4th of July @ Grandma's....PARTY!!

Four of my kiddos and I went to Las Vegas for a week. We were there over the 4th of July Holiday. Grandma and the Mc Coys know how to party and have fun--no matter what we are doing. My brother Kevin and his fiancee and her kids were there too. We ate. We played games. We did fireworks. We danced. We swam. We hung out. We laughed. We made memories. One of my favorite things to do is just sit around talking and laughing with my mom, my sis, my brothers, my brother in law, my sister in laws, my kiddos, my nieces and nephews. I am not kidding there aren't any others funnier or crazier than these folks.!! SO MUCH FUN. I love making memories with my loved ones.

This is JAG. He literally fell asleep on his hands just like this....he was wiped out every night we were there. Isn't this funny?
Here is JAG, Pineapple Princess, Monkey Boy & Kawehi. Can't remember what was wrong w/little miss Kawehi...but look at that face!!!

Here is my mom. She is the greatest Grandma--EVER. Her favorite song is "Empire State of Mind" by Jay Z and Alicia Keys. Here she is "raising the roof." Most hilarious thing I have ever seen. She is the COOLEST!!! The kids think she is "cool like that". Dat's G, G'ma!!

One of the things we did @ G'ma's....was....I am ashamed to say learn how to play poker and 21. Well, what do you expect...we were in Las Vegas. All the big kids played and had fun. We didn't allow "real" money. But the above picture is of Pineapple winning the "whole pot". Imagine how rich we would be if she was at the 'tables' down on the strip. It was so funny to hear the kids talk "gambling lingo". It was all in good fun.

This is Pineapple on the first night of Poker 101. She looked totally confused. But I think it is her Poker face.....cuz she cleaned house eventually. I think she made everyone think she didn't know what she was doin'....they let their guard down and she came in and swooped up the whole pot. Way to go, Pineapple!!

Good times. We always have so much fun at Grandma's. She spoils us. She is the most amazing person. I love my mom so very much. I miss her everyday. My sister and her family are so fun to hang with. She has kids the same as mine so, we always love hanging out. The day of TCIG's accident my brother-in-law rearranged his schedule and drove us all the way back to Boise so I wasn't by myself. We got to the hospital at 2:30 a.m. and then he drove my kids home so Kalani and I could stay at the hospital. Then Brandon was at the airport by 1:00 p.m. to fly back to Las Vegas. I can't thank him enough for all that he did for us. And my mom. And my sister. As I get older the definition of family becomes clearer to me. They are simply people who are always there for you NO MATTER what. They are people who will do anything to help. They are people who love you UNCONDITIONALLY!!!

R.I.P. Kitchen Aid Mixer.....

This is my Kitchen Aide Mixer. Or at least it was. I have a great love for this mixer. I know some of you will not understand my great love and admiration for this piece of equipment. But let me explain. I have had this mixer for close to 17 (yes I said 17) years!!! It took me FOREVER to save up the $$$ needed to buy my mixer. You can't imagine the joy I felt when I went to the store and put all my money on the counter that long ago day. It was like I was a little kid with all my pennies to buy a toy. I had that mixer before I had kids. I used it almost DAILY. It went to Hawaii and back with me. I still have stuff in storage in Hawaii but not my mixer...it flew on the plane with me. I used it, then cleaned it---it almost looked brand new. (except for this picture--because it is in the garage graveyard--it isn't as clean) I baked yummies for my family, my friends, my visiting teaching ladies. Every holiday season we had many days together. Like my hubby takes the kids out of the house so I can bake all day...just me & the mixer kind of days. But it is no more. The Sunday before I left for girls camp I was mixing up my last batch of cookies and then IT happened.....(you might need tissue after this story--heehee) So this is how it went: I was stressed. too much to do not enough time. I had had a very stressful couple of months of leading to this point. It was hot. I was sweaty. I was trying to get everything ready for camp. The kids were kind of cranky. Hubby stressed with homework. etc. etc. Anyway, JAG my youngest son had left the chocolate milk powder out on the table. I asked him to put it away. (the HUGE container from Costco) He put the lid on and the then stepped back to put it into the pantry. Well.....he stepped without looking and tripped on a bag of trash someone had put there..he dropped the chocolate milk powder..which we quickly realized he didn't tighten the lid enough...so brown powder FLEW everywhere in my kitchen, he is yelling my name as he was falling backwards onto the trash bag. I turned. In a quick second I had to decide.....Help my son or help my mixer. I didn't have time to turn it off. My mixer lost. I will always help my kids...(heehee or at least hope I will). Well in THAT exact moment I lept to help JAG the big silver knob on my mixer fell off, into the cookie mixture and tripped up the beater causing it to jam the motor. There you have it. The end of my mixer!! I know...the tears. I actually did shed tears. I was so stressed..this massacre put me over the edge. I realized our days of baking were over. I am not even kidding. I lost it. This mixer was my saving grace. When I couldn't afford to buy treats for my kids I made them. We made so many brownies, rolls, cookies, cakes, holiday treats for friends and the ward members. It was with me thru a divorce, single mommy days, deaths of loved ones, summers, depression...everything!!! I loved my mixer sitting clean and shiny on my counter. My mixer was the first thing set on every counter of every house we lived in. Now it is gone. When my kids saw me crying they thought something was "really" wrong. They ran and got dad..."Dad, come quick something is wrong with mom...she is crying". When Pineapple Princess found out why I was crying she couldn't beleive it was over my mixer. I tried to explain that it was the straw that broke the camels back....but she sees it as "mom is crying over her broken mixer". WHATEVER. It kinda is. But it was just the final thing. So, my mom has let me borrow her mixer. I just haven't had the heart to use it yet. I feel like I am cheating. But life goes on...right? I won't be getting a new mixer anytime soon. Now I have kids....I NEVER have extra money. It is not on the priority list. So...there you have it. {R.I.P. sweet mixer. I love you. I will remember you ALWAYS..} Thanks for the memories.

My life...Right now

The summer is lazily passing me by....NOT!! It has been totally crazy here with my family!!! Here is an update:

Kalani finished summer school. That makes me happy. Not to mention his level of happiness. He has worked so hard all summer with school and work. He has had class 4 mornings aweek and 2 labs in the evening. I am so proud of him. Way to go, Kalani!!!

This is Pineapple Princess on the morning she left for the Stake Trek. Isn't she so totally cute? I am so impressed with her and her willingness to be a pioneer. My good friend, Jenn, made her pioneer clothes and did a marvelous job. Pineapple loved her trek experience and learned so very much. She loved her pioneer trek and now has a better idea of what the early pioneers went through. I love her. I adore her. I admire her enthusiasm for life. She is an example to me.

This is my oldest son, TCIG. On this very day I am so grateful that he is still in my life. He was in a farming accident back on July 9. He suffered greatly. This picture is of him in the ICU, the day after the accident. He is doing much better now. He spent 2 weeks in the hospital. He is healing pretty good for what he went through. Still has a ways to go....but he is ALIVE. He is healing. He is my son. He is my love. I thank my Father in Heaven for him (actually for all of my kiddos-but in light of what happened....)

This is Monkey Boy. He continues to have a fun summer. He has a best friend that invites him to go everywhere with him. He went to Scout camp and was busy with merit badges. He starts football in a week and is very excited. This is a picture of him in Las Vegas on July 4. We went to visit my mom and sister. Monkey Boy has a cousin his age and they had so much fun. Monkey Boy makes me laugh EVERYDAY!!! I love him. I love his humor. He is such a fun guy to hang out with.

This is Kawehi. She played catcher in her first season of Coach Pitch baseball. She loved it. She and JAG were on the same team. That girl can bat!!! It was fun to watch her play in her game. This little girl enjoys every minute of every summer day. She literally lives in her bathing suit and will play in the sprinklers, a pool, a pond, a stream, a lake etc. If it has water she is all over it!! We don't have a lot of "technical" toys so she and her little brother are forced to play outside...the old fashioned way. They play from early morning til 9:00 p.m. It doesn't get dark here until almost 10 at night. She touches my heart because she is like an old fashioned little girl.

This is JAG. In this picture he is wearing Pineapple's shoes...why? I don't know. He is just funny that way. Like his sister this little guy plays ALL day long. He loves running around without his shirt on and no shoes. He is about as brown as he can be. I am constantly reminding him to put his shoes on!!! He is always with a friend. Last Friday, was the rare occasion that his friends were all gone for the day. I thought he was going to die of boredom. He actually came and hung out with me. What a treat for me!!! We went and played WII--Just Dance. He cracks me up!!! He was dancing and singing and I laughed hysterically. What a perfect summer day...hanging out with my 7 yr old--dancing.

I cannot believe school starts in 28 days!!! My heart sings with joy. My kids actually look forward to school---not because they like school but because they get to see their friends. I feel bad we haven't done too many "fun" things as a family. I feel like my kids have been bored. I have busy with work, being at the hospital etc. The summer has just gone by so fast. I am so grateful for my kids and hubby. They have been patient. They have helped me. They have been my strength. They make me laugh. They make me smile. They love me. And because of that love I know I can get through anything.