School Starts Again

Well, the summer went wayyy too fast.  I wasn't ready for school to start this year.  It started August 6 - if you can believe it.  Danny is "big man on campus" at Greenfield Elementary this year.  He is a 6th grader!  It is hard for me to believe that when we moved over here from Towne Meadows that Taylor was just starting 6th grade.  Ryan, my baby, is starting 1st grade.  I wish I could slow time down.  However, I am really glad that they got great teachers.  We were all really happy with how their classes turned out this year.  Danny got Mr. Spomer and Ryan got Mrs. Nolan.  Aren't they cute!

My Hunks!

Taylor is a SENIOR this year - I can't believe it!  Where has the time gone?  Alex is a Sophomore and is glad he's not the baby on campus this year.  Everyone is really upset because the district added an extra half hour to the day this year.  Poor guys have to start school at 6:30 this year instead of 7:00 a.m. :(

Heaps of Patterson's Reunion

Ever since I was a little girl we have been going to the Heap Reunion.  It is held the first week of August up in the White Mountains near Green's Peak.  We decided this year to make it more of an Earl Patterson Family reunion this year.  I was really happy at how many of the family turned out.  We had a great time bonding and getting to know each other better.  My boys had a blast (but we missed Emily greatly)!  It was the first time in a long time that it didn't ever rain.  The boys rode Uncle Don's quad's, found horny toads, carved cool walking sticks (thanks to Uncle Larry), played horseshoes, ran down Green's Peak, chopped down trees and played with their cousins.  Thank you everyone for coming and thank you Ginna and family for all you did.  A special thank you to Mom for the wonderful memory book of Dad that she made.  I know it took a LOT of work.

 

Loaded up to go run down Green's Peak

See how many actually run!

Ryan and Tyler getting ready to run . . .

or should I say "slide" with JoAnn and Leslie!

They made it!

Don took us on the quads up by where we used to camp.  We found a tree that had the Grant's names carved in it and then it said + JoAnn.  You can't tell from the picture, but it was really high up.  The tree had grown a lot.

22nd Anniversary!

We went to Italy for our 22nd anniversary - but on the real date, July 18th, we drove up and spent the night in Flagstaff.  We stayed at Little American and had a nice relaxing time.  Thank you for a wonderful 22 years Brad!  I love you :)

Family Bowling Outing

Annual McBride Reunion

We have been going to Imperial Beach, California every year for the 4th of July week for quite a few years now.  We meet up with Andy and Suzette's families and Sue and Mark's families.  It is such a wonderful tradition that we really love.  With Brad's parents both gone, I think that it is really neat to have this tradition for our families.  

Every year there are amazing sand castles and sculptures done by the family.  Here is an alligator that Brad and Ryan were quite proud of - as they should be!

On the 4th of July, we pack up some food, toys, blankets and chairs, and head over to Coronado.  They city opens up the golf course and tons of people eat, relax and play games for hours before the fireworks ever start.  I LOVE bundling up and watching the fireworks over the water.  It is so beautiful.

This pic didn't turn out very well because it is blurry.  I wanted to put it on anyway because it has a lot of us together.  Brad designed these t-shirts to honor Horton and Marlene and I really like the way they turned out!

You might have noticed that Emily wasn't in any of these pictures.  She was actually in London on her BYU Study Abroad.  We missed her a lot - but she was off having her own adventures!  Here are a few pictures of her.

Hooray for Dads!

How lucky we are to have such a wonderful husband and father.  Brad is so good to us and we love him so much!  I am so blessed that I get to be with him forever and that he is such an example to us.  I hope the kids realize how blessed they are.  I love you dear. :)

Handcart Pioneer Trek

With Brad as Bishop of the 3rd Ward, we both had the privilege of participating in the Highland Stake Pioneer Trek.  Brad was trying to recover from pneumonia so I was really worried about him.  But, we had our own little tent, and he tried not to overdue too much.  I went as stake support.  My job was to help with the activities.  I got to supervise the kids making candles.  It was so much fun!

Our little pioneer family!

Some of my boys :)

Alex and Trevor Ward starting out with the handcart

Bishop McBride speaking to our Ward

Taylor and others pulling up "Testimony Hill"

Taking a well-deserved break after the brutal "Testimony Hill"

Everyone worked so hard.  I was so proud of them all.  What a wonderful thing for us to be able to experience.  I am so glad that I got to be a part of it and hope that Brad and I will be able to participate in the next one in 4 years.