Pritchard Cousins...

I wasn't going to take the 4 kids, but after we determined that blackberries were going to be only picked Mon-Wed-Fri, and that all our Friday berries had been sold, I decided to let them come.  I left Lindsey & Joey home.  My sister Hilary and her family were driving in from El Paso, so my kids really wanted to see them too.  Here are the younger ones waiting for their food to arrive.
L-R: Rachel, Jannie, Krissy, Austin, Jacob

Kayley, Meghan & Lauren waiting for their food too.  I think Rebekah & Brandon hadn't arrived yet with their parents... and then I forgot to take anymore pictures of them because I was chowing down on the good food!

The handsome boys at the Dallas Temple before the sealing of Mariela and lunch.

L-R: Brandon, Nathan, Austin trying to hold Eathyn, Jacob

The beautiful girls minus Mariela...

L-R: Meghan, Kayley, Kristen, Rebekah, Jannie, Lauren, Rachel

Josh's girlfriend Amanda is in Utah for a few weeks visiting before school starts back up.  She went to the Manti pageant the other night, and mailed this picture to me via phone.  I loved the Manti Pageant.  I am hoping we can go again next summer!

Back in October 2008, Brett & Cindy found out about a very special little girl in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries caused by her parents. Brett got an emergency hearing for her, and they were granted custody of her. After many set-backs, they were finally able to adopted Mariela April 30, 2010 in Bell County, Tx. On June 12, 2010 they took her to the Dallas LDS Temple to have her sealed to them, and us! It was a very special day for a very special girl!

We love you Mariela Abigail Pritchard!

Where is my spring/summer?

Josh sent us this picture that was taken on May 20, 2010 in Idaho Falls, ID. He wasn't to happy that it was snowing in May!

BLaCKBeRRieS GaLoRe!

This is the first year at trying to sell blackberries.  Shawn started planting them a few years ago, and we now have about 300 plants.  We didn't advertise at first because we weren't sure what to expect.  We were hoping that we could sell a lot as I didn't have the freezer space if all the plants produced, and none sold.  Shawn started taking some the 1st week of production to work, and started selling them just like that.  We did put an ad in the paper, and we have been getting calls.  As of today, 17 days after picking started... the kids have picked 120 gallons (about 5# each), and have made over $1100!  They are super excited about the money they have made.  It's not an easy job.  They have to be up at 5:45am Monday, Wednesday & Friday to be picking by 6am.  They are usually done picking by 9am.  2 days ago Lauren & Kayley left for Girls Camp, so yesterday I had to get up and help... Owwwwwww!!  I have scratches all over me!  The little girls are pretty good helpers with the thornless berry plants, so while they are doing those, the big girls and Jacob are doing the thorny type.  I have kept some of the gallons they have picked and made some blackberry jelly & jam.  The berries in the picture are ones from this year.  Simply gorgeous, and delish!

Kristen's baptism...

I have so forgotten to post about this.  I hope I can remember all of it.  Kristen turned 8 on September 14, 2009.  We had planned for her to get baptized on the 24th, and had even sent out e-vites for everyone about it.  I think about 2 days before the big day, kids started throwing up, and Joseph ended up with the flu.  I canceled as I felt it would be safer if everyone was better first before everyone came.  About a week or so passed, and everyone was still fretting over "swine flu" which supposedly Joseph had.  Finally I decided to wait until Thanksgiving weekend when my whole family would be there anyway.

When we got to the church, no jumpsuit for Kristen.  One of Kristen's friends had been baptized a few weeks before, so we called them.  Sure enough, they had it and good thing they lived close to the church.  We started about 5 minutes late, but all was well.

A lot of the cousins were there, and good thing there weren't a lot of members.  It was rather loud, and I almost yelled out "SHUSH UP!"  But they were cousins that hadn't seen each other in the past 3-4 months.  Afterwards we went back to the house and got ready for Thanksgiving the next day.  It was a fun and good weekend!

We love you Kristen... Congrats on your baptism!

Mini-Craft Night, June 10th

So for the past year and a half I have been the 2nd counselor in Relief Society, and everyone knows what that means... I am in charge of the activities formally known as Enrichment formally known as Homemaking. I am so not good with this calling, and trying to make it fun. But I am trying. On June 10th, this is what we are going to be doing. I did learn to make it look kinda cutesy and all with my Photoshop. If any of you are reading this, and see your picture that I borrowed from your website, hope you aren't to mad! I am doing the jam class... we are going to make strawberry jam! Yum!

Can't wait to see you there!

When it rains, it pours!

Or is it, they say it comes in three's?!  Today was another sad day in our family.  Zoey, member of our family since July 2009, died late last night.  She and Cali had belonged to my brother Scott and his family, but after their 2nd baby, they just thought it would be better for them to come here.  Since we love wiener dogs, we gladly took them.  They loved it here from day 1, and the 3 dogs palled around all the time.  I don't know how old Zoey was.  She was a cute dog.  She really tolerated Macy.  I don't think she died of a broken heart for losing Ollie & Macy.  I just hope Cali does okay being the lone dog for now.  Sure, my father-in-law has two farm dogs, but they aren't the same as those other two were.  The farm dogs don't come around much anymore because of Cali.  She lets them know who is boss!

This one picture is (L-R), Zoey, Ollie & Cali chillin' on the never-soon-to-be back-porch in August 2009, right after Josh left on his mission.

Kids and dogs

This was taken on June 3rd.  I was playing with my phone trying to figure out how to transfer pictures from it to Facebook, and finally I got it to work!  They were being so silly!  Joey is really naked.  He was about to get his diaper on for bed.  LOL!!

Found this cute picture on my camera too.  Lindsey and Macy, about a week or so before Macy died.  She was such a cute little dog!!  Wish we could get another like her!

Macy loved jumping all over Cali or Zoey.  She loved jumping, bouncing off things...

Just a cute picture of Joey... with clothes on!  That's a rarity at our house for him!

Macy loved sleeping on the boots during the day.  We would go out, and there she was... usually sprawled out all over them.  

Silly Macy!

To the beach... soon!

If everything goes as plan, we will be staying at this beach house in Galveston.  It's right on the beach, and the kids are super excited!  We are going to be there for a week in July.  We haven't been to the beach since 1997.  I know... so sad!  I really wanted to go to a beach in Alabama or Florida, but now with the oil spill and all, I am glad we are going here.  Yes, it's not white sand beaches, but it's a beach and that's all my kids care about!!  A beach is a beach to kids!  Need to start working on my tan!

A lost art...

A few months ago I read in the paper about a lady who asked her daughter, age 14 or so, to sign her name. She printed it. She said "no, in cursive." Her daughter said that she didn't know how. Could have very easily been my children. Ashdown schools are not teaching cursive. So sad. I am now in the process of teaching my children cursive handwriting. I printed off this form:

Even though we just started yesterday, they are picking up on it. Lauren did have it in 3rd grade when we were in Bryan, so she has done okay, but not really. She will be a great doctor when she grows up... her cursive and regular handwriting are awful.  Poor teachers!  Haha!!  Today we worked on their names, and a few words.  Each day until we get to Killeen (when the swimming pool takes over all other priorities), my kids will be working on the cursive alphabet and their names, and some words.  I know the age is computers now, but still... people need to learn to sign their name correctly at least!