Best Friends

We have made some really good friends while living here in AZ. They all touch our lives in some way. Last week we lost some of our favorites who fished school and headed back to Washington. Here are some of our favorite memories with the Smarts....

Our pool play dates

We started swimming in April and swam through October and sometimes every day of the week.

 Date Night

Every weekend that we were in town we would switch off date nights with the Smarts. On Friday we would get the kids while they went out and on Saturday's Ryan & I would go out while they watched the kidos. I think the kids enjoyed date night at least as much as we did.

Halloween

we loved Lore's Halloween party that she had for the kids. 

 Easter

We loved having Easter egg hunts at our home

our Adventures

Diamond backs game

Phoenix zoo

zoo splash pad

Summer movies

Mesa Air-force museum

  

We sure have loved all the fun times we got to have with our friends. Rex & Jett won't know what to do with out their favorite buddy Dalan. We will sure miss you guys!

China

Although we all enjoyed our stay in Russia we were anxious to get to our next destination....  CHINA (of course)!
Before we embarked the group needed to make sure that all their immunizations were up to date and get their luggage checked for stashed Russian things...

Leave it to Merrill to try and get a knife on board, but a cooking knife, come on Merrill!

Then we were welcomed back on board by an enthusiastic Julie.

China was beautiful this time of year. The plum trees were in full bloom (thanks to a little hot glue and tissue paper). The tour group even got some good luck coins and money to help bring in their new year with luck and prosperity (we hope it works).

The group also learned how to fish for Koi,

the boys learned the dragon dance,

the girls learned the Chinese ribbon dance,

and we all feasted on Chinese food (Rex's favorite).

 

Over all a great day in China. 

Xie xie Grandma!

Let freedom ring!

We LOVE the 4th of July. It is by far one of my favorite holidays.  Between parades, barbeques and fireworks what is there not to love.

the Parade

Papa's truck is the best seat in the house.

Papa parks his truck at the church a week before the parade to insure a good seat come the 4th. Then at 5 in the morning he and some of the boys go to the spot to protect it from spot thieves.

love this shirt!

BBQ

After the parade we had a bbq at the "shop" with Ryan's family. The boys LOVE being around their Johnson cousins & getting dirty playing at the shop. This year I even let them ride a dirt bike for the first time. It scared me to death to watch them wobble on that thing. Somehow they came out of it alive. 

 

Jett

Rex

Ryan reminiscing

Asher was in heaven around all the trucks! He has got Johnson blood for sure. Good thing he has uncles to show him the ropes:)