Cole's 39th Birthday

My man has turned 39! For some reason I felt this birthday I should do very domestic projects. The first was to make him a "101 things I love about you" collage. Donelle forced me, I mean helped me start it. It did come out great and Cole really appreciated it. I have no pictures but will blog it soon. The second was his cake. We watch "Ace of Cakes" on the food channel and love the cakes. I decided he had to have a great cake. Fondant is not my friend, but I tried anyway. I think it looked good for a first try and it tasted great.

  Cole a opening presents at his parents house.

  The Gardner gang.

  Drum roll please... the cake!

  Please ignore the mess.

Texas again

Donelle and her kiddos came to Arizona for a few weeks. When it was time to head home, I volunteered to help drive them back. I didn't think she should drive with 4 kids by herself and it gave me a prefect opportunity to see Texas again. We had a great trip and Kira kept me on my toes with her throwing up a few times. The kids where great and Donelle got pulled over only once. We got off with a warning.
 

Donelle early on the trip.
 


Donelle and I at my new favorite deli in Dallas.
 

Randy and I in front of the JFK museum. We loved looking through all that history. We were also glad that Donelle came with us even thought she thought she would be bored to tears.
 


Randy and Brooklyn outside a friends home. They have 2 acres and Randy, the kids and I loved exploring them. Then 2 days later came the fact that chiggers had eaten us alive. Randy has over 40. I only got 22. I still have then, big as dimes. Chiggers Suck!!

Last of the Colorado Pics

 

Nick

 

Cole and his scruff

 

Ryan and I in the field making whistles with reeds

 

The gang in front of the Durango - Silverton Railroad.

My Little Urban Cowboys

 Erik
 Trevor roping
 Jason
 
Trevor and Ryan

Cabin in Colorado

  The new cabin. Love it.
  Not a flattering pic.
  Jason being a real man.
  Our bed room we got to decorate. We not quite done.

Tagged

I was tagged by my friend Alene. I am going to do it but I will stop the madness and not tag others. This is my gift to you.

3 Joys-
1. My family
2. Sleeping in
3. Shopping

3 Fears-
1. Losing Cole or the kids.
2. Losing Cole's job and the house.
3. Losing my mind.

3 Goals-
1. Losing 20 pounds.
2. Be a better mom.
3. Be better at budgeting.

3 Current Obsessions
1. Helping friends decorate their homes.
2. Decorating our room at the cabin.
3. Doing Weight Watchers.

3 Surprising Facts
1. Never have had a traffic ticket.
2. Can do the splits still(with a little warm-up).
3. Zip lined in Jamaica although I'm afraid of heights.

I'm not the woman I use to be.

Well I'm uterus free and loving it! I underwent a hysterectomy almost four weeks ago. It wasn't absolutely necessary but I had enough reasons that I felt it was a good option for me. My kids were a bit bummed because "we couldn't have any more babies", but that was decided by Cole and I after Erik was born!


This is our nephew Oliver. See, we still get to hold babies. And we just get to give them back when they cry and poop.

 

Erik with baby Oliver.

 

 

Trevor trying out his hand holding his cousin. Nana and PopPop now have 8 grandson's and still no granddaughter's. Sorry, I tried!

5 - 3 = 2

This week has been very quite around the Gardner house. Jason is at EFY and Nick and Trevor are with Nana and PopPop at the cabin in Colorado. It's just Cole, Me, Ryan and Erik. All they want to do is play video games and are thrilled they don't have to take turns on the Wii. My house is also very clean and I've only done 2 loads of laundry so far! Though it has it's perks, I still miss the 3 boys. They really do help out a lot and I miss joking around with them. Also it's no fun cleaning the sugar glider's cage!

 

Happy Father's Day.

I didn't want to out do Cole from Mother's Day and do a slide show but I thought I needed to celebrate the men who are most important to me.
 


My Father Douglas Hatch.( Reading with Erik) I love my Dad so much! Thanks you for all the family trips you took us on. Pine to visit Hatch Grandparents, San Diego, and Florida. Letting us go grocery shopping with you and buying tons of "the good food". Telling us "little boy stories" about you growing up in a very different time than us. And for your example and sharing your testimony of our true church. You do so much for our family and we know we can always call on you, from broken fridges, buying cars, to helping Cole give me a prayer. Thanks Dad.
 
My Husband Coleman. Doesn't he clean up well! I love you so much and thank Heavenly Father almost daily I married you. You are my best friend and I love that we have kids old enough that we can go on dates whenever we want. You are a great master griller and meat smoker. You do dishes, help me in my church calling, and even have patience with me when I get into my "OCD projects". You are kind and compassionate and a great priesthood influence on our sons.
 
My father in law Terry Gardner. Right now he and Nana have Trevor and Nick at the cabin with them. Terry is a great F-I-L
and PopPop. He is always taking the kids swimming, teaching them to ski, and even taught them "pee pee in the woods". He is a great father to Cole and role model as well. He is also a compassionate man and while he was a dentist, had many patients who loved him and were very devoted. We love you PopPop!
 









Four generations of the Gardner's. Great Grandpa is no longer with us but we loved him dearly and I'm glad he got to meet each of our children. I hope they will remember him. ( Erik is the baby.)

The Pioneer Trek

Our stake decided to do the trek this year. They even included the Beehives and Deacons which is almost unheard of. Jason and Nick were actually excited to go. The first day they hiked 8 miles and got to their camp site around 10 p.m. The next day they hike 3 miles and they had the women's pull that day. All the boys and men watched and sang hymns as the women push all the carts up the hill called Testimony Hill. Jason said it was hard to watch and not go help. Then the men and some of the women tackled Rocky Ridge. Friday was "Pioneer Sunday". They had church services then solo time where they read letters from family, prayed, and just had time to themselves. They also did a taffy pull, shot black powder rifles, made butter, hung out. The last day they hiked out and they got home around 6:30p.m. In all they hiked around 17 miles.
Jason thought is was exhausting but was glad to be apart of it. Nick loved it as well and even had Alisha Muir as a "sister". Both said their testimonies are stronger and have a whole new respect of out ancestors who had to come across the plains that way.

 
Jason and Nick by our garden. They look more like farmers than pioneers.
 
Some of the YM of Summerfield.
 
Shelley Linford as a real pioneer woman!
 
The boys after they came home. First thing they did was to take a shower than a bath.