Blanchard Familia

Sunday Drive over Alpine Loop

2011-10-17T18:57:00.001-07:00

If you haven't been up the canyon to see the fall colors--drop everything and GO NOW!

We spent Sunday afternoon driving up and over Aspen Loop into American Fork Canyon. The mountains were on fire with every color you can imagine. The aspen trees were the most brilliant color of yellow, almost fluorescent. Then after the summit we dropped into the lodge pole pines of AF canyon. We stopped and explored along the way. We squatted on someone's recently deserted campsite and stoked up their old embers--spontaneous bon fire! We hiked down to the river--which bandit (our puppy) was terrified of. Finally his love for us surpassed his fears and he crept down to be with us. It was a magical afternoon. Then we continued on, catching the I-15 at the point of the mountain and joined the Nielsen clan for a fall fiesta.

Top 10 Things I don't want to forget about this moment:
*The hatchback open and the kids in the back looking out. The silouettes of their little backs and blowing hair.
*The crisp, healing air.
*The joyful hollering of Troy and the kids when they discovered a mossy river.
*The slippery tree stump that made both Troy and I fall in the river.
*Bandit sitting at the top scared to death--then finally, slowly inching toward us.
*That color of yellow.
*Finding leaves on the trails-especially the speckled one.
*Discovering gold dollar coins in the car that paid for us to enter the park. We would've had to turn around-we both left our wallets at home.
*Ash saying the mountains looked like a rainbow.
*Just driving at our own pace, in no rush, just soaking it all in.

Troy Does the Snowbird Hill Climb...again!

2011-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

We thought he was nuts the first time...but now we know he's lost his marbles. Every 2nd week of August we drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to spend a week there and there are always bikers climbing the treacherous 3500 ascent. One day i said outloud, "I would NEVER do that!" and before the words were out Troy said dreamily, "I want to do that one day." Well he surprised us all and did---which really isn't a suprise at all for those who know him well. His fan club this year included both our parents, our cute 4 kids who cheered for everyone who crossed the finishline, his devoted wife (me), and the clarke family who were also cheering on Sam, their dad. It was a beautiful day and he did amazing! 10 miles. 3500 feet uphill. 1 hour 30 min. Crazy and incredible.

Memorable Snowbird Moments-2011

2011-08-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

Hiking to Cecret Lake with 2 men, 5 women and 11 kids (14-month-Kayla to 13 -year-old Madi). I have NO idea how long it took but it was hilarious! Indy kept Bree laughing. Steph carried Kayla most the way (and sometimes Alec). Ash walked the trail holding hands with Uncles Ben and Jarem. Jarem took Tegan and Indy around the lake and got a lot more than he bargained for (It's burning!)

*Troy driving down to his first week for MBA classes on Tuesday and Thursday.
*Swimming at the kids pool with our fun aunts and cute cousins.

*Playing tennis, buying stickers and getting ice cream.

*The rides day! We didn't get to go last year so it was twice as anticipated this year and we soaked up evey minute of fun. Madi finally weighed 75 lbs. to ride the zip line!! It was our first year on the ropes course.

*Tif set us all up on blogs including every one of our kids. We got way into designing them.

*We watched Jurassic Park, Tron, The Rules (again), and home movies.
*Zumba! (Year 2)
*Laying out by the adult pool and talking for hours (Daph, Tif and Holly).
*Playing Guitar Hero with Uncle Jarem & Aunt Chan....and whoever else joined in. Having to be patient with all the tiny cousins wanting to "sing."
*Baby Valen :-)

*Troy's 2nd annual Snowbird Hill Climb bike race.

*A shocking shortage of males as they were working or gone to school. (Troy and Robb both got accepted to MBA programs this year!!)
*We missed Ani & Russ and Jay & Mel's families this year :-(

Just like the Snowbird decor, every year has the same feel with it's own unique changes each year. We act like we are the only family to ever jump on these couches and throw garbage in the dumpsters below. We are always too loud for the neighbors and more so with each added little person. We relax in the form of hikes, stargazing, crafts, swimming, tennis matches, walks to the lodge, movies, alpine slides, bungy tramps, tram rides, mountain biking, and lots of games. As expected, it feels like home this year. Only "home" this year included 3 more condos than the unit Mom and Dad bought 33 years ago (and a whole lot more people.)

New and Improved!

2011-08-09T22:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new and improved blog (thanks to my sis TIF!) Notice you can now link to all our blogs and go back and forth. Here we are at Snowbird for my 33rd year...the only place I find the time to do this sort of thing. Pictures to come when I get home to my desk top! Until then, I posted 900-something on the Shutterfly link. Enjoy! Hopefully these blogs will help us avoid a dreadful family newsletter. Not dreadful to read, but have you ever tried to gather pics from your family????

Please don't delete!

2011-01-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

In reading jane's blog I learned that blogger will DELETE this blog if I don't post for 6 months. I am not quite ready to jump back on the blogger horse but I will some day and I want to make a book out of my old posts. So please, blogger, don't delete. I promise to be better....

Ecuador 2009

2009-12-29T21:21:00.001-08:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

2009-07-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

Ok-I'm really excited about this! Thank you to my dear friend, Jane, who is the world's best bragger about her friends. Her enthusiasm has been very motivating for me!

My other dear friend, Gina, came up with this amazing idea and I can't wait to put it on! It really spawned from our love of these kids and our tiring of asking for money. :-) My kids have been dying to help these kids in some way but I don't dare take them on our medical trips yet so this is a really cool way for them to do something! They are so excited to race and what I love is that we picked a race length that fits every member of the family so families can do this together. Run 13 is an amazing company that basically gives you back your entrance fee in free food and t-shirts. Troy and I ran our first 5k with them on Pioneer Day and we were very impressed (with ourselves and run 13). So come run with us if you want--my most favorite part about this is that so many family and friends are running with us!!

http://run13.com/6.html

Join us in the Race against the sugar cane …

Racing the Cane
6k/3K/1K
When: 9/19/09
Where: Mountain View High School, Orem Utah

A fun way to get your whole family involved in Humanitarian work and physical fitness!
*50% of proceeds go directly to help impoverished kids in the Dominican Republic.
*We will be collecting used shoes at the race to send to the DR so the kids there can have a RACE of their own through the sugar cane fields!

We are partnering up with http://run13.com/6.html who put on a huge fun-filled event with blow up toys, music, and food.

Mark it on your calendars--more info to come!

Nanci has a house!

2009-04-28T22:56:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all your support in helping us build Nanci's family a home. It does not seem like much but this house has a leak proof roof, a cement floor, closeable windows, and is the envy of the neighborhood. Nanci's family is extremely thrilled and is living together again under one roof.

As a side note, we were able to deliver a large amount of school supplies to the local school.

Thank you... thank you!

Help Us Build Nancy's House!

2009-03-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love helping people and hate asking for money—but for these kids, I’ll set my pride aside if you promise not to hold it against me.

Beth and Kendric (My sister and her husband) are heading to the Dominican Republic with our good friends for a humanitarian trip over Spring Break. Remember the trip Troy and I took last November? Well, some people in our group have visited many times and have made lasting friendships with several children and families there. It has come to our attention that one young girl, whom we have taken interest in, is in serious need. Her family has moved from the most impoverished part of the country to a slightly more comfortable village. As they began to build their house, they ran out of money. (Doesn't that sound familiar?) Nanci's sweet family is farmed out to different homes throughout the village while they are stuck in this predicament. When we were made aware of the situation, we decided to try to get to the Dominican to help them. The only problem is…we need some funds to purchase supplies so we can get that home built. While we are there, we would like to take some much needed school supplies to a small academy that is dedicated to helping children learn English. Speaking English provides a significantly brighter future for these children. Some things they are in need of are: easy readers (in Spanish or English), note pads, crayons, English flash cards, pencils, and lined paper.
I’m so excited Beth, Kendric and our friends are able to go help Nanci and just wanted to let you know what we need in case someone is thinking--I can't go to the DR right now but I SO WANT TO HELP! (This would make a great Primary, YW or Eagle project if someone is looking for one...) Even $10 or some crayons would make a difference!
This is an example of what Nanci's family used to live in--there are actually 2 doors on this house with 2 families living inside.When we came in November to help--Nanci came every day to help us. She lives in conditions equal to those we were serving and yet she jumped in without being asked and worked from sun up to sundown! She is such a sweet girl with a lot of potential! She is currently starting up a small business and hopes to be able to bring her family out of poverty. Moving out of the sugar cane field was a huge risk and their only hope for breaking the cycle.

I know this is an awful time to ask for help, considering the economic climate right now—so please don’t feel pressure. We just wanted to give you the opportunity and just get the word out there. Even if you happen to be able to squeeze in a few extra school supplies into your grocery cart or can do a donation drive for an activity...it all adds up! We’ve booked the tickets—now we just need the funds and supplies!

Thank you!!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

2009-03-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 6am to cook this green feast and they still pinched me!! Don't I have green food coloring somewhere on my body???

Jon Schmidt Rocks!

2009-02-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

He really does. I have some of his melodic tunes on my ipod and loved them so we were so excited when our neighbor invited us to a private concert in their living room (maybe I invited myself with my over zealous enthusiasm...). So everyone we talked to had this excitement when they asked if we'd ever been to one of his concerts--we soon found out why. Jon Schmit is an amazing piano player who doesn't take himself seriously at all! I had no idea he played up-side-down, with his toes, nose and elbows, and rocks out like he's in a band! He was so much FUN and so inspirational for the girls! He takes the stuffy out of it and showed them what fun they could have if they kept practicing. Man, I wish I would've seen someone like him play violin when I was a kid. We were such groupies--we bought piano books and the girls had him sign them. And to top off the night, Bree lost her tooth eating refreshments (hence the napkin in her mouth.) Definitely a journal entry night.

Mazatlan, Mexico...our home away from home.

2009-02-07T23:42:00.000-08:00

What's not to love? When we first arrived and walked to our room I stood on the rooftop and breathed in the salty air, felt my cracked and bleeding toe soak in the humidity and begin to heal, looked out over the blue expanse of ocean with a big sigh and said...I'm home. ___________________________________________________________________

WEEK ONE (the week we planned for and told our teachers about) was filled with all the things we look forward to and love: days passing at the pool never having the thought to go anywhere else until the sun begins to set; poolside nachos covered in refried beans, who knows what kind of cheese and why it's so good, and all your favorite mexican toppings(pico de gallo, guacamole...); searching for crabs and seashells at the beach and this time watching the massive pelicans nosedive into the ocean; "Abuelita's" famous mole' chicken and rice pudding; truck taxis and pulmonias; shopping at the market; seeing the baseball factory; painting ceramics...

Every year it gets harder and harder to fit it all in and every year it feels more and more like we've come home and picked up where we left off. It is such a memorable tradition full of so much quality time with our family and dear friends in such a gorgeous place. How do you fit over 800 pictures into a blog?

Our rightly named hotel, Pueblo Bonito. Bree, looking for shells.

Myla and Bree--bucket heads!

KJ and Tegan--what a pair.

We take over the hot tub for a week--I think there were 16 kids with us.

Cute Jane with a very picturesque pinapple drink.

Shopping at the mercado

Girls and Kiana sporting the sombreros..yeah we bought 4.

What a great group!

Ash won this doll at the Mexican Fiesta. She was one of the last 2 finalists of this awesome hot potatoe sombrero game.

Troy dreams of this rice pudding...I wish I didn't have an texture thing.

The famous "Abuelita". What a cook!

They make this mole' for us every time we come! It's deliecious!

We love the beach downtown!

Madi and Kiana had the priveledge of their own pad at Kendric's hotel and absolutely loved the freedom. I'm still lamenting that I didn't think to mention to Beth that she needed a passport for Mexico now. Long story, but Kendric waited for her the whole week and the expedited passport NEVER came! So disappointing for all of us--not to mention my poor sister!

WEEK TWO (the totally spontaneous, what-the-heck part of the trip) was what Troy and I dreamed of doing even before our kids were born. It was such a cultural & educational week for our family being totally immersed in Spanish and major Spanish speaking opportunities through
working at the factory, making uniforms for our teachers and learning
the process of the factory, hanging out with the Padilla family --and might I
add, eating some really amazing food! It was such a great experience for our family and especially for the girls! Truth be told…Troy had to drag me back!

Amerika Sports, MazatlanManuel, one of the owners Bernarda, always so sweet to let the girls sit beside her and help cut thread
Abuelita with our family ambassador-Ash
Ariel, another owner (There are 3 brothers that own it and Abuelita is their mom.)
Rudy and Inez, brother #3

The girls were a part of the whole process of making uniforms for their teachers. They printed the design Troy came up with, walked it over to Manuel to cut. Took the cut pieces to Mari to sew and watched as she shuffled between 3 different machines to get certain stitches. Then helped cut the templates for the letters and numbers. The lazer machine broke that week and had to be shipped of to Guadalajara. Madi, not willing to give up quite yet, asked if there was a way to cut the letters and numbers by hand. We found numbers from a previous uniform in her school colors and (thanks to Luli and many at the factory) they pulled it off before we left for the airport. When they did their reports at school they presented their teachers with a uniforms that they helped make at the factory! Quelite--such an adorable puebla
We loved sharing it with Jared and Lissette and Ariel's family

So in summary--we love Mexico because...es diferente! (For all you Toni Col drinkers out there.)

Mazatlan...

2009-02-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

Due to the overabundant amount of homework and trip reports...the blog of our most recent amazing adventure to Mazatlan will have to wait. But if you have a magnifying glass you can see the pictures on the girls' posters--and that will have to suffice for now. The girls did an amazing job on these reports and really put their hearts into them.

All I'll say for now is that it was the kind of experience that we dreamed up before we even got married and it was magical seeing our dreams for our family play out. We love Mexico: the people, the food, the colorful buildings, the ocean and the wonderful people that we get to share it with. So...more to come......someday.

Our Furry (expensive) Friends

2008-12-29T22:34:00.000-08:00

Did we just spend $138 to cure a sick guinea pig that cost $30 to buy at the pet store?

Aubree is in love. She is by far the most doting and responsible pet owner I know. How could we not?

Tubing Soldier Hollow

2008-12-29T22:15:00.001-08:00

Jane, my amazing friend who is the only reason we get together at all, planned this tubing outing and didn't even get to come due to babysitter issues. So bummed--we missed you Jane! I guess I'll have to blog this one! But thanks to her organizational skills we all had a great day in perfect tubing weather in some gorgeous mountains!

And did I mention they actually drag you to the top? It's great! We wouldn't want to excersize doing this-oh no! It's nice to be lazy Americans once a year. We have to live up to our reputation!

It was such a fun group of friends and neighbors!

Hey, I'll take the cell phone on the ride up if it means he gets to skip a day at work to come sledding with us!

We all joined our tubes together--it was awesome...except for Caden falling off in front and getting dragged, running into Kiana and KJ on the way down (we just brought them along with us) and taking out the poor worker right at the knee caps...

As Troy would say--Good Times!

13 YEARS BABY!

2008-12-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

We got married 13 years ago tomorrow but the celebration took place yesterday and today. In fact, we just got back from our 2-day adventure. For our anniversary we decided to be tourists in our own city! (Well SLC is just to the north a tad.) We kicked off our Anniversary with a trip to the Shane Company where Daph decided she wanted to get me a new ring so we traded in my wedding band that she bought me 13 years ago. It was yellow gold, green gold, and white gold rope braided ring. It was questionable 13 years ago and we decided it was time for a new one- Shane Co lets you trade up- so it was fun! This is what we ended up with.

Then a trip to my italian roots for dinner - Ok I am only 25% italian but hey my middle name is Zelano- so put them together and I think I am closer to 50% italian! Then you add my abilty to tan easily and hairy body - ohh call me Gesseppi would you!
- OHH MAN I have to tell you about the tasty food! Biaggi's Stuffed Mushrooms (TASTY) then a beet salad to boot! Ohh I could stop there but - WAIT- there's more! We had some tasty talapia then a yummy desert - white chocolate bread pudding!

Ohh I almost forgot I had the brillant idea to park to the south of the Gateway. Well- we ended up in what I would call the "hood". Every step I kept thinking "ok your belt is a weapon- wait no take out your keys" after giving away all of our small bills and some guy telling us he had HIV for 13 years we finally made it. But hey, we provided money for hot cocoa and had a mental training exersise for me of how to find a weapon when you don't have a real one.

So on to the activity!

Daph had this great idea to walk through Temple Square to see the lights and take a horse carriage ride through downtown. But we could not even walk 2 blocks before we felt like our nose,ears, and fingers were going to fall off. So we ended up at the movie "4 Christmases." (funny)

Then I took my yummy wife back to this sweet Bed and Breakfast. Ok really the other way around! I really didn't plan the night at all it was a surprise from Daph. So we headed to The Inn on the Hill. Our room overlooked downtown SLC --take a peak :

YUMMY! Man I love this woman! That shot was taken off of our balcony.

Yes, we purchased the lense from the carnival mirror saleman- no -- NO that is not my normal face - yea I know it looks distorted but come on the picture is not that bad... Ok maybe it is! Ahh who cares--- daph looks cute!

GOOD TIMES! Perfect Location!

Very central to downtown and cozy.

In the morning we had a tasty breakfast that they prepared then she gave me another gift. A scarf and a sweet beanie--she said I would need them on our next activity.

Daph is in the middle of one of her 5- 360's that she cranks in a row-

Yes I know I look like a dork (daph made me post these 2 pictures so this entry was not the "Daphne show". )

If you look just past Daph you will see The Walker's building; that buiding has some family histroy. Daph's great-grandpa used to work in that building and daph's Mom remembers looking down at the ice skaters from his office. It was super fun- the sun broke out right as we arrived, all the wind disappeared- really a perfect hour of iceskating.

We hit Zuppa's on the way home to end a perfect anniversary! I have to say I just loved coming home as well. I love our chidren, our home, our family, friends, and neighbors. Life as crazy as it is - we love it- we love our work time and play time! I really feel so blessed/lucky to be married to Daphne; we love our life- 13 years of bliss!

"Lifting a Life" in The Dominican

2008-11-25T08:46:00.001-08:00

We're back!! How do I put a trip like this into words? Like our great friend Gina (who traveled with us) said, "It's wonderful, it's sad...it's the hardest thing, it's the most fulfilling thing...it breaks your heart, it fills you up" and we spend our days trying to figure out how and when we can get back there. The Dominican is such a beautiful country with some incredibley strong and courageous people and some really serious problems. I can't explain how fulfilling it is to take part first hand in helping bring relief to the people in those villages...to be able to cure ring worm from a little 7-year-old who's had it since she was 2...to remove shards of glass from a girl's foot who has had the cut so long her foot is oozing puss and red streaks of infection are creeping up her leg...to talk a little boy through the scary process of removing a pussing, infected tooth and telling him he's going to feel so much better tomorrow--I can't explain the feeling.

Troy and I were translators for the medical team-which was a really cool job! I love the connection I got with the people as the translator--and I loved using my skills to help them. It made all the years of school and sitting in front with the Spanish-speaking taxi driver worth it. We set up shop inside this tiny little church. We squeezed in the dental team, sanitation table, the medical team, the pharmacy, triage and education into this dark, one-room building and I was amazed at how fluid and efficient the process was. (This is the before picture. In about a half hour it turns into a full blown clinic.) When I saw this I was dumbstruck to find out that 9 people live here...then I learned that 9 people live in HALF that. There are actually 2 front doors.

What courage it would take to bring a baby into the world in these conditions. Look at the love and pride on her face.

This is our good friend Chris, we love him! He had the hard job of front line-crowd control. But did it with that big smile.

Another great friend, Gina, we love her! She fell in love with this boy Joaquin and with the DR. It was her enthusiasm that introduced us to IASK and brought us here.

Juan Luis (below) came home one day with a backache and within a couple months was unable to walk. That was 5 years ago and he hasn't left this bed on his porch ever since. Although we can't help him walk again, we were able to help him change a bandage that he'd had for months on a nasty bed sore and then teach him how to help it heal and how to prevent more sores in the future. He is such an inspiration to me. Despite what he's been dealt he exuded happiness and his smile will never leave me.

One of the most rewarding things I did was teach moms how to increase their milk production so that they could feed their babies more than once or twice a day.

Dr. Mike is great! I love these kids-they have such zest for life! Lori is one cool nurse and he is one sick kid

Don't you love that face?

They were building a fence. Their only tool: a machete. This is possibly the only place where men can walk around with huge knives and it doesn't instill fear in me. They are just coming from cutting sugar cane.Isn't she adorable? (Isn't he dead sexy?!)I helped the dentist one day and it was an awesome, emotional experience. How wonderful to be able to talk the kids through the scary process and help them understand what was happening--and then let them squeeze the heck out of my hands till we yelled "¡Ya salío!"

Go Team B! We grew to love these people! The good old Don Carlos where we stayed. Besides the bed bugs and cockroaches, it really is a great place to stay. Troy says the 80's hotel bedspread is nasty, but they are in the States too.

Thanks to our cute girls who helped SO MUCH on packing day! They stuffed hygeine kits and schools kits for hours with those darling big smiles they're famous for! And thank you Jane for the donations--we hand delivered them for you.

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And of course every good humanitarian deserves a couple days at the beach! We want to thank the wonderful people in our lives who lovingly and selflessly take care of our kids while we go traipsing around the world. If it weren't for you, we could never have had this experience and helped the people in the DR--Thank you!

Preparing for the DR!

2008-10-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

What's the DR you ask? It's the Dominican Republic and I'd never heard it referred to as "DR" either until we got involved with an organization called IASK (International Aid Serving Kids.) Anyway, Troy and I are heading to the "DR" in November to help translate for the doctors and dentists who will be helping some of the kids down there. They live in the sugar cane fields in the most impoverished conditions. They are refugees from Haiti living in the Dominican Republic so neither government claims them and it is up to the sugar cane company to care for their needs--who, unfortunately, have them mostly eating sugar cane. I just wanted to spread the word that we are collecting over the counter medications (among other things) to take with us if anyone is interested in chipping in. It's like helping the kids without the 3rd world conditions! Below are some of the things we're in need of.
· Children’s vitamins- we treat malnutrition and we ran out quickly last time. Try to avoid those with iron or at least find “safer” combinations if it is an ingredient. They don’t always follow our instructions (especially the tasty ones) and eat all we give them!
· OTC children’s meds - mostly pain Relievers – Tylenol(Acetaminophen) and Advil (Ibuprofen) ·
Topical triple antibiotic ointments, we were also severely short on Neosporin (Triple antibiotic ointment).
· Anti itch, anti-inflammitories -Topical hydrocortisone cream, Calydryl lotion, Aveeno soap, etc.
· Mosquito repellant – highest Deet % the better (winter season may really help pricing)
· Bandages – all sizes, gauze pads, cling wrap, compression wraps, etc.
· Prenatal Vitamins – we will treat pregnant moms
· As many hygiene kits as we can possibly get there. They don’t have to be just like the church makes them. These kids typically don’t have soap, washcloths, toothbrushes, toothpaste, or shampoo, etc.
· Educational booklets – printed materials teaching them basic hygiene. From washing hands after using the bathroom to how to brush your teeth, for how long, etc. Also, it doesn’t have to be hygiene, it can be anything you feel a 3rd world child could benefit from learning. Spiritual or church pamphlets are not needed as our organization is non denominational and LDS missionaries provide great help usually and make them available only if people express interest.
· Monetary donations. IASK is a State approved charitable organization who donates 100% of donations to supplies or sponsorship of child education. We have a tax id# if anyone would like to verify though they will not be able to use it without being a member and registered. Some people just want to give money or come with us to buy supplies, or come pack them on the day we put everything together – they are more than welcome as are you, we need the help.
· Volunteers: we are still short ONE DENTIST. If you know someone or that someone is you, please let me know ASAP as we are finalizing travel and accommodation plans.

I'm just passing along the word if anyone knows someone who is looking for an opportunity to serve or do a YW/Eagle Project. We have a packing day October 25th so we need to have all our supplies gathered by then. We are so excited about this opportunity to be able to use our Spanish and do some real good! Of course, I'll be posting pictures of our trip--at my rate probably 4 months after we get back (haha).
P.S. http://www.iask4kids.org/ look it up!

Beautiful Fall

2008-10-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

What a gorgeous time of year! We went on the most beautiful bike ride starting at Vivian Park riding down to Bridal Veil Falls. The fall colors were so vibrant and weather was perfect. This is what it's all about.

Of course, we did just as much exploring as we did riding. We joked that we would never pedal more than 5 times before stopping to see something. Isn't it great to see your kids discover?

Troy Turns 36!

2008-10-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Another Summer Update...Troy's birthday at Aspen Grove! All Troy wanted for his birthday was to go camping with his friends and family. (See also Jane's blog on this-she has some great pictures!!) Once we made it up the treacherous terrain, we found a beautiful grove of aspens-hence the name. The kids absolutely loved a weekend filled with 4-wheeling, motorcycle riding, and getting dirty with their friends. Thanks Rhodes for buying camping gear just for this occasion--thanks to Shannon for playing games with the kids and sleeping in a camper totally pregnant--thanks to all those who came with little babies who had to be fed through the night---it was a labor of love! It meant a lot to Troy celebrating his birthday with all of you!

"Life's truest happiness is found in friendships we make along the way."

Washington D.C. to Visit Elder and Sister Blanchard

2008-10-01T16:15:00.001-07:00

This was my first time to Washington D.C. and Troy's 3rd. What a beautiful city! The architecture alone can tell history. The Executive Building is clearly european. The Watergate speaks of Nixon's era and the Kennedy Center looks like the 70's. There is an ordinance forbidding skyscrapers so nothing towers too high over the gorgeous trees except the Washington Memorial. I feel like we just took a history class--every square inch of this place has a story...just walking down the road we ran into the Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot. When we watched the news with the reporter standing in front of the Capitol Building it's amazing that it's just down the street from where Jo Ann and Gary live. The city has such a political pulse and patriotic vibe-I love it! We had the BEST hosts anyone could ask for! They hooked us up with all their connections and got us a private tour through the East and WEST WING of the White House (thanks Jean!) They also got us a private tour through the Capitol Building (thanks Lauren-one of their interns). And then every minute was filled with monuments, memorials, a cruise on the Potomac River, water taxi-ing through the Baltimore Harbor, lunch at Rusty Skupper's with the senior missionaries in the area and a very special trip to the beautiful DC Temple. What a memorable trip!!

The World War II Memorial is really neat at night. It has a reverence to it. This trip has made us so grateful for all the sacrifices made on our behalf.

We got to help take down the ginormous flag at Fort McHenry.

This was absolutetly stunning seeing Lincoln aglow between the columns.

I kept thinking, This is where it happens.Troy, of course, noticed the guy on the roof and the souped-up secret service carWe went through a tunnel that connects the Cannon Building to the Capitol Building. I was amazed by how beautiful the Capitol is. Every wall and ceiling (and often floors) are covered with the most colorful and detailed artwork.

I don't know why but I could barely breathe driving down "Embassy Row". You can just feel the power of the nations! I guess I never thought about how many embassies there would be-they were everywhere!

The Washington D.C. Temple

MJ's Soccer-First Season!

2008-10-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

One thing I love about Madi is she loves to try new things. I must admit I was feeling a bit guilty when I brought her to the field the first time and realized that most of these kids had been playing for years. The mom in me wanted to yell, be nice to her, it's her first time. But Madi jumped out of the car undaunted and excited about trying something she hadn't done before. She got out there and played her heart out! She loved it! She also loved having her friend Reagan was on the team.

Bree's Baptism

2008-10-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

(Okay-so I'm posting way out of order but oh well. This was in June)

How many kids get to get baptized on the same day as their cousin! This was such a beautiful day! Thanks to family and friends who shared it with us. We are so proud of our sweet Aubree. A classic photo taken by Uncle Jasen

First ever Adventure Race-Vail, CO-2008

2008-10-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Their team is the Oceanic 4 and they took 3rd place!! We're very impressed. The competition was located 45 minutes outside of beautiful Vail where they had to mountain bike, trail run and kayak down a river. Kendric's on the fly (while running) GPS abilities helped them leave the competition in the dust...and let's not forget what it's like to have 2 chiefs in a canoe. (You'll have to have Troy tell you the story.)

Back in the Game!

2008-10-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok, so it's been a few months! At the end of the school year I thought, as soon as summer comes I'll have more time. Then summer came filled with camping trips, sleepovers, friends in town and all the things that make it so FUN--and so busy! So I told all my nagging friends when I was scolded about not updating (HE HE), when the kids are in school and I get a handle on our schedule I'll do a "what we've been up to this summer" entry. Well, here we are, October 1st, soccer's over and maybe, just maybe, I'll get a few pics posted. I considered writing "To be continued in 2010" when Tegan's in school, but then I'd get way too behind. So back by popular demand--our FUN SUMMER!

One of our favorite camping spots this year was in Canyonlands-just outside of Moab. It was gorgeous terrain with miles of giant rock slabs to explore. It had a waterfall down the road, perfect 4-wheeling trails, and no bugs! Best part was being with our family--man they know how to have a good time!

Of course a summer can't go by without the annual SNOWBIRD trip. Every year I wonder if I've over-romanticized it--if it's really all that we crack it up to be. And every year we seem to have even more fun and are sad when it's time to go home. Amazing that we actually ALL get together every year. That is a credit to Mom and Dad -- thanks for starting this tradition.

We have such fun grandparents and the coolest aunts and uncles!

Not to mention the cutest little cousins!

Aaah Summer!

2008-05-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

We know it's only spring but we just couldn't wait. Tegan has been waiting for the sun to come out long enough to use his water snake that he bought with his own money. After months and months of filling his "treasure chest" and just finding joy in saving it and counting it, Tegan finally wanted to buy something.
These are the moments I want to lock away in my memory and never ever forget. I'm feeling time speeding up and I'm yelling "Wait!"

Bree-the Indoor Soccer Star!

2008-05-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

The first game Aubree went to she was appalled to find out there were boys on her team--in fact she stood on the field in terror and refused to play. With some coaxing from Troy she decided to give it a try "just this once" and found out she loved it! She is by far the littlest on the team and she is fearless now. She has even scored 2 goals!! We are seriously proud of her for getting out there and playing her heart out! It helps that she gets to play with one of her best friends, Myla (who is one of only 2 other girls on the team)
I know these photos are not the best but note the size difference between Bree and our friend Brogan. She doesn't seem to notice anymore and I flinched through the whole game saying in my head--Oh please don't hurt her!
Tegan & cousin and soul mate, Paris

It's Softball Time Again!

2008-05-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

At this game we came to watch Troy, my brother Jarem, my other brother Jasen, my brother-in-law Kendric among all our friends at Pro Look. It was fun having them all playing together--albeit FREEZING cold! There are no fair weather fans here!

T-Ball with Dad and Aunt Lissette

2008-05-16T15:53:00.000-07:00

It is so cool that Ash gets to play T-Ball with her cousin Tristan and that her dad and aunt are there to coach them! She loves it and is really good! That girl has an arm and when we practice coach pitching at home she hits the ball almost flawlessly --AND can carry on a conversation at the same time!

Overnighter with the Girls at Laurie's Cabin

2008-04-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

I was blessed with the best high school friends anyone could ask for. Every year we get together and it feels like going home. This year we went to Laurie's cabin in the Uintah Mountains. We came adequately prepared with food, snacks, sleep gear and plenty to talk about...but kinda forgot flashlights, snow gear or even proper shoes (Liz...). Who needs guys? Okay, maybe they would've come in handy when the entrance gate was under 10 feet of snow! But we have never sherked an adventure and this just put us back to old times when we were laughing so hard we almost pee our pants. These are some of my favorite people!

"Best 9-Months-Pregnant Hill Climber" goes to Trish

"Best Hauler and Fearless Courage in the Face of a Moose" goes to Laurie

"Deepest Leg Plunge" goes to Liz

"Best Organizers (and the reason this happened at all)" goes to Tanya and Kristen (Thanks for all your hard work to help us make a decision and do it!)

Jamaica 2008 (We know, we know...)

2008-04-30T03:48:00.000-07:00

The trip started out with the best hour and a half ride on dangerously narrow rodes through the jungle driving on the left side of the road! It was a great way to see the beautiful country and the people doing what they do.
We loved this tree--it's symbolic of OUR part of the beach. After getting a whistle blown at us for swimming outside the ropes (in the ocean!!) we decided to head for the public beach where we could snorkle and swim wherever and however we wanted. As you can see in the background, the trees came right up to the sand and were so thick that no one was ever there! We had the place practically to ourselves!
Look at that powder sugar sand! Ahh, this is the life!

It was great to fianlly scuba dive again-it had been 11 years since I'd been--what was I doing? Having 4 babies??

Our friends, Chris and Gina, were such fun travel buddies! We had the best time with them!

After a 10 minute demo our guide took off and left Troy with the ropes! He did an impressive job of steering that thing in some pretty strong wind!

We went on a CANOPY TOUR! We zip lined from tree to tree through the jungle sometimes over 200 feet in the air! Amazing!!

You go, Gina!!

Troy and Chris were limbo stars at the beach party!
Gina and I got to dance! Troy always takes a fantastic food shot
Thanks Chris and Gina for a seriously fun time!

Gooseberry Mesa

2008-03-28T15:50:00.001-07:00

Troy got to ride his favorite place to mountain bike last weekend with Kendric, Matt, and Cody.

Easter-Forest, Family, and Segways

2008-03-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

As enchanting as the forest is-there are some inherent hazards...nice touch Mom.

Dying Easter Eggs

2008-03-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Mom (or better known as Grand Barbie to the kids) came down to dye Easter eggs with us.

We introduced Lorena (the BYU student from Ecuador who is living with us while she goes to school) to the tradition -- apparently she has never heard of that before so homework or not-we had to give her the experience!

Playing Easter Bingo!

Ash's Fancy Nancy Book Report

2008-03-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

Ash chose Fancy Nancy to showcase in class today because Fancy Nancy likes to dress up like her, is fancy like her, likes to dance like her, and she has a dog named Frenchie.

(She requested the photo by the car)

I FLY!

2008-03-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have always wished I could fly and yesterday was the closest I've come! Troy and I went indoor skydiving at the Solomon Center in Ogden with Beth, Kendric, Jarem, and his fiance, Chantell. I must admit I was a little scard of the wind tunnel and 60 mile an hour winds blowing me up into the air. I was having visuals of getting sucked into the fan like in the original Willy Wonka movie...but it was absolutely amazing! What a cool experience to feel weightless like that! After 2 minutes I was hooked and wanted more time to learn tricks! Thanks Beth and Kendric-that was a very memorable Christmas present! (Check out ifly.com or you tube to see the crazy things the employees do-they rock!)

Our First Born Goes Double Digits!

2008-03-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Madi turned 10 last month! What? But that means I'm 10 years older than when I had her and I KNOW that can't be right? (Actually, I must admit, we have had 10 years of adventure, a couple careers and 3 more kids so I'm at peace with that.) Madi wanted a little tropical summer for her birthday so we made smoothies, wore hula skirts and danced, and pretended it was warm outside. She really wanted a volcano on her cake (thank you Wal-Mart for selling mini chocolate cakes) and an inflatable palm tree. It doesn't take much to make this girl smile!

We have a tradition of waking the birthday girl up singing "Happy Birthday" and giving our family gifts to her on her bed before school.

Feliz Cumpleano, mija. Tu eres un angel y me alegro muchisimo que estas en nuestra familia.

I found my camera!

2008-03-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

It was in an obscure pocket of the bag we brought on this trip! I was so happy-it had pictures of Halloween, the girls' piano recital, and the HOT SPRINGS...

So here we are in the dead of winter in the middle of a cow pasture in Meadow, Utah...what? That doesn't look fun to you?

Beth and Kendric, their little girl Lauren and darling Indy.

Aspen Moose Cabin

2008-03-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

We had the priviledge of spending Presidents Day weekend in a quaint cabin tucked away in the Uintah Mountains! Spending 4 days snowmobiling and enjoying the snow did much for my opinion of winter! It was gorgeous up there! Of course we mixed a little business with pleasure-this was officially a KZT retreat-and had some good friends who happen to also be business associates the first 2 days. Then day 2 the Family was invited. We were so happy to have Mel and Jay from Cedar, Jarem and Chantell, Steph and Robb, Mom and Dad, and Beth and Kendric (who are our partners with KZT Capital Investments.) We were sad that Jared and Lissette had a sick child and couldn't make it and that Tegan got sick when we arrived so the Rhodes couldn't come (their kids had just gotten well.) We also missed those family members living out of state. But the good news is this trip was so magical and relaxing that we want to make it a winter tradition-we will definitely be doing this again!

Little eskimo Ash

Troy and Tegan going for a spin

Uncle Jarem--With so many people in the cabin we were trying to saves some space for seating Madi made this killer snow cave
Beth and Tegan making snow castles
Kendric and Ash
Madi, Bree, our cousin Lauren, and Ash
Me, before I got whiplashed and thrownOur friend Gina who used to be our next door neighbor in the yellow house

Bree gone wild!
Chris was a very patient (and dizzy) driver
Grandpa Skip and Grand barbie

Madi and Bree ~climbing trees and jumping in the snow
I know-the dark hair...sometimes I don't recognize myself
The MVP award goes to Troy and Kendric who spent hours getting the machines there, working, and gased up so we could all play. After 2 hours the first day in the dark trying to get the snowmobiles off the trailers and all the vehicles up the unplowed road I was feeling really bad for them; but they never complained and swear it was all worth it. It was truly one of those trips we'll never forget.

GOOOOOOAL!

2008-02-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

So all my high school friends are laughing right now and asking themselves, "Did Daph ever play team sports in high school other than flour wrestling and pasta wars on the golf course?" And the answer is of course yes-doesn't powder puff football in the snow count? And what about the time I played basketball? Okay, I shouldn't have even brought that up. So you can imagine my amazement with how much I LOVE indoor soccer! And did I mention I scored a goal last week? (Yeah, I'm going to keep bringing that up for a while.) It is such a fun reason to get with the girls and get some serious exercise! Thanks Pro Look for our cute uniforms. And thanks to my fan club-the cutest kids and sweetest husband in the stand.

Meadows Hot Springs

2008-02-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

I'd love to post a picture of our last crazy adventure to a hot spring in the middle of a cow pasture in meadow, Utah...but our camera is still sitting on the rock by the pool under who know how many inches of snow. You see, the water may be 95 degrees, but you still have to run 100 yards in your bathing suit back to the car! In the rush I broke my own cardinal rule: scan the premises before leaving. Thanks Beth and Kendric for a fun memory---that we have no picture of.

Bahama Mamas

2008-02-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm spoiled rotten! I wish every mother could go to a tropical island for a week to unwind with her best friend! We got hooked up with a free hotel, cashed in on some frequent flyer miles and within 2 days I was on a plane to parpadise! I got to read 2 books-The Poisonwood Bible which I loved and 1000 Splendid Suns which is such a powerful story. We had a regimented schedule of lay by the pool, read, get a massage, exercise and eat...oh and do a little shopping for souvenirs. It was rough.

Does it get any better than that? Seriously.

Thanks, Jane, for letting me crash your birthday trip! Oh, and yes, that brunette is me. Ever since I pierced my ears last year I've gone WILD!

Elder and Sister Blanchard

2008-02-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

And they're off! After a tasty lunch of sushi we drove Troy's parents to the airport and they are now in Washington DC. For those who want to send the missionaries a letter or care package here is their address:
2555 Pennsylvania Avenue, Apt. 414
Washington, D.C. 20037

We're proud of you, Mom and Dad! Don't worry about us-we'll be fine!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-04T18:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2008! We rang in the new year at the annual party at the Rhodes!!

Loved the face painting...Tegan's a T-rex

Darling Ash (in case you couldn't tell with the mask.)

Aubree and Myla as kitties

Ash and Daddy singing "Should I Stay or Should I Go" with Rock Band. Madi and Lizzy, our cute neighbor Caryn, Sara, Susan, Janette, Me, Jane and little Sela
Happy New Year! I am always in shock at the amounts of confetti that flies from off the upper level...it's a good 2-3inches thick when it finally falls to the ground...I'm holding my breath wondering if we'll ever get it clean...And it never ceases to amaze me that within an hour it looks like before we came (well, almost.)

At midnight the dads and kids jumped in a 102 degree pool! The kids were hands down most excited about this part of the night. Ash kept asking, "Is it midnight yet...I want to go swimming!"

I feel the need to disclaim this picture...nah.

THANKS AGAIN RHODES FOR A GREAT PARTY! And to all our family and friends out there-may this year be a prosperous, healthy and fun one!

Playing in the Snow

2008-01-04T18:03:00.000-08:00

12 WONDERFUL YEARS!!

2008-01-04T17:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks family for taking care of our kids so Troy and I could get away! We decided not to spend any time traveling and to just spend the day doing whatever the heck we wanted whenever we wanted. We visited Beth and Kendric, had delicious tortilla soup at Su Casa in Bountiful, Troy spoiled me with a new ring and necklace, and we ate at our good friends' new restaurant called Pizzaria 712 in Orem (get the short rib appetizer and the custard dessert.) We were irreponsible and watched movies till 3am and then ate Betos burritos on the way to the rock climbing gym. Now you know what our life was like between marriage and Madi's arrival. It was sort of like remembering our beginning and for a moment we felt like young bucks until the worker at The Quarry informed us that starting January 1st they will no longer allow us to use our own equipment if it's over 10 years old. Ouch!

The Blanchards Storm Colorado!

2008-01-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Or was it the other way around. It took us 2 DAYS to get there due to stormy weather but hanging out with our cousins makes the long trip worth it. All 3 of Troy's brothers and their families were there along with Mom and Dad. It's always fun when this crazy group gets together! Christmas Eve was a riot! After dressing Santas in streamers and playing a gloved unwrapping game all the kids did a talent to get their gift--which was--surprise! Pajamas! Then Papa (Troy's dad) read the story of the birth of Christ and we sang Silent Night. There was a beautiful peace during that part. All the kids huddled together to sleep downstairs and happily awaited Santa.(Note the ADORABLE blankets made for us by Jane--(Pink, Green and Red ones) They match our rooms and even have our names embroidered on them...which really helps because getting all the right stuff HOME from Colorado is usually the hardest part.)

Loidy was easy--animal print ANYTHING! Madi painted her a cheetah print purse.

When we were in Mexico in November, Grandma Jo was obsessed with painting ceramics and was working on a set of dishes. Madi made this bowl for her set while we were there and kept it a secret until Christmas. Grandma Jo was thrilled! Madi is such a thoughtful little girl...she did this all on her own. She finds so much joy in helping others--honestly, the only time she gets in trouble is if she's being too helpful and that person doesn't want the help (hehe).

Merry Christmas!

2008-01-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't be the holidays without kids' performances. Aubree sang Spanish Christmas songs at the mall. She was (and I'm not biased) the cutest one! She was feeling the beat so much she couldn't help but dance. She was jamming while her classmates stood still beside her and she was completely oblivious...she was having a good old time! So adorable! Aubree's fan club

Madi and Bree performed at a Rehab center in Orem with their music class. Madi played the piano and Aubree played instruments and sang songs. We are so lucky to have found Jill Freestone's music class. The girls have learned so much in less than a year--how to train their ear, sight read, tap rhythm and tons more. But best of all they have learned to LOVE it and to be creative on the piano. I hear them making up songs just for fun when no one is around.

Who gets to watch their friend in the nutcracker at Capital Theater?!? The girls, Troy and I had the great opportunity of going to see Kiana as a party girl in the ballet. (Tegan stayed home and had a date with Loidy.) Our kids have a skewed sense of reality when it comes to theatrical performances. When we went to Tuachan in St.George we never saw a production that didn't have an aunt in it (Stephani and Melani performed there in Utah!, Joseph and the Amazing..., among many others). They think it's normal to hug the cast after the show. We saw Jasen in a play at SUU and when he walked on stage 3 or 4-year-old madi yelled out, "Hi Jasen!" We saw Stephani in the Off broadway theater in Salt Lake City...the list goes on and on and on. Whenever we go to a performance the kids always ask-- who's going to be in it.
We had to divide and conquer the morning performances. Thanks to 2 very dedicated sets of grandparents and uncles we were able to have a fan club for both Madi at her school and Tegan at his. (Sorry, Madi, we may have had 2 sets of grandparents but only one camera--actually, I think Grandpa Skip video-ed!)
Tegan sang his little heart out! He would look right at us and not the least bit ashamed of his toothless grin (he's actually quite proud), he sang as loud and as boistrous as he could get out. He knew every word! I certainly didn't practice at home (4th child) so I was amazed! We're constantly amazed at what a smart kid he is (again-we're the parents-but he is!)

2nd Annual Cutting Down the Christmas Tree

2007-12-18T12:30:00.000-08:00

We love this tradition! Last year was our first year pretending to be mountain men and despite Ash getting car sick and throwing up in Kira and Joe's car (sorry again!) all over her coat, her having to wear mine and then it was too big to walk in 2 feet of snow so I had to hold her while hiking up hills in search of the perfect tree (actually-perfect was not a requirement...)...besides that- it was an amazing and Christmasy experience! But this year was even better! No throw up and no snow. We went with our friends Kristen and Bjorn--thanks guys for the great pictures!

Before...
during...
AFTER! Now that's sexy!

SUCCESS! This is a great way to start off the season.

I'm an Aunt Again!

2007-12-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

For those who keep up on the Nielsens...both Melani and Stephani had baby boys within a couple days of each other and both were kind enough to not have them on Thanksgiving...but pretty close! They are both darling babies--healthy and strong (Steph and Robb's little Alec had a little scare but seems to be doing much better thankfully!). The moms are fine and all parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are elated!

Ash is holding Alec (Steph and Robb's)

Jensen Talbot (Mel and Jay's)

Unfortunately we were unable to make it to Cedar City to see Jensen...we can't wait for Christmas when they come to visit! But a big thank you to Steph and Robb who let us be a part of Alec's arrival. We loved being there!

Ash's First Tap Dancing Performance

2007-12-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the great Dad and Uncles who drove in the sleet and snow, 40 minutes round trip to watch the cutest 30 seconds of tap dancing we've ever seen! Ash did such a great job and felt so loved and supported!

The Blanchard kids finally go to Disneyland!

2007-11-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

What a fun trip for everyone! We thought we were merely going to keep a promise to our poor, deprived kids (apparently the only ones in their class who hadn't been to Disneyland...what??? I know, how could we?), but as you can see Troy and I had way more fun than we expected! (Notice Ash is plugging her nose-she fully expected to get plunged into the pool and have to swim for her life--maybe we should have prepped her a little...nah) We knew it was gonna be a great time when we measured Tegan and he was 41"--he cleared the required height for all the fun rides by an inch! (Anyone who knows me knows I'm not one of those moms content to sit and hold the baby while everyone goes on the ride-I LOVE roller coasters!) So we were set! And because we are a family of 6 we rode either 2 groups of 3 or 3 groups of 2-everyone had a buddy. One of the first rides we went on was the Matterhorn (to start off slow) and everyone was screaming Yeah! Woo Hoo! Let's go again! Troy and I looked at each other-and, well, we could have been on a commercial for "The Happiest Place on Earth!" This was probably our favorite ride-the kids were so cute and excited that they let us ride again without waiting in line and gave us passes to come back anytime we wanted. It pays off sometimes to have chatterbox kids.
Buzz Lightyear was a hit and they stopped the ride to look for something while we were riding so while we waited we racked up high scores! You should have seen Troy with a gun in each hand-he was reminiscing of his full-time cop days. (Give the gun back to Tegan, Troy, it's for the kids.) What a surprise when all the characters joined us for the Merry-Go-Round.
The kids really loved going to breakfast with the princesses. They got to get their autograph and talk to them one on one. Tegan got to tell EVERY princess how much he liked their hair (while stroking it) and lips (while staring at them)...careful there buddy! If you ask him his favorite Disney character he'll tell you Alladin and then (with love eyes he slowly says..) Snow white, she's pretty...

Goofy's kitchen was a total party and really good food! It was loud and crazy and interactive with the characters...and it was prime rib baby! Disney knows who's paying the bill and how to get them back! This is the only ride Troy and I opted out on...but the kids loved it!

Tegan knows how to work it with the ladies

Bandwagon or not--we must admit, Disneyland is in fact the happiest place on earth! (I mean, look at my face...)

Halloween!

2007-11-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

(Is it against blogging ettiquette to steal pictures from someone else's blog and use them for your own? I haven't uploaded my pictures yet and frankly, Jane's are better. Thanks Jane!) No coaxing was involved in the posing of the picture-I swear!
Kiana and Madi
Myla and Bree

Halloween was a day full of fun! I got to help out at Ash's Class Party (she smothered me with genuine kisses the entire time-I love my job!) Then Tegan and I party hopped over to Pro Look where I saw some of the funniest costumes I've ever seen. Jarem's friend KC was street performing as Richard Simmons-so, very entertaining. Then Tegan and I ran over to do the game at Bree's halloween party. Next Troy and I put on the Trunk-or-Treat at our ward which was a great success. We had a chile cook off and hot chocolate and had it cleaned up just in time to hit the end of the Rhodes annual Soup in pumpkin bread bowls --then we threw the kids in the back of the truck to trick-or-treat the neighbors! The truck is our favorite tradition-we won't trick or treat any other way now. We throw in whatever neighbor kids are in sight-other neighbors do the same-and we're off. We partied until our 4-year-old begged us to put him to bed saying, "I'm done with Halloween-can I go to sleep now.

Hannah Montana Concert!

2007-11-06T10:58:00.000-08:00

We told Madi and Aubree that we were going on a special time but that it was a surprise. Then Troy drove them to an empty lot that overlooks the valley, sat them on his tailgate, and told them that he got tickets to the Hannah Montana concert. You should have seen their faces! They screamed and jumped around and hugged him--it was precious! Then as we drove to Salt Lake they were in the back chatting and giggling and saying things like, "I thought we were going to the movie Hairspray and to McDonalds," then they would break out in screams: "WE'RE GOING TO HANNAH MONTANA!"

We were so lucky to be going the same night as Jared and Lissette's family which made it even more fun! They gave up their comfort and leg room so we could all sit by each other (and they had way better seats!) so we were all dancing, singing and bumping in to eachother! We had the best time!

We agree with Hannah: Life's what you make it - so let's make it ROCK!

Ash's Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

2007-11-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Ash is one lucky girl! How many kids get to have their DAD come on their field trip with them?

They went to Hee Haw Farms and had a great time! (Troy is the cameraman in the shadow.) They went on a hay ride, slid down slides, walked through a corn maze and, of course, got to pick out a pumpkin to bring home.

Elder and Sister Blanchard

2007-11-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

Troy's Parents, Gary and Jo Ann, received their mission call to Washington DC!

They are going to be working with the church educational system in the Barlow House-- teaching Institute, watching over the students and accompanying them on

historical outings (among other things.) They have been looking forward to this for a long time and we are so excited for them! We will miss having them here but Washington DC is in for a treat! They are such good, loving and enthusiastic people! Congrats Mom and Dad!

The Red Sox win the World Series

2007-11-06T10:21:00.000-08:00

And Troy was there to witness it in person! It was a chance of a lifetime-Troy's brother Price got him tickets to watch the Red Sox play at the Rockies stadium --and his seats were right next to the RED SOX DUGOUT!
(Shown with Rockies fans Price, Jared and Lissette Blanchard)

Being the only Red Sox fan gutsy (or should we say dumb) enough to wear ALL his red and blue paraphanelia has its perks. (And sitting within spitting distance of the players helps too.) Troy got a game ball from 2nd baseman Alex Cora!

Another Amazing Trip to MAZATLAN

2007-10-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Here are just a FEW pictures of our trip to give you an idea of how much fun we had! There are so many more I want to put on but that will have to be another day (maybe a slide show). This was my 5th and Troy's millionth time to Mazatlan and our 3rd time staying at this hotel --so this time it felt like home. It is absolutley gorgeous! The beaches are so fun and we know our favorites now. We love the people here and the great company we're with. We truly relax and enjoy the warmth of the climate and the culture. The kids get to practice their Spanish a little. It is a great trip and we LOVE IT! Does it get more gorgeous than that??!!
We were so lucky to have Grandma Jo and Papa join us this year!We love Taco Loco!
Shopping at the local market

Troy got us this truck taxi--we cruised all over town in it!
Ahhh..Grandma's Mole /mo lay/ She makes it for us every time!

Bree and Paris at the beach
KJ and Tegan

That Mango is to die for-and that hunk isn't bad either!
Madi is a great little body boarder! (it's my favorite thing, too!)

We went to Senor Frogs--it's a party there! (Don't worry, the bar was closed)
Cute Ash

One of the highlights is catching crabs on the beach--thanks Rhodes for the nifty crab holders!
We LOVE painting ceramics!

Tegan's 4th Birthday at Kangaroo Zoo!

2007-09-27T10:27:00.001-07:00

Our baby turned 4 this month! Man that went fast! It's always a blast when we get this group together but 40-foot inflatable slides took it to a new level of PARTY! Thanks everyone for coming and for beefing up Tegan's supply of "manly toys." Power Rangers, armor and swords, Transformers, giant snakes..these are things that you just don't find in a house of 3 girls.

Our adopted daughter

2007-09-25T09:26:00.001-07:00

For those of you who haven't met her yet, this is our adopted daughter, Loidy. She was our babysitter for about 5 years and we grew to love her and now she's family. She's going to school at Troy's and my alma mater-Southern Utah University in Cedar City. We took the kids this weekend to see where she's living because they kept asking how you could live at a school!

As you can see, Tegan thinks she's his girlfriend.

Last year's amazing trip to Mazatlan!

2007-09-23T01:24:00.001-07:00

2007-09-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

Caryn, Shannon and I trading in the 6:45am run for a GORGEOUS ride up Southfork! It was heavenly to be outside in the crisp fall air and surrounded by beautiful scenery and good friends. Life is so good.

Lake Lyman in the Uintah Mountains

2007-09-22T22:47:00.000-07:00

A highlight this summer was our camping trip to Lake Lyman! We spent a week doing nothing but 4-wheeling, canoeing and sleeping in our new addition to the family--a 24-foot pop-up trailer! Troy and I felt like we finally got back to our outdoor roots and never felt more like ourselves than when we were racing down the trails with sand in our hair and our little kids right behind. We are so impressed with how well they ride!

Don't let Madi's favorite color fool you-she is a tough girl who can maneuver!

Loidy wasn't so sure about the idea of off roading it-until she heard there was a bathroom a 1/2 mile away. Suddenly, she was a pro! She'll tell you differently, but we know she secretly loved it--look at the smile on her face!

July 4th, 2007

2007-09-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

A day at the Rhodes is always a party!! Who needs Seven Peaks when you've got this? And there's no lifeguard to tell you to not pile 4 people on top (although safer-not nearly as fun!)
Our fun neighbor Shannon and Madi

It was a fun-filled day and a serious party at the Granums. What a great neighborhood we live in!

2006-07-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Blanchards new Blog!