Visiting the Triplets!

Journey June is a Daddy's girl and a little social bug .Auntie Angie sharing a smile with Journey.Felicity Faith is the most petite. She looks just like me when I was a baby.
Cousin Hailey holding Felicity.Trinity DeAnne has an amazing smile.

Cousin Lacey holding Trinity.

Amber, Lacey, Hailey and I visited our 3 1/2 month old nieces on Saturday. Our brother Brian and his wife Michele live in Napa. They have a soon to be 3 year old boy and a set of triplet girls. The girls were born 8 weeks prematurely. They are all very healthy and growing well. As for their parents; well, let's just say they are surviving. Sleep is limited and quietness is a rare commodity. Brian and Michele are doing a wonderful job and are two very committed parents. Hang in there guys! You are in our prayers!

Thank you so much Brian and Michele for letting us enjoy the day with ALL of you!

Just passing time...

While Brian was away on the strike team the kids and I visited Auntie Destiny in Redding.
We stayed for 2 nights. On the first day, Destiny's boyfriend, Brandon took us to their favorite
swimming spot along the Sacramento River. It was beautiful! The railroad tracks run parallel to
the river. Hailey enjoyed looking for old railroad pieces to add to her growing collection of antiques.

Keagan and Brandon were very intent on catching as many Minos as would fit in the soda bottle.

Brandon, Auntie Dest., & Hailey flowing with the current. Hailey hang on for dear life!

Bethany & Auntie Dest. taking in the fun and the sun.

"Don't worry Keagan," says Brandon. "I won't throw you in, this time."

Dining at Logan's Restaurant for dinner. The kids could not understand that it was really O.K. to throw the peanut shells on the floor. They loved watching the fire rage on the grill as the cook grilled the steaks. Aunt Destiny treated each of them to 2 songs of their choosing on the jut box.This was taken when no one was watching. And yes, Bethany is sitting in the barrel of peanuts!

Keagan is the shark. Destiny and Brandon are the Minos. We had fun swimming at the apartment complex pool one morning while Destiny was at work.

On our last day, I took the kids to the Shasta Caverns. They loved browsing through the gift store while we waited to board the ferry.
Due to the low lake levels we had to walk down a very steep road about 3/4 a mile where the tour boat was boarding. Shasta Lake has not been this low since 1977. The year I was born!
We started the tour by taking a ferry across the Lake. The kids loved it! Then a bus took us up a windy road about 2 miles to a visitors center at the cave entrance. The cave was very cold but incredibly interesting. We were taken into five different rooms. Separating each of the rooms was a flight of stairs. One of the rooms required us going up a flight of 80 steps. The older kids did great. Bethany, on the other hand, required me carrying her up the steep steps. Her little legs just could not make it up the stairs in the time that we needed to. The rest of the time she did great walking. At the very last room, the lights were turned on and picture taking was allowed. I was stoked; that is until I turned my camera on and saw the words flashing CHANGE THE BATTERY PACK. I was so disappointed. The memories will always be with us.

We came home late Monday night and Brian came home Wednesday evening. He is back on his normal rotation, rested and ready to fight more fires!

A SURPRISE VISIT!

On Saturday afternoon the kids and I took off to Redding to visit

Aunt Destiny for a few days. In route, I received a surprise phone

call from Brian. He was on a 24 hr. break & staying in a hotel off

I-5 in Corning. Within 20 minutes we met up with him in the hotel

parking lot. The kids were SO EXCITED to see him! Brian showed

them all around the O.E.S. engine. They could smell the smoke in and around the engine, but we're very glad to hang out with dad for a few minutes.

Remember the Firefighters & their families...

Brian has been gone for week on a strike team. He drove the lime green O.E.S. engine down south to Madera, Ca. and staged for 28 hrs. At 11:00 p.m., the crew was asked to report to the Chico fairgrounds for their 1st assignment. After driving most of the night they were put on the fire lines.

Brian has moved around to various fires within the Butte County Lighting Complex Fire. He is currently working 24 hr. shifts on the Camp Fire. He is most likely going to be gone an additional 7-10 days, but can be gone up to 14 days.

At one point this week Brian went 3 days on only 6 hrs. of sleep & without changing his clothes. All the firefighters are stretched thin right now. Please keep the firefighters & their families in your prayers as the fire season is expected to last through October.

Kit Kitridge...a mini Hailey!

Hailey did extra chores around the house to earn enough money for an American Girl doll. After 3 months, she was ready to make her $89 purchase. However, she was still uncertain on which doll to order. She ultimately decided on Kit Kitridge because it looked the most like her. Shortly after the doll arrived we found out that Kit Kitridge, a featured film was coming out in theatres on July 2. She was thrilled. This gave Hailey something to look forward to after the wedding. So, on July 3 we drove to a theatre in Oroville. Hailey, Bethany and mom watched, Kit Kitridge while Keagan, Uncle Josh, and Dad watched, Wall-E. We had a great day! Bethany loves dolls and can't wait to get her own American Girl doll. In the meanwhile, Hailey does a great job of sharing Kit. The girls recently got their haircuts to match Kits. Oh, the memories!

Red, White, & Blue...

The 4th of July is an exciting holiday for our children.
For the past 5 years, Brian has been on the committee for the children's 4th of July parade in Yuba City. The kids dress-up, decorate their bikes and stroll down Plumas Street. Year after year, Brian drives the John Deer tractor which leads the parade. It just kills him to return it to the dealership after the event. We sure could use a tractor like that around the property! In the evening we joined Tim & Casey at their house for some more festivities. Thanks guys for the invite! We enjoyed getting to know all your friends from church & look forward to many more get togethers.

Sleepover Fun with Cousin Mya!

Mya came over for a sleepover before flying back to New York.
All the kids had so much fun! Sleepovers will be few and far between from here on out.

The little girls thought they were so BIG on top of Hailey's bed!

Keagan was the life of the party or at least the little girls thought so.

Piggy backs from Keagan...PRICELESS!

Wedding favorites...

Keagan looking very handsome and grown-up in his tuxedo!

Bethany & Hailey excited about the "Big Day" they have dreamed of for months.

Cousin Mya and Bethany relaxing on the sofa just before the wedding . The girls were so excited about being all dressed up in their matching dresses, shoes, earings and, oh yes, their matching yellow polka dot bikinis.

"Fire Captain Dave & Fire Captain Eric thank you so much

for the awesome food and the tickles," giggles Bethany.

Cousin Lacey Brown & Hailey smiling for the camera!

Just as in love...

On June 1st, 1996, I married my high school sweetheart and my very best friend. Thank you Brian for bringing so much happiness into my life, for loving me through thick and thin, and for faithfully providing for me & our children. You are an amazing father and husband! Thank you for marrying me! These photos brought tears to my eyes. One cannot help but think of their own wedding while attending another.

A little older and a little wiser, but still very young at heart & SO MUCH IN LOVE!

Much to our surprise, we got to re-live our "first dance" from 12 years ago! Only this time in the comfort of our own yard.

I still remember our wedding day and how we felt. As we danced to our song all those giddy feelings of romance came over us. Despite the embarrassment & lack of experience, we enjoyed every minute of it! Thanks Matt & Ashlie for this amazing adventure!

P.S. If you drive by our house you just might see us dancing under the moonlight...practicing for the next BIG family wedding!