Another Chicago Reunion

Last week my brother Jeff & I were able to attend Barb & Mike Wayne's youngest son's wedding reception. To show what a small world it is, the reception was in my dentist's backyard!

Anyway, here are a couple of pix from this event. If you don't recognize the inhabitants:

Pix 1: Mike Wayne, the Younger, with Brother & Sister Cooley

Pix 2: My brother Jeff with the Cooley he hung out with in high school. Plus his wife & daughter. (Sorry, I don't remember which Cooley. I hung out with Robin!)

Pix 3: Jan Christensen, Barb Wayne & Roxanne Cooley

Pix 4: Hodge Podge! Ralph Christensen, Eric Lerohl, Sally Martin, Brother Martin & a sliver of Brother Wayne

Pix 5: Eric Lerohl with his new little girl. I remember babysitting Eric. One night I made dinner while babysitting. Ever had venison tacos? Actually, rather tasty!

A group of us girls had fun gabbing. Does that really shock you?!

It was wonderful because I hadn't seen some of these people since we moved from Chicago in 1989.

We're going to get together if either team (maybe both?!) goes to the World Series. Not that I follow it at all, but I remember watching the Bears play in the Super Bowl. Was that 1985? I do remember my dad let us order Aurelio's pizza--oooh! On a Sunday!

Go Cubs!

For you weird ones out there, Go White Socks!

Check Me Out!

Joey recently caved in to peer pressure. Yep, he allowed us to remove his training wheels! His friends McKay & Marcus both ride TWO-wheelers so Joey let Larry remove the excess.

He did great! He was wearing knee & elbow pads along with his helmet. He's really good at pedaling & stopping, but leery of turning. It'll happen.

I also threw a picture of Larry taking a spin on one of the boys bikes. He should be in a parade with a fez!

Go Bees!

Our family had an amazing week last week! My brother Mark and his family were visiting from Missouri for his birthday. So, Cynthia flew Dad & Jeannene out for Mark's b-day. We knew we had to have some parties!

Tuesday we had a pool party at Cynthia's. Thursday the States family went to a Bee's game. On Friday we had a wonderful BIG Chicago reunion at Sugar House Park.

Please enjoy some pix!

Pix 1: Jeff States & Elissa Foutz at Chicago Reunion.

Pix 2: Finally, pictorial proof that I exist! Somewhere I probably have a better picture of me, but I've learned. Control the camera & no crappy pix will exist of me! Oh yeah, this pix is me holding Roman standing with Angie Hendricks at the Chicago Reunion.

Pix 3: Jacky, Jeff, Mark, Steph, Savannah & Ryan at the Bees game. By the way, the Bees won.

Pix 4: Lauren,Maddy, Sarah & Courtney looking cute at the Bees game.

Pix 5: Silly Seanie; Mark with Josh & Ruthie in the background at the Bees game. The balloons were the best buck I ever spent!

Pix 6: Beth Wayne; Amy Martin; Alese Loftis & Cynthia States (The Chicago names. All last names are different!)

Pix 7: My good friend Elissa Foutz & my mom Jeannene States (See! I finally know how to spell it Jeannene!) Time to chat at the reunion.

Lookin' Good!

We are truly blessed with some cute kids, but sometimes they are cuter than others. Recently I was annoyed by how difficult it was to motivate three boys to fix their hair. Yeah, I know. In just a few short years I won't be able to drag them away from the mirror & their gel bottles, but until then a mom must resort to backdoor methods.

Here's one right outside my backdoor.

Larry's fixing all their shagging locks!

Skiing in July

Hey there Friends!

Most of you know how adventuresome Larry is. He's been bragging all week about how he went skiing four times last week. (Yeah, I know you just checked the date of this!) He even went skiing on the 4th of July.

Well, here are some pictures of him when he was hiking up Devil's Castle in Alta, Utah. Doesn't he look like life's treating him well? The mule deer is just a bonus pix!

I don't have any pictures of this, but one day he actually road his bike to the cabin, hiked up Devil's Castle, skied down and road his bike home. It's over 33 miles round trip just on the bike. The elevation at the cabin is around 9400. (I drive it!)

If I had that kind of free time, I'd probably be grocery shopping or maybe get a pedicure. But we're discussing theoretical free time, right?!

Some Pix

Happy July!

The boys are happy because this is the one month out of the year they are guaranteed to be out of school.

Then August comes & they can't wait until school begins. Go figure.

Then again, I'm looking forward to that day too!

I've promised pictures for a while & finally got the camera, new batteries in the camera & a couple of kids in the mix. This is a new experience for me so please be patient. Nice comments only!

Yeah, I know--no pix of me. Yes! Completely intentional!

So, to identify these pictures:

The first is the common area for our street. The playland is used ALL the time. It's the middle of the day now & too hot, but once the slide cools, the kids will be out like cockroaches after dark!

As we are all getting ready to celebrate the Fourth, they have been finishing putting the pavilion together. A new charcoal grill is being installed & they just assembled the two park benches. Now the moms & grandmas on the street can sit in the shade while the kids run around.

The grassy area in front of the playland is the perfect size for our badminton/ volleyball net. A really big hit in the neighborhood.

The next is the front of our house. We love the rocks. The boys are always jumping off of them.

Then the four boys chilling. After asking Sean like ten times to please fix his hair, I immortalized him with the Crazy Lazy Summer Hair. Time to pull out the razor! (To Sean's left are Joey, Devon & Roman)

Then Devon & Sean are hanging in our kitchen. Devon is currently big into making paper airplanes. Good thing my counter is as long as it is! Sean is into monkeys. He's holding Swinger. Good monkey name.

By the way, the granite & cabinets were installed by Larry. We saved quite a pretty penny.

To top it off, I have a little pix from my closet. Just a few shoes!

Well, enjoy & have a wonderful 4th to everyone!

Summer Time!

Here are a couple of pool shots taken at Cynthia's pool in Heber. Heck of a way to drive for a swim, but well worth it. LOTS of family.

Since we moved, we've joined the local pool & have dedicated most of the summer to worshipping the Egyptian sun god, Ra.
Yeah, we're using the sunscreen, but don't you know? Fat looks better tan? It loses that cottage cheese consistency!
But even better, the side benefits to having the boys swimming, walking to the pool & goofying off are priceless! Do you know how tired being in the sun is when you are 5?
Yep, priceless!

Lovely Lilacs

I'll add some pix next time around, but I have to say "I'm thrilled with my new home!"
Now some of you have seen it & can say "Duh! Of course you're thrilled!"
But it's more than that.
Larry & I said this was our final move. We've been here since February (3 months) and have already begun discussions on "if" we move.
I was thinking about it over this weekend & I realized I'd NEVER lived in any one home longer than three years since 1984.
No wonder. We're not used to putting down roots of any depth.
Yeah, it's hard on the kids.
Yeah, it's hard on me (packing the boxes; unpacking the boxes).
Yeah it's hard on Larry (moving the boxes).
But still, we were discussing it.
Until I found the lilacs.
Since I was a little girl in the suburbs of Chicago, I've loved lilacs.
I love their color.
I love their smell.
Warm fuzzies.
When we moved in, I asked Larry if we could plant some, but he said there wasn't a spot.
I even thought the best spot to plant them would be along the wall where my bathroom window is. Then I could open the window in the spring & smell lilacs.
Now it's spring and all the bushes & plants around the house are awakening & blooming.
I found the lilacs.
They are planted along the wall by my bathroom window.
My window is open right now & if the wind blows just right, I can smell them.
Yep, warm fuzzies!

It's All About The Boys

Boys! Boys! Boys! It's all about the boys at our house. Before too long they'll be teenagers, then it'll be all about the girls!

School is out next week and then

SUMMER VACATION!

So, what's new?

Devon: 10; finishing 4th grade; looking forward to sleeping in; reading; swimming; golfing; basketball & more swimming.

Sean: 8; just baptized; wants to shoot things (with Nerf bullets); swim; play with Lego's & basketball too.

Joey: 5; wants to swim; ride his bike; play with Lego's.

Favorite Joey-ism: "Won't be happy until the end of summer".

Why?

"Because that's when I get to go to Kindergarten".

Roman: Just 1; constant motion & talks a lot too! (Can't say where he gets that!)

So, to explain the pictures:

Devon, Sean & Joey "looking handsome"!

Roman at a Bee's game on daddy's lap.

Joey & Jackie at a Bee's game.

The boys watching the game: Ben (Devon's friend); Devon & Joey.

Sean--his "normal" face at a Bee's game

Devon at Skyline High School for a junior cheerleading event. (Sean & Devon were the only boys. Way to get to know the girls early!)

Hello & Welcome!

So many of my friends & family are blogging that I thought I should finally jump on the bandwagon.

Maybe it'll save time from writing letters, emails or talking on the phone--further isolating each of us from humanity.

Maybe not.

Well, I'm a Newbie at this so I'm open to formatting suggestions!

Update on our lives:

Larry: Works constantly. Not really news, is it.

Last month Larry for the third year was again able to take some days off, go to Moab, Utah & ride the White Rim trail with some friends. THIS year he has a new bike. (When asked how the ride went with the new bike, Larry jumped up & down. He's in love--with a bike.)

These are pictures of The Captains--Larry, Jeff (my brother) & Matt (a good friend) in Moab.

Val: Is the mom--constantly. Again, not really news. Nobody takes pictures of boring mom stuff so don't expect one! Especially, that last diaper!

Family: In February, we moved into our gorgeous new home. It's not only new to us, but really new. It's like buying a new car--the new house smell, under warranty & has so many miles till it's broken in! I haven't found my pictures yet so I'll take more & post them later.

I'll update on the boys in the next post.