Grandpa's Big Fish

While we were up there Grandpa Fred caught a BIG fish! I believe it was a 14 lb steelhead. We just wanted a comparison of Ellie and Ava standing next to it. Ellie was so scared and wouldn't stand next to it till Ava did.... So she did and thought she was such a big girl. One of the pictures was of her smelling her hand and saying "SINKY" after touching the fish. It was halarious! Then the top one if of my step brother Derek gutting it. He is holding the eggs of the fish in his hand. There were a ton of them. I remember standing next to my Dad's steelhead when I was about five. It was huge I truly know how scary and "SINKY" it is.

Saturday Afternoon

After we went to my sister's we went to my brother's softball tourney. And yes I said softball tourney. It was snowing and freezing and we could not get over that they were having a softball tourney in the middle of the winter. And let me tell you that mud was so thick I don't know how anyone could run in that stuff. But needless to say my brother is a die hard and his team got second place at the tournament. He is such a stud!

Then I snapped these pictures of my niece as she was hanging out the window watching the softball game. I thought they turned out so cute. She is such a chubby little doll with big eyes. We just love this girl!

And these were of Ellie hanging out the window. The wind was blowing in her face and she kept trying to catch her breath cause it was so stinking cold! But I just love my camera and taking pictures if you haven't noticed that yet!

Ellie and Ava

01/24/08

This past weekend we went up to see my family in Orofino. We didn't get to go up during the holidays so we thought we would make a quick trip up there to see everyone before things got to hectic with school and Layne working. So we left Thursday around 10 and got up there around 8 pm. It was a LONG drive. For some reason Ellie wasn't so excited about this trip and didn't want anything and was pretty much crabby most the way so it made it seem even longer. Not that I can argue with her I was pretty restless to. Plus I don't think that she felt very good. Anyways we got up there and just spent the evening relaxing and didn't do to much. Layne got up the next day at 11 there time which would of been noon our time. I couldn't believe in all 4 years that we have been married he has never slept that long. He must of been exhausted. Well Friday we just spent the day relaxing again and watching TV with my mom and sister. Jacob came down later and we just hung out. When we go to my mom's we play alot of games cause there isn't really anything exciting to do unless you party which we do not so we played games and Layne won almost every time.

So Saturday we we got up and went to Lewiston to spend the day with my sister and her family. It was the moment Ellie was waiting for. She could not wait to see "baby aba". As soon as we got there Ava was eating and Ellie was just begging to hold her. So as soon as she was done and out of the highchair she was sitting in this chair with Ellie. Ellie just loved on her and wouldn't let her go. So I snapped some good pictures of them sitting together.

And then there was some pictures of them playing and just getting re acquainted. Ellie loved spending time with Ava and just couldn't help but love on her the whole time. I love my sister so much and am truly greatful for the friendship and love that we have for eachother. It wasn't always like that but I am so greatful it is now!

Dancers

In the last month or so I have been subbing alot for Mrs. Jann Kidd and I have loved it. I enjoy all of her classes and have learned alot from her students and also from just watching what she has done with her dancers and cheerleaders. I may be a little more parital to these girls cause alot of them are on my volleyball teams but I think that they are pretty special not to mention I have seen how hard they work at perfecting their dances. Way to go girls.

A Dancer? "or" A Cheerleader?

01/20/09




I just have to say that this little girl is proving to be either one or the other. We have been going to watch the boys and girls basketball games lately and it never fails that Ellie is standing the whole time and cheering with everyone else. Before we even leave the house and I tell her were going to the game she runs and gets her pom poms and says to me "DAS Fight fight fight" It just cracks me up that she is so into those girls and what they are doing that she mi micks them at home all the time. A few nights before these pictures were taken at the basketball game the girls did their spirit squad routine which involves a stomp routine and ever since they have done that Ellie tries to do it by slapping her chest and clapping her hands like the girls did. I don't know how I feel about all this dance and cheer stuff. I have been true to sports since I was a little girl around the age of 5 when I started softball. But I guess what ever she is passionate about I'll just have to go with it. And for right now it's definitely being a cheerleader/dancer. She's got rhythm she might as well go with it.

Someday....

Someday Ellie is really going to hate me but right now her and Rigdon are young enough that I can get away with things like this. Well A few weeks after the holiday rush was over we decided to visit with Chip and Kenna since we hadn't seen them forever and just wanted to catch up. Well in the middle of playing with the kids and visiting Ellie decided she needed to go to the bathroom and Rigdon found it very intresting and decided he needed to go too... And of course I took the opportunity to snap a few shots of them talking to eachother and then smiling. I love moments like this... They don't come around very often but when they do I'm so glad to catch them in action. We sure love Chip and Kenna and their kids... And always enjoy a good laugh when they are over. This was deffinatley one of those times. Hopefully someday Ellie and Rigdon will be such great friends that they can laugh about this...

Amanda's 70's Birthday Party

Amanda's 12th Birthday was December 30 and I had just realized that I forgot to blog about her birthday party. So I just needed to update a little bit. Well she decided to have a 70's birthday theme and have everyone dress up (except me cause I'm a party pooper). I could not believe some of the things that those girls came up with to wear. Exspecially little Joelle Anderson. She totally dressed the part. I just stared at her all night in amazement. What a cute girl. Amanda is so lucky to have such great friends and family. And of course you can tell they had a good time. We played games, danced, and ate. What more could you ask of a birthday party. Happy birthday sis. We LOVE YOU!!!!

Who would not want in-laws like these.... LOVE YOU!

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Ms. Melaine. You are to find your fourth folder of pictures and take the fourth picture in that folder and describe it. Well this is little miss at the bowling alley for the very first time. My brother and his friend were down visiting and there wasn't much to do so we decided to go bowling. Ellie was obviously looking at my brother with a dumbfound look on her face because that is how she always looks at him... He's kinda crazy but we love him anyway. I am going to tag Cynthia, Jayne, Andrea, and Casie.

Catching Up

After the holidays I thought that I would slow down and take some time for myself but it just seems like I have been busier. I feel like I have been on the go 24/7. From subbing, to concessions, to just running errands I have worn myself out. My house has suffered tremendously. The other night I had concessions and didn't get home till late and I walked in the house and it was picked up. I couldn't believe it. It's not very often that Layne gets to pick up for me but when he does it deffinately doesn't go unnoticed! Exspeically when I don't even ask. I am so greatful for the time that I get to sit at home with Layne and Ellie and just enjoy them.
It seems like Ellie is changing all the time. Learning new words and correcting me when I miss understand her. Like the other day I was driving the girls home and I thought she said something other then what she really did say and she said "NO mom I saaay Mecine". I was just dumbfounded, The only thing I could do was laugh. Soooo... Thanks to everyone for helping me out while I'm at school and teaching her when you don't even realize your doing it.
I'm am looking forward to the new year. The changes that will happen in my family and the changes that I make. I hope to have made myself a better mom and wife and maybe even finish up alot more school by the year 2010!

St. George

The Passe: Brad, Layne, Kelly, Dad, Kaylen, Drew, and last but not least Blake

Getting ready for St. George

All the boys left for St. George last Saturday to go motorcycle riding. And all the girls stayed home and hung out at Teresa's. We ate left overs and chinese food while attempting to Paint and Fix up Erica's Room. It took us two days and two trips to walmart but we got it finished and had a great time with just the girls. As I know the boys had a blast and as Layne would say It's one of the best riding trips he has ever been on. I'm glad that he can go riding once in awhile and enjoy one of his most favorite past times in the whole world. He deffinatley deserves it.

Ellie thinking she is a big girl hanging out with dad and her uncles!

Brad

Kelly

My PInk Marshmellow

She was scared to walk in the snow so I made her stand in it so I could snap a picture! I got a pretty good kick out of it! She did not appreciate it very much at all!

Annual Darrington Christmas Party

As usual we always get together on Christmas Day Evening and the kids open their gift exchange presents and we eat dinner and usually everyone who wants to go down stairs and watch the newest Pastrana Movie. I love these kind of traditons because they will be great memories for my kids. And I love having family that is so close. I love all of my cousin in laws and enjoy their company anytime we are together. And it's so fun to see how much our family's grow year after year and see how the kids play well together. Merry Christmas everyone WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was probably one of the best I have ever had. I say this because my little Ellie was so excited about all the hustle and bustle it helped all of us get into the spirit a little bit more than usual. Of course we didn't get out of bed until 9:30. Ellie was waking up as I was finishing breakfast so I went in and told Layne his little girl was getting up if he wanted to see her expression. So when she got downstairs she said " WOW, Santa come" and was so excited about her "chicken" aka kitchen. (if anyone asks her want santa brought her she'll say a chicken. It just cracks me up cause everyone will question her like "CHICKEN?" and i have to say kitchen. It's just cute!) Anyways after like five minutes of playing with her dishes she looked at me and said "ware santa go?" picture # 3 in the collage. She was so mad he came and went with out her. I loved it. Glad I caught that picture in action. Some day she'll appreciate it! So we talked her into opening presents and after about two she said "Play dishes" left her presents and played dishes then came back and said "present" and this went on four about two hours. While she was playing dishes layne and I would open our own gifts which of course I had already recieved all mine so I just had a few but no complaints from me. I LOVE MY CAMERA and RING! So I got Baby Mama the movie and perfume. Layne got lot's of stuff he really hasn't decided what he wanted for his big gift by Christmas but I think as of today he is going to be a 30/30 some kinda of gun??? Anyways we had an amazing day of just playing with our new things and hanging out as a family!

And yet I knew it was going to be a good Christmas because it was "SNOWING" I LOVE IT!

Christmas Lights

It was the day before Christmas Eve and at about 11 o'clock at night I was sitting in the living room thinking how peaceful and quiet it was. It was the first time that I had sat down and really thought and pondered Christmas. Not that I hadn't been thinking about it and doing things for it but I really just took the time to sit down and really thank Heavenly Father for all the many blessings that I have and how much I appreciate his sacfice for us. I know with out him we woulndn't have the eternal blessings that we do and the families that we have. We are just so lucky to live in this day and age. Some times it scares me with everything that is going on but I know if we teach our children to choose the right and show them by example we will all make it. I hope that everyone had a very merry christmas and know that we were thinking of all of you at this time of year!