What a Beautiful Sunday Morning...

...in Newport Beach, California!

What a way to start our family vacation, (the sun shines even when you're not in Zion)

We ended up going to church up by the Newport Beach Temple,

So, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take some family pictures.

Here we are: The Happy Family (and more importantly the Eternal Family)

The Springers.

We may not have it all together, But TOGETHER we have it ALL.

I need to give a shout out to my in-laws...I am lucky to have such good and loving ones! I want to thank them for the love and support that they give us. I also need to thank them for making it possible for allowing us to go on this yearly family trip to Newport Beach; the memories that we make and the time that we get to spend as a whole Springer clan is important to me, but also to let me kids know that FAMILY is everything!

When the going gets tough, Family is there, when you need support and love, Family is there and when your buttons are pushed, Family is there...pretty much saying that Family is something you gotta have, whether you like it or not.

When all is said and done and life is over, all you have left is Family!

So, Thanks Opa and Oma for opening up your pocket books for 7 nice fancy condo within 3 steps from the beach, the yummy daily donut/candy store trips, the walks on the piers looking for sharks, the sunburns from sitting ALL day on the beach, the sand dollar exchange (having my kids wanting to get up before the crack of dawn to find sand dollars for the exchange of a real dollar) the sand that I am still trying to clean up after, AND bringing all 29 grand kids and 15 adults together for a week in paradise.

Thank You!

We Love You!

The Beach or BUST

The bags are packed,

I got my Diet Coke and Dan has his Diet Dew,

Snacks are ready, Car is gassed, Prayer has been said,

and the kiddos are in the car...

OFF WE GO!

No joke, "I have to go to the bathroom" is what I heard maybe an hour into the drive. What am I thinking??? Can I really handle this drive with the kids???

Only time will tell.

After 7 L*O*N*G hours in the car with the kids, several stops at the bathroom, a couple fights, 3 movies, a lunch stop in Vegas at Raising Cane's...

we FINALLY made it!

Buffalo Bill's is home for the night!

After a long and hot drive, a good swim is a great way to wear out the kiddos!

Swim Hard you four, you need to sleep good tonight. Bed Time can't come soon enough!

Always in 3's

Heaven must need entertainment as well...

Some well known faces in the entertainment industry have died.

Ed Mamahon
Shoot! I always wanted him to ring my doorbell and bring me a giant check for 10 million dollars, even one million would have been nice.

Today, Farrah Fawcett aka one of the original "Charlie's Angels" became a real angel up in Heaven. She finally died from a long battle of Cancer. She was 62

AND even more surprisingly...

Michael Jackson at the age of 50

I still can't believe it!

July 25th 2009 the KING OF POP has died.

His music will lived forever in my itouch!

Let me SHOUT it out loud

I am finally down a whole pant size!!!

I went out tonight looking for for shorts for an upcoming vacation, took my size into the dressing room to try them on...
AND tears started to fill my eyes; standing there looking at myself, the shorts that I was wearing were TOO BIG!!!

I haven't had a moment like this in a long time, most of the time, I have tears in my eyes from the clothes not fitting right,
BUT tonight, I had tears of joy!

I could see the number on the scale start dropping, but I can really believe it when my clothes fit differently and "have to" buy a size smaller.

I am so excited, I now have found even more motivation to keep on excising and counting my points.

Here's to buying smaller size clothes...it is a great feeling!

Girls Rule!

Lanie played her first T-ball game of the season tonight and I don't know why, but again, Lanie is the ONLY girl on the team, BUT that doesn't slow her down!

In fact, When the coach of the other team saw Lanie come up to bat in the 3rd inning, he told his players to "scoot back, this girl can hit it far."

I am glad to know that my girls have the confidence to play with the boys and know that girls can do whatever boys can do.

Watch out boys, Lanie is here to win and have fun!

Lucky Number?

Yes, you heard me right!

In this case, 13 is a very lucky number for me.

See, I am down a total of 13 lbs.

Not too shabby for going on 4 weeks.

My nightly walks and watching what I eat seems to be working.

I still want to lose more, so I will continue to keep posting my progress here.

HERE'S to LUCKY NUMBER 13!!!

Summer Fun FORE Mackenzie:

Golf Lessons for her.

During the month of June, Kenzie and some of the neighborhood boys are taking golf lessons at Fox Hollow Golf Course. Notice that Kenzie again is the only girl, but that doesn't seem to bother her. (one day, she might actually pray for that.)

(Pictured is Kenzie, Johnny, Brayden, Riley, and Jackson)Dan is such a proud daddy, to be able to see his oldest have the same love as golf as he does. Dan one day would love to go to PGA school and play on the tour, but until then, he will have his daughter to play golf with.

With these lessons, the kids get taught tricks and secrets on the game of golf, but the thing that Kenzie is most excited for was the shirt, plastic balls, and the FREE 9 holes of golf. She is planning on going with her Dad, Pappy, and her Opa. That sounds like a fun 4some.

Delanie and I:

Our Date Night:

Rules...

No music while we drive, Ask each other questions and talk.

One of my very favorite things about our date nights. I love to hear about the things on her mind. Tonight it was a boy named Tyler that she misses now that school is out. WHAT??!?!?!

Delanie picks where we eat dinner:

Taco Bell; where she had 2 cheese rolls and a Pina Colada Freeze drink. Delanie loves Taco Bell, she was in heaven with every bit.

Delanie picks what SHE wants to do for the activity; $20.00 limit:

Bowling was in our future.

The two of us played 2 games and Lanie won the first game. Final Score was 101-88. Not my best, but it was fun to watch Lanie tease me on winning. Game number 2 was just as fun and I took the win on that one. Final Score was 98-111. Delanie told me that she felt bad that I didn't win the first one, so she LET me win this one. What a sweetheart, Little Miss Lanie can be.


At the bowling ally, we shared some laughs and the kids really like to have one-on-one time with us. Lanie thought it was special to not have to try and fight her brother and sisters for some attention from mom. It gives the kids an opportunity to open up and tell us what is on their mind with no pressure. They can just be themselves. It is fun to watch their little personalities open up as well.
Delanie picks where we go for dessert:
Smart Cookie; "because she is one", is what she tells me as we pull into the parking lot.

Look at the size of that dessert, no wonder she wanted to go there! 2 peanut butter cookies with cookie dough ice cream in between. YUMMY!

(I do have to say, with me watching my "points" and weight, I was very good tonight. I got one scoop of ice cream in a cup/not even a cone/ and I didn't even come close to eating it all. To be honest, it didn't really taste good. What is happening to my taste buds???)

Delanie and I had a good time together. I love her so much and being able to spend the evening with her, showed me just how special she is and even more so just how lucky I am to have her.

Date Nights are the BEST, Now off to find out a bit more who this "Tyler" kid is.