The last of our summer vacation pictures

I wanted to put in the last of the pictures that I took during our time in Arizona this summer. We really cherish the time we get to spend with the family that we love so much. I wish that I would have taken more pictures.

 

Ransom loved Dalaney's bird. He was so proud when he was able to walk around with the bird on his shoulder and now keeps asking when he can have a pet bird.

 

 Kenny and Reaves before they left for a long days ride out on the Ranch

 

 At The Ranch driving around in the truck with cousin Haidyn

We went to the Albuquerque Zoo



 

Not all of the Winn Grandkids are in this picture but most of them minus a baby or two

 

Cousin Marcus was so sweet to play Monopoly with the boys one day. Given the fact that he's almost 16 I was pretty impressed with how much time he was willing to spend with his much younger cousins. He also took the boys out late one night to the creek and caught frogs. Then brought them home and cooked the legs up for a late night snack.

 

On our last day we were able to spend some time with Kenny's Hiatt Grandparents. Some of us had a lot of fun in their swimming pool until 1 in the morning.

Once a cowgirl always a cowgirl...I hope

Our summer vacation was really awesome this year. We gave our kids the choice between Disney Land and going to see family in Arizona. I was super surprised by their choice but really happy and proud of them for wanting to visit family more. One of the highlights of the trip for me was riding horses and being on the ranch at Navajo. The kids all got to ride horses one day. I rode a couple of times, once with my sister Lera. We had a great time together. Reaves got to go out 2 days in a row and gather cows with Kenny, my brother Henson and my dad. He did so good and I am proud of him for riding all by himself for the first time on a long ride. Kenny loved being on the ranch and helped Henson work a few days. I was a little nervous since I hadn't been on a horse for a year. Luckily my dad and brother have such great horses that my nervousness didn't last long. I was back in the swing of things in no time at all. Now I miss it and don't want to wait another year in between rides.  

 

 Reaves

 Kenny with Patrick

 Patrick

 Ransom

 Reaves taking his cousin Haidyn for a ride

 Me, Ransom and I think Henson



Back at it

Our life has been baseball for like the past 8 months. 3 seasons later and we are finally done for a few months. Next season starts in December. Reaves and Ransom are starting swim team this month and I am excited for that. Maybe I can teach Patrick how to swim while they are practicing. I am a bad parent and don't have any pictures of Ransom playing. My camera got stolen okay! At church! So I had a bunch of really great pictures but this is all I have now. I got a new camera everything is good now and I will not take it to church I promise.

 

 I love the dirt on his face.

 This was during the Minors season and Ransom didn't play ball but he did have lots of fun playing with friends during the games

 A little action from Reaves pitching his first game

 Reaves was #1

 

 

 

 

I cannot believe that the boys are going on their 3rd year of school in Hawaii. We moved here with nothing but a few suitcases of clothes and thought we would stay for 6 months. Just a fun adventure then go home. Well here we are going on our 3rd year still in Hawaii. I never thought I would love it the way that I do now. We recently went on vacation back to Arizona for 2 weeks and I was happy to come back to Hawaii. Happy to come home. I'm pretty sure we won't stay here long term but I could, oh yes I could. Pretty much everything I do is for my children and I would love for them to be raised around their amazing extended family. I always had this dream that my boys would learn something about being cowboys too, I don't think they will ever learn that in Hawaii. Don't ask me why I think that's important but I have it in my head okay. If I were only thinking of myself I might not be able to leave Hawaii ever. Here are my handsome boys on their last day of school for 3rd and 1st grade.

Normal life

Once we were back from our long vacation in Arizona we came home to normal life again, going to the beach. I looked over while we were at the beach and this is what they were doing. They had all made themselves a seat in the sand, I'm sure one of them made Patrick's for him.

 

Kenny caught a big Mahi while out fishing on a boat. It was very delicious.

 Kenny took the boys fishing and camping one Weekend and they had so much fun. Here are the boys ready to fish early in the morning. They caught and ate fish for lunch that day.

 Reaves and Ransom started swimming on teams this Fall. Ransom swam with a county team from August to end of October. Reaves is on a private team that swims year round, they are called The Kona Dolphins.They really love it and are getting to be really good swimmers. I might start Ransom on the same team as Reaves in the Summer. Below is a picture of Patrick at a swim meet wanting to fit in.

 Here is Ransom at his first swim meet. He was really nervous at first but after his first race he loved it and was so excited for all his following races.

 Here is Reaves at his first swim meet. He doesn't seem to get nervous and just has fun with it.

 Ransom at swim practice

 Reaves at swim practice

 Random picture of Reaves and Kenny out on the rocks where we couldn't get to, trying to catch a big one.

Summer 2012

I am really posting here, it's pretty shocking. It might have something to do with the fact that my kids are on Christmas break and I am done with my shopping. I feel a little like a weight has been lifted and I can relax and let my kids play, sleep in and watch TV. Yes I am going to let them watch TV and play video games...a lot. No baseball practice or swim team to get to 4 days a week and I feel free.

So there is no way I am going to catch up with all that we have done since my last post. Pretty much before summer, so I am doing my best. The next bunch of pictures are from our vacation to Arizona in the Summer of 2012. We did a lot more than in the pictures but of course I didn't get pictures from everything. There was a family reunion in there where I did not take pictures. My baby was sick and crying all the time and Kenny wasn't on the Mainland yet so that is my excuse. 

We went shooting with my parents on their ranch. The kids had a blast shooting with their dad. I will admit I had a lot of fun too.

Patrick had to stay in the truck for most of it but I had sisters and grandma to take turns with me.

Kenny took our kids riding horses a few times but I only ended up with pictures of Ransom. He loved it so much and wanted to keep riding for hours. I love my little cowboys.

Reaves wanted to be Baptized in Arizona so we let him. It was a really special day and so many people helped us out with that. He was baptized in the same font as Kenny when he was 8 years old. Our good friends in Hawaii gave him a Lei to wear for his baptism. 

Reaves was baptized and confirmed by his dad.

Our family was so awesome in helping us out with everything. Our cousin Katee Bailey made Reaves a cake that said CTR. I didn't even ask her to do it, that is how amazing our family is. I am so thankful for everyone who thought of things that I wouldn't have. I guess they know me pretty well.

Here is our family. Thanks to Kenny's brother Matt we got some pictures. Like I said I am pretty lucky to have an awesome family.  

Where else would we be...

We had some cousins come visit us from the Island of Oahu in April. We really had a great time with Brint and Brea Hiatt and I wish that it was easier and cheaper to travel between Islands so that we could spent more time with them. We went to Waipio Valley again and loved it, of course.

Ransom loves Brea, and he wrote it in the sand for her.

Brint played in the sand with the boys and they loved it.

He made a dolphin with them...

...and a turtle, Patrick smashed it right after this.

Brea wrote the boys names in the sand so that I could get pictures. 

Of course Patrick had better things to do.