Family in Phoenix!

 

We were pretty lucky this year and were able to go to my parent's vacation home in Phoenix for a week with all my siblings and their kids. Thanks Mom & Dad for making it possible :) We love when we are able to get together and when you throw in summer weather, a pool and 10 kids it's a guaranteed recipe for fun!

Nick hates LOVES travelling with kids!

Our first morning there Nixon just couldn't wait to go swimming

and jumped in the pool in his pjs. Haha! 

Dani, Kelsy & Ian

This shy little man is stingey with his smiles, but when you can

get one, they are priceless. We love you Kaden!

Just trying to survive the heat wave (115*F!)

Baby swimsuits are SO adorable!

Savannah & Jennica

Jill & Max

Nick & Emerson

Landon sure loves having his picture taken ;)

By the end of the week Nixon was fearless in the pool and loved

just running and jumping in. He is fine getting his face wet

and even learned how to doggy paddle a bit :) 

Me & Ems

All the kids and Grandkids :)

My big brother Shane ignoring the kids and getting some reading done

Nixon doesn't look mischievious at all...

Emmy & Savvy are only 3 days apart and have multiple matching

outfits thanks to Grandma Jeannie :) 

The two that started it all.

We love you Mom & Dad

Thanks again!!!

Summer recap

In order to post about the cool trips we've been on lately, I feel the need to finally catch up on my blog. So here's a summary of the regular, fun things that kept us busy all summer long. You better get comfy because this is a LONG post! Happy reading :)

 Nixon & Emmy just LOVE going to the park. They would  

stay there all day long if I'd let them!

 

I guess the spray park is the perfect place to pose and check

out all the little ladies...  ;)

In June we enjoyed a fabulous weekend away in Calgary to help celebrate

Uncle Jack's 65th birthday. We stayed in a swanky hotel, swam, shopped 

and just visited with family. The only downside: when Nixon accidentally

got trapped on an elevator alone for 20 minutes. Scary!  

Jason, Joey, Uncle Jack, Nick & Nixon

Carrie, Andrea, Teressa & Emmy, Vincent and Kyla

Since Canada day was on Sunday this year, we missed out on most of the festivities

but I figured the least we could do was show our red & white Canadian pride,

and have a BBQ (with my parents - who were in town helping with our landscaping) 

I also made it down to Cardston 2 or 3 times this summer and Nixon loved

watching cartoons with Grandpa Ron & Grandma Jeannie and 

of course playing with his cousins (ring around the rosie is his fave) 

Nixon & Max are just 3 months apart and I'm sure they will always be best buddies

Porter & Gray joined us one afternoon for some waterfun in my parents backyard

We also enjoyed a gorgeous day in Waterton with perfect weather

The kids loved the playground/spray park and I enjoyed when

we finally got out of the sun during lunch at Zum's ;) 

Happy 56th birthday Dad! Hope you enjoyed your baseball cake!

I also lucked out and was in town during my "little brother" Dillon's wedding reception

Congrats to Dill & Ashley! What a handsome couple! (And don't you just love

that magical moment when your kid decides to throw a tantrum right

as you are taking a picture......) 

Date night with the Dudleys @ Whitemud Amusement Park

Mini golf, Go karts, then DQ blizzards for dessert

Storytime with Baba (Grandma Teressa)

I love that both my kids are waterbabies! It makes it very easy

(and fun!) to spend an afternoon outside enjoying the sun.

And, makes for tired, nap-needing kids!

Would you look at those LIPS!

One of the highlights this summer would definitely be being at home for my 10 year highschool reunion. I had such a fun few days getting together with friends, with & without our kids. We enjoyed an adults only dinner, playdates at the park & Hall's backyard, decorated our parade float, got blizzards, rode in the parade, and had a family BBQ afterwards. Thanks to Vinnie for spearheading it all, to everyone else who helped, and just to everyone for coming! I had so much fun!

And these are just some of our kids!

Nick & the kids waiting for the parade to start

Jill and the Grandmas

My beautiful mom, Jeannie and her parade marshall wannabe husband Ron ;)

Apparently Lindsay and I were VERY excited to see my family :)

This was Nixon's first time watching a parade, and he LOVED

waving at everyone, especially his Mama!

Levi, Dani, Porter, Gray & Nixon showing off their parade spoils

*PS. Does anyone know why Blogger keeps randomely selecting words to highlight?