Week of fun!

Our very best friends the Cowley's came to visit us for a whole week. We had so much fun with all of them. Even though it's been way too long since we've been together, we all just picked up right where we left off. It made my heart happy to see all of our kiddo's eat dinner at the little tables just like the good ol' days.

Many hands make light work---right???

The kids all pitched in and helped clean up.

It was SOOO wonderful to have a small little baby in our home

All of the kids loved holding and playing with sweet baby Porter.

{B} was completely smitten with the baby. She wanted in on everything. What a cute big sister she would be.

Amy and I went and got our hair done while Ry and Tom watched the kids.

Amy got a ton cut off and it's just so cute on her.

When we got back Ry and Tom went out shooting in the desert. They got stuck in the sand on their way home.

Luckily they made it back in time for us to meet some of our cute YW for icecream.

We had SO much fun talking about the past and sharing many embarressing moments and just life in general.

We laughed so hard and ended up staying all the way til closing time. I miss the girls and am so glad we still stay in contact. It's fun to hear about their lives and to see what wonderful people they are becoming.

Saturday we went to the Mesa Scrapbook convention. It was so much fun.

Here is what I bought. After the convention, lunch and shopping we came home and scrapbooked. Our husbands are WONDERFUL and took care of the kids so we could enjoy the day together. It was AWESOME!!!

It was so fun to have the Cowleys here and I'm so glad they stayed with us. We stayed up late talking each night and it was just so fun being together! I feel like Amy and I are kindred spirits and she means the world to me. I can tell her anything and she knows just what to say. We have so much in common and she is my scrapbook idol. I love everything she makes. Most of all she is always so supportive of me and whatever my family is going through. She loves my kids and takes time to stop and make them feel so loved. She is as close to a sister as one can be without being related and I just love her to pieces. (I'm getting teary-eyed just typing this) I'm so grateful for the friends we have in the Cowleys. I can't wait to see them all again in May!

Our lil' Bobcat

{J} earned and recieved his Bobcat award at pack meeting tonight.

I got to draw whiskers on his cheeks that he could wash off after doing a good deed. His good deed was picking up trash. Theyboys love cub scouts and I'm so glad they take it so serious and work so hard to pass off all of their achievements.

{B} and her friends kept busy drawing on some reciepts I had in my purse. I thought they looked adorable!

Drive-In

We took the kids to the drive in last night to see how to train a dragon.

We ate yummy treats and piled in blankets and pillows in the bed of our truck.

It was a lot of fun!

Easter Eggs

We get up and do our Saturday work first thing in the morning. I am always looking for new ways to make it a little more exciting. We've done individual lists, teams or all working together. Since it is easter I thought it would be fun to use Easter Eggs as part of our chore list.

We took turns picking an egg.

Inside was a chore for everyone to do together. If some one decided not to pitch in then they had to do the next job alone. Thankfully that never happened.

I love it when we all work together. I washed the dishes, (K) rinsed, (J) dried and Ry put them away. This was after filling a load in the dishwasher.

here we are coloring eggs

aren't they pretty???

We made a lot of these little treats and took them around to {B}'s sweet little friends. I got the pattern from this cute blog.

Easter Fun

We were invited to Easter Dinner and an egg hunt with the Pearce Family. I was very excited to have somewhere to go especially because Ry had to work. They are so thoughtful.

I just love their mom Holli and {J} and cute little {E} have a little crush on each other. Unfortunately {B} and I got sick over the weekend we didn't end up getting to go, I was SOOOO disappointed and kept telling myself we would be fine, but we weren't.

The kids were excited to find their baskets from the Easter Bunny

{K}'s basket

{J}'s basket

{B}'s basket

After looking over their loot they went outside and found some eggs.

{B} would get sooo excited each time she saw a pink or purple egg.

The boys were very sweet about leaving her the pink or purple eggs and would show her where to go if they found one.

Despite not feeling well at all I had a lot of fun watching the kids hunt for eggs.

After the egg hunt we had some breakfast and watched some more Conference. The kids were very good. I told them as long as they were quiet they could have their baskets while they listened. It worked out great. They each got small notebooks and a pen in their baskets and the boys wrote the cutest little notes in them. {B} opened her new playdoh set and kept busy with that durning most of the day. I loved the spirit and excitement that was in the home all day.

After the second session since we could go to our friends for dinner they brought it to us.

It was soooo yummy!!!!

***It turns out {B} has a sinus invection, she is doing much better now. I am finally without a head ache for the first time in over a week, oh happy day!!!

Cousins

Although we love it hear in Arizona, the hardest part is definately being away from family. I love that no matter how long we have been apart the kids just seem to pick right back up with where they left off and have a blast with each other.

These two have always been the best of friends. I love how cute they are with each other.

they sat together in this chair for a whole episode of Max and Ruby while eating their lunch. not sure how it came to be, but it crackes me up.

The older cousins are always very good at including the younger ones. I think all the girls enjoyed it when we got the little makeup kit out.

All of the cousins had fun jumping on the trampoline. There were no tantrums or fights and all the kids got along so well. Amazing for how many little ones there were you would think it would have got crazy, but they were all just best of buds!

They were all grins and giggles. I got a kick out of watching them all play so well with each other.

Uncle Tyson even got in on the fun and showed off some of his cool tricks.

There is definately a sweet cute little bond between these two. I love that they have so much fun together.

{B} was obsessed with her new baby cousin. She loved it when we let her hold him. Who could blame her, he is A.DOR.A.BLE!!!

Ever since they were very tiny my boys have had a very tight bond with these boy cousins. They are older than my kids, but somehow when they get together the age doesn't matter and they just have a blast being together. I'm not quite sure what they were doing in this broken slide, but it was hilarious listening and watching them be silly out there.

My very favorite thing in the whole world is to play games with my family. I never laugh more hard then when I play with my dad. He is so funny and I love the sillyness that goes on when we all play together. It's just FUN!!!!

We of course had to try {J}'s new Ben 10 game from his cousins. It was a HUGE hit! He did not stop smiling the whole game.

I think this game of Domino's would have to go down as one of my all time favorite rounds. I don't think Domino's is supposed to be this fun, but I will always cherish and remember this night.

Although I am super sad that everybody is back home now I'm so glad I have pictures and this blog to go to and document this fun weekend.

We are so grateful to ALL of our family who traveled so far to help us celebrate our sweet little (J)'s special birthday. It was so fun to have everyone here and build more tender memories with our cousins.

That's what it's all about!!!

Party Time

Friday night we had a big friend party for {J}. We ended up doing a Ben 10/magic party.

My nieces Summer and Brittley made the cake and cupcakes. They are so talented.

Aaron the Entertainer being silly with the kids before the show. He was SOOOO good and kept us all laughing.

we had a lot of out of state family in town and lots of adults. Aarron was hilarious for both kids AND adults.

the kids LOVED it when he started juggling fire.

After the show he taught all of the kids how to balance on this board and how to juggle. It was very hands on and the kids had a blast!

After everyone got a change to try some tricks we opened presents and had cake and ice cream. It was a fun party, and especially fun to have our family at {J}'s birthday. The last party they were at was his first Birthday when we still lived in Utah. Crazy how fast my little buddy is growing. Hope you had a super fabulous day my little J frog.