Bear Lake Trip!

This summer we started our first annual Ballard/Petersen Reunion with Justin's step-dad (Terry's) kids. We're all around the same age and have kids all similar in age. It was so fun for all of our kids to get to meet their cousins, they had so much fun playing together. Us adults had great time getting to know each other better also. Hopefully we can make it yearly thing. Bear Lake was perfect, it was such a nice day and it's all kids need: Water & Sand and they 're entertained for hours.

Happy 4th of July!!!

The 4th is always a fun holiday, I've decided I think it's partly because it's the only major holiday that's in the summer and everything is OUTSIDE! (including the messes) that and Justin has always been very patriotic, he'll probably kill me, but the the song "God Bless The USA" is one of the few things that always choke him up a little so I think our family has just always loved the 4th. We are thankful for those who fought and fight today for our country and we are very proud to be Americans!!!

On the 3rd we watched the Logan fireworks with Alisha and Dave (at Dave's work)

For the last few years, after the Lewiston parade we have been privileged to be invited to "Ma Halls" (Jake's Moms) 4th of July party! It is quite the shin dig, way bigger than Christmas for them. Ma Hall loves the 4th and her home is decked out in stars and stripes year 'round. The kids of course love this one, its better than a carnival. Complete with Razzle Dazzle castles and about every blow up, play land, swim pool, and all the food, you can imagine. Thanks Hall Family for always making us feel like part of the family :)

Jake and Justin




Jett, Taya and Davis having fun in the Razzle Dazzle Castle!


Linc & Bella found a pool just their size!

I'm not sure if that smile means "Yipee" or "Yikes that's pretty high"???



Then every year, in the evening (following the Halls Party) we have a B-B-Q with some of our friends, family, and neighbors. In the past we have always got illegal fireworks, and put on quite the show for the whole neighborhood. but after two years of the cops stopping by we decided to play it safe this year, so no big ones :( but the kids still had a good time, I think it was only us adults that were a little disappointed.
Hayden, Jett, Davis, Taya, Cole, & Linc

Taya and the cute babies ( Davion & Brock)

Our friends: Nikki, DaSheek's mom (who was out visiting from Africa), DaSheek, Jocelyn, Jake & Traci


My first Sparkler!

The girls & the babies watching the fireworks!

Justin and the kiddos exhausted on the tramp after a long day!!!

Girls Weekend in Park City...

Every year my Mom plans a trip with all her daughters and daughter-in- laws to Park City. We always have so much fun, and this year was no exception. Okay, so 3 babies in one Time- Share didn't always make for the quietest night's sleep, but other than that we had a really great time. My Mom puts so much time, and money into planning these trips for us every year, and I just want to thank her for all she does. I love my Mom so much and truly appreciate everything she does for her kids. Her efforts have made us a really close family, and I will always be thankful to her for that.


Six ladies and three babies made for A LOT of luggage ( and no Alisha has not had a baby, she just didn't want to feel left out so she thought she'd be really funny and bring a doll.) She'll think really funny, when next year she's toting a real one of those :) J/k -and NO that's not an announcement.
Jodi, Megan, Alisha, Mom, Me, and Michelle


My Mom taught all of us girls how to make strawberry jam. YUMMY!

Doing a little shopping, Lincoln scored a new football which ended up not being a great purchase for the day. He kept throwing it and we had to keep stopping to pick it up.
Lincoln giving Brock loves

and of course one of the things we do best...playing GAMES
Now that's one HOT Grandma :)

....and back to Park City!

So my good friends had rented a condo and invited the kids and I to go spend a couple nights in Park City with them, but after just spending 4 days their already, I was feeling a little exhausted and ready to be home. It only took a little persuasion from my kids, and friends, to make me realize I had got to go on a little vacation without (most of) my kids, and they probably deserved to go do something fun too. So I literally got home Sunday night, unpacked my bags, re-packed our bags, and headed back, bright and early the next morning. We ended up having a BLAST and I'm so glad I decided to go. Taya, Hayden, Jett, and Trey eating pizza

When we got there it was raining, so for a few hours we had 7 excited kids running and screaming all around the condo asking about every 10 minutes when we got to go to the pool??? When the sun finally broke through, we were ALL anxious to get out of there!

Nikki Petersen, Me, Amber Nyman and the kiddos in the hot tub!

Keyera, Lincoln, and Cole. The sleepy babies watching a movie!

Cousin Mylee's 1st Birthday!

My brothers little girl, turned one in May, they had a party for her at their apartment in SLC where they have a fun pool. We had a B-B-Q and the kids swam.


Lincoln eating dirt!


Happy 1st Birthday Mylee!