Finally Driving!

After waiting almost 2 1/2 months, Dallin finally got his permit! I took him to get some a.m.a.z.i.n.g. street taco's and then gave him the keys. Yup, he's just as clueless as Bryson was, HA!

These were the only pictures I could take before I had to hold on for my life *wink*  I think that Dallin learned from Bryson that driving isn't as easy as mom or dad makes it look, so he wasn't so surprised.

The Rest of August

Besides the family reunion, we've mostly been hanging out... can't believe that it's already time for school to start- summer went too fast!

Tyler loves his puppies:

He woke up one morning with a fever and didn't feel good... all he wanted was his paci, his blankie/lovey, his puppy and me:

The next day he was all better!

Dallin reading Tyler one of his favorite books:

Jace found the orangutan costume we inherited from Perry's family- since Aunt Sarah was coming up to hike the Pacific Crest Trail with a friend, we decided to send her some pictures of our local sasquatch:

Some pretty smokey days *groan*

Jace, Eli and Daddy went golf ball hunting one night- Tyler was eager to 'help' them clean their balls!

Jace and Daddy shooting:

Tyler loves to get into the pantry- he especially loves climbing up the little step stool that I have in there.  Unfortunately, it doesn't make him tall enough to reach anything good- but he'll take what he can get.  Recently, he has been found gnawing on a dry lasagna noodle when he gets the chance!

MRI and Ear Piercing

Hailee had back to back big days this week...

Because she's been complaining a little more often about headaches AND it had been almost 18 months since her last brain MRI, so we figured it was time...

Since she needs sedation, it's a bit of a bigger deal, but she did great in pre op and post op- I think she likes the extra attention.

She surprised me a few weeks ago and said that she wanted to get her ears pierced- but she made it clear she did NOT want to do it with her brothers there.  So the day after her MRI, she and I went school shoe shopping and we got her ears pierced!

She chose emerald studs because it's her birth stone. They were able to have two girls pierce at the same time, so it was all done super quick!  She did great- my girl is growing up!

High Adventure

It was such a bummer that Bryson and Dallin's high adventure was the same week as our family reunion.  The boys were really torn over going to camp vs. our family reunion.  Amazingly, it worked out that their high adventure was just on the other side of the mountain from our reunion in Leavenworth, so they were able to do both!  Sadly, these are the only pictures I got of their trip...

They camped and hiked in and around Gold Bar- about 45 minutes from Monroe where I grew up!

Ross Family Reunion

Willkommen in Leavenworth!

(That's German for 'Welcome to Leavenworth' *wink*)

Our Ross Family Reunion was in Leavenworth this summer and there was so much to do!  Even though it was a little lot(!) smokey, we had so, So, SO much fun.

Mimi and Kristi worked overtime to create personalized 'swag' for all of us, all with our names and this years Ross Family Reunion logo- so much more than just a t-shirt this time!!  There were personalized water bottles, zippered pouches, snacks and candy, games and cinch-sacks- it was incredible... even Tyler had a water bottle with his name on it and fun toys!

One night, we rolled dice for turns unwrapping giant saran wrap balls full of goodies:

Jace won some deodorant spray and was so excited to try it out, he stripped down right there in the parking lot:

So he's basically a man now. *wink*

Mimi treated all the girls to lunch and then pedicures:

We floated the aptly named Icicle River a few times:

Most nights after dinner, we had some kind of devotional:

So lovely to have everyone together in the evenings and feel the Spirit- the messages were so great!

Just me and Dayna pushing our babies:

HER grandbaby, MY baby- Ha Ha!

We brought a trailer FULL of bikes and the kids spent SO much time riding around in the parking lot and down on the amazing pump track:

Yes, it totally stressed me out having Eli and Jace hold Tyler while riding, but Jace and Eli wanted to do it so bad and Tyler was ADAMANT that he ride with them.  What's a mom to do?!?

  When it was just our family down at the track, Nathan and I would push Tyler around the track in his stroller- he loved it:

The only bummer about the track was having to push the bikes back up the hill to the condos:

It was totally worth it though!

We visited a reindeer farm one day:

Almost all of my kids took a ride on the swings:

We fed some chickens:

and then the reindeer!

Their antlers were unbelievably huge- so big that they actually get tired holding their heads up!

Merry Christmas!

Maybe I'll send out a Christmas card this year?!?

Tyler was so entertained by himself in the mirror in our condo:

The resort also had several great playgrounds we played on:

Most of us girls (and a few of the guys) went to a live outdoor theatre performance of The Sound of Music-

It was amazing!

And as if ALL the above wasn't enough to do, we also got to walk into town and visit the shops and try yummy food!  One day, there was a woman playing an alphorn-

Kristi did some Emotion Code/Body Code "energy work" on me and, wow!  It helped so much with my morning sickness!  I've never had so much relief so early in pregnancy.  It turned my nausea from a rolling boil to a low simmer- a.m.a.z.i.n.g!

The whole crew:

Aww:

The cutest Mimi and Papa ever!

This post got so long!!!  But it's because it was a jam packed and super fun week for sure, THANK YOU AGAIN, Mimi and Papa for treating us to such memorable and amazing vacations!