Basketball Season is Here!

Luke started his first try @ basketball.

   

Lukey & Owen celebrated their B-day together.  They had a blast!  The Nebekers let us hang out & play @ The Shock practice area.  Fun, Fun, Fun!!  Can’t believe our baby is 6 already!!

You make me happy ‘windows live writer’.

I recently discovered windows live writer which is making blogging & downloading pic’s fifty MILLION times faster.  I hadn’t blogged for a while because of the fact that it took FOREVER &  I would end up SO frustrated!!   BUT not anymore!!!
I wish I had some pictures to add here because they would be of us at the park or outside every waking minute of the day.  I love this weather!!  Some things that make me happy lately are little innocent girls who giggle constantly, little boys getting dirty & sun!  I am in total denial of both of you growing up...We live for the days we can go to the park, take a walk, picnics, family bike rides or just snuggling up to watch America’s Funniest Home Video’s.  Some things I could live w/out are hearing, "BBEELLLAAA(from Luke) or LUUUUKE, STTTOOOPPP IT(from Bella)" @ 6:30 in the AM, bottomless pit of laundry & sometimes screaming children.  Other than that I feel pretty blessed! 

17 more days till Susan G Komen....can't wait!

We heart Portland.

 We were able to tag along Jord’s work for a couple days on each end of spring break.  First the kids & I got to visit a vet clinic in Yakima that Jord has been talking about FOREVER !  I guess they have a couple dogs there whose name in Dozer & Reggie.  Every time Jordan comes home we hear stories about Dozer & Reggie.  The kids think that it’s THE best thing to go into Vet offices with Jordan.  Luckily, they are pretty laid back that the vets don’t mind.  Bella & Luca lived it up with swimming in the hotel pool every moment that we could.
Then the REAL fun began….Aunt Jill & Uncle Darren’s!!!

We LOOOOVVVEEE visiting!!   This trip was WAY overdue!  Aunt Jill had to work most of the short time we were there but that didn’t stop us from going to visit the kids favorite park.
Cole & Ben were SO nice to let Luke drive McQueen for
almost the entire day!
  
 
DOGGY PILE!
 
The older boys had fun playing tennis.
 
I think Uncle Darren thought Luke was going waaayy 
t-o-o-o  s-l-o-wwww.
 
 
We enjoyed a lot of yummy Popsicle's—first ones this year. 
We had GREAT weather!!
  
Awww what a fun sleepover at the hotel you guys had!!  Then a HUGE all you can eat breakfast—Belgium waffles with strawberry topping & whipping cream, sausages & eggs…plus more.
 

Lot’s of playing games!!
 

Ty man snuggling with Jordan.  poor thing.  He wasn’t feeling too good when we were there.

 
Thank you Aunt Jill's brownie sundaes!!  Luke was working on his second one of the night.  A boy after his mom’s own heart—for sure!
It’s always so nice to visit Jill & Darren.  They are ALWAYS such gracious hosts & we wished we could have stayed longer but can’t wait till the summer reunion.
We made our annual trip to the Columbia Outlet in Lake Oswego again &  a funny thing happened.  We had been in there for about a hour looking &  scoring on some great deals for Jordan &  the kids.  Jordan was paying &  I took the kids outside to run around for a minute before we headed back to Jill’s.  When Izzy came over to me and said something I couldn’t quite understand.  She said something about somebody doing something to a window display.  She said, “mom, you have to come look.”  And this is what I saw.

Um, yeah.  Luke, OUR Luke did that.  What?  Should I be really worried??  After I tried not to laugh to loud &  waited for Jord to see…I made him do this…
 
Luke, Luke, Luke.  I’m worried ALREADY!

We had a really nice guy at the Portland Temple grounds take our family picture but it came out blurry & you can’t even see the temple.  Oh well.  It was a fun short stop.  Ahhhh, good memories there!  I can’t believe it will be 10 years in July.  What a fun trip we had.  We made a quick stop in Tri-cities where Jord had to work.  I took the kids swimming again & they were showing off all their moves (somersault under the water, “diving”)  It made them so happy!  Not quite sure if Jord is ready to take us on another trip for a while---kidding aside…we all had a GREAT time!
 

Guess who’s 8 ALREADY?

 
I cannot believe you are already 8 years old.  Really.  It’s been about a month since you decided to be baptized & what a beautiful day it was!  This is from yo momma’s (had to put that in there) perspective.  The month started out with me rummaging through all of the hard copies of pictures that I have of you & putting them on our “birthday table”.  I cried as I went through them remembering back when you were a baldie, then at two when you had a fro of curls to now—beautiful straight hair.  Isabella, I hope that you know that you are a beautiful girl with a really big heart.   I love you soooo much!
Looking through each picture brought back sooo many wonderful & some ‘not so wonderful’ moments’ (pooping on daddy the first time he ever changed a diaper—you just had to do that, didn’t you?  Also, having croup as an infant—scary especially for first time parents!!!)  Most of them were very happy times, Isabella.  Anyway, back to the baptism weekend.  You had some pretty special visitors here…
 
grandma & grandpa Via (It’s ALWAYS hard to say goodbye)

grandma & grandpa Jeppson

Aunt Becky, Kanyon & River
You were attached to them the entire time they were here—Those visits are PRICELESS!!

Our very wonderful neighbors even came to support you!  What a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with them.  I want this down on  record because you probably wouldn’t know it otherwise, but Izzy I really wanted to spotlight you.  I really did…but every time I even thought about it I would start to LOSE it---I mean full blown uncontrollable crying.  So daddy did it.  He did a wonderful job.  I hope that you will always keep the letter I gave you that morning close to your heart.  Sorry, too private to share here. 
 
My favorite part of the day was right as you came out of the font you looked at me with the biggest smile & said “this is the best day ever, Mom.  I wish that I could get baptized every day.”  I hope that that feeling stays with you for many years to come. 
We got to come back to our home for some yummy chocolate Costco cake, at your request.  Along with many friends & family.  
What a wonderful day Bella…I am so happy that Heavenly Father sent your beautiful soul to our home.  I know & believe that this is a very important part of the plan to live with Him again.

grandpa’s little girl.

Who doesn’t love a BIG smooch from grandma??

Beautiful Aunt Becky, grandma Via & yo momma (I just like saying that..)

Duck, duck, duck, duck….GOOSE!
 
Feeling the love from grandma Jeppson
 
You begged me take this picture…I think you may need a your own camera soon.

Miss Chloe Jo & Riley are some of your biggest fans.  I wish I was more computer literate—because then I would know how to post a picture from Sheree with Jenny & Abbey D!!

I think Aunt Becky wants your bike!


What a tender picture!

Ahhh, the sis’s.

You know there’s trouble with these two around!  Luke, was that like your 6th donut?

Lots of yummy sweets & wonderful presents too!

This picture of grandpa makes me laugh.  Awww grandpa!

So sad that they had to leave.  But wonderful unforgettable memories made this short weekend in March!!

I do have to add…this Sunday you fasted for the first time.  I think that the little prayer helped because you asked me before church that if you got candy at church could you open it and eat it after.  I shared with you that  mommy & daddy usually break the fast with a prayer when we get home.  Well, sure enough you came to the RS room with candy in hand.  I noticed it but kept talking with a sister for quite a while.  I thought for sure you’d break into it.  I said nothing about it. We got home you put the candy down & ran upstairs to get changed came back down & said…”Mom can we say a prayer to break the fast now?”  I am so proud of you for waiting soooooooo long (late church time).  You are growing up way too fast for me!!!!  Now I will probably go cry on daddy’s shoulder again blubbering about how I only really have you for 10 more years.  BUT you will ALWAYS really BE OURS!!
I LOVE you Isabella Alyssa Jeppson!

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girls will be girls.....& boys will be,well--BOYS!

Last night I went into your room to kiss you goodnight & this is what I found.

So creative!!  By the way, I WANT this outfit...you looked SOOOO cute on Sunday!! (good job on the photography Luca!)

Then I walked over to Luke's room to do the same....SMMOOOOCH!

It must be a soothing way to fall asleep with cars (& many other friends) in your bed.  My fav--your shoe!

Sleep tight.