Halloween 2008.

This post was originally written and posted on November 19, 2008.

The girls got to wear their costumes to daycare on Halloween, so we got up first thing in the morning and got ready.

 After our obligations of work and daycare we headed to my sister McKell's house and went trick or treating and played with the family.

I just cannot say enough about my family and how much I love them and am so grateful for their love and support to me.

It was a great Halloween just because I got to be with the ones who love me most.

Jasmine Cali:

Witchy Tayler:

Poodle skirt Brynn:

Casidee the dead cheerleader (I knew that old Spirit club uniform would come in handy one day):

My brother Cody, Roya, and Yasi:

 Cody was a walking fortune cookie. "Confucius say, 'When path is narrow tread lightly,'" and "Confucius say,'When path is wide tread lightly.'" When I asked him what my fortune was he put his arm around me and said, "Baby, I see nothing but goodness coming from you, it only gets better from here."

I love my brother!

Bryce (nephew) looked amazing!

The trick or treating group, minus Daniel:

This is what happens when you pick Mom (me) to be your partner in the mummy wrap game:

Deja (niece) did a great job on Casidee:

West showed up with his kids in time for the games:

Sparring with my brother Cody, while the kids tore into candy and the adults were... outside by a toilet paper fire I think.

What was I thinking?! I've never done it before and the man had no mercy on me! He finally took one kick across my back that winded me and I was done. But certainly something I want to learn from him. It was fun to connect with him on something he enjoys so much.

Easter 2013. The One Where We Hang Bryce Off a Cliff.

Aside from the fact that the fish had a high adventure and barely escaped with his life (here), and aside from the fact that we had to rescue my nephew Ayden from the wet, muddy "quick" sand (here), I would say this was one of the best Easters.

Also aside from the fact that we didn't actually do anything on Easter Sunday.  Except I went to church but I do that every Sunday.  We didn't hide eggs or even have a fancy ham dinner.  We grilled steaks for the two of us and watched movies.  You wouldn't have even known it was Easter at our house.

But just because we didn't do much on the actual Easter Sunday didn't mean we weren't celebrating it up from Tuesday to Saturday before hand.

And we did hide chocolate eggs for The Circus the weekend before (here) so aside from the actual Easter Sunday, we had a great Easter. :)

It started out when we busted out of work early on Tuesday and hit the road.

in the summer heat of the desert

In the morning heat of the desert I ate my breakfast on a condo patio.
I could get used to this view.

I could get used to this view too.
He's a good looking man to be sure.

What's up with the velociraptors?

In the summer heat of the desert our family gathered.

In the summer heat of the desert we listened to our respective dads, or uncles, play their cowboy guitar songs. 
No one can play a cowboy ballad quite like they do.

Those grandpas are growing quite the following.

In the summer heat of the desert I got to see cousins I haven't seen in forever.

In the summer heat of the desert the kids tried to cool off in the splash park.
Some crazy forgetter mom forgot to put her kids in swim suits.  She was too distracted with buying a new car and still making it to the park on time.

The Circus didn't mind.  Cooling off in their clothes was just as effective.

In the summer heat of the desert The Man starting feeling a little bored.

To be very clear on this matter, when The Man starts to feel a little bored he'll hatch a plan to un-bored himself.
This plan usually involves me.

In the summer heat of the desert I ended up with a wet butt.

In the summer heat of the desert we cousins continued our play at the condo's pool.
I think it baffled my kids when I told them that every person in the pool on that afternoon was a cousin of theirs.

After the summer heat of the desert, we decided to join some the cousins at a buffet for dinner where I got to watch Cali and Tayler be this child as they wiggled outside while we adults continued on as adults do inside.

In the summer heat of the desert I got to reconnect with my family. 
And I can't wait to do it again next year.