CeLeBraTe!

The last weekend of September was The St. Luke's Women's Celebration. This is my second year participating. You may remember... This year was GREAT!

I went to The Women's Show. Aryk tagged along in his stroller. We got lots of FREEBIES! Loved it. Aryk even got his face painted.

Saturday was the walk. Nicole and Crystal joined me. It was fun! We walked the 3.1 miles in One Hour!! We didn't have rain or strollers. But there were a lot more women, this year. We had to wind through a lot of slow pokes. Next year we think we will try for the running wave. It was fun and a nice break.

Last year I didn't post the overhead finish line cam of myself, because they cut me out. This year we were waving our arms and jumping up and down the whole way through the finish line so that we could find ourselves on the overhead cam. But... there was no overhead cam. It was after the finish line off to the left. So... you can barely see our arms waving and a little bit of my tall head and Crystal's hat. BUMMER!!! Next year we are going to have to make a bigger deal, and actually know where the finish line camera is set up! See you next year!

Ashton's Baptism

Ashton was so excited for his baptism. We had been talking a lot about it in our Family Home Evenings over the past year. He learned a lot about it in Primary. We've been going to the other baptisms for his friends in the ward. He was ready! And we got to have the Holbrook side of the Family come to visit and play! It was GREAT!!!

Grandma and Grandpa Holbrook bought Ashton a new suit for his baptism. He looks like a missionary! He really likes it! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! (He got other gifts, but we didn't take any pictures of those.) He also received a new set of scriptures and a scripture case from Mom and Dad. And Grandma and Grandpa Likes gave him Scripture Stickers to help mark the stories in his new scriptures. It has been fun to put these in his scriptures as we do Family Scripture Study. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma! And a CTR Baseball tie tack from Aunt Nicole. That is so COOL! He wears every Sunday! Thanks!

Here are the handsome guys in their suits. Ashton could not have a bigger smile!!

The guys in their white! YEAH!!!

After the baptism and confirmation we had Ice Cream outside. It was fun! I was a little distracted before/ during/ and after the baptism. So, unfortunately, our pictures don't include everyone. Great Grandma and Grandpa Miller and Darlene were there. Grandma and Grandpa Holbrook, Uncles and Aunts Kenny & Erika and Casey & Erika, cousins Zach, Tyler, Emma, Addilyn, Leah, and Karlin, and Great Grandma Ashton came too. Also, Grandpa and Grandma Likes and Aunt Nicole. Ashton also invited his best friend Jacob Wills and his mom. There were many members of our ward, Bishop and Sister Olson, Sis. Mickelson (Primary President), and The Gurney Family (our Home teacher). Ashton was able to be baptised on the same day as one of his best friends, Nate Richens. Ashton was so happy to have so many people come to support him. Thanks to all! And Sorry I didn't take more pictures! We did get A LOT of Holbrook Family Pictures!

Here are Grandma and Grandpa Holbrook with all NINE of their Grand kids! What cuties!


The Rose Family! This was the best shot we got!



The Likes Family. There's got to be a better shot than this! Please share!

On Sunday Evening we had a Family swim and BBQ at The Likes'. Thanks for sharing your pool, BBQ, and backyard! We had a GREAT weekend with so much family, spirit, and laughs! Thanks to EVERYONE who traveled, helped, and participated. It means A LOT to our WHOLE family!

Ashton's 8th Birthday

Ashton turned 8 this past week. It proved to be a GREAT birthday, despite bad weather. On his birthday we had to cancel our day plans (McD's for lunch and the skate park) due to a sleeping baby brother and rain. That night we invited Grandma and Grandpa Likes and Aunt Nicole over for presents and cake. Ashton received A LOT of LEGO Star Wars from Grandma and Grandpa. Which he loves, of course. They also gave him a builable Light Saber. Jeff helped the boys build the LEGOS over the weekend. Aunt Nicole gave Ashton a Baseball DVD/ Board Game and a Star Wars card game. VERY COOL!! Aryk and AJ gave him Star Wars toys, and Dad and Mom gave him...

A Ripstick! He has been asking for one, for a while. We thought they were a little spendy, but Jeff found one on a steal of a deal, and we couldn't pass it up! He was so excited, he wanted to go ride it BEFORE he ate cake!


Here is his first try on the Ripstick. It was tricky, and it took him... one whole day to get it! He picked it up fast, thanks to a friend and the DVD.


This Birthday Cake isn't super exciting, but I was working on the party for the next day and Jeff helped keep this one simple. Ashton thought it was fun, and chocolate cake always tastes good!



Just ask Aryk...

He was really enjoying the cake, until we laughed at how messy he was and I started snapping photos and threatening a bath. SORRY little man!

The next day was Ashton's "friend party". We had planned for an outside Harry Potter "Tri-Wizard Tournament" pool party. But it was RAINY. Really rainy. Crazy, I never thought that weather would be an issue in August! So, we changed the party to a Harry Potter/ Wii party indoors. Yeah, I never thought I would have 10 boys in my house at the same time either! It was fun. Ashton has GREAT friends.

So... here's the set up...
We set up the counter to be "Honeydukes" the candy shop. We had edible wands, chocolate covered "cockroaches" (they were really cinnamon bears), "Bertties Bots Every Flavor Beans", sour worms, and gummy lizards. For the birthday cake I actually made Wizard Hat cupcakes. And we also had "Butter Beer". YUM!!! What a sugar loaded spread!

Ashton has been asking to learn guitar since he was 4 years old! We told him he had to learn piano first. So, when Ashton was 5, I started teaching him piano. He has done well. He knows the basics of reading music, and the notes on the staff. So lately we have been doing some guitar shopping. Looking at sizes, prices, what we are willing to spend. Ashton even offered to use his allowance money to buy a guitar. This helped, because we knew he was serious! Ashton received money from Grandma Holbrook, for his birthday, to help pay for his new guitar. He also received some cash from Grandma June, Grandma Ashton, and one of his friends. So... Jeff took him shopping, and they bought his guitar.

Jeff bought him a beginner guitar book and DVD, and he has all ready learned a few things. He is excited to take lessons. We are hoping his guitar teacher will be available this week!
Thanks to Grandma(s)too!

Pumpkin Patch

AJ and I took a field trip with some friends to a local Pumpkin Patch. We got to pick our own pumpkin, go through maze, and see the chickens! It was fun.