Dance Party

Oh yesss, I did forget to mention that my cousin Peter got married last month. 

Just Ashlin, Dallin, Emma and I went to the reception.

What a treat it was hanging out with my older kids only.

I am sad that's so rare. They are funny ones.

 We stole 2 quick pics with the bride and groom in the receiving line...

Peter chose very well in the wife department.

I have been really impressed with his dearest Angela.

Dallin was really impressed with their Uncle's plaid suit coat. {below}

Him and Ashlin stole a sneaky picture... 

Ashlin took it while Dallin slowly creeped by.

But lets just be honest... the best part about the reception 

was the dance floor.

 Something that I love about my family is this:

The Blake Family likes to D-A-N-C-E

 Dallin doesn't get enough of my blog space... mostly because he is always avoiding pictures. But he was so funny on the dance floor. He made me laugh. It was cute to see how much he likes to dance. I was actually proud that all 3 of my kids danced... it... up... out there.

There were other people besides Blake Family there. But I laugh because the above picture of the dance floor, is pretty much all Blakes. 

I loved my kids... because of this: I wasn't necessarily feeling the "dance vibe". I was just going to watch. When the music started, my kids got up right away. As soon as they got out there Ashlin started beckoning to me to make me come dance with them. She really said, "it just didn't feel right without you too".  So how could I not join in? Awwww.
They weren't embarrassed of their chubby mom. 

Well... because, I got the moves. ha ha.

But seriously. When is the next dance party?

I am really really thankful for my wonderful accepting extended family. Such good people. Young and old, good or bad, everyone cheers everyone on the dance floor. So fun. And the groom, Peter, did like a solo dance for his wife. It was so funny. He is such a great dancer. 

And PS, my backyard is still 100% dirt. But I am DREAMING that someday my backyard will look like their wedding reception: 

(ha ha, maybe not super realistic, but so pretty)

Furniture

We got a new chair in our family room...

... the kids were so excited immediately to turn a movie on and watch it from within the boxes the chair came in. Ha ha. 

GRADUATION

Ordered Announcements:

I spent hours today making home made sugar cookies frosted in green and copper, her graduating high school graduation colors/Campo-Verde Grad... and ASU/pitchforks. I probably could have just bought a graduation cake... but I wanted to spend the time on her today, so she knew how much we love her.

Getting ready for the party!!

(Ashlin received a partial scholarship to ASU, so that is where she will be attending in the fall)

Arizona State Grandparent shirt for Grandpa!

Ashlin cried while reading the card her dad wrote for her.

 Then she cried when she opened the lap top we gave her as her gift. She was so surprised. It was so sweet. She was so genuinely excited.

 My family all came to the party, and the Poulsens. When everyone left, Bruce said, "We have such a cute family". And he was talking about my sisters and their families, and my dad. Them all coming made the evening so special.

Sweetest Moment: Emma wrote Ashlin a song and sang it to her for her graduation gift. It made me cry when I heard the words. She spent hours today working on it. (To the tune of Taylor Swift "Stay") She has gotten good on that ukulele!

CONGRATULATIONS ASHLIN!

We love you.

Swimmer

Another year of lessons with Ms. Lorie. 

And THIS year Sophie was a SWIMMER!!!

She cried the entire first lesson... then after that, not again!

Sophie is such a good, fast swimmer. HOORAY for her.

Funny Story:

Sophie doesn't have a lock on her door knob any more. She kept locking her door so we switched it with the pantry knob (now we can LOCK the pantry... but its not making me any skinnier, ha ha).

ANYWAY- so the first day of swim lessons I told Sophie where we were going, and she CRIED and ran away from me. I kept calling her. I went to her room to her room to find her. She had shut her door, and drug a chair from her play house and put it against the door barricading it closed, and climbed up in her bed. ha ha. But we went to swim lessons any way. She cried the entire drive there, the entire lesson, and most the way home. But then somehow she changed her mind... and was so excited to go to every lesson after that. And improved her swimming skills SO much.

Last Weekend

Last friday night, these 2 got decked out in their best 1920's attire...with a group of friends to see "The Great Gatsby"

Ashlin said half the theatre was dressed up too. It was packed, so they were sitting in like the 2nd row. Her and Cassidy were the most decked out in their group. Ashlin said right after walking in and sitting down, Cassidy stood up and faced the audience and started opening his suit jacket and pointing to himself showing off his sweet attire... and the audience all clapped. ha ha. He is such a ham.

And the rest of stayed at home, and watched "Swiss Family Robinson" per Logan's request. It was SO good. The kids all loved it!

Then saturday kicked off another summer of swimming saturdays at grandpa's house. Both my sisters families and us went, had pizza and hung out for hours. Lots of cousins, food, Duck Dynasty and swimming. It was so fun that we stayed later then we were suppose to and flaked on 2 things we had. Oh well. Family is more important, right?! The boys spent over an hour making a raft with every floaty in the pool... ha ha.

Funny Thing: I told my dad we would keep it simple and just bring pizza. Then last minute I decided to bring a big caesar salad for everyone. I was thinking I was being all nice. Then we got there and Carrie had brought 2 big containers of cut up cantaloupe and honey dew... AND a huge pan of frosted brownies. Emma looked at me and said, "Carrie always out does you" ha ha. But I thought I would still "out do" Chrissy (since none of us were suppose to bring anything but pizza money) then she walked in with a big thing of homemade bean dip, chips, burro meat and tortillas. Ha ha... everyone out did me.

 And saturday night our good friends the Seiter's came over for dinner because they are moving to Kansas. Boo-Hoo. (Lily will miss her best friend Lucy).

 Then Sunday... 

MOTHERS DAY

First thing in the morning they let me sleep in (yay) then Logan brought me a hand written paper/list of my options for breakfast with boxes next to each item for me to check what I wanted. So cute. I felt like I was in my hospital bed after having a baby. Having so many kids... means SO many homemade gifts. BEST PRESENTS EVER! Bruce made me breakfast in bed, delivered by the kids, and dinner, and took care of everyone all day. I was feeling really sick, so was thankful I was allowed to lay around. Ashlin got the girls ready for church, and gave them a bath...

The boys went early to church... so here we are on our way to church with my 4 girls....

The young women came to relief society. Ashlin pointed out that it was the last time with both her and Emma there (since she's moving on to singles ward). They sat on either side of me and both held my hand during the lesson. And it made me happy.

I of course had some guilty feelings on mothers day... I am far from perfect, I don't handle everything well, and its been a stressful couple of weeks. But I love these kids and I'm so proud of how they are growing up. They aren't perfect, I need to remember that neither am I... we're all just doing the best we can.

A few days later I was feeling grumpy... but then walking by the door where my homemade cards are still all taped up cheered me right up.

♥♥♥