*We knew camping was coming and the kids always bring their bikes. So, Ethan needed to learn to ride his bike. He wanted to ride with the big boys. We took him to the boys school Bolder Creek and he got it fairly quickly.
He still wobbled and stopping was an issue but he got the basics! Way to go E-man!!! On the way back from that outing Chandler was being a stinker and didn't want to get in the car. So we told him," Fine you have to ride home". Well that was no deterrent for Chan. He probably wanted to do that all along anyway. So, he rode home. 
Had to cross a major road and all. We of course followed right by him but seeing my baby riding all by himself, and it was getting dark, kind of made me nervous. He did great like always!*In the beginning of July Ryan and I were able to get away to Medford, Oregon for a couple of nights.
For Christmas last year Ryan's parents gave us a weekend get away to Medford. Hotel, gas, rafting trip, spending cash and babysitting all included!! It was fabulous! We left on a Friday got to Medford and did a session at the temple. That was great! First time we've done that on our own. Family has always been with us. Then checked in to our hotel and went and had dinner at McGrath's fish market. Yummy! Next morning got up and drove to where we were going to raft down the snake river. 
We've done it 
before when the youth from our ward goes but first time by 
ourselves. The river was really high so the "rapids" were pretty wimpy but it was still fun to be together. After that Ryan wanted to go check out Crater Lake. 
I've never been. It was amazing. There is no inlet or outlet. Just rain and snow fall and sooooooooo blue!! Wow!*That get away was just what I needed because I had been full gear being wedding planner for Matt and Angie's wedding. I now know why wedding planners make the big bucks. That is a hard job, but in a weird way so much fun. Angie told me what she had wanted but then final yes's and no's were on me. P
ressure! I don't have girls and so I really loved being able to put together something beautiful and be detail oriented in a girly way. So many details so many things to remember to do and need. I did have lots of help from family and there is no way it would have happened without all of them. But after Medford i
t was time to get back to wedding stuff again. First major thing was Angie's bridal shower. Kristi and I gave Angie a shower at Jill Huang's home. Jill and her husband Dan were gracious enough to let us use their house, it is big and we knew there would be a lot of people. Dan also volunteered to do the meat and bread for the dinner we were going to do. We had meat kabobs, fruit salad, spinach salad, bread and cheesecake 
for dessert with either strawberry or caramel topping. She had a very supportive and great turnout. It was a lot of fun to put a 
lot of girly touches on everything. We had white table linens, flower centerpieces, little pink purse party favors and chocolate and pink everything. The night was great. The only bad thing we didn't get a picture of Angie, Kristi and I together. Aagghhh I could have just died after I got home and realized. So sad.
ressure! I don't have girls and so I really loved being able to put together something beautiful and be detail oriented in a girly way. So many details so many things to remember to do and need. I did have lots of help from family and there is no way it would have happened without all of them. But after Medford i
t was time to get back to wedding stuff again. First major thing was Angie's bridal shower. Kristi and I gave Angie a shower at Jill Huang's home. Jill and her husband Dan were gracious enough to let us use their house, it is big and we knew there would be a lot of people. Dan also volunteered to do the meat and bread for the dinner we were going to do. We had meat kabobs, fruit salad, spinach salad, bread and cheesecake 
for dessert with either strawberry or caramel topping. She had a very supportive and great turnout. It was a lot of fun to put a 
lot of girly touches on everything. We had white table linens, flower centerpieces, little pink purse party favors and chocolate and pink everything. The night was great. The only bad thing we didn't get a picture of Angie, Kristi and I together. Aagghhh I could have just died after I got home and realized. So sad.*Then on July 19th we headed over to the coast for our annual family camping trip. I love traditions! I really believe they are one of the things that hold families together. This year Garrett and Kristi couldn't put their back seat down in their Suburban so more of their stuff had to go in dad's trailer. So, we had to for the first time bring Ryan's dads little trailer. It worked out great. And we were self sufficient. We had a great time like always. 
This was the first year that Chase was mobile enough to get around and really take everything in. He loved it.
Our good friends from Redding ended up being at the campground too the same time as us. And it worked out great because their boys have been buds with Evan since they were born. Tyler Goss, and Jason Bickmore were there to celebrate Evan's birthday which was on the 20th.
How fun. I brought gluten free cupcakes for everyone and once again Evan got a birthday in the Redwoods.
We really have gotten this camping thing down I think. 
(This was our nightly jaunt to the showers.)
*About four days after we got home from camping Ryan's good friend from high school, Erik Jacobson, and his family came from Utah for a two and a half day visit. The kids played in the pool and then on Friday we took Ryan's parents patio boat out to Shasta Lake. Good times.
Saturday finally arrived. THE BIG DAY!!! I guess the temple and wedding was the real big day but for me the big day was the reception. All the planning and vision of what it was to look like was going to come to life. It was like my baby was being born! Crazy I know but hey it may be the only one I get to plan and do. It went really, really well. No complaints here. We even got everything done in time to go home and lounge for a couple of hours. Nice!! The reception was at Gold Hills golf course. We decorated inside the club house for the food and a few tables in case it was too hot outside. Then there was the tent outside that we put the most tables at. It was beautiful. It was all like I had envisioned. Rachel did an amazing job on the food table getting the food to look its best. Great job Rach! Everyone helped out so much.
The whole night was a success and I owe huge thank you's to all my family. Everyone helped out so much. My boys probably felt like they got put on the back burner a lot this summer while I did planning but they were troopers and knew that we were doing this for Gee-whom they love. And Ryan was a huge support. Always willing to listen to all my ideas and frustrations with the tiniest detail and girly stuff. Thanks babe. And thank you to Matt and Angie for letting me be their planner. Now that the stress is over it was a lot of fun and being extra girly was great!!!
*We then had about a week and half before school started.
Evan is in the 5th grade, Chandler is in 2nd and Ethan started Kindergarten! 
Wow, its just me and Chase now for three hours in the morning and we are having fun with one on one time. Playing games and having time to run errands before we pick Ethan up at 11:20 is great!
*Shortly after school started Evan had the opportunity to sign up for safety patrol. I think the authority that it brought sounded appealing to him. The teacher advisor for it knows Evan and thought that putting him for his first duty at the cross walk would give him some much needed self confidence. And boy did it. For the two weeks that he did it I loved going a little early and watching (from afar of course couldn't get too close because I was embarrassing him) him with his stop sign.
Mom's get emotional for so many different reasons and for me those few days a 10 year old boy holding a stop sign and feeling that he was in control for a change made me very happy. Great job Evan!!!
This was the first year that Chase was mobile enough to get around and really take everything in. He loved it. Our good friends from Redding ended up being at the campground too the same time as us. And it worked out great because their boys have been buds with Evan since they were born. Tyler Goss, and Jason Bickmore were there to celebrate Evan's birthday which was on the 20th. How fun. I brought gluten free cupcakes for everyone and once again Evan got a birthday in the Redwoods. We really have gotten this camping thing down I think. (This was our nightly jaunt to the showers.) The boys are great in their bunks and everything fits just right. 
Of course we did our favorites: bike riding,
Of course we did our favorites: bike riding,(Ethan's earlier practice paid off!!)
climbing Redwoods,
(we bought Chase and Ethan Jr. Ranger vests @ Crater Lake)
pier (crabbing),
beach (not my favorite but I do enjoy watching everyone else have fun playing soccer on the sand, building sand castles and flying kites), 
tide pools 
and sitting around the campfire enjoying each others company. Everyone got to come this year. Dad brought a lady he was dating at the time, Sue. She was a huge help with the kids and they really enjoyed her and the fun things she brought for them. I think she filled a grandma void that the kids so desperately miss. 
And, Matt and Dax got to come too.
beach (not my favorite but I do enjoy watching everyone else have fun playing soccer on the sand, building sand castles and flying kites), tide pools and sitting around the campfire enjoying each others company. Everyone got to come this year. Dad brought a lady he was dating at the time, Sue. She was a huge help with the kids and they really enjoyed her and the fun things she brought for them. I think she filled a grandma void that the kids so desperately miss. And, Matt and Dax got to come too. *About four days after we got home from camping Ryan's good friend from high school, Erik Jacobson, and his family came from Utah for a two and a half day visit. The kids played in the pool and then on Friday we took Ryan's parents patio boat out to Shasta Lake. Good times.*Then less then a week after they left it was wedding full throttle. Wednesday the 4th of Aug. we drove down to Walnut Creek to stay there the night before the big wedding. We all ate at the Cheesecake Factory the night before. The next morning we got up early and made it to the temple on time. Angie, Kristi, Rachel and I drove in a car together to get some sister time and get there before the guys and kids. We all got to be Angie's escorts.
Mom was so missed that day but we definitely felt her presence. Angie was a GORGEOUS bride. The temple went off without a hitch. How could it, being in such a place surrounded by people who mean everything to you? Matt and Gee are so happy and when they came out and were holding Dax there was a feeling of this is how it is supposed to be. 
We've all said that mom had a huge hand in putting them together and with all of us there together it was perfect!! Good job mom!
Mom was so missed that day but we definitely felt her presence. Angie was a GORGEOUS bride. The temple went off without a hitch. How could it, being in such a place surrounded by people who mean everything to you? Matt and Gee are so happy and when they came out and were holding Dax there was a feeling of this is how it is supposed to be. We've all said that mom had a huge hand in putting them together and with all of us there together it was perfect!! Good job mom!After the temple everyone got back in their cars and drove about 45 mins. to Fairfield to our very good family friends' (Jan and Don Preston) home. They graciously offered their home for the luncheon. Ryan and I had stopped by the day before and dropped off the centerpieces, rolled napkins, candelabras for outside to line the walk and various other things. They have a beautiful home with gorgeous landscaping and fun things for everyone to do. Evan and the Staiger girls Kira and Andrea played tennis,
the pool was hit and I think everyone had a nice time visiting. 
We had food brought in from Carino's it's Italian and then cheesecake and choco. cake for dessert. Everyone who was at the temple came. Matt's family, all of our fam., all the Richins came except Eric(he's on his mission), Karen, Kira and Andrea Staiger, Matt's friend and his wife, Rachael (Angie's friend) and Sue -who dad was seeing at the time. It was a great time.
the pool was hit and I think everyone had a nice time visiting. We had food brought in from Carino's it's Italian and then cheesecake and choco. cake for dessert. Everyone who was at the temple came. Matt's family, all of our fam., all the Richins came except Eric(he's on his mission), Karen, Kira and Andrea Staiger, Matt's friend and his wife, Rachael (Angie's friend) and Sue -who dad was seeing at the time. It was a great time.We all got home that night and still had lots of work to do for Saturday. Friday we got up and Karen, her girls and I ran around and did last minute things. It was great to have so much help. I was truly blessed that so many people were there to help. Then we all met at Brandy Creek to take a patio boat ride, play on the beach and have a BBQ dinner. It was fun to hang out with everyone.
(Chandler doing a flip)
(Chandler doing a flip)Saturday finally arrived. THE BIG DAY!!! I guess the temple and wedding was the real big day but for me the big day was the reception. All the planning and vision of what it was to look like was going to come to life. It was like my baby was being born! Crazy I know but hey it may be the only one I get to plan and do. It went really, really well. No complaints here. We even got everything done in time to go home and lounge for a couple of hours. Nice!! The reception was at Gold Hills golf course. We decorated inside the club house for the food and a few tables in case it was too hot outside. Then there was the tent outside that we put the most tables at. It was beautiful. It was all like I had envisioned. Rachel did an amazing job on the food table getting the food to look its best. Great job Rach! Everyone helped out so much.
(I'm having trouble getting pictures off Angie's disc. When I get it figured out I'll add them.)
We all went home to get ready. It was fun when everyone started to come back together for pictures. We had all been working really hard trying to get all our outfits just right and it was fun to see Angie's vision and all the family come together. Pictures were fun. The wind was our nemesis that night. Caused havoc on us girls' hair and the candles wouldn't stay lit, and it kept knocking the centerpiece pictures over but I guess it could have been a lot worse. Attendance was low and that was a bummer. Dancing got started and it was so much fun to have family and friends out there boogying!.jpg)
Great memories. Oh and they dedicated a song to mom. It was Laughter In The Rain by Neil Sedaka. It was perfect. I remember listening to that song all the time with mom on our big stereo/record player that was a wooden piece of furniture in our living room. She loved that record and that song. Everyone was smiling and the dance floor was packed during that song!
Great memories. Oh and they dedicated a song to mom. It was Laughter In The Rain by Neil Sedaka. It was perfect. I remember listening to that song all the time with mom on our big stereo/record player that was a wooden piece of furniture in our living room. She loved that record and that song. Everyone was smiling and the dance floor was packed during that song!The whole night was a success and I owe huge thank you's to all my family. Everyone helped out so much. My boys probably felt like they got put on the back burner a lot this summer while I did planning but they were troopers and knew that we were doing this for Gee-whom they love. And Ryan was a huge support. Always willing to listen to all my ideas and frustrations with the tiniest detail and girly stuff. Thanks babe. And thank you to Matt and Angie for letting me be their planner. Now that the stress is over it was a lot of fun and being extra girly was great!!!
*We then had about a week and half before school started.
Evan is in the 5th grade, Chandler is in 2nd and Ethan started Kindergarten! Wow, its just me and Chase now for three hours in the morning and we are having fun with one on one time. Playing games and having time to run errands before we pick Ethan up at 11:20 is great!*Shortly after school started Evan had the opportunity to sign up for safety patrol. I think the authority that it brought sounded appealing to him. The teacher advisor for it knows Evan and thought that putting him for his first duty at the cross walk would give him some much needed self confidence. And boy did it. For the two weeks that he did it I loved going a little early and watching (from afar of course couldn't get too close because I was embarrassing him) him with his stop sign.
Mom's get emotional for so many different reasons and for me those few days a 10 year old boy holding a stop sign and feeling that he was in control for a change made me very happy. Great job Evan!!!
