Cedar can't keep her hands off the baby. 

..me and Oaks 

The kids took these close ups and I love them just thought I would share them. 

The baby is getting big. The birds are just enjoying the view. 

I look nice, but I am a crazy driver! 

Watch out everyone! 

This is JJ, Jayna and Oaks. You can see how scary it was for JJ. 

Tuesday the 27th we went to Lagoon in Utah. We went with friends, JJ, Kim and Jayna. Oakley and Cedar rode on all the rollercoasters. It was amazing, we didn't get on any of the kiddy rides, Cedar made the height limit by an inch and she wasn't scared of anything. The Colosal takes you upside down twice and it didn't bother her a bit. Oakley loved everything. We hit most of the rides and then went to the water park that is in the same park (called lagoon-a-beach) it was really fun too! I am just posting a few pics because I couldn't get many because we had to hold on TIGHT on all the others. We all had a wonderful day. 

Just Hanging Out. 

Don't they look like they're having fun? 

There were about 10 dogs there and they just hung out with everyone. The kids loved it. I loved how sweet they all were. This house is really old and the yard has huge trees. It was really nice 

Mark, Oaks and Cedar. They love him too! He is just a big kid. 

This is Pat and one of his best buds, Mark. Sunday was is going away party. He moved here from Cleveland, Ohio. He is headed back Thursday. The party was really fun. Oakley and Cedar were the only kids there, but there was a park right across the street. We used to live about a block away from the guy (Jack) who was having the party. So it was fun to be in that area of town.  

Our new family sport.

We bought my mom and dad a croquet set for the Fourth of July. They left it at our house so we have been out there playing almost every night since. The kids love it and are getting pretty good. I am the worst player and Pat kicks all our butts. Here are a few pics of us during a game. If you haven't played you should try it, it really is a great family game.

They are so sweet and cute! 

Cedar, Corrine, Cody and Oakley. These guys are Stan's kids. (he is Pat's brother). They all had so much fun playing.  

Cedar and Oakley and Baby bird (7 days old) 

Cedar and Oakley and baby dove (7 days old) 

Just some daily activities.

Okay, okay Misty. I haven't been on the ball like you. I am so glad you even look at this and give me some comments. No one else I know ever comments. (anyone else out there?)
We had a fun weekend. Friday the kids stayed over night at my mom and dads in American Falls, and Pat and I went to a barbecue, it was so much fun. It has been great for Pat and I to go on a date once in a while. Oh yea, last week we went to the public swimming pool with some old friends of Pats. It is so cool because the one girl was Pat's girlfriend about 12 years ago and the other was a room mate he had back then. It sounds strange, but it was really fun. I didn't feel to weird, but I know Pat was a little nervous, but in the end he had fun and it was nice to hear about the old days. Between the two of them they have seven kids (whoa!). Its funny how life turns out. So today Oakley and Cedars cousins are coming to swim. We haven't seen them since Thanksgiving. They are excited. I will post some more photos of that get together later. Have a wonderful day.

Oakley had friends over and just played in the pool and the creek for about 4 hours. They are a bunch of fish. The temp today was lower 90's, so a great day to get wet. 

Jack and Baby 

The baby dove is 2 days old and growing fast. This pic shows its size and the other is Daddy (Jack) getting ready to feed the baby. 

Here are a few photos of Oakley. He turned 7, on January 15 of this year. I can't believe he is so grown up. He started his first grade year in Hermiston, Oregon, and in September 2004 moved to Pocatello. He was pretty sad to leave his buddies in Oregon, but settled in here pretty quick. So he is headed to second grade and has to change schools again. Our new home is in a different school zone than the one we had him in when we got to Idaho. Both Oakley and Cedar will be in the same school, which is just across a field from our house. I think that is going to be great. Oakley is very good at meeting new friends and will get some new buddies quickly. This year he played soccer and thought that was really fun. Their team had a hard time, but it didn't bother him much, since it was his first time playing. He did great! Right now he loves to ride his bike, play catch, play on the swingset, in the pool and anything that is active. He also likes video games (shocking!).  

I just wanted to say a few things about what Cedar has been doing. She turned 5 on May 11 this year and will be starting kindergarten the end of August. She is very excited. So far she has never been out of my sight since she was born. We didn't put her in preschool because we were moving back to Idaho right when she could have been attending school. I thought it would be hard to change schools and all that (plus I still was very happy to keep her at home with me). The first and only thing she has been involved in on her own has been dance. She started in January of this year and was pretty nervous. I am not kidding! She had just one class a week and in both Jan and Feb she, seriously, just stood there stiff as a board. I kept thinking I was crazy to keep her in it, but she would get her dance clothes on each week and go. All week long she would talk about her dance class and her teachers. Then after that two months of no dancing or even moving, she suddenly joined the class and knew the moves and was a pretty good dancer. Kids are amazing. Anyway she completely loves to dance and didn't have any problem with her recital or anything. I am sure she will do fine starting kindergarten, and of course more dance classes.  

Baby dove hatches..

We have had two doves for three years now, (Jack and Lily) this morning their eighth baby hatched. This has been such an amazing thing to witness. Jack and Lily are amazing parents, they both take such great care of the babies by feeding and keeping them warm. The other seven babies were born in Oregon, so this is the first one born in Idaho. A friend of Pat's wants two doves so this will be his first one. The kids are so happy. Jack and Lily have no problem with all of us looking all the time, they are very content. Here are a few pics. The baby is about the size of a quarter.

When you believe you become. Believe in beauty, for the earth mother is covered with beauty. Believe in love, for your earth mother and sky father love you. Believe in magic, and you release your soul from the prison your mind tries to build around it. Above all don't be afraid, the Great Spirit provides all that is needed. Believe in your medicine. Believe in the work you are doing to become an instrument of the Great Spirits will. Believe that your life is progressing to it's proper destiny. Believe in beauty. Believe in love. Believe in magic. And you will realize you are truly beautiful, loving and magical. ---Wabun

"...if one person is unkind to an animal it is considered to be cruelty, but where a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of commerce, the cruelty is condoned and once large sums of money are at stake, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people." --Ruth Harrison

"Somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision." --Eleanor Roosevelt

The first day of the rest of our lives.

Welcome to my blog. I thought this would be a fun way to make a little journal of our lives. Our kids are growing so fast and time really does fly, so I thought a blog would help me remember the simple things that just pass by daily in our lives.