Garage Band

So we have been doing so well at RockBand that we have started a garage band.

Just kidding. Grandpa Rick found us a used drum set and Audrey is doing really well on it. She isn't allowed to play in the "jazz" band until 8th grade but she is doing percussions now in 6th grade and will be more than ready by the time 8th grade rolls around. P.S. We can't WAIT for Rockband 2 to come out for PS3! Merry Christmas to us....

The Big Surprise

This is video when Audrey opened her last present - a new cell phone. I know, I know. She's only twelve but honestly...it has been so nice to know where she is and when she'll be home etc. With her at work and now going to mutual and riding her bike to friends, it is nice to know she is safe and needless to say...she was thrilled! I think we even had a few tears. She wasn't expecting it at all.

Happy Birthday Audrey Rose!

12 years old. No really. Can you believe it? She went to mutual this week! I can see my wrinkles and gray hair rapidly approaching. Her party theme was her initial. Grandma Nona painted them up so cute. Happy Birthday Audrey! We love you!

More Birthday Fun!

Aunt Kathy rounded up each of the girls initial to paint at the party. It was a big hit and I think they all did a creative job well done!

Apparently, the girls are still talking about the whip cream game from last year's party. So here it is again. Audrey's aim was a little closer this year...

She was also able to narrow her birthday invite list to 25 girls!

All Grown Up and No Place To Go

Yep. That's her. All decked out for the first day of preschool. We got to the school only to find out...it wasn't the first day! I must have forgotten to read the fine print. She hasn't wanted to go back since!

Shoshone Falls

Stopped during our travels to take the kids to Shoshone Falls. It was pretty windy during our visit, but who can resist a beautiful waterfall?

A Hiking We Will Go

Took a trip to Idaho Falls and did a little hike during our stay. There were some pretty spots and only Grace slowed down enough to let us take her picture!




These were some friends we met along the way...YIKES!

Coeur D'Alene Trip

We took a trip to visit cousins and had a great weekend of water fun! Too many photos to show you all but I took some of the highlights! Enjoy!

More Coeur d'Alene Photos

The kids played in the lake...

By the Lake...and in the Lake. They were like little fish all weekend!

Brett showed off his wakeboarding skills...

and how he kept the lake water from affecting his allergies!

Apparantly during our stay we were also visited by Jack Nicholson!

Not just "Treadin' water!

CHECK IT OUT! Tread was begging to try the wakeboard so Ryan got in the water with him, helped him position and he was up and going on his first try! He has been out more during the summer and does VERY well! Way to go Tread!

"WAKE" UP!

The weather was perfect and so was the water! We would go out at 8:00 a.m. for a run, then back out in the afternoon and once more before bedtime. It was probably one of the hottest weekends C'DA has seen this summer so we managed to get our fill of the "wake"!

S'More Fun!

Cousin Fun

Impressive!

OK, so we have an entire summer of these kinds of pictures and you haven't seen the last of them yet. Ryan attempted the 360 this summer while I attempted to catch some air on this sweet new wakeboard Ryan bought for me on our anniversary. He put it on the boat in our driveway and then took a picture of it and sent it to my phone. Needless to say, we were on the lake within the next hour!

Next time, I won't post my picture next to his because when you have something to compare with it doesn't seem quite as impressive! But I sure felt like I got his air! It take so much strength and stamina I really need to workout. I spent half the summer limping because of sore muscles!

Not sure what I was doing in this picture but I have a feeling it didn't end well...