A little Karaoke, a little rope climb, games

Heidi did a great job planning the reunion. Most everyone enjoys sitting around playing games, we also have fun with the skits, this year Heidi added Karaoke and a movie. So all of that plus lots of food and little sleep and lots and lots of visiting. It was a great time and I loved spending time with all of you.

More family reunion pictures

I have been keeping scrapbooks of our family reunions since we started and we have been doing this for 17 years. There are 8 children and we have each had two turns planning the reunion all except Heidi, this is her third time. whew. We sure missed the family that were not able to make it and sure glad that the ones that made it were able to take time out of their lives. I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!!

I love my family

D and A K family reunion 2009. We had the reunion at mom's family cabin. It was great fun. Except that nobody showered for several days and we all looked and felt like it. But it was great fun and we had a great turnout.

Blueberry picking in Oregon

While I was in Oregon one of the things we did in addition to the Coast and moving, Blueberry picking. It was quite interesting and fun. I can't remember the name of the patch that we went to but the lady was very nice. There was a competition to see who found the biggest berry. We picked 29 pounds of blueberries. We ate a lot, had a blueberry cobbler and blueberry pancakes. It was fun. Here are a couple of pictures.

Ashlee and Cortnee do the shopping!!!!

The girls were given the responsibility of doing the grocery shopping while I was gone. I told them they had $100 to spend each week and if they could stay as much under that as possible that would be great.
I had to laugh when I looked at the one receipt that was in the kitchen when I got home. They had only spent about $50 but this is what they bought. TV dinners, chocolate milk, pillsbury biscuits, pillsbury orange rolls, gum, Tonys frozen pizzas, they actually bought fruit. It was funny. These are the things they like and it was fun for them to actually have the responsibility of doing the shopping. Ashlee told me it was pretty weird. But they did it. The first week I had put things on the grocery list and she did get all of those things and some fun things I won't always buy for them. New and exciting things.

Oregon trip for Judy

I offered to go to Oregon to help my sister Lora move. She has really been struggling with her back and so I thought I would help out. She called and suggested that I call our brother Russ, he and his family are going up to go camping with Lora and her family. Then I could drive back to Utah with her and her kids when they come for our family reunion.
Russ and Jenni and their kids were wonderful for taking me with them. We camped at Camp Lookout by Tillamook Oregon. It was a nice campground, kind of old but close to the beach. The temperature was cool but the kids and Russ actually played in the ocean. We camped from Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. We went to Lora's house for Friday night. Russ and his family headed out early Saturday morning. They took Lora's two youngest with them. Anyway Saturday we did some packing and to the farmers market in Hillsboro. Sunday church and then Monday the moving happened. George had hired some movers, boy were they ever a treat. But we got most everything moved out of the old house and into a new one. And it was sooooooooo hot. We learned later in the day that it was 105 degrees. We were literally dripping. We were hot and tired but felt that by the end of tuesday we had things pretty good. Lora felt that she could leave the next morning and be gone for almost 10 days. So we headed out at 4:45 a.m. We actually made really good time and made it to my house in 14 hours. Marc had headed out for a high adventure camp in the tetons so I won't see him until Saturday. this is the longest I have actually been away from him and the girls. He has been gone and the girls have been gone but I am usually home....i missed Marc and girls but I was glad I was able to go.
I have asked my neice to send me a couple of pictures if I get them I will try to add them to my blog.

4th of July 2009

We didn't do much for the 4th of July. But Marc, shilo and I did take a hike at the top of Millcreek Canyon. We hiked for a couple of hours. There was lots of shade and lots of water. So after wearing Shilo out hiking we gave her a bath with the hose at home. (she hates baths!!) I told Marc this hike was tons better than grandeur peak that we did a couple of years ago on the 4th.

Marc and I in St George

The first weekend the girls were gone to Florida Marc and I headed out Sunday after church and stayed in St George until Tuesday. We started out visiting with Ruth Ann and Thom in Cedar city. That was a perfect start to our get away. St George was great. I actually went Mountain biking with Marc. We went to a place called Goose Berry Mesa. It is west of Hurricane about 14 miles. It was very pretty and hot. After all of the rain we have had at home it was warm. Then ride out and back was about 10 miles. I had a pretty good blister on my thumb of my right hand but other than that I thought I did pretty good. It took Marc I bit to believe I could actually ride but after awhile he figured out that I would get off and walk if I didn't think I could do it. I think the hardest thing for me was that it was the first time I had ridden a bike with shocks. But I think I still did a pretty good job. And surprisingly I wasn't even sore the next day. One of our main objectives in going down other than to just get away was to try and go to Tuachan Theatre. Annie was playing on Monday night and that is not one I really want to see. So I passed. Usually, when we are in St George there is nothing playing. I was trying to be somewhat frugal with this trip so we passed. But we did spend some nice time at the pool and the hot tub. We were able to make a session at the St George Temple on Tuesday before we headed out of town.

Ashlee and Cortnee in Florida

Ashlee and Cortnee went with their mom to Florida for 9 days. It was a whirlwind June. Cortnee left for Oakcrest (church girls camp for beehives) the monday after school got out. She was gone for a week and then they left for Florida on the following Monday. Ashlee took her friend Lexi with them. They have a step brother that Cortnee hangs out with and so Ashlee needed someone to keep her company. Here is a picture of the four of them (taken with Ashlees camera) and then Ashlee, lexi and Cortnee at a Luau. They arrived home on Tuesday and Ashlee headed out to church girls camp that afternoon. She was gone the rest of the week. So as I said we have a had a whirlwind June. But then things settled down.

Family Pictures

Family Pictures usually end up being torture for us. Not really sure why. Well Memorial weekend we bribed Ashlees friend Cami to come with us and take the pictures. I think she did a marvelous job. The bottom picture is our favorite

Cortnees birthday is actually May 3rd

Just thought I would add that I am really behind on posting and so I should tell you her birthday was a month ago. Here are a couple of pictures of Cortnee wearing Ashlees dress for The Sweethearts dance. And just a very cute picture that Cortnee took of herself.

Cortnee and hair extensions!!!

Cortnee decided that she wanted to get hair extensions. Marc and I went with her to a beautician that puts them in your hair. Very expensive!! They said probably $90.00 for each section and she would probably need 5 sections. Plus 2 hours to put them in and that would be $30.00 an hour. Whew!!!! So then we went to Sallys beauty supply. She could buy clip in extensions for $79.99. Well she didn't think that was too bad. We (I thought) made it pretty clear that we thought they were too expensive but she was welcome to save her money and buy them herself. Well she was totally upset that she didn't get them for her birthday. But she did ask if we would be upset if she returned the sun dress and the bag that we gave her for her birthday. That would give her $30.00 plus some birthday money she was sure she would get from her moms house. Well she did end up getting enough money for her birthday and bought the extensions. This is a picture of them curled. Pretty cute. She wore them for a week and then decided they were too much of a pain so they are out. Hopefully a lesson was learned from this experience.

Cortnee turns 14!!!!

Cortnee received a new flat iron for her hair, a pretty yellow sundress that she really wanted last time we went summer shopping, but didn't have enough money and decided that she needed shorts more. What a perfect thing to happen so I could give it to her for her birthday. And last, a bag. Happy birthday cortnee we love you.

More St George

We start out by trying to get Cortnee to come and have some fun with us.

We don't have to talk to hard for Ashlee to come and have fun especially if there is a camera around. Just kidding. She is beautiful and loves to have fun.

Finally, we are able to persuade Cortnee to have some fun.

Doesn't she look like she had fun!!!! Beautiful girls. We had a nice family weekend. Wish we could do that more.

St George

We were lucky enough to get a room in St George conference weekend. Fridays drive was a little snowy but not bad. Saturday was ok but not great and sunday ended up being beautiful. Ashlee wanted Marc to take pictures of her. But Cortnee was too ornery for the most part. We were able to get this one picture of the two of them.

Well it is official

Marc and I have entered a whole new phase of life.
Ashlee has officially received her drivers license.
She has access to drive our Neon (pretty much exclusively) but we keep reminding her that she doesn't just get free rein. We have kept it around pretty much just so she could have a car to drive. Maybe when she turns 18 she will have enough money to buy her a new car and then Cortnee can drive the neon. So today she actually picked Cortnee and Tony (their step brother) up from school and drove them over to their moms. It will be kind of a big help to both us and their mom that they can get back and forth by themselves. Cortnee thinks that Ashlee will be taking her shopping all of the time. We shall see. But for now it is just kind of weird that we won't have to do all of that running. We are excited for her.

My birthday

To start out the day we went to the orthodontist. Cortnee got braces on her top teeth. (picture to follow) Then I met Noreen, Mom and Dad and they took us to lunch at Wingers. Noreen and I then headed over to Okubus to order flower pots for the summer. Then Ashlee headed off to the soccer game with her mom, Cortnee and I went to get pedicures. (So unlike me) But we had a nice time. Then Ashlee, Cortnee and I headed to the church to help set up for a ward party. Marc wasn't sure what time he would get off work but he did get off at a decent time so we met him at Johnny Carinos for dinner. I received a Cricut cutter. I am so excited to learn how to use it. And Marc sent me flowers. All in all it was a great day.

Billy Ray Cyprus

I can't believe it has been one year since we decided to start having sibling dinners.

Jenni suggested that we all meet in Wendover and see a show. Billy Ray Cyrus happened to be the show playing. We met for dinner first and then the show. It was actually better than I thought. He actually sang quite a few songs that I knew. I love getting together with my family and really miss the siblings that were not able to be there. We really love them.

Cortnees getting braces

Cortnee is getting braces!!!!

Mostly for aesthetic reasons but a few needed reasons. This and contacts in the fall, she will be the whole new person. Hmmmmmm.......didn't we all think that at one time.

She is beautiful now, and she will be beautiful then.

Ashlees sweetheart dance

This dance was girls choice. She went with the twin brother of one of the girls she kind of hangs out with. She looked beautiful. He seems like a nice kid. They had dinner at The spaghetti factory ( with apparently everyone else from their school) they went to the dance and after changing clothes they went and played Laser tag. I think they all had a fun time. Ashlee claims that the corsage was her favorite thing. It was beautiful.