The worlds longest post...or at least my longest post

It has been forever since I got on to post anything and I have a million things to post, so look out! The last few weeks have been so busy and have just flown by! I haven't had a moment to write anything! First of all I am back in El Centro....sigh..... I had to go back and read my post about growing so I could remind myself about some of the positives. It has been really hard for me to come back. I really miss my family (and the cool weather) sooooo much! I loved being there with them and I am counting the days, actually that is too many to count, until I go back.

James got in to Salt Lake on August 9th and we had so many fun things that we did. On the morning before he got in Jayci, my mom and I took most of the kids (we missed having Abby and Jaxon) to the Gateway Discovery Museum. It was so fun to watch the kids play and to be able to visit with each other. We saw some lady with the weirdest hairstyle ever! Don't worry, Jayci took some pictures which I will add to this post! (she was very discrete about it!) We left there and I went to pick up James from the airport. I took my kids and little Chris with me and it was so funny to watch them. My kids went running up to James to hug him and Chris started to run....then walked...then ran to him. It was so cute to watch.

Chris delivering the mail




The girls playing in the 'house'.

Two of the best women in my life!

Kylee the mail carrier

This poor kids kept trying to take Kearney's ball away. She let him know several times that that was NOT happening!

Parker, Logan and Chris making lunch.

The girls LOVED the kitchen!

Katie and Kylee on the front porch swing.

Okay, here is the lady with the hair. I hope none of you know her!

Okay, here is the back side. It is hard to tell, but the middle of the 'spikes' looked like a bowl. It was all hollowed out.

We love Life Flight!

James finally makes it home!

The next day we got together with James' family. We went to Lindsey Gardens and spent the day and evening up there. It was so much fun! We had almost everyone there (we missed Wes and Mindi and kids and Katherine). We sat around and talked. James set up his zipline (the kids love that). When James first set up the zipline Parker tried it out first. He ran it and then smacked right into the end tree. He ended up hurting his knee and other various body parts. They ended up having to move the zipline. The kids played on the playground and then there were some guys that had some skateboarding type thing (a little longer than a regular skateboard) with big wheels on the sides. They let us borrow some of them and James, Tyler, Mark (Tyler's friend) and Parker and Chris road down the hills on them. It was so fun to watch Parker and Chris try them. Anyone that knows my son knows that he is willing (and chomping at the bit) to try anything that I would consider to be an extreme sport! They did pretty well! Yes, some falling off and cuts, but they had fun. We had pizza and a great visit. It was so nice to spend time with everyone! We felt bad that we wont be seeing Zach again for a while. He is off to a school for 8 months and then to Korea a year! Poor Shara and Zach!

Parker icing his knee from his encounter with the tree!

The arm portion of the fight!

Kaleb thought that Remi was getting a little too close, so he gave her a little push!

I just love Merry go Rounds!

Marren and the twins....I just LOVE this picture!

Parker coming down the hill

Another hurt!

I don't think he is having any fun! lol

Look at how small Kaleb is next to this monster!

Zach and Shara

Mom and SOME of her kids....missing 3 more of them!

Some of the Erbs...(and 1 Denton!)

The Higbee family shrimp boil came next! I LOVE this day! Tons of crab, shrimp, sausage, corn, carrots, potatoes, garlic, and artichokes all boiled in spicy hot water! SOOOOO good! It is dumped out on a table and everyone just goes to town! (no plates for this meal!) We also have gumbo (so good) and french bread. This year for dessert we had snowies. My mom went and bought her own snowie maker, and it was terrific! Love, love, love this day! For some reason I can't find those pictures....someday hopefully they will make it to my facebook account!

The next day most of the Erbs came over to my mom and dad's house for a bar-b-que and swimming....yep! Most of the women and men (and all of the kids) got in the pool. It was so great! We had some left over shrimp boil food to start out with. James and I had some salmon that was delicious...(thanks Katie!!!) We had enough that my parents, my mother-in-law, and James and Parker the next night, all had some. It was my mother-in-law's first time in a hot tub....yep! can you believe it?! She loved it! After a bit Stevie, Sarah and Shara went in the my parents to watch the Olympics. It was a great night.

Now, the finale of the summer. The Warner family reunion. I love this time! I love my family so much and to be able to spend 4 days straight with all or most of them is so wonderful! We have gone up to East Canyon for I don't know how long (this is our last year up there...sob). It was such wonderful weather! Some people went boating (on Saturday), we had another shrimp boil (tons of crab! Thanks mom and dad), we did dutch oven cooking, riding the zipline, riding on the motorcycle (that was my grandma!), playing in the river, swimming in the pool, playing speed scrabble, exercising ( I know, can you believe it?!), eating and chatting. Jayci came up with the best idea for roasting....Starburst! You roast them over the fire until they start to drip, blow on them and then enjoy the deliciousness that melts in your mouth! It is the best thing in the world! My dog, Chancho, tried for 3 hours to snap at my cousin's dog, Coal... Poor Coal! He never gave up, he just kept going back for more and eventually he wore Chancho down. After that they were best buds! :) Ireland ended up touching a dutch oven and burned her fingers. She ended up sitting in the river for quite a while to help with that. It was so wonderful, and I hated to leave. It was so sad....I have actually had a hard time adjusting to not being with them. Okay, here goes my sappiness. I am so grateful to my family! My parents were so wonderful to put up with me and my kids (and my dog) for almost 7 weeks without any complaining (hardly any about the dog!). They have been such a great example my whole life on how you should live and how to be Christlike and I am so grateful for that. I am grateful to have the gospel in my life. I am also so grateful for my sister that was born in my family ( I love you Jayci!) and the two who married in to our craziness! (I love you too Karen and Katie!) I also love and miss my brothers born and married (Chris, Josh and Dann!). If anyone reading this has any family or friends that are even close to being as wonderful as my family your are very blessed! Okay, I found my pictures, but I am sooooo tired of doing this that if you want to see them I am going to post them on face book!