Catch up Blog

We haven't written on the blog for a while.  It seems like we have been going a lot of different directions at about a 100 miles per hour.  This blog will catch everybody up with what has been happening in our lives.  

On Saturday of Memorial weekend, went to Julia Davis Park down on the Boise River.  It is in the downtown area of Boise and has a zoo and paddle boats and a greenbelt along the river.  We played various games and the boys rode their bikes along the river and everyone went on the paddle boats.  It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun.

Joce also learned how to change the oil today.  As you can see she is now a pro.  She didn't even get any oil in her hair.  What a feat.  That is unusual for a girl!!

On Monday which was Memorial Day, we had a bar-b-que in the back yard with some friends and Troy and KayLynne's family.  We had plenty of food and lots of fun.  Earlier in the day we were invited to go boating at Black Canyon resevoir with the Ririe's.  The kids had a blast on the tubes.  So did Shawn, even though he can't ride them as long as he used to.  He must be getting old or something.  It was a warm sunny day and perfect for water activities.

Then of course on Wednesday we went to Preston and spent the weekend there for Sydney's Graduation from High School.  I will only post one picture depicting her true feelings, and if you want to see the other hundred or so pictures from her graduation, you can go to her blog.

On Saturday we ended up in Salt Lake City for Shawn's cousins wedding and afterwards went for a drive and ended up at Leatherby's Ice Cream parlor.  

Here is the face of two young lovers waiting for their ice cream.

Here is the face of uncertainty!!!

This is the face of joyful bliss!

This is one of anticipation.

This is a face of victory!!

And one of defeat!!

and these are just some pretty faces!!

After we dropped off Syd at the airport on Sunday morning, we drove back home to Boise, and resumed life as usual again.  Shawn was on the road for the week and the kids were finishing up school.  Wednesday, June 3rd was their last day.   

This week, Shawn and Hayden went to Northern Idaho and decided to do a little fishing while Shawn was "working".  They finally had some success going after the big fish and a wonderful time doing it.  Shawn finally caught his big fish.  It was a 20 lb salmon that measured 36" inches in length.  Hayden topped off the day with a 5 lb salmon that measured 18" inches long.  As you can see, they are all smiles.

Haydens Bear Hunt

On Monday, Shawn and Hayden went bear hunting up north a couple of hours away.  They took along a friend that knew the area and said there were lots of bears around.  They left about 4 pm and got home about 11:30 pm.  They actually got something this time.  They drove up in the mountains and then got on the Rhino and 4 wheelers and drove the roads stopping and glassing the hillsides as they went.  Hayden spotted this bear across the canyon laying in the shade kinda on top of a rock.  They were about 400 yards away.  They knew the bear was not aware they were there, so they snuck down the hill and tried to get a closer shot.  

When they were about 300 yards away they set up for the shot.  Shawn was looking through the spotting scope as Hayden was shooting.  His first shot hit the rock underneath the bear.  The bear was looking around trying to figure out what was going on.  Shawn told Hayden to get another shot off when it was right.  Hayden popped off another shot and the bear dropped like a rock.  It was an awesome shot!!

I think he is still grinning and its almost been a week.  The bear was about 5 ft, and had a white blaze on its chest.  The left front paw had been chewed off from where he had it caught in a trap or something.  They had lots of fun and are now wanting to go to Alaska for the big ones.

Dylan's 10th Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DYLAN!!

Well today was Dylan's Birthday. He turned 10! wooo. The Big 1-0!

He got a bike for his present.  On Thursday evening, he got to go with Mom and Dad to the musical "Brigadoon".  3 hours of a musical that you dont understand is almost too much, but he is still singing the songs today.  We asked him after the play if he understood what "Brigadoon" was or was about, and he said "No, but it was good."  

Today, during the day we decided to go to the neighbors and do some zip lining!! Thanks to Kevans assortment of construction equipment, we can make a 150 ft zip line starting at 40 ft in the air.  It was a blast and everyone loved it!  We will post a video of Nathlie soon.  When they pushed her off, it was all over but the screaming..   Here is a video of Dylan on his big day.  

  

After an afternoon of zip lining, Dylans family and friends came over and we had dinner and an Ice Cream Cake.  It was a great day!!

Joce's Dance Festival at BSU

Well tonight we had the awesome opportunity to go an see Joce perform in the BSU Taco Bell Arena.  It was a combined stake youth dance festival.  It was called "Be thou an example of the believers" and "Dance to a Different Beat.   We had all the youth from 6 stakes in the Boise area performing different dance routines.  It was a free production for members and non-members in the area, (actually everyone in the whole world was invited, but mostly people from the area showed up)
.  

The youth from the Eagle Stake did the Tango. 

 

The combined stakes did a couple of numbers together, mainly to some of the songs off of the Musical, "Hairspray"  They really did a good job.  The arena was almost filled up to capacity.  We think it was a great opportunity for the youth and Joce said she had a great time.

Here she is after the dance.  Isn't she so cute?

Some things you see, and, some things you don't.

After a while there are just some things that people don't want to do.  And some things we have to do. Well for us kids we HAVE to, not want to or need to, we have to.  Dang it.  But for the parents they don't have to do anything, unless they are hinted to do it by their own parents. How about we see what some of these have to's and get to's are.

Then there is just some things that you can do, without anyone knowing. But you know, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Friday the 13th!

So here it is Friday the 13th and Hayden's 13th birthday!!  When he was born and we figured that he would turn 2 on Friday the 13th I wondered if that was an omen or something, well he has been the greatest kid so calm and sweet, but now he is 13 on Friday the 13th where does that put us?!?  He went and withdrew from Eagle middle school today and begining Monday will be going to Galileo Science and Math Magnet school. I am excited he is excited!!  He came home and took the rest of the day to spend with Shawn, they helped a family in our ward who is moving to Hawaii,move stuff into storage then packed up and went on a scout camp, he is loving life!!

We are so grateful to Hayden and the young man that he is.  We love you Happy Birthday!!

Nath's Follow up

Ok so I am not the best blogger as you can tell, but these days I can type faster than I can speak!! I went to the Dr yesturday to get the results of all the tests he had run and for my follow up. I am happy to report that I am healthy as can be (well except for this stroke thing!) I swear he tested me for everything under the sun and then some. The only restriction I have is not to lift anything to heavy ( more then 100lbs.) so I guess no more weight lifting, sorry Amy you are now on your own.  I take an aspirin a day and he says it will probably never happen again. However, if it does then that will raise some red flags (ya think) and they will look more into my PFO, which is the flap in my heart that is supposed to seal when you are born but in about 20% of us it does not. It was funny to hear a Dr say "I really just don't know why" but we take that and run, but not to fast!!!  I feel great I am not as tired and I improve everyday, we are so thankful for the prayers. And to know that we are a forever family.

Shawn went back to work this week, to Portland, he left on Tue and will be home tonight, now we know why we moved here 3 days instead of 5 is great!!  Chubba was a little anxious when he left because last time he was gone I couldn't talk. But he is adjusting as we all are.

This house is beginning to feel like home and we are settling in well, I love all the space! There is a field next door for the boys to play in and they have gotten air soft guns to shoot each other with, now I can't wait for spring, although it is 20 degrees warmer then Preston (eat your heart out:)