Sixty-nine is fine!

Today my dad is turning 69 years old! I called him to wish him a happy birthday and he told me that he's 67 (big liar). He said he's going to count backwards until he gets back to 50, then he doesn't know what he's going to do. He's quite ambitious thinking he's going to live to the ripe old age of 87, isn't he? I guess the thought of being 70 is a little daunting. I can relate, to some extent, with the big 3-0 right around the corner. Anyways, happy birthday to my dad! "I'm goin' wherever you go!"

Hangin' Tough

At first, when I saw the new music video, Summertime, by "NKOTB", New Kids on the Block for those of you who aren't familiar with Danny, Donnie, Jordan, John and little Joey-Joe, I about busted up laughing. I couldn't believe they were trying to make a comeback. I mean, they're a bunch of old men now, right? How can they still call themselves the New Kids on the Block? And if you've seen the video you'll understand where I was coming from. From the boyband choreography to their silouhettes posing every other two counts, it just seemed laughable, but then I found myself rewinding the DVR and watching it again. A little nostalgia was creeping in from the "Hangin' Tough" days back when I was ten years old, following the lead of my older cousin, you know who you are, and the neighbor girl who swore she was going to be the mother of Donnie Wahlberg Jr. I am a little embarassed to say that I am a fan of the new, "New Kids on the Block". Joey-Joe's not so little anymore.

4th of July weekend in Show Low

Last year we had such a great, old fashioned 4th of July up in Show Low that we decided to make it a tradition. We went to the parade in the morning. Steve and Beau were on their stake's float depicting a father and son fishing. The kids got into a game of cards with a couple of roughnecks.


Later that evening, we were invited to a little get together by some of Ann and Steve's neighbors, where there was homemade ice cream and a friendly game of horse shoes. We didn't make it to the fireworks at the high school this year.

Aidan had a ball pulling faces...


... pulling everyone's faces.

I really have no dignity posting this picture of myself, do I?

The following day we went up to Hawley Lake to fish for crawdads.

Avery caught herself a whopper!

How do you like the sweet fishing pole I made for Aidan? I thought ahead and brought some clothespins to help hold the bait, but who would've thought a wooden clothespin would float? I had to use a rock for a sinker. He had fun "casting" it into the water anyways.

Here are Aidan and Gracie waiting for a bite.

Aidan didn't dare touch a live crawdad, but he found this claw on the bank and thought he was pretty tough holding it.

Alright David, show him how it's done.

Success!

Just a Little off the back

Jolie got her first real haircut! We went back up to Show Low for the 4th of July weekend to spend it with some of our favorite people, the Williams family, and Ann gave Jolie the cutest hair do. She didn't take much off (there wasn't much to take off), but she made it look so cute by just giving it a little shape.


Look how cute it looks from the back! And look at her little halter top swimsuit

She knows she looks so pretty.

Ranch on the Side

Out of all the condiments there are to choose from, Jolie loves ranch dressing the best! We were eating carrots and ranch, and everyone had their own plate. Jolie can't really eat the carrots, but she had a grand old time licking her plate clean of the ranch.