30 days, 30 pictures, 30 posts

In a valiant effort to get back on the blogging horse, I'm posting 30 posts/30 pictures in 30 days.  It may be a failed experiment, but if one doesn't try, one won't know if something will work, will one???

So here's to a new blogging day, and we must start with the big event of the Summer...

Allison and Ryan's wedding!!!

The beautiful Newport Beach Temple was the place, August 10th was the day, and it was all a wonderful and fun experience.  There will no doubt be more pictures from the trip, but here are two of the happy couple.  (The top one is my favorite!!)

How did he do this???

A beautiful bride, and a handsome groom.

Here are a few more tidbits of info...

-Everyone from our family was able to come except Brandon, T1 and T2.  (You guys were missed!!!)

-Grandma Sollenbarger came to California for the big event, as did Shannon and Steven.

-I made Allison's dress from 2 patterns and a picture off the internet

-Their reception in California was a Mexican Fiesta!!  Ole!

-It was wonderful to have 3 of our daughters, and 2 sons-in-law in the sealing room.

-We had a simple open house in Lewiston after Ryan and Allison got back from their honeymoon cruise. 

Now the newlyweds are getting settled into their apartment and getting ready to start classes next week!

We couldn't be happier, (nor could they, I think!!) 

April in Review (and a Smidge of May)

Amber and Kristin were paired up as doubles partners for the match against Moscow.  They won the first set, lost the second and were tied 9-9 in a tie-breaker when the match was called for snow!!  Sleety, hail-y, snow!!

Trev's soccer season ended today.  They lost to Grangeville 4 - 2.  It really could have gone either way.

Thanks to this little guy, born 49 minutes before Grandpa's birthday...

I got to go hang out and play Grandma with these two...

And I got to make this very cute airplane quilt.  Notice the minky backing.  I love it!!

The whole Dallas family.

And the end of the school year means end of the year dances.  Amber came out of Seminary to find her car completely filled with balloons.  She said yes!!

Forrest, Mikayla, Amber and Aaron.

A little better shot of Amber's dress and yours truly, seamstress of said dress.  It was brutal toward the end, but it all turned out.

Of course, Freshman year wouldn't be complete without Freshman Dance.  Miranda,  Kristin, Riley, Ashley and Nikki - all fancied up.  (I made Kristin's dress also)  Hopefully her slip wasn't hanging out all night!  :)

And because they are Freshman, (well, really just girls who like to have a bit of fun) they had to jump on the tramp in their fancy dresses.  This is not a quality shot, but I think it conveys the feeling of the moment.

A Spring re-cap

We have had some beautiful mornings.  Look at that lovely pinkish cast on the  hills of the canyon.

 I love how the sun is illuminating part of the distant hills, and the trees in our yard.

Trev received his Star Scout rank at the last Court of Honor.  I love the tradition of the  saluting the mom with a kiss.  You can tell Trev loves it as well!  ;)

John celebrated his birthday last week.  Here he blows out the candles on his Sour Cream Blueberry Pie.

I finally caught Amber and her partner, Garrett, before their match.  They won!!

Trev talks strategy with his buddy, Sam, before their soccer game.  Whatever they talked about worked.  Trev scored 3 goals and they won, 6 - 0.

Decorating Easter Eggs, big kid style.  Trev and Kristin both tried their hands at blowing  out their eggs.
A big kid note, Amber declined to participate.  :(

Here is one of a couple of penguin eggs Kristin decorated.  She had a theme going.

And now we see the demo of Trev's homemade slingshot in action.  That is an egg in the  launch area.  Not seen - the egg ending up on the deck, Humpty Dumpty style.  Sometimes, your experiments just don't pan out.

He is here!!!

Please join with me in welcoming the newest member of the family.

Benson Graham Peay made his way into the world, two weeks early, but weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs 15 oz.  This little cutie was 20 inches long and was born on March 26, 2013 at 11:11 pm, just 49 minutes shy of being his Grandpa Rietz's birthday buddy!

Benson seems quite satisfied to be here!

His big brothers, Talmage and Tanner, will take good care of him, for sure!   Soon enough,  Benson will be wrestling with his brothers and dad, but for now, he is content to just be held and adored.

This Grandma is headed south tomorrow to be one of the willing adorers, and hopefully give Brandon a little break and Ashley a chance to rest and recuperate.

FINALLY!!!

Homecoming 2012 - Princess Amber

Homecoming 2012 - Princess Amber and her escort, Trevor

Homecoming 2012 - Crowning Princess Amber with her escort, Trevor, looking on

These pictures are long in coming!  Decent pictures of Trevor escorting Amber during the LHS Homecoming Game halftime.  Pictures that I couldn't get myself, but in the effort of trying, missed seeing it happen!!  Lesson learned!  Ask someone else to take pictures of the big events.  Its more important to be in the moment!!  A thousand thanks to Jesse for getting these to me!!!

Tennis anyone???

 Another sure sign of Spring is the advent of Tennis season.

Amber and Kristin are both playing Varsity and this weekend was the Lewiston Invitational.  Many schools come from around the region to participate.  The weather for the most part was good, which isn't always the case with the Lewiston Invite.  The matches the girls were involved in were all able to be completed, with only one each having a slight rain delay.

Amber and her partner, Garrett, won one match and lost two on Friday.  That put them in the Consolation Bracket.  They fought hard, but couldn't get the match on Saturday.  Amber only hit Garrett in the head once during her serves.  (That's two for the season so far, and the first match was just Tuesday.  ;)  Garrett is keeping track!

Amber and Garrett working out a strategy for the game

Amber showing her hard work to rehab her shoulder is paying off.

Kristin and her partner, Kaitlyn, won two matches Friday, lost one and found themselves in the Championshop Bracket.  They fought hard in their match on Saturday.  They lost the first set, and took the second set 6-0, but lost in the tie breaker. Not bad for a Freshman and Sophomore.

Kristin serving on the Gold and Green courts at Sac Jr. High.  Not the greatest choice for a court color!!!

Kristin and Kaitlyn - I told Kaitlyn's dad one of them needs to dye their hair because with their hair pulled back, and their backs to me, I am sure to call one the wrong name.  (History has a good record of this!)


My score?   Love (it) all!!!

Is it Spring when???

Is it Spring when....

Trev is shooting hoops as much as he can?

the robins start showing up?

 

the trees start budding out?

the sky looks like this one day...

and this the next???

the daffodils start coming up?

These are all signs of Spring to be sure, but there's really only one sure way to know around this house...

Yep, when John pulls out the fertilizer spreader!  Then we know Spring is here!