Happy 4th of July!

 For the 4th this year Erica, Bryant and I walked in the Millcreek parade.  Our extended family on Mike's side does a float every year.  This year the float featured Mike's cousin's daugher, Annie, who has cancer.  I think it's a sarcoma on the roof of her mouth.  She is in the middle of treatment and she is so young, just 5!  So our float was a huge sunshine with a banner that said "The sun'll come out tomorrow for a cancer free Annie."  Annie rode on the float looking so cute.  We all wore these bright yellow t-shirts and walked behind the float throwing candy.  Erica also wore a sunshine tutu skirt with all the girls.  As our float went by everyone cheered Annie on, it was great!  The kids really liked throwing the candy!
That evening we had two families of friends over, the Johnsens and Farnsworths, for a BBQ.  We started out with the kids playing in the sprinklers and on a slip-n-slide.  Then we had food, then ended with fireworks and sparklers and pop-its.  It was a really fun evening.  Thanks for coming friends!!

 Emmy Doll, getting tickled in her 4th of July outfit!

 I said to Mike that her hair is a little firework!  She is getting lots of curls in the back, it's my favorite.

 Here they are!  Isn't it cute how they spontaneously put their hands on each other?

 Tommy Boy!  Bright eyed and bushy tailed!

 I think they look soooooo cute after their baths!  We call them little gnomes with their pointed hoods.

 I am just starting to bathe them together.  They are finally getting very steady in the slippery tub so I feel like I can keep a handle on the two of them together.  They love being in there together!!

Erica's best friend Clara was baptized on July 7th.  We raced back from the cabin to be there for her baptism.  It was a special day for Clara.  Thanks for all the good times Clara, what would our lives be without you?!  She is a fun, spunky, creative little friend.  Erica adores her.

Holli, Dane, Anders, Mons & Jorgen Visit!

My sister Holli and her family visited for 2 weeks at the end of June.  I was soooo glad they came for two weeks because it was so much fun!!  The kids were in cousin heaven.  Anders and Mons are great friends with Bryant.  Holli's baby Jorgen got tight with Emmy because they are both so mobile.  Jorgen is 16 months old.  Those two became partners in crime.  Jorgen could open the cupboard and then the two of them could have a party! Here's Mons, Tommy & Anders sporting some great ninja bands.  Tommy knows he's one of the big boys! 

 One afternoon we went to Millcreek canyon which is close by.  We took a picnic and played in the river.  Here's Bryant on the walkie talkie.

 We chilled with the babies by the river feeling some relief from the summer heat.  Tommy is very interested in something happening down stream!  This is Jorgen on the far right, he is soooooo cute!

 We did pop-its and sparklers the last night their family was here.

 Here we are posing for the cam.

 What on earth is he doing?!?!

 Holli & Heather, Heather & Holli, that's the way it was and always will be.  We are the babies of the family.

 Holli

 Erica

 Dane helping the boys light their sparklers.  It was so great that Dane got to come for a week and work from here.  We loved getting to know him better.

 Dane and Holli

 Anders

 Mons

 Double trouble!

Bryant.  We had a great time guys, please come again!!!!

Happy 9th Birthday Erica!!!!

 Here is our beautiful, wonderful 9 year old, Erica!  She wanted a camel back for her Birthday.

 We had Mons and Anders visiting us from AZ on Erica's Birthday!  It was so fun to have cousins to celebrate with.  It was a hot June day so we went to a water park with the kids during the day and then had a Birthday party for Erica at our house in the evening.  It was so much fun!

 She didn't want cake!  She wanted homemade chocolate chip cookies and vanilla ice cream.  She is easy to please!  So, the candles went into the ice cream.  This is just how I always had it for my birthdays growing up, and still do!  I am not a cake fan but I love ice cream.  Erica, you're a girl after my own heart!

 Look at that cute smile.  Her cheeks are looking a little too bronzed for her Daddy's liking.(:

 Here is the party crew from left to right starting on the top row:  Hope, Hannah, Cali, Kate, Bailey, Leah, Clara, Erica, Brook, Sophie, Anders, Mons, and Bryant.

Here's the party crew in their best faces and poses!!  Happy Birthday Erica, we love you!!! Here are 9 things about Erica that you should know:
1. She plays the piano.
2. She likes to go with the flow.
3. She is ultra responsible and obedient.
4. She does very well in school and is always at the top of her class.
5. She loves soccer.
6. She usually has a messy closet but her bed is made!
7. She loves to go out to breakfast with me. (:
8. She has learned how to roller skate quite well.
9. She is kind to others and wants everyone around her to be happy.

Happy 40th Mike!!

 Here he is on the morning of his 40th Birthday!!!  Erica, Bryant and I got in position with a can of silly string in hand for each of us.  When Mike walked into the kitchen we jumped out of hiding and started hosing him down while yelling "Happy Birthday!!!!"  Then I threw a can of silly string to him and told him to arm himself!  It was super fun!  Here Mike is with silly string on his head.  So it looks like a mess and it was, to say the least!  It took me about an hour to clean up all this silly string.  That stuff is sooooo stubborn! 

 Here is a picture of Mike with a few of his Birthday presents.  He got lots of grilling stuff because he got a new grill.  He also got a new set of scriptures in large print, you can imagine the teasing that came with that 40th Birthday gift! Ok, here goes...40 things about Mike that you should know:
1. He needs and loves his sleep.
2. He doesn't eat olives.
3. He doesn't eat mushrooms.
4. He has labored handwriting.
5. He is an avid reader.
6. He is a very consistent person.
7. He speaks Spanish.
8. He speaks German.
9. He speaks Mandarin Chinese.
10. He speaks Russian.
11. He speaks Slovak.
12.  He speaks Czech.
13.  He is brilliant.
14.  He loves dried mangoes.
15. He likes hiking.
16. He is good at having fun.
17. He likes non-fiction better than fiction.
18. He loves his family.
19. He is the Elder's Quorum President in our ward.
20. He is very spiritual.
21. He has a hollow leg when it comes to Chinese food.
22. He doesn't waste time.
23.  The people he sees at work LOVE him.
24. He is very very good at what he does.
25. He likes getting his exercise in.
26. He doesn't cook.
27. He finds his way around Costco like a pro.
28. He makes sure we say family prayers.
29. Doughnuts are his weakness.
30. He wears a retainer at night.
31. He loves his family and treats them well.
32. He loves me!  That's the best one!
33. He thinks decorative pillows are unnecessary. (:
34. He likes riding horses.
35. He plays the piano well.
36. He plays the guitar and is very good at it.
37. He is really good at ping pong.
38. He can write stories and poetry that could be published!
39. He gets frustrated with his cell phone.
40. His favorite colors are blue and green.

Here's Emmy taking her first steps with the walker, LOVE IT!!!

Babies First Swim and Weber

 I'm so glad Mike's sister Jennie has a great pool at her house and that she lets us swim whenever we want!!!  Plus, she only lives 3 minutes away!  Thanks for all the great swims Jennie and Jason!!!  This is Emmy's and Tommy's first swim!

 This little floatie tube thing was too big for Emmy.  Now I have these great floating saucer things that I put them each in that has a shade that goes over the top of their heads.  It's perfect!

 This is Savvy, Erica loves playing with her!  She is a very fun cousin.

 Here is cousin Sarah holding Tommy for me.  She loves the twins and helps out with them whenever she is around.  Thank you Sarah!!

 This is Solomon or Solly Boy, another favorite cousin.  Bryant loves playing with him!

 Here's Bryant!  I am always after him to get that life jacket off because he is a good swimmer and needs more practice.  But, as soon as I'm not looking, on it goes!

 Here is our fun cousin Lily.  She is Bryant's age, but being a girl, Erica loves playing with her too!  She is fun to have over because both of my kids are happy!

 Here's Erica, treading a little water.  She has become such a good swimmer, I am very proud of her.

 Here we are at the cabin. We have taken a few trips up there now.  Emmy and Tommy look happy about it!  They are in the pjs heading to bed.

 This is cute with Erica and her cousin Sarah holding the twins.  They are such great helpers.

 Lily and Bryant are on the swing set in the yard at the cabin.  Looks fun you two!

This is at the cabin chasing Emmy down to get her diapered and dressed.  Why would you want to hold still when there is a dead fly on the floor in the corner to hunt down while your Mommy chases you?!!  I can say she hasn't eaten one yet and that is success!  We work hard to keep all flies off the floor, but once in a while Emmy will find one.  That's just what comes with a cabin!

Random Fun Pictures

I came out of my bedroom into the kitchen and this is what I found!  At first I wasn't happy about it,  but then I could see that Emmy was very happy!!  So, we had to give Tommy a turn in the box.  What will Bryant think of next?!

 Tommy just got a hair cut, this is not a great picture!

 Oh, little girl!!!  This picture is sooooo cute of her and it really shows how very long those legs of hers are!  This is my favorite outfit on her right now! 

 She is always on the move and I mean always.  Changing her diaper these days will burn some calories and cause sweat to bead up on your forehead!

 I love behind shots of them, so cute!  You can see Emmy's cute little pink hearing aides.  She use to pull them off and suck on them or throw them.  But, by some miracle, she doesn't do that at all anymore!  I am sooooo grateful!

 Mike and Bryant are just chillin' with the babes.

 Emmy looks a lot like Erica did as a baby!

 Here she is at the toy basket, ready to dive in!

 They are in their church clothes. After church Erica, Bryant and I were taking pictures of them.  We worked so hard to get a good one and we couldn't get one.  The babies were pulling the funniest faces, we just kept laughing!

 This was honestly the best picture of Tommy that we got and it's not good at all!!!

 Matching jammies!!

 Look at Emmy's coy little smile!

 So sweet.

Bryant is in our play room upstairs.  He thinks he is the strongest man on earth when he picks up the trampoline!!  He loves showing off to all his friends and anyone else that comes over.  Wow Bryant, I see the muscles popping!!!