The Erb Garden: June 2009

Last week has been so busy and hectic but so great! We left El Centro early (3:00 a.m.) on Friday, June 19th and drove straight threw to Salt Lake. It was so good to see my mom and dad standing on the lawn waiting to see us. It has been WAY TO LONG! 10 months for my kids. Seeing as how Katie (my sis-in-law) had the swine flu and my mom had helped to watch her, no one was able to come over. We didn't want anyone to get sick. As a side note, my parents did not catch it and Katie is doing much better. Yay Katie! So, back to my story. On Saturday Parker got baptized! I can't believe that he is old enough to be baptized. It was so wonderful. We had most of our family there (some were not able to make it and we missed them! You know who you are.) and some close friends. James baptized Park and he (really both of them) was so excited. After the baptism we were supposed to go back to my mom and dad's house for a bar-b-que, but seeing as how it was raining (what are the odds?.....oh yeah, we were there. they were good odds) we had to move it to the church. Luckily the group that was going to use the gym canceled so there was room for us. It was so good to see Parker make the decision to be baptized and to be able to share it with our family and friends.

The traditional (not so pretty background) shot!

Much better background!

Dann, Chris, my dad and Kearney (I think).

Mom Erb, Katherine and Katherine's friend's little boy.

Getting the grub!

Sarah, Stevie and Jeff.

Sunday was father's day and it was great to be with my dad for this day. I love my dad so much. He is the best dad that I could ever have! There is also my husband, who happens to be a wonderful father to our kids. We had a bar-b-que (it didn't rain on this day! lol) and had all of the family there. We also had to pack for our trip to Lake Powell. Did I mention that I had just finished unpacking from our trip up from California?

James' brother Tyler and his friend have a time share on a house boat on Lake Powell. Tyler very kindly invited us to go down and spend as much time as we could with him. Can I just say that anyone that doesn't think Utah is beautiful is crazy! We drove through so many different types of landscapes and they were all so beautiful! We got to the lake and Tyler and Mark came to pick us up and we loaded up the boat and went out to the houseboat. It was absolutely gorgeous. I have lived in Utah all of my life (except these last two years) and I have never been to Lake Powell. Need I remind you that I am 37 years old? That is a long time to miss out on that joy! The houseboat was nice. It had a slide that the kids (old and young) loved. There were a bunch of Tyler's friends out there and they were all really nice. We took the kids out on the tube. They all loved it until one time it tipped over and Kearney's head got stuck underneath it while her legs were kicking. I about had a heart attack. James dove in to save her. By the time he got there she had gotten herself out and moved to the other side of the tube. James couldn't see her or two of the other kids and was extremely worried until we told him they were all okay. After that, Kearney would not get back on the tub! Really, who could blame her? The second day Parker kept begging to go wake boarding. Mark did not think that he would be able to get up seeing as how they didn't have a board his size but told him that he could try. Parker was so excited that he could hardly hold still! He got out in the water, the boat took off and he popped right up! He loved it! Kylee then wanted to try and POP! up she came! They both did so great. James ended up talking me in to trying (I have before and have not been able to do it) to get up and low and behold....I got up! We spent two days out on the lake, boating, swimming, fishing, watching movies (that was more the twins than anyone). It was good for the kids to be able to spend time with Tyler. He is so laid back and fun and they just fell in love with him.

We were waiting on the docks for 4 hours before they were able to come and get us!

James took the kids in this row boat and paddled out to a small island/rock. Parker got out about half way there and swam with them and then swam the whole way back.

Kylee and James.

Parker jumping off of the houseboat.

Now it is Kylee's turn.

Tyler and James...just hanging out!

That's me! I decided to give the slide a try.

Ireland loved looking at her reflection!

Great hiking outfit Parker!

Ireland and me. Our houseboat is in the background.

Temaire and James...ahhh young (cough, cough) love!

Ireland was wanting in on the water action!

Now Kearney needs hers!

Ireland had to go down with Tyler before she would even consider going on her own. Once she went with him she was good to go!

Kearney, on the other hand, would only go down with her dad and NO ONE else!

James, Kylee and Tyler!

Kylee kept pushing Tyler's friend Mark in. This is him trying to get her back.

Kearney, Kylee, Ireland and Parker! They LOVED it!

Hang on!

There goes Parker and Kylee!

We are so cute...oh, and mom, can we get a boat?

Parker wake boarding.

She was so shocked that she got up!

This picture is amazing for two reasons. One that I am even posting me in a suit on line and two that I got up! Multiple times!

Parker loved that he got to drive the boat.

Ireland and I hanging out in the boat while everyone else was on the lake either fishing or boating.

Kearney is so dang stinkin' cute!

Park and his carp!

James....lookin' good!

Kearney...such the poser!

Catching air!

Kylee, James and Parker

We got home on Wednesday night and then spent Thursday cleaning up and re-packing to head up to Montana. we had a Warner family reunion up in the bitterroot valley. It was so gorgeous there. We stayed in cabins and had such a great time. The Montana Warner's planned the reunion and the food etc. and they did such a great job. It was so nice to be able to see my family and spend time with them. We missed Chris and Karen, Dann, Scott, Kevin and Becky, Jason and Rachel and T.J. ,Eric and Andrew, but everyone else was able to be there. We had gymnastics...some good (Kylee, Kenzie, Parker and Cali) some not so good (Josh, Judd and Christian. lol), toads (real ones and my dad), playing in the river (crazy boys!), hiking up the mountains (Jayci, where were you? lol), zipline, paintball, swimming, the kids making shirts, bags and necklaces, and of course we had food and campfires. So fun! We drove home on Sunday and unpacked AGAIN. Can I say how sick I am of packing and unpacking? James' family was supposed to have a family reunion this week, and I am sad that we wont be doing that, but I am so glad that I don't have to pack and unpack again! At least, not until the end of August! So, that was my busy week, but so great to spend time with family!