Happy 2nd Birthday Kristiana! 

 1 hour old

 1 week old

 1 year old

2 years old

See Jane Run 2013

Pre-Race... ready to get started!

Chocolate

Casey and I find this quite funny :)

Random

A few random photos... not the best quality because they're taken with my camera phone... 

 On Sunday afternoon, my sister in law, Krystal, and I hiked up to the top of Table Rock. After the run on Saturday it felt good to stretch out and keep moving.  We took the long way around and up to the top... it was a beautiful day for a hike and such an amazing view of the valley/city!

 My pretty Katie Rose at the Julia Davis Rose garden

Park-time fun at Hyde Park

Main Street Mile

On Saturday evening the kids got to run in their first kiddie race in downtown Boise. It was called the Main Street Mile (although the kids ran a half mile) Tys and Katie were super excited about running it... and, they did great in the race! Tys took off like lightning and I didn't see him again until the finish line! Trenton, on the other hand, wasn't so sure about it. I ran along side him and to encourage him to make it to the end! He spent most of the race asking for water and "are we finished yet"! ha ha 

See Jane Run 2013

On Saturday I completed my 3rd half marathon in 3 months! Due to the busyness of summer I hadn't trained for this one as much as my last ones so, I wasn't very confident on how I'd do.  Well, I finished 2:14:?? (Still have to look up the official results) which was just two minutes more than my last one.  I had to stop twice in this race... and, not in the last.  So, I figure I came out about the same. This was run was mainly for fun (aren't they all for fun?!) and, our dear friend from NV came up to run the race with me and my mom. Gail was the kid's preschool teacher and is such a sweet lady! She is a runner but, hasn't ran a marathon or, half, for almost 30 years! So, this was an big event for her. She did fantastic and finished 1st in her division... 1:53! Her husband also came and we enjoyed having them visit us for the weekend.                      

 I run See Jane Run for these awesome bags and, the champagne and See's chocolate at the end!

 At the finish line.... always a glorious site :)

 Yes, we just ran 13.1 miles for chocolate and champagne!

I was so thankful to have my dear friend, Meredith, my two cousins, Lynette and Amy, and my kiddos waiting for me at the finish line!!!

Roaring Springs Water Park

Inspite of our unusually cool June weather, we've been able to use our summer passes to the fun Roaring Springs Water Park twice so far! The nice part about having a pass is that we can go just for a couple of hours or, until the kids are exhausted then, we can go home and do the rest of the rides another time... no pressure to stay all day to get our money's worth.  They're enjoying the kiddie-land play area, pool and big carpet ride.  There are other big rides that Tys and Katie can go on whenever there is another adult with us.. that way I can stay with the younger kids. We're looking forward to going lots more this summer!!

Father's Day

Father's Day 2013

 The kids and I are so blessed to have an amazing dad and, husband, in our lives! We're thankful for his constant love and sacrifice for our family!
The day was a low-key one ~ after the morning church service we had my dad over for a grilled steak lunch (my mom had to work) After a busy week it was nice to just relax and enjoy each others company!

Camelsback and Hyde Park

One day last week crossed another item off our "Summer 2013 Bucket List" and spent the morning at one of our favorite parks, Camelsback Park, in Hyde Park/downtown Boise. The area includes a fun playground and mountain to climb that overlooks the city.  My friend, Katie, and her girls also joined us.. making our time there even funner! 

 Let's climb a mountain!

 At the top... love the view of the city!

Afterward our time at the park and a picnic lunch, we enjoyed yummy ice cream at our favorite old fashioned ice cream shop, Goody's... yummy!

Zoo Boise

Yesterday I took the kids and their friend, Janelie, to downtown Boise for the day.  We had a fun time at the zoo, enjoying a picnic lunch and visiting the big library!  We checked out 17 books at the library (so happy my kids love to read!) and watched a musical performance that included quite a few "old-time" instruments. The musician was quite funny and involved all of the kids.  Tys even got to go up on stage and help him use a "limberjack" instrument. 

Anyhow, at the zoo there is a new dinosaur exhibit that's going on for a short time. They are life sized dinosaurs placed sporadically throughout the zoo; they moved and make their noises. It was pretty cool! Of course, the boys loved it! 

 Yes, the boys have mohawks!  They had been begging for one so Casey said OK, just for the summer :)

 Proof that our little sweetie-pie, cutie patootie baby has reached the age of throwing a fit when something doesn't go her way :)

 Due to the long lines, we don't always go into the special butterfly exhibit.  Well, yesterday we did and it was pretty neat! There were beautiful butterflies flying all around and even landed on us...

Nevada Friends

On Friday we visited the Clarks.  The kids had fun riding their horses! 

 Above: Taylor and Katie.  Below: Kristiana on her first pony ride!

 Dalton and Tys... the John Deere boys!

My dear friend, Precious, is due any day now with their first baby (a girl!) I was hoping to have been able to meet Baby Peck but, she wasn't finished "cooking" yet!  It was so good to see Precious anyhow; She's a beautiful pregnant mama!

 The boys and girls each got to take turns sleeping in the tent... this was the boy's night. They had SO much fun!!

 Katie, Eliese, Jessie and Marisa

Josiah (aka. JoJo) and Trent were due at the same time.. however, Jo Jo was born about 2 months early. Ironically, they both came home from the hospital on the same day! Anyhow, it's awesome to see them as friends!

Battle Mountain

This last weekend we went down to Battle Mountain to visit friends and attend Amy's graduation from High School.  We arrived Thursday evening and left after morning church service on Sunday. It was a wonderful weekend, spent with friends and family!  We stayed at Judy and Ken's and, were happy that our good friends, the Loverins, were also there visiting from California. It had been almost 2 years since we saw them last! All of our kids had a blast playing together ~ it was like they had never been a part :) 

 Doug giving his daughter, Amy, her diploma... how sweet!!

We're so proud of Amy and her accomplishments! And, we look forward to having her near us here in Idaho as she attends BSU!

Katie's Piano Recital

Song 2

Katie's Piano Recital

Song #1

Piano Recital

Last night Katie had her first piano recital! She began taking piano lessons from our friend, Dena, in Nevada and, has been taking them from another friend, Rachel. Katie has been blessed with a natural talent for playing and enjoys it! I never have to remind her twice to practice and she learns quickly. For the recital, there were 6 students and since she was the youngest she got to go first. She said she wasn't nervous at all and played her three pieces perfectly! Way to go Katie! 

Katie and Rachel