Whiffle Ball Season Wrap Up

This is what Rocky looked like as it was time to walk out the door to his final game of the season.

He stayed asleep the entire drive over to the field.  Once we got there, he tried hard to participate but late naps like that just take the competition right out of you.

Backwards hat, one handed swing. He's got style.

  

He mostly hung out over by the cooler, it was his special day to bring snacks for the players after the game.  He had a fabulous time passing out his snacks.

 

Rosy spent more time on the field than Rocky did that last game.  She's poking someone's Gatorade.  I think she feels like she's getting away with something...

Last team cheer! 

After a handful of games and practices, Rocky walked off the field with a hat, shirt, a baseball medal, Popsicle and capri-sun!

Way to go Rocky!!

For Father's Day Joe, Ashley, the kids, and I made Warren a Corn Hole set.  If you've never played it's a bean bag toss game.  The orange isn't for Rocky this time, we are representing Warren's team, Boise State!

Rocky was really put out that he didn't fit in the hole like Rosy did.  I kept telling him, you're just too big Rocky.  After forever he finally says, "Oooooh, I get it mom! My butt's too big."

We've been spending some time in the backyard now that summer has arrived.  If you don't know this about my Rocky, he knows how to take serious matters seriously.  I explained the importance of sunscreen at the beginning of the summer and how we use it so we don't get sunburns.  He never forgets to put sunscreen on when we go outside.  He was a little too enthusiastic the other day about UV protection.

 

I can't get over the look she's giving me in this picture.  

AZ trip 1 YEAR later!

Some years come and go without any real "stand-out" times that will imprint any significance to your memory.  This has not been one of those years.  The kids and I flew down to AZ to deal with getting the old renters out and welcoming the new renters in (too bad Joe had to work...AZ missed him and so did I) Ironically, the day I flew in Midwestern University was graduating another class.  To the moment, one year previous was the day Joe and I packed my dad's truck to the brim and had to move away.  Not my favorite chapter in history.  But our recent week in AZ was rich with memories and reconnecting with family and friends.

First stop was my sister Rebecca's house.  Cousins are always automatic friends in our family and I love that.   I also love that I got to meet Darren Thomas, my new nephew who is a darling boy that I wish I could be squishin and kissin right now.

Rosy is at that age where most of the time she just happens to be the center of attention, and other times she makes sure she is the center of attention.

COUSINS.

This is my favorite photo reel of the trip.

Aunty Becky's backyard had some happy times.  Thanks for the swings and plenty of shade.  

Look at those kids munch McDonalds fries! A+ for intensity Rocky.

She rested in Darren's infant carrier for at least an hour.  She's a long legged girl, but still meets the weight requirement to sit in one of those.

Look at these bed heads.  Nothing like waking up and tromping through your own backyard forest in jammies and messy hair.

The weekend we were lucky enough to spend with the Nuckles in Prescott at their new home!  The weekend was heavenly.  Heaven= Nuckles, Weatherspoons, Esplins, Prescott.  How can we make that work?

These two are 3months apart.  I think they are more like twins.  Their hair cracked me up all weekend.  I am also taking bets now as to who will want to marry who first, Ian and Rosalie, or Rockwell and Cameron?

She is cra.  

Ian is making sure Rosy isn't trying to steal his rock collection that goes in the cubby of his tricycle.

Future track star?  Looks like a perfect warm up stretch for a long jog.  If I'm unavailable next time Kaylee maybe Rosy will want to jog 5miles in scorching afternoon heat in the Prescott hills with you.

When you're not quite 5'4" this is most of the view you see when you watch your kids play at the park.

Nothing less and a lot more than CUTE!  

When I took this picture I was thinking of what a happy memory it was to spend an afternoon with Andy and all the kids, but now I'm thinking Andy looks busy feeding all the kids snacks while I'm snapping pictures!

Wasn't going to include this picture but it's the only one I took with Andy during that weekend.  Plus she looks cute...I can't believe Cameron was only 5 months old when we all met for the first time.  It was at ultimate frisbee and Andy was going in to play because I offered to hold Cameron.  Cameron cried.  Jon called her a little diva... I'm going to sound like my grandma just now but that memory tickles me.  hehe.

He just knows how to have a good time wherever he goes! Love that about him.

I'd have to claim that the lake this picture was taken at may have started the Prescott phenom.  2 years ago Joe, Rocky and I went up to Prescott to celebrate Joe's bday.  We raved about it and returned with the friends for 4th of July festivities.  Now the Nuckles are rooted!  So thank you Lake!  

Esplins were such a support that week.  Not to mention all the help Kaylee did to help with the house business, but they both are kid magnents.  Unfortunately not when Rocky was having a nervous breakdown in the middle of the street on Whiskey Row with an ice cream cone melting down to my elbow in one hand and Rosy sleeping in the other arm...that couldn't be helped.  Sometimes Rocky just "me-needs me."

Oh Man.  These girls. I'm flanked. And is Rocky checking out our butts?

Twins again.

I think I might put my bets on these two, regarding my earlier question.

Andy happened to turn 1yr older while we were there.  Look how color coordinated we all are!  Where's Waldo  Joe? His silent laugh and knee slap was sorely missed that night.

Kade and Kaylee were determined to be the first to get Rosy to like them.  She, like her twin, was a momma's girl this trip.  Kade is the proud Papa here since she is not crying.

This relationship will be more love-hate than the other one I think.

When I got back to the Phoenix Valley to wrap up business (ugh) Rebecca and I spent and afternoon with our fabulous Grandma Joyce.  Of course she has a regal chair for little girls to sit on.

We had a picnic in the middle of the living room.  The two youngest sat in chairs, and the table came to their chins! It was so cute.  Of course Grandma doesn't have plastic ware of any sort in her house and the kids ate off ceramic.  At least it wasn't' the china, since the folding table collapsed in the middle of lunch!  No harm done to the plates.  I wasn't sure with 5 kids that we would make it out of her house without breaking something but by some miracle we did! We had a ball.

I found Rosy on Grandma's bed like this.  So funny.

We came to this park to play in the splash pad.  Cruelly, it was broken. Fortunately, we had Slurpees.

This is my chunky little Darren buddy.

The four of them rode all over in this jeep.