Summer 2008 update

It's been so long - I'm embarrassed. But, I think I better update things a bit before another school year comes and goes. Our life has been jam-packed - just the way we like it!!

First, we must say that Nina's horribly disturbing injury has totally healed. We are tremendously blessed that her leg healed beautifully and her mobility is almost back to 100%. And, just in time for all the summer fun.

Just before summer vacation, we went to Salt Lake during Memorial Day weekend and had a beautiful experience where we remembered our dear Uncle Ken.

Aunt Suzanne and her girls had a bunch of blue balloons that we took to the graveside and wrote messages for Ken on, released them into the air, and watched them float to heaven where we're sure he could see and read them. It was cloudy, but for a moment the sun burst through and made us all feel a little happier.

Little Kate kept us smiling, even through our tears.

Rex and Erven went with their King cousins to a Fathers-and-Sons that same weekend at BYU and had a very active and busy time. It was filled with sports events and lots of Las Vegas friends and neighbors and sight-seeing in Salt Lake City. What more could boys and their dads want?

Nina, Grandpa Rex, & Rex

This weekend was also the weekend that our cousin Cameron gave his mission homecoming address. We loved seeing our Pinegar family....

Then, it was time to send Hayley off on the Church History Tour and the following week take Rex to BYU Football camp with his friend and his cousins. Mom had a great time keeping up with 3 9-year-old boys, 2 7-year-old girls, and various cousins and aunts and Grandma that we gathered with to do everything from movies to museums to arcades to bumper cars. It was great fun.

At the movie "Kung Fu Panda" in Ogden - we LOVE that movie!!

Visiting the Monte L. Bean Natural History Museum
at BYU

There's was also a trip for Paige to Spain with Derek and Lindsey and Nixon. She had the time of her life as she lived for 4 weeks in El Escorial, Spain, with side trips to Rome, Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Madrid, and even Pomplona to do the Running of the Bulls. It was wonderful in every way except for the homesickness that came on every once in a while. Well worth it, for sure.

Pomplona, Spain - San Fermin Festival and running with the bulls!!






Perhaps the highlight of our summer was our 4th of July trip to Folsom. What fun we had with so many of our Pinegar cousins, grandparents, and friends. Mayor King and family were quite the hosts, complete with neighborhood parade, jumping water castle, barbecues and chinese food, rodeo with VIP box and private tour of Folsom City. It was marvelous, all of it.

Watching the neighborhood parade

Hayley and Spencer in the chow line - it was as delicious as it was beautiful

Ready for Mutton-bustin' at the rodeo--Alex, Adam, Carter, & Rex

Before summer ended, Derek and Lindsey surprised us all by flying down from Utah to be with us for Joel's 28th birthday! They had been at a wedding and decided to detour before heading back to Florida for another year of law school so we all rejoiced and partied hard.

There isn't anything greater than having all of us in one place at one time. Pure Heaven!!


<---Grandson Nixon (almost 2!!) before his haircut....gorgeous boy! He LOVES his Grandpa "BoBop" Erv

<---Lily (almost 1!!) We call her our little owl...she makes us laugh so much.

She's our little cherub....and a Grandma's Girl!

Cute cousins....our sweet friend and fantastic photographer Jamie Poort came by and took pictures for us and we're so glad she did!

Brothers with babies --->

That weekend was more full of surprises than we knew. Marian (Erv's mom) eloped that same day (July 21st) with her longtime acquaintance and recent boyfriend, Jack Purcel!! As surprised as we all were, we are all so very happy for both of them. Their story is one for another blog and another day, but suffice it to say that they have found great happiness being together after so many years of them both being alone. Congratulations!!!

August 21st & 22nd - Our three birthday people at Cheesecake Factory

Suzanne was next - Sept 1st birthday celebration at The Venetian and The Phantom of the Opera

Lots of relatives came to see Nina get baptized -September 6, 2008

Two days later - Paiges 19th Birthday! First, roses from Landry and then a night at Phantom of the Opera.

A very necessary trip to Florida for "Gammy" (as Nixon likes to call her) Short and very, very sweet. And VERY nostalgic -- it was only 26 years ago that she was doing the exact same thing as Lindsey and Derek: having a second baby boy during a second year of Law School! Crazy and wonderful...

Helping Gammy with pancakes.....Meeting little Miles.....

Playing Bus Stop in the shower (No singing, Gammy! No - no singing Wheels on the Bus!!)

"All Smiles" Miles - smiling and cooing at Daddy while Daddy eats Gammy's homemade Tapioca

Home JUST in time for Homecoming.....Hayley and good friend Camden heading for a great night of fun. Isn't she gorgeous?

Erv and Lisa took a quick trip up to Provo during Homecoming weekend for their 30th Law School Reunion and saw lots of good friends they had not seen in years...

here they are seated with Stuart & Angie Hinckley, Jon & Shauna Butler

Our little Lily Lee also turned 1 this month!!! We can't believe it! She is such a character and loves singing, hooting and barking at our fake owl, wearing hats, says "kitty," and does signing for "more" when she wants a drink, not to mention that she is now walking. We adore her!

Brooke and Hayley's turns for birthdays - Brooke's in Provo and Hayley's at home.....

....and then at Disneyland! Which is for a separate blog at another time .

Let's just say she had her "Dreams come true!" More later....

Halloween was spent in Disneyland as well, which meant we had to leave our sorry, shriveled, moldy, truly scary Jack-O-Lanterns behind. Hm....a striking family resemblance!

Just before we left for California - a little skunk came by to see us. We all just fell in love with her - love that bushy tail!!


We like to call her "Lily LePew"!!

Whew!! That brings us up to the end of October and into November, which we'll tackle another time - just don't have time or space to get into Disneyland and Election Night right now. More later!......