I love technology... I love keeping in touch with family who is far far away... I so look forward to our Sunday chats... but the question must be asked... why do webcams bring out all the crazy faces? (BTW... Buddy loves the crazy faces and laughs hysterically. Thanks fam!)
a sampling of tonights chat:
Auntie Em going above and beyond to show us Papa's new chickens... Buddy's in LOVE.
P.S. I have a feeling I'm going to get hate mail from Grandma and some Aunties when they see this post.
On Saturday the Texas Boone's all headed north (to our house) for an evening of cousin bonding, feasting, talking, rock-banding and enjoying each other and our many blessings and gratitudes.
So fun... love it when we're all get together! Gobble, Gobble!
1. I finally got our Summer List made.... I made it in PSE with this kit and printed it out 12x18 at Costco... it's hanging on our fridge and when we do something on the list the little circles are filled in... it's so fun to be able to see what we've done and what we still get to do. I love Summer!
p.s. we've done stuff on the list.. I just wanted a picture of it before I started filling it in!
!
3. Yesterday as I was working around the house I came in to the dining room and saw this... cute little bare cheeks... I knew it was going to happen sooner or later (or so I heard)... taking off the diaper... and he seems to be making up for lost time because it happened several times yesterday. I love cute little bum cheeks!
p.s I imagine one would need to be very careful doing this so as not to hurt one's "stuff".
4. We spent the weekend at Joey's grandparents house.... his aunts were in town from Washington, Idaho and Arizona... it was a nice weekend away... we mostly talked and ate good food... nice and relaxing and so fun to see everyone.
I think there have been at least a million pictures taken on this porch swing over the years...
5. While we were visiting family Joey's aunt Margie made the best salad (she's a FABULOUS cook!)... its my new favorite... we've eaten it every day since we've been home.Tomato, cucumber, sliced up mozarella cheese, a splash of Basalmic Vinager, drizzle of Olive Oil and Morton's Nature's Seasoning (in the yellow bottle).... mix it all together.... seriously so so good!
And last but not least... One of my dearest friends in the whole world Jennie had her baby over the weekend... little Abigail Grace... Abbi is a miracle baby and I'm soo soo happy for Jennie and Kevin. Such good good people and I'm so excited for them and this new chapter in their lives!
I love when those of us who struggle to have a family finally get to know the joy of parenthood. The reward is that much sweeter. Love you Jennie Ruth! :)
the last catch up... hooray! Are you as excited as I am? :)
After Birthday Palooza we stayed in Utah for few days to celebrate Utah in October... I love Utah in the Fall... there's so many fun things to do and the weather is still nice and the colors are beautiful.
So in no particular order our Utah Highlights:1. Cousin Charlotte's baby blessing... it was beautiful! We're so excited for Jimmy and Sara!
2. Family picture with the Francks
3. Pumpkin Patch with the Boone's
4. Pillow fights with Grandpa
5. Meeting new baby McKenna... I love her and her mama so much!
6. A trip up north with cousin Charly and Auntie Sara to surprise Grandma Kathryn and trick or treat at her work.
7. A small luncheon (baby shower) for Auntie Emma.
8. Early Halloween Celebration with cousins
9. A drive up the canyon to enjoy all that is Autumn!
10. Cutting off the baby curls... It was time... he had been called a she one too many times!
("swimming" in Grandma's tub to get all the yucky hair off... don't worry we have clothes on!)
Love the new cut!!
and even more catching up...
We went to Utah so we could celebrate little buddy's birthday with both sides of our families... you only have your first birthday once... so why not live it up a bit! :) The forcast was a bit scary but in the end the weather cooperated! It was a bit chilly but NO RAIN!!! It was so fun to be with all our family... and we're so grateful for those who helped put it together and that traveled so far to be with us for the day... so perfect!
Party Highlights:Four Square Tournament
Hayride... my parents have the cutest neighbor who took us on the best hayride through the country... it was beautiful and we got to see lots of animals including llama's and got to stop and feed the sheep. It was absolutely perfect!!Arm Wrestling Tournament (complete with a professional arm wrestler ref and table!)
PinataBBQ Dinner
Bonfire w/marshmallow's
Gifts and Cousins and all sorts of fun birthday festivities! It was the perfect birthday celebration!
Catching up on summer stuff...
In August when we flew home from Utah Auntie Carrie came home with us to Texas!! There was much rejoicing and celebration!
Highlights (in no particular order):
Swimming at the pool several times
Going to Sam Moon in Dallas (the Jewelry Mecca!)
California Pizza Kitchen
Playing at the Lake
Roadtrip to San Antonio
Sea World
Movies
Lots of Ice Cream
Hamburgers/Pizza/Mexican... lots of yummy food was consumed!
Lots of sleeping in
Safari in Oklahoma
Many hands of Skip Bo
Lots and lots of fun.. I'm so glad we got to hang out with our favorite Carrie!!!
p.s. Carrie did I forget anything?
1. We drove to Arizona for the big (300+) Boone Family Reunion. Road trippin' with the family... ipods and laptops definitely make the trip go faster... Baby boy did awesome. Good times!
3. We went early to partake in the huge Pioneer Day celebrations that happen there every year. I loooooooooooooooove Pioneer Day Celebrations. Parades, Rodeos, Softball Tournaments, BBQ's, etc. The celebrations (and all you can eat watermelon) did not disappoint and were thankfully just as I had remembered them.
4. We went to the Flake Family Rodeo... not to be confused with the town rodeo which is on the same day and also lots of fun. What can I say... we like rodeo's!
5. One of my favorite activities was the town Parade... complete with
church floats, the middle aged rodeo queens and little wagons with lots of kids. I felt lucky to be
there to partake. They ended the parade with the firetruck spraying everyone.... very fun...
6. One day we went and had malts in an old malt shoppe... we sat the counter and everything... very quaint... I loved it.
7. There was lots of visiting family and old family homes... some of the family I didn't know... one of which is my dad's cousin (or uncle??)... he has a very eclectic style... TP's in his yard, bear rugs every where and a cut out of John Wayne in the guest room. My dad had a great time visiting with his kin... me and the siblings had a great time taking posed pictures while he visited with his kin.
8. At camp there was lots of visiting and activities, boating and volleyball and games and crafts... mostly I just did the crafts... I know that surprises you...
9. I was still working the whole time... one day my internet connection was non-existent so I schlepped myself to the closest laundromat and worked there for a few hours... exactly how I want to be spending quality family reunion time.. at a laundromat with my laptop.
10. We drove to the new(ish) Snowflake Temple which I think is so beautiful against the desert.
11. One day to get out of the heat we went to see the new Harry Potter. I fell off the Harry Potter wagon along time ago but it was fun to sit in a cool theater and watch a movie with my family (even if I had no clue what was going on with the story).
12. We got to go visit my grandparents grave... its been way too long since my last visit.
14. We got to talk to my little brother who was leaving the MTC on the way to his mission in Alabama.
15. All was going well and everyone having a dandy time until the whole camp came down with the black plague. I don't know who brought the flu with them but it was horrible and almost everybody got it. A million people and three toilets... not good ratio's.
So I got the horrible, nasty flu... throwing up like crazy and sick as a dog in a hot hot tent and then my sister and then my brother and then my dad and then my baby and I was a wuss and I just couldn't handle being sick with a sick baby in that hot hot tent so I caved and went home early... My dad was so sad that we were all leaving...
So me and the sisters (and brother in law) packed up the cars and drove the long way back to Utah. My dad wanted to stick it out... sick and all... so they stuck it out until the end. They would make much pioneers than me.
When I got home I totally regretted leaving... I should have just stuck it out. But at the moment it seemed like a good idea.
And that is the end of Family Reunion 2009... so happy that I got to go. I feel so grateful for the history and tradition... and I'm grateful that the Boone's value it enough to make the effort do the reunion every three years... a lot of people come long distances to be there... I feel blessed to be a part of them.
Right this minute I'm posting this in the car somewhere in rural southern Utah in route to Arizona for the big Boone family reunion that happens once every three years... my dad and his 14 siblings and 300 of our closest Boone relatives (just one line of relatives... no second cousins, no third uncle once removed... just my dads siblings, their kids and their kids) :)
Its been many years since I've done a Road trip with my family... and amazingly its much the same... minus a few kids... but pretty much the same.
Things that are the same:
Leaving later than planned
The car packed beyond capacity... my dad has a knack for finding a place for everything... and by everything I mean everything... there isn't a free square inch anywhere to be found... poor Carrie has her feet on top of the ice chest and the rest of us have stuff at our feet and on our laps
Ham sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.. and the only time we get to stop is for gas. If you have to go to the bathroom you best just hold it until the next gas station...
My feet are numb from all the stuff that they're having to rest on
My dad playing the license plate game
Things that are different:
I'm much older and wiser... and I have my own child with me... hooray!... but no husband with me... boo!
We are in a much nice vehicle then I ever got to do family trips in... AND air conditioning people.. Air Conditioning! You don't even know... the vehicles that I grew up with NEVER had air conditioning.
Half the amount of people... just me and the younger peeps (the others will be coming is their own cars)... and baby boy... I won't lie it is a wee bit more comfortable with five vs. ten.
DVD player/Ipods/cell phones to keep us entertained... and I have my laptop and internet card.. and yes, it does make the time go by waaaaay faster... just in case you were wondering... isn't technology WONDERFUL!
(the view behind my head)
little buddy who woke up as I was posting this... he's such a fabulous traveler... as long as I keep him fed and changed he doesn't make a peep ... although i'm pretty sure he's bored out of his mind despite all the toys I brought for him... I so adore this little one!!
Lots of fun things going on this week and lots of stories to tell I'm sure... be back soon!
Cheers!
Me and baby boy just got back from a whirlwind trip to Utah to see my baby brother off on his 2 year LDS mission to Alabama. The trip seriously went by so fast... I didn't even get my suitcase unpacked this time... we got there and the next thing I know it was time to fly home.
Here in no particular order are my favorite moments from this trip:
1. Helping Grandpa garden... although I'm sure it was more work for Grandpa than a help but I so love this picture.
2. Meeting Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Sara for dinner. Little buddy was so in love with Tank that he couldn't focus long enough for a picture. Tank's a good sport with all the poking and pulling of an 8 month old.
3. Frolicking in the irrigation water... My parents pastures gets
irrigation water every week or so and it fills their whole back
pasture... I don't know if you've ever frolicked in irrigation water
but its quite fun... you should totally do it sometime.
4. We took a trip to the Zoo with everyone... A couple of years ago
we were teasing Jesse that his life was sooo much different than ours
growing up (he being the youngest).. he has his own room, a cell phone, a car, etc... NONE of
which I had growing up... so one time when we were teasing him he said
"Well mom and dad took you guys to the zoo... I've never even been to
the zoo!"... so its been a family joke and we decided to take Jesse to
the zoo before he left... it was hot but so fun. Highlights included the bird show, the train and the carousel.
5. Jumping on the tramp... little buddy looooved the tramp and had the best deep belly laugh whenever anybody would jump with him.
6. Yard work with Uncle Jesse... ok so I didn't really let him ride the lawnmower but its a cute picture.
7. I introduced Carrie to Happy Hour and Strawberry Limeades at Sonic... yummmy Limeades.
8. Utah grass... its fabulous... soft and cool and bug free...its one of the (many) things I miss about living there... people in Texas have no clue what they're missing out on.
9. Farewell and Open house... its always fun to catch up with family and old friends.
10. Missionary Training Center... saying goodbye to my little bookend for two years. Love you buddy!
Home again, home again jiggity jig!
The Sad:
1. Earlier this week my cousin was killed in a car accident. He leaves behind a wife and small children. I've had a hard time with it... I've had a lump in my throat and an ache in my heart all week. Besides the obvious feelings that come when you lose a family member I've had a hard time with the fact that we're the same age (it freaks me out a bit)... and that he leaves behind such a sweet young family. And as always when a good person is taken I ask why? Why not the scummy people? I guess I have to believe that the Lord needs him more than we do. And while I do believe it it doesn't seem to make the temporal pain less? I'm really sad that I'll being missing the funeral.
If you're so inclined you can read his obituary here...
2. This weekend is Youth Conference... once a year the youth in our area get together for service projects, classes, motivational speakers, dinner and a dance... its always a highlight of the year. This year we're volunteering at the Special Olympics... I've looked forward to it for months and months and months. It was quite the process to get childcare and rides arranged but it was done and me and my camera were ready to go. Sooooooooooooooooo excited.... and then last night little buddy started getting sick... 102 fever, cough and lots and lots of sneezing... so I'm not going to the Special Olympics. And I've had been teary about it all day... is that lame? I don't take disappointment well. Joey offered to stay and let me go but he has more responsibility than I do as the Young Men's President and its more important that he be there... so me and sick baby boy will stay home and live it up doing Saturday chores and such.
The Good:
1. I had a shout out on the TV show Good Things Utah this week. A couple of months ago I created some little monster onesies for one of my design teams... they were asking for some non-scrapbook projects that could be made with their digital designs. I love doing iron on designs for little kid clothes and whipped out a couple of onesies... (I don't think I ever posted them here but they were posted on my scrapbook blog).
Anyway they loved them and featured the idea and said my name on Good Things Utah...lol... anyway if you want to see the video check it out here: Good Things Utah
If you'd like the freebie Iron on Designs that they featured on the show you can download them here @ The Ettes and Company.
AND if you want the designs I did, already formatted you can get them here (just scroll down to the bottom for the file).
2. It was sooooooo much fun to have Rebekah and baby Madilyn here. Bek had meetings in Dallas all week so we only got to hang out for a bit in the evenings... we bonded with baby Madilyn, went out to dinner, watched American Idol, went shopping at Walmart every night, got freshly squeezed limeades from Braum's and had so much fun chatting... the trip was much much too short. Thanks for coming to see us and we can't wait to see you in July!!! We love you guys so much!!!
3. I'm so looking forward to a couple of days off work... nothing too big planned. We might go camping... but on the list is a couple of trips to the park with baby boy... a kiddie pool so we can splash til our hearts content and cleaning the garage... exciting times at the Francks house. I know you're jealous. 
And a cute picture from this week to get you through until next time... aren't they adorable! Do you think they're going to be horrified when they're teenagers... haha!
Have a wonderful safe holiday weekend!
