when he wasn't bouncing in the bounce house???.......  :)

Maleah had a great time with all of her friends and is ready to turn 7 years old!

CONGRATULATIONS HALEY!

Last week the kids and I got to go celebrate Haley's graduation with The Herren's and family.  They live in Pine Mountain Club, which is about 3-1/2 hours north of us, and we have luckily got to go the last three years to celebrate Taylor's, Ryan's and now Haley's graduation. 

Here's Haley receiving her diploma.....

Haley and her proud parents, Gimi and Paul......

All of the boys that were there to support Haley -- her brothers, Ryan and Scott, Scott's friend, Haley's cousins Matthew and Christian and Cameron.....

Peggy was there to celebrate also and, of course, brought the kids goodies.....

The day after graduation we stuck around for a party for Haley.  The kids are helping Taylor make the veggie kabobs.....

Maleah helped make the cupcakes and Rena helped frost them.....(Cameron helped eat them!).....

The kids LOVE the dogs that are there.  Gimi & Paul have three and Taylor has one.  I'm not sure which one this one is, but Maleah liked it......

The party was held a little farther up the mountain at a camp site.  Cameron was having fun helping the guys with the set-up of the big stuff -- like the barbeque......

Peggy is wearing this hat because the party had a pink theme -- Haley and Taylor had to keep telling their friends that their grandma doesn't usually dress this way.....

The party.....

The cook -- Taylor.....

Maleah and Christian (Haley's cousin from her dad's side of the family).....

Rena carried this little dog around ALL DAY LONG.  It's name is Tinkerbell and it belongs to Haley's cousins, Christian and Matthew.  Rena really wanted to bring it home with her.....

Matthew and Cameron.....

Time to cook some marshmallows.....

Paul and his dad were master smore makers!......

Maleah and Peggy (still wearing her pink hat!).....

Still carrying around that little doggy.....

We stayed two nights and rented a cabin, The Whispering Pines.....

Peggy was jumping back and forth between our place and Gimi & Paul's.  We luckily got her to spend both nights with us at our place......

Before heading home we stopped back at Gimi & Paul's to say our good-bye's.......and to water Gimi's garden.  The girls thought her little garden was so cool and had a good time watering everything while we were there......

I sure am glad that we are close enough to celebrate with The Herren's.  There is only one more graduation left (Scottie) and we have to wait 2 years for that one!  I'm pretty sure we'll find some other reason to get ourselves up there to visit between now and then.

For now, though.......Congratulations Haley!