Home at last...

Oh man...this vacation was anything but relaxing!!!

But we are so glad we got to be there with Mel and Nathan for their special day and that we got to attend Andy's farewell...that kid can sure command an audience...he is gonna make one heck of a missionary!!!

Elsie got to ride Strip again today...one last farewell until our next visit...

The ride home was...well, noisy.

Let's just say,I can't wait to get back to normal...with normal amounts of sleep for ALL of us!!!

July 8

Picture soon...

Last night was too late to post one!

For Time and All Eternity...

Melodie and Nathan were married in the Salt Lake Temple today...

Which is kinda fun, because it is my parents 35th wedding anniversary today.

They are a pretty great little couple...
With a BIG family...

My Strip...

Now we are ready to leave for Springville.

We couldn't go before Elsie got to ride 'her' Strip.

Man, she loves that horse!

A hard days work...

Oh, and it feels so good!!!

Today we re-shingled Mindi's house.

I wasn't planning to go out there...but the boy was sleeping, and Elsie was happy playing...and we were short some boys when the shingles finally came in...

So I got up there and helped out...

It was so much fun.

I am so sore, but it is the good, I worked hard today, kind of sore.

Then we went in town with Mindi and Lexi tonight to the fair for some food and fun.

Lots of pictures to share later.

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The big girls spent the entire day playing with Heather and Lauren and Morgan...

They had so much fun.

We finally got home tonight around 10:00 and they all hit the pillows hard!

I hope everyone sleeps awesome tonight...

Still LOTS more to do this weekend...

Tomorrow we are on our way to Springville for a couple days for my sisters wedding, then back to Evanston for Andy's farewell.

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Now I am gonna go to sleep!

We made it here safely...

Here we are in Evanston...for a very cRaZy weekend...

Lots of stuff to get done in such a short time!

But we are so happy to be here...

Here is a little bit of what we did today after our LONG drive!

I am actually kinda lovin' this picture...

This is down by the river...the kids had fun skipping rocks, and getting really wet!

Too bad I'm not wearing any make-up, or I would use it for our Christmas picture...ha, ha...Brent wishes!

The boy helped Grandpa out with the goats and in the store.

Porter loves it here!

Here he is, begging Bumpa for a Pepsi that he found in Grandpas lunch bag...

Sweet sisters...

Cass, feeding Strip...
We are gonna ride her tomorrow!
Elsie is so excited!

Playing with Strip some more...

Posing in front of Strip...
I just have to say that my Madi is such a great helper with Elsie.
Thanks Bell, for being so amazing!

Taking a ride in the mule with Grandma.
It was a fun day...
I am sure tomorrow will be just as great, if not better!!!

So glad...

I am so SO glad that we invested in water shoes for little Elsie...

Look at these things!!!

Can you image what her feet would look like if we didn't have these on her little piggies????

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Oh, and check out my Garth Brooks concert post HERE...

http://thematthewsfam.blogspot.com/2010/08/garth-picts.html

So much fun!!!!!

Melted crayons...

Madi had a great idea this morning.

She peeled some crayons and we put them into mini muffin pan...

To make their own little crayons.

Mixtures of pink and red...black and orange, green and yellow, blue and purple.

Then we stuck the muffin pan out in the sun.

At first the girls wanted to sit and watch them melt.

I told them they would be there for a VERY long time if they wanted to do that!

So we did some stuff around the house...and went swimming...

When we got home they were looking good, but still needed a little more heat, so I stuck them in the oven for just a minute...let them cool...

And they were perfect!

They had a lot of fun coloring with them...

I am sure this won't be the last time we do this...

Garth picts!!!

We had an amazing time!!!

The ride up was fun...we rode with the radio hosts Alana and Randy from 104.3....they are hilarious...and a couple other ladies.

It was so much fun.

We got there and got in line for the general admission.

We were worried we wouldn't get very good spots, cause we were so far back in the line.

There were people there since 7:30 that morning, and we got there at about 3:30.

Anyway, they let us in at about 4:30, and we ran and ran trying to get a good spot...

Brent went right to the front and found a spot just big enough for our blanket folded up.

Perfect!!!

In front of our limo...

Brent...just waiting for the time to pass...

In front of the stadium...before Garth got there.
There is a stadium with a very intimate seating size....like a high school auditorium...and a field of grass behind that.
We were about three rows back on the grass, with a perfect view into the stadium.


More and more people fitting into the holes here and there...
Can you spot where I am???

Garth put on a great show.....and even brought his wifey...Trisha Yearwood.

They were very sweet!

He did the same show that he does in Vegas...and he is very entertaining.

He had us laughing like crazy!

Garth is one cool dude!

Waiting in the HOT sun...wishing the sun would go down, but loving the whole thing anyway!

We even met this guy...

His name is Otti, or Audi...I am not sure of the spelling.

But he is best friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger...

He showed us the watch that Arnold gave his for Christmas.

It had the seal of California on the back.

Otti, or Audi was about the coolest guy ever...

And he knew everyone there...he is a very popular ski instructor there in Sun Valley.

He and his girlfriend were very fun to sit and talk to...

The second half of the program he played with the Sun Valley Symphony.

It was amazing!

Especially when he did 'Thunder Rolls'...

Talk about goosebumps!!!

Amazing!

The sun finally went down...

Aren't we such a cute couple!

More of Garth...he is quite the show-man!!!

One last shot of us sleeping in the limo on the way home.

What a great time!

We definitely needed the time together...it was so great.

We are so lucky to have such amazing friends who are willing to take our kids for so very long!

We dropped our kids off at the Young's house at about 11:30...and they were there most of the day and then Heather brought them back home and got them ready for bed, then Jenni came over, got them in bed and stayed at our house until 1:00, when we got home!

Don't I have the best of friends!!!

Thanks so much guys...

We owe you big time!!!

Off to the Garth Brooks concert!!!!

Yep...

That's right!!!

A few weeks ago Brent entered a contest at Zamzows...

Well, we got a message on the answering machine when we got back from camping...
WE HAD WON!!!!

The whole message was on the air at the radio station...104.3

Did anyone hear it???

Anyway...we are so blessed to have amazing friends who are willing to take our kids for the entire day.

Thanks to the Young Family and the Terry Family!!!

You guys ROCK, and we really owe you!!!

We get to have a limo ride all the way to Sun Valley for the concert.

We are really excited!!!

I am sure I will have a million pictures to share!!!