my favorite sunflower from the garden...

yes, i have a favorite!

i've been a pretty lousy blogger lately. i could make up all kinds of excuses... ones like.... i'm stressed to the gills about our business and why the heck the bank won't hurry up and loan us the $ we need. or things like how are we gonna pay our bills.

but i don't like dwelling on those things. i know there is a plan for us and that we are here where we need to be. it's just hard.

so i fill up, well not really fill up, my blog with things from my garden. i have loved being part of the earth and experiencing little every day miracles out there. it brings me closer to heaven. so here's a couple more pics of the garden ......

getting a little sparse looking. tomatoes are heavy

and i need a good recipe for them!

curly cucumber. so far no luck with a good cuke.

they have all been SO bitter! major bummer

a surprise watermelon!

it tried so hard for so long and now we have success!

(this pic 7/29/09)

(yes, i need a pedicure!)

todays size! 1 week later!

i really want to do a better job of blogging the memories of my family for postery's sake. school starts monday, so i think i'll have a little more time soon!!!

trip to utah

before anyone gets upset that i didn't tell anyone that i was going to utah, i didn't have time to see anyone but my brother and his family and the event that i went for. i know you are all disappointed and so am i. one day i'll come out there with plans to see/meet all of my friends out there. just an fyi :)

my mom and i took my 3 youngest kids to my brother's to see cousins and attend a conference in layton. i'll post about that later. the best part was the party on friday eve. the band was great but so loud that people couldn't mingle. so there was a dance party for the miles family! PARTY TRAIN is the name of the band. they were totally awesome! the kids had so much fun. it wore them out and even i got out there and shook it! it tired them out so they slept right through the people partying at the bar right next to our room. me not so lucky :)

there were chocolate fountains and eli enjoyed them.

he would go and get a strawberry, dip it, come back to the table,

take one bite then go get another. repeat about 10x

had and amazing conference! then headed back to logan.

enjoyed a restful sunday then off to the waterpark on monday.

emma was so hapy that she could go down the big slides there.

here she's about an inch to short, bummer!

we had fun in the sun

i promised no names on this one, but i was very impressed ;)

then back to their house for a little birthday cake in honor of yours truely!

since i'd be driving home all day on my bday!

all i can say is sam's club does an awesome cake! cheap, too!

had a great time, too short, but happy to be back home. missed my man and missed my girl (who didn't come cause she was hiking 27 miles for girls camp! she's a beast!)

garden update

just in case you were wondering and just in case you need any large zucchinis!

this is just a smattering of what there is.

i swear everyday there is a huge one that wasn't there the day before!

i wonder how big they will be when i get back from utah!

something had been eating the tomatoes as they got red.

so i put some fancy stars in the garden and it hasn't benn back since!

feeling my roots! and yes, i AM in my jammies :)

my most favorite part of the garden.

SUNFLOWERS!

they are my favorite flower.

I love how tall and thin the stem is

and yet it is strong enough to hold an amazing creation that looks to the sun!

happy bee!

I love my family!

Here are a few family photos.

I love being together with my brothers and sisters, blood and by law!

(the spot in the middle is for Jonathan who can't be here :(

I love that all 16 cousins pick up where they left off.

Can you see how many boys there are?

Youngest to oldest

(well the youngest is at the end, he can't stand yet and he was sleeping!)

I am blessed to have a forever family.

I am so grateful for the Plan Of Salvation!

The reunion in heaven will be awesome

(just hopefully not for a very very long time!)

God Bless America

Quick post on the rodeo last night. I can now say I've been to a rodeo... and i never have to go again. Fun, but not my cup of tea... or drink of beer! Getting all 24 of us arranged and settled, took all night :) Hardest on the little kids and our butts! 

I did want to share this most of all. This was so magestic . I'll fill ya'll in about the rodeo and weekend later. Like the lady pretending to be  security and getting in my sons face :)

the crowd :) (it was sold out) 

There's another section to the left of me and the right , just saying.

Parachuter

way high up there. so glad for great zoom!

getting closer

took your breath away

Into the stadium. It was amazing!

(had to share the big hat guy. so glad he didn't sit infront of us!)

they're almost here!

the family is coming! my kids are giddy with anticipation! i've been cleaning and painting and planting ( i love a deadline :) In a few short hours most of us will be in Folsom, ready to party!

There are 30 poeple in my immediate family. 29 of us will be here. 16 of them are cousins! 

We have so much planned and not planned. Mom and i went shopping for food yesterday. 2 stores, 400$. not bad. Easy food, bbq, corn, easy....

our weekend is as follows:

7/2 - mileses, mileses, daphne arrive

7/3 - loseys arrive - go to swim park, play, play, go to rodeo! (there is a real live rodeo in our town, 3 minutes from our house!)

7/4 - mileses arrive - go to beach at river, home for pictures, bbq, fireworks, play play play

7/5 - church - bless baby cody, lunch, play play play

7/6 - every body leaves :(

I'll do a big post when I've recovered!

Happy fourth of july!!! I love america!

Happy Birthday Andrew

So yesterday was my boy's birthday. I can't believe he's 13. Time flies, that's for sure.We had a busy weekend for him. 2 of his friends from concord came to hang out with him for the weekend. I love these boys. It's like a big band of brothers! Here's some of the events of the weekend...

don't judge me, ok!

their handy work :)

jumping @ sky zone

then off to the rope swing

dare devil sam

i told him i wasn't coming in after him if he got hurt!

a rare smile from the bday boy!

love you buddy!

i pod touch giveaway

click on picture to take you there!

I don't usually o these, but a good blog friend has started a new website for twitter back grounds!!! And she's giving away an IPOD touch... just to go look at her new site! I might just really start twittering now! Way to go Devri!

garden update

I haven't posted in a while... been busy, I guess? Now getting ready for family to descend in Folsom (20 of us for the 4th of July!) It's gonna be fun and crazy all at the same time. So I've got cleaning on organizing to do (like dig out kids rooms so if cousins want to sleepover, they can!)

Thought I'd update our garden..... It has been one of the best experiences for me and our kids. 

Remember this post?

Can you find Emma?

Anxiously awaiting the color red!

Had to put a little color in the garden, too.

Anyone want some zucchini? Or a cucumber! 

It's like heaven right out side our door!

Just cause

Schools Out

2 friday's ago my girls and my mom and i took off for the weekend 

to spend time with these people!

(this was our view from the hotel. the universal sheraton!)

Cousins who we miss VERY  much

And to met our newest cousin. baby cody

my chocolate milk junkie

the fun fountain at city walk

then we headed up to spend time with these cousins for the night

(lucy's missing from the pic)

(thanks for coming with me Katelynn! it was fun to have you along)

while we were in la, we had to stop at one of the best cupcake shops ever.

the before

the after

the end!