It's a BOY!

 I'm getting closer at catching up on this whole blog thing! Thank heavens for nesting mode that has kicked me back into gear! My goal for next year is so stay caught up, so I'm not blogging about events months later.

At the beginning of September we found out we are having a BOY. Our expected due date is January 15th 2015.  We went in for an ultra sound and I just had a feeling that it was going to be a boy, even though I mentally prepared for another girl just in case it was, I didn't want to have any disappointments. ;) This pregnancy has been a breeze. I'm really lucky and don't get sick or anything. At the begining of the pregnancy I had really dry eyes and was tired a lot but that was it!

  

This is how we announced our new addition. John takes all the credit here. I've never been the type of person to want decals on my vehicles, but John thought of this deer family and well....here it is! :)

 Here I am at 21 weeks.(this was when we found out the gender) This 3rd pregnancy popped out SO fast! After our ultra sound appointment we had to go shopping for a few cute outfits! We told the girls by wrapping up the two outfits in gift bags and letting them pull them out and realizing they were for a Boy. Raegan seemed pretty excited about it. John ordered the Cabelas sweatshirt off line. He is overly excited about having a boy join our family!

 The girls and I have taken a few trips to the fabric store to find cute material for little brother. They are my little shopping buddies! We have made a couple cute blankets since and are anxiously awaiting his arrival!

Benton Franklin Fair 2014

 John hates my obsession for the fair! HA! But I just have so many fun childhood memories there, I love going back! Growing up we showed pigs and my last year to show, I showed a steer, which was my favorite! The girls love going too and seeing all the farm animals.

 We went into the fair a couple different times this year. We would go in the morning and watch some of my cousins show their 4-H or FFA animals (my favorite part), than we would walk the booths and get some free things, get face paintings, eat some unhealthy lunch, than go home. Always a good time!

 

Man, I sure miss helping grandpa Bob with his Horses and Stage coach. I think I know where Raegan gets her obsession for horses. 

 Raegan thought the Percheron's were way neat too! I loved helping with these big guys and taking them into the Rodeo! Good times!

 I think the girls favorite spot this year was the pony rides! They just need a pony! :)

 I was so surprised at how still Kynleigh sat for her face painting.

 My mom was in at the fair with us, after lunch we all went home. She took Kynleigh with her and after it cooled down outside a bit, we went back into the fair that evening, with just us and Raegan.

 She got to ride the pony ride again, and we took her on the Farris wheel for the first time! She LOVED it. She thought it was the neatest thing.

 Than we went to the Rodeo for a good time! Can it be fair time already?!

 John and I went in again on a different night for the Concert, I can't even remember now who sang, I just remember it was really good and was a fun date night!

 And of course-crazy us, got married during Fair week! So Saturday we got to have the whole day together celebrating our 6th year wedding anniversary! I sure Love this guy!

Horse Lessons and Swim Lessons

 Raegan took horse lessons this summer! She LOVED her lessons. She did so good, and I was quite surprised watching her ride this little pony. She was not afraid to show him who was boss! The pony's name was trooper. Sadly, the girl that was teaching Raegan sold the pony before the summer was out and horse lessons came to an end! Raegan says her favorite part about horse lessons were "I got to ride trooper, and I love horses!".

 

For one week during the summer she took Swim lessons from my cousin Karigan Eppich. Raegan kept calling her aunt Karigan and soon Karigan became, "aunt Karigan" to our class. haha It was cute! Raegan improved in her swimming so much this summer. She got really good at her zooms and learned to swim for for a distance until she needed to come up for air. A few times she was able to come up for air and than keep swimming. I'm thinking this coming summer she will catch on really fast!

 I think I was more afraid of her jumping off the diving board and swiming to Karigan than she was. But sure enough, she would jump in, pop right back up and kick her little heart out till she got to Karigan. It was a proud mommy moment! haha :)

 Thanks again for being a great teacher, Karigan! :)

Strong Family Reunion 2014

 The Strong's had a family reunion during the month of July. It was over the weekend at Darby Girls camp, up Darby canyon, in Alta WY. (about 15 minutes from my Mother in Laws) We stayed in the cabins. A couple of John's sisters put it on and did a great job at it! (Thanks again!!!) My sister-in-law, Sandra, made a really fun book through Shutterfly and we all got copies, so I won't share much on my blog.  All but 3 families and a couple of older nephews were able to make it to the reunion. It was a good turn out considering how many people we were trying to get together. Alison and I had our T-shirts designed.

 Raegan and Kynleigh had a blast hanging out with their cousins for a few days. They were so dirty that whole weekend, they loved it!

 We went on a small hike with some of the younger kids while the more brave ones hiked up to The Monument.

 The best part of the weekend was being able to spend it with this guys!

 We survived our part of the hike and the girls actually walked most of the way. Wahoo! (Man my pregnant belly sure popped out fast this go around, I think I was 14 or 15 weeks at the Reunion...? I can't remember)

 Some of the main attractions of girls camp was this amazingly long slide! I'm pretty sure the kids spend most their time going down and hiking back up to go back down. Some how Raegan would connive a older cousin to carry her back up...she is pretty good at that.

 another big hit was the sand volleyball. It was John and I's favorite part anyways. The kids loved playing in the sand and Aunt Jessica was smart and brought sand toys, so the kids loved it too!

 John and I got put in charge of an activity for the reunion and we decided to make Marshmallow guns out of PVC. It was a hit!

All and All it was a great time, with great weather, scenery and people! We were grateful we were able to join the Strong family in another successful reunion! We love those guys! ;)

Raegan turns 4! 7.5.14

Raegan June Strong

 4?! This little girl needs to stop growing. She brings SO much joy to our family! She has always had an incredible vocabulary and always seem to surprise us or make us laugh with what she says and how smart she sounds! Don't let that pretty smile fool you though, she does know how to act out and be naughty, but what 4 year old doesn't?! ;) She is very stubborn, independent, strong willed, friendly, outgoing, motherly, and a tad boss, and although some of those characteristics drive me bonkers right now, I know this little girl will one day be a very fun but powerful women! Watch out world!  We love her SO much and could not image our life without her.

We celebrated Raegan's birthday the night we got home from Scootney. We just did a simple get together with my family, had cup cakes and ice cream and opened presents. Than we invited Reese and Crystal down for a small firework show! The kids had a good time and overall was a really fun day!

4th of July

We had a great 4th of July! We started it by going to the parade in Basin City. I had not been to that parade in over 15 years I believe. Between living in Idaho and being in the Kennewick pararde with Grandpa Bob's horses, its been quiet sometime. Let me tell you though, nothing has changed! hahaha!!! The girls enjoyed it, so that's all that matters.We rode the bikes and 4 wheelers over to the parade that morning from my parents. We use to do that every year as kids too! Than, we rode up to the neighbors to see our favorite little pony.

(aren't these the cutest little toes)

We than headed up to Scootney where we camped for the night and spent the day jet skiing, riding pedal bikes around and swimming with our family and Edler cousins.  It was a good time. Raegan was so excited to finally camp somewhere that wasn't in our back yard or on the trampoline (at least we try to give her that tent experience by trying to be fun parents, ha!) She spent at least 30 minutest setting up the inside of our tent, just organizing away. It was really cute. Raegan was glad that the morning of her birthday we woke up (the 5th) with all of her favorite people. We sang happy birthday at breakfast and she blew out her candles in her pancakes. 

It was a Great time, and great company. Hoping we do that again this coming summer!

A trip to Idaho....

End of June activities & work trip

A Trip to Idaho would not be complete without an 11 hour drive, a trip to get snow-cones with our favorite friends, watching a movie or two at the Spud drive in theater, going squirrel hunting, and without it being a holiday or birthday-John turned 30! I know he was glad to be in Idaho for his birthday! Morgan was able to join us for this trip as well. We LOVE when Morgan comes down to Idaho with us, and I think she loves it too! :)

A trip to Idaho would not be complete without attending the Huntsman Spring celebration, Celebrating America. We have gone every year they've had it. Its a tradition now!

A trip to Idaho would not be complete without a visit to Uncle Bruce's dairy. The girls love going and seeing all the baby cows, puppies and horses. 

 And of course, a trip to Idaho would not be complete without a dirt bike ride! We rode out at the St. Anthony sand dunes. It is always a blast!! We sure love going riding! This was Morgan's first trip to those dunes. She wants to go back asap!

We sure miss Idaho, the activities and all our family and friends!