Best block party ever!

One of the things that I love about our neighborhood is the Block Party at the 4th of July! We have been coming to the block party for about six or seven years and have always looked forward to it. Now that we live here it is so much more fun to come to. Our friends the Lindsey's started this tradition and it has really grown into a huge event. Steve is in a band and he builds a stage on his front yard that the band plays live music on. There are bounce houses and bbq's lining the street, and food galore, then at the end of the night we have a HUGE firework show. This year's fireworks were crazy amazing! Since they made arial fireworks legal this year we had an awesome show.

 All of my brothers and their families came this year.

 Me and my good friend Jodi, oh how I love this girl!

 My sweet niece Addie, she thought the band's music was too loud.

 My nephew Ty hates getting his picture taken!

 The Bowen Family. Such amazing friends!

 John did NOT want his pic taken.... too bad John!

 Jason sitting back and just chilling

 I have so many great friends in this neighborhood! Just love this Dani girl!

 Carol, Melanie and me.

My running mentor Melanie. This girl is awesome!

 Dani, Carol, Melanie, me and Angie.

 One of the three bounce houses that were there. Faze loved this one.

 Troy.... being Troy. LOL

 He was supposed to take a picture of Me, Michele and Nic but took some of himself instead. Nice.

 Another bounce house... more geared to the grown ups. This was a blast!

 Lisa of course challenged me to a duel. I forget who one.... probably her. :-)

 A shot of the band on the stage.

As usual we had a great time! My kids said that it was the most fun they have had at the block party. So grateful to live in such an amazing neighborhood! Thanks to the Lindsey's for all the planning and efforts that they went to to make this a huge success!

Surfing....FOR REAL!

Tonight our family was invited to go boating with our good friends the Stringham's. We had such a good time with them! Only me, Sienna and Ana were able to go because Chris had work he had to do and Tae was at a birthday party. We packed up a dinner and got to the lake around 6:30, once we were out on the lake we started surfing! I have seen people surf off the back of a boat before, but had never tried it and always wanted to, so I was excited to try it.

 I love hanging out with Michele and Troy, they are such amazing friends and so much fun to be around. Thanks again for the invite guys.

 The front of the boat became the teenager hangout spot.

 Me and Michele.

 Troy the best coach ever! He was awesome at getting me up on that surf board.

 Sweet little Ana.

 Savannah. Sienna and Brylee

The next few shots are of me SURFING! I got up relatively quickly, I loved it! It was so much fun and I can't wait to try it again.

 We stayed out until the sun went down, look at this beautiful sunset.

Surfing Date Night

Last week we went with a group of our friends from the hood on a date night. We decided to go try surfing at the Provo Beach Resort. 

A group shot. Jeff and Melanie, Dani, John, Me, Justin and Chris (Lisa was taking the picture)

 Dani was awesome! This is not easy! It looks pretty simple, but alas.... not so much!

 John is a natural!

Dani right before a big spill.... I mean face plant. :-)

Another option to surfing... body boarding.

 An awesome shot of me going down! The down fall to crashing.... The water is shooting out with such force that it can take your bottoms right off. Learned this the hard way. Now I know what swimsuit NOT to wear! LOL

Yep that's my hot hubby ridding the wave!

 Oh ya baby.

 Justin was a great surfer!

 Another group shot. This was such a fun night out! Thanks everyone for being open to trying something new. Till the next extreme sport date night!

Father's Day and Several Birthdays!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Today was a pretty good day. We had amazing lessons in church today and I left just feeling so peaceful and uplifted. I think that it is kinda strange that my Father's Day experience was FAR more spiritually uplifting than my Mother's Day was. Weird. Better late than never I guess....

Hopefully I will get around to blogging about our lessons today, because they were very thought provoking and I really want to blog about the thoughts that I had about them.

For dinner my dad planned a big family get together with all my cousins and aunt's and uncle's that live locally. That made for about 45 of us! It was supposed to be outside, but it was rainy and cold today, so we crammed into my parents house. On top of celebrating Father's Day we were also celebrating some birthday's, five to be exact. Two of those being my mom and my Aunt Debbie, both of them love Disneyland, so my dad asked me to make a cake for them that was Disney themed. Here is what I came up with.... I think that it is one of my new favorites!

 Two of the birthday girls.

 My cute hubby eating his yummy Father's Day dinner.

 Kisses for Daddia!

 The reason he gets to celebrate this holiday.

 Opening his Father's Day gifts.

My sweet dear husband leaned over and said the sweetest thing to me at church today. He told me how much he loved me and how grateful he was for me. He thanked me for making it possible for him to become a father. I looked at him and he had tears in his eyes, which made me get emotional. I love my husband and what a great father and husband he is to our little family. I love you babe.