just a couple more...

I can laugh at this picture now...Kelli was not in the mood to sit still for a picture. After one shot of her looking down she got up and walked away.

Still, all my kids in one picture!!

Grandpa Gary & I, Easter at the Ranch

Ducks & Daddy

I am SO lucky! The men in my life are so incredibly handsome!

kids playing

We went to this park that we had never been to before. Kelli loved this tall 'twirly' slide. She was so proud of herself for being brave, especially when Bret got up there and turned around. It was way too high for him I guess =]

Pretty girls

monkey boy!

The BIG 7

Fun Football stuff everywhere!!

Finally, the cute pics from Eli's birthday party! Everyone, young and...'mature', played some football.

Great Day

I love how Kelli looks like she is a ref or coach-paying very close attention!

Learning from the big boys

super fast!!

Love the parents, grandparents & great-grandparent! (well, they're ALL great!;)

!too cute

ALL the kids LOVE uncle Shawn!

my latest mishap...

This was last night. My upper eyelid was already pretty swollen.

This morning, new colors!

While playing basketball with the guys yesterday, Kelly and I were blocking each other. On one play I don't know exactly what happened, but Kelly's elbow hit my eyebrow bone and then I suddenly felt much worse pain in my shoulder and realized one of the guys either bumped into me or had jumped and part of their body landed on my shoulder severely dislocating it. I was determined not to go to the ER because last time I did, the Dr. put it back in about 5 seconds. So, I have dislocated it a few times since and been able to put it back myself. I and the guys, Alex and his mom Kelly all were trying to help me. We were doing the same tecnique the dr. did the first time. It just wouldn't go. I hate going into the dr. for something that can be fixed in under a minute!!

I was glad to find out that it was a lot more work than that, so it was necessary to go in. The X-rays were very wild looking! I could see the ball at the top of my humerus bone overlapping with my ribs. It was a good 2 in. from where it should be.
So, I have to say that I am so proud of myself for being considered tough and able to handle more pain than the doctor thought. The doctor was sure I would have to go to a riverside hospital to re-locate my shoulder because they could put me under anestesia. He said with it that bad, nobody can handle getting it put back without the anestetic. The thought of having it out of place, jammed into my arm pit and collar bone for another hour or more was my motivation. The top of my humerus bone was stuck so badly, the doctor went and got another doctor to help him. The first wrapped a sheet around my body to hold it still while the other pulled and twisted my arm back into place. The doctor was really shocked that I was able to do it, it took two both doctors full strength, you could see how hard they were working. The relief of having it back in place is just amazing, so wonderful!!

So yeah, I gues I'm just bragging. Because, I wouldn't ususally consider myself very tough. Now I'm just really sore.

Sundance fire yesterday (the ranch)

These pics don't do the scene justice...the fire started(3pm exactly, looking at my last txt msg ;) just behind the last hill on the right of the pics. the wind was blowing so hard to the left that there isn't even smoke at that spot anymore when Alex took these at about 4:30.

A different helicopter that flew over us was so close the kids were waving and yelling to because we could actually see in the windows! They thought that was pretty exciting.
When we first got there and you could see that the fire had just one 'puff' of smoke above it, Natalja was very uneasy and wanted to leave ASAP! I convinced her that we were totally safe with the dirt around us, the big water truck and we were swimming. Besides that the fire was over the hill and the wind was blowing sideways not toward us, but still pretty strong winds. It did get within 100 ft. to the Gary's store on the corner of sage and 79 Gary said when he went to tell the girls working to go home! So, we'll see how that ended up doing.
We were out there for a b-day party for Brad & Cole, but when the phones died and then the power it was officially cancelled. Alex & I and the kids brought a cake to Brad's house and celebrated with Kelly, Amber, Dallas, Shawn & Shea.

out for a walk

this was too cute, while we were all looking up Bret was going on a walk. There is a picture of Alex when he was little just like this, except he has overalls on and his dog with him, I have always loved that picture!
(look at those thighs!!)

CHASSY!

Such a cute little doggy!
We adopted a 1 yr. old 'Whippet' from the shelter today. She is so agile, sweet, loving, and mellow. She loves to just hang out on a lap. When we 'tried' her out at the shelter today, she jumped right up on Alex's lap and was so content being there. 'Love at first sight!'
Natalja has been asking for a pet for her birthday-a hampster, fish, bunny, but we told her that we just got our kitten, Hopper, a couple months ago. We don't need to get another pet so soon.
Then...poor Hopper got hit by a truck, they always come speeding down the hill right by our house. They didn't even notice or stop. The kids took it pretty hard. Since we have been thinking about a little, kid friendly dog for a couple years, we thought this might finally be a good time.

We'll see how she works out, great so far!

fun in the sun

Bret is a boy with no fear!! He loves the water, too! He is showing us how Grandma taught him how to blow bubbles!

Splashing Boys! doing tricks and spins on the body boards in the pool! It's been a very fun summer with all the pool trips. We are so lucky to have the option of my mom & dad's house or the Clawson's have a pool at their house too. It is so much work and so messy to go to the beach, so I am glad my kids can have just as much fun in the water here! -and it's a bit safer ;)

You can really see how much Kelli looks up to her big sister, Talja. I was trying to get some pictures of Talja in white to make an invitation for her baptism. Kelli kept getting right next to Talja and even posing like her as much as she could! It was really sweet, until I needed to actually get some shots of just Natalja!

...and then the really funny part is that Bret copies everything Kelli does, so he started doing the poses too! Luckinly, he is a bit slower than the girls, so he wasn't a problem in the way. Very cute kids I have!

Splashing Boys! doing tricks and spins on the body boards in the pool! It's been a very fun summer with all the pool trips. We are so lucky to have the option of my mom & dad's house or the Clawson's have a pool at their house too. It is so much work and so messy to go to the beach, so I am glad my kids can have just as much fun in the water here! -and it's a bit safer ;)

Aquarium of the Pacific

The really cool looking Roller Coaster Bridge! Natalja by the Shark teeth, she had a great time getting wet in the sea creature park toys that sprayed water. It was a very hot day!
The really cool looking Roller Coaster Bridge! Natalja by the Shark teeth, she had a great time getting wet in the sea creature park toys that sprayed water. It was a very hot day!

Kelli & Talja being swallowed by the shard jaw!!! I love Talja's great sense of humor! Kelli driving the fishing boat, BYE, BYE!

ALL ABOARD!!!

Eli loves to see if he can fit into small places. That's reallly funny because I remember doing the same thing as a kid! He'd make a great crab, but he is way cuter!



I have no idea why the both ended up having their hands/fingers near/in their mouth?! Not the most sanitary place to be putting fingers in the mouth...
my boys, just hangin' out, that wasn't even posed.

lorikeet landing

Kelli kept saying "theose things are UGLY!" about the huge crabs :]

Petting the sting rays. They are quite squishy! Then after touching one, I found out they have a mucus coating, ewww!
The Sea Lions