Summer Blooms Around Our House

As Pete and I began walking early this morning...beginning our quest for exercise once again!! I couldn't believe my sleepy eyes! I thought someone had stuck 2 long white flowers in our yard! I walked over and realized one of the cactus bloomed! They were so pretty they didn't look real. Had to get a picture! First time we've had it bloom, sure was nice to see it bright and early this morning!

Another view of our desert flowers...

These hibiscus are blooming so pretty right now also..the hotter the better, alot of you never see our kitty as she is a "scaredy cat" when we have company...well, here she is with Kiff!

Memorial Weekend 2009

Our family has always enjoyed camping together, some can come the whole time and some can only come a day ... Marcy and Richard could only be with us a day..but we loved seeing them come! What would our camp be like without Marcy and her love of games! The kids just love to playtoo... Grandpa even played a round of monopoly!

We have always gone up and camped a little thru-out our lives.. we have enjoyed getting out and being with our loved ones or friends... Pete sharing his dutch oven cooking with us!

It was still cold up in the mountains.. so this fire felt great! We had some drizzley rain also... but it was nice. Here Vinnie gets in the mood with his cowboy hat!

The guys played horseshoes and created their own baseball and bat (stick and pine cones!)

Inside our camp trailer all cozy, LoraLeigh with her cute kids! She didn't want me to take her picture without make up and all! Who cares when your camping!

Mother and son riding wheelers!

Father and son... Carder not walking quite yet, enjoyed this leaner tree for great viewing at his first camp-out!

Caden kept himself busy with whittleing away at this stick whenever he was still.

Caden with his little brother and sister...so fun to be that young!

I love to ride 4 wheelers,,, Caden got a little carried away and rode really fast! But I loved it!

Sometimes we even cook inside, a little of our modern conveniences way out in the forest! Thank goodness for propane!

A Sweet Weekend...

We look for any reason to go up to the White Mtns this time of year... as it is getting down right hot in the Valley of the Sun. We have been anticipating little Tyler's baptism for some time now.. It finally happened this weekend. So off we went! We of course stayed with our daughter and her family. Little Carder still has his cast on.. but it doesn't slow him down a bit and look at that smile... he is such a happy baby!

Here is Tyler in the blue shirt (our grand nephew) and a few of us at the baptism. We had a wonderful get to gether at Aunt Patsy's home afterward...Lots' of family fun and food!

Tyer was sooooo excited about this special day in his life.. We were so glad to be there with him and our dear sister, Patsy and her son Mike (Tyler's daddy) Together Patsy and Mike are raising a fine boy.

Meanwhile back at the "Wyatt farm" Ha! Here we are out at the new chicken coop! Carder loves his chickens and he loves being outside after a long Winter.

This was another story!! LoraLeigh has little bird that nest every year on the outside front door inside of her wreath... I found it fascinating and got up and took a picture of the pretty blue eggs... it was so sad as her outside cat must have noticed too and she attacked the very next day after we left!!! So sorry little birds...

We had Savannah this weekend and took her with us for all of the fun! She was shadowed everywhere she went by Miss Kamrielle! They had such a great time together!

My pretty little grandaughters...

My little Savannah left this morning, we have more sweet memories together...Love our time!

Once Upon A Time...

May 17th, 1977 is a long time ago... but still a part of life that can never be forgotten. Our little Courtney Susanne was born. Although she only lived 10 days, she was loved no less than any of our other children. She weighed 8lbs 4oz. and seemed to be a beautiful bouncing baby...until one of the night nurses in the hospital detected her coloring as " a little dusky" bluish in color. She was flown to Phoenix the next morning, her dad and I made the trip by pick up truck..calling in a phone booth at Globe to see if she arrived at Good Samaritan in Phx. alright...she had. The next 9 days were long... and yet glorious as I look back. When you have a sick child, each day is as if you have been thru an entire year! She nursed heartily and seemed to be thriving as well as she could... but she needed micro heart surgery we were informed on her 9th day... we were blessed to be able to embrace her, tell her of our love for her, kiss her goodbye as she was wheeled off in that little bassinet to surgery... after an eternity of about 5 hours...we were told she didn't make it through. A piece of my heart died that day along with the "sweetness in our lives" We learned alot about joy, sadness, miracles and letting go. I will never forget the closeness I felt of that sweet warm cuddly baby clinging onto life for only a few days. She passed her test! It broke our hearts to let her go...but oh the joy of knowing what we know... and the blessing of seeing her again one day. The picture above is not Courtney as I have none...but she was remembered has being such a beautiful baby.

Mother's Day at Our House!

Ok I really was awake! What fun it was to have my mom, Marcy and I to celebrate Mother's day with our loved ones around! I have always lllllllOVED being a mom... but each year it just gets better! I had such a wonderful weekend with Camdon's game and all yesterday...lunch out with Tim and Jaron... and now today cooking with my husband, make a nice meal for my mom and daughter and her family! Can it get any better? I think not! Hearing from Todd and LoraLeigh also made my day. I love my dear children. You are my everything!

Darling shoes from the cutest girls in the whole wide world! (sketchers) Yay, I now own some!

Pretty flowers from my husband, Tim and Kiff. A sweet embrace from our lovey Trevon.

Grandma Ries enjoying "cool" Camdon!

The best part: THE GUYS CLEAN UP FOR US!!!!

Cozy up together in the AZ room

What handsome young men!!!

I have the greatest family! With sweet parents...Sunday dinners and good visiting...Sure am proud to be the mother of 7 wonderful children! THANKS TO ALL MY KIDS!

MY MOM...

Might be hard to see these... that's how old they are... not me, just the pictures...HA! Anyway..I love my mom and wanted to pay tribute to her.. Here we are just the 5 of us when we came to Mesa many years ago... My mom loves to laugh and you will see in all the pictures..she has a radiant smile! Mom, that is what kept us all going! This was an Easter morning... l to r-Mom, Kenny holding Scott, me with the flower on my head...and Alice.

The whole gang! Mom still smiling with that many kids! In the 50's it was hard to manage!..but we did it! It's a bit hard to see but there are 8 of us kids (and a dog) the little mother holding Paul is me.

Now we are uptown and have colored pictures! This is actually an old polaroid! Mom loved those cause she could have instant pictures made! Just a few of us here..as Kenny was on his mission at the time. Mom you did a beautiful job raising our bunch! You always laughed and I think that is probably the key... I know I need to work on that area... thanks for your hard work, your example, and for your strong faith, for that I am most thankful.

Fun Saturday time with Camdon!

I sure had a nice early afternoon time with Camdon and company! Due to circumstances beyond my control...I havent been to any of his games til today! What good, quality family time! Here he is running his little legs off #53. Isn't he cute?

He looks so focused...I see quite an improvement since last year.

Uncle Tim went with me...we picked up Jaron as well. Here are some of Camdon's fans enjoying the game and the Arizona sun!

This is from the other end of Camdon's fan club! He had 1 mom, 1 dad, 2 grandmas, 1 grandpa, 2 uncles, 1 aunt, 2 brothers and 1 cousin! That is quite the support for our "cool" grandson!

This is our soccer player after the game... along with his mother and little cousin. Love you Camdon, enjoyed our time watching your team!

Cute little grandkids!

These precious little twin girls are turning 1 this month! We love and miss you very much! They are our 10th and 11th grandchildren.

A few more moments to savor with our grandkids... here with Aunt Marcy.

LoraLeigh and her 2 little ones came for an overnighter this past weekend! Here they are resting after a few hours at the mall! We all are hoping and praying for little Carder's finger to heal soon. (He had a little toddling accident)

Americas Top Model look out!!! Here is darling Kamrielle...

A couple of "cool" grandsons...(Camdon wanted to be cool! )

Awesome Jaron (our oldest) with his cute cousins Paige and Savannah! I knew life was great when I became a mother... but I am "over the moon" thrilled with being Grandma!!!