Goofs!!!

On the way home from CA we stopped at the Cabazon outlets for a little school shopping. It was a fun afternoon helping the kids pick some things. We tried really hard this year to let them pick things that are in style even if we didn't like it... which was hard for SOME of us, but HE was a good sport and realizes his babies are growing up!!!!

San Clemente Beach Trip...

The kids got home from Texas on the 1st of August, just in time for our family beach camping trip to San Clemente. Tawna's husband Nathan grew up going to San Clemente every summer with mulitple families and ward members and the Mowers introduced us to this when we were living in California growing up. It's a very pretty beach and I love the memories of going there as teenagers and hanging out together around the campfires and on the sand! So, Tawna, Mom, Jade and I decided to try and go as a whole family this year. Tawna and Nate, and his Mom Frances (Brown Grammy!) were nice enough to call in on opening day for reservations and get camp sites for all of us, which is no easy task because they are all gone within about 8 minutes of the phone lines opening up! So, the plan was set and everyone was going... Granny & Grumpy, Tawna & Nate and the kids, Kevin and I and the kids, Jade & Jeff and the boys, RB & Stacie and gang, Frances & John Mower, Stephanie, Rachel and her cute kiddos...! Well, Grumpy couldn't come at the last minute due to an inspection/audit at work, so Granny stayed behind with him and we missed them a lot! But, the rest of us packed it all up and headed out on August 2nd bright and early off to CA!!! This was our first family trip in 2 years and we opted to take the 3 oldest kids only since it's the ocean and camping and not fun for babies (or Mom!). Plus, it gave us some great quality time with the older three!!!

The kids helped pitch the tent... there were campfires, smores, card games, walks to the beach and the light house (LOL), good food, fun people!!!! There were also lots of ANTS!!! Here's some of the pictures...



Eating at Fishermans Wharf Restaurant on the Pier... Had to be done for the crab & lobster lovers of the group! Maddie and I ate grilled ham & cheese sandwiches and fries off of the kids menu!


The coastline looking down from the little cliff, and the train was coming. I guess the train runs all the way down the coast, which would be a pretty view...

Lobster LOVER!!! All of those little tools just to get at the meat!

Sunset...

I love these people!!! :)

Blurry, but you get the idea! The weather was awesome...

The Restaurant on the Pier...

This is the joke of the trip... I always called it the lighthouse, but in fact it was a life guard head quarters or something. Funny how you remember somethings differently when you're a kid. I also remembered the walk down to the beach differently!!! It's a trek for sure!!! When I was young all I carried down was a towel I'm sure, but with a family Kevin and I felt like pack mules, and the way up almost killed us both! There were many rests taken along the way and some walking backwards!!!

The view...

Monkeygirl!

Pitching the tent...

All done and proud of the helpers that they were! All in all we had SUCH a fun time! Camping is a lot of work though... I was exhausted and needed a vacation after our vacation! We ended up staying Sunday and Monday. Monday on the beach was very relaxing and I loved just watching the kids play together with cousins and talking to my family and reading. Kevin and Daron boogie boarded for a couple of hours early in the morning and then Kev took respite in the shade tent with his book too. I was glad that he got a little R&R and believe me it was a LONG time coming!!! He's been working sooooooooooo hard this past 2 years (he's always worked hard, but the last 2 years had many changes and gearing up!), and he definitly deserved a couple of days off finally! He did manage to get burned though from the knees all the way to his toes, even in a tent. I think his legs were sticking out at times and then the sun moved throughout the day and we didn't move the tent to accomodate. He was so burned that his legs & feet swelled and hurt him for about a week. Dress shoes for work were not fun that week!

Daron boogie boarded ALL day! Nathan also went out with hime for a bit and that was fun for him! Maddie and Kaitlin wanted to look for sea shells for their room and we walked the beach and found zilch! This beach just didn't have any that day. The break on the shore was a little rough the day we were there and the kids had to be cautious and tough, but they all had a great time!

THANK you to the AZ MOWERS and the CA MOWERS!!!!! Good times!

Happy, Happy Birthday, DARON dear...

Oh how the time does fly!!!! Daron is turning 11 today! He is my FAVORITE son!!! He is really such a great kid. He got off of the plane at the end of the summer and I couldn't believe how tall he had gotten. He too, will pass me up by next school year and Maddie pie & I will be the resident "shorties"!!! Here's just a few of the reasons I luv, luv, LUV this guy...

1. He always tries to give me his puppy dog face to get his way

2. He is sooooo good to his sisters. It's got to be hard being over run by girls!

3. He has such a good relationship with Lauren especially and treats her like a little princess

4. He is an amazing student and always gets good grades

5. He LOVES music and has waited a whole year to be in band at school

6. He is generous

7. He is an awesome skate boarder

8. He is learning to be such a great friend to others

9. He loves all of his parents and is really trying to be a pleaser and wants us all to be proud!

10. He loves all things artistic, scientific, and hands on!

11. He gives me the best hugs and tries to be helpful everyday!

He has just earned his Weblos Badge, Religious Knot, Arrow of Light, and numerous other activity badges and they will all be presented to him at the September Pack Meeting. He's advancing to Boy Scouts now and finishing up his Faith in God requirements this year and then it's off to Young Mens sooner than we know it!!!! WOW!!!

I am so glad that Daron is a part of our family and COULD NOT imagine my life without him. Today we made sure that he had his favorite oatmeal on hand for breakfast, and tonight we'll be celebrating with stacked enchiladas (2 years in a row he's picked this now!), going to meet the band teacher and picking out his instrument, and coming home to have ice cream sundaes with the girls before bed!!! Saturday he's having a skateboarding party with 6-7 of his friends at a skatepark. We have a pro skater coming to show the boys some new ticks and refresh on some basics as well, and then it's back to our house for Pizza, cake & ice cream, and video games!

He's really growing up fast!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY D-DOG!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Well...

It's 10pm and all is well! I have successfully managed to drop daddy of at the airport (no small task since I am airport drop off retarded and sweet Lauren opened her car door 3 or 4 times on the way home! Stinker...), have a fun day with the kids, bribed them all into doing some kind of blog updates on their individual sites, fed them a yummy dinner of tacos (which they scarf BTW... Maddie eats 3, Kaitlin 4 and Daron 2 (what's up with that?)), we had pjs on and dessert, then teeth brushed all by 7:30pm, talked to Kevin on the phone to say goodnites (his company sent him to Iowa until Tuesday), and had 30 minutes to play a fun game of cosmic catch before my strict 8pm school bedtime!!!!! I am doing laundry, unpacking suitcases that have sat in my room on the couch since we got home Tuesday, and making sure everything is ready for a hectic morning. There is still sand everywhere from our beach excursion!!!! Crazy... Anyway, I miss my man and have a lot to do, but all is well!!! :) Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and will have a great day tomorrow without the kiddos with school starting. I wish Lauren were going!

Oh Kaitlin...

The kids are back for the school year to begin and made it in time for the Harmon/Mower/Jarvis/Goodwin family trip to San Clemente!!! I will be posting as soon as possible once school starts to catch up this blog! One thing I didn't want to forget though...

On the way home from CA, we are sitting at In&Out in Indio and Kaitlin asks:

"what's the difference between a hamburger and a cheeseburger?"

REALLY?????? She is almost 13 folks!!!

I'm glad she can laugh at herself, because we all sure did! We went on to explain that a cheeseburger is simply a hamburger, WITH CHEESE!!!!! :) Love you Kaitlin!

More to come...

Happy Birthday Emmy Girl...

I LOVE this baby!!! I can't believe she's 1 today... What a sweet addition to our family she has been!!!!!

Jades 29th Birthday!!!

To my youngest sis... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I love, love, LOVE that you are here in Mesa and close again! I really missed you all of the Pima years. I did like coming to visit though and eating at Mechis and ALL of the other Mexican food places and shopping at Gingerbread House. I am so lucky to be your older sister and hope that you know how fun and gracious I think you are. I know I'm older, but I learn a lot from you that you probably never know! Thanks for all you do for us and for using your talents on our behalf!!! I'm sorry I won't be here for your b-day, but go on a girls night or do something fun! I'm giving you a coupon good for watching your boys for a night, overnight, or weekend getaway... let me know!!!

More Grandma Pics...

I am still waiting for pics of the funeral and memorial and all the family to post for journaling purposes... but did come accross a disc of pics from when we took her to Sea World for her 80th birthday! I have looked high and low for this disc for a year and there it was today just sitting on kevins desk... a blessing for sure! We took her to swim with the dolphins and had a blast and since it was before my blogging days I'm posting it now!!! I'll post a series of the pics as soon as I can figure out what's up with the disc, but for now just this one. She loved this adventure!!! It was so much fun to do this for her and to have Oma & Opa with us as well! A very good memory!

The 1st Two July Birthdays...

Bob celebrated his birthday last Sunday and I missed posting because we were out of town for Grandmas funeral... but I can't just not say...HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!!!! I did see you on your birthday because you and Jen were sweet enough to watch Emmy that weekend. It looked like you guys had the right idea about how to celebrate! I am so glad that you are my little brother and I love you lots! We are all very excited over here at the Goodwin house for your upcoming wedding!!!! You are such a thoughtful guy and always so fun to talk to... an awesome business man, always willing to help your family, a great cook :), a super fun uncle, etc., etc., etc.!!!!! I hope your birthday was memorable and I wish you the best year to come!

Summer bummer bo bummer, banana fanna fo fummer, fe, fi, mo mummer..... SUMMMER! Happy birthday today!!!!! You have had a great year and I know many more to come. I am so glad that life is finally just the was you want it with your sweet hubby and your family! I know how much they all love you and we are happy to see you so content! I know you get frustrated with quick books and other work stuff going on... it's hard to start and run a business, but you guys will do great! Jaime is a wonderful mechanic and with the two of you working together everything will be awesome! He is lucky to have you and vice versa. You are a good sis and Aunt!!! I hope that you have a really fun birthday and remember how loved you are today and everyday!

Maddie...

Setting: Maddie, Lauren and I on our way to the Power Ranch Pool in 117 degree weather... we get there and it's closed for some lame reason, so we head to the other pool there, open- but full of all kinds of people. So, we decide to leave and miss out on swimming that day. Here's the conversation upon driving out of the parking lot...

Me: Sorry you guys, but I guess no pool today...

Maddie: Can we call Terri and invite ourselves to swim?

Me: No, that's rude and I know she had errands to run today...

Maddie: Then can you call Aunt Jade and see if she'll come pick us up in her car and take us to "the Brimhall" (LOL, the brimhall) with them today?

Me: We'll see!

Maddie: When I grow up I'm gonna have a car like Jade and go pick up Kaitlin and take her and all of our kids everywhere together. I like Jades car!

Me: See, Mom tells you guys all of the time to be nice to your Bro & sisters because that's who is your best friends when you grow up! Mommy doesn't know hardly any of my friends still from when I was your age, but I do still know (and love) ALL of my family!

I love it when a teaching moment falls right into your hands. I can remember my Mom telling us this A LOT!!!!! It's true. I have great friends too, but my sisters and brothers are my best friends and the people I call first for everything! When I told Jade about this, she thought it was funny that Maddie thought she'd go give Kaitlin a ride instead of the other way around... and she thought it was cute that this was Maddie's solution for the day!!! She's a cutie!

Cousins...

Here's the Wednesday Movie Day crowd of cousins! Why does it always seem like more kids than this??? Because it's insanity down there as we fight the mobs all in the name of cheap fun for the rugrats! I'm so thankful for a family who is close and passing on the tradition to our kids! Until next Wednesday........ :)

The New Harry Did Not Disappoint!!!

Went and screened the new Harry Potter with Mom, Tawna & Jade last night and loved it!!! Hey Daron.... it's gooooooood! Thanks girls for a fun night out!

Many Thanks...

The last 2 weeks around here has been absolutely crazy! I want to send out a thanks to all of my family who have helped Kevin and I to travel all that we needed to for Grandma Pearl. Mom has stayed here with the two little girls for a whole weekend, and been up and down the stairs like crazy, cried at, bossed around I'm sure, and... I know the kind of energy and stamina that it takes and I think we broke her a little physically! But, we so appreciate her willingness to come and do that for us! Then, when Grandma passed away we needed to figure out what to do, where to go, do we take kids, do we not? Grandmas memorial was in Palm Dessert because that's where she has lived for the past 30 years I think... then there was going to be a viewing and graveside memoial in Utah (Sandy) because that's where she was born and raised and still has friends and family there. So, we decided to go to PD and took Maddie, Lauren and Emmy with us. We left last Monday and the memorial was Tuesday morning, and we left to come home straight afterwards. Lauren was absolutely horrible during this memorial. I chalk it up to all of the traveling and the short turn around? Anyway, I won't ever take kids to a funeral again!!! So, home on Wednesday and then we decided to go to Utah as well, only sans the kids! So, of course I start calling family to help us out... Tawna consented to take Maddie and Lauren, but had a funeral to get to on Friday in Prescott for our friend Debbie Bates :(, so Jade watched Maddie and Lauren at her house along with Chance and Faith! Thank you to Tawna and Jade for ALL of their help! I am lucky to have sisters who are always anxious to serve!!! I will hold them to it though and repay the favor for sure! (And thanks to Stacie too, who watched 2 of Jades boys, so that we could spread the wealth a bit and Tawna & Mom could get to Prescott and we could get on the road to Utah!) And, Jordyn watched Emmy until Granny got here to our house Friday around 4pm, then they waited for Bob & Jen to come pick her up for the weekend (they were seeing Wicked!) later that night. So, again, thank you Mom and thank you Jordyn for ALL of your help this summer! She has been coming to help out on Wednesdays for movie day with the cousins. She stays here and watches Emmy so Maddie, Lauren and I can have a good time at the movies together! You're a life saver Jordy! And, last but not least, Bob & Jen... Emmy LOVES hanging out with you guys! She is always so happy when we get home and so well taken care of... you both spoil her for sure! You will be great parents some day! So THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

Our 4th of JULY...

I hope everyone had a fun 4th of July this year! We took our mini family over to Granny & Grumpys house for a low key BBQ and had a really good time. Mom & Dad made hamburgers, potato salad, coleslaw, chocolate cake, rocky road ice cream and toffee ice cream. We brought baked beans... and everything was so yummy! It was fun to talk and let the kids play and watch them. Summer & Jamie came a little late and joined us. She hurt her arm and shoulder on the lake last weekend and is waiting for an orthopedic doctor or something I guess, so I helped her round brush her hair. Emmy was watching and kept touching her hair like she wanted a turn. It was cute... Anyway, we missed Kaitlin, Daron and Maddie (who were all celebrating with their other families) and the fireworks (we did see a handful on the way home though), but we had a fun weekend together the four of us! I am grateful for the country we live in and know how blessed we are! So, back to the grind tomorrow and off to Utah for Grandmas funeral at the end of the week... Have a great week everyone!

Grandma Pearl...

Life is an adventure! Grandma Pearl said this often and she was an adventurer! We love this sweet lady and loved all of our fun times with her. Grandma passed away this evening and we feel very blessed to have all of our many memories of her until we see her again. We love you Grandma and will miss you every day like crazy until then...