Camping

                                                       Hangin by the fire with my boys!

 This is the first on MANY pictures of Andi with her best friend/cousin Reese.  They are so cute together

                                        Waiting for a grown up to put their helmets on and take them for a ride!

            Andi with Chad on the trail they took to go......wait for it......FISHING :)

 Good old Brethy(aka Brett Gage)  taking two of his kids Eli and Reese on a ride

 We took Emersen my neice with us camping.  She is with us alot, and we love her.  She has only been camping once and she was so so excited to come with us.  The kids were carrying their takle boxes, and they had a great time fishing.  This kis Kemper, Emersen, and Eli.

                                             On the trail! Don't think we did not eat the one fish they caught!

                                   The water was freezing, but all the kids were brave and got in at least once.

 The sexy man with the perma farmers tan is my husband!  He was taking the kids across the river to a beach spot.

 This was so awesome!  Emily took most of her clothes of and took a little swim. 

 A little cold there Emily?? This is why we love to go with the gages, so entertaining!!

 Getting eaten alive by mosquitos though.  Kemp ended up with twelve bites on his neck!  No matter how much repellent I put on.  You can see Hudson in this picture too.  The Fizers came up the second day.  We love hanging with them too.  We are so lucky to have such great family around us.

 Waiting in Chads truck to go fishing......Cmon, lets go already!!

 The BIG Bidge!  He did so great on his first camping trip.  Never complained, even when I left him a little too close to the fire for a bit and his face ended up all red.  Emily pointed this out!  After I realized there was no permanent damage it was pretty funny!

 Little Macie! She was so great too.  Emily and I are lucky to have two great babies that are already natural campers!

 Eli on the log. The kids had some fun games they played with the logs.  His orange hat always made him pretty easy to find!

 Andi loving on Macie.  Personal space Andi!  Poor Macie is trying to be patient with her!

 This could be on a post card!! So cute!

 Told you there are lots of pictures of them!  Notice Andis hand on Reese's though!

 The second night my poor husband got sick.  I felt so bad for him, and he fell asleep by the fire.  We were totally laughing though cause it looks like he is passed out from all the pot he was smokin or something.  Emily captured the perfect picture with this one!

I think the girls were playing some puppy game on the stumps.  It was a great trip! We have not been camping nearly enough this summer.  I am hoping we can get some good trips in the next couple months.  Thanks Gages and Fizers for being so fun, and awesome!

4th of July fun

 All the kids sitting and watching the show at Emily's in-laws place.  It was an amazing show!

 Gerry had glow in the dark sticks for all the kids. It was a huge hit, and here all the kids are swarming him to get them.

 My brother Kyle and me, you can also see Byron and Rachel with little McKenley

 Reese and Andi.  It is so cute how close these two have gotten.  Best friends! 

 I took my niece Emersen with us.  She had a blast out there.

 Eli, thinking he is pretty cool with the Roman Candle!

 Kempers turn!

 My little Andi-pandi.  She loves the sparklers for sure!

 My sis in law Emily and Reese. Arent they so pretty?!!

 Rachel and McKenley.  Her little family has been going to this celebration for a few years now.

 Emily, Brett, and Reese.  I just love your snuggie Brett.  I hear he never leaves home without it!

 This was so cute.  Andi and McKenley thought they were so funny by hiding under one of the tables and playing scared.

It is just way too fun though!!

 Had to throw in a couple pictures Emily took at Roaring Springs.  Like I said, Best Friends!!

Arent they all so cute! Roaring Springs has been such a blast this year. The kids are loving it!


This 4th of July was really great.  Except for the fact that Chad had to work....so lame :(  My brother came in to town though so that was fun. We had a jammed packed day of fun.  At my moms, then at my mom in laws, then I convinced my brother to come with me and my kids, plus Emj (my sisters daughter) out to Emily's In laws house for their huge firework show they have every year.  Emily has invited us every year and we just never got out there till now.  I am so glad we went, it was the best show ever!  My kids will never forget it.  The Grovers, and my mom-in-law and her boyfriend Tom were there too. Bretts mom and dad made us feel really welcome, and they are so nice to have this big party every year!  I was telling Emily we will be coming next year, and Chad will be coming too for sure!! Thanks for having us Brett and Emily!

The Big Bridge

                                                                  He is such a happy baby

                                                               He really does love his daddy!

                                                                  I was not planning on pictures or I would have dressed him cuter

                                                                     Big brother is still her world

 
I am really late on posting these of course!  The Morgans came to Boise(we love that!) and Shalie was really sweet and just took her camera and took a few pictures, of mostly Bridger, but some others too.  They look so great, and really capture his wonderful sweet smile.  I just wanted to write a few things down about him so I won't forget.  I can't believe the Lord sent me such an amazingly sweet little spirit.  I don't know that I deserve any of the incredible children he has sent me. I am sure most moms feel that way though.

Bridger Byron
Nicknames include:  the big Bidge,  Bridger Byron Boy, baby Bridge, boy number dos.  Chad can take credit for almost ever nickname in our house.  And he is always coming up with new ones.
20 lbs! He is only 6 months.
2 teeth already on the bottom, with more on the way.
His hair goes into a natural fohawk
Smiles constantly
Sleeps like a champ ( through the night and 2 really good naps)
Always been a belly sleeper, but now he rolls on to his back in the night alot.
Makes a sheep sound all the time.  We say its his signature sound. I have to get it recorded
rolls over front to back and back to front and can make it all the way around the room like that!
He loves our dog pepsi, and he will laugh everytime he sees her. 
Eats like a horse, and always wants more baby food.
Laughs at me everynight when I hold him and sing, before I lay him down. Melts my heart.
Loves the water already
Lights up everytime he sees Kemper or Andi

So many other things I could write about my little guy.  He has been such a joy in our house.  I know some of these things I might forget with time, so its good to write it down for the blog book.

Did I mention that we fish.....alot??

I feel like I have so many fishing pictures.  And these ones are only from the trips my husband actually remembers to bring the camera.  Chad and Kemper both love and I mean LOVE to fish.  In fact, I would say it is quickly becoming their thing.  Andi loves it too, but she does not have the same level of intensity that Kemp does.  Just like Chad, Kemper would sit there all night if he could. I have always meant to write this story down, so this is a good time since we are on the topic of fishing.  On one of their fishing trips a couple years ago, Chad told Kemper they had to leave, and Chad had made a critical error throwing back a small fish, thinking they would have caught a bigger one by then.  Kemper was SO MAD, furious really.  So he followed Chad to the truck, yelling for everyone by the  crowded greenbelt to hear,  and I quote, "That guy!! (pointing his stick at Chad, telling an innocent bystander) is the WORST fisherman EVER!  I mean, we go fishing, and he promises I can keep the fish, then he throws it back!!  (turning to Chad now)  Why do we even freaking go fishing dad, IF WE DON'T KEEP THE FISH?!"  Chad told me all this later when they got home.  Chad just kept walking, trying not to laugh.  After he calmed down and they were driving home in the truck he asked Chad, "Dad,you are not going to tell mom about my fit right??"  But of course he did!  And Chad and I laughed about it for like an hour that night.

S'mores with some more Hessings!

 I love the way Chad makes S'mores!  You have to melt the chocolate first, so delicious.

 Kemper with his cousins, Ben and Jake. Looks really good Jake!

 Andi waiting patiently for her smore.

 Peyton made me a smore.  So sweet of her!

                                                                  Kenzie and Luke

                                                       Bailey. I can't believe how old they are all getting.

A few sundays ago we invited Chads brother JR and his wife Claire, and their 6 kids over for S'mores.  It was really fun, and of course who does not love smores right!  The kids had a blast and ran around outside the entire night.  I just love this family, and I am so glad JR lucked out and got Claire to marry him ;) and we have her two wonderful boys as new additions to a quickly growing extended family.