Summer cont.

To continue on with our summer posting seems only fitting since it's November and I'm freezing and already wishing for warm days and water logged, happy kids again. We took a LONG trip to Idaho for a few family get togethers on both sides. I took the kids and went a week early so we could all see my family who was in town and together for the first time in about 20 years! WOW!  Then Justin flew in and we headed to Idaho Falls for his Grandpa's 80th birthday celebration with all of his family. LOTS of family time! 

We spent the first week at my Moms with my sisters in town without husbands so it was MUCH needed sister/girl time.  We sat in the hot tub till wee hours of the morning and ate yummy food, all the while laughing our heads off and it is probably one of my most favorite things in my life. :)  I am blessed with amazing sisters!

Plus they play with my kids and teach them fun games and just love spending time with them.

We made some fun memories for sure!

We celebrated Payton's 3rd birthday that week too which was fun. Taking a break from the pool to crack open the pinata. ;)

The big 3 year old!

Silly string fights.


We had a smaller BBQ at my brothers house for just the few people (few is still like 60 people but it's a big family) who were already in town.  We had a Mexican potluck feast and holy cow did we eat good that night!!! YUM!  They had decorated so fun, they have an amazing backyard for entertaining. 

My Moms husband Mark set off the candy cannon for the kids which is always a hit.

We played a fun 2 on 2 tournament of some sort of bean bag toss game???  Very fun! (though I am not so great)

Sarah did this most of the time, we fought over babies most of the weekend.

Cute Tekyiah

My Dad broke out the Model A for a Grand kid test drive.

Not sure????

The next day was our big reunion with all the family at the park.  We were there to open it up and shut it down it was a long, hot,  very fun day!  This is Gavin and Jubilee at the end of the night feeding gold fish to the squirrels.

Jubilee and Grandpa

Sarah and Asaph

Gavins prize from the bingo game he got all these body parts that feel so real we were cracking up.  He has the tongue in and was going around pretending to lick people it was SO FUNNY!

Gavin and Grandpa

Walking through the nature center.

My favorite cousin Abby who I was inseparable with growing up now lives in Texas and is a professor! Crazy!

Sarah's fabulous bingo prize. ;)

Bingo time.

My niece Daesha and  her first baby boy Hank.

Next up, Idaho Falls.  Gavin's excited about that! ;)

Haylee and Grace are both loving all the baby time they have been getting these last few visits it's so cute to watch their little mothering instincts kick in. :)

Cute Hunter with the most amazing blue eyes I've ever seen on a little kid.

Celebrating more birthday's.

After the birthday party Uncle Ben took the kids puddle jumping in the parking lot. They still talk about how much fun that was.

Happy little Zoey. :)

The shot I always have to get when the kids get to see their grandparents, sadly it's not often enough. :(  They just love spending time in Idaho Falls and getting to see where Justin is from and hear all the fun stories, it's sad we don't live closer so we could visit more often.

We headed back to Boise and stayed another week just to hang out and see everyone we missed the first week.  This pool has been SO GREAT to have when we visit the kids love it! (Adults too) ;()

This is one of my favorite memories of the trip, they were all in here together and laughing SO HARD we were all crying......so fun!

Whitney and Zoey

My friend Julie came over to see me with her daughter Charlee.  It was fun to see them and I love being able to see my friends that I've had forever as Moms, it brings something new to the friendship that is very fun.

We took the kids to the Saturday market on our last day, it's so big compared to our little city I forget that sometimes.

My one hesitation about leaving on this trip was my friend Nicole was having her twins while we were gone and to go through the whole pregnancy with her and be so excited and getting ready only to miss the actual birth part was really hard. :(  She ended up staying in the hospital longer than everyone thought so we got to stop in Seattle on our way back into town to see her. (them)  Little Avery was discharged already and doing really well.  We got to visit Alexa in the NICU but she still was on monitors full time and I didn't get pictures of her.

Avery Scott Stoddard

Isn't she wonderful???

My kids were so excited to meet them and hers were so excited to show them off.

Trying to enjoy them without wanting my own. ;)

We love these little blessings and are so thrilled they are here safe and sound.


The day after we got home we started Soccer camp at church for a week and I got to coach 2nd grade which was really fun!  I got to have Haylee in my class and there were so many fun kids they are a really fun age to teach.  It's like VBS but they change it up a bit to give the kids some sort of skill to practice and get some physical activity other than just games. Plus it helps with team work.  Grace had her little best friends from her class at church that she just loves and they get along really well it was fun to watch her.

Practicing our drills.

Cute girls.

Haylee and Makenna

The Sunday it was over the kids performed all the songs they learned throughout the week for the parents and congregation.  It was a great group of kids and a really neat experience to see some of the kids who don't really attend a church or come from a family of believers still come and learn about Jesus.

The girls are back there somewhere. ;)