Cowboy Up!

The Oliverson's hosted their annual neighborhood party a few weeks ago and it was a blast.  We actually went to their party last year when our house was under contract (our soon to be neighbors were super sweet and invited us - love the Jenkins!) but we had much more fun this year since we knew everyone!

The Party Animals

The theme was Cowboy & Indians....

not super PC but we went with it.

Plus is this the cutest little cowgirl you ever did see?

Tyler Williams. Nice.

The Walters - had to get a shot of Mike's sweet mustache!

The food was tasty...

 

 as you can tell from my plate!

(I shared with Mabel of course)

The little kids got to play on the mechanical bull before it was set up.

Mabel wasn't too sure of the hide. Like mother like daughter!

I look just like I did during my professional bull riding days!

Nate's turn:

Love that face!

 

Nate obviously did not get his bull riding skills from me!

Megan was a bull riding model!

Bishop Dabo lasted the full 8 seconds!

Kara's look of concentration:

 GO Matt!

Jacob was making it look too easy.

Jocelyn was the bull riding Queen!

Thanks Andy and Jocelyn, 

  we had a great time!

our home away from home

we have been so lucky to spend a lot of time in colorado this year. 

frontier has had some awesome deals and of course it helps that mabel still flies free.

my mom picked us up from the airport and had this birthday hat and balloon for me - 

 

thanks mom! 

and thanks for giving birth to me 29 years ago! 

my aunt cathy and my nana both came out as well;

we had such a great time visiting and catching up.

i love these ladies!

mabel isn't spoiled at all when she goes to nana's house.

pedicure while eating some yogurt.

here is my mom preparing a prop for her early morning seminary class the next day.

she works so hard on each lesson and the kids love her class.

 

we break for sombreros and puppet time!

my step-dad kraig stayed home with mabel while nana, 

aunt cathy, and i went to my mom's class. 

good morning great ones!

the temptation sombrero! 

turned out so awesome. the kids were cracking up!

i was so glad mabel got to spend some time with my nana.

she lives in california and we don't get to see her nearly as often as we would like.

she loved looking at nana's long nails and trying on her rings.

  baking and reading

girl chat on the deck with some grilled goodness.

my mom's food never disappoints.

 

one night as we were all getting ready to go to bed 

i made jacob stop so i could take this picture of him.

oh you know, just a little before bed snack!

• two pieces of sourdough toast
• 3 muffins
• a peanut butter cookie in his mouth
• half of a carton of minute maid

 

we took a field trip to see kelsey and josiah's new apartment.

super cute little place.

happy to have a place of their own!
(they used to live with josiah's sister)

 

kraig and jacob watched mabel while we spent a few hours (not nearly enough time!) at the antique gallery.  loooooove it there. my mom's eagle eye found a perfect vintage bird print for our downstairs bathroom.  i have been looking for one forever!

we had planned to stay until tues the 11th but changed our flight when nate called and told us got called as the 2nd counselor in the bishopric in our ward! we were so happy we got to make it home to spend that special sunday with nate. when we sang the closing hymn in church and i looked up and saw our new bishopric everything felt right in my heart. (besides me bawling like a baby) bishop dabo will be a wonderful leader and nate is excited to serve by his side. i am excited and a little nervous for this new experience (wrestling mabel alone at church is SO MUCH FUN!) but I am so glad we have so many supportive neighbors, friends, and family. yesterday was nate's first sunday conducting sacrament meeting and he did great!  when he finally got home for the night (besides the 15 minutes when he stopped at the house to scarf down some dinner) he had tears in in eyes as he talked about all the good people who serve in our ward. 

Looking good in a shirt and tie even back in the day!
We love you Nate!

more summer:

summertime and the livin' is easy:

Nate's dad was released from being Bishop!

It has been so nice having these two around more.

 

...

Nate's oldest brother Bryan had a disco party...

here are all his siblings stayin' alive.

Lindsey, Nate, Brady, Kristy, Bryan

The Lawnmower?

Rick and Georgia in their vintage shirts!

I love that these two saved some of the fun clothes 

they used to wear 30 years ago,

and that they STILL FIT!

...

Family party at the Tews to say goodbye to 

Brady & Becky and their 3 kids who moved to Alaska.

We miss them!

Love this picture of Nate's grandparents.

(Grandma Gayle HATES the camera so this is a rare gem.)

...

Play-date at Liberty Park

Mabel feeding her pet duck...

...and making sure the bread is still old and stale. Yep.

...

Cute kid playing in the pantry.

  ...

 BBQ at Kirstin and David's House

Their backyard is lovely...

lots of shade plus pear and apple trees galore.

 

David and Soren

Zac, Jana, and Bennett

 Elise and Steve 

(Kirstin behind the table)

Mabel was very happy that there was a swing and a dog.

Toddler heaven.

Soren, Bennett, JP, Mabel

(sad that Emerson and the Hortons couldn't make it!)

 

 Mabel had a hard time keeping her hands to herself.

Toddler photo shoot is over 30 seconds after it began.

We had some great laughs playing with an app on Nate's 

phone that mixes two faces together.

They are probably going to kill me for posting these but I couldn't help it!

So freaky!

 Thanks for the good food and great company!

...

Mabel signing "more"

...her own version of the sign.

...

Nate's parents and Kristy and Dave came over one afternoon.

Modeling Uncle Dave's Shades

Mabel's favorite pastime - rock collecting.

Thank goodness I had my camera out when Mason drove past!

Real baby brother called shotgun no battles so fake baby got the trunk seat.

(rear facing of course)

Rick and Georgia spent the night and 

Nate and I went out on a date to celebrate our 8th anniversary!

(on our actual anniversary i had strep 

so we had gelato at home and watched our wedding video)

We walked around City Creek and had dinner at Blue Lemon.

Pretty tasty and City Creek is spectacular. Good job Utah!

Plus I love this guy.

 

 I have been wanting to check out the new downtown Harmons

(nerdy or what?) so we did.

Bob and Randy really did a number with this one.

So rad!

...

Mabel in 30 years.

 ...

Mabel learned how to make this grumpy face from me.

This is a mirror image of my face when she start throwing her food at dinner.

I am so sick of cleaning my floor.

She wasn't feeling well that day.

So cute with sickie eyes.