Get ready - teenager in the house!

Although it was no surprise (she's been asking for a phone for months now) we finally granted her biggest wish and bought a cell phone for Quinn's 13th birthday (Oct. 17th).  I thought she would be elated & maybe even weep for joy but no . . . instead she said, "Mom, this is like a cheap phone.  I wanted one like yours."  Joaquin & I laughed heartily and told her she starts with inexpensive (not cheap right?) and if she can prove she's trust worthy - then upgrade.  Shockingly she's already "misplaced" it once in a friends car. 

 Quinn let me off the hook this year & just wanted to order her favorite kind of cake from Costco - Yahoo for me!  The lady who took the order chuckled as she wrote down orange pumpkin balloons.  Whatever makes my girl happy.

 Jade & Shelby were all too happy to help unwrap presents.

Technically the Lankfords have been to enough of our birthday parties, vacations, & outings to be called family.  But it's official now as Whitney suffered a "Whitney sandwich" by the Smith brothers.

 Jessi has become our ham jumping in every pix lately, you can see the joy on Quinn's face can't you?  Here was one of my favorite presents - the Scripture Hero Posters.  I remember the "Mormon Ads" adorning my walls growing up & these are even better.  Quinn has them up all over her room now as well.  Awwww. . .

Happy 7th to Josh!

So here is our cool cake this year.  Isn't it awesome?  Josh likes to dream big, what can I say?

 

 We had a family party the night before his actual birthday where he opened a Napa remote control truck (shocker huh?)

 He asked if I would pick him & some friends up in the motor home from school on his birthday.  "Could we each have out own pop & eat chips too?"  I love it when requests are that simple.

They loved 'surfing' & not having to wear seatbelts - I'm just cool like that.

 We only had one boy fall in the fish pond (Spencer) and had to hold him back from trying to get back in to play with the fish, "I'm already wet."

 Josh did invite a few girls but I don't think Ally will come next year . . .

 Spencer was trying to save her, not help.  It's no wonder why Josh gets into trouble for teasing his sisters so much, he learns from the master.

 This last pix was of Shelby in front of her "alphabet art."  Every day for the first 26 days she gets to do an art project for a, b, c. etc.  We've been taping them to her door & wall when it was full.  On her 26th day she was so excited to put up Z & I promised to take this pix since Halle loves to pull them off as fast as I put them up.

In case you missed Josh's "Harry Potter spaghetti arm"

We love soccer right?!?

Here's a pix before soccer.  See Josh?  Surrounded by beautiful girls, smiling, strong unbroken bones.

 Here is Josh after soccer - OUCH!  He had just scored the winning goal when out of no where a giant of a boy (I think he had facial hair) came and kicked his arm while wearing cleats!  Ok, ok so maybe that's not exactly how it happened.  But it makes a much better story right?  Actually he had just finished playing his first soccer game and fell off the monkey bars at the park, bummer right?

 He's a trooper though.  He broke both bones in his lower arm (as you can tell).  Everyone told him he looked just like Harry Potter when the bones in his arm were zapped away.  The ER staff tried to "set" it at the hospital that night but couldn't get it just right.

 So 2 days later we went into surgery where they sedated him to set it correctly & put a pin in it, poor kid.  He still loves soccer (thanks a lot Ross - I'm blaming the whole Showalter clan you know) and hasn't let his cast stop him from anything yet.

Family Camping to Scout Mountain

Joaquin has been bugging me lately to go on "one last" camping trip in RV.  So this last weekend I finally caved.  I don't mean to be a stick in the mud but camping (from a mom's perspective) is just plain hard work.  You pack food, clothing, cooking utensils, bikes, flashlights, sleeping bags, camp chef, propane, need I go on?  Then when you get home it feels like an infinite amount of laundry. 

But having said that - I'm glad I relented.  It was was beautiful place and we enjoyed being together.  Scout Mountain is only about 45 min. away so the kids were pretty mellow for the trip.  It helped that we stopped in Poky to buy a few last supplies & treated the kids to "Five Guys."  Great way to start a trip by the way - on a full stomach.

 I know this pix is in front of our house but I wanted to show you the "new to us" toy (thanks to my sister Amy).  It's a little bike that attaches to one of ours.  Shelby thinks it rocks and we used it many times up and around Scout Mnt.

 The kids loved picking lots of flowers & taking walks.

Jessi was my "poser" this trip, always asking me to take pix of her.

 Quinn is taking a photography class this trimester & snapped a few of us with the sunset.

 Man, I still look hot without make up or a shower don't I?

 Josh's bike is too hard to shift gears with his cast but he didn't want to miss out on the biking.  He swallowed his pride & rode Shelby's so he could cross the water.

 Finally I capture Quinn in a pix.

 Shelby posing with her bouquet & her dreamy expression.

 Jessi loved this pix, we just finished eating smores and it looks like she has blood trickling down her chin (it's really chocolate - she went around pretending to bite our necks).  Great trip and still loving the big blue beast of an RV!

Quick question

Ok friends - I posted this on facebook but wondered if lots of you were like me and check your blog more than FB.  So here's my question.

I've been doing this crazy Halloween Party for the last few years & need your opinion. I'm planning the party for Friday, Oct. 21st @6pm in Lava. We'll zipline, chase clues, soak in the hot pools & end at a hotel. 

Joaquin thinks we should do the hotel on Friday night but do the party on Saturday around 2pm so we can have longer to zipline, chase clues, etc. then go home late Saturday - 

Which would you prefer?

I think people will ditch the hotel & just show up on Saturday @2.  What do you think?  Should I just cut out the hotel all together & plan a longer party on Saturday?  It would be cheaper.  Thanks -

Back to School 2011

Well this summer has been loads of fun but I'm so grateful that all my kids wanted to go back to school.  I was ready too.  I snapped a few fun close ups of them before church & of course on the first day of school.  As a side note - we sold our rental!!! We are so happy with our new neighbors & it went so well.  It cost a whopping $13 to record the deed of ownership transfer, wow and we are done!

 Shelby (5)

 Jessi (10)

 Quinn (12)

Halle (1)

Josh (6)

 Here's the whole beautiful (and handsome Josh) crew.

 Shelby was still asleep (I love afternoon kindergarten) or she would be in the pix too.

 Just look at that smile - she picked out this sparkly dress/long shirt outfit and couldn't wait to wear it.

 She begged to ride her bike to school the first day, until about half way when she cried & told me it took too long. 

Isn't that just a great shot of Quinn?  We went as a family to cheer for her first away game in Marsh Valley last night.  They won all 4 games and she even made points on a few of her serves, what a woman!  Note to the wise, never bring the little siblings to "cheer" for older ones for 2 hours - it got boring & even ugly for a while.  It always sounds good in my head . . .

Anyone interested in our Rental?

 We are hoping to Sell (or Rent) our house on 193 Howard St.  If you know anyone who is interested would you let me know?  Here are some pix with the basic info.  Thanks everyone!

 View from the back

 View from just inside the front door.  The entire house has been repainted inside (thank you Donna!)

 This is a full bath (I just couldn't squeeze it in the picture)

 One of the 2 bedrooms on the main floor.  Both bedrooms have new paint & new carpet

 The other room on the main floor

 The finished room in the basement (wasn't as clean as I'd hoped but I didn't give them any warning before I showed up to take pix!)

 The unfinished basement where the washer & drier are.  There is also a little food storage room & an unfinished bedroom on the right hand side.

 View of the kitchen coming up from the basement.

 Another view of the kitchen.

View from off the front porch.   We are asking $114,900 - or if someone would like to rent we are asking $650 + utilities.  Just thought I'd put the word out to my friends!  Thanks you guys.