Merry CHRISTmas to you & yours!

We're so very blessed & recognise all the goodness in our lives comes from our omnipotent Heavenly Father. We've got 7 healthy, allergy free, active, smart, developing correctly children who strive to please their Heavenly Father. We're able to take misfortune as learing opportunities & learn from our mistakes. We're thankful for the blessing of the Temple & for the convienence of having a house of the Lord right up the street.

Eventhough our schedule has to be color coordinated for each person (because its so full & complicated), we're grateful our children want to be involved in good things & we're thankful for the quality time we can share on vacations & at the cabin. Sigh, we're just so watched over its amazing! I'm here to tell ya, prayers are answered friends. We're truly TRULY blessed.

We pray all is well with you & your's. Drop us a line, respond to this blog, or email or what ever, WE JUST WANT TO CONECT WITH YA!

Cyber hugs till then! ~Joanne & crew

Our California Vacation

We had such an INCREADIBLE time in California!

4th of July Fun!

We had such a marvelous Independence Day! It started on the 3rd with a BBQ at Tyler's house (my favorite Boise sister's boyfriend). Mom & Dad & Grandma Anna Streeper (mom's mom), Susan (my favorite baby sister) & her 2 lil darlings (Carter 3 & Layla 1). Friday the 4th several of the fam went golfing early. 3 of my boys LOVE golf & even the 6:30 T time didn't deture them! After brunch & practicing our songs for the parade (later) we swam at the Green's - where the party would be. We swam & dove for afew hours, then practiced with the all LDS missionary color gaurd (flag team). They looked SO good! All in their white shirts, red ties, & black pants & shoes, & blue flags. My favorite Caldwell sister in law Melanie did a marvelous job teaching those beginners how to twirl the flag.

Each family brought a pot-luck item so we totally pigged out! There was a fish pond, volleyball, soccer croquet, pool games & several grass games to play also... of course MY team won... if you ask any of us that is. :)

Our favorite part was deffinately the PARADE! First was our handsom nephew Cody dressed in a military uniform carrying a large American Flag. Next was our band: Jeff was the drum major, Jaren played the tuba, Preston played the trumpet, Blake the cyblols, Dillon the saxaphone, me the flute, Jeff's friend the drums, + 20 kazoo players! There were 4 floats, several decorated cars, bikes, strollers, rollerbladers, & skateboarders all decked out! We all had fun hats & red white & blue on.

Of course we had a pyro-style firework show to end the festive day. That is NOT a mom's favorite part! Yikes! Somehow, nobody was injured.

Saturday Mom & Dad & Grandma Anna left early to get to a funural. The other 11 of us (our 13 + Annabeth, Susan, Carter & Layla) went to the cabin in Cascade. We had a marvelous time at the lake... not ideal but we made the most of it.

Wut are we up 2?

Besides the usual events included in caring for 9 people, I've been busy working extra hours, Dental Hygiene. It's always interestig to me how when I take time off work, the good Lord give me opportunities to make it up so we don't loose the mula from time off.

Our children have never seen the ocean, so last year we planned to take them to California to play in the 'warm' sea water. That's what I'm taking time off work for. We bought a time share plan, basically, & began the long process of making reservations in January. Don't cha think that'd be plenty of time? Nope. We recently found out they've no room for us for any time in July or August, but they did for the following week. We then made reservations at a hotel who's backdoor is the beach, as a back up plan. We'll check on the timeshare 2 weeks before we leave. Quite an adventure already!

How do we afford it? We've been putting a set amount in a savings account each month. When we get to Sunset beach, we'll show the children how much it cost to get there, the cost to return, & the cost of the hotel/time share. The remaining $ is for food & entertainment. They will them make an educated menue & amusement plan. Parks, beach -oh did I mention its a worldwide surfing contest at sunset beach the very week we're there? Yes of course I planned it strategically! (eye roll) Nope, just serendipity luck!