Lec and Kim

Christmas Letter 2011

2011-12-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

2011 Christmas update…

Brandie & Jason are as busy as ever.

Brandie somehow lived through a starvation diet this year! Because of allergies her throat started to grow together, leaving no room for her to swallow her food! After they ripped her throat back open and gave her the option of about 6 different foods she was allowed to eat (kale being one of them… WHAT?) she has slowly come back to the land of the living and eating! Only to be called to be the Primary President! To top that off, they are expecting Hawkes baby number five in June! Yay!

Jason is still putting out fires and saving lives for Murray City. He just started with Fortune High Tech Marketing, and I recently learned that he is now the proud owner of a paper route… no rest for this Prince Charming! On his days off (maybe I should call them his days home…) he is busy helping to raise their team of Princesses, I don’t know for sure, but I think he has been seen wearing homemade beaded jewelry and had his nails painted at least once this year! Don’t worry, he still likes Duct Tape!

Chelsie will be 10 years old in January and is in the 5^th grade(still at the top of her class!) She continues to play the piano (rather well I might add) and made her debut appearance on YouTube practicing for a recent recital! She is also taking theater classes – I don’t know why, she isn’t dramatic at all!!! (sigh and sarcasm intended!)

Sydnie is 5 years old, and started kindergarten this year. She loves eating breakfast at school, she even makes sure to bring her left-overs home… in her back pack! LOL She never runs out of off the wall funny comments that she throws out without batting an eye, I don’t think she knows how funny she is! As we were leaving on a Grandma date one day she said, “Grandma, your truck smells like a Honey Bucket!” (WHAT?) Good thing she didn’t know what a Honey Bucket was (a porta potty!)

Jasie just turned 4. She is going to pre-school and keeping everyone on their toes! She is taking theater classes and ALWAYS dresses like a princess! She is the Drama Queen for sure! She does an awesome rendition of “Miss Haddie” from “Despicable Me”! She is a little boy crazy - one day when I was babysitting, Dallin (Whitney & Jeremy’s friend) was watching TV with us – a Disney movie. The house was completely dark and quiet (hoping the little princesses would fall asleep) and Jasie jumped up walked to the foot of the recliner Dallin was sitting in and in a deep, breathy voice she said, “I like you!” I thought he was going to fall right out of his chair! Hahahahaha

Ellie is one plus and has taken her place as the boss of the family. She is WAY too smart and has gleaned every attention getting tactic used by each of her big sisters. She had to get tubes in her ears, and then proceeded to cut teeth during her recovery, making everyone think something went wrong with her surgery! She will always flash you a mischievous smile and she loves to throw her food on the floor instead of eating it! They went to Disneyland this year, and spent a great day on the beach… until Ellie got the key to the van and buried it in the sand… hours later with the help of “some guy with a metal detector”, they finally found it! Aww toddlers, the joy of life!

Joey and Ashley bought a new house in Corpus Christi this year!

Joey is still working for El Paso Gas Company and recently started in a new company, Fortune High Tech Marketing, where he was promoted to Regional Sales Manager in 16 days! He is busy taking care of his cute family, working, building his new business and finishing his classes for his Bachelor Degree, which he will get at the first of the year! He is the 1^st counselor in the Elder’s Quorum and they have an almost “adopted” son, Lalo who is living with them and getting ready to go on a mission.

Ashley is working as hard as ever to keep Joey in line! She also continues to do great as a Scentsy Director (she keeps all of our houses smelling good!) She teaches the 12 – 14 year olds in Sunday school, she is the Stake Young Women Secretary, and she is always busy teaching Jordan to be a gentleman and Ally to be a princess! In case you didn’t know, she was born with a rare blood disease (only a handful of recorded cases in the United States) and she got bad news this year, she has Muscular Dystrophy. She has a great attitude and faces every challenge with a smile! Thank goodness for faith and a loving family!

Jordan is 5 years old now! He loves kindergarten and is reading everything he sees. He sounded out the letters on the radio dial one day and asked Joey what it meant, it took Joey a minute to figure out what he was reading! He was nominated for the Gifted and Talented program and his teacher said that he mastered kindergarten the first six weeks of school! He loves being “grown up” and independent and told Ashley, “It’s OK mom, you can go now” when she took him to school. LOL! He is a big help to his mom and LOVES to protect his sister. He also likes his me time and has a hard time dealing with all of his “girl” cousins when they maul him half to death! Lucky for him he only sees them once in a while!

Ally is 2! WHAT? She is still a princess, but has a little of her daddy’s spice… so watch out boys! She loves her daddy and misses him a lot when he has to travel for business. So much so that when he came to Utah for a week she couldn’t even sleep, she went and got in bed with Ashley and thrashed around trying to find her daddy’s hand to hold so she could go back to sleep! Don’t worry, I don’t think her dad slept very well without her either, he kept saying, “I miss my family”, the whole time he was here. (Smile!) Ally is loving Ballet and doing very well, she spends a lot of time showing everyone her positions. She loves to sing for everyone and does not want anyone else singing with her… LOL! Her favorite songs are "I Am A Child of God" and "I Love to See the Temple", and she knows all words.

Whitney and Jeremy are still in Saratoga Springs.

Whitney is still coaching at Jump Up Gymnastics and Westlake High School. Her varsity cheerleaders took 1^st place at the 2011 Jamz National Cheer Competition in Las Vegas! They also placed 1^st at their regional competition and won superior squad and hardest working at the USA Summer Camp. I guess being a “nazi” coach pays off! She still loves being Charlee’s mom and making all sorts of glittery things! She is teaching Primary… one of the kids in her class bit his gum between his teeth and then pulled it out of his mouth, around the head of the kid sitting next to him and then popped the rest back in his mouth… Whitney said it is an “awesome” class (yes, add sarcasm to awesome!)

Jeremy started a new job this year. He is working for Big D Construction. He started as a carpenter’s helper (he grew up building houses with his dad, who is a general contractor) and already has his own crew! He is glad to be working so close to home, on the new data center they are building at Camp Williams. He still has his other full time job, Whitney and Charlee… and he is the Cub Scout Master. I still haven’t seen him do a Cub Scout cheer. I just hope he doesn’t add stunting to them, I don’t think those Cub Scouts will be as good at “flying” as Whitney is! Which reminds me, he is also coaching at Jump Up, and spending a lot of time throwing Whitney around, since stunting is one of their favorite pass times!

Charlee is still a gym rat! She just turned two and she thinks she is big enough to do any trick! She spends most of her days doing cart-wheels. One day Whitney walked by the nursery at church and peeked in to see what she was doing. All she could see was a big circle of kids, so she watched for a minute trying to see what they were looking at…. Yes, you guessed it, Charlee was in the middle of the circle doing cart wheels! A show off, just like her mom and her grandpa! The latest trick she is trying to learn is a back hand spring… she makes her mom spot her over and over trying to get it right! Watch out world… looks like we have a mini Whitney on our hands!

Shelby and Mike are looking for a house. They were hoping to buy one last year, but with their recent medical bills, it was put on hold… don’t worry, they are on the hunt again!

Shelby just went back to work at Wingers in American Fork. She has been home since she had Brinley in April. Mike says no more babies if they are all going to end up in the NICU! She has been having fun raising babies, but had to stop nursing because Brinley got teeth and learned how to draw blood - every time she ate!!! She made me start going to a Zumba class with her… (don’t worry, I stand in the back corner – no coordination here!) She is mad that we weigh the same right now, but I am more mad… my baby is 14! She just had hers this year! Shelby also shot her first deer this year!

Michael is still working for Brahma. He is almost done with his Iron Workers Apprenticeship and is already running a crew. Of course he is still a he-man hunter, and I learned that his giant pile of duck decoys are very important to him… (don’t worry, he got a good deal on them!) LOL! He and Wace spend every spare minute hunting or shopping at Cabelas! About the only thing he will miss hunting for is work, his girls or a Cowboys game!

Lecsie turned 4 years old this year. She is going to ‘The Little Gray Elephant Pre-School’, the same one Uncle Wace and Uncle Bailey went to. She likes going to pre-school and playing outside. The more time she can spend outside with her dad, the happier she is. She knows all about gun safety; one day she came running in my house almost in tears and said, “Uncle Bailey and his friends have a gun!” She was almost hysterical and wouldn’t go back outside until they put their air soft guns away. Then she told Bailey, “Guns are NOT toys!” Smart girl! She is also a little helper, anytime there is work to be done, she will be right there beside you. She even helps me do laundry! She does wrinkle her nose when she pulls a pair of the boys undies out of the dryer though.

Brinley was born in April. After her dramatic arrival, I’m guessing Shelby and Mike are in for it with this one! Her stomach didn’t close like it was suppose to so her intestines grew out into her umbilical cord… as she was being born, the cord tore in half! Scary! She was taken by neo-natal team to Primary Childrens Hospital (Life Flight couldn’t fly because of a storm) where she had stomach surgery the next day. She was the biggest baby in the NICU (just like her sister was!) and she did great. So did her mom until they told her that they also removed her appendix… then Shelby had a mini melt down. But all is well now, and Brinley is growing like a weed! I am sure Shelby makes milk shakes instead of milk because of how chubby Brinley got while she was nursing, but like they say, don’t bite the hand that feeds you (or any other part) because now she is drinking formula and she is not so chubby anymore!

Wace, or should I say Scar?

Yes, Wace had surgery number 3, in August! Three months after he got the all clear to ride bulls again, he came off and landed on his elbow… and blew out his shoulder again(yes, the same shoulder he had surgery on last year)! He decided to keep riding and “just get it fixed when I retire.” But after three trips to the ER to put it back in place, and then figuring out how to put it back in place himself, (SICK!) he decided he should get it fixed now. He told me one day, “I didn’t even win a buckle in 2011!” Then a week later he won Strawberry Days in P.G. So he got his buckle and his name in the PSN News and then had surgery! He finished up his Ranch Management Certificate and landed on the Deans List of Howard College, but decided if he couldn’t ride bulls, he didn’t want to go back to school in the fall. He ordered a new left handed bull rope when we were in Vegas last week, he is changing riding arms. He told me, “I was born to ride left handed! I am going to be better with my left hand!” So he’s home, for now, and he just got the all clear to ride bulls again and he is buying his PRCA Rookie Card this week… Yay?

Bailey Bud is one of a kind!

Today, Bailey’s passion is snowboarding, mixed with muscle cars. Well, not mixed, it’s just that all we hear about is one or the other. He has his snowboarding pass and his bus pass all ready to hit the slopes. And he spends a lot of time on the computer looking for muscle cars and then telling his dad, “You should buy me this one!” It changes from time to time, but the other day he tried to tell me that a Dodge Dart was a muscle car. I’m no expert, but I don’t think so! If he ends up with a Gremlin it’s over, he’s going to have to go live in the man cave! He played baseball in the spring and then spent the summer driving around the ‘jimmy rigged’ go cart or the pit bike, shooting his friends in air soft wars or tubing down Dry Creek. He even finagled his way into going to two scout camps! He told his leaders that he should be able to go with the Deacons since he just turned 14 in April, then he went with the older boys in July! He did manage to get a little work done during the summer – he and his friend DJ found a few lawns to mow. And don’t worry, he still chops up random food with his Iron Chef knives and even cooks something once in awhile. His favorite thing to make is fresh salsa… avocados don’t stand a chance at our house!

Lec is still playing with the mini bulls!

More mini bulls seem to show up around here all the time! He did a series this year and held a Double Rank Mini Bulls Finals in November. His little Bulldog bull won Pee-Wee Bull of the Year at the Mini Bulls World Finals in Ogden, he even got a buckle! LOL Lec says he is going to hang it on a chain and put it around his neck. Lec is still working for SME mostly in Salt Lake. He is looking forward to retirement, which he says is in two years (I told him not until Bailey is grown up! But we’ll see). They made him a director in the Civic Improvement Association (the Lehi Round Up Committee) and they called him to be the 2^nd Counselor in the Elder’s Quorum (thus the end of the mustache! – for now) When he isn’t doing one of those things, he is either playing on his tractor, hauling hay or around town somewhere visiting some old timer! And yes, he is still addicted to KSL.com! After we came home from Vegas I told him he had been clean for 5 days, maybe I should get him a pin, but he said he wants a sticker for the car instead! Hahahaha!

Kim… is tired!

Just kidding! I am still working for East Shore at Westlake High School as a Teacher’s Aide. I am still slowly making my way through classes at UVU too. I took another math class, this one almost killed me! But I passed, and when I get really brave I will take the last one! I am almost finished with my first English class (MUCH easier than math!) And some day, I may actually get the courage to take more than one class at a time! MAYBE! I am the Mia Maids advisor (a very nice and easy job! LIKE) and I am still trying to make a man out of Bailey! I keep deferring that job to Lec, but he just laughs at everything Bailey does!

As you can see, life is good here! I am thankful every day for my awesome hubby who is my best friend and my great kids & grandkids that are better than I could have hoped for! One of my favorite scriptures: 3 John 1:4 says “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” That about sums it up!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Love & Prayers,

Lec & Kim

Halloween 2011

2011-12-11T22:29:00.001-08:00

Jason, Chelsie, Sydnie, Brandie

Jasie & Ellie

Whitney, Charlee & JeremyWace & J.C.

Headed for a dance at UVU... OH MY!

I came home from work sick... I didn't get too many pics :(

Labor Day Camping at Bennion

2011-12-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

Mike & Brinley

We always have fun at Bennion!

Wace

(is getting sick of that brace!)

Bailey Bud

Ellie & Jason

DJ & Bailey

Lecsie & Grandma

Sydnie & Lecsie

Jasie, Sydnie, Lecsie & Mitch

Sydnie & Brandie

Syder bug is sick! :(

Shelby & Brinley

Jasie, Matthew & Lecsie

THE END

Brandie's Birthday!

2011-12-11T21:48:00.000-08:00

Birthday girl, Brandie!

This is what happens around here on your birthday!

CAKE EATERS!

Whitney & Brandie

There is no love like sisterly love!

Wace... keeping Dr. Pepper in business!

2011-12-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

Facebook face!

Knee surgery - check, shoulder surgery - check, 2nd shoulder surgery.... WHAT?

BULLRIDERS!!!

Yes that's right, he's back for a second shoulder surgery... 3 months after he went back to riding, he landed on his back with both elbows back to catch himself.... and WHAM! He ripped out all that fine work Dr. Pepper did on his first surgery! At least he won Strawberry Days before his surgery! (2011 buckle - check)!

"I'm back for my yearly surgery...." -Wace

Good-bye for now, Grandpa Gifford

2011-12-11T21:32:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Gifford...

We lost a great man this year! He fought a good fight, and suffered much in the last years of his life. But he was a great man, none the less. He taught us to love through the example of his service and kept us laughing with his quick wit. We love you forever...

We'll be seeing you Grandpa!

Joey & Ashley sent Grandpa his favorite paper towels... he always brought some over when he came to our house, because I buy the cheap ones, and he wanted us to have the "good" ones :)

Youth Conference at Joe's Valley

2011-12-11T20:56:00.001-08:00

Chappel Valley 1st Ward

Youth Conference 2011

bottom row: Kim, Tasi, Bailey, Jeff, Aaron, Jaden

2nd row: Nate, Tori, Riley,Bryson, Vixie, Kimber, Vern, Manny

3rd row: Sabrina, Annie, Kariane, Bailey, Hazen, Cory, Wes

back row: Riley, Bishop Everett, Connor, Sid, Jacob, DJ, Annie, Skyler, Monica, James

James & Bailey.... ROW! ROW! ROW!

We went to Joe's Valley... we went canoeing, rock diving, swiming, they even jumped a bike off the boat ramp!

Nate, DJ, Bailey & Brother Lindsay

Bailey is learning how to clean the grill...

I had to chase the teachers down to help with chores so many times that Bailey, DJ and Sid had to listen to the "man" talk all the way home... "Real men do NOT hide when there is work to do! Real men do NOT make excuses to get out of work.... Real men see what needs to be done and do it without being asked..." When we got back to the church, Bailey & DJ jumped out of the truck & helped to unload the trailer, when they got back in the truck DJ said, "Bailey, now we are real men!" LOL

Hazen & Bailey

(Nate, Wes & Kimber *behind)

We played games, like blind folded paintball... and perhaps Bailey is trying to catch flies???

Bailey, horsin' around...

and horse shoes... and of course we did some service projects, like cleaning around the lake, writing letters to the missionaries and making felt wreaths & elf shoes for the Festival of Trees (for Primary Children's Hospital).

Kim - Sid & DJ

I spent a lot of time untangling thread for these yay-whos!

Bailey & Kariane - the glue guys.

Too much fun!!!

Girl's Camp

2011-12-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

Anna banana, Monica, Annie & Kim

CV 1st leaders

Yes, that's right... I found myself at girls camp again this year. I'm not sure how many years I've been here, but its been awhile. All the young women are new, most of the yw leaders are new, but it is still a lot of fun. The part that is the most different is that the stake made all the food... and it was YUMMY! I found a new favorite food... Cafe Rio sweet pork burrito! And you'll be happy to know that I didn't die on the hike!

Kim & McKenzie... I think this is a girls camp hug.

Sydnie's Birthday!

2011-12-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

Sydnie - the birthday girl!

We had fun swimming @ Nana & Gramps' house!

Ellie, Jason & Brandie

Chelsie.... yee-haw!

Lecsie

Bailey, riding the blue whale!

Uncle Mikey, having a sno-cone

Grandma Great, Shelby & Brinley

Sydnie & Jason

And finally... cake & ice cream!

Uncle Ty & Aunt Marlo's 4th of July BBQ

2011-12-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

Bailey Bud

dipping into the rootbeer

Whitney & Jeremy
just a little groping going on!

Aunt Marlo & Charlee K
courtesy smile!

Brandie & Jason
things that make you go hmmm..

Chelsie Marie

Syder-bug

Jasie Nicole

Ellie-Bean

Baseball Bailey...

2011-12-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

Take me out to the ball game...

Should I stay or should I go now....

SAFE!

(is that guy in the background dead?)

Hey batta, batta, batta.... swing!

Lehi Round-up Parade....

2011-12-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

Jaden & Bailey selling soda during the parade....

and..... dancing????

Jasie got a new hat!

Brittany, Carson, Grandma Cathy, Brandie

Jaden, Bailey, Ellie, Jasie, Sydnie & Chelsie

'Thanks for saving us a spot Aunt Marlo!"

Don't worry, Charlee won't get dehydrated!

Family Fun

2011-12-01T21:17:00.000-08:00

We decided to drive up to Bridal Veil Falls & have a picnic...

Jasie likes wading!

Chelsie & Uncle Bailey climbing back down the falls

Charlee is NOT happy that her mom made her wade in the water!

Whitney & Charlee

Grandma & Bailey eatin' some grub!

Lecsie trying out a mit :)

Brandie & Jason - multi tasking...

sit for a minute, eat a little & keep an eye on the kids all at the same time!

Syder-Bug... we played a little catch...

Mikey restin' up

Shelby & Brinley - the miracle baby!

Jer-Bear and Ellie-Bean

Ellie... love the do!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-12-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

We had a nice picnic in the park planned for Mother's Day... Mother Nature had other plans!

So we moved it inside! Nothing stops us from partying!

Grandma Marlo and Carson

Aunt Paige & Brinley - love snugglin'!

"I'd rather be on KSL.com looking for signs & gas pumps!"

Ty & Lec

Ellie & Katie... born on the same day! (Different years of course!)

and Shelby in the back ground :)

Uncle Justin maned the BBQ!

Uncle Ty is dressed for the cold spring weather! LOL

Ashley & Joey came to visit!!!

2011-12-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

We were so excited that Joey, Ashley, Jordan and Ally came to visit. We had a blast. Of course we wanted to get family pictures, since they were here from Texas... but the two little stinks that still actually live at home couldn't make it to family pictures! WHAT? Wace left for an out of town rodeo right before they got here, and Bailey had to be at the school for stage crew!!! REALLY? You're killing me Smalls!!!

Bailey's Birthday

2011-11-21T19:05:00.001-08:00

Bailey wanted a baseball hat cake.... so Shelby helped me make him one...
MAKE A WISH!

We attempted baseball cake pops too!

Grandpa Gifford gave Bailey his 30 ot 6! Thanks Grandpa!!!

Grandma said to Grandpa, "I don't think you've shot that gun since we got married..." To which Grandpa replied, "Yes I have! I shot the house with it!" LOL!!!

It is true, one night he went cougar hunting on the front porch, in the middle of the night - but instead of a cougar, he shot the house! It went in through the front porch, into the front room and up into the ceiling into his bedroom!

Easter Egg Hunt at Grandma & Grandpa's...

2011-05-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

Charlee, Whitney & Brinley

Charlee, Jeremy, Chelsie

Sydnie, Lecsie & Jasie

Ellie & Brandie

Bailey... hiding Chelsie's egg again...

Chelsie & Shelby

Chelsie finally found her egg!

Sydnie's basket is too heavy...

Lecsie filled her basket...

Lecsie & Sydnie

shaking the tree so the eggs will fall out

Jasie loves it!

Jeremy & Charlee... she found her egg!

Forget eggs, Ellie just wants the ball!

Mike & Brinley...

Brinley is too little to hunt for eggs in the cold!

Easter Morning 2011

2011-05-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

Bailey is the baby... and since Wace is off at college, he has to hunt for eggs all by himself :(

I thought I shouldn't make it so easy for him, so he had to go on a treasure hunt...

Are you serious?

In my knife drawer?

Found it!

Easter Eggs 2011

2011-05-28T18:35:00.001-07:00

Shelby, Whitney & Brandie

gotta love my girls!

Bailey being a goof ball... and Sydnie

Chelsie... is growing up too fast!!!

Sydnie took a break from her work to smile for Grandma :)

Lecsie... "which one should I pick?"

Jasie... working hard!

Jeremy & Charlee...

she is NOT impressed, is that a Jeremy face?

Ellie is always happy to be here!

Grandma Great & Brinley, "Oh my!"

Carson... we need more boys around here!

Charlee & Aunt Shelby

Shelby's revenge (last year Aunt Whitney colored Lecsie's hand!)

Charlee & Shelby....

Charlee does not like stuff on her hands, she tried to pull it off!

Jasie colored her own hand :)

Even Elllie got in on it!

Grandma Great

Chelsie, Bailey & Sydnie

Sydnie is all business when there are eggs to color!

Jasie & Brandie

Jasie is so excited!

Charlee would rather eat pizza!

Ellie & Brandie

Ellie likes to color eggs!

Brinley & Carson... looks like all these girls worry him a little!

Spring Break... Grandma Sleepover!

2011-04-25T17:56:00.001-07:00

We had a SLEEPOVER!

Jasie, Lecsie & Sydnie

We danced!

Gma Great, Sydnie, Chelsie, Lecsie, Jasie, Whitney, Charlee

Grandma & pa Great and Whitney

Lecsie, Sydnie, Jasie, Charlee & Chelsie

we had popcorn & cookies and watched 'Tangled'...

And then a beautiful thing happened,

Shhhhhh.....

Sydnie

Lecsie

Jasie

Charlee

Everyone fell asleep... except Chelsie!

We had a lot of fun! Looks like we might have found a new tradition for Spring break!

SNOW in APRIL???

2011-04-17T15:57:00.001-07:00

You really don't expect snow in April,

but it is a beautiful site first thing in the morning...

Grandma's house the Man Cave

Poor Mr. Peacock... I doubt he was expecting snow either!

View out the front door.... gotta love it!

Even though I am SO ready for Spring!

Shelby made me a cake!

2011-04-17T15:53:00.000-07:00

Shelby learned how to make fondant....

so she made me a cake for my birthday! Thanks Shelby!!!

Look who came to visit...

2011-04-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

I threw some bread out to the chickens one morning

and pretty soon they had a guest for breakfast!

Lec said the peacock lives over at Grandma's...

this is the first time he came to eat in the front yard.

Bailey & Grandma try out the new knives...

2011-04-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

Chef Bailey and his Sou Chef Grandma try out
his new knives that he got for Christmas...

No, this is NOT the first time that he has used them...

And don't worry, he sharpens them every week... but only on Mondays!

Wace turned 19!

2011-04-17T15:33:00.001-07:00

I can't believe he only has one more year of being a teenager!!!!

He really is awake... and this is the only picture that turned out... and I can not remember why someone ate a piece of his cake before he even blew out the candles!
He had to leave to go back to school the day before his birthday, so we had cake early... and then he was off to Texas... the terrible place that keeps stealing my boys!

Lecsie helped me make cookies...

2011-04-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

One night while her Mom was working,
Lecsie came over and helped me...

She frosted a lot of cookies...

And on her lips...

And of course we licked our fingers!

2010-12-26T14:38:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2010…

or Happy New Year

Wow! 2010 what a year…

Brandie & Jason bought a house and moved to Saratoga Springs. Jason is still a Fire Fighter/ Paramedic for Murray City and works part time for Eagle Mountain. Brandie is still coaching Gymnastics at the Legacy Center and doing hair at home and on the road (she goes to your house & does everyone’s hair). They are busy raising their beautiful girls:

Chelsie will be 9 years old in January and is in the 4^th grade. She is, of course, at the top of her class! She is taking piano lessons and LOVES it! She had an escalator mishap this year at the mall. She was going to take Sydnie down and then back up (neither one had ever been on an escalator before)… but Sydnie chickened out and wouldn’t get on the escalator. Chelsie was already on her way down, and she PANICKED!!! She tried to run back up, but fell down and yelled for her Mom to help her while she tried to climb up the down escalator! Of course Brandie was laughing too hard to help… but don’t worry, Chelsie is smart… and she saved herself!

Sydnie is 4 now and she is going to Pre-School this year. One day she came home and said, “Mom, I donkey kicked William today!” LOL! She acts like her Uncle Joey FOR SURE! One Sunday morning Brandie told her “Aren’t you excited? We get to go to church today!” To which Sydnie replied “I’m not exactly excited!”

Jasie just turned 3 and has taken her place as the wild one in their family! She was a tiger for Halloween and she LOVED giving everyone the ‘tiger claw’! If you ask her when her birthday is she will tell you, “Chucky Cheese!” And one day she told her mother “I’m not in trouble Mom, I’m your best friend!”

Ellie was born in March… she had pneumonia when she was born and had to stay in the ICU for 8 days! She is a tough and smiley little sweetheart. She always has a smile for you and already knows how to “tiger claw”! One day when she first came home Sydnie told Brandie, “Hey, Mom! Your baby is crying!”

Joey & Ashley went to the temple to be sealed for TIME & ALL ETERNITY this year! Ashley has been doing AWESOME in Scentsy and made Director this year! Joey got a new job with El Paso Gas Company as their “computer guy”… but don’t worry he’s not a ‘geek’. They moved to Bishop this year, and plan to move again soon closer to Corpus Christi. Shelby, Lecsie, Wace, Bailey & I got to go visit them this summer… it was a long drive but we had a good time, and wish they lived closer!!!

Jordan is 4 years old now, he played baseball and is taking karate this year… his sansei told him they would be sparring, so he told Jordan they would take turns hitting and blocking. When he told Jordan to begin, Jordan went ape crazy hitting without giving the sansei a turn to hit back (no need to block if the other guy can’t get a punch in!) LOL! Joey said they were all laughing too hard to stop him. I guess it’s true… Don’t mess with Texas!!!

Ally is a 1 year old girly girl but don’t let her fool you… she watches Jordan do his kicks and she has been practicing too! She LOVES her pink bedroom and anytime she sees something pink she says “Woooow”! She LOVES shoes and has a melt down when she tries new shoes on in the store and doesn’t get to take them home! She is her Daddy’s girl and still has him completely wrapped around her finger! Along with her Mom, Jordan everyone in their ward!

Whitney & Jeremy moved to Saratoga Springs in Brandie & Jason’s basement apartment. Whitney has loved every second of being Charlee’s mom and hasn’t missed a beat teaching her classes. She is teaching at Jump Up Gymnastics in Lehi and she is the cheer coach at Westlake High School. She says the only hard part about being a mom is that it takes longer to “get ready”. LOL! Jeremy is still working for IHC taking care of the grounds. And working hard to take care of 2 high maintenance Princess’, which is an impossible task… just ask him!! But he loves them anyway!

Charlee turned 1 in November and she is as big of a ham as her Mom!!! If music starts playing anywhere she starts dancing. She loves it when her Mom “stunts” her and she loves being a “gym rat”. The other day Shelby was eating something (Whitney was holding her) and Charlee yelled, “Mom!” and pointed to Shelby’s food! She definitely knows how to get what she wants!

Shelby & Mike are expecting baby number 2 in April! Yay! Shelby is still working at Wingers in AF. And, she cried all the way home after she dropped Lecsie off at her first day of Pre-School! Mike is still working for Brahma, hunting & watching football whenever he can... and they are hoping to buy a house this year!

Lecsie is 3 and loving Pre-Pre School (as her Mom calls it). She had been telling Shelby all about a “mean” girl at school and one day while they were in Wal Mart she yelled, “Mom, there is the MEAN girl, Hope! She is the one who hits me at school!” Shelby said the Mom & girl just stared at them as they went around the corner…. Hahahahaha out of the mouths of babes! Anyway, Lecsie said she is nice now!

Wace went off to college in August! Howard College in Big Spring, Texas! He didn’t find a Cadillac to drive, but that’s OK because his Buddy Bill has one! They both got full ride scholarships, even though Wace broke his shoulder last spring! Bill told the coach, we are a package deal, it’s both of us or neither! Wace was sitting 1^st in the State when he broke his shoulder & didn’t get to ride in the State or National Finals :( but he decided that getting his shoulder fixed so that he could ride in the PRCA was more important than anything else, so he had surgery to fix it… which Dr. Pepper said was the right decision… and after 6 months off bulls, he was finally able to ride again on Thanksgiving week! His first competition back he took 1^st place at Billy Bob’s Bar in Fort Worth, Texas… so watch out Texas, because HE’S BACK!

Bailey Bud… or should I say President Holmes. Bailey is the Deacon’s Quorum President, and he takes it quite seriously, making notes during the Sacrament so he can tell the Deacons what they are doing right and wrong… I keep reminding him that good leaders teach by example and with love… but I’m not sure it is sinking in! He still wants to be a chef and he won his first ‘Iron Chef/Chopped’ challenge against his friend Bubba. Three secret ingredients and SIX hours later, he was victorious! My kitchen will never be the same!!! He is going to try out snowboarding this year and has been having fun shooting all of his friends in their air soft wars out in Grandpa’s fields!

Lec is working hard, like always. And his new passion this year…. Mini Bulls! He and Wace built a turn back arena and he has been bucking them out all summer & fall! He has 28 or something like that!!! He and his partner Jared… who video tapes all the buck outs, so you can find Lec on U-tube getting “mauled” by Bulldog, one of his favorites! I just never know what will be next around here!!!

I am still working for East Shore High School as a Teachers Aide, and loving it! I also took my very first college class this fall… math…. Online…. WHAT? I know, I’m crazy! If I live through all of this school I hope to end up as a History Teacher… which will be funny, because by the time I finish I will be so old, I will be able to tell the kids “I was alive when…. “

Anyway… we are blessed and life is great! Come see us anytime, it’s always a party around here!

All our love,

Lec, Kim & the fam

Harris Christmas Party :)

2010-12-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

Wace, Barak, Ty, Marlo, Jaden... and yes, at the bottom is the Grinch!

Chef Bailey & Grandma Great... taking care of the ham. Wait... Bailey IS the ham!

I don't think Chelsie is sleeping... I think she might be praying for something good for Christmas...

Sydnie loves to party... especially the candy on the tables, she kept telling Jasie "Mom said only 2 candies." :)

Katie & Lecsie....
Lecsie is tired... she has been partying all day with the Petroff's!

Jasie Nicole
"just 2 candies.... one for each hand" :)

Aunt Lisa & Charlee K. (of course her binki matches her shirt!)

Uncle Justin & Ellie
I wonder if she thought that he was Santa???

Brittany, Shelby & Keahna
Our little preg-o-nuts :)

Wait... what? Is Uncle Ty pregnant too?
My camera batteries died.... sorry that's it. But we did open the time capsule that we did back in 2000. It was fun! Good food, good company, good times!

Charlee is ONE!

2010-12-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

Of course her Mom made her a birthday outfit!!!

And Grandma & Grandpa YeeHaw got her a pink pony!
But the best is on video... Whitney made her a cake that looks like a giant cupcake...
She put Charlee & the cake on the table, Charlee didn't want to get the frosting all over her fingers, so she just stuffed her face in it and sucked the frosting off! It was too funny! She would suck frosting until it was stuffed up her nose and she couldn't breath, then she would come up for air and look at all of us laughing our heads off, she would cry for a second, then stuff her face right back in the frosting! It was GREAT!

HaLloWeEn 2010

2010-12-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

My babies & grandbabies are just TOO cute to be scary!
Ellie & Brandie :)

The Mad Hatter & kids LOL! Ally & Jordan
I wish I could have seen him... I can only imagine what people thought! I'm sure Johnny Depp has NOTHING on my Joe boy! :)
Barney, Betty & Bam Bam
(Jeremy, Whitney & Charlee)
I don't know if the stone age is ready for this family!!! :)
Chelsie the 'teenaged witch' :)
I can't believe she is almost 9!!!

Ally & Jordan... Knight in Shining Armor is perfect for Jordie bug! He is always saving a damsel in distress (he takes such good care of his sissy).
Aye matty! I will smile for candy!
Sydnie Louise... the ONLY picture I got of her on Halloween!
Jade (Lecsie's cousin) and Lecsie aka: Jesse & Snow White
kiss kiss (1/2 of her 'facebook face'! LOL)
Jasie 'tiger claw' Hawkes
FYI: Brandie made this costume out of one of her old costumes! Like!

Miss Ally... cutest little Priness in Texas!!!
Charlee makes a great BAM BAM!

Ellie is a cute little chick! :)
The rest of my kids are party poopers... sorry no pics!

Iron Chef 'Jr'/Chopped Battle 2010

2010-12-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

Bubba & Bailey

Bring it!

Round 1 - secret ingredient - BEANS

Bailey - plating... he is very meticulous!

Bailey's 'bean' queso dip

Chef butts! It's hard to believe that Bubba is only 1 year older than Bailey!

Bubba working on the appetizer

Bubba's white 'bean' fondue

Course 2 - secret ingredient - BRUSSEL SPROUTS Bailey LOVES to chop EVERYTHING!

Bailey's steak on a brussel sprout hash (with potatoes & apples - he forgot the melted cheese! It still tasted great!)

Bubba made an awesome main dish!
If he would have had more time to cook the chicken all the way through... I think the 1st place winner might have been different!!!

Bubba's chicken cordon-bleu with 'brussel sprout' cream sauce

3rd round... secret ingredient - PUMPKIN

Bailey - adding more and more and more whip cream!

Bailey: "Mom, how long do you put carmel in the microwave to melt it?"

Mom: "You need to check it every 5 minutes... it will burn fast."

OOPS! I meant every 5 seconds! hahahaha!

Can you say black smoke?

No matter... he got his carmel smear on the plate!

If you could see under all of the whip cream... you would see a 'pumpkin' cheese cake! But it was hot out of the oven so it kept melting the whip cream... so Bailey kept adding more! LOL And of course there is chocolate covered bacon (to bribe a judge - Kristy)!

Bubba - zesting lemon on his dessert

Bubba's 'pumpkin' pudding

And the 'milk toast'... which was really after the 1st course, but I like it better at the end!

Fright Mares @ LaGoon!!!

2010-10-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

Bailey, Bubba and Chris (hiding behind Bubba)
Chris, Bailey & Bubba
Time for some grub!

and of COURSE Kristy is throwing food!!!

Chris

Bailey

and Bubba.... or what we got when we told Bubba to put his face up there!

Chris, Bailey & Bubba....

looking in the distortion mirrors!

Kristy & Kim with Bubba & Chris' prizes :)

Kristy... we walked ourselves to skin & bones!

We had too much fun today... it has been decades (no seriously - like 8th grade) since we have spent the day together at LaGoon! At least Kristy didn't make anyone barf on the Rock-o-Plane today! (Aw memories! In 8th grade Kristy spun Danny Kemp (I think) round and round in the Rock-o-plane... when he got off the ride he undid his pants and sat down with his head hung down and puked! LOL! ) No one got that sick... but she did make me go on 'Wicked' and we took Bailey on the Tilt O Whirl and spun him FAST! AND we went through all of the haunted houses... I haven't done that for years either! It was fun, good times, good times!

Thanks Kristy!

Bailey "SKID" Holmes

2010-10-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

We went camping over the 24th of July weekend in Huntington Canyon with Grandpa Bud & Uncle Ty... Jeremy & Bailey CRASHED on Uncle Ty's BRAND NEW 4WHEELER!!!

This is Bailey's BRAND NEW HELMET! Glad Lec thought to buy it before we left!
As you can see... he got so MAJOR road rash!

and a hole in his hip!

I don't think there was any part of him that didn't have scrapes, bruises or holes in it!

To make it even worse, a few hours after the wreck, he had an anxiety attack which was even MORE scary! We were very glad that Jason was there AND we found out that Mt. Pleasant has a little hospital with an emergency room "TRAILOR" LOL!

Jeremy had his own road rash, but mostly on his tail bone... too close to his butt for any pictures that I want to see OR share! We were VERY grateful that they were both ok!!!

Texas Trip

2010-10-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

In July, we went to Texas to see Wace's college...(Howard College in Big Spring, Texas) and decided that we should keep driving down to Bishop, Texas to see Joey, Ashley, Jordan & Ally!

Remember the Alamo!

Megan, Wace (Lecsie), Kim, Shelby

and Jordan
We stopped by the Alamo for a few minutes while we were in San Antonio. We also went to the Rain Forest Cafe on the River Walk.

Bailey always finds himself in difficult situations! What a poser!!!
Jordan
I wonder if other people have kids/grandbabies who play on old cannons? He is TOO cute!

Bailey, Joey & Ally

We went to the beach in Corpus Christi (that is where Joey's office is) and of course Bailey got stung by a jelly fish AGAIN!

Lecsie, Uncle Wace & Jordan
They took us to South Padre Island after that.... to play on the "nice" beach! it was cool and a little scary to drive right out on the beach... where I grew up you try to avoid driving in the sand! But we all made it ok... the kids caught a big crab & had fun playing in the sand, wave surfing & eating SANDwiches!

Bailey & Ashley

Mr. SANDpants! Wace

Bailey built a fortress!

Jordan

He let me sleep in his bed while we visited. He is such a little gentleman.

Allyson

She LOVES her pink room... and says WOOOOW! when she sees anything pink.

We had LOTS of fun with the Stones! We wish they lived closer so we could see them more!!!

Lecsie, Shelby, Megan, Wace & Bailey

On the way home we stopped in San Antonio again and went to Sea World!

Uncle Wace & Lecsie

Lecsie got super tired waiting in line for the "big boat ride" so Uncle Wace snuggled her. She almost had a heart attack when it was finally our turn and we went FLYING down the water fall! Megan bit Wace's shoulder... but we all survived :)

Bailey... fish face?

Roswell, New Mexico

We passed through Roswell both ways on our trip. W thought it was funny that there were aliens in front of most of the businesses even some of their street lights were alien heads.

On the was to Texas we stopped and ate at the Taco Bell there. We had been driving along time and we were tired, hot & sweaty... as we got out of the truck and we were walking through the door Lecsie was "picking a wedgie" jumping up and down being VERY dramatic... her Mom told to to stop and she said LOUDLY "my panties are sweating!!!" We all rolled through the door laughing! Luckily there weren't too many people there.

On the way home from in Roswell, there was a big storm coming. On the radio it said that there would be large hail and people should seek shelter. We could see the black wall of the storm coming off to our right... we were trying to hurry to beat the storm, and of course talking about all the alien stuff when we stopped at a red light. Lecsie started screaming, "don't stop! keep going, the aliens are going to get us!" Poor kid, we scared her to death!

All in all we had a great time!

Uncle Ty & Aunt Marlo's 4th of July BBQ

2010-07-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

Lisa, ?, Caprell, Brittany, Marlo
Charlee
(background: Justin, Jay, Mark, Elli)

Jim, Ty, Lec, Gma Great, Gpa Great

Whitney & Brandie

Whitney & Shelby

Whitney (camera hog!)
Mike & Shelby

Mike & Shelby

Whitney, Brandie, Ty, Brittany, Charlee

Wyatt, Shelby, Wace, Whitney

Bailey Bud
"You make me feel like dancin'... gonna dance the night away..."

Chelsie & Elli

Chelsie & Lecsie

Sydnie

Mike
Charlee, Lecsie & Sydnie

Jasie

Jasie snugglin' with Uncle Justin

Mike, Barrak,Jim, Lec (sacrifice for the team!), Bailey

Chelsie & Whitney... LOL!
(Barrak & Bailey in the background)

Shelby, "service"

Shelby, Jaden, Jeremy... "what the heck?"

?, Jeremy, Wace "got it!" & Shelby

Bailey

Wace's Graduation

2010-07-04T19:56:00.001-07:00

Wace
Lehi Class of 2010

Gma & Gpa Great, Lecsie, Wace, Lec, Gpa Bud,Gma Lana, Shelby, Kim, Whitney, Brandie
Deryka & Charlee

"My Little Megan" & Wace

Wace & Ashley

Golden Corral for lunch...

Wace

Brandie & Lecsie

Gpa Bud, Shelby, (Whitney), Lec

Wace & Mom

2010 Mother's Day

2010-07-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

The Kids Ty, Lec, Paige, Justin

Ty, Lec, Kathryn (the Mom), Justin, Paige

Brandie

Jaden & Wace

Bailey & Jaden

Chelsie

Sydnie

Lecsie & Harley
Lecsie: "Harley is my BEST friend!"

Jasie

Bailey cooked me a gourmet meal!

Bailey's Birthday

2010-07-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Bailey LOVES money!

Jordan & Bailey
Jordan looks like he is thinking 'am I really related to this weird-o?'

Bailey REALLY wanted golf clubs for his birthday!

Grandma Giff & Bailey
"Heavy, heavy hang over thy poor head.... what do you wish this person with a BUMP on the head?"

Bailey & Lecsie
"Thank you Lecsie!"

Bailey & Dad
Makin' a wish!

Naughty Uncle Mike... hiding to feed Charlee birthday cake!

Ashley & Bailey
It wouldn't be a birthday party without a little cake in the face!

Jordan, Bailey, Chelsie
& Lecsie

Brandie & Ellie (under the blankie)

Joey... and I thought we might traumatize Jordan!

Miss Ashley

Charlee K & Whitney K

Ashley, Charlee, Ally J. & Whitney

Bailey
Jordan & Lecsie

Lecsie, Jordan & Sydnie
Jordan: "Are we having fun yet?"

Lecsie... takin' a break

Ally J

Hammin' it up for the camera!

Grandpa & Grandma
Who are these OLD people???

Lecsie & Mike
Awwww

Shelby & Whitney
the 'posers'

Miss Alyssa, Brandie, Ellie & Jasie's head...
she does NOT want to be outside with the BUGS today!

Kristy & Kim
Friends Forever

Family Fun!

2010-07-04T15:30:00.001-07:00

Josh & Alyssa Rogers (our cousins from Louisiana) came to visit and go to the temple with Joey & Ashley! We love having them here! Even if the girls keep teasing them about their accents!

Chelsie

Jason & Jasie

Brandie & Sydnie

Lecsie, Shelby & Sydnie

Jeremy, Whitney & Charlee

Shelby & Mike

Families Can Be Together Forever!

2010-07-04T15:16:00.001-07:00

Joey & Ashley got their endowments in the San Antonio, Texas temple.... then they came to Utah and got sealed!

Joey, Ashley, Allyson & Jordan Stone
Together Forever!
I think Jordan is tired of pictures! LOL!
Josh, Alyssa, Grandpa Great, Joey, Ashley, Grandma Great, Kristy, Lec & Kim
Allyson & Jordan
at the Mt. Timp. Temple

Lecsie's birthday

2010-07-04T14:37:00.001-07:00

Introducing... My Princess'

Princess Lecsie.... the birthday girl!
Princess Sydnie

And... Fairy Princess Charlee

Oh ya! It's a Princess Party!!!

Lecsie, Sydnie, Charlee & Jade

Mike has to be the Handsome Prince and break the pinata... LOL
(Cassie, Lecsie, Paula, Kristen, Max & Grandma Great in the background)

Jade, Sydnie & Lecsie (Sydnie LOVES candy!)
(Cassie, Paula, Kristen & Max in the back ground)

Yes, Ellie is sleeping again... growing is such hard work! AND

Yes.... Bailey is taking pictures again!

Aunt Whitney stole all the bling.... poser!

Jeremy, Jade, Sydnie, Mike, Lecsie, Cassie, Bailey
(Whitney & Charlee in the back)

Mike had to be in charge of the Princess Party because....

Poor Shelby... she stayed up half the night making cupcakes & woke up puking! :( So I made her go to bed!

Easter 2010

2010-07-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Easter Morning...
we woke up to snow COVERING the ground!
Bailey & Wace...
Wace is still asleep!

EASTER EGG HUNT AT GRANDMA & GRANDPA'S!

Grandma Holmes
Lecsie, Jasie & Chelsie

Chelsie got a bag full :)

Sydnie... turbo egg hunting

Lecsie is hunting eggs in her snow boots!

Jasie & Wace
"Awww... there's another one!"

Charlee got one!

Ellie stayed in the house with Grandma Great... it's too cold outside for tiny babies!

Jason, Brandie, Grandpa Great, Whitney, Shelby, Grandpa Holmes
Bailey took pictures.... "Look Mom, Whitney is standing on an Easter egg!"

Coloring Easter Eggs at Grandma & Grandpa's

2010-07-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

Naughty Aunt Whitney!!!Whitney & Lecsie... Aunt Whitney colored Lecsie's hand green!

Uncle Bailey can't decide what color to use!Chelsie was TOO sick to color eggs! Chicken soup is as close as she gets to eggs :(

Jasie & Sydnie

Shelby & Lecsie

Jasie & Sydnie

Jeremy & Charlee

Ellie slept through the Easter egg coloring

Grandma Holmes' birthday

Grandma Great & Kim

Special Visitor...

2010-03-07T13:23:00.001-08:00

One Sunday afternoon Lec drove into the yard and the breeze was blowing the flag, as he looked up he saw this eagle sitting in Grandma's tree right above it. He stayed quite awhile and I told him he is welcome here anytime.

Wace's SuRpriSe party!

2010-03-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

Wace turned 18 in January!!! My how time flies!
Shelby, Lec, Ty, Wace, Jaden, Bailey, Lecsie & Sydnie lighting the candles

Wace blew out the candles.... wait what? Is that a gun in his hand? Don't worry it's a toy... yes he did just turn 18... yes, he still plays with toy guns!

Whitney & Jaden in the background

Shelby, Chelsie, Jaden, Bailey & Lecsie
Cuttin' the cowboy cake! YUMMMM!
Chase, Nick, Riley & J.C. in the back ground

Uncle Ty & Wace
OF COURSE there was a frosting fight... isn't there ALWAYS?

Wace, Chase, J.C., Nick, Tanner & Riley
Nick kept Wace busy playing basketball and SWEATING until it was time for the party to start!
SURPRISE!!!

Wyatt... is very colorful... I think he might have liked growing up in the 60's "puff, puff, pass" hahahaha!

Brandie, Charlee, Marlo, Jasie & Whitney...

Shelby, Whitney, Brandie, Chelsie
Lecsie & Sydnie
watching Wace open his presents...

Jasie got Granpa Great's cane... watch out Jasie, sometimes he whacks people with that thing!

Chelsie's birthday & baptism

2010-03-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Chelsie turned 8! And she got to be baptized on her birthday!!! LUCKY!

And of course there was a PARTY!!
I can't believe our 1st Grandchild is 8!

Chelsie is awesome! She is always excited and grateful when she gets a prize.
Jason is awesome too... AND he LOVES his girls!!!

Lec, Whitney, Grandma Great, Candy, Cassie & Caydence (hope I spelled those right) watching her open her presents.

Brandie (don't you LOVE her smile?)

Shelby (the baby hog), Charlee & Mike (& Brandie in the corner)

And Wace... guarding the 6 foot sandwiches!

Christmas Day 2009

2010-02-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

We LOVE Christmas!

Lec LOVES to open presents... NOT!!!

Bailey had to use his new knife to open presents!

I'm just glad he didn't have to stab himself like Wace did one year!!!

Wace is happy... he LOVES to pump iron!

Shelby & Mike... awww sweet!

Shelby was taking pictures at the Christmas party, and we didn't get a family picture of them! :(

Shelby lost 42 pounds this year! WHAT?! Yes, she kicked my trash!!!

Princess Chelsie!

She is growing up WAY too fast!

Lecsie LOVES new clothes!

Christmas is GREAT for Grandmas!

Grandpa Harris' Christmas Party 2009

2010-02-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Lec, Grandma Katie, Lecsie, Grandpa Harris & Shelby

Grandpa Harris has a Christmas Party every year in the Veterans Memorial Building basement. Grandpa use to be Commander in Chief!
We LOVE 5 generation pictures!
Grandpa Lec, Grandma Katie, Grandpa Harris, Charlee & Whitney

Sydnie & Jason (with Brandie in the background)

I'm not sure what Sydnie wants, but I'll bet it has something to do with candy!

LOL!

Jasie Nicole and her big beautiful brown eyes!
Cute little Christmas elf!

Baby Charlee... with Uncle Mike (who hid his face, like always!!!)
I love her 'shubby sheeks'!!!

Lisa, Whitney & Marlo (Jason in back)

We ALWAYS have fun at the family Christmas Parties!!!
Lec, Justin, Grandma Katie & Ty...

TY!!!! We can't have ANYTHING NICE! LOL!

The HOLMES boys... will be boys!!!

Justin, Ty & Lec

We decided to do family pictures this year...

Grandma Katie, Grandpa Richard & Misty

Grandpa & Grandma Gifford

Kim & Lec

Brandie, Chelsie, Jason, Sydnie & Jasie

Jeremy, Whitney & Charlee K

Justin, Lisa & Harley Bug

Wyatt, Ty, Marlo, Barak
Jaden & Brittany

Keahna, Katie & Kyteesha

The Grandkids with Great (Great) Grandpa Harris!

He LOVES his kids!

Grandpa Bud's Christmas Party

2010-02-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

Whitney, Grandpa Bud, Grandpa Lec and Charlee K.

We went to Huntington for Grandpa Bud & Grandma Lana's Christmas Party (thanks Mollie!)
We had a lot of fun! It was the first time they got to see Charlee K!

Grandpa Bud and Lecsie snugglin'!

Look at those smiles... you can tell they are both up to no good!

2009 Christmas update...

2009-12-20T20:49:00.001-08:00

Because I have entered the world of blogging, our annual Christmas letter will now be here instead of with your Christmas card. I hope you all had a great 2009. I think I did, it went so fast it is all a blur in my head!

Brandie is expecting baby girl #4 in April while chasing Sydnie & Jasie (they are FAST) with a little help from Chelsie. Still coaching gymnastics, and hoping they get their new house before the New Year.

Jason is working for Murray City. He is a Fire Fighter/Paramedic. It is great to have our own personal medic in the family, but we don't impress him too much, there is never enough blood here for him!

Chelsie is in the 3rd grade, she had her first piano recital this year AND she will be getting baptized on her birthday in January! Yup, she will be 8!!!

Sydnie turned 3 this year. I'm pretty sure she spends too much time listening to Chelsie practice cheers... we asked her what color she colored her picture and she said "BLUE and WHITE, Thunder fans in the stands...." I thought Whitney and I were going to fall out of the car laughing! Another clown in our family!!!

Jasie just turned 2 and she LOVES her Grandma (that's me). Anytime she sees me she runs to me for a snuggle! She will even yell "Gramma" across the chapel during Sacrament! As I predicted, she is slowly taking charge of the Hawkes residence.

Joey got out of the service this year. I am SO glad he did not have to go back to Iraq! He is working on a Naval Base in Kingsville, Texas, the computer guy and all that jazz. Still playing dinosaurs with Jordan and LOVING having his baby girl to snuggle!

Ashley has been busy this year taking care of her boys and her new baby girl Ally J! She is still doing awesome in Scentsy and they are planning on going to the temple this year! YAY!!!! We had too much fun visiting them in July!

Jordan is growing like a weed! He does NOT want to be in the baby nursery and play with baby toys! So even though he is 3 he went in the class with the 4 year olds! Then when they went to singing time, he pushed his chair to the back row with the older kids! hahahahaha What cracks me up is I think Joey would still like being in the nursery, playing with the toys! Jordan says he wants to be a paleontologist! WHAT?

Allyson Janae was born June 15th and she has already stolen hearts across the country! At 1 month old she had her daddy wrapped completely around her finger! And Jordan told Joey, "Dad no boys can talk to my Ally J, huh Dad!" He is going to protect her!

Whitney grew a baby bump, but she was in denial for about 5 months... even though the rest of us figured it out! Her doctor had to tell her "Do NOT do back tucks while you're pregnant!" She only missed 1 cheer practice... and she keeps asking when she can start tumbling again!!!

Jeremy is still working for IHC. He and Bailey decided to be green thumbs this year and had fun planting things. He has also been teaching Bailey to play golf... they are always walking around with their collars "popped"! He LOVES being a Dad... now he has two Princesses to please each day!

Charlee K was born November 17th. She is a good sport and can sleep right through her Mom barking out orders at her classes! She has to cry to get her Mom to put her in her bed, because there is ALWAYS someone wanting to hold her! LOL

Shelby is still working at Wingers... go see her, they are always slow! She is a baby hog and no one gets to hold Charlee while she is around! j/k Shelby! She still LOVES being a Mom and buying Lecsie shoes (she has enough to start a shoe store)! She also likes making carmel apples and quilts and any other creation she can come up with!

Mike is working for Brahma... all different shifts. He still loves to hunt... and DON'T bug him when the Cowboys are playing!!! It is clear he is growing up, he got himself a "Grandpa" truck this year... he even gave up a goose hunt for all the family parties this weekend!!!

Lecsie is 2 and she is completely in charge of the Petroff house! She even got on the 'play' phone over here one night and called her Mom up 'at work' and chewed her out good.... we're still not sure what Shelby was in trouble for! LOL She is "hilarious"... which is one of her favorite words!

Wace did NOT give up the goose hunt for the family parties this weekend! He is still riding bulls... OF COURSE! He took 2nd at State and 9th at the High School National Finals this year. He is ready to be grown up (he says) and he even "uninvited" Lec & I to one of his RMPRA rodeos! WHAT? But, we still love him... he is a good kid! He is looking for an old Cadillac to drive from rodeo to rodeo after he graduates in May and hoping to go to college in Texas in the fall.

Bailey, Bailey, Bailey... 12 years old! 7th grade! OH MY! He played baseball & football again this year. We found out at his football banquet that he is a "babe magnet" and NOW... he has decided to be the next 'IRON CHEF'! He has stared cooking for us... and it is an adventure! One night he made us deer steaks... I told him it was tough and he would have to tenderize it... so he made up a 'dry rub' which was 95% pepper... he was so proud of himself when Wace ate it and had tears streaming down his face! Yup, it was a little too hot! LOL Can't wait to see what comes next. But don't worry... he is "the 2nd counselor in the Deacons Quorum" and he won't let you forget it! :)

Lec is just working, working, working, nothing new there. He does have a new addiction though... KSL.com. He loves buying crap on there! He even bought a tractor!!! Joey even set it up as his home page, so all he has to do is "click the Lec box, press the e and there it is!" Thanks Joey!!! He is on his farewell tour of High School Rodeo since this is Wace's last year... I think he will have with drawls this fall!

I got laid off in June... so now I have a new job. I work for East Shore High School (Hi Lori) at Westlake High School as a teachers aid. If you followed all of that you are too smart! Anyway it is a fun job, the kids keep me quite entertained!
They split our ward this year so Lec & I finally got released from Cub Scouts and I got to go back to the Nursery... YES! I love the Nursery we get snacks every week!

Anyway as you can see there are too many of us to keep track of anymore! But thanks for trying! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!
Lec, Kim & the team

24 years! Wow... were does the time go???

2009-12-03T08:39:00.000-08:00

1985... this is the first picture we had taken together... Lec had the sweetest mullet ever!!!

This is around 1988 or 1989... right after Lec got into the Ironworkers Union.

This is around 1998 or 1999. Notice the mullet is all gone!

Kristy took these pictures for us on our 15th anniversary!

At Disneyland... On Bailey's 8th birthday, thanks Mom!

By the ocean at Newport Beach.

Harman's Halloween Party... this is the ONLY bull I will EVER ride! Lec, as always is a CLOWN! It's not every day you see him in high tops!!!

By the Mississippi River in Nauvoo. FUN trip! Even though Lec had to drive for me & my Mom... "shade, shade, shade"! LOL

Biker night @ Harman's Profit Sharing... Lec is that a REAL smile??? Must be a biker fantasy!!!

By Grandma Holmes' house... right before Joey went to boot camp.

Awww... sweet! Harman's Picnic

In front of Grandma Holmes weeping willow tree.

This is a few years ago at 80's night, Profit Sharing. Lec still packs the big guns! A lady there told me that he looks like an ice cream cone! LOL - Yup, he's still got it!

Heeeeeere's Charlee...

2009-11-18T16:10:00.000-08:00

Miss Charlee K... FINALLY!

It's a little blurry... but yes, it says 8 pounds 8 ounces!!!! WHAT??? Can you say chunky monkey??? and she is 18 inches long.

Mommy and Charlee

Charlee and her Daddy

Grandpa & Charlee K

Grandma Great & Charlee... Grandma Great, Aunt Brandie, Aunt Shelby & Grandma Byrd waited VERY paitently out in the hall for Charlee to be born!

She has her Mommy's ears!

Halloween

2009-11-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Brandie & Sydnie... don't worry, Sydnie really IS having fun... she was just mad for a second that she couldn't use the knife! LOL
We started Halloween off by carving pumpkins in the garage.... but then the costumes came out and all I can say is "Lec! Look what you started!!!"

Whitney & Jeremy... dressed up like a happy little redneck couple... Whitney even borrowed a beer to carry around (you know, to go with her 'beer belly' - she likes 'rockin' the beer gut') And YES, that is her bare pregnant belly you see, with hair drawn on.... she is her Dad's kid FOR SURE!!!

You'll have to go watch my video on Facebook to see Wace in his costume... he was a pig in a tutu - riding a bull, OF COURSE! He went to the Utah game on Halloween, after the game he called to tell us he was going to be on the news... live. So we turned on the news and watched him jump up & down waving through the window behind the anchor man... where do these kids come from? I guess Kristy's kids were right to call them the 'wild kids'!

Shelby & Mike... Shelby is the good witch (of course), but Mike... not so nice, he & his brother in law rode around in the back of the truck scarring little kids... at least they didn't smash pumpkins! LOL

Bailey Kruger... he doesn't really need a mask to be SCARY!

Chelsie 'vants to bite your neck'! There is some serious drama going on here... Bella has nothing on her!

Sydnie the scarecrow... 'don't worry, I only scare birds'! LOL - I have one of her whole costume (way cute) but I LOVE this close up best!

Lecsie aka: Witchie Poo.... she LOVES to pose for the camera!

Jasie aka: Little Bunny Fufu.... don't worry, we did NOT bop her on the head!

We are hoping for Halloween pics of Joey, Ashley, Jordan & Ally on their blog or Facebook! We miss them A LOT!!!!!!

The Last 'official season' Game!

2009-10-22T10:03:00.001-07:00

Bailey in the striped socks that Whitney MADE him wear. He made the first tackle of the game! Sorry, I was fighting with the camera and didn't get a picture... Then he went and took off the socks... (he is WAY to afraid of what other people might think!) but Coach T made him put them back on LOL!!! Lehi played an AWESOME game!!!

this one is kind of fuzzy - it was dark & the camera was trying hard... but if you look close, you can see Bailey in the striped socks sacking the quarter back!!! Good things DO come in small packages!!!

and here he is scrambling to recover PG's fumble! Bailey was the MVP for sure!!!! Maybe it's the socks... Thanks Whitney!!!

July to October.... what??? Sorry, I'm a slacker!

2009-10-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

Football pics.
Bailey #76... GOOOO LEHI!

Bailey is the guy on top... black socks... SA-LAM!

Bailey in his purple socks (#21)

Chelsie & Lecsie watching Uncle Bailey play football...

Sydnie just likes to run... she chased some little boy all over the park! muuhahaha...

I think Jasie is hungry! LOL

Grandma Great's retirement breakfast...

Grandpa & Grandma Great

Chelsie, Brandie & Grandpa Great eating breakfast!

Chelsie loves her Daddy (Jason)!

Shelby & Whitney go crazy for food! LOL

Best, best buddies Sydnie & Lecsie & Jasie Nicole...

Some of us got to go to Grandma Great's retirement breakfast...

top row: Kim, Whitney, Brandie, Sydnie, Jason

bottom row: Chelsie, Shelby, Lecsie, Granpa Great, Jasie, Grandma Great, Bailey

Then we went on a tour of the Motion Picture Studio... Bailey loved this hat (among other things)!

Grandpa Great turns 75... Happy Birthday to you...

This is our Grandpa Great... we love him so,

We made him a banner and...

put 75 balloons in his yard so he wouldn't forget how old he was on his birthday! He LOVED it!

Camping on Labor Day weekend...

Jasie & Sydnie go along for the ride... and to give Mom some time to get done with morning sickness!

Chelsie & Dad took Sydnie & Jasie fishing in their little red wagon...

Whitney & Jeremy LOVE to sleep in... in their tent condo!

Bailey is good a entertaining himself...

Baby & Jr. like camping too.

Down on Grandpa's Farm... there is a little brown goat.... (or 2 or 3..)

' Nakie baby' Lecsie & Grandpa feeding the goats...

" Eat it goat"

BULLRIDING...

YEE HAW! Rodeo in Herriman.

Sa-weet 8 second ride...

Alpine Rodeo (RMPRA)

Sometimes we get some good shots that Wace does NOT think are good shots... HOLY CRAP!

Nice get off Wace!!! At least he has his hand up there to pull his rope so he doesn't get hung up!

This is Lec's favorite place to watch bull riding.... he just climbs up on top of the chutes & walks to the best spot to see all the action... and yes, he IS on the phone again or still!!!

The Bullriders... Wace, Bill (Justin Anderson) and Tim Bingham... yes, he as a broken neck... yes it is a bull riding injury! At the Hot Spot in Vernal! LOL

Jeremy's birthday...

Chelsie, Jeremy,Lecsie & Jasie looking at the pregnant lady cake.... who's belly frosting got scraped off when they were bringing it out.... hahahahahaha I'm not sure if Jeremy is happy about it or not... maybe he would of liked a bikini cake better LOL!

Bailey, Whitney & Charlee... almost looks like she swallowed a basketball huh?

Grandpa Holmes made rootbeer... Bailey, Lecsie, Sydnie,? and Chelsie are sucking up the dry ice fog!

Lecsie snuck back to slurp more fog!

Jason & Brandie... and baby makes 6 - what the? Pretty soon she'll catch up to us!!!

Mike & Shelby.... awww sweet

Whitney & Charlee's babyshower

Grandma Byrd & Whitney (& Charlee)... opening presents... Lecise is helping too.

Miss Chelsie checking to make sure the food is all good... she worked hard with her Mom & Aunt Shelby to make everything just right for the shower!

Aunt Marlo, Brittany, Raelynn & Jeremy's Grandma Byrd and Jr watching to see if anyone will give him a treat....

Grandma Great & Aunt Shirley... aww cute sisters! Kinda makes you miss Gramie Pete huh?

Some of our favorite cousins! Lexie, Michelle, Haley, Deb, Aurora,,Gma Katie,

Melanie, Annie, Katie & Lecsie

Laci, Whitney & Charlee at the baby shower... by the yummies of course!

Bailey & Jaden all dressed up with somewhere to go...

Bailey & Jaden all dressed up to go to General Priesthood meeting with Jeremy... cool shades dude!

They had to take turns with the cop glasses!

This is how Bailey & Jaden normally act!

Lec had a birthday, shout hooray! He thought he was a year older than he really is... I guess it's just old age!

Grandma & Grandpa Great brought Lec a cherry pie for his birthday! Shelby & Lecsie made him a cherry cheesecake too... I guess you figured out by now that cherry pies are his FAVORITE!

Lec told my Mom that all he wanted for his birthday was his 2 front teeth... so that's what she got him! LOL

Wace at the High School National Finals Rodeo in Farmington, New Mexico

2009-08-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here is my boy... he LOVES to ride bulls! It is all he has wanted to do since I can remember. He told us he wanted to ride when he was younger (around 7 or 8 I think). So Lec told him that if he could save enough money for his vest & chaps he could ride steers. It took him 2 summers working with Uncle Ty doing cement curbing, but he saved the money... and he has been riding ever since! Wace getting ready to take on the Nation....

1st go round bull ... yes that's Lec in the back ground, always!

Can you say CRAZY? A 2000 pound bull & a rope... and he thinks it's fun! I asked him once if he got scared in the chute before he rode, and he said "NO, why would you ride if you were scared!" It's OK, I am scared enough for both of us!

2nd go round bullAnd the short go.... GOOD JOB WACE! 2nd at State & 9th in the Nation!!! You ROCK!

Texas to New Mexico to home, OH MY!

2009-07-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

First we went to Texas to meet our sweet Ally J...

And to visit Jordan.... who LOVES his Uncle Bailey! He says that Grandma Great, Grandpa Great, Grandma YeeHaw (that's me) and Uncle Bailey are all his cousins! LOL

Jordan and Bailey had too much fun playing dinosaurs and legos! One night Jordan did a singing gig for us... hopefully Joey will post the video, it was too funny!

And to see Miss Ashley, who is looking pretty as ever after having cute little baby Ally!

And Joey... who as you can see still acts like a monkey! (He is the one at the top of the picture!) Joey, Jordan & Bailey went to jump with the sprinkler... too much fun!

This is Miss Ally J, all ready to go to Corpus Cristi to the Texas Aquarium and the beach! She turned 1 month old while we were there!

Jordan & Bailey 'under the sea'... at Texas Aquarium

Bailey & Jordan by the dolphin tank, after the show...

This is Bailey touching a sting ray... he says it was "gooey"!

Then we were off to the beach....

This is Jordie bug playing like the big kids at the beach! I think he really believes that he is older than 3! Ashley said that he refuses to go to nursery with the "babies" so they had to put him in with the Sunbeams, then when they go sit on the front row for singing time, he scoots his chair back with the older kids! He is a hoot! Bailey had fun playing in the Gulf of Mexico, even though.......

he was stung (for the 2nd time this week) by a jelly fish! Don't ask what we used to stop the stinging on the first one (on his calf) because he does NOT want to talk about it. LOL!!! At least Ashley was smart enough to bring ammonia on this day, to take the sting out!

We had WAY too much fun in Texas with the Stones! We missed them the minute we left!

On to New Mexico...

And now... what you've all been waiting for... how did Wace do at National Finals???????????

This is Wace's first ride at the High School National Finals Rodeo in Farmington, New Mexico... he scored a 72 on this bull, a 58 on his dud of a bull in the second go round and got bucked off in the short go... he finished 9th in the Nation!!!! YAY Wace... We had 3 bull riders finish in the top 10! Our boys ROCK! I will post more pics when I get the disc that I bought from their photographers!

And finally, it was time to go home...

To top off our vacation, 1/2 hour after we got home, we rushed over to the church so that Bailey could get his Tenderfoot rank for Scouts!!! Good Job Bailey!

So, we have had a BUSY 2 weeks... and it's GOOD to be home... I am going to sleep in my OWN bed right now! -Guts!

Happy Birthday Dad... In Memory of Wendell Don Roundy

2009-07-10T09:44:00.001-07:00

My Dad would of been 69 years old today...
This is my Dad when he was a little kid... cute huh! He was the oldest of 6 kids. And he said he was always embarrassed because they were the last ones in town to get an outhouse, so EVERYONE knew their 'business'!

This is my Dad as a teenager... I'm sure he would smack me in the head if he could for sharing this picture with the world... but he can't, and I love this picture! He was quiet, but only on the outside, he and his friends had a lot of fun. He had one friend who had trouble with the transmission in his car, so they use to drive it around town in reverse... LOL

I think this was my Dad when he was a senior in high school (not sure), but I do know that this picture hung on my Grandma Roundy's wall (in the hall) my whole life! (Well, it hung there until she died).

Dad & Dan... our Dad taught us everything! He worked and played along side of us while we were growing up! He taught me what order dishes should be washed in (LOL) how to do laundry and even how to use a curling iron on my hair! He was a great Dad!

Dad cutting up a deer on the kitchen table... (At 66 Lincoln Street - that was for you Lec) and so it was... like this every year they got a deer! I have many memories of deer hanging in Grandma Roundy's garage (or ours) and late nights driving down some canyon with wet feet, the heater going full blast with the windows open so we could have the cold breeze on our faces... always Pepsi, beef jerky & Snickers!

One year Dan got a deer, but they had lost Dad's hunting knife... so they bent a Pepsi can in half & used the sharp edge to gut the deer!

My Mom told us just the other day of a time they got a deer, and were dragging it out in the dark, so my Mom had the flash light walking ahead of him, he had the deer's front legs over his sholders dragging it, and fell in a hole... the deer lurched forward and went right over his head! (his head ended up where it's guts had been before they cleaned it)... I would of rolled down the hill laughing if I would of been there!

Dad & Dan fishing... we probably had fishing poles before we were born! Dan still loves to fish! I remember one trip to Flaming Gorge when we drove off a cliff to get to 'THE BEST' camping spot! Only Dad & Dan were in the truck when it was time to go back up the cliff... the rest of us had to hike up... luckily they made it, even if the guns came off the gun rack and whacked them in the back of the head!!! Yes, crazy has ALWAYS been in my family!

Dan, Dad & Me on his 30th birthday... even though we didn't see him much at the end of his life... there was never a doubt that he LOVED his kids! When we were little we were ALWAYS with him... even at work, we grew up building houses and riding horses, camping, fishing, hunting, going to horse races, rodeos and going to LaGoon on the 4th of July! My Dad worked hard and played hard!

Dad, Dan & Delana Dee... my Dad LOVED horses, his dream was to have a triple crown winner. There are pictures somewhere of him in Kentucky, where he went and worked at a stable for awhile... I'm guessing that was one of the best times of his life!

On second thought... I think he went to South America panning for gold in his later years and he liked that a lot too!

Dad, Dan & Me... my Dad never missed a chance to go hunting! Lots of great memories of hunting with my Dad... he would ALWAYS make his own roads and his own camping spots... sometimes he even took his survey equipment so that our tent would be level!!! Sometimes we walked, sometimes we had the Tote Gote, sometimes horses... and one time (on the bow hunt) he put 'buck scent' on me... he didn't tell me until after what it really was.... YUCK! He even talked me into trying pine gum one time!!! What a joker!

This is my Dad and my baby brother Shad... he is all grown up now and lives in Florida with his wife Emilly - who's birthday is on the 16th (Happy Birthday Emilly). This is my Dad in the 80's... it was very rare that he sat still for a professional picture!

Happy Birthday Dad!

My beautiful new Granddaughter!

2009-07-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here is our new Princess! Allyson J - she weighed 7 lbs 2 oz, and I get to go see her on Monday! YAY ME!!!!

Big Brother Jordan holding his new baby sister Allyson! He LOVES his new sister!

Daddy (Joey) with Allyson & Jordie bug! WAY TOO CUTE! Go check out their blog to see more cute pictures!!!

Sydnie bug is turning 3!!!

2009-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

This is Sydnie Louise... her birthday is really tomorrow, but we are having her party today! She will be 3 years old! CUTE, CUTE, CUTE! Just get out of her way and you will get along just fine!

Sydnie... the birthday girl with Aunt Whitney... too cute! You can see Wace in the back and almost Grandpa Great!

Brandie "We need to move the slide on the grass, before one of the kids falls off on the cement..." Jason "It will be fine" Hmmm... scroll down to see who won...

Jason watching them run by with the slide.... discussion over! You can see Whitney & Mike... wait what? Whitney is pregnant... why is she carrying a heavy slide, running accross the grass like a boy??? "The Dr. only said I couldn't do back tucks anymore...." she acts like her DAD! She went down the slide and flipped off the side too.... and said "what? I kept my belly up in the air the whole time!" I think I need prozac!

Mike, Wace & Jeremy... yes, it is what it looks like.... TROUBLE! And Grandma Great, trying to keep an eye on them, but it is such a BIG job!

Shelby & Mike watching the kids play.... and wait, what is Bailey doing in the back ground??? A facial? With cucumbers on his eyes... WHAT THE????

And now, Bailey is eating the cucumbers.... you're killing me smalls!!!

This is Wace playing with the 'naughty' tether ball...

Grandma & Grandpa Great... poor Grandpa was the victim of the tether ball, which Mike hit so hard that it came off the rope & hit Grandpa in the head! So Mike ran over and asked Grandpa if he was OK, and Grandpa threw his cane on the ground and said "I'm going to get up and kick your ass!" LOL Hopefully Grandpa won't have a headache for too long!

Chelsie & Sami... who got to go to the Stadium of Fire on the 4th to see the Jonas Brothers... and entertain the crowd with their matching outfits & crazy dancing!

Lecsie & Sydnie just playin! Cute little baby butts!

Jasie would rather play in the sand! Except when they brought out the cake... which I didn't get any pictures of... but hopefully Brandie will post some!
As you can see... we LOVE to party!!!

Uncle Ty's 4th of July BBQ

2009-07-05T20:02:00.001-07:00

Bailey... thinks he can fly... and what is he doing with his hand? A tribute to Michael Jackson????

Wace, Aunt Marlo, Mike & Uncle Ty... the BBQ Master...

Whitney & Jer Bear.... who has the biggest gut??? Sorry Jer Bear, Whitney won this one!

Uncle Ty, Shelby & Jaden eating YUMMY stuff! Yes, we ARE related to these people!

OF COURSE... Lec & Ty played 'REDNECK' croquet... with a ball peen hammer & a baseball!

Brooke, Wace, Brittany & Bailey playing croquet the NORMAL way!

Grandpa & Grandma Great, watching all of the crazy relatives! Lecsie & Sydnie playing on the water slide... 'best, best buddies'.

And, Grandpa & Jasie, chillin' with a sippy cup of milk.

In Memory of Bay Horse...

2009-07-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Sadly Bay Horse died last night...
1996 - This is Bay Horse and Grandpa Bud in West Canyon. Grandpa, Lec & Wace use to ride out there a lot (I think Wace asked Grandpa everyday if they could go ride). You can see Cliff and Wace in the picture too... Wace is getting back on his horse Rusty... one time he fell off as they were coming down the mountain and rolled to the bottom... then he told them "hold up guys I gotta get back on my horse." Bay Horse is really Grandpa Bud's horse, but Grandpa always shared him with the kids. His name really is 'Bay Horse' Grandpa says animals have to earn their names... but no other name ever really fit him. I'm not sure how old he was, I don't remember him not being part of the family! When Lec went out to water yesterday he was fine, eating and running around with the other horses... we're not sure what happened, maybe a twisted gut. I'm sure he is enjoying the green pastures of Heaven with Rusty...
1998 - This is Bay Horse and Wace out at West Mountain... we went out for the afternoon with Grandpa Bud. We roasted hot dogs & the kids played musical horses... we always have a lot of fun with Grandpa Bud... and Bay Horse!
2003 - Bay Horse and Whitney on the desert... we went camping with Grandpa Bud for Easter and the kids rode the horses all over. Bay Horse was always good to let all of the kids ride him... very patient. I'll bet he was laughing with the rest of us when Wace's horse laid down in the dry lake bed mud... "Wace jumped off, yelling "my horse is dead!" He CAN be dramatic when it comes to his horses!
2003 - This is Bay Horse in the Lehi Round-up Stock Parade... Whitney and Bailey are riding him... you can see Wace and 'Fat Gut' Flash behind them. Bay Horse always did what was asked of him... as Whitney was riding him in the parade his chin strap broke... when they came by us Lec went out to try to fix it.... but Bay Horse (like all of our horses - except Power Glide - Lec's horse) didn't really like it when Lec came toward him (Lec moves too fast)! So, he started rearing and spinning around on the blacktop... after grabbing Bailey off and handing him off to someone else, Lec was so mad, he jerked Bay Horse out of the parade (almost stomped us all!) Then he fixed the chin strap and sent Whitney on her way... it is a good thing that Whitney & Bay Horse are good sports.
2004 - This is Whitney and Bay Horse at 4-H. Bay Horse did a great job in 4-H, I don't think there was a better looking horse there.... EVER! Always tolerant of the kids jerking him this way and that... He was the best! He was one of my all time favorite horses... and I will miss him a lot! Thanks Grandpa Bud for sharing your great horse with us!

2009-06-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

I don't have pictures to share yet.... but Ashley & Joey had a sweet little baby girl today! Alyson weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces! I have a picture on my phone, but I'm not smart enough to get it from my phone to my computer.... maybe I should take a class!
AND....Whitney is pregnant! She is due towards the end of October... she has been in denial, but after Brandie figured it out she had to go to the doctor to find out for herself! Silly girl!
Anyway life is good here, Shelby and I are doing Weight Watchers together and she is kicking my trash! She has lost 25 pounds! I have lost 14. A little competition is good for us!
Bailey went to Scout Camp - and was on quarantine because someone in the camp got Swine Flu... but luckily the deacons were released in time to pass the Sacrament on Sunday!!! The scout leader told me they had to watch him every minute because every time they turned around he had his knife out again! He acts like his DAD!
Wace took 2nd place at the High School State Rodeo Finals last weekend! He did awesome! Two different newspapers did a story on him Thursday and he was on the front page of the Daily Herald on Sunday morning... people brought us the paper at church! WACE ROCKS!!!!

Of course Bailey played baseball this year. At one game he told the coach "hey, I want to try pitching some time...." so the coach said "OK, go warm up....." WHAT????? He hasn't ever even pitched at a practice! But, he went and warmed up and he did pretty good for a first try! He even struck out two batters! Of course there was a wild ball or two!!! What a kid!!!

This is Wace at the Tabiona Bull Wars. He took 3rd place, which is good, but he was hoping for 1st because he wants to buy himself a 4 wheeler! He is an adrenaline junkie for sure!!!

Guess who turned 12? Yes, you guessed it, Bailey Bud! He went to Boondocks to goof off with his friends for his birthday and they soaked him in the bumper boats! They had too much fun! He was ordained a deacon by his Dad and he has enjoyed passing the Sacrament. He always wants to be early for church so he can get the best spot to pass the Sacrament to!