Tacey's Summertime Activities

SO . . . we know Tacey has been working - not necessarily working hard, but she has been working.

She has also *YIKES* been spending a lot of time at her DRIVER'S ED class. She now officially has her permit, and can drive with Shane and I. I would have pictures, but I am too busy watching her to think of my camera!

She has also been trying to keep improving on her Basketball Skills. She was invited to participate with a bunch of the High School girls in what really amounted to a scrimmage against Pocatello High School.

This is Abbey and Tacey showing some mad teamwork!

And check it out! She is DRIBBLING! (She really doesn't like to dribble; she's afraid of losing the ball!) BUT, here she is; dribbling with her LEFT hand even!

She LOVES defense. She has no problem getting in some one's way!

HAHA!

Danielle

More about my Robins

Well, here they are, all being teenager-ish already!

When I looked at them they were starting to get a bit 'ancy' in their nest. I noticed they were changing places a lot, and I even caught them standing on the sides of their nest which I learned LAST year is a sure sign that 'flying day' is near.

Mama Robin is never happy when I am taking pictures - even though I am YARDS away. I try to get in and out quickly so that she can get back to taking care of the hungry kids!

Danielle

All about nature

HOORAY!!!!

Last year I had a pair of Robins decide to make their nest in the carport. It is a really good place; protected from the elements, no cats becuase there is a nice, yippy dog, a LOTS of grass with LOTS of worms.

THIS YEAR THEY CAME BACK!!!!!!

I was SSSSOOOO happy. Again, there was 3 babies.

They are so funny. . . sleeping with their mouths open, all they do is eat. (kinda like my kids. . . hmmmmm)

Big news. Dallin went on his first campout WITHOUT his Dad. ALthough he missed his Dad, he was VERY excited to be 'grown-up' enough to do it all on his own. He is such a big guy now.

Danielle

Finally . . .nice weather for Baseball

Tacey loves her job for Parks & Recreation. During the summer she makes a little extra cash by being an umpire for little girl's softball, and T-ball. All-in-all it is pretty easy; especially T-ball. At least she doesn't need to worry about whether it is a ball or a strike! The funniest thing about this picture is that the 'catcher' has the same face she does. Haha!

Ahhhhh, finally. A picture of Dallin playing Baseball. He really worked hard this season, and did a very good job. He has gained a lot of confidence; he even runs with a whole different attitude. It is fun to watch him find self-confidence.

I am really impressed with the amazing young man he is growing up to be.

McCade had a baseball injury this night. At least he got a base for it!

Can I just say that the WORST part of baseball is that we MIGHT get one game with good weather. This was really the first one that was comfortable enough to watch outside, not from the car. Sheesh!

Danielle

My Pampo's beloved El Paso

Well, we got a call that My Grandpa's Sister, my Tia Julietta had passed away. As she was 92 Years old, and not in the best of health. I was glad she was no longer tied to her failing mortal body and instead was in the loving arms of her God, her parents, her Brothers, her daughter and husband.

I hadn't seen her in a long time, and I hadn't talked to any of my relatives that still live in El Paso for a long time, but I really felt the need to go to the funeral. My family had always promised to take me to El Paso, but in all these years (because I am so old) it never happened. So, Shane rearranged his work schedule that included Phoenix that week, I hired a Nanny, and off we went. It was definitely the LONG way to go to El Paso, but you know, when the Husband has to work, he has to work!

We stopped several places along the way - these are the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Utah. They were beautiful. I think they look really neat juxtaposed against the green in the mountains.

This was a HUGE beetle that made his home there.

I met some people I have never met before; some relatives I felt were really special. This is my Grandpa's little sister. For lots of reasons, he didn't get to see her grow up, but he always loved her and had a hole in his heart when he didn't know where she was. Her name is Emma, and this is her Husband.

This is his other little sister. Ampara and her husband.

This is my Dad and his cousin Johnny. He MUST be my kindred spirit. He has spent his life working in the Entertainment Industry. He is a member of the Actors Union and does Tech for the local theatres and arenas. He also does props and whatnot for local movies, commercials and television. NOW I know where Andrea and I get it!

These are some of my FAVORTIE people in the WHOLE WORLD! These are my cousins Ruth and Chuck.

This is My BEAUTIFUL Grandma and my Tia Julie. My poor Tia Julie was so sad without her Mommy.

This is Ruth again with her GRANDSON!!!!!!!! I told her she is OLD. She agreed. HAHA!

This is Uncle Bernie with my Grandma. Uncle Bernie was also VERY SAD without his Mommy.

I was VERY grateful for the opportunity to see where my Grandpa grew up, and learn so many stories about my family. I love them, I love them ALL with every little bit of my heart. I felt complete there, it was a wonderful feeling.

On the way back we stopped in Tombstone and made an early morning stop at the O.K. Corral.

And apparently I have a store I didn't even know about!

See?

We also made a late-afternoon atop at the Grand Canyon; I had fun playing with my camera!!

Yeah, you really can't say much about a natural wonder like that one!

Danielle

Painting - McCade's way

I made the boys begin to prime the walls that oh-so-badly need to be a different color.

This is McCade's idea of proper primer application.

His name is Mr. Smiley.

No explaination necessary

I don't think I need to say anything about this. It rained, there was a puddle, McCade was near. Yep, that's about it.

Tacey . . . all about HER!

So the end of the School Year brought two events for Tacey that were pretty big. the first was the end of the Year Choir Concert. Notice anything different about her? Just before this - like the SAME DAY, she had her highlights un-highlighted. Is that a word? Anyway, she now has the color hair God intended. I like it.

The other event was even bigger -

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATION!

The school went all-out! (They put chairs in the gym! - That was about it.) Entering with her class.

She had a seat on the end.

Spifty, nifty certificate! Not really a Diploma. I don't think they give diplomas for Middle School. However, if you didn't have enough of a GPA, and enough classes passed, you didn't get to participate in graduation.

Tacey and her bestest Buddy Abbey! Just a couple of VERY PRETTY girls!

Pretty Girls in Pretty Shoes. . . .

And a celebration Graduation cake with the Family. She's not all dressed up because she had to go straight from Graduation to Basketball Camp. The things we do for the things we LOVE!

Congratulations TACEY!

McCade Baseball

Baseball Season is upon us, and we have yet to have a game where I can actually sit outside and watch it; it has simply been too cold. Thank Goodness McCade and Dallin seem to have inherited their Father's ability to withstand the cold and play on in spite of freezing rain and snow!

Up to Bat!

Running to Third!

Catching that ball - well, truth be known, it was ALMOST catching that ball!

More pictures later!

Danielle

The Play. . .again. . . WE MADE BANK!

So, once again I was LOVINGLY VOLUNTEERED to direct the school play. As there is no producers for Elementary School Plays, and there is rarely a budget of ANY kind, AND as it is a fundraiser for the PTO, I end up not only directing, but also writing the play and basically running the whole ship (Techincal, Costuming, Set Construction, Props - the whole enchilada so to speak). Thank goodness in recent years I have begun to learn how to delegate!

This year I adapted the book 'Sideways Stories from Wayside School' by Louis Sacar. I have to say, it went REALLY well!

Of course, McCade wanted to be in the show and he (as always) did an amazing job. He played the roll of Calvin. It was a funny part, and he had a really good time doing it!

He also had a very LARGE singing solo. But as we know, he is good at that too!

Okay, aren't these prop Ice Cream Cones AMAZING?!?!?! My friend Tyra made them. they are REAL Ice Cream Cones, with Insulation foam as the Ice Cream that she painted to look like a ton of different flavors. They looked real, but didn't have the Ice Cream downside of MELTING!

This is the whole silly cast. Yep, I wrangled 35 third, forth and fifth graders and had them ALL focus and ALL doing the same thing at the same time for a WHOLE HOUR! Pretty Amazing, even if I do say so myself!

They also sang songs from 'School House Rock'. Remember that series of shorts that appeared between cartoons on Saturday Mornings when I was a kid. Fun stuff, that School House Rock. I credit the shorts for my understanding of conjunctions, adverbs, adjectives and my perfect memorization of the Preamble of the Constitution! This shot has them singing the conjunction song that has a bunch of 'Boo-Hoo's

In the end I had them make funny faces in lieu of regular head shots. I thinks McCade's is amazing!

HAHA!

Danielle