Memorial Day Festivities

For Memorial Day, we wanted to do something other than just be at home. Since we don't have any family buried nearby, we decided to spend the day out at Deer Creek Reservoir near Midway.

For those of you who read my blog often you know I am a picture freak. I LOVE pictures. Know that I do try to limit how many pictures I put on my blog, for every one you see there is 3-5 others that didn't make it on here. Sometimes it is really hard to pick! So, on to the pics!

The first thing Becca did was start digging in the sand.

My beautiful girl with the creek and Mt. Timpanogas in the background.

This picture should give you an idea of how windy it was. Look at Tyson's hair! I was semi-expecting to go swimming, so I have no make-up or anything on, so I look pretty horrible in all of the pics, but what can ya do?

Andrew and Shauna went up with us and here they are getting some "sun" (obviously andrew didn't get much) and Andrew was hand feeding Shauna grapes, it was fun.

Becca showing off her watermelon for the camera, it just happened to make a smiley. Too cute!

Getting the grill going for the Brats. Mmmm.

The Russells joined us and it was so fun to see them. Here is Lizzie pouting cause her mom told her she had to eat something other than chips.

Jake and his Brat. Mmmmm they were good.

Andrew cut the watermellon WAY thick, what a bite!

Me and Becca down by the water.

The kids got their feet in and threw rocks, it kindof started a thing. All of us got down there and the adults skipped (or tried to skip in my case) rocks for like an hour. It was pretty fun and we got some really cute pics!

Me and Linds.

Becca showing me her rock!

Scenic shot of Timp. It was cloudy off and on, but it really was a nice day...once you got used to the wind!

Kindof an awkward picture of all of us, but the only one we got with us and Timp.

Linds and I stuck our feet in...we tried to get one of those cool shots with the wave around our feet....this is the best I got...the bubbly aftermath.

Our family tossing rocks.



Little Andrew decided to chuck a rock when Linds was standing in front of him...thankfully it wasn't too big cause it gave her a cut and a goose egg as it was right between the eyes! Ouch!

Timp again, it was just so pretty!

Three cute kids! Becca LOVES playing with her friends!

Daddys and Daughters. This was too cute to pass up the photo-op.

Then we went back to Linds and Jake's place later, picked up Tevan and Lanae on the way and watched Independance Day! Ha ha. It was fun to see Will Smith so YOUNG!

Tevan and Lanae. I love the faces he pulls. It is rare to just get a smile out of him!

Then we roasted marshmallows and had Smores. Mmmm!

Becca eating her first Smore!

Look at that Marshmallow Mustache! Oh yeah! It gets even better later.

Going for the double roasted middle of the marshmallow goo.

Daddy helping Becca roast another one.

Me and my fabulously golden brown "mallows".

Oh yeah, the mustache! Plus she's just cute!

Brothers! It is so good to have some of Tyson's family closer!

Shauna and Andrew being all lovey dovey. ;)

CUTE kids! Purely them and each of their personalities.

It was seriously such a fun day! We are so so grateful for the freedoms we have. It seems like with all the scary things going on in the world it is hard to remember sometimes the good stuff that our country still has. Memorial day is a day to remember the foundations of this great nation and the lives of those who have gone before. Especially I am grateful to those who fight for our country, doing the hard things so I don't have to. Thank you Dad Ratliff, Uncle Kyle, and many many others that I know and have known personally for all that you do. God bless America.

Happy Memorial Day!

I know it is a day early, but this is the sailor dress Becca is wearing to church today. We wanted to salute our troops who serve us now, and who have served us in the past. Along with thinking of those we love and have lost in our personal lives. I hope you all have tons of fun tomorrow, but also remember the reason why you get that day off of work.

Check out my Cupcakeathon Entry!

Go to my book blog to see my Cupcakeathon entry for the celebration of the release of PERCHANCE TO DREAM by Lisa Mantchev!

http://mypileofbooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/cupcakeathon-mini-candy-cupcakes.html

W-W-W, What's Happenin' Dude?

Okay so I know I have been a HUGE blog slacker! So here is another HUGE post about what we have been up to (oh and the title is from one of Becca's favorite videos right now -- Letter Factory).

April Catch-up

Lizzie's Birthday

Lizzie turned 2! We had so much fun at the party!

Me and Linds, I think this one was really cute of both of us!

Those crazy kids! They were adorable, each being crazy in their own way.

Look at that face! Oh I love this girl! When we got home from Lizzie's party Becca woke up and there was a package from grandma! We had to open it!

Birthday clothes for the summer! So cute!

Dinner with the Girls!
I went out to dinner at Buca Di Beppo with my girls to celebrate my birthday late. It was fun!

Erin and Sara!

Me and Dialma.

Crazy huge piece of cake. It isn't the same as they had before, but it was still yummy.

Blowing out the big candle!

Becca is All Grown Up!
We went to Wal-Mart and saw the perfect toddler bed, seriously for a wal mart price we got a bed that goes PERFECTLY with Becca's other furniture. So we went for it.


We took down the crib!

Becca helped us put together the new bed...

And promptly crawled in to go to sleep, she was so tired!

She loves it, and does really well in it for going down for naps and bed time!

This is just a random picture of Becca in one of the cute dresses she got for her birthday! She was too cute ot not get a pretty picture of. (Thanks Sara!)

Writer's Retreat in Midway!
Last weekend I went on my first writer's retreat in Midway at a friend's in-law's condo. ;)

What do you do at a writer's retreat? Mostly sit around and write! It was seriously awesome. I met some amazing people at various stages of writing (just starting, getting ready to submit to agents, agented, people editing for publication, etc.) It was so so great!

This was our "Snow White" room, also sometimes referred to as the "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" room. Yeah, we didn't go to bed at 1:15 Thursday night and 2:30 Friday night!

Nikki! This was "her" condo, she's working in the master bedroom right now to get some peace and quiet.

This was a common scene. Three people sitting around with laptops, some with headphones, others working with or on paper. This is Natalie and Joel (married, so cute that they can write and do stuff like this together!) and the awesome Heather who is working on revisions for her editor!

Brodi! She didn't stay with us, but came over from her condo to enjoy the atmosphere of hard work!

Friday we had to get out for a while, so we went to go feed the goats. Yep, the goats. Our original plan was to get Gelatto but the place was closed...so...goats it was!

Chersti nearly falling into the little river bank to hand feed a goat...little did we know there was a side to the gate up on the grassy hill where we could have just easily hand fed them all.

Zermatt, the condo place we stayed at, it was so cute and so nice!

Friday night we also decided to spend some time playing games. When the last person went out, the rest of us only had yellow cards! It was really funny!

Me in all my sleep deprived goodness trying to get in an hour more writing time before leaving on Saturday!

It was so much fun, and I had such a blast. It has totally motivated me! Sorry I didn't get pics of everyone, but you were all awesome!

And I thought MY Birthday was Busy!
On Saturday I booked it from Midway to Provo to start our day of not just one, but THREE birthday celebrations!

Sam's B-day
Tyson's brother Taron and our SIL Sam came down Friday night and we got to have lunch with them on Saturday (oh yeah, and they stayed at our house. ;) But I was gone for a lot of that). We went to lunch with Tevan and Lanae to Pirate Island Pizza! It was so awesome! I have never been, and the waiter spoke in a pirate accent, it was sweet!

We got balloon animals and Sam's Giraffe had these adorable lips she just had to kiss them!

Our family by the big Pirate Ship!

The big group! Tevan and Taron were fighting like crazy with thise swords!

Oh and Taron got a hat from off a table, nice pirate move there!

Brad's Party
Then we went out to Sandy to go to Brad's birthday party!

Here he is opening his SpiderMan Transformer. Yeah, I may not have a son, but I know how to shop for them!

Awesome Spiderman Cake!

Becca enjoying the sunshine and cake!

And the fun bounce house!

Me and my girls! It was good to see them all again! Happy Birthday Brad!

Bethany's Birthday
Then we had a bit of time to go home drop some stuff off and head back to Provo for my neice Bethany's birthday!

They had a really cool castle bounce house!

The girls loved it! Here they are jumping with uncle Josh, Bethany's uncle. Brooke and Becca fell down at the exact same moment, it was pretty funny.

Bethany and her super cute cupcake tower cake! It was good to see family and celebrate! We love you Bethany, Happy 6th birthday!

Mother's Day!
Mother's day was great! I had breakfast made by my honey, opened my present and had a really nice day at church. Tyson made dinner and brownies! It was great!

Me and Becca with my painting from Tyson! It's his first watercolor and I love it! For the last 3 years he has drawn and now painted me something new to put in our front room.

Me and my girl, the reason for it all! I love her so so so so much. Being a mom is the best blessing I have ever been given!

My beautiful red roses and white lilies! I love having fresh flowers in the house!

She was just too cute, with her messed up hair from pigtails eating her brownie and milk. This is why I do what I do every day!