Happy Birthday Jeff!

Last week we celebrated Jeff's birthday and spent the day at Bandelier National Monument. We had a little picnic before we started our hike.

BNM are ancient Pueblo Indian dwellings that you are able to climb up inside. Here the boys are climbing into the 'Talus Houses", Jeff's favorite of course. (One of the bones in your foot is a Talus bone just in case you are wondering why that would be Jeff's favorite!)

They were so amazing, and so tiny, once you got up inside. I won't ever complain again about all the little apartments we have lived in!!

The boys playing Peek-a-Boo!

Long House cliff dwellings were really cool. These were actually two story back in the day. Crazy to think that people actually lived this way, we are so spoiled these days!

Our new invention, the Double-Decker stroller! Great for tired little boys.

We have so many pictures I couldn't post them all. This is the look out from Alcove House. Jeff had to hike this one solo since there was four ladders and it was a very small cliff. The boys had so much fun playing in the dirt and rocks. I only wish we would have had more time to be there.

On the way home we stopped in Santa Fe for dinner. We happen to eat at a place that faced the railroad yard which the boys we very happy with!

No birthday is complete with out a slice of delicious Orange Fridge Cake! Happy Birthday Jeff!!

LeChem's Visit

The day after we got back from WA Jeff's family came to visit for a week. We were so excited to see them, and had such a great time. We did a lot of relaxing and playing by the pool so who could complain?! Kaden & Trey had a lot of fun playing with Uncle Derek & Uncle Nic!

We did take a little break from the pool and rode the chairlifts up to Sandia Peak.

Trey riding the chairlift with his favorite Gram!

Trey fell asleep on the way down, I guess we have been doing too much playing!

We also celebrated Jeff & Kaden's birthday's while they were here. The boys had so much fun and certainly didn't want them to leave. Luckily we will get to see them again soon!

Washington Trip

The last week in July the boys and I headed up to Sammamish, WA to visit my sister and her family for her birthday! My brother-in-law Brad was throwing a party for her, and invited all of us that could come. For a week we had 8 adults and 16 kids all living in the same house and it was so much fun!

The first day there Kim took us to a farm to pick wild raspberries. Even though it was hot it was so worth it. Fresh raspberries are so delicious!

Kaden enjoyed making raspberry sauce!

With so many kids we ended up with A LOT of raspberries. Al we need now is some homemade ice cream and a warm brownie!! :)

We also picked fresh blueberries to go with the raspberries. So yummy!

Trey became a huge fan of blueberries while we were there since we had them on pancakes, with crepes, cereal, ice cream and pretty much anything else you can think of. It was so nice to have a huge bowl of fruit sitting there to munch on all week!

Kim and Brad spoiled all of us with some of the most amazing food I have ever had! They have an awesome outdoor kitchen/BBQ where Brad, AKA: "Gas Man" made us BBQ pizza, ribs, salmon and steak. Not to mention all the wonderful desserts Kim made; I think we all gained 5 pounds!

We made great use of the pool EVERYDAY since WA was having a huge heat wave with some days over 100 degrees. Most days we would get up, eat breakfast, swim, eat lunch, swim, eat dinner, swim and go to bed. It was so nice!

Trey is my little water boy. In one day I think he spent over 8 hours in the pool and when I got him out I could have sworn his feet had turned into fins!

Washington Trip (part 2)

Obviously after a few days in the sun you start acting a little strange! It was so fun playing by the pool, going down the slide and jumping off the waterfall. My brother Kris even set up our own version of 'Wipeout' that was hilarious for kids of all ages!

I laughed pretty hard watching Kaden trying to walk around in adult size flippers. The one piece floaty added to the humor!

Jumping off the waterfall! Some of the kids were having a hard time jumping off for the first time; I thought for sure Trey wouldn't do it in a million years. Out of nowhere Trey had climbed to the top and jumped right off. He must have jumped off that thing a thousand times while we were there.

How many kids fit in a hot tub?

My sister Kim and my dad.

Kim & Brad took us to an old railroad yard, and my kids loved it. It was full of old trains and railroad cars that the kids could climb on.

Trey with his cousins Marcus, Cole and Josh!

Each of the kids colored paper guitars and rocked out!

Jacob, Trey, Caleb, Cory, Cole, and Marcus

Although Trey and Kaden don't actually play "Rock Band" they sure know how to rock. With Trey on guitar and Kaden on drums they were in heaven having an audience every night!

My brother Kris, Me, sisters Laura Lee, Kim and Steph!

By the end of the week we had all eaten so much food and had such a wonderful time we didn't want to move. It was a lot of fun to be with family and let the boys spend time with all of their cousins. Since Jeff was not able to make the trip I am hoping we can make it back up there next summer and for many summers to come!