Foo Fighters and a Baptism, of course.

We went back to Las Vegas for Ben to catch the Foo Fighters concert with Emily. We had been planning on it for over a month when two days before we left we found out our niece Hayden was being baptized that weekend in Vegas as well. Perfect.  

The girls were more excited about swimming with their dad than anything else.  I loved spending time with my sister Megan and brother Jake, even though a lot of it was spent manning an 8-year-old birthday party stringing together Shrinky Dink charm bracelets and feeding 50 for the baptism luncheon at Megan's.  I seriously don't know how she does it, she never stops and is always happy doing it.  She always inspires me to do more. We did however take a much needed break and all piled into her bedroom to watch the season premiere of The Office.  

And again, thank you to Jake for taking 100% of the photos.  I brought my camera, but never charged it, at least that's a start.

"Uh, Did I Catch a Niner in There?"

Ok.  This is Téa, age 3 or 4.  I was at my friend Katie's house and we were trying to make Téa mad.  This was because she would have the most hilarious freak-outs. So funny.  So, I told her we were going home knowing she was going to lose it.  I didn't ever notice the "Damn It" until months -or even years - later when Katie told me. I seriously didn't believe her, but sure enough, there it was.  

If you know our Téa at all, you know she was just born on fire.   

(extra points if you know what movie "the title" is  from)

How do you beat a Friday night out with Beth, a fashion show in a downtown dry cleaning drive thru, a space craft DJ booth on a trailer, and top it off with people in white jumpsuits and head lamps sprawled across the sidewalk acting dead?  You don't.

Another Great Year at the Races

The 7th Annual Chili Party and Horse Race. Thanks again for another great year! We made it through any superstition of the 7 Year Itch.  Josie came all the way from San Francisco to be with us, and Jake down from Idaho.  I loved having them there.  

A few of those favored to win "choked," (you know who you are) leaving the door open for 1st time horse race winner, Kurt, to take the Grand Prize.  We couldn't have asked for a better night and loved having everyone over.  

Ben and Briar (aka Ricky Bobby and Hoarse)





Josie (Chill E) and Lori (Shade)




The Horse List

Kamikaze up against Ricky Bobby









The Reverend Rocco dying to get outside and take over the party.

Thank you to Jake for taking most of the pictures.

Eden's Blessing Day

Photos taken by Justin Hackworth

It's a Problem

I don't care if Ben is slammed at work, I don't care if I just had a baby, I don't care if it's been raining the whole week. . .we are going to the State Fair. We just are and I love it.
It is so perfect. Ben refuses to go on any ride that you can see how it folds into a semi-truck. I, on the other hand, do not care. So, the girls and I put Ben on baby patrol, and we rode rides the whole night. This was the first year they didn't do the baby rides. They did all of the adult ones. I've always prided myself in my ability to ride anything for any amount of time, but I have to tell you, they just about out-did me on the number of spinny rides. They went strong, and I couldn't be more proud.

We Swam

The girls and I left for Vegas for a week. It was my last ditch effort at getting some swim time in before school "really" started. We stayed at my sister-in-laws, Emily's, and swam. Then we went to my sister, Megan's, and swam. We fished them out of the pool just long enough to take everyone to Shark Reef and Rainforest Cafe for Quinn and Téa's birthday (which they share.)

The Royal Rat.  Megan's new miniature greyhound, Zéta.  She's a baby with needle sharp teeth and has a "taste for blood." This 2 pound nugget had the kids running for cover and always losing to her greyhound speed and ability to permanently attach to whomever's arm she got to first.  
Shark reef.
Rainforest Café





I played it cool and convinced Tay that all she got for her birthday was a clipboard and a spiral notebook.  We had planned on having her new bike tucked in her bed when we got back from Las Vegas.  As you can see, Ben had bigger and grander plans for when the garage opened. (Can you tell he was home alone for a week?)  My impressive acting skills seriously backfired on me when Téa screamed out, "I knew Dad would get me a bike!"

Lucky Eden

Little Eden is a star.  Our friend Candice used her to "model" her newest sling on her Lucky Baby website. These photos of her sleeping turned out the best because when she was awake, we were trying so hard to get her to smile.  When she finally did, her smiles were so big that her face disappeared behind all of those cheeks.  Candice's slings seriously save me.  Every woman with a baby should have one, and no, I am not just saying that. 

We are headed to Vegas tomorrow. . . the girls and I. They were in school for less than 2 weeks and then were off for a month. I don't want to talk about it.
But we have had a great time.
Here's a little recap of the past little bit.

We headed up to Idaho where we went to String Lake, right below the Tetons. It was gorgeous and we had a great time paddling around in the little boat.

Téa took the 4-wheeler for a ride with Papa Bart out on the farm, where she apparently drove like a mad woman.

Ben got sucked into Ottoline and the Yellow Cat just as much as the girls did.

Love her.

The girls have their own toy room and their own desk.  But no, they have to build one on their beds with a laundry basket.  Please notice the all-important music box, alarm clock and box of 500 staples. . . you know, just in case.  

Eden has taken a strong liking to her changing pad.  So, it accompanies her around the house from time to time.  

Téa and Avery out for a ride while Bart changes a tractor tire.

I know this is dark, but we went to a party where the girls had the old-fashioned dance cards around their wrists and people would sign up for dances.  It was a good time.

I apologize for the "graphic nature" of this photo.  Avery thought it would be funny to throw a shoe at Téa's head in the back of the car.  We were about 45 seconds from home.  But that is all it took for the back seat to literally look like a crime scene and for Tay to end up looking like this.  Yes, she is trying not to smile (she begged me not to wash the blood off until Halloween - "because that would be soo cool!!") and yes her clothes are perfectly clean.  That would be because her blankie was on her lap and she leaned over to ensure that her blanket stayed pristine.  You've got to have your priorities. 

We will be sad when the Snow Cone stands close around town.  What will I bribe my kids with?

Ben's Heidelberg.  His latest baby.  Well, other than the human one we just had.

Téa tried to teach my mom's dog, Tootsie, how to read (I'm not making that up, that is really what she is trying to do).  Fortunately, Toots already knows that ignorance really is bliss.

And finally, Avery has absolutely perfected her on-camera smile.  She is Dead Serious.