Labor Day Camping

We had a fabulous time camping on Mt. Graham over Labor Day.  I didn't document it with pictures very well, I was too busy eating and playing rummy.
I also didn't get a picture of everyone. Sorry Grandma and Grandpa, Logan, Jared, and the front of Breanna :(

 

Emily and Isabelle made flower wreaths for us to wear on our heads.

 Love my cute girls!

Some of us (not me) went on a nature walk.  I would have gone, but I was too busy eating and playing rummy.

So we played a lot of rummy, did I say that already?  And other fun games like Dominion, and kick the can.

 We went to church in Columbine on Sunday, sat around the camp fire telling all kinds of tales, shot the BB gun, and ate good food.  And miraculously never got rained on.

Poor Grandma got sick though and Grandpa was wiped out by the altitude.  But other than that we all had a great time.  We missed the Dows, Shaleice and Dustin, Jason and Phillip.

Camping is a lot of work to get ready and then to pack it up when it's over, but it's so nice to be in the beautiful cool mountains and just relax and unplug.

And play rummy.

What's become of our blog?

I had to dust off the cobwebs off this 'ol blog.  Have we all lost our blogging mojo?  I'm trying to get mine back, so I thought I'd show you some pics of what we've been up to, which isn't much.  But it's summer and 197 degrees outside.  I took these pictures with my phone so I'm not sure about the quality.

The girls love to do Just Dance on the Wii.  They're ALOT better than I am.  If I COULD dance I'd do Just Dance, but I CAN'T dance so I don't do Just Dance.

It's very entertaining to watch.  I'm good at watching.

Isabelle decided last night while we were swimming that she wanted to get her hair cut.  She does this every year, so I knew there was no talking her out of it.  Her hair is soooooo thick. I wish she could give me a hair transplant!  We went to get her haircut today and even as we were waiting for her turn, I was trying to talk her out of it.  She was unwavering. She unwavered. She stood her ground.
Here's the before:

I was nervous for her. That's some serious hair there.  I've never had hair like that.  If I did though you can better believe I wouldn't cut it.  Unless it was 197 degrees outside.  Then I might think about it.
Here's the after:

She knew what she was doing.  I should have trusted in her judgment.  But she would be cute with a fro, or dreadlocks, or a pixie, or a bowl cut.  She's just cute.  Good call Isabelle.

Oh, Zipper (the world's ugliest dog)  says Hi!

Ode to Isabelle

Grandpa requested I put something on the blog.  Since this girl is away at her first girls camp, I thought I'd do a post about her.

She was sooooo excited to go to camp!  She has a cute style, she loves to wear her fake glasses and we braided her hair the night before and she wanted to wear this rainbow hairband.  A true twelve year old.  I'm sure she's having a great time giggling, doing nails, learning dances and skits and cheers.  Her older sisters didn't think camp was all that great, so I hope she keeps her enthusiasm.

She has been taking my camera outside to practice her photography.  She has an interest in it.  I think she has a good eye for it.  I'll let her pictures speak for themselves:

Love that girlie!!

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Yesterday was quite a day.  It was a day of many mixed emotions.  We had some good, some bad, and some ugly.  This is the ugly:

Poor Kason wrecked his car.  He was stopped at a light, the light turned green so he started to go, but then he turned to talk to his friend in the back seat and didn't see that the lady in front of him had stopped.  By the time he turned around, he was crunching into the back of her suburban, which has a hitch on the back.  The hitch did quite a bit of damage to our car, but hardly any to hers.  But luckily it might all be fixable by Kason and Rob.  A new battery, a new head light, then pound the hood back out and he can be on his way maybe.  That is why our kids drive cheap-o cars.  So you don't have to cry when something like this happens.  All the money he's been aquiring lately will go toward the ticket and other expenses.  At least no one was hurt!

This photo is after we had the car loaded onto our trailer and we were waiting for the officer to come back and talk to us.  The missionaries happened to stop by.  A few ward members passed by.  It was quite a social hub.

The bad happened to this boy: 

He was invited to go to Disneyland with one of his best friends.  One of their family members couldn't go last minute.  We got the call last night at about 8:30 and they were leaving this morning at 6:30.  We thought it sounded fun and even though he'd miss a little school we were ready to say yes.  But then we remembered that he has a performance tonight.  He and a buddy signed up weeks ago to be in a story telling festival.  They've been practicing for weeks together to get it perfect and memorized.  They go to school early most mornings to meet and perfect their story.  If Eli missed out, his friend couldn't participate.  He knew he couldn't let him down that way.  So after many tears he had to call and tell his friend he couldn't go to Disneyland.  He was soooo sad!  But we are proud of him for making the right choice on his own. 

But thank goodness we had some good.  It was this boy's birthday yesterday, the big 2-1!!! 

(I can't believe I have a 21 year-old!)  And even though the package I mailed way back when hasn't arrived yet, I knew he was having a good day because he was made a trainer!  He got a greenie from the MTC, (pictured with him), and Brady will be teaching him the ropes.  I know what a responsibility this is and that the mission president doesn't trust that job to just anyone.  He's only been out 9 months, he's almost a greenie himself, but he works hard and really tries to have the Spirit.  So it's no wonder he has such a big grin!  We are proud as punch of him!

So, just like life, our May 21 was filled with a little good, a little bad, and a little ugly.  But through it all we learn, grow, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.  "Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we deal with it."  Wouldn't you agree?

Spring Break 2013: Pima Style

There are a ton of photos in this post so let's get right to it!

We played lots of games.  Grandma, Grandpa, Darv, Bev and Becky played games at night.  Rummy, Ticket to Ride and Dominion.  It was the common goal to beat Darv.  Some of us succeeded!

 The kids decorated Easter eggs.  I think they did a great job!

 We went to the park for an easter egg hunt and picnic.  Love this shot of the passing cousins.

 We'll always remember the prisoner who dove into the pool to save the frisbee.  We enjoyed a tasty picnic lunch.  Good times.

 
Jackson please come down from there!!

We headed out to Cluff Pond for a cookout.  I don't remember it being this pretty.

The kiddos had a great time

 Bev, Grandma, Grandpa ,Becky, Darv, Teresa and Jason were also there.  But I'm a lame photographer.

 We had a Powell Reunion which I didn't get pictures of.  Again, lame photographer.
And the kids decided to have a chocolate pudding slip-n-slide.  Jared was the mastermind.

 It takes some doing to set it up.

 This is serious stuff!

 Take a good look at the before:

 time to add more pudding

 And the after

Is Jason excited about the slip-n-slide or about his call to the Pittsburg Pennsylvania Mission??

 

 Gotta hose down

Emily can take credit for the slip-n-slide photography. 
We also went out to eat one night.
  Bev and Becky had facials by Emily at the Beauty school.  Becky and Isabelle got their hair done by Emily and Miranda got her nails done.

I think Spring Break 2013 was a success and a good time was had by all.