More Court

School Pics 2011

So, we went out tonight with the intent of taking some school pictures for Courtney. We had to put up with a bit of a strong breeze which made for some great flyaway hair, but other than that we had fun trying poses, going to different locations, and just being silly.







p.s. I did not photoshop this in, nor did I spray paint/vandalize this wall. We saw it there and couldn't pass up a picture with this graffiti!




Silly girl!

Rupert Residents

So this is mostly a picture post. I took a class to help me know how to better run my camera and now I've been trying to practice.

Flowers make for fairly cooperative subjects, so here you have one of the varieties of daylilies that grow on the side of our house, they are very nice right now.


Here is the peach variety that my mom likes, peach is her favorite color. Give her a peach shirt, she will buy it.


Here we have a cheese dog named Shay. He is a funny kid and he likes tractors and four wheelers. A lot. He will be a farmer someday and love every minute of it.


Here is pretty little 'Lyza. She is pretty mellow and very cute. And she likes food. A lot. Sit her in front of a plate of food and she will not get up until it is gone. And she uses a fork very well for a girl of 18 months.


Here is Garrissimo. He is six and is very smart and can do just about anything. He is not a farmer, but is a mighty hunter. And he likes Andy Griffith. Oh, and in this picture I think he looks a lot like my dad did when he was a boy.


We had a very nice visit with these yahoos and had a jam packed day and a half in Rupert. We went swimming, had lunch in the park, watched Andy Griffith, had a water fight, painted glitter toes, saw Cousin Becky's new baby Brianne, went to Gossner's and in general, just had a very good time.

Summer seems to be going by quickly, hard to believe that one month from today the kids will be back in school. Goodbye July . . . Hello August!

Food, Fun & Lots of Mosquitoes!

So lately we've been FINALLY getting some camping in - the last weekend in June we drove up to Henry's Lake and spent the day with Greg's family, then the 4th of July weekend we were back up to Henry's for the Bob & Julie Martineau reunion, and finally, last weekend we went to Hawley Creek and camped on our friends' property. Lots of food, fun, & mosquitoes!

This is a picture I took using my fixed lens, I thought it was cool.

Rayce sharing his sucker with Grandma. Yummy!

Here is Garrett just being Garrett

Bathing Beauties!

Shay - loving his mama

Everyone wading by Mack's Inn

Brock, being Brock

Courtney and Ryker

The Lovely Lyza

Paige peeking

The Martineau Fam

Martineau Fam with funny faces . . . oh wait, they always have funny faces.


After camping, we had Courtney's birthday on July 5. She shares her birthday with her cousin Kesley, who is just one year younger. We took them and a few friends up to the new "Rexburg Rapids" and had a lot of fun. Can't believe my girl is 11. In my mind, she should be about four. Even more so, I can't believe that she is starting to look so grown up. But I sure am glad to have her and love her so much. I've told her more than once that I would be dead without her. She is a great helper, so much fun, and is much more observant than the boys are - she can always tell if I've had my hair done, if I have gotten a new pair of shoes, or even if I am feeling down - she is just a good girl to have around.

The Annual Birthday Portrait


Courtney & Shelby after finding out that they get to go to the Taylor Swift Concert in SLC = HAPPY GIRLS!


Finally, last weekend we went camping at Hawley Creek with our friends Ray & Susan and their girls. It was very pretty there, so I got this shot of the mountains and their "bunk house". We were very grateful to get to go with them and very excited to FINALLY get our trailer out.

One Wedding and a Funeral

So, Saturday we had a wedding and a funeral. Our friends Logan & Suzanne's daughter Whitney got married to David Thompson, and I volunteered to take pictures for them. (I know, crazy.) It was fun and I hope they are pleased with the results.

After the wedding, we had a graveside service for my Uncle Mike. Although funerals are never fun, it was great to see all of our Bingham cousins and we got to eat dinner and visit for most of the evening. I really like those Binghams.

For now, I wanted to share one of the pictures I took (and photoshopped) at the wedding. I still want/need to take a class to learn how to better use my camera, but I thought that this one turned out pretty good.

Island Park 83429

We were lucky enough to be invited by the Fillmore's to Grandma Gerry's cabin this weekend. Because of other obligations, we were only able to stay Saturday night, but I will take even one night at the cabin any chance I get.

While we were there, we did all kinds of things you would expect to do at a cabin.

We had arts and crafts.




Paddleboating.



Children playing in the road.



Boys catching minnows with fishing nets.



Anticipated eating.



Birthday boy posing.



Open mouthed kissing.



Sleeping.



And even posing by a scenic overlook.



Yep, I think we got all of the items one is required to do during a weekend at a cabin done. If not, oh well, we had an awfully good time anyway. Thanks again Fillmores!

Emperor Cuzco

Here's the newest addition to the Goody Family. Kaden's llama Tina (Tina, you fat lard, come eat your dinner!) had a baby sometime between Friday and Saturday morning. He is very cute, and as you can see, Kaden is in love. His name is Cuzco and he looks just like his mama.

For those of you keeping track, the current animal count goes like this: 1 horse, 3 llamas, 2 dogs, 1 duck, and 1 snake (my least favorite). The snake is for sale and the duck is for free for anyone who is interested . . . anyone?

Trick or Treat

Yes, this is a photo from Halloween. Yes, I know that Halloween was like four months ago. BUT it was before I knew about "Actions", so I didn't know how to tweak pictures and make them so stinking cute. Yes, I know that I really need to take a photography class and a photoshop class, but as it is tax season and I have no time and practically live at my office, classes will have to wait and I will continue to cheat by using "Actions" that other people have created, namely Pioneer Woman, who I love.

Oh yeah, I love Paige too, she is so photogenic right now, maybe it's that I think 2-4 year olds are so stinking cute, maybe it's that she cracks me up and doesn't really care what anyone thinks she should be doing and look out or she might just crack you in the head. Why is it that two year olds can get away with that, but 34 year olds . . . not so much.

New Year's Eve Sledding

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, New Year and any other holiday that would be politically correct to include. I wanted to share some pictures I have taken in the last couple of weeks and I just figured out how to use "Actions" in PhotoShop, so I had fun editing these pics. Most of them are from New Year's Eve day, we took the kids sledding at "The Pit" in Ucon and I am glad I took my camera.

Here is Paige offering you tea on Christmas Eve . . . just try and refuse that face.



This is Courtney. She is my girl and she is growing up too fast.



Brock, Shelby, Paige, and Courtney. Looks dangerous . . . probably is.



Alyza June a/k/a Lou. Yes, she is adorable, and one of the smiliest babies I have seen in a long time.


This is Brock. He is a ladies man. But I bet you knew that just by looking at this picture.



Garrett is the smartest kid in his class and the "biggest headed" kid in his class, ask him . . . he will tell you. He was a speed demon on the sled.



This is MY "Buster" Shay, he is very handsome and is planning on owning a red four-wheeler someday and changing his name to "Grandpa Mike".



Here is my big "boy", I can't believe how grown up he is getting to be, and he will be taller than me in about 5 minutes.


Saving the best for last . . .

Really . . . what can you say about this picture? I absolutely love it!