California Adventures {part 4} beach fun

Each night one family takes a turn making dinner for the rest of the group. I decided to do dinner the first night so that I could get it out of the way and not worry about it. I did hamburgers and Ashleigh brought this cool little hamburger grill/basket think to cook them in. I tried holding them over the coals that my wonderful brothers lit but it was getting hot on my hand and it was helping them cook very fast. So Joshua rigged up this fun little contraption to hold the rack up.

Using the soda cup and a bent hanger he got it to cook the hamburgers.

I had Heather hold my camera and so she then took it upon herself to take some random pictures. This one is of me looking a little bit stressed. The hamburgers were really stressing me out until Josh stepped in and basically took over. Then I felt bad cause he was cooking the food I was supposed to be. But I paid for it all so I guess it evens out.

Kenedy enjoying her grub.

Joshua keeping a manly watch on the fire and the cooking hamburgers.

Ashleigh and Kylie enjoying the meal.

and more silliness! Fun day and I was so glad when my cooking day was over.

California Adventures {part 3} Beach fun

On Monday we packed up our stuff and headed out to go camping at the beach. This has been a family tradition since I was young, to go spend a week at the beach, and we love it. My entire family minus Stephanie and her kids and of course Kefford were able to go so it was loads of fun. This year was really nice because I did not have any babies to worry about. All of the kids loved it and stayed within our area. It was a nice relaxing trip!

Rylee with Jeremys little girl, Jaylynn. These two were fun to watch. I anticipate a great friendship evolving as they get older.

Avynlea buried in the sand.

Then it was Rylees turn

Next Kenedy had to get in on the action.

Whats this? A lonely beach hat lying on the sand?

Nope it's Ryker. He is so cute.

Me and Heather. Heather and I were the best of friends growing up and that friendship has not grown stale at all. I am lucky to have her for a sister.
Having said that I love ALL of my sisters and feel a close friendship with all of them! :0)

Avynlea spent most of her time frolicking in the sand. She and sand were the best of friends!

Rylee too really enjoyed her time in the sand. Check out these next pictures of my two littles and their fun in the sand!

Avy really was happy she just had to make a funny face for the camers

See.

Rylee liked the sand but didn't really like it on her hands. So we had to keep those fairly clean but other then that it was everywhere on her.

She was a beach monster.

California Adventures {part 2}

OK on Sunday my entire family got together at my Moms house for Dinner and to play games and hang out. A bunch of us got together to play a rousing game of Scattergories, most of the people in the room were a bunch of cheating cheaters. But not me I played it fair and square, and if you believe that then lets go play a game of scattergories. I promise to be fair. ;0)
So anyhow, Jeremy's family arrived a little late but once he was there we all headed to the front yard to take some pictures. It was dusk and so the pictures are dark but you know it is the thought that counts. We will do it again at some future point I am sure!

The grandkids.

The silly grandkids.

And the grandkids with Grandma.

My entire family minus Kefford. I tried to protest and say we really should wait and take pictures when Kefford was also in town but that was quickly vetoed. Its OK I can always draw his picture in later!

Mom with her fabulous kids. Heather and I were grabbing each others tushes in this picture which is why we look kinda funny. Sorry Mom, but she started it!

California Adventures {part 1}

On August 12 The kiddos and I hopped on an airplane and took the long journey down to California to visit my family. Kefford had to stay and work and so I invited his sister Kylie to come with me to help me with the kids and also because she has never been to Cali!

It worked out good having Kylie with us because I was able to sit with Rylee and Kenedy.

While Ryker and Avynlea sat with Kylie. Let me tell you that my kids were amazing flyer's down and back. They were fairly quiet and for the most part sat in their seats. They were on very good behavior!

Saturday night we got to go to my niece Alyssa's baptism. Rylee was happy to be back in the arms of her favorite person, her Uncle Joshua.

Kenedy was asked to give the closing prayer at the baptism and she did a great job. Here she is with her Best Cousin Alyssa! These two girls did the shy dance around each other for the first little while but once they got over themselves they were thick as thieves.

Grandma Bonnie with the Grandkids that were at the baptism. We were only missing Jeremy's cuties.

Of course the always expected silly face picture.

After the baptism Avynlea went home with her Aunt Erin and stayed the night at her place and went to church with her the next day. Erin said that Avynlea was very good and kept walking around saying how cute everything was.
Ryker and Kenedy stayed the night with their cousins Dillon and Alyssa and they came back with tales of all the fun they had. We don't get to see my family as often as we would like so it is always fun to let the kids have as many opportunities to be together as they can.

curlylocks

I had read about these really great curlers on one of the hair blogs I read. Since Avy's hair is so thin and straight I thought they might be the perfect things to get some body into her hair. So I went and got some and tried them out.

Isn't she cute? I put them in her hair this morning and a couple of hours later took them out. They dry really quick and the curlers are sooo easy to use.

Look how beautiful her hair is. I just pulled the curlers out, separated the curls, put in a rubber band, sprayed and voila, a beautiful hairdo.

I also did it yesterday morning for church and she got a lot of compliments on how cute she was! Definitely worth the money!

My favorite squeeze toy!

This morning I was lying on my bed when Rylee came in to see me. I picked her up and gave her a squeeze and out of her popped a cute little toot. It was funny and we laughed and I squeezed her again only to have another cute little toot pop out. That made us laugh even harder and when I squeezed her a third time a third cute little toot popped out! We were laughing really hard by then, I tried to go for a fourth one but, alas, she only had those three cute little toots in her!

It reminded me of the Madagascar penguins Christmas movie when the old lady picked up the penguin thinking it was a squeeze toy and when she squeezed the penguin out popped a cute little toot. That was Rylee, she was my squeeze toy this morning.


And I know what you all are thinking and, NO, she does not take after her Mother! ;)

Picture taking free for all!

It is an all too common occurrence for me to download pictures from my camera onto the computer only to find there is a mass amount of pictures that I do not remember taking. I suspect one of the kids is doing it. :)

Pretty Ry-Ry

Rykers closeup with Rylee

Avynlea doing her funny face thing. By the way the picture of Avy in the previous post is from this group of random pictures taken by one of the kids. She is pretty good at making faces.

The LOVE wall. Its got a cool angle.

Avynlea running away.

Ryker sees dead people.

Rylee looking oh so cute and coy.

Ryker doing a funny face shot.

Kenedy and her Daddy. This is actually a cute picture of these two. But it makes me wonder if Kefford was actually around, not doing anything to stop the picture taking free for all. Hmmmmm.

One more of Avynlea doing her "mad" face.
Such silly kids!