Back to school...

My babies are getting so big! Mikayla started 1st grade and Caitlin started 3rd grade this year! Wow - time really flies! Both girls picked out their outfits for their first day back to school - it's funny how alike they are!

Mikalya was so excited - she is all giggles

Caitlin wanted to get up early and have me put curls in her hair - so pretty!

Both girls ready to go!

It's Fair time.....

Ahhhh - the Western Idaho Fair!

I have always loved going to the Fair! It's a great time to ride on rides that you hope and pray don't fall apart while you are on them, eat a bunch of food you shouldn't and of course - watch other people! Boy, the fair really brings out some interesting people! I can't even tell you how many people I saw with NO teeth! People are wearing the strangest things these days - where do you even buy scarf skirts?? (skirts made out of scarfs)

Anyway, this year my mom came with us and we had a blast! She hasn't been to the fair in maybe 15 years so she was really wanting to check it out with us and watch the kids (Mike, Andi, Caitlin and Mikayla) ride on all the rides!

For the first time in years we actually went to some of the shows.

Pretty cheesy but we still enjoyed them.

Mikayla has a small fear of the big rides (shocking I know to those who know her) and Caitlin can't enough of the big rides! This is Caitlin being a good sport and going on "little" rides with her sister. What a good big sister she is!

What a smile!

Mom couldn't resist she wanted to go on a ride too!

That's mom in the green!

Pure joy!

This ride actually got Caitlin pretty nervous - the Pirate Ship ride

I'm a sucker for the swings! Mike and I were a little nervous when we saw the rusty chains that were holding us up. YIKES!

The big roller coaster!

The girls at the Alligator Show

It was slow walking out to the car and both were finishing up their root beer floats!

I love Idaho...

I love Idaho! You can drive just 30 minutes and be on your way on an awesome hike up in the mountains! We took the kids up to Bogus to hike around and have a picnic lunch. It was a great day!

Summer fun on the Coast with friends...

I had the great pleasure of seeing some of my Up With People friends this summer. My friend Sue, who I went and stayed with last Fall, from Philadelphia and our friend Bjorn from Alaska all met up on the Oregon Coast this summer for 4 days. It was a great week with old friends!

Sue came back with Mike and I to Boise to spend a few more days. It was so great having her here and showing her around. I had surgery 2 weeks earlier so I wasn't in the best condition for doing what I wanted to do but we still had a great time. Sue will always be a friend I will hold near and dear to my heart! Love ya hun!

The three of us on the beach! We wrote "Hi from Bjorn, Sue and Andi"

This was taken while we were playing on the cliffs- I mean rocks near the ocean.

We had a hot tub at the house we rented which was a great place to sample the wine we got at one of the wineries we stopped at on our way to the coast!

Bjorn and I toasting at McMenamins - just outside of Portland - Yes that is water in my hand!!

Dinner at Kyllo's - perfect seats - we got to watch the sunset!

I am normally very protected of my friends but for some reason I jumped to the other side of Sue to protect myself from the big wave that was coming. We had a great time playing on the cliffs!

Haystack behind us

Don't slip Sue! Ouch!

Deadliest Catch baby!!

We all went to the Sea Lion Caves - very cool! We even saw a whale!

Back in Boise!

Catching up part 2...

I am sooooo far behind in my blogging I can't believe it. So, I am going to try again to catch up and stay current -so far this seems like an impossible task for me.

The week after Caitlin's birthday in June we headed to San Antonio to celebrate Mike's grandmas 100th birthday! It was such a fun trip and we loved spending time with Grandma Monnie!!

Happy 100th!

So beautiful!

Wow - what a knock out!

and she can catch a big fish too!!

Caitlin holding her new cousin - Audrey

Holding my little niece- Anaya

Anaya being thrown into the air - such joy!

Abby, Mikayla, Caitlin and Nathan at the birthday party

Nathan and Mikayla just hanging out enjoying their ice cream!

Caitlin had a mouth full of ice cream in this picture!

Anaya and her daddy Brian

Mom's and some of the kids

Abby fell in love with Caitlin and followed her everywhere - it was so cute!

Abby and her buddy!

Bob and Grandma Monnie

I love this photo - I just wish Mike was in it too! He's always behind the camera!

This floral lei was flown in from Hawaii for Grandma Monnie for her special day!

Brian and Monnie

Silly kids!

We stayed at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa - which is a wonderful place to be!

They have a lazy river that goes around and you can get off at different places - one great place to detour is the Float up Bar - nothing like hanging out in a tube with a margarita watching the kiddos swim all around you.

Here's Mikayla getting ready to go for a swim

Caitlin found her tube

A picture of one of the pools

Fun! Fun!

Everything is BIG in Texas - especially the flowers!

Happy Birthday Caitlin!!!

Not only did I have my youngest graduate from Kindergarten but my oldest turned 8! Caitlin liked how Mike and I both got breakfast in bed on our birthdays so of course she wanted it too. I made what she requested - my famous french toast and Mikayla picked out a chocolate doughnut for her sister! A great start to her day!

This year I decided to keep the party low key. We invited some of Caitlin's friends over a little party complete with pizza, cake and ice cream. It was a great afternoon! Here are some of the girls in the cardboard house Mike and I made one rainy afternoon.

I love making the kids birthday cakes!

Caitlin got the first swing...

Jake got the last and broke it open!!

The benefits of living next door to a park - free entertainment!

There she is - my birthday girl!

My baby graduates...

I'm so behind in my blogs - in May Mikayla graduated from Kindergarten! I can't believe she is going into first grade already - it seems like yesterday I was walking around pregnant with her! Time sure does fly!! I'm so proud of her!

Look at my beautiful daughter!!

So- So- So- proud!

Getting a hug from her teacher

Classic

We love Mrs. Tiber!

W.O.W. Update...

I'm running out the door to go to the airport for our vacation trip to Texas but I did finish two of the three projects. The laundry room and master closet look great! Kitchen will have to wait until later.

I'll post pics later - I don't have time right now - sorry.