Why all the updates you ask?

Well I owe it all to my dear friend Lynn. She is one of my very best friends, next to my husband. We have been friends for more than half of my lifetime. We met back in 1986 when we worked together at Jewelers Financial Services. She is one of the most beautiful, caring, compassionate and understanding people you will ever meet. She has the ability to make friends easily and make you feel like you have known her your entire life. She's funny. She has the right words to say in any situation. She loves ice cream as much as I do. Her and I share the same love for Barry Manilow. We have been accused on more than one occasion for sharing a brain. She has been a support to me in trying times and good times. The best thing about our friendship is that we can not talk for a while and when we talk it's like we just talked yesterday. She is the sister that I never had. I am so grateful that she is a part of my life. I am so grateful for her friendship and love for the last 23 years.

While I am writing this, she is walking the 3 day/60 mile walk for Breast Cancer. She has been cancer free for 3 years. I am so proud of her and all of the things that she has gone through and overcome. As we chatted the other night, she was hoping for some cooler weather. The temperatures are not cooperating here in Florida, it's going to be in the high 80's low 90's for the Halloween weekend so she was a little concerned about the heat. I told her that since I wouldn't be walking with her I would do something challenging myself....updating this blog. I am not so sure why it's so hard for me to do this, it just is. I can safely say that her journey will be more fulfilling than mine.

Dora!

Being the youngest child, Mckenna usually has to do what the older kids are doing. I feel guilty sometimes because she doesn't always get to do all the stuff 4 year olds get to do. Not that she is neglected by any means, she gets her fair share of things, it's just the little kid stuff that you do as a family when all the kids are younger. I thought it would be a great idea to take her to Dora Live! She loves Dora -- so much in fact that she can count to 10 in Spanish. Thanks Dora! I tried to convince some of the older kids to come but they weren't having any part of it, and really you can't blame them. So Mike and I decided to get tickets and take her.

A couple of days later my friend Amy, who is the mother of Mckenna's good friend Zade mentioned to me about going to Dora. Zade loves Dora just as much as Mckenna does. So we all went. Zade most often calls Mckenna Dora we've figured out it's probably because she looks so much like Dora.

When we started our journey into the theatre, I am not sure which one of the kids insisted on holding hands but they ended up holding hands the entire way into the theatre. So cute! They were so excited about going and it was fun watching them talk as we were walking in.

Zade had to take a break from the hand holding thing, because well the rocks looked more appealing to climb on. Mckenna waited patiently for Zade to get the whole rock climbing thing out of his system. She is learning this skill at a very young age.

We finally made it in the theatre. Mckenna looks like she's in pain, but she's really not. Actually, I think that this was right after she saw the guy who played "boots". It was not a pretty sight and could be scary for a little child. They both sat through the performance and had a great time.

After it was over, Mckenna desperately wanted to hold Zade's hand but he wanted NO part of it. He went and saw Dora with her and that was it, he was done.

Zade was hanging back to escape Mckenna's demands to hold his hand.

Finally Mckenna was satisfied with just walking next to Zade. Thanks Amy and Zade for coming with us and thanks dad for sitting through Dora!

A day at the beach with friends

Mckenna doesn't have many girlfriends. In fact, all but one of her friends are boys. Not that a 4 year old has hundreds of friends, it just worked out that all of my friends who have children her age have boys. I think she likes having boys as friends just because they let her have her way and they listen to her when she tells them what to do.

Back in August, we went to Ft. DeSoto for a picnic. Alex is usually petrified of the water but somehow Mckenna convinced him that it was ok to go for a swim. This summer while we were in Utah, Mckenna taught herself how to swim. She was trying to teach Alex as well since she is a certified swimmer at 4!

After playing in the water, it was time for a little lunch. I was bringing Alex his lunch and Mckenna and Alex decided that they should say a prayer before eating.

After eating, they were a little thirsty, or they really just weren't done playing in the water. They were playing with the drink cooler and I suggested that they go and play with the water faucet.


They had a blast playing. What I didn't capture on film, is after they were done with their drinks they had made quite a pool of water. So they just sat right down in the mud and played.
Here they are showing how strong they are. Notice the little mud puddle they've created. Mckenna is quite lucky being the last child, or maybe not. Dirt doesn't really bother me as much as when the other kids were older so she gets to play in the mud, dirt whatever she gets herself into.

Note to self.....

You probably shouldn't put a cake in the oven, set the timer and then go take a shower, and put no one in charge....

No, it's not chocolate....

It's vanilla.....with burnt frosting?

More random vacation pictures

This was the last night before we were heading back to Salt Lake. This was about the closest that Mckenna got to Curt the entire trip. She always warms up to him on the last day. One day, Curt, you will be her favorite uncle.

I think that they are wondering what the heck everyone is doing. Maybe that was when dear old dad was dancing to YMCA?

Mckenna was very proud of her pirate treasures. Notice in the background lots of legs -- this was the only picture that I took of everyone playing wallyball. Um I think that's what they called it. Anyway this is what everyone was doing in their spare time. Sorry I can't explain to you what wallyball is except it's played in a raquetball court with a volleyball net.

Every year, they have pool games one afternoon. I am not sure what they are trying to do with or to Danielle but she is being a good sport about it for sure!

Cody repelling down from his walk in the trees. To get up their you have to climb up a tree log and then up this climbing wall. Then you get to walk around on a very thin wire up in the trees. Our whole family did this with the exception of Mckenna, Dani and I. I can safely say that I will NEVER attempt to try this!

Cody getting ready for his first dance. Notice all the stuff in the back ground the boys lived out of their suitcase for a week.

Jessica walking in the trees!

Michael following Jessica in the trees.

Mike and I with his sister Sherry after our hike up the the waterfall. The four of us took a nice leisurely hike up to these waterfalls. It was so nice to smell the fresh mountain air and take in the beautiful sights.

Michael and Cody with the cousins at the dance. They were too cool for words.