I love these two

Glen's Mom came down yesterday and brought a pool. We were getting back from a walk/bike ride and saw a truck pull up to spray our grass for bugs or whatever. So since we couldn't set the pool up in the yard we set it up in the back on our tiny patio. It worked and the kids had a lot of fun.

I got this little hutch thing from a friend who didn't want to move it and I really like it. I have yet to really fill it up but the kids are having a fun time playing in it. They climb in here and say "close the door." Such silly kids

I have to post pictures like this because lately these two have really been at each other. But they also get along really well sometimes and play for a long time. I usually here this from Taylor a few times a day, "MATTHEW'S BUGGIN ME!!!!!" (and in a very loud growly voice). They really do love each other though. In this picture Matthew was taking care of his baby (Taylor) and it was really cute.

I came walking into the living room the other day and found Taylor sitting here. She is always in, or under, or into something.

A week with the Harper family

We had the best time in Idaho visiting my family. All of my brothers and sisters were there at some point during the week. Most of these pictures are towards the end of our trip. The first part of the trip is all on my sisters camera since mine was out of battery; I will post those later. The kids loved playing with cousins: sandbox, tramp, little pool, feeding baby cows bottles(some neighbors of my parents let the kids come do that), wagon rides pulled by the 4 wheeler, tractor rides with grandpa, and just running around with all the open space. Our last two days we spent at my parents new house on the snake river. They have done so much to the yard and house and it looks awesome. Those two days were are coldest days but we still managed to wake board, ski, surf, kayak, and ride jet skis. One day was spent at a HUGE glorified slip n slide not too far from my parents. This family grows sod and since they have so much space they made two big slip n slides in their yard. It was so fun!! My family is the best and it went by way too fast.

In this picture: sister in law Tayna, brother Nolan and wife Ashley, my sister Holly

At our family reunions we always have a talent show that is so much fun. Here the kids are dancing. There are now 16 cousins and they get along so well.
Taylor had her favorite chair for the talent show. Someone sat in it for a minute and she was not too happy about it.

Matthew and Savannah

Glen played us songs on the guitar and sang

Tayna and my mom's beautiful (fake) violin playing

My Dad's funny skit

My sister Holly and her family did a funny skit/song to the song off of Madagascar, I like em big...I like em chunky......Little baby Ryan came dancing from behind the blanket in just his diaper. I love chunky babies.

My sister Jenny and her family sang and acted out the song, Tonight's gonna be a good night

Everyone getting ready for the talent show

Grace, Tyler, and Taylor playing on the trampoline

"Cows are in the meadow eating buttercups, ashes, ashes, we all stand up"

My wonderful Mom and Dad

No kids in my hands, the water below me, and the wind blowing my hair....I could stay here forever!

Matthew and Jordan hanging out in a little compartment in the boat

We got to see my Grandma and Grandpa Crump and my Grandma Harper while we were here

Ryan and Taylor relaxing in a tube. This is my sister Holly's little boy who everyone thought looked like he could be one of my kids. Her other two kids are blondies with blue eyes. It was so fun to see him for the first time.

Tayna taking Matthew and Jordan down the water slide

Matthew had so much fun and went over and over. It was steeper than the pictures look but not too steep. The slide was just so long which made it really fun.

Taylor did not like going down the slide. What a cute little body.

Jordan giving Taylor a hug. A lot of the older cousins were so sweet with her and she really liked them.

We were always looking for Taylor at my parents house. One day this is where we found her, fully dressed and with her shoes on. We had given her a bath not too long before and were saving the water to get Matthew in.

Batman & Robin

Last night I went to watch Eclipse with friends and when I got home Glen showed me pictures of what they did while I was gone. I had the camera so these fuzzy pictures were from Glen's phone. We tried to recreate them this morning but Taylor wasn't as into it. I laughed so hard when I saw these. What a good Dad Glen is. They ran around saving the world I guess. So cute!

It was rough

It was actually a lot more than just rough; our trip back to Toledo was a nightmare. We arrived at the Salt Lake City airport at 3:00 pm on Sunday and we pulled into our driveway in Toledo at 8:20 am Monday morning. I was on the verge of tears a couple of times but I was strong and held them in. They would have been flowing if Glen had not been with me. Read below to hear the shortened story or skip if you don't really care!

We boarded our plane in SLC and then ten minutes later we were told to get off the plane because of thunderstorms in Denver (I very much dislike Denver, we have had multiple problems going through there) Hours late we set up to Denver. The flight took twice the time it should of because we had to go in circles waiting for the weather to improve. It was quite the bumpy ride descending and even scared me a little, especially seeing lightning right out the window. Taylor fell asleep on that flight and was woken up somehow and screamed the last half of the flight. We ran to catch our flight in Denver to find that our plane was still there but no crew to fly it. We waited over 4 hours in the Denver airport with tons of people everywhere. Thais picture doesn't really capture how bad Taylor looked; she was so tired. I think it was around 1 am when we finally left Denver. Did our kids sleep......NO, well Matthew fell asleep on some chairs about 20 minutes before we boarded. Thankfully, both kids slept the whole flight to Detroit. Glen and I did not sleep however, maybe a few minutes here or there. I could not believe it as I looked out our window and saw the sun rising. We landed in Detroit around 6 something and then we realized we left Glen's wallet in the plane and our luggage did not arrive. A few hours later with no luggage and two borrowed car seats we made our way to McDonalds for breakfast. That night is a blurr now in my memory and I am glad it is over. My next flight this summer is going to be nonstop to Salt Lake City; I don't care how much it costs. On a happier note, I am happy to be home. It was hard to leave my family as it always is but today there were many things that made me happy....
1. two smiley kids who don't have red blood shot eyes anymore
2. A couple hours at the pool
3. A husband home by 5:00
4. Some alone time for me (the kids are in bed and Glen is at his softball game)

5. The first time this year hearing cicadas (they are LOUD) when we first moved into our apartment I looked outside to see what was making this alarm sounding noise. I didn't think I could get used to it and now I love it. It just reminds me of moving to Toledo and especially are little town home that we are in now that I love.

6. A pretty clean house

Matthew and Taylor were cleaning the window on our door with a water bottle and then decided to cool each other down a little bit. It was HOT today.

Our luggage was delivered to us last night and this morning the kids had fun pretending to be pilots. It was my way of making Matthew's medicine a little more exciting. He has been throwing fits about doing his daily steroid medicine for his asthma lately. I told him they looked like they were flying jets. I found an extra mask for Taylor so she could join the fun.
Life is not perfect but life is good!! Pictures of our wonderful week with the Harper family are coming soon.