Everyone Loves A Good Slip N Slide!

Especially in my house...The kids had a blast and it was fun watching them try to figure out how not to slide off since our backyard slopes! It was lots off fun and Paul and I had a blast watching...Luckily this was before I got sick yes I have scarlet fever and a sinus infection. Today is day four on antibiotics and I am about at 80% but I can't complain to much at least my 101.7 fever broke. At least now I can function. So, I thought now was a good time to show you all the pictures since I can sit up again. xoxo











ALL RIGHT KIDS YOUR
SUPPOSE TO STAY ON
THE SLIP N SLIDE :):)

















SUCCESS!!
WAY TO STAY ON IT GUYS!


















Can you tell Dad cut the grass that morning? Look at all those 6 pack bellies :)

Erin's 24 Hours OFF!

I was super excited that Bryan was going to be able to watch the boys and give Erin a little time off but no one was more excited than Er. A little background...Erin has Logan just turned 4, Landon 18 months and here is the kicker Little Levi 5 months...WHOA BABY is she busy!! It is Youth Camp season so Bryan typically puts in a 60 hour work week and that means Erin doesn't get much of a break to breath. So Bryan gave her 24 hours off and we ran with it!! Thanks Paul for letting me show her a good time :) Erin came over Friday night and I whisked her off to dinner at a super cool restaurant Paul and I found. If you know Erin you will know her greatest loves are God, then her family, then her red meat!! The restaurant was at the top of a hotel and they serve steak on a 500 degree piece of volcanic rock and you get to cook it yourself. SO FUN! Then we rented a movie and hung out for the night and to top it off she actually watched the whole movie and didn't fall asleep. The next day we decided to kick our bumpers into gear and took a step class at my gym. Now, just to fill you in my gym doesn't have beginners classes so we jumped right into advanced and Er said she had never sweat that much in her life. It was a tough class. Then we grabbed a yogurt then jumped in the jacuzzi (ahh the jacuzzi, the only real reason to take a class that tortures you). Then to add to our demise we hit the mall and shopped until we literally dropped. Dillard's had great sales and we did really good. I mean come on shorts for $4.75...we totally rock (and now have a matching wardrobe :~) ). Then we were so tired we sat down at Cheesecake factory and had some lettuce wraps then called it a day and she went home. We had a great time and almost forgot to mention that Erin got her own blog designed so check her out it is sooooo cute!! LOVE IT!! A link to her blog is on the under my favs or just go to www.thigpensloveeaglesnest.blogspot.com
Here are some fun pics from our fun 24 hours XOXO

Er and I at the fun "Red Meat"
Restaurant :)

Yummy...Red meat









Smile for the Camera
Erin...

No Dinner out is complete
without a crazy picture!









After our step class...see the
nice tomato color with a
subtle pale glow:)So Pretty!


I have the best sister ever!! It was
a super fun 24 hours! Love you!

A Day in the Life of Drew at Eagle's Nest!

This is Drew's story about his week at Eagle's Nest. He had been looking forward to it since Winter. He was also excited about staying with Auntie and Uncle Bryan. This camp is exactly what Drew needed to help boost his self confidence. It has not been an easy last few months of school. Being Dyslexic and dealing with the emotional effects of that has been hard on our Drewbie but this camp was a blessing....So here are Drew's memories. (Who wouldn't love that face...He melts my heart just looking at him!)

Mom~ "So tell me what you were excited about knowing you were going to Eagle's Nest."
Drew~ "I was excited about rock climbing, leap of faith, and seeing a friend who is a "Big Me" (like a big brother)
Mom~ "So what did you do on Monday?"
Drew~ "My favorite part was meeting my counselor Bruce and meeting the kids in my group. I signed up for Archery and games. Archery was fun. My counselor Bruce was showing us how to do it. At games we played Nukeum. Its like volleyball but you have to catch it."
Mom~ "Tell me about Tuesday?"
Drew~ "We went to Eagle Lake where Jared was on Tuesday. I went straight to zipline. I was first in line and one of the cables that pulls the gear up snapped and I thought it was the zipline cable but it wasn't. I got scared and kept moving back in line. Then Uncle Bryan wanted me to move up so I could go down and he could give me a big hug at the bottom. So I was next and Ms. Suz who knew I was nervous prayed with me and gave me a little push and off I went. I felt like Superman it was so cool. Then when I got to the end Jared (who came to watch) and Uncle Bryan gave me a big hug. I was really glad I went.
Mom~ "What happened on Wednesday?"
Drew~ "I signed up for Tennis and bike riding. Tennis was fun. My "Big Me" Brian and Hunter we were called the Flaming Skulls we totally crushed the Aqua's which is the weirdest name in the history of tennis. There was another team called Strawberry's. Totally not cool name who thinks up the name strawberries. It was really fun. Later I played extreme Rock Paper Scissors. We have gnomes, giants, wizards. Gnomes beat wizards, wizards beat giants, and giants beat gnomes. I rock at this game!!!"
Mom~ "Sounds like Wed. was a fun day. Tell us about Thursday."
Drew~ "Fieldtrip Day. We went to the professional soccer stadium. We didn't get to practice with the players. It was such a rip off. But we got to at least talk to a player he was the goalie. He was cool. We played Marcus's game show. He was our tour guide. That was fun too. I also got a free ticket to a game. They are called the Rapid's. It was a cool day except for the no practice part."
Mom~ "Fill us in on the last day of camp, Friday."
Drew~ "I signed up for Games. We played Nukeum again. And I did the ropes course. I had to climb this big old log and when you get to the top you get both feet up and then jump and touch this rope. I got to the top and I got one foot up but I was to scared to get up the other foot. I looked down and it was over I couldn't move anymore. But, they said I did good cause other kids didn't even try. It was great week. I want to go next summer two times in a row PLEASE!!"
Mom~ "Definitely once, we will see about twice. Tell me what you learned about God?"
Drew~ "We learned a story about a boy and girl that sold their land and they made lots of money and they said they were going to give it to the church but they thought they would be more generous than another guy. They only gave half to the church and said they gave it all. They lied and they were struck by lightning because they tried to trick God and the Holy Spirit but you can't trick God He knows everything. And that was mostly it."
Drew Playing
Nukeum...Gotta
Love the War Paint!

Uncle Bryan & Drew's Counselor
Bruce. They both really made
Drew's week something worth remembering!













JP...Is one of Drew's Heroes.
JP has always loved on Drew
and Drew really looks up to him.
Thanks JP for all you have done.

The Colorado
Rapid's
Stadium.






All the Camper's at the
Rapid's Stadium. Drew
is standing up in the
middle.

Exhausted so Drew Catches
a little nap on the ride home:)









This is what the
Leap of Faith looks
like....

Here is Drew at the TOP...
I don't know if I could have
even gotten that high....
Way to go KID!! :):)









As you can tell he had a great week. It was so good for him to be around Godly men who told him daily that he mattered and was the perfect Drew that God made and that he matters!! Thank you so much to all the counselors who really poured into our Drew and for Auntie and Uncle Bryan who lifted Drew up and really encouraged him daily and they made this week possible!! Thank you and we love you! XOXOXO

A Day In The Life Of Jared At Eagle Lake!

(Picture-In front of the lake with the blob and zipline behind it!)

This is going to be fun. I am going to interview Jared and hopefully pull out all the details of his experience at Eagle Lake. It should be easier than pulling out a loose tooth but we will see...Just some background on camp. This is part of the Navigators youth program so we had an insider in my brother in law Bryan. He runs the Day Camp so he works with Mark (the Director of Eagle Lake) and all the counselors and goes to the lake each Sunday so we went with him early. The camp is for kids 9-14 (I think). We drop them off and they stay in cabins with college counselors and no phone calls home. So here it is...

Mom~ "So tell me what you thought when we pulled into camp Sunday morning?"
Jared~ "I saw a sign for hyperspace and that looked cool and that meant the theme was going to be futuristic and that sounded fun."
Mom~ "Did you like that we were at camp before any other kids? Why?"
Jared~ "Yes! Because I got to see everything and meet everyone before all the other kids did."
Mom~ "Score on being Uncle Bryan's nephew! After lunch we were getting out all your stuff and Uncle B. introduced you to your counselor and then we left how were you feeling then?"
Jared~ "Excited and nervous."
Mom~ "Why nervous?"
Jared~ "Um, because I didn't know anyone and I didn't know what to do or what was next."
Mom~ "So what did happen next?"
Jared~ "After you left all the campers came and uh we met our counselor on the beach."
Mom~ "Then what?"
Jared~ "We all went to the t-dome (thunderdome) and we talked about what Eagle Lake was going to be and what we were going to do next. Then we had dinner and then we finally went to the cabins. I was in Mohawk. We picked our bunks out and I had a bottom bunk because "Newbie's" have to sleep on the bottom."
Mom~ "Next year you'll be on top, everyone has to do there time at some point :) Anything else that first night?"
Jared~ "No..."
Mom~ "Alrighty then...Monday morning...Go for it...Fill us in!"
Jared~ "Um, we woke up at 6am and I wasn't feeling well so I went to the infirmary and I stayed there till 9:30 and yes I puked...3 times. So I missed the camp picture oh well and um (long pause maybe it will be like pulling teeth:)...we had lunch and then we had free time."
Mom~ "Pretty brave to eat. What did you do during free time?"
Jared~ "I did the zipline and I took the swim test and I did the vomitron three times."
Mom~ "The thing that spins you around? Yes...After you puked all morning? Yes....Way to not give up and jump in kid...Then what?
Jared~ "We went back to the cabin and did our Bible study, then dinner, more teaching all together, then bed."
Mom~ "Give me highlights of Tuesday."
Jared~ "I got up at 5am to do Dippy Club. Dippy Club is when you jump in the lake at 6am in the morning. Can you say really cold. But cool. We did a scavenger hunt. We had to do a series of tasks and whoever had the most things done would get more point. We were trying to earn points all week. One of the tasks was to stand on a log and arrange ourselves in order of our birthdays without falling off."
Mom~ "So fill us in on Wed."
Jared~ "I did Dippy Club again at 6am. If you do it four times in a row you get a dog tag and are a member of the exclusive (his word) club. It is also the day that we that we had a man fire (he is smirking let's see where this goes)...it is where we get in a group around a big huge fire at night and I had 6 s'mores (that's my boy)...We also played Camo...It's when counselors count to a certain number and you try to get to them before the number ends...if they finish counting and you don't find them you better find a hiding spot or if they see you, you get sent back to the beginning. We also played capture the flag and I was on "C" Squad. C squad stands for cheerio squad. The object is to capture the opponents flag or to get as many cheerios as you can and put them in a small bucket. So, I was obviously working to get cherrios. It was awesome! By the way we won.
Mom~ "Tell me about Thursday."
Jared~ "Thursday is when I did mountain boarding down this huge hill. It was also the day where I did rifflery."
Mom~ "They let you shoot a real gun? Oh vey!"
Jared~ "22 cal (he is smirking again). Oh mom, it's very small(eyeroll). Oh Yea and that was the day that we woke up at 4am am took a long hike to a cross at the top of a mountain and we looked at the view. It was cool. Dippy club again too. I did it twice and got my dog tag!! We also played the coolest game ever. It is called Maximus. It's a relay race and the team that gets the most points wins. I was a Colossal Canadians. So like one thing was crash landing. So I slide down a slip n slide and I have to avoid objects on the way. Then I did Gyro retrieval which is where I swim out to the lake touch a buoy (sp?), then come back and get a small ball and you run it back to your team. Not sure why I always get the coldest parts of the game. The slip in slide had water pumped from the lake too.
Mom~ "Tell me you 4 favorite things?"
Jared~ "The Blob (you can see it in the picture behind Jared), Capture the Flag, Maximus, & Rifflery
Mom~ "Tell me how you grew spiritually?"
Jared~ "My counselor taught me how to read the message Bible and compare it to my other Bible to really see what God is saying. We talked about how Paul convinced the people that there is only one true God. Basically I learned how important quiet time is to really get to know God and I am committed to doing it at home and not just camp."
Mom~ "That is amazing. Anything else you want to tell me?"
Jared~ "I made lots of friends but especially Dakota, Caleb, and Andrew. And, I am so going back every year. It was awesome."

Sounds like Jared had a great time and you could tell God really moved in his spirit.

Drew is next so check back to hear all about Eagle's Nest!! XOXOXOXO


Jared and his Buddies!


Jared and his Counselor!










Made him take a picture
with his Mama! :)

Jared and his Auntie!(&Levi)
"Thanks Auntie and Uncle
Bryan camp was
AWESOME!!








Logan and Laney had fun picking up
Jared too...There were butterflies
everywhere and they loved chasing
them.

Summer!

I was pondering why I was so edgy yesterday and I BLAME it on the heat! My back was hot, my shirt was sticking to me everytime I got in the car, Paul had guard drill, and we were busy. I didn't overreact to anything or make the families life miserable I just was grumpy to myself. My house was hot even with the air and I know we are blessed to have AC so I shouldn't complain but I did to myself...Didn't want to cook or do anything productive other than sit with my kiddos and do nothing. Growing up in Tucson you would think I would like the heat and hot summer days but I think it is just the opposite. TUCSON HEAT RUINED ME! But I must say today is gorgeous and we love Colorado. It really has great summers and I have a whole new outlook and am going to be a girl who has a glass half full. Like I tell the kids, "Many times in life happiness is a choice." I choose to be happy so here is what I love about summer!!

1. My kids are with me all day and I don't have to share them with their school.
2. Camping and s'more filled days :) Yum
3. Watching the joy on my kids faces while they swim the day away (while I burn...Alison no no no chose happy thoughts!!)
4. BBQ's and Dinner OUTSIDE on the deck.
5. That everyday is almost like 2 days...It stays light for so long that we can jump on the trampoline at 8:30 at night and have more time when Daddy is home. (I LOVE THAT)
6. That the kids can have living room campouts every night if they want because um let me think...NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!!
7. The way the God has the sun SLOWLY sink into the sky each night and because it is so late we can take advantage of watching it on the porch while the kids ride their bikes. It just seems like life slows down.
8. Sweet Tea and Lemonade. (Need I say more)
9. The way the sky seems darker but the stars are brighter. Who needs entertainment when you can walk outside on a cool summer night and have a show that I know God put on just for me! I think he throws in extra stars in the summer just for us to enjoy.
10. Lightning Shows as a Monsoon passes through.
11. Last but not least did I mention I don't have to share my kids...and because the days are longer more time with Paul too(we all love that).

PS. The boys are home from Camp! YEA! We are going to sit down in the next few days and they are going to help write posts about all their amazing experiences. So keep an eye out. Love you all...

Fun with Just Me and My Little!

It is just Laney and I for the rest of the week and we like to march around the house and yell, "GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS, NO BOYS JUST GIRLS!" We are loving our time together. So today we were making smoothie's and the TV was on in the background. All of the sudden Laney says, "Mom we really need to get aqua globes. They water the plants just perfect for you. Mom you do NOT need to lift a finger. That is one less chore I say...Check!" Funny, funny girl. Can you say too much Disney Channel in the morning!

Today Delaney was in a pedicure kind of mood...Luckily for me and my wallet she wanted to do the pedicures. Pictures below....We match! Hey and no laughing at my Fred Flintstone feet they are what God gave me to work with. :)

The Soup Nazi Returns!

Strange title but I will get to that in a minute trust me it is worth it so read on! So you know that we dropped the boys off at camp and our Little Bit was a little distraught that Drew got to go to Auntie's but that "Logan (Erin's Oldest) is HER BEST FRIEND!!" How could Auntie turn her away so of course we all gave in and Delaney got to spend the night at Auntie and Uncle Bryan's on Sunday night and then Erin (who is crazy) said, let her stay for two nights....why crazy you ask...because Erin has Logan (4), Landon aka "Meatloaf" (18 mo), and Levi aka "Cupcake" (4 mo.)....Crazy woman but Delaney was thrilled to say the least....

So...Jared is at camp, Drew is at Erin's and Camp, and Delaney is at Erin's....what does that mean We had NO Children!! Can you say two date nights!! :) So Sunday night we got all dressed up and went to dinner at a nice restaurant that we have been meaning to try and it was very fun...They serve your steak raw on a slab of volcanic rock that is 500 degree's and then you cut pieces and cook it yourself as you go...It was very good! Good times but I will say the house was way to quiet and the poem is true that you will miss those fingerprints when they are no longer there...Even for two days...Now sleeping in part...Nice!

Monday we worked out, went to the jacuzzi, took naps...again nice...then we went and saw the new Indiana Jones movie (We liked it...come on it's Indiana Jones what is not to like!!) and then went to PF Chang's...This is where the Soup Nazi comes in....

Let me take you back 6 or 7 years. We were in Tucson (life before Laney) and were out to dinner with my parents, and Er and Bry. This is very visual so picture with me. We were at our very favorite Chinese Restaurant "China Rose". My Mommy dearest is not the world's biggest eater. There have been many a nights that we have said do you want to do dinner and we get the response of "...Well, I had a huge lunch today I went out with Moaners and had a big bowl of soup..." Now, Mommy you so know it's true :):) So anyways, back to the story. We are regulars at the restaurant and my Mommy dearest is the best known of all she never even orders they just always bring her the bowl of wanton soup with extra wantons. So we are in the big room at a big circle table and we all order normal food (cause it's dinner not lunch). The waitress is new and doesn't know us and speaks very little English. So my mom asks for a bowl of wanton soup with extra wantons (no big surprise there). This is how the conversations goes...The waitress says in her best Chinese accent "so you want cup wanton soup."...."No, I want a bowl"..."Cup of soup..." Mom-"Bowl" and she makes with her hand a bowl size circle....Waitress-"Okay bowl." Yes, we have communicated now! SO dinner goes on and out comes the food. We all have our food and then the waitress walks out with a bowl of wanton soup the size of a basketball! SERIOUSLY the size of a basketball and it is steaming. She then sets it right in front of my little tiny Mother!!! The steam was fogging her glasses and it had a huge ladle in it....We all fell over laughing and I swear Paul, my Dad, and Bryan were going to Pee their pants. If you know my Dad when he really think something is funny his laugh becomes very high! My Mom is mortified and shakes her head and calls the waitress over and tries to explain but it was useless...at that point someone at the table I think it was Bryan said that Mom was the "Soup Nazi" and after that night my mom has held that title at many a family functions. It was truly one of the funniest things I have ever experienced!!

So Paul and I are at PF Chang's and I order the Chicken Noodle Soup as an appetizer and this is what they served me. The waiter (who speaks perfect English) sets it in front of me and Paul and I bust out laughing and I swear the peeing of the pants became a very real possibility. It was steaming and even had a ladle in it! It was only half the size of Mom's but still huge!! Everyone had to think we were crazy because we laughed so much and then out popped the camera because I said, "THIS IS SOOOOO GOING ON THE BLOG!!" So that is the story of how the Soup Nazi returned to our lives years later :)




PS...I still miss the kids :)

The Eaglet's Have Flown Our Nest!

So my boys are gone...Yes gone for the whole week...I have never been without them for so long.

Jared is at Eagle Lake camp for the whole week...He went to camp knowing no one and was super excited but a little nervous too:):) This is big kid camp! It brought back so many memories of Forest Home for Paul and I. They have a blob (big pillow in the middle of a lake you get launched off of)just like we had. The memories are still fresh in my mind. Hanging out with Aubre and April McGuire was my counselor...They are memories I still cherish to this day...I pray that Jared has that same experience and feel God moving in his heart in a deeper more intense way. Dropping him off to be with counselors, in a cabin, no communication to home, etc...It was exciting to watch him take this new step of independence and heart wrenching at the same to let him go and grow into the man God is forming him to be Ahhhh :)

Drew is at Eagle's Nest Day Camp. My sister and brother in law are missionaries with Navigators and Bryan runs Eagle's Nest Day Camp...Talk about fun! Drew is getting to spend the night with his Auntie every night and go to camp all day long! They also have college counselor's and this camp is just what Drew needs right now. He needs Godly men to lift him up and show him that he matters. We are so blessed for him to be able to go to this camp and it wouldn't be possible without my sister and my brother. I am eternally grateful for the unconditional love they pour into my children. They are the most selfless people I know...Drew has no idea how lucky he is...but his Mama does!! :) I love you Er and Bry my life would not be the same with out my Thigpen's :)

So the little Eaglets have flown the nest but luckily for me it is only a baby step (they will be back Friday)...Don't even get me started and how close the big step is. Not unless you want a blubbery post with tears all over it...but for now just a baby step....

4th Of July Fun

We headed down to downtown Parker for some suburb fun with our friends the Westbrooks (Chris, Jodie, Macey, Josh, Lexi, and Sidney). The kids were all dressed up in their fourth of july shirts and ready to run off some of their energy. They played tag on the rocks, hung out, and listened to the bands play. Drew is not in as many pictures because he found a friend from school and hung out with them and talked the whole night away with one of his buddies. As it got closer to nighttime our friend Carla and her family joined us along with a few other friends. Laney started not feeling so good as you will see in the pictures below but the fireworks were great. Set to great music and close enough you could feel it. All the firework pictures were all taken from our photographer "Jared"....Enjoy

Delaney, Macey,
& Lexi


Drew & Macey
Playing Tag












Men Talkin
it Up!

Jodie & I
God is so great to have blessed
me with such a great friend!!








Laney wasn't feeling so Good

Jodie,Me, & Carla
I LOVE MY GIRLS!!










My Little Man
That smile melts
hearts!

My Soldier
and love of my
life :)








Jared's Fireworks Picture...He definitely got some of Papa Steve's Skills!