Best Husband EVER!

photo by Jesse Coss from Ballet West"s homepage

Today is my October Birthday. (My real birthday is November 22, but we acknowledge our other monthly birthdays as well). Ammon called me from school and got me season tickets to Ballet West.

Happy Scream!

India and I can't wait to go the the Nutcracker again this year.

The Beach

My family loves water.  I miss going to the beach together as a family.  When we lived in Biloxi, it seemed like we were at the beach or the pool nearly every day.  Then when we moved to Roswell, we would go to the bottomless lakes at least three times a week.  Well, in New Hampshire, my parents' friends have a private beach with a beautiful lazy river.  Rachel and I swam to the other side and jumped off the banks.  It was AWESOME!

This whole summer Maya would NOT get in our pool without going berserk.  Then I took her to the rec center where they have these cool inside toys in the pool that have slides and more things that shoot and dump water, and she was cured.  In fact, every time she would fall down, I would pick her up so she hopefully would not drown.  Then Maya would shake my arm off and run to go down the slide again.

Maya would count "one, two, three . . ."

And then jump in the water. 

Maya's waterlogged badonkadonk.

Diaper has reached maximum capacity.

Playing in the sand.

Temporarily distracted from the water.

Going for a ride.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

This was such a great activity during the hot and humid week.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

India and Nathanael

David is happy to be at the beach too.

India, Maya, Nathanael

Maya looks like she's getting an idea in her head.

India and Nathanael

Snug as a bug buried in the sand.

More Weddings

Let me explain my laziness. I don't remember the last time I printed out pictures from Inkleys.  Perhaps a month or two after Maya was born.  Anyway, I am borrowing pictures galore from everybody's facebook page because I plan to have this blog baby printed in a book this year.

At any rate, it was so fun be together as a family for Oliva & Luca's wedding in May.  The wedding and reception were beautiful and cozy.  And did we actually get Ammon to dance?  There must have been a little extra something something in those cupcakes.

India and the other little nieces got to be flower girls for Olivia's wedding.  I could totally see India becoming like the main girl in 27 Dresses.

photo by Denise Metheney

India's perma-smile.  She was soooooo happy!

photo by Denise Metheney

 

India writing advice to the newlyweds.
I think she advised them to share their toys with each other.

photo by Denise Metheney

Cupcake number one.

photo by Denise Metheney

Cupcake number . . . (I plead the fifth).

Looks like the extra little something something is kicking in.

photo by Nate Gross

Olivia & Luca

Darling.

We love you both so much!

Maryland

Last minute en route to New Hampshire, we decided to swing by Maryland for a couple days to see my cousins, aunts, uncles, and Grandma Garey! They were so generous to us, and India was especially sad to leave cousin Rachel Garey.

Great Grandma Garey

India & Aunt Rachel trying to keep up with Mom's crazy "walking" pace in D.C.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

Maya walking in between Smithsonians. Her dang flip flops kept falling off.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

Mom watched the girls for us while Ammon and I went to a RSL soccer game. And Maya decided to fix her own hair. She is obsessed with head bands.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

I'm No Lewis & Clark

My family drove out to Utah to drop Marshall off at BYU.  And since my dad flew back to New Hampshire for work, the girls and I drove back east with the family!  Before we left our driveway, Mom asked if the girls needed  whatever anti-throw up medicine she had.  I said no because the girls didn't get carsick on our Iowa/Illinois road trip.  Well, guess what?  Murphy's Law won.  Maya threw up nine minutes into our drive.    And then David and Nathanael eventually threw up too. I was laughing so hard because it was so gross!

Overall, things went very well.  We all got sick of Maya yelling "Mom."  I may or may not have taken us on an hour slight detour to Michigan.  I thought it was weird that lake was getting closer and closer. 

It didn't take long for India to find the dress-ups at the Parker cousins' house.

 Garey siblings and Parker cousins playing ninja.  

We were playing Swedish Twister beforehand, which was SUPER fun.

I think it's funny that Jared is still wearing his Sunday socks.

 Maya

 Jared & Rachel.

My mom could probably drive to China in six days. 

She's got incredible endurance.  

However, the rest of us were in dire need of a rest stop.

 Jared came out about two weeks earlier than my family to go to EFY in Logan. 

 He probably is missing that cute girl Emily from EFY. Oh, young love.  

Well, it didn't take him too long to move on to someone (or something) else's arms.

 Best rest stop EVER! Maya was so happy with her pony ride.

 David  & Nathanael

 Fire in the hole!

 Maya still not relinquishing the pony.

Who's the boss?

 I've never seen anyone else look this cool in a Burger King crown.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

 Mookie taking advantage of yet another wonderful rest stop.

photo by Elizabeth Garey

Sweet India.
Can you see all the mosquito bites on her legs?
She went outside for five minutes in Maryland and came back with an additional twenty mosquito bites.
 I'm not even exaggerating this time.
photo by Elizabeth Garey

Freedom.
Finally playing and not posing for pictures anymore.
photo by Elizabeth Garey

Who Believes in Blogging Chronologically?

Not me.  

Obviously.  

Here are pictures of Ryan & Kenzie's wedding in April.

Welcome to the family Kenzie!

Reception in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

Crank your head sideways to see India dancing in the window.

 Bouquet toss.  

 India would have caught it if she had been a bit more aggressive.

 Maya playing in the fountain.

India washing her hair in the fountain after the reception.

A more normal picture of Ryan and India in awe . . . she LOVES weddings.

Dad & Mom the dashing couple.

Ryan & Kenzie were sealed in the Bountiful Temple.

All the pictures of Kenzie were gorgeous, but I especially love this one.

 India & Aunt Rachel waiting outside the temple.

 Me, Brittany, Rachel, Josie, & Maya

 Grandma Parker

 Grandpa Parker

Both very much in love.

All photos by my mom, Elizabeth Garey.  Except for the professional photos I took from Kenzie's facebook page.