Our January Happenings!!

January Birthday's

4th-Happy Birthday to Jenn

9th-Happy Birthday to Mom!!

Hope you all recuperate from the crazy Holiday Season!!

December Birthdays

Since Em usually does this I thought it would be best if I took a moment and did it for her. Sending out a quick birthday blessing to the two birthday girls this month...

Happy Birthday to....
Emily - December 1st
Elizabeth-December 21st

We love you both and wish you the best birthday so far!!!

Pie Eating Contest...

Nikki and Elizabeth spent the night with Auntie M and Uncle Brady, while their parents went to a Halloween party. Well we all went to the Ward's Fall Social. We had a nice dinner, crafts for the kids, and face painting too. Well they had a pie eating contest and at the request of several of the kids, they decided to do a siblings round.

Well Nikki and Elizabeth decided to enter the contest!!

Now we were pleasantly surprised when it was Nikki who really came through for the team. We all thought Miss Elizabeth would be the big eater especially since it was her idea to enter. But Nikkie surprised us all!!

And the Winners are...

Nikki and Elizabeth Shultz

They won!! They beat older sibling teams, boy teams, just everyone and all ages!! It was the funniest thing ever!!

Way to go Nikki and Elizabeth!!

Look at our new Jackets!!

These are the coolest 2 in 1 jackets ever!! We just had to share them with all of you!!

October and November

So because of lack of internet access time, we are a little behind in the birthday and anniversary shout-outs!!

October

4th-Kevin and Michele celebrated their 11 year Anniversary!! Hope you had a great one!!

November

11th-Happy Birthday Kevin!!

17th-Happy Anniversary Brady and Emily!! Only 8 more years until you catch Kevin and Michele!!

Happy Turkey Day to all!! Don't forget to sing the Turkey Song!!

We are so lucky...

I just want to take a moment and say "Thank You!"  Mom and Dad we are so exceptionally lucky to have you as our parents.  I'm so thankful for all that you have done for me!  The two of you have always been there to answer my questions, to hug me, to love me, and to comfort me.  Thank you for the many lessons you have taken the time to teach me.  You have taught me love, understanding, patience, hard work, humility, charity, the importance of families, honesty, faith, the importance of traditions, service, that I am a daughter of God, and so many, many other things.  Thank you for all that you have given to me.  You are the greatest parents!  I love you with all of my being!  Thank you! Thank you!  Thank you!

All my love, 

Steph

Jaylee is a pebble puppy...

Yesterday while we were helping Emily move, Miss Jaylee was out collecting rocks/pebbles.  I thought it was cute.  Everytime I turned around she had more pebbles in her hand.  I could not keep her from picking up more pebbles.  Jaylee definately loves exploring her world.

To My Grandchildren!!!

To Jenise, Jaran, Brian, Nikki, Easton, Logan, Elizabeth, Adam, Alyssa, and Jaylee...
It's my day off--so remember when I could not sleep past 7:30 and now have a long day of nothing fun to do? Well, that would be my plight for the day because I have no special little kiddos around to take shopping, make cookies with, play out in the garden with, play catch, help me paint my toenails, or even find somewhere to search for rocks!!!! I miss all of you soooooo much right now! The weather is changing and the full moon on Tuesday was truly a Harvest Moon in color and aura. That type of moon makes me think of some very fun times spent with my own children when they were small...your Mom's or Dad's and I spent many cool evenings out under such a moon--sitting on the deck at Don Pedro watching the night sky and laughing as they played flashlight tag under the moonlight. I remember those times and many others with fondness and delight. Now another generation of Hoover children have started stamping my heart with wonderful and delightful memories--I love the time that I spend with each of you and cherish those moments. Someday I will be writing a blog to your children about how special they are and how wonderful it was spending times with their parents but until then, lets keep making special moments to put in my heart of memorable occassions. Just always remember that they do not need to be times when we are doing something extravagant or spectacular. They do not need to be times that require a great deal of money and quite honestly--they usually are not. The special times are simple ones, the things that we sometimes take for granted until they are no longer available to us. I have spent many special times with each one of you--there is a very special place in my heart for you and the times that we spend together--I know there are many more to come so I hope you are as anxious to see them as I am. Always remember how much I love you and how blessed I feel to be your grandmother--you are each a joy in my life and in my heart.
I will love you forever and a day!
Your Eternal Friend--Your Grandma/Grammy

September

Happy Birthday to...

24th-Grandpa Hoover

25th-Mandy

30th-Jason

21st-Jaylee turns 18 months and it's off to Nursery all the time!!

Happy Grandparents Day to Great-Papa

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy Grandparents Day!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Happy Grandparents Day, Grammy and Papa!!!

Nikki and Elizabeth wish to take this time to tell Grammy and Papa, "We hope you have a very happy grandparents day!  We wish we could be with you on this day.  We Love You lots and lots!"

Happy Grandparents Day!!!

Sights on Bradshaw Mountain

This old cabin is located near the spot where we went blackberry picking. The kids really liked looking at this cabin. Nikki said that looking in the cabin was her favorite part. She also said that the cabin looked like a dwarf lived in it.

On the right side of this cabin is a large blackberry patch. We were able to get enough blackberries to make a cobbler, pie, and smoothies.


This is a view to the west from Bradshaw Mountain. I was surprised when I saw this view and had to take the shot.


We took a picture by the cabin before we started picking blackberries. Emily and Brady were behind me coming up the hill so I just go a picture of the ones that were by the cabin. Jaran, Jaylee, Eric, Easton, and Nikki.

Bouwhuis Family after blackberry picking

After picking blackberries Emily, Brady, and Jaylee were sitting on their blanket. They looked so cute I had to take some pictures.
Jaylee is blowing kisses.
Emily, Jaylee, and Brady are near the cabin that is close to the blackberries.
Emily wanted Jaylee to see that Brady will kiss her, since Jaylee won't.
I have a few more pictures, but they turned out blurry.

Blackberry Picking on Bradshaw Mountain

Eric when he was finished picking berries.

Emily hiked up to the berry picking site in her flip flops. Em what were you thinking?

Jaran picking blackberries. No it wasn't cold, that is protective wear.

Steph picking blackberries. I would put the bowl between my legs and pick berries. If you look really close you can see my yellow bowl.

Emily took this picture of me sampling the blackberries. They sure are yummy!!!



Easton, Nikki, and Uncle Brady picking blackberries. They were working as a team to get lots of berries.

Nikki says that picking blackberries was, "Fun, fun, fun!"

Nikki is a toothless wonder

Nikki wanted everyone to know that she lost another tooth. She has lost a total of four teeth now. She is missing her left front tooth now. She calls herself a "toothless wonder" just like Junie B. Jones. She loves showing off her missing tooth. The tooth fairy came to visit that night and she got another note and more money too.

Jaran's first football game

Jaran had his first game for the season on Tuesday night. They killed the other team winning 36-12. Jaran plays offensive right tackle. He is number 11 shown below in the center of the picture!!

Jaran is the first on the left in this picture

He's in here somewhere along with his dad, Eric

Way to go Jaran!!

Grammy and Papa with the Arizona Grandkids

We took this picture of Grammy and Papa with 8 of their 10 grandkids. Adam, Brian, Easton, Elizabeth, Papa, Jaran, Jenise, Nikki, Grammy, and Jaylee.

A new start...

I am creating this blog on behalf of my family. With a new school year starting, and a crazy one at that with the oldest of our parents grandchildren being a Senior this year, it will be a fun year. We started out with 10 in our family, but as of now we have grown to a steady 26 for now. I'll try to keep things up to date in the lives of a Senior in High School (Jenise), an 8th grader (Jaran), an 8 year old, two 7 year olds, one 6 year old, two 5 year olds, one 3 year old and a 1 year old. Not to mention the parents (Mark and Carol) and all the kids and the in-laws!! Hope you enjoy our family blog!!