Family Photos

I don't know if it's just me, but when I dreamed of having family photos done I imagined my children being really well behaved. Kind of like I imagine them being the most reverent and quiet children during sacrament meeting each week on Sunday. Well, to say the least, that is not my lot in life. That wouldn't be my children or my life. Wow. I seriously give props to my friend Rachel who took the pictures, because let's just say these kids were not cooperating. She's lucky she even got us all in a photo, a few smiles, etc. So here's to capturing our life of four wild little monkies...

Alayna - 8 years old

Caleb - 4 years

Jacob - 6 years

Benjamin - 18 months - yes, those darn breathmints...we can thank Caleb the little stinker who was rummaging through my purse....AHHH I could have just screamed!

Cute monkies...

Brothers...Ben wouldn't have at the photo...

Daddy daughter

The gang...here's to our wild ride. Big props to Rachel for capturing us in the craziest time of my life!

Here we go again...

Well, this has been our life for the past week...I'm sad to report that we have taken our SECOND round of the stomach flu here at our house. It starts with one child and every other day another takes their turn. Oh the joys! Seriously, I'm beginning to think I feel non-stop sick because I'm cleaning up and and smelling the blasted smells from this sickness....gag....these are the shining moments of motherhood. Alayna was #4 this time, so hopefully we will be on our way to health and happiness soon!!!

Baptism Day

Her special day has finally come....Baptism day....

She was so excited. Honestly, she had to wait until 1pm and the time couldn't come fast enough!

Cute Daddy with Alayna

 

Yup, I was there to witness it all.

In the orientation they were so cute just holding hands....From start to finish it was a very special day. Taking the time before hand to "Be Still" was the best thing I ever did. It prayed with all my heart I could truly be in the moment. To allow the sacredness of this special day not be drowned out by the hussle and bussle of the other three kids, visitors, house, lunch, etc....but my prayers were answered. It was quiet, still and just what we all needed. I loved it. We took the time later that night to both lay on Alayna's bed and write in our journals. It was a moment I'll always remember. I hold dear to my heart many tender and sacred feelings. One I will share is when I asked Alayna how she felt after it was all over and when she "recieved the Holy Ghost." She put her hands to her heart and said with a deep sigh and BIGGEST smile ever..."I felt so special when Daddy said that to me, "I say unto you recieve the Holy Ghost!"

Her sweet girly friends that came to support her on her great day.

The big girl cousins.

All the girls...

One proud grandmother of any girls.

Imagine we got a great family photo...and one with my eyes open...but man alive what a great family!

The best Great Grandparents.

An awesome set of Grandparents

My great parents which make Alayna's awesome grandparents

Special baptism girl

(Yes, Jared has a black eye. I will explain that with pictures in another post.)

 

Happy parents

The next girl cousin ready to be baptized! So exciting for these little kids....

Grandma Denny was even able to join us for this very special day! We were so happy to have them with us.

Birthday Girl - Birthday Party

The morning of Alayna's eighth birthday has finally come! She couldn't be happier!!!! She's looked forward to this birthday pretty much her entire life.

It helps that she has presents to open too!

 

Thanks to the best Aunt and Uncle in the world for sending her the best presents a second grader could ask for....

She ended up getting like her "favorite shoes EVER!" not to mention her BFF has the very same ones. She was SUPER happy about new shoes!

Also she LOVED her white baptism towel....Ash, honestly you are the best Aunt ever. We just love you.

And Ben loved the box!

We gave her a bike! Yeah, now she doesn't have to borrow her friends older sisters bike each time we go on a family bike ride.

Nothing better than chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast!

Happy as can be...what do you think, I think her favorite color is green or something? ha

She got a best friend necklace from her cute friend.

The next day was birthday party day...We were LUCKY to have it at the park with warm great weather. IT was awesome.

 

We played a bunch of minute to win it games...the kids loved every second of it. Toilet paper mummy roll game.

Cereal box puzzle game....

Cupcake pinata...

This was awesome!

Presents...always a birthday girls favorite thing...

Donuts...yeah, it was SUPER easy and honestly kids do not care at all!

We did other games, a parachute and ended it with four wheeler rides. Seriously the kids were loving the warm weather and all the fun activities. What a fun birthday party!!!