Thursday, April 5, 2012

PAINTBALL!!!!!

MITCH celebrated his 12th birthday
with some HEAVY ammunition!
Mitch you are one special boy.
I can't imagine our family without
you.
note... This brutal PARTY
 was July, 16th 2011!!
(just so no one thinks Elder Whiting...GRANDPA...
left sister Whiting...GRANDMA in the Philippines!)
These pictures were just too good to pass up. I love looking at them...
I LOVE this family!
The 2 BEST grandpa's
AND dad's EVER...
.( oh, and the guy with the yellow chin is pretty great too.)

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

What matters most....

The Buhrley Family
fall of 2011

"Indeed nothing is more critically connected to happiness-
both our own and that of our children-
than how well we love and support
 one another within the family.
What matters most is what lasts the longest
 and our
 families are for eternity"
M. Russell Ballard

Lou and Joni- 21 years
My children have accused me of having kids so they can do all the chores...
and I can "just flirt with dad!"
I've got smart kids.
Mac 18
Mandi 15
Mitch 12
Justin 7
Gracie 6

My Girls
My Boys

Best friends



My whole heart caught on film.
My eternal family.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Father and Son's campout!!

+
 3 sure signs this is a
 FATHER and SONS
 campout...
  • Justin and Mitch eating Twix candy bars and drinking pop as they're headed to bed!
  • Justin wearing his brand NEW shoes.
  • lastly, click on the photo...see thosefingernails? See what is holding that sandwich?
 3 reasons mom is very OK
with this father and son's campout!
  • flowers and kisses for mom
  • smiles from ear to ear
  • stories to last all year
oh...one more,
  • Girls night at home! The evening consisted of u-swirl yogurt and watching Justin Bieber.
Let's just say, Gracie definitely has
 "Bieber Fever"

" Justin can't marry me right, I'm too young ????"
" Some boys are Gross, but some are
oh, soooooo cute."

oh, my.
Heaven help us.
She's 5.

 PURE JOY!!
 Getting the PERFECT marshmallows!
Love my boys.
 Mac couldn't go, but no worries...
bring on the camping this summer!!
(especially the father and son camping!)
;)

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Junior Prom!!

Junior Prom
 was a night to remember!
Especially memorable that Mac
shared it with cousins Mitch and Jake
These boys are so close....and all so very
 handsome
 if I might add!

 Beautiful Girls!!
Thanks to Monica, the setting was elegant
and the dinner delicious!
I love the special relationship
these boys have.
Love they are getting the chance
 to create such fun memories together.

Friday, May 13, 2011

The Girls in Vegas!

Soccer in VEGAS!
We don't need much of an excuse to jump at the chance for a girls trip!
I love spending time with this girl!
Mandi has really enjoyed this season and the
 sweet girls on the team.
 Not to mention...they are playing really well!
 (which always adds to the fun.)

The team feels Mandi is the good luck charm
and has officially named her the team "pray-er".
She is now the one who says the team prayer
 before each big game!


We spent an afternoon site seeing
 and getting a frozen "hot" chocolate at
 Serendipity!
 Highly recommend.
 Delish!

We weren't quite ready to end the fun!
so...
we decided to miss our return flight!
It had nothing to do with getting a little lost
 on the way to the airport.
Good times!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Let the games begin!

Spring Season has begun!
Before the official first kick off this Saturday,
here are pictures of our fall season!
The
 Stinging BEES!!!
 Don't you love the hair bows on these little soccer diva/bee's!?
 After Gracie's first game,
which consisted mainly of taking turns kicking the ball!
(kids from her own team as well as the apposing team)
 She asked,
"Mom, what does it mean to, 
 "just go out there, work hard, and do your best?"
 Hmmm....
" I guess it means you try and get the ball
 from the other team,  keep it away from the other team,
 and get it in the other teams  net."
 My vast soccer knowledge,
 seemed to satisfy.

The next game came. 
 Gracie went to the field with her game face.
She "worked hard and did her best".
 Her best happened to be scoring 5 goals.
Wow, who knew?
 Especially, after her first game of  "take turns"!
( which ironically is what we drill into our kids
 until all of a sudden we tell them," have no mercy!")
 It looked like an exciting season ahead!
 However, after experiencing 
working hard and doing her best,

she was over it! 
Been there done that!
 The focus of the following games-
  hair, friends, and snacks! 
Sweet, glittered haired girls standing
 in the middle of the field
talking, 
during the game.
pretty darn cute.
 Unsure what to expect for spring season!?
BUT
we do know what this little bee
 (who now, as of yesterday's practice,
is a green butterfly)
 is capable of! 

p.s my favorite picture of the stinging bees season?
 Gracie consoling her BFF.
 Must of been a tough game. 

THE 
Blue Leopards!!
 Oh, this little guy.
 Love watching him.
Love how he wanted to be seen
working oh, so hard!
 Justin really enjoyed the practices
 MORE then games!
 This kid LOVES to play.
This kid really LOVES to have
FUN
 And the games,
  "were a LOT of work!"
 He definitely kept the season FUN for all,
as well as squeezing in the final goal of the season!!

The Hawkeyes
We always knew Mitch liked to play basketball.
 However, this was his first time on an official  team.
 (which I don't think people believed!)
 Truthfully, while watching his first game
 and seeing him score the first 5 baskets,
I was like, ummm maybe he should share??
( I was sitting by the other kids moms!)
Lou didn't agree and loved every second of it.
 In many of the pictures it looks
 like he is about to loose the ball
because the ball is so low. 
 But No!
 He keeps total control
and no one steals from him.

Highlight of the season...
Buzzer 3 pointer
Mitch made the shot as the final buzzer was ringing!
 And I was turning off the camera.
Ooops!
 Every kid deserves a moment like that!
 FUN.
(I'm still waiting for mine.)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Part 2...Disney Christmas!

Buhrley family
Christmas 2010

We will never forget our
Disney Christmas!
I knew Disneyland would be fun,
but I had no idea it would be at the top of our
favorite family vacations!
It truly was the perfect family vacation, for us.
 Having older kids that help with the little ones,
makes it really fun for mom and dad!
 Especially, when I now have a son
bigger and stronger then I am!
Translation:  Lou and Mac were the ones to carry
the dead weight of sleeping toddlers
all the way to the tram at the end of a long day!
I love this stage of my life! 
 It really was a vacation for me!
However,
I'm not so sure if Lou would say the same! 
He must have run the length
 of a marathon during our stay!
Each night he would map out our next day's schedule
 knowing exactly
 when and where to 'run' and get fast passes.
and Run he did!
 We hardly waited in line,
 at all!!
A dream.

The older kids really wanted it to be fun
 for the younger ones,
and truly found joy in their excitement.
 This was so rewarding.
There were only 2 rides in the entire park/parks,
 that we all couldn't go on together!!
Which meant we spent our days,
together!

Our darling Mickey/Minnie Santa hats
were thoughtfully made by my sweet sis-in-law.
They really are so cute
 and made keeping track of each other, a breeze!
We had several people ask us where they could get one!!
"Designs by Amber"
 has a good ring to it, don't you think?

When we came home,
 we were able to celebrate more of Christmas
 with Grandma and pa Buhrley!
.


Notice Mandi below caught on her cell phone..
headed to her first Stake dance!!
We had to pull her dad back from following her.
 Between her dad and older brother,
this girl will be very well watched over.
Mac has already said any boy that talks to her,
 will go through him first.

I don't think he was joking.

Amber made
 New Years Eve
such a fun night for the kids!
 Crafts, countdowns, silly string.
Really fun memories for the cousins.
( Have I mentioned how much we love having family close?)
A wonderful way to end 2010,
and
 Welcome in 2011.