THE VANCE'S

New Family Picture!

2010-07-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Crater Lake

pretty cute family too...but then again, I am a bit biased!

Good finds!

2010-07-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

My new favorite breakfast!

Where Does She Come Up With This Stuff?

2009-11-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

So today we where leaving the gym...and Eliza was HUNGRY! First she asked for something from the snack bar at the gym, when I suggested we go home and get a snack there, she moved on to McDonald's..."please MOMMY, I am so hungry!" I then said, "oh Eliza, I think it will be better for us to go home and get a snack there. Her reply, "ugh I don't like that idea!" At this point we are in the car driving home. She is really working on me...but I remain firm in my resolve to stay the course and get home for a snack! She then moves on to In and Out,(i know it sounds like we eat a lot of fast food!) "Mommy I really want a grilled cheese from In and Out, they and so good and so healthy" I reply, "Eliza we can get a healthier snack at home." And my favorite retort from her is"Mommy I know I can't have a grilled cheese..but my brain and my taste buds are telling me something different!"

Harvest!

2009-09-30T10:54:00.001-07:00

look what we grew!!

i think we will have these for dinner tonight!

and maybe these tomorrow- stuffed peppers anyone?

What to make?

2009-09-29T16:47:00.001-07:00

I am in a rut!! I need inspiration...what do i make for dinner???

DISNEYLAND

2009-09-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Last time for awhile!

So Sad...

New Pics!!

2009-09-15T17:59:00.001-07:00

I don't know if you noticed but, I finally changed the pictures of my kids!!! Aren't they great pictures? They are courtesy of my friend Katie Butler! Check out her web site at http://www.barefootlifephotography.com/ She does great work if you need pictures! Christmas presents, cards etc!

Hawaii!!!

2009-09-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, we have been to our 50th state a lot lately....but we just can't seem to stay away! We went to Maui this time around and it was beautiful. We went with some wonderful friends, and enjoyed spending time and catching up in paradise!

this was the view we saw everyday! oh yeah!

beautiful Kapalua!- D.T. Fleming Beach

almost there! that was one of the bumpiest landings ever. I had the barf bag ready and waiting! ugh!

My friend Christi and I.

haliaka...i know i spelled that wrong! breathtaking!

look mom I'm on top of the world!

the Vance's and the Danielson's

Brody, Tyler and Spencer. Tyler and Spencer have been friends since birth!

Catching a few waves...

the water was amazing!

Beautiful island views!

These pics are a little out of order Sorry. Anyways, we stayed at a beautiful hotel, with water slides, awesome beach, and beautiful artwork around, and this is the only picture we got! We were too busy going down the water slides, and jumping off the roped swing. Hopefully we can go back again and get some good pictures!

Black sand beach on the Road to Hana...which i didn't go on btw, i have heard the horror stories of car sickness! Too bad i missed out, by the looks of this picture, it was very beautiful!

Waiting to go out and snorkel. We snorkeled quite a bit on this trip. We saw turtles, eels, and David and Olivia saw an Eagle Ray!

Down at the blow hole, having gun!

Christi and Tess! Tess is olivia's bff!

Goofy kid!

he kept getting so close, i was afraid he was going to get sucked out!

just finishing up with surfing lessons. i was supposed to get there earlier to take pictures and of course i was late bummer! They told me everyone got up multiple times, i wish i could have seen it!

Tyler and Spencer enjoying our last day in Kaanaplali. We love Maui! Can't wait to go back!

Eagle Project

2009-09-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

My Eagle Scout!

Then &

Now!!

The Project! Landscape this parcel of dirt so kids can enjoy the game!

I think i can do this!

Look at all of those hard workers!

Digging trenches is hard work!

Having fun using the power tools! This dirt is full of rocks!

Swinging the ax!

The end result!

Thanks again to everyone who helped and donated your time and money. We couldn't have done this without you!

in use!!

My Sweet 4 Year Old!

2009-04-28T14:14:00.001-07:00

Isn't she the cutest?

She is 4 and starting pre-K tommorow! I am sad!

My Shining Stars!

2009-03-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

Our stake had a roadshow a couple weeks ago and our ward participated in it. We had a blast! It was a lot of work but the kids had so much fun. The stake theme was "The Right Stuff". Our wards skit was "Giselle is on a quest to find a man with the Right Stuff". It was so cute. All of the kids did a great job!

Here are my favorite stars! Olivia was a handmaiden to Giselle, and Tyler played a singing Indiana Jones, one of Giselle's potential suitors.

Brotherly Love!

Giselle with her Handmaiden's! Aren't they so cute!

Giselle with all her potenial suitors!

Some of my cute Mia Maids!

The fearless leaders! They did so much work...it wouldn't have happened without them!

Most of the cast! I couldn't get everyone in! I need that wide angle lens!

Our stake put these on every four years, I think all of the adults will have recovered by then!

Wicked!

2009-03-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Olivia and I, went on a girls trip to San Fransisco a few weeks ago.

We saw this!!!!!

It was amazing.... David asked me if it was as good as Phantom, and Le Mis, and I answered him with a resounding YES!!! I bought the soundtrack today. As Eliza and I where eating our lunch listening to Defying Gravity, I found myself with tears rolling down my cheeks! What a nerd I am. What can I say...it is a very moving song, as is all of the songs are!

Dinner before the show...our poor waitress, there were eleven of us picky girls!

After the show...waiting patiently for the cast to come out and maybe get an autograph!!!

Yay, our patience paid off....Olivia got Elphaba's (Teal Wicks) signature! She was so good!

Doesn't she look like she is about 16?

The next morning we went out to breakfast and wandered around Union Square and walked up to the Ferry Building!

This is after our breakfast....we where all so full we didn't eat lunch that day!

What a fun weekend...good friends, good food, great entertainment, and spending time with my Olivia... I will have to that more often!

Snow in El Dorado Hills!!!

2009-02-18T13:50:00.001-08:00

Look what Friday morning greeted us with!

Of course the kids were TRILLED! Poor Tyler had to miss all of the fun because he was off to wrestling!

We had snow about 3 years ago, so we were excited to say the least!

It was a wonderful winter treat!

Rose Parade Floats

2009-01-28T16:03:00.001-08:00

While we were visiting my family this past Christmas, we got to go up and see some of the Rose Parade Floats while they were being worked on. I have never seen the float up close and in person before so it was a shock to see how big they really were! It is quite an undertaking to put these massive beauties together! The ironic thing about us seeing the floats early is that we didn't even watch the Rose Parade this year(we always do!) we chose to go to Disneyland instead! It was a crazy busy on New Years Day, what was everyone doing there? They were all suppose to be at home watching the parade and football games! No such luck! Anyways I digress. We had fun going up to Pasadena that day.

Here we are in front of the Donate Life float. My sister-in-law volunteers for this organization(that's how we got in!) We actually donated $25 and got to put a rose on the float that was dedicated to my mom.

I can't remember which one this is...do you notice all of the scaffolding?
Tyler and Carol,(my sister-in-law) We love her!

Christina, (my niece) and Olivia putting my mom's rose on the float!

More decorating.

Beautiful flowers.

I wish these pictures represented what they really looked like before they were done!

Too bad you can't smell these!

We had a fun time, thanks Carol!

Barefoot Life Photography

2009-01-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

A few people have commented on how much they like my header picture. So I thought I would shamelessly plug the photographer. Her name is Katie Butler and she is in my ward. She does a great job and we were so pleased with the pictures she took. So if you need a family picture (remember Pres. Monson said you should take one every year) you should give her a try. Her website is http://www.barefootlifephotography.com/. Check it out!

Ballerina Girl!

2009-01-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Eliza took ballet lessons this past year. At first she didn't want to even go in the class, but by the end she didn't want to leave. At Christmas time the school put on their version of The Nutcracker. It was very cute and not too long! Yay! Eliza was thrilled to be a gumdrop! She did a great job and was adorable in her tutu!

Before the Tutu!

A picture with the star of the show! Don't they look cute in the tutus!

Eliza and with her BFF, Whitney!

Winter Hot Tubbin and Saggy Swim Suits

2009-01-15T13:21:00.000-08:00

The family went to visit our family friends last week. The Grown Ups were going out for sushi while the kids stayed home and had pizza! Well, of course all of our kids like sushi so they weren't very pleased with the plan. So we bribed them with some Winter Hot Tubbin! My kids were not prepared for the festivities, so they had to borrow some Hot Tubbin attire! Of course Olivia was fine, but this house is now without a toddler so no toddler sized suit! No matter we made do! Check out the saggy drawers! I love it!

Too Bad you weren't there to fully appreciate the saggy!

Love the poses girls!

A Very Fun Thanksgiving!

2009-01-07T11:39:00.001-08:00

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving this year...we got to go to Hawaii!!! We have had this trip planned for a long time so we were very happy to finally be there! Sorry for the so many pictures. I promise I did edit. Can you tell Eliza isn't very happy here? She refused to walk on the sand...she thought crabs would get her. We thought Oh no this is going to be a long ten days... but I am happy to report she got over her crab fear!

We were driving along and noticed huge crowds on the beach so we pulled over to see what was going on and found these guys. They were huge!

Beautiful Hannama Bay...great snorkeling too.

We walked down to the bay but rode the tram back up. They charge 1 dollar for a ride down and 2 dollars for the ride back up.... hey wait a minute! Pretty smart thinking!

I guess you never get too old bury someone in the sand!

playing ancient Hawaiian games at the Poleneysian Cultural Center!

Ukulele Lessons!

That is a lot of prints!

How did I get such a babe of a husband?

That was GOOD ice cream!

This is what we did after we had our turkey!

Those of you who know me and David can tell who Olivia takes after! Not me!!!

David just finished body surfing off his pumpkin pie....not like he needs to!

Ok so I love these shoes...we all have a pair, and when I found them in Eliza's size I had to get her a pair!

We had a great time! David and I decided that next we are going, we're going sans kids! Sorry guys!

She's finally out of the Crib and in a Big Girl Bed!

2009-01-07T11:26:00.001-08:00

Now if we can get rid of the "binkie"!

Catching Up!

2008-12-20T06:54:00.001-08:00

Wow it has been a long while, so please forgive me! So here are a few things we have been up too. I have to say also that they aren't in chronological order! Sorry!

Olivia turns 12! She love candy corn and her birthday is days before Halloween so that always works out to her advantage!

Birthday Breakfast!

Grandma and Eliza working on the cake!

12 is a super big deal....you get to wear make-up! (in limited amounts of course!)

Can you tell this is what she truly wanted....a pink camerea, it had to be pink!

Firguring out the new toy...

How better to finish a great day but with Olivia's favorate...white cake with straberries and cream.

Preschool art door! This is Eliza's first year of school and she has been very prolific with her projects!

Cute boy going off to a dance! Love the PINK shirt! I had to add this one!

MY POOR NEGLECTED BLOG

2008-11-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

New posts coming soon. Sorry!!!

Tagged!!!

2008-09-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

I was tagged about 2 weeks ago by Dave's cousin Jen Opp. Jen is a cool gal. She seems to have a shy and modest personality, but after reading her blog I am finding out what a great sense of humor and quick wit she has. Also she is a great writer! OK so here you are!

TAGGED-3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions, 3 facts about yourself, and tag five people by listing their names at the end of post!

3 JOYS

-a sparking clean kitchen
-that time of night when the kids are all in bed and the house is quiet and I can hang out with David!
-watching my kids gain their OWN testimony of the gospel and seeing them try so hard to choose the right and make good choices.

3 FEARS

-Bears in Yosemite
-getting the Stomach Flu
-that my children will stray away from the gospel

3 GOALS

-get my kids craft and school supply drawers organized, its a MESS
-get Eliza off the Binky She is 3 years old for heavens sake!!
-to stand in the temple with all of children and their spouses

3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS

-nieniedialouges.blogspot.com
-bravo tv reality shows ie, Project Runway, Top Chef(my favorite and it starts soon yay!), Top Design
-talk radio (my kids are getting really annoyed!)

3 FACTS ABOUT MYSELF

-I have never lived alone
-I used to work at Disneyland
-I like chocolate way too much!

I am sorry but i don't have that many friends or family who blog and i don't know who to tag!

Garden Update

2008-09-18T13:05:00.001-07:00

I know everybody has been waiting with baited breath for a report on our garden! Well I do not have a green thumb. I need help! We have lots of basil and cilantro, but some kind of caterpillar has suck the life out of all of our tomatoes. Every time I would take off one of those greedy caterpillars, another one would make it's way over to our poor tomato plant! Also our zucchini plant is covered in some kind of tiny, sticky black things! Does anybody have some suggestions on how to keep away the tomato parasites and the sticky black things on our zucchini? HELP!!!

look at that tomato killer!!!

Our only tomato that didn't get eaten but it still had cracks!

My Soccer Star!

2008-09-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

Olivia started soccer about a month ago. She loves to play and can't wait until it starts every year. We have to sign up in March and they start to play in the beginning of August. It is soo hot out there when we start! Her first game was 2 weeks ago, and it was 108 degrees!!! Man it was hot! I have to say though it didn't deter her team, they won 5-0! Olivia is playing right of left mid this season and she is enjoying the new challenge, as last year she was a defender! So you know where we will be every Saturday untill November!!

Got to get that ball!

We love #15!

She's in the zone!

Way to go Olivia!!!!

My Little Kitchen Helper!

2008-09-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

I wonder where she learned how to do this!!!

JOY SCHOOL

2008-09-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Eliza started preschool last week!! What am I going to do with myself for 3 hours twice a week? The first day I was very good and went to the gym and picked up groceries, but I have to admit the second day even though I was ready to go the gym and exercise I didn't go. Do you know what I did instead? I went home got myself a snack,(it was only 9:30am) kicked up my feet and watched my tivoed Project Runway!!!! I think I am going to like preschool! Actually we are doing Joy School. There are six kids and the moms each take turns, 4 lessons in a row, teaching. Eliza loves it and I am actually excited to take my turn too. I go next week, so I will let you know how it goes!

They are a cute and good group of kids!

This is Carlene, can you tell it is her turn this week?

Have fun Eliza, it's just the beginning!

YOSEMITE!!

2008-09-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

Our family went on a camping trip with our friends The Martin's to Yosemite this past Labor Day weekend! We had the best time. I haven't been camping since I had Eliza (she's 3 1/2) and I have to admit I was a little nervous. Was she going to sleep at night, would she run off, and of course she is going to be filthy! I don't know what I was worrying about, aside from falling off her air mattress a few times, she slept great, and she was so happy being outside 24/7 she was happy staying in our campsite playing in the dirt, so needles to say she was filthy, but interestingly not as dirty as Tyler my 14 year old!!! The big kids had a great time too. It was so nice to get away from life and be outdoors. David and Tyler go backpacking quite a bit and I always stay behind with the girls, so I was happy to come along this time. Although it wasn't quite the same bringing me and the girls along. I defiantly bring more stuff!!!!

The start of the trip, the girls were so excited that they just had to break out in song! Too bad I didn't get a video.

We didn't get to our campsite until 9pm and we had to set up a new tent. Needless to say I wasn't thinking about pictures. I really wouldn't want to document us at that point anyways... it wasn't one our better moments. Soooo here is David the next morning enjoying a breakfast burrito. Yummy!

This is Jennifer. She probably won't be very happy with me for adding this picture, but I think she looks good.

I think I know why I really enjoyed this particular camping trip.....can you guess, I didn't do any dishes! Scott did most of them! Thanks Scott! Don't the boys look happy! Ha-Ha!!
Eliza lasted about five minutes in the backpack...what's up with her? I would love to get a ride!

He's a cute kid... I think I will keep him....even though he knows more than me now! Notice Eliza isn't in the backpack, that fact slowed down our walk tremendously.

Having fun on the Yosemite Shuttle.This was the only visitor we saw in our camp. Thank goodness, I was the only one who didn't want to see a bear! I forgot to change the setting on my camera, so you couldn't see his beautiful antlers!

One day we visited Toulumne Meadows. This was one spot we walked to. It was gorgeous.
Daddy helping Eliza... notice no backpack!

Slow and steady wins the race. Well not in this case!

They MADE IT! It was about a mile and half walk! Of course we had to caring back! But getting there she did it all on her own!

The two Tyler's!

We thought maybe a Christmas Card picture...maybe not! The kids looked good.

The whole gang in the shadow of Half Dome! Well maybe not the Tyler's are missing!

Thanks Martin Family, we had a so much fun! Until next time...

My Mom

2008-08-27T15:51:00.001-07:00

Today is the second anniversary of the day my mom passed away. I want to dedicate this post to her! Mom was an awesome lady with many wonderful qualities and talents. She was a great mother and loved all of us so much. Each one of my brothers, sister and I all inherited some of her great attributes. My sister definatly inherited her abbility to be a fantastic cook among other things, my brother Scott got her real estate saavy, my brother Hal, aquired her love of reading (and they loved to play cards and gamble togather! Naughty, Naughty!!!) and me well I don't know. I know I am like her because I find myself saying things to my children, she used to say to me, and doing things the way she used to them!!!

I LOVE YOU MOM, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!

Mom would have Christmas Cookie Day at Grandma's. The kids LOVED it.

Mom's posterity,minus Drew her second oldest grandson

Mom loved to come and help when her grandbabies arrived. Here she is when Eliza arrived!

All of the grandkids, Tyler, Drew, Christina, Emily Adam, Eliza, Olivia

Mom with her grandkids (plus a great niece!) on her 70th birthday!!

Baseball Fun!

2008-08-21T16:09:00.001-07:00

David's work buys season tickets to the Rivercats games every season and we get to go A LOT!!! The Rivercats are Sacramento's minor legue team that feeds into the Oakland A's. David actually pays attention to game, while the rest of us hang out, chat, walk around the stadium, and decide what treat we are going to eat! I will admit I do get excited when a player hits a home run! The games are a fun family activity, we all enjoy being togather on warm summer nights, especially when there is a cool Delta breeze!

Go Rivercats!!!!

Lake Tahoe

2008-08-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

We went up to Lake Tahoe a few weekends ago to meet some friends who are spending their summer there! We had such a great time. I always forget how much I love it there. We definatly need to go up there more often. We are only 2 hours away!!

Having fun in the boat. I love Eliza's head popping out!
Sammy(an old family friend), and Eliza taking shelter under the umbrellaEliza made some new friends! She was so excited to play with the "duckies"! Too bad they really didn't want to play with her! Those mean ducks!!!

Conner and Tyler. His mom, Karen and I were pregnant togather!
Olivia loves to ham it up for the camera! She always looks cute though!

One last look at the lake before we have to go home. Until next time!

We love Lake Tahoe! Thanks Yost Family, we had a great time!

Long Lost Cousins!

2008-08-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

OK maybe they aren't lost, but we haven't seen them in a long time!! Last week i got a call from David's cousin Jana. She was just getting ready to get on a plane to come up to Sacramento for a business trip. What? Dave and I have been married for 15 years and when we got together Janna was like 11 and referred to affectionately by her brothers and cousins as "Little Body". Well Janna is obviously all grown up as she is taking "Business Trips!" She is so great, she called up our cousins, Wes and Jenny who live in Sacramento and then she found another cousin Rebecca, who live just one city away from us!! She also brought along another friend she grew up with who now lives here. I swear that girl knows people all over!! Well, anyway we had a great time. We have always thought we live up here all by ourselves but now it's nice to know we have family close by! Cousins, we can't wait to see you again!!!

Erin, David, Janna, Rebecca, Wes, and Jenny

Where has the Time Gone?

2008-08-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

My first born starts High School tomorrow. I can't believe the time has past so quickly. I feel like it was just yesterday I was dropping him off for his first day in Kindergarten!!! I've been told that before I know it he will be graduating High School and leaving for his mission! Yikes.

Tyler age 6 at Legoland

Now look at him anxiously anticipating seminary and his first day as a little fish in a HUGE pond!

I think he is thinking I'm as ready as I'll ever be!!>

Good luck Tyler! You will do great. We are so proud of you!

I JUST COULDN'T RESIST

2008-07-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

Having fun in the Sun!

How Does your Garden Grow?

2008-07-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

When we put in our back yard landscaping, we also put in a garden box. I am hopeful we will have a bountiful harvest! We will see, we are new at gardening!!!

David did a great job installing the irrigation and creating the design!! We wanted this to be a family project but as you will see Eliza is the only one helped! Tyler and Olivia were off with friends busy doing more interesting things like sitting on the trampoline discussing pressing issues such as The Jonas Brothers and the new WII games.

Eliza is making sure the seeds go in just the right spot!!

Again being very precise! I wonder who she gets that from?!
Proud little gardeners!

I had to throw in this shot! Look at those legs!!!

We will let you know if we have a bountiful harvest!

A DAY ON THE LAKE

2008-07-24T14:27:00.001-07:00

We are so lucky to live close to a fairly large lake! We do not have a boat, but we are fortunate enough to have friends who invite us out on their boats sometimes. We got to go last week with some friends and had a blast! It was fun to see our kids out there having fun! David and I even got in the action! I have been pestering David about getting a boat, but I don't think he will give in on that one! O-well!!

Tyler, Jared and Tyler kicking back at the lake!

Whitney, Eliza, Olivia, and Brooke enjoying the day. The weather was glorious, not too hot, and when the sun went down there was a perfect breeze!

Brooke and Olivia watching the old pro, Rashelle(she's 14) wake board!

David and Eliza relaxing!

Look at Tyler, before you know it he'll being doing flips!

Olivia found out she loves to knee board!

And of course a day on the lake wouldn't be complete without TUBING!!! I wish I could have got some shots of Tyler and Rashelle on the tube! They were going crazy fast and catching some huge amounts of air!!! They had so much fun!

Thanks Hull Family for having us out for the day. We had a blast!!!

Tyler's New Do!!!

2008-07-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

Tyler has always wanted to grow out his hair and I can't ever seem to let him! That in between stage just drives me insane!!! I think he looks great with really short hair. His cousin Drew buzzed him at Christmas last year and everyone thought it looked good on him. So after a little persuading we went down to Great Clips this past weekend and got it all shaved off! Now it is super short and he looks awesome.

BEFORE.

AFTER!

SEE EVEN HE LIKES IT. I HOPE!!! JUST KIDDING!!

How Can the Summer Almost be Over?

2008-07-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

I can't believe summer vacation is almost over! Tyler starts High School August 11th!! Where did our summer go? If anyone has ever looked at this blog they know I only have 1 post! So I will apologize in advance for this long picture laden post! Here are a few things we have been up to so far. Hopefully we can get in a few more fun things!

First off Tyler graduated from Jr. High. I can't believe there will be a high schooler in my house! How did that happen? We are exctited (and nervous) to enter into this new phase of life! SEMINARY!! OH BOY!!

As soon as school was over Tyler was off to EFY!! He had so much fun! He was spiritually fed, got some much needed independance from his parents, made new friends, and had the oppurtunity to expereiance a taste of BYU life!(We are hoping this will inspire him to try to get there in four years)

This was Tyler's company!
What's with the shades? Are Vaurnet's back in style?

Some new buddies. Do you recognize those mountains in the backround?

Tyler and his new buddy Trevor. Oh no, there are the sunglasses again!

Olivia went to her first year of Girls Camp this summer! I don't know who was more excited, me or her!!! I was lucky enough to be her councilor. I have been to camp a few times, but never as a councilor. That job always seemed very overwhelming to me, but I have to say, I had a blast. Don't get me wrong, it was tough, but very rewarding and fun!

Here are some of my girls...Kelly,Kennedy, Olivia, and Brittany. Aren't they so cute?!!

This is all of my girls. I was so lucky to have such good girls! I only had a smigden of drama!

Kelly and Olivia, just finished the Polar Bear Swim! They had to jump into a ice cold lake at 6a.m.! They were rewarded with darling necklaces and Klondike bars for deseret that night!
Here are my girls at the end of the week! Do they look tired and sunburned?!!

Olivia went to grandma camp for a week in July. She had a blast! Grandma and Grandpa took all of the girl cousins (sans Eliza) for a week of fun. While Olivia was at G.C. Tyler had the awesome oppurtunity to go to Havasu Pai. He went with his uncle Tommy and cousin Kendall. I wish I had some pictures to show what a beautiful place it is! David and I came down at the end of the week to join in on the fun.

Here are my nieces Maddy, Sierra, my Olivia, and a friend at Sierra's 12th birthday party.

THE VANCE COUSINS- starting from top left...Kendall, Tyler, Sierra, Eliza, Olivia, and Maddy.

We had the oppurtunity to go to the Del Mar Fair, while we visiting David's Family. I love that fair. It is the best I've ever been to. It is held right next to the beach! Need I say more!!!

Eliza on her pony ride! Can you tell she loved it?

Tyler getting in on the fun!

This is the ride Tyler had to go on. OK you go right ahead... Dad and I will sit this one out!

He is up there somewhere...

He made off all in one piece and not even a trace of green gills!!!

When we got home our neighborhood had a 4th of July parade and picnic! It was a lot of fun. We live in a great neighborhood with lots of kids and great people!

Eliza getting ready to ride in the parade!

Off they goooo!!!

Eliza is enjoying her hot dog with a few of her pals!

What's a 4th of July picnic without watergames?!

Off course we have been enjoying the pool. We finally got all of our plants in and the yard looks great! Someday I will post some before and after pictures!

Olivia, Eliza, and Kelly being silly!! Eliza has to do whatever her sister does!!!
Here is my sweet water baby! She is actually learning to swim and is doing great!

FINALLY- The First Post!

2008-06-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

i set up this blog about 3 weeks ago and i am finally writing something! i will start off by apologizing for my terrible writing skills. i am not witty, and do not have a clever way of telling stories! what you will get from me is straight forward recordings from my life! i have been looking at some of my friends blogs and they are very witty and well written, often with fun subject matter! SORRY (think of the Simon Cowell accent) i don't think i am capable. i think this blog will be fun way to try and keep a family journal and keep my family apprised of all that is going on with us. so, i will try very hard to keep this current, and picture laden! (i am so computer handicapped!)