just 2 more years...

until my brother Levi comes home! This is such a happy and sad time. Levi checked in to the MTC yesterday. He is going to Melbourne Australia. He will do so awesome and there will definately be a huge hole in our family with out him! Here are some of the "last" things that we have been doing with him (starting with the most recent)!!
GOODBYES

The airport... All 10 kids were able to come to Thatcher for the weekend, for the farewell. Then most everyone said their goodbyes as they headed back to their homes. All of the Thatcher family said goodbye at my mom's on Monday. Me, Travis, Mom, Dad, and Maci went to Mesa to send Levi off. My parents too him to Utah to the MTC. Here we are at the airport just before he left. (Maci stayed at Phil's house asleep, this was 5:30 in the morning)

Haylee and Hanna's last time to see Levi before he left. They stayed home with Wayne so they wouldn't miss school. (Thanks Suzanna for helping out!)

This was awesome! After everyone said bye at my parents me, Levi, Travis, and Maci were in my van heading to Mesa. As we drove out of my parents driveway, we looked up on the hill and there was my older brother Dave on his horse waving at Levi. This was really touching because Levi is a HUGE horseman. They called him horse whisperer in high school. This is a hill he road horses up many many times! Levi doesn't really show emotion, but he seemed very touched! (of course i was crying like a baby!)
FAMILY PICTURES

My sweet family

It was quite the chore getting 48 family members to all hold still and smile for a picture.. but I'm sure glad we did!

The 10 siblings

my cute sisters!

THE FAREWELL

Levi did an awesome job on his talk! I am so proud of him.. Australia is so lucky to have him!

My grandma Palmer. She is an amazing Lady. She is almost 90 and is still so on top of things!

so sweet!

ATHLETIC CLUB

Most the siblings and spouses all went to the athletic club in town and had a blast. We had a raquetball tournament and swam. It's always so fun to be together!

THE RANCH

The Layton's and Bethea's were so nice to let my take my family to the ranch. Everyone except 2 families made it! We loved being there! We spend most of our time in the pool. We had a killer game of football!

Hanna and Maci being goofy!

what a good dad!!

I know this is sick!! but i had to show what happened to my toe! When we were playing ft. ball in the pool, someone's foot came accross my toe and ripped it almost off. It was barely hanging on! It hurt SOOO bad! ... from the ranch, I went to Mesa to get my toenail removed. (oh my gosh, the numbing shot in your toe is heck!!) Luckily, sandal season is almost over.

CAMPING

My parents, Steven, Kami, Levi, Travis, and our family all went up to Mt. Graham to camp. We just stayed until late that night, because Wayne had to work the next day. We had smores and cobbler! yum! We had family home evening up there and enjoyed time as a family!

Our family (the smoke was in Maci's eyes!)

I love my dad!!

Mom, Dad, Travis

steven, Kami, Levi

RETURN WITH HONOR
I am so glad that we moved here a year ago, so I could be here for Levi's senior year. I loved going to all of his games, having him here for lunch during school, and having him over on sunday nights for bazookis! I loved all the time we got to spend with him. My girls love him (Maci calls him leli)! He will do an amazing job, but we will sure miss him!!

The other day the girls were bored, so we got out the play dough and made all sorts of cool things! The girls thought is was so great for their mom to play with them! (I need to do that a lot more often!) We had so much fun. They wanted to "surprise" Wayne with all of our creations! He was so excited!! he he!

i love these sweet, emotional, cute, drama filled, funny girls !

the final products...

hanna always makes a goofy face when i take her picture.. i wonder where she gets it! :)

can you tell what we made??

our cupcake must have looked pretty real, because maci tried to eat it! :)

When I count my blessings, I count my COUSINS twice!!

We love visitors!! Especially when it's family! Since 5 out of 7 in laws in the Layton family are from Thatcher, we get to see lots of family when they come "home". Wayne's sister Leanne and her family have come a couple of times, and Wayne's brother Brad and his family have come too... Wether it is just a day visit or a week... we love COUSINS!! Thanks guys for making an effort to come!

This is Leanne's kids with my girls. They built a tent for Maci in her crib!

Kade was so good to take care of Maci and play with her!

The funniest thing about having all these boys around, was how much they loved playing with my girls stuff!! They played barbies together most of the time we were at our house.... but they are rough and tough, athletic boys!!

.....Zonked out in front of the tv!

Maci and her cousin Brenna (Wayne's brother, David's daughter)... aren't they cute???

Haylee and her cousin Lacey (also David's daughter)

Brad and Amber kids with our girls before church...

Watching the fireworks for the 24th of july celbration from our front porch with Brad and Amber

Haylee holding Gracie. My girls all LOVE babies!

Red on Yellow it will kill a fellow.... Red on Black your ok jack!

look close... we had this on our front porch last night... YES it is so poisonous! Last year we had 7 rattlesnakes near our house and none this year....instead we had a deadly coral snake!! Oh the joys of living in the country!

luckily wayne, levi (my brother in the picture), and his friend sam were there! we made quite the cool video while they tried to kill it... with me freaking out in the background!

SO... tonight my older brother, Tom, brought over a "good" snake (king snake) to kill all other dangerous snakes. he found it at work and brought it to our house to let it go... yeah, more snakes!!

tom showing the girls the king snake...


my BEST FRIEND from growing up, Camille Wright Wakild was in town visiting family. she has a beautiful new baby, Addyson... it was so fun to see them both. my girls had a blast with the cute baby and i loved being able to talk and laugh with camille... just like old times!!

hanna and addyson

haylee and addyson

me, camille, and addyson



BaCK to ScHoOl

the night before the first day of school... haylee with out outfit set out!

haylee's first day (hanna has her breakfast on the go)

haylee and her friend and neighbor, kiley scores

at her desk... i can't believe she is in 1st grade!!

Hanna with her outfit set out the night before preschool

Maci is so sad that her sisters are gone during the day!

hanna and her cousin lincoln

week of FuN!!!

We left last Friday and have been gone almost a week. Here are some of the fun things we did!

our Getaway...
Wayne and I stayed in a resort in Scottsdale for our anniversary. (It's actually not until Sep. 1st, but we wanted to go before school started.) My brother Phil and his wife watched the girls one night and my inlaws watched them 2 nights. We really appreciate them making it possible for us to go... it was AWESOME!! I always love when Wayne and I get to spend time alone... I feel like we get so much closer and get to remember why we fell in love. I always realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing husband. He really is my favorite person! We laughed so much, and slept, and swam, read, and ate lots... it was all so great!

this is where we stayed... they had a deal that every night you stayed they gave you $100 dollars worth of food from their resort, so we ate a lot.. and it was GOOD food!

we both LOVE the water. it was fun to be alone and be able to race, or lay out, or whatever we wanted!

this is a view from the lake when we were out on the paddle boats

i love this guy!!

going home!! :(

i love any hotel with robes! i think it just seems so fancy! (i know i'm a dork!)

this was the sign on our door most of the time! :)

nice wayne! :)

paddle boats

one of my yummy breakfasts!

our view while we ate...

Girls Dentist Apts...
We still travel to Gilbert for our girls dentist. He is so good! (Dr. Quakenbush). Haylee needed 2 more silver caps and Hanna just got her teeth cleaned. Haylee had to be conciously sedated. It's a wierd thing, but totally works and luckily she didn't feel a thing..

Hanna brushing "big mouths" teeth

Haylee had to drink something that makes her totally tired and soon she is out and then they do the proceedure, but she can still answer questions and eveything. It is so wierd, but everything went great!

HAYLEE the Hairstylist...

Haylee loves to do the girls hair.. She did Hanna and Maci's hair the other day and it turned out great!!




FUN at Deanne's...
While we were in the valley we did some school clothes shopping and spent time with family. It was so fun! One night we stayed at Deanne's house. We always love to be there. My girls love her kids and I always love to spend time with my sister... Deannes' friend was there and cut my hair and colored it and then we rag-tied the girls hair. I have never seen it done, but you do THIS at night.....

and it looks like THIS in the morning.......

i think it turned out so cute! the curls were a little kinky... but cute!

Savanna, Maci, Hanna, JoAnn, Haylee, and Jay

My hair cut with the girls new do's! :)