Happy Birthday Josh & Sophee!!

For those of you that know my family really well, you probably know why I'm posting about Josh's birthday this month-since his birthday is actually in July. Sophee's birthday on the other hand, was in March.

It was just made apparent to me, as I was scrolling back through my previous posts, that I forgot to put up anything about Sophee's birthday.

There goes my 'Mother of the Year' award. Well, enough wallowing about it, let's get on with the post.

My baby boy is now 15!! Sniff, sniff. Where has the time gone? I can remember the day he was born like it was yesterday, and today I just dropped off his registration for High School. I can't believe it. We had a low-key party (just how I like to keep birthday parties) with some cousins.

Josh opening presents. He's a huge fan of nerf guns and Toy Story.

Every year for his birthday Josh asks for cupcakes. Cool, that's easy enough for me. No fancy cake to decorate. We have recently added root beer floats to Josh's birthday menu too, since we took root beer floats down to the shop for his birthday last year-now he considers it a tradition.

That's kind of how he works. You do something one time, and Josh gets it in his head that that's how we have to do it all the time.

Make a wish!!

Happy Birthday Josh! We love you!

_______________________________________________

And on to Sophee. . .

I just have to say, that is the cutest hair cut on her.

Okay, here's my baby with her birthday cake.

Once again, we had a small party, with just family. That's how I roll. Here are some of the Burgess cousins:

Soaking up the moment of cake, ice cream, and presents. Boy, for a 6 year old, it doesn't get any better than this!!

Happy un-birthday to my baby!!

Family Reunion

Since my little sis, Ally, already posted about this family reunion on her blog, I figured I'd better step up and make sure I did a post too-just to make sure my cute kiddos were represented. Also, my Dad took over 500 pictures of the 3 day event, so we gotta' put these pics to good use. (He's the self proclaimed family historian, so 500 pics is nothing when your capturing memories :-)

In mid July we traveled down to my Mom's house in Southern AZ. When we left for the trip @ 5:30 in the evening, it was 123 degrees. The next day when we got to my Mom's it was barely 93. The following 2 days were only in the upper 80's. My kids were in heaven being able to play outside!! Here's Audree and her cousin Jarom:
And this is what my family does best, congregate in the kitchen and eat:

Sophee and Jessica:

This is Kory's favorite pastime whenever my family gets together:

Sophee was such a willing participant to be photographed:

The grand kids enjoying Grandma's homemade pizza:

(This is only about 1/2 the grand kids. There are 17 with another one on the way).

How many kids can you cram onto a teeter totter??

Good food, good times. And hey, Kory was even awake this time . . .

It was so cute how Josh 'teeter tottered' with Joel. He was super careful not to send Joel flying through the air-especially since he's got over 100 pounds on him.

What family get together would be complete without one of us girls getting their hair done?

Hey, we're a thrifty family. Plus, it gives us girls an excuse to hang out in the kitchen and just talk some more. Kory gets a little sick of just 'talking' all the time-hence the many naps.

My brother Stephen just got home from his mission a couple weeks before the reunion, it was so great to be able to see him again. He's still just as goofy as ever.

While the women were happy to just talk, make jewelry and bows, do crafts with the kids, and eat, the men had to do something with all of their testosterone. Enter the shooting range:

We also got to celebrate my Mom and Kory's birthday-which happens to be on the same day!!

Here's their cute cake:

Kory sharing the spotlight-a rare occurrence-with my Mom:

The fabulous Evans women (minus my cute SIL Candace):
Me, Erika, My Mom, My SIL Becky, Allison, and Emily-who is expecting her 1st baby-WAHOO!!

The funniest birthday gift of the night definitely had to be this book for Kory.

It's called "What's your Poo telling you". Thanks Becky, it was good for a bunch of laughs and anytime the kids have friends over they run and grab the book to 'show it off'.

All in all we had a great time. I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be than hanging out with my family-they are truly my greatest blessing and I love them sooooo much. Thanks guys for all the memories. Let's do it again next year. My house. I'll supply the food, housing, and entertainment-which will be in the form of sanding and refinishing kitchen cabinets-Wahoo!

Mark your calenders now!!