Tagged

20 Things That Make Me Smile
(Tagged by Christine)

1. The sound of the girls laughing

2. Family pizza/movie night

3. When Ward comes home early (unexpectedly)

4. Taking walks with the kids

5. The sound of the sprinklers

6. Our flower garden

7. A phone call from Washington

8. Great emails from friends/family

9. A great conversation

10. A really good new hair cut

11. fresh clean sheets

12. Sitting by a warm fire

13. A great family vacation

14. Listening to the girls sing along to the ipod!

15. Hugs and kisses

16. Walking hand in hand with my husband

17. Receiving great snail mail

18. A date night without kids

19. Homemade ice cream

20. Knowing I have a great life

I tag Kristen, Vanessa, Kim, and Raychel

naptime

Jolene and Max~Ready for naps!

Swimming Lessons

Well, for the last 9 days the girls have really enjoyed swim lessons.
They both have done really well. Jolene jumped from the side this year.

I know to some it's not much, but to us it's HUGE!!

She liked it so much she did it a couple of times!!

On the last day of lessons the parents get to come in and
watch and take pictures. I love this day, to be up close

and to let them know right after they do their thing that,

"yes I was watching and yes I'm proud!" Jolene's class got to go

off the diving board. Jolene loves to go off, but has her teacher

lower her down and then drop her in to the safe arms of the

teacher in the water.

This year she kept saying she was going to go off

the diving board all by herself!! The first 2 times

she was lowered in, then I asked her if she was
going to do it herself? She smiled and said,

"I guess." And she did!! It was great!! She did it three times by herself!
I am so very proud of how far she has come!!

Raychel has really enjoyed being in the big pool,

She learned so many new strokes and how

to put them together. The class learned how to

dive or at least start to dive.

Soccer Days

All great things must come to an end! And that includes soccer.

Jolene played soccer twice a week through June and for the most

part she enjoyed it. In the beginning of the month the coaches taught them

basic skills then the last two week of the month they put everything together and

played little games against each other. She was so excited to do soccer, then a few days

into it I asked her if she was liking it. She thought a minute and said,

"I'm not sure I like running after the ball so much!"

We had a great time watching her, being outside

and hanging out with friends.

Strawberry Days!!

I really love Strawberry Days, I'm not completely

sure why, but I am glad my girls love it and my husband tolerates it!! They had a really cute petting "zoo". This year they had baby goats!! They also had a baby cow, lamas, and big goats, one goat even had 4 horns!!

Don't forget the great little train ride, okay,

so I think this is the last year for the train!

And so many booths!! Food, crafts, home decor,
jewelry, music, natural healing, and so many more!

Outside Shower

It had been a long day of soccer practice, swim lessons, playing in the little pool in the backyard and running free. It was about bed time when I told Jolene she needed a bath!! She really didn't want to go in, afraid she would miss something, we were all out back enjoying the evening. I was joking when I told her she would have to shower outside then. Off she ran to get the soap and "soapy ball". She was ready. She got herself all soapy and rinsed in the shower sprinklers the girls hung from Cami's kennel door!! To be young and so free!!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to the greatest couple I know, my parents.

Thank you for your example of unconditional love! We hope you enjoy celebrating your special day together!

Got Water?

The morning of the 16th I woke up at 4:45am to get

Ward off to work and go on my walk when Jolene came

in not feeling well. I figured I had better get in the shower

while I had someone home to keep on eye on her, 20 minutes later there was no water. (Later we were told the water tank was empty!)

I am so grateful for the council we have received from church to be prepared!! To be prepared no matter how big or small an emergency could be. Through our preparedness committee at church we were able to buy 55 gallon tanks to fill with water for those "just in case" moments. (Granted we have 3 of them and only 1 was full). Ward said he couldn't leave his family for the day without water and not knowing when or if it would be on later. The few water bottle in the frig wouldn't have been enough!! He showed me how to use the water pump to pump water from the huge tank to the cooler and then we would have water for toilets and cleaning up. With a sick

little girl we needed to have water. We used it only

when we had to but it was nice to have it there. When we noticed we had water (2:15pm) it was like music, the sound of water!!

The Party

The Father's Day/Birthday party was great.
It started Saturday when we all went to Grand Junction for last minute gifts and dinner out. We took Ward golfing on the way home. Ward and Raychel golfed, Jolene and I love to tag along to drive a golf cart!!

Raychel got him everything golf, from the

ball marker, score card, and other items she got

from her golf clinic to the few things we found

for him at the golf store. All her gifts have been

wrapped (by herself) for over a week. She was so excited

and proud to give him her gifts.

Jolene only wanted

to get him his Cologne he had ran out of.

She (and I) love the scent! She has even

been known to wear it herself a few times!!

And of course the new clothes he needed.

It wouldn't have been

complete without the cake!! and of course watching the US Open!!

It was a great day~weekend!!

Happy Birthday Ward

To the man I love more every day. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who loved me enough to allow me to be your wife. I am so proud of you and all you have accomplished. I am proud of your choices and your integrity. I believe that was the first thing that I noticed about you was your honesty, your integrity. You are a strong man in the church and you testimony has strengthen mine many times. I am so glad our daughters have you to look up to. With you as their "first love" how could their eternal loves go wrong. You are an incredible husband and a wonderful father. I remember an acquaintance saying they could see the love and respect the girls have for their father by the way they look at him. I too see that. I love the way they run to greet you no matter where they are in the house or what they are doing when you get home. As soon as they hear the garage door start to open they run. I sometimes wish you could see what I see as they run past me giggling knowing you will greet them with as much enthusiasm and a huge hug. Your mother said the day your were born made Father's Day that much more special. It was a great day for a great man to be born. We love to double honor you on your day, or as it has been known, your weekend!! Happy Birthday!!
We love you tons!
Heather, Raychel and Jolene

Happy Father's Day

These are the greatest men in my life.

My father, my husband, my brothers, and

the great men who married my sisters!!

I thank you for your examples,

your strengthen, and your love.

And to Ward's wonderful father, Joel, who was taken early from us. He was a charmer, a teaser, a priesthood holder, a hard worker, a man who was proud of his family, he loved his wife and took great care of her. He was deeply loved and is greatly missed!

Just for you

Jolene wanted to make Ward and I

a picture of our favorite things.

She made a picture of Ward golfing,

notice the bag of clubs and don't

forget the hat!!

Then she made me with my flower

garden that her and I have spent so much time

planting and weeding together.

I love the art work of my kids.

We have several of their master

pieces hung in frames around the house.

They are a one of a kind!!

Paws For Reading

This is a program Raychel and Jolene love!!
These special dogs bring their owners, a huge pillow

and wait to be read to. After we signed up at the

library, we met the dogs at the school where the

summer reading program will be and before it

starts the kids get to read to a dog for 15 minutes.

It is so cute to see these dogs with the kids.

Raychel read to Charlie, a boxer, who is only 2 years old.

Charlie listen, but was so interested in all the kids that walked by.
Soon he laid down to listen better. It's nice to read to "someone"
who doesn't correct them, tell them to read louder, faster, slower,
but just listen!! Raychel of course wants to do it every week!!

Jolene read to Shadow, a black lad, who is so passive.
He would look at the pages then fall asleep. It was great

to hear her read. She has loved reading to her "dog"
Max and wishes our family dog Cami would lay still

long enough to listen to at least one page!!

Are your ready? Ok!

Gotta love cheer leading with a bunch of little girls!!
This has been Jolene's dream since Raychel took

cheer leading 3 years ago!! You have to be 5 to

take the class, well she's 5, and in the class!!

Yesterday, June 11 was the first class. They

met the coach, got cheer leading outfits, pom poms

and learned 2 cheers already.

Since last night we have listened to

G-O go, go, G-O go, go...over and over!!

I can't wait for her to remember the rest of the cheer!!

It's hard to believe my baby is old enough to

take this class. She has asked every Summer

when it would be her turn to cheer. I only hope

it is all she has imaged it would be.

Her excitement

is the best!! When we got home she had

to run upstairs and try on the "costume" to make

sure it fit! She looks to cute! The kids get to be

in the 4th of July parade and the parade

for the county fair. She is so excited.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today June 7, is my mothers birthday. I want to let her know how much I love her. I am so very grateful to her for all she had done for our family. Her and my dad raised 6 children, 3 girls and 3 boys. 4 of us served full time missions, we are all active in church and happily married to wonderful spouses! She always loved us no matter what kind of trouble we had gotten into, she supports us and encourages us knowing the final decision is ours. I respect and admire my mother not only as my mother but as a women. My mom has been there for every major event in my life!!

High School & Seminary Graduation & taking me to Ricks (BYU Idaho)

She was my greatest supporter during my mission to Uruguay. Her letters, prayers and packages lessened the miles between us, and she was there when I returned with open arms.

She was there when I started dating the love of my life!!

And of course she helped plan the most beautiful wedding and reception for us.

She has been there after the birth of our daughters, she has traveled many miles to spend time with my family whether we met in the middle or she came all the way.

Thank you mom for always being there. I wish we could be there to celebrate your special day, know we love you and miss you tons!! Happy Birthday!!