4th of July Part 1

We were lucky to have Mark home Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the 4th. We took advantage and went to the movies and San Tan Mall to play. Since Caleb is IMPOSSIBLE to take to the movies, I stayed with him and walked around the mall. Mark and the other 2 kids saw Ice Age and they loved it. Then we put our swim suits on played in the little water thing they have there.

Caleb was so funny. He was in heaven being able to be independent and play with water. He was so adorable there.

Cute Chubs just walking around and being sooo big!

Randomness

Our little girl fell asleep like this.

Twister at Grandmas with most of our cousins.

Caleb being cute & happy. (Cute story about that..... Everytime Braeden and Elli say their prayers, they pray for everyone and when it comes to Caleb, they pray he will be cute & happy.)

I wrote a little note to Mark on the mirror with an dry erase marker one night and when Mark woke up, he wrote me something back. Well, Elli was said that her daddy didn't write her anything, so I told her she needed to write him a note. So she is writing him a note on the mirror. She woke up in the morning soooo excited because her daddy wrote her back.

I love when Caleb sits on the rocking chair. Oh, those chubby legs, too cute!! He usually smiles like crazy, but I couldn't get a picture with one.

Braeden & Elli's favorite thing to do is hold onto the door when I pull into the driveway. They have been doing this for a couple years now. They love doing it.

BUGS!

When I watched my sister's kids, Elli is the only girl there. And the boys don't like to play with her sometimes. But they do make haunted houses for her and put bugs on her. She is a great sport to let them do this to her.

The culprits

A Friday Night

A couple Friday's ago, we headed out to Queen Creek to play with the Slade's. They are our really good friends and we haven't hung out with them in a really time, so we decided to get together. Our kids are so close in age and we both have Boy, Girl, Boy (in that same order). We ate some dinner and played on their little quad. It was perfect weather that night. Yep, it was in June and we had really nice weather then. Then we watched a movie, or attempted to with all the kids still running around having fun. But it was a great night with the Slades. We are lucky to have them for friends!!

Elli, Olivia and Jackson

Olivia was a crazy woman on that quad. She gave Elli & Jackson one heck of a ride.

Brent with the little ones, Jackson & Caleb.

The big boys were chasing Olivia around wanting a turn. It was funny watching them try to keep up with her.

Caleb was happy just sitting in this car even though it didn't move. He had fun trying to figure the whole thing out.

Olivia & Elli with the new baby kittens that Brent & Emily helped get better.

Mark taking his turn with Caleb.

Elli is an animal freak. She loves holding and carrying around any animal. She wouldn't leave these kittens alone. Whenever she sees an animal she says, "Oooohhhhhh!"

Cody & Rachel

My little brother got hitched on June 11th. He is one happy man. He married Rachel Huish and they are so cute and so happy!! We are so excited for them!! We had a great day celebrating with them!

All the Harper clan after the temple ceremony.

The Harper grandchildren!

The Harper Women!!

The only 2 granddaughters the Harper's have. But oh are they cute and oh so girly!!

Kara and I had to take a picture of us two.

The boys. Life just wouldn't be fun without these little guys running around being crazy.

They were in charge of taking presents from people who came in. They thought this job was absolutely the coolest job ever. They did pretty good at it... I guess.

Elli and Daddy having a dance of course. Elli has to dance with Daddy whenever she gets a chance.

Aunt Kara caught the bouquet. She "says" it came right to her, but we ALL know she pushed little girls out of the way to catch it. We know how you are Kara!! She was so sweet to give the bouquet to Elli. Elli loves it and still has it!

Now, we all know what receptions can do to people, especially Mormon receptions. But this little guy didn't hide it. He fell to the ground with his beer cup in hand and didn't let anyone stop him. What an adorable little guy. He can sleep anywhere, even on the hard floor in the middle of a reception. (This was my brother's boy Brock)

Waiting outside for the couple to come out.

Cody's friend drives limos and he took Cody to the hotel in the limo. But he was so sweet and gave the kids a ride. Braeden just thought he was the coolest kid ever. He kept telling me that when he turns 18, he going to get married so he can ride in a limo. Then he is going to break up with her so he can go on his mission. Hept going on like that. In his little mind, you can't go in a limo unless you get married. He is a riot with the things he says.

The cutest little girls there!!

We love you Cody & Rain-chel!! (as Elli use to call her)

Crap Happens!

We were having a great day this past Wednesday. I was at my sister's house watching her kids. Everyone was happy and having fun!! Then as soon as we got in the car to go home, Elli tells me her throat was hurting. I asked her if it hurt to swallow and she said yes, so I was bummed that I was going to have a sick child the next day with a sore throat and everything else that comes with that. But we were literally 3 minutes from home when all of a sudden, Elli threw up everything she had eaten since lunch. There was a lot of stuff coming from her mouth. Luckily I had some towels in my car and I pulled over and wiped her mouth and told her to throw up in the towel if she needed to throw up more. (And she did...)

So I get home and all of a sudden , I had 20 different things to take care of. Caleb wanted to get out of the hot car so he was crying, Elli was needing to throw up more but I had to take her clothes off first because they were covered in throw up, I needed to clean up the car, Caleb was still hot and irritated that I was ignoring him, so I take him out and let him crawl around, Elli needed help in the bathroom, come back and Caleb had all my kid cups on the floor, I clean that up really fast, I run outside to start cleaning the car, I stir the beans on the stove so they don't burn, check on Elli and this is what I find....

She didn't respond to me when I called her name, so I look at her face and this is what I see.....

Ooooohhhh, she fell asleep. I hurry to grab my camera, and take a picture, Caleb is destroying something else, I pick it up, stir the beans again, go outside and finish cleaning, decide I should probably put Elli in her bed, pick her up and she has wet underwear from the throw up, so I decide to give her a bath, after I put her in her towel, the doorbell rings, I answer it, go back to her room to help her put her jammies on, and this is what I find....

She was sound asleep again. Poor girl, she was so tired. So I leave her like that for a little bit and get Caleb from destroying anything else and making more messes. Finish making dinner, feed Braeden, Mark comes home and fed Caleb, go back to Elli's room and put her jammies on this time, put a blanket on her.

I looked at time when all this was finished and that all took place within an hour. What happened to my perfect day? I don't know, but turns out that Elli had eaten way more sugar than she needed. She kept inhaling the sugar and finally it came right back up.

Later, I was still awake at midnight and Elli had woke up and came to hang out with me for a little bit. She was wide awake and not sick at all. Just a sugar overload. So grateful that was all it was. But it was fun having a little buddy with me when I was on the computer playing with photoshop.

But, in all my 7 seven years of being a mom, I have never had to clean throw up in my car. Definitely not fun since it still kind of smells like throw up. But oh well, CRAP HAPPENS!

The Bridal Shower!

Most people know that my little brother Cody is getting married this Thursday. Rachel's bridal shower was a little bit ago.  We got all the girls together for a picture.  So this completes it for my sister-in-laws.  We had a great time!  Rachel is such a perfect addition to our family!!  We are so excited for Thursday!  

Elli's Preschool Graduation

I feel bad because I have neglected to post about our little girl's Preschool Program / Graduation.  Well, she is doing one more year of Preschool since she is a January baby, but she still graduated from this year.  Their school put on a very cute / Patriotic program.  Elli is still singing these patriotic songs around the house like God Bless America and another one that I don't even know.  She had so much fun in school.  Everytime it was her turn to say prayers, she would pray that she would be going to school the next day.  Thanks to Miss Glenda and Miss Jenny and all her other teachers.  I am a little bugged though, my camera is having issues right now.  It's taking very good pictures.  But at least I got something.

Receiving her diploma.

Caleb with Grandma Harper.  Our supporters for this event.  Caleb found these goggles in my bag and Grandma put them on for him.  Aaahh, so sweet!

We are so proud of our little Elli.  She is such a fun girl and love her enthusiasm for EVERYTHING!  Congrats little girl!!