Fun, Family, 4th of July!

I LOVE the forth of July weekend. I love the BBQs the fireworks, being with family, the parades, the friendships and of course the patriotism. We started this Forth of July weekend with an early morning trip down to Provo to see the Hot Air Balloon show.

This year they had a Darth Vader Ballon
the kids thought was pretty cool.

Chandler, Nicholas and Chayce
The morning of the Forth we have a tradition of going to the Provo Parade. It's crazy. It's more about the tradition, the food, the family than the parade itself. Chad goes down at 4:30AM to save our place. This year Raegan and Kalli slept out side with some of our friends to ensure us a great parade spot. There are over 300,000 people who come out for this parade.
Crazy and Ridiculous I know but it's tradition!!

Kylee and Kalli

McKenna and Raegan

Tyler and Grandma

Sydney got picked out of the crowd to break a board from a Karate Studio, she thought she was pretty tough.

Before the parade starts Chad always brings a football to throw around with the kids, again it's tradition!

Kalli who doesn't really even enjoy parades but wanted to spend the night at the parade spot, slept through most of the parade.

The babies did not enjoy the fire trucks or the police sirens. But they were so good despite the loud noises.

Max was all about the traditions!!!

Nicholas was awesome! He just sat in the stroller the entire time and watched and clapped, he is such a great little kid!!!

Now how many parades have you been to where the missionaries get their own entry and a standing ovation!?!
Gotta Love Utah!!!

That evening we had a BBQ with our good friends the Hatches as well as Stacey, Kirk and kids and Grandma

Teagan and Max
(they are going to get married)

Andrew, Taylor Hatch, Sydney and Raegan watching fireworks

*Sparklers*

Dylan, Talon, Andrew and Taylor

Teagan and Sydney

We love the Forth of July. It's so much fun to get to watch fireworks from Grandma's front yard. It's perfect so we can put babies to bed while the rest of us stay up late and enjoy the show.
Happy Forth of July!

We are the Champions!!!

We have had so much fun this year watching Tyler play Baseball. His team the Cubs were undefeated this year and Tyler got his first home run and also had many opportunities to pitch. He played third base most of the time. He and his team improved so much from last year. Now the Cubs are headed for the State Tournament in July.

Tyler's cousin Carson was on one of the opposing teams.

Tyler with his buddy Ashton

Tyler playing Third Base

The winning team with their trophies!
Way to go Cubs!

Tyler and Sydney

Tyler and his awesome coach Jeremy Herrera! Coach Herrera was so great, super positive and very encouraging. Tyler had a great experience with baseball and a lot of it had to do with his coach.
Can't wait for state!!!

Strawberry Days

We LOVE the Strawberry Days Parade. Usually we're not the parade going people but we do love this one. It's small town and the kids get tons of candy. We always sit with Todd and Benka and their kids. This year we had some neighbors sit with us as well. Chad even went down three days before and saved us a spot. Yes, we are nerds but we love our tradition!

Raegan and Tyler helped out our neighbor who owns Gandolfo's sandwich shop, they got to walk in the parade and help pass out coupons.

Happy Strawberry
Days!!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the very best DAD ever!!!
It doesn't get better than YOU!
WE LOVE YOU!

Remebering Grandpa

We decided to celebrate Memorial Day by walking down to the Cemetery this year. It was an awesome experience and a tradition we will now continue.

I loved the Flags lining the street by the Cemetery.

We visited Grandpa Allan's grave.

Wow we sure miss Grandpa.

Max was really close to Grandpa, they had a special relationship.

Grandpa is so missed, I think about him daily. Sometimes I get angry that he is gone. I know that is silly but I miss him so much and wish so much that he knew my little kids, enjoyed Tyler's baseball season with us, counseled with us while we have changed employment, laughed and did his silly whistle and that funny thing with his tongue, let Max know that he can sleep anywhere because he has a "clear conscience", enjoyed his beautiful back yard that he put so much time into right before he passed away. I still have days that I cry, but I know he is in a place where he is doing so much good and I KNOW that I will see him again.

End of Year FUN!!!

Kalli and McKenna
I love the end of the school year. I love the fun runs, dance festivals, excitement and just the energy that kids have because they are done with school.

All four of my kids ran in the fun run.
They did awesome and each one finished.

Tyler and Ashton
Tyler and his buddies after completing the race, way to go boys!

Tyler and Blake

Andrew and his first grade buddies

Nicholas and Sydney

The cheering section
We also enjoyed the Dance Festival. It's the cutest thing to see all of the classes do their learned dances out on the field and the weather was finally BEAUTIFUL!

Daddy and Nicholas
I love that Chad has the opportunity to come to all of the kids activities, he helps me out a ton, what a blessing he is,
the kids are so lucky to have him around!

Kalli was asked to help with the Special Needs class. So cute!

Andrew dancing to "Dow a Dear" from Sound of Music

Sydney dancing to "Singing in the Rain"

Tyler danced to "FootLoose"

Kalli danced to "Flash Dance"

At the very end the entire school sang "Hello Goodbye" to their principal who is leaving their school this year. It was so sweet, we absolutely LOVE this principal, I don't know if there was a dry eye in the audience.

Summer is here and I can't believe that another school year has come to a close. Next year I will have an eighth and seventh grader, a fifth, fourth and a second grader plus four still at home.
Ha Ha it makes me laugh just saying that. We have so much to be grateful for!!!
LIFE IS GOOD