.. it's a dog's life.

Okay, so some of us are deep in a case of 

puppy love.

(and maybe some of us aren't...)

Cruz has some serious admirers.

He gets bathed and brushed and fluffed and loved all day long.

(Okay, after the school bell rings..)

..and he revels in every second of it!

Oh!! And on Sunday we were blessed with a visit from our five favorite BYU students!!

Our Santa Cruz kids came for a bite to eat and a fabulous visit!!

We love you guys, tons!!!  

Thanks for the party!

(.. oh, and DO come again!)

the tooth fairy returns.

okay.  So, I need to preface this post with a little story.


In June I headed off for a week at Girls Camp and left the younger kids in the competent, loving care of their father.  Perfect.  I came home very late Thursday night, 1:30amish, so we could get on the road to CA on Friday.  


I woke up Friday morning (clean and in my own warm bed) with Kimbel face to face.


"Mom, the tooth fairy didn't come.  For two nights."


"Really?  Hmm?"


"I don't know what to do, because we are going on vacation and I won't be in my own bed."


"Hmmm."


"Should I take my tooth?  Or should I leave it here?"


"Hmmm.  Seriously?"


So.. together we decided she should DEFINITELY take the tooth - because that tooth fairy had better get her (or his) act together!!


Happy to report the tooth fairy found us in our hotel in Nevada and Kimbel was rewarded with not one, but TWO dollars, for her patience!

* * * * *

Now to last night.

We went to Jared and Niccole's to celebrate Jare's Happy Birthday!  WooHoo!  Yummy cake.  Thanks!

While there Aunt Nicc caught sight of Braden's loose teeth on the bottom.  Now, I know that she LOVES all things dental.. but I DIDN'T know that she LOVES to pull teeth, too.  (One of those hidden talents that shouldn't be hidden under a bushel... or something like that.)

Anyway.  She convinced B. to follow her to her office (the bathroom) and proceeded to pull out his tooth.  Yes.  I know, I couldn't believe it until I saw it for myself.  No crying during.  Just a little after.  After the realization that it was not part of his body anymore.  Wow.  (She didn't cry either.)

So, after trying to convince him to let her pull out the second loose tooth, but with no success.  We headed home to tuck the tooth safely under Braden's pillow.

And... yes.  Happy to report the tooth fairy was on top of this one. 

first day.

Report from first (and second) days of school:


Up with puppy at 6:30am - I get to go out with him, because everyone else has to "get ready!!"
Madison to SHS at 7:50am, Kenna in her snazzy uniform off to Excelsior Academy at 8:05am.
  
Great!  Right on schedule..


Back home to get my other two going..


Kimbel is ready and looking cute for her first day of 4th grade and Braden, (oh so handsome) with his Ben 10 backpack.  They are ready and we are out the door by 8:40am.
Excellent!!


Where is my camera?!?  Wait.. really. Where is it?  Last time I saw it was Saturday night when I ran to my car to get it and MISSED Kelly in the dunk tank.. yes, DUNK TANK!!  at the annual hospital party.  Bummer.


First day of school and no camera. 


Fabulous. 


Oh well, I will take some tomorrow.


Yeah, right.


Just know that they looked adorable and grown up and way too big to be marching off to the world. 


9:05am:  I was in my car with a few prayers and tears.


Whew.  Back to school 2010.

Meet... Cruz.

I finally said yes. 

After much research, 

a lot of persuasion (5 against 1), 

and a little craziness..

I said yes.

Here he is... puppy Cruz.

Lesson learned:  Never say never.

Yellowstone!

Madison spent a FABULOUS week at EFY at BYU-I, in Rexburg, Idaho ~ so we persuaded Kelly's mom to join us in picking her up and headed north!  We decided to have one final fling before school starts.. 

way too soon!

 So, we rented an RV, 

loaded it up with lots of goodies and away we went!

We stopped by the gorgeous Madison River on our way into the park through West Yellowstone.

Old Faithful didn't let us down...or the hundreds of other people with their cameras ready!

Every picture was like a postcard ~ and yet, the pictures didn't do justice to the real thing.

Kimbel, Kenna, Kelly and Grandma at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Chillin' in our home away from home.

Doesn't get much better! :)

Thank goodness for my go-to guy!  

He took care of EVERYTHING!

One of the happy kids...

We spent the second night in the beautiful Fishing River area of Yellowstone Park.

The buffalo just ignore the geysers... while people are gawking at both from all angles.

Lower Falls.

My two guys.

B. and Grandma

Traffic jams... Yellowstone style.

We saw two little bears on our way down through Targhee National Forest.

We spent night #3 in Jackson Hole.

Monday we loved walking around Jackson..

a little shopping, a little ice cream.. a little more fun.

What a great long weekend.

A much-needed break from the routine.

Life is good.

New Baby Place!!

Yesterday was the Open House and dedication of the new Women's Center at Mountain West Medical Center.  Kelly did a great job in making this happen and everybody I talked with yesterday was thrilled to have such a beautiful facility in the valley.

Anyway - here is a pic from the Homebodies blog - 
glad somebody had a camera!! 

Geesh.. why didn't I?

http://beahomebody.blogspot.com/2010/07/just-for-us-girls.html

Here's the article from Thursday's paper, too...
 (hey, Nicc, you made the front page~ along with Taya, Kimbel, Kenna and Grandma!!)

www.tooeletranscript.com

Way to go, K!!

tee hee

Sometimes my dad's emails just crack me up... 

I thought I would pass this one along!  Enjoy.

Finally... it's been explained!

Thanks for the laugh, Dad!