FHE at the pond

The Bulloch Family, Hardy Family and Eaton Family invited us to the pond for family home evening. We had so much fun. Thanks for the invite:0)

My kids love Travis! He is so good to them. My pics didn't turn out so good but he was throwing the boys up high in the sky into the water. They loved every minute of it. Sam kept saying "again, again!"

Ethan jumping off the rocks!

Sam never got brave enough.

*some of the gang We worked up an appetite after playing in the water. The boys grilled up some hot dogs and hamburgers YUMMY! On the way home we stopped at Dairy Queen. Jeremy was inhaling his ice cream and told the kids he got a brain freeze. Sam immediately responded "I have a cheek freeze!"

You know it is summertime when...

You go pool hopping

*Washington Rec Center pool*

*Mesquite Rec Center pool*

Huts are a permanent fixture in the living room

You get to show off your bikini body

You get to enjoy the mountains

You perfect your diving manuvers

You get to eat cotton candy for breakfast

You get to catch up with cousins

cousins

cousins

and more cousins

You have tea parties at the lake

Your fish stories get bigger and bigger

Yes, we have had an amazing, crazy summer so far!

Frightening

One of the reasons we went to Salina for the fourth of July was because Devyn was being blessing on the fifth. The blessing was beautiful and so was Devyn. After the blessing Michael and my Dad had lunch at the house. All the cousins were playing outside. When it came time to eat Ava didn't want too. She was intrigued with baby Savanna. Ava was sitting on the porch rocking Savanna in her car seat. Bree sat down next to them. I sat Ava's plate down next to her in case she decided to eat something. Bree started yelling "what is wrong with Ava!" I looked down and saw Ava's eyes roll back into her head. Then she closed them and stopped breathing. Her body was lifeless and she began turning blue. All three of my brothers called 911. At first we thought maybe she was choking. But when I looked in her mouth her teeth were clenched and it dawned on me that she might be having a seizure. Jeremy fell to his knees crying. He wanted to do CPR but my Dad, Danielle and I could feel a heart beat. It was absolutely awful to see her unresponsive. Sam was crying and everyone was worried. When the paramedics arrived they strapped Ava and I to a gurney and loaded us in the ambulance. They put oxygen on Ava and she was breathing but it was a grunting breathing. They would only let one of us go with her so Jer followed in the truck. They took us to Sevier Valley Hospital. Jeremy gave her a blessing as soon as he got there. I am so grateful for the priesthood. What would we ever do without it. The ER doc ran a lot of tests on Ava. He informed us that she indeed had a seizure. He told us 50% will have another one and 50% will not. He kept reassuring us that she is going to be okay. He said we probably will never be the same. It was the most frightening experience I have been through. Our children are our most priceless gifts and to think for a second they could be taken is almost hard to bear. The veil is so thin. Jeremy and I haven't been the same. We take turns every other hour at night checking on her in fear she will stop breathing. It is so hard to get that picture of her turning blue and not responding out of my head. Not that I didn't hug and squeeze my kids before but now it is a little tighter.

Celebrating our Great Nation's Independance

Sam and Ava were exhausted so Jeremy stayed home with them and I took Ethan to the rodeo with Danielle, Tate, Gracee and Xander. I love the rodeo on the fourth of July. You lay on your blanket down on the hillside and camp out watching the rodeo. When the rodeo is over they have fireworks choreographed to patriotic music. It is always good to come home for the holiday. There is something to be said for small towns. They seem to have so much patriotism. I know I felt great American pride pumping through my veins on more than one occasion during the weekend. I am so grateful for the brave men and women who have fought for the freedom my family and I enjoy daily. Here's to you...red, white and blue!!

*Ethan and Mom's self portrait during the fireworks*

*My handsome cowboy*

*Ethan, Tate and Tanner enjoying the rodeo*

*the big bad candy fetchers*

Only in a small town will you get to witness a horse wearing pants in the parade!!

*Tate, Derian, Ethan and Smokey the Bear*

By the time the parade started Sam was exhausted and didn't feel well. He ate suckers, cotton candy, otter pops, snow cones just to name a few. It is no wonder he wasn't feeling well. On top of all that, he was suffering from an ear infection.

Ava loved the parade. Endless, amounts of candy!! What more could a two year old ask for?

*the gang*


*Two daddies and their spoiled daughters*

After the games we met the newest member of our family, baby Savanna. Ava loved her. And why not she is just like one of her babies.

*Uncle Jeremy and Savanna*

*Sam and cousin Savanna*

*Ava, cousin Savanna and Aunt Bree*

On the morning of the fourth we went to the park for the fun and games. We had breakfast that the wrestlers put on for a fundraiser. After we filled up with pancakes we headed for the games.

Sam racing. Does anyone else see the armbar?? Regardless, Sam won the race and was rewarded with a quarter!

Ava racing. I didn't think she would do it but Uncle Jared got her started and I was at the finish line with her sucker!! She will race for anything sweet.

They had a radar gun to get the speed of the pitch but it wasn't working. I think Ethan still looks like an amazing pitcher. But I am a little prejudice:)

Ava did the sucker toss and really enjoyed her prize!!

Ava was terrified of the fireworks. At first we thought it was the loud screaming one but even the foutains had her crying. She kept saying "pretty" between screams. Aunt Danielle got her to hold a sparkler. She got brave for one.

The kids were letting the snakes on fire. I remember doing them when I was little and thought they were so neat. The boys thought that the snakes looked like something else when they were done...Yes, I know gross!! Then for some reason the boys were doing blue darts with the snakes underneath them. How does this happen?? That would be my nephew Tate in the picture lighting Jeremy's blue dart!! What a good example Jeremy is!! Boys will be boys I guess. I know one thing...I will never think of snakes the same way again!

*Ava using her Barbie pole for the first time*

*Grandpa using Ava's Barbie pole. I don't know

if it is his first time using a Barbie pole.*

We started our 4th of July celebration fishing. Ethan wanted so badly to catch a fish but it just wasn't in the cards. We didn't even get a bite! Grandpa Keith took us to so many places trying to hook a fish. I remember going to all of these places growing up and it brought back so many wonderful memories. We did hear a rattlesnake and scared Jeremy and I. Okay, maybe more Jeremy:) Sam and Ava really enjoyed all the snacks we brought along. I think Ava ate more dirt though. All in all it was a good day. Who couldn't enjoy the mountains?