Summer Nights

Playing kickball at Nisqually before building a fire for a cook-out with friends. Nothing like kicking up dirt, throwing a ball and laughing with friends. The summer is always so busy with people vacationing so we didn't get to spend very much time with the Elsworths and Paces, but it was fun when we got together.

5 Mile Loop

This tree had fallen down the hill and the kids were excited to walk up it... until Cannon laid down on it because he was ready to come down. It had great huckleberry bushes around it and some thimbleberry bushes we ate our fill of.

Phil got in one picture just to document that he was actually with us.

Phil told the kids to climb out on this tree over the water and of course Miya fell in. She had a nice wet hike after that.

These beauties before getting a nice summer hair cut.

We had a few Saturdays this summer that didn't have a million things on the calendar so we took the kids on a few hikes. This one was just the 5 mile loop in Tacoma. It takes you down around the Sound and then up behind the zoo. The kids thought is was great and it took us just about 2 hours so it was just right for them and let us stop and look at things. We really want to do some long hikes with them next year and try our luck at backpacking around Rainier. It is crazy and so fun to have the kids growing and so much easier to get out and enjoy activities.

Hey

I love staying at Steph and Ty's house when we are in Driggs. We get to see Steph's great hair in the morning while we read scriptures and say prayer at breakfast time.

Boys

Will and Cannon



Oliver and Caleb
 

The four boys are so fun and have a great time together. They all have great little personalities and are different in a lot of ways. It is so fun that with the majority of girls we had four boys with a year. Cannon loved playing with Oliver and talking science and experiments with him. All the boys could spend hours talking about a game they were playing on the computer. I love how excited little boys can get about video games. They are all such nice boys and I am so glad they have each other and can be good examples to each other as they get older.

Turning 34

Happenings and highlights of the past year:
1. spending three weeks in Driggs this summer
2. Lyla starting school so all my kids are in school (sad, but exciting)
3. being the Relief Society President (learning to organize my time to get things done)
4. Oregon trip with the Phillips'
5. Squim trip with the Phillips'
6. learning to play soccer
7. improving my running pace and knocking off another 10 minutes of my 1/2
8. painting the cabin and almost getting it done
9. finally hitting my goal weight
10. Vegas trip with Phil
11. Cannon getting baptized
12. army triathlon
13. new friends in the new ward

This past year was fantastic and I know I am leaving off a million great things because there seems to be great things happening each day. Today we are off to play some birthday tennis and then heading to the temple and dinner in Seattle. I love my birthday!

Family

We did a little family date while in Driggs and took the kids swimming without cousins, but of course it started raining and then we got lightning so we had to get out of the pool. We headed over to Victor Emporium for milkshakes and then Brakeman's grill for burgers. I love these messy haired, crazy face making kids. I also love when Phil takes pictures of me super close because they always turn out so well. We have a million of these pictures and I always want him to delete them, but I thought instead I would post one.

Trampoline

Lyla was found jumping on the neighbors tramp by herself lots of times while at grandma's house once she broke her arm and I was nervous about her jumping with cousins. I still love to jump and tried to get on when the kids were done. I remember hours on this thing with sisters and neighbors when I was little.

Teton Canyon

I love taking kids outside and being able to be in nature. I love the thought that I am part of this amazing creation and then looking at my kids and knowing that I have that power to create something amazing too. During nap time for little babies Phil and I took the middle group of kids up Teton Canyon and hung out. Of course the boys couldn't get enough rock throwing. They all wanted to get so close to the waterfall I was a little freaked out one would fall in, but we made it back safely. I love all my nieces and nephews and getting a chance to hang out with them and see their little personalities. I sure hope they know how much I love them and wish we could all live closer.

1st Broken Bone

Well with three kids we did pretty good at making it this long with no broken bones. Lyla fell off the trampoline while we were in Driggs and broke her arm. We were at the Wilson's house getting rides in the wagon with the horses and I heard her screaming. When I got to her she told me that she needed to go to the doctor. I made her get in the wagon and go for a ride, but we only went about hundred meters when she said she was going to throw-up if we didn't get off. We put ice on it and a brace for the day just to make sure we should really go to the doctor. I hate going to the ER and I hate dealing with insurance when out of state, but we had to take her in on Saturday to the clinic and she was so great with waiting and getting the x-rays. Phil went to the cafeteria to get her lunch and she still talks about the pie we had. She asked for the "hospital pie" for my birthday and Cannon and Miya have heard enough about it they are pretty excited to have some banana cream pie. The doctor put her in a splint so the swelling could go down and then we were to put her in a cast when we got back to Washington, but we ended up staying an extra week and then I couldn't get her in to the doctor for another week once we were home so she never got a really cast. One the first day of school she found out the her teacher, Ms. Jones broke her arm this summer too and had to get a cast.

If Only

We were sitting around one night with my sisters talking while in Driggs and I got Phil to draw a tattoo on my leg. Nothing says love like a dragon with our names for eternity!

Army Half Marathon

Phil and I did the half this morning and both got PR. Phil finished at 1:29 which beat his fastest time by 13 minutes. He is a rock star! He got 4th in his age group, but would have been first in the other age groups. I finished at 1:38 and thought I was going to die. I did get 3rd in my age group and a medal. I tried keeping up these two ladies I thought would have about the same pace as me. The course was up and back and at the half point both ladies picked it up and I was perfectly happy staying at the same pace. Phil was cheering me on at the end and said something like, "kick it in, give it all you've got" I was happy to yell back that I didn't have anymore to give. Another girl even passes me right at the finish line. When Phil and I were talking after the race he said that at mile 11 he thought why do we do this, I don't even want to run this. I let him know that I had the same thought when I hit mile 11 as well. Great to have it over with and great to have improved on my time.

Teton Valley

When I tell people that I grew up in Idaho they always look at me with a little pity so I quickly tell them I grew up in the beautiful part of Idaho. I love the little valley I grew up in. In fact I think if everyone had my childhood the world would be a happier place. I love the mountains there and thought as a kid that we had a ton of trees. Then I moved to Seattle and the first time I went back I was amazed that someone had been cutting down all the trees while I was away...I love being from a small town. I love that I know something about 4-H and have been to a rodeo or two. I love that we have a town that came to all the high school sporting events because that was the thing to do on a Friday or Saturday night. Plus what a beautiful place to golf when we get to visit in the summer.

Cannon's baptism

Cannon was baptized while we were at my parents in Driggs this summer. He loves that we celebrate his birthday while we are visiting family each year. This year Phil's sister, Tamara was in charge of the Combs' family reunion so we had it as her house in Jackson. So half of Phil's family were still there and got to come over to his baptism and all the cousins from my side were there. Grandpa and Grandma Rammell came and it was such a special day. My sisters sang with me and I was doing such a great job controlling the tears until I looked at Amber who was crying. Then all the cousins sang I am a child of God  and it was just so amazing to see them all up there and loving them all so much. It was a super great day. Cannon was excited to get baptized and to have everyone there to celebrate. Everyone wrote on little cards things about Cannon or about their own baptism and Cannon loves to read through them and smiles when hearing how much he is loved by all his family. I still can't believe he is 8 and we have now entered the world of scouting. As a girl with no brothers I feel I am now venturing off to a new and unexplored planet. Good thing for great leaders.

Another One

These are just a few of the pictures we took of Cannon for his baptism announcement. We loved so many of them it was hard to pick just one to print. I love this boy!