A Week with our Family, a Fun Trip to Lava Hot Springs.. and AVERY IS WALKING!

Okay! This week has been so fun, yet so busy! You know we had our family reunion of my side of the family... this week.. we were able to have a great week with Nick's Mom who was in town from South Dakota.. his sister Kathy and Niece Carlin who were also in from Denver. This week went by so fast! It makes me sad because I miss them so much when they are gone! We were able to go up to Rex's house in Lava for the weekend! Talk about fun! (Rex is Nick's brother-in-law.) He owns a home in Lava on the Golf Course that has views to die for! It was so pretty. We stayed up in the loft and were able to look out over the golf course because the whole front of the home is windows! We went swimming at the pools, Carlin, Nick and Preston went off the high dives... I was going to, but Chickened out! ha! ha! I even went up there to jump and as Nick went... I bailed! I can't believe I didn't dare do that anymore! I used to go off the high dive ALL the time! Now I'm a CHICKEN! ha! ha! Bock! Bock!

When we were getting ready to go.. Avery fell asleep in her High Chair! So of course.. I had to get photos.. once we got up there we were able to veg out and watch TV and just relax! Nick went 4 wheeling with Rex on Saturday, so Carlin and I along with Preston and Avery went to the pool! It was lots of fun! Nick's nephew Seneca came up on Saturday too.. so we had a great time hanging out with the family! Later that night Kathy played on the 4 wheeler along with Preston.. and then they all went golfing. Avery, Nick and I watched them out the window.. It was pretty cool! Sunday, it was back to the pool for some more fun! This time Ramona (Nick's Mom) and Nick went with us! Then Kathy and Carlin came and hung out at our house for a few more days while Ramona went and stayed with Bubba, Nick's brother. We were able to have lots of family dinners during the week.. so we had some great quality time! It was very sad to see them go! I'm such a baby because I always cry! I just wish they lived closer so we could see them more often! I love them just like my own family!

We have some great news! AVERY IS WALKING! Yeah! ha! ha! She has been walking all over the house today! We are so excited! We only wish that Nick's Mom and Sister could have stayed a day longer! So we had to make several phone calls! It's so cute! She thinks she's so BRAVE! She's been taking steps for a few weeks now.. but she is walking all over tonight! We are so happy! She looks so cute and loves it when you say, "Yeah!" She starts clapping and yells, Yeah too! We love that little girl so much! Hope you'll agree just how cute she is!

Preston started school! I still can't believe that he is in 8th Grade and taller than I am! He's going to be playing comp baseball again for a new team. He's way excited because the coach is really great! The team name is kind of cool too! It's "The Sandlot". Fun huh? Especially where that is one of our all time favorite movies. He's excited because The Sandlot is also a baseball facility where they teach Hitting and pitching too! It's a really neat facility with great coaches.. so to be on the team will be a great help for Preston. I think he's going to learn even more than he already knows. So it will be exciting to see him progress even more!

Nick and I have just pretty much been doing the same old same! Enjoying the kids, working and trying to keep up with all the things that go on in our lives!

We just want all our family to know just how much we love them! We both have great families! I don't know how we got so lucky! We love you guys and miss those of you who are far away VERY much! Thank goodness for email, phones and BLOGS! ha! ha! Love you guys!

Fikstad Family Campout and Avery's Cute Hair

So after 5 days up camping.. in a tent and in the dirt.. it sure was good to be home. Being able to shower was to die for! ha! ha! We went Wednesday and came home Sunday from our annual Fikstad Family Camp out. We camped up at Memorial Campground up by Causey Dam. The kids had a ball floating the river, playing night games with their cousins and just camping! It was so much fun being able to see all my Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Can you believe that my Grandma Fikstad has over 100 Grand kids... including Great and Great Great... Yes, we have a large family! But as I've always said.. the more the merrier! Can I just tell you though.. it's so hard to go camping in a tent with little Miss Avery! Man.. I had to take everything but the kitchen sink.. and wouldn't that have been wonderful to have! ha! ha! If it would have been able to have running water! I kept taking Avery down to the little dam that was by our campground and she kept wanting to get in the water! I thought it would be way too cold for her, but she kept wanting to get in it. I put her feet in it thinking that would cure her! Boy, was I wrong! She kicked and splashed and cracked up... so we trekked back to the tent.. put on her swim suit.. and headed back to play in the river! She LOVED it! After about 45 minutes I thought we'd get some lunch and a drink because it was really hot up there.. anyway.. when I got her out.. she freaked out! She didn't want to get out! As you will be able to tell by her face.. she was in hog heaven! She loves the water! Preston gave me a scare on Thursday... he, Parker, Kaitlynn and her friend Kaylee went tubing from Causey down to the Meadows Campground... it takes about an hour and a half, so my dad was going to take the truck down to pick them up.. they never came back... and they never came back. They were over an hour an a half late... so my sister and I went looking. On the way down, we passed my dad with NO kids. I freaked. He said he couldn't find them. So Christy and I went looking in every campground even though my dad already did... still nothing. I was a bit of a wreck! Finally my dad found them down at the Meadows... they had a tube pop and had to walk at least a half mile down the river.. got leaches on them and were tired and scared. It was getting dark and I was in a panic.. they were all okay Thank Goodness!

We always have a dutch oven dinner on Saturday where pretty much everyone makes something.. I even took the task to make potatoes.. that were yummy! Thanks so Nick and my Dad... Nick whipped it up for me and my Dad watched the coals! ha! ha! I really was going to do it by myself... but I was helping giving out prizes to the kids after the water games! It was a good weekend... even though I didn't get to relax too much! Nick didn't come up until Friday night so I ventured in the tent alone with Avery. Preston slept in Parkers tent with him.. so he thought that was cool! He looks up to his cousin and they are good friends. I was really excited to read my Breaking Dawn book seeing how I got it over a week late.. .but I didn't get much reading done! So I'm now one of the last ones to know how it ends! ha! ha! We also had several Humming Birds that fed in our campground. Mom and Dad brought up a feeder and there were about a dozen birds who camped with us all weekend long! I got some photos... it was really neat!

Today I took the task of putting Avery's hair in pig tails.. I thought it would be a task.. but she sat so good! I turned on the sink water and she played.. go figure.. in the water while I did it! I had to show photos! It looked so cute.. I had to share!

CHRISTMAS BOX HOUSE SERVICE PROJECT

Okay... here is the latest for our Andrews Family Service Projects... It's so fun to have Nick and Little Avery helping do them now with Preston and I!

I have a very dear friend who's sister lost her life as a victim of Domestic Violence. She was an amazing woman and didn't deserve the fate that laid before her. "In remembrance of Natalie, a tree was planted on the grounds of "The Christmas Box House".... a shelter for children who are victims of Domestic Violence. During a tour of the facility it was mentioned that one item usually in short supply at the center was underwear. Hearing this, Natalie's father made a comic remark about his grandson, Carter who loved to joke about underwear. He also remembered that his granddaughter, Clara loved all colors of socks. Natalie's father went on to say that he felt his grandchildren would love to know that the kids that came to stay at the Christmas Box house would always receive new underwear and socks. Natalie's family wanted to establish a memorial in memory of Natalie and in honor of her children that would help people in need. A dresser was chosen as the symbol of this loving memorial. A professional artist came and painted this dresser in honor of Natalie and a plaque now resides next to it.. the name given to the dresser is.. "Natalie's Dresser". This family has been very important to me for several years and we love them dearly. Several times, Preston and I have taken underwear and socks to the Christmas Box house in honor of Natalie... but we realized that there are several other items also very much needed. So, with the permission from Natalie's family... I thought this would be a great project to take on to help these kids who are victims of such horrific acts. I thought if I could get the word out... and get the help from our great family and friends, that this project could be as successful as the ones we've taken on in the past. If you would like to help us in this great cause we would appreciate your kindness. Below is a list of items that are needed. You can drop them off at the office for me or my home. If needs be, I can also come pick them up. If you have any questions, please let me know! You can contact me with a remark on the blog.. or email me at kerriegirl04@Msn.com. Let's help support this wonderful organization and give these kids a little bit of love in their lives. I will be taking donations until Sept. 1. 2008 .. I'd like to have everything in so I can drop it off no later than Sept. 2nd. You can check out the Christmas Box House website at www.thechristmasboxhouse.org. If you go to "How to help" You can click on the location. I am going to be helping the Ogden location.

WISH LIST - CHRISTMAS BOX HOUSE SHELTER

We are in need of new items for children and teens.

Children's Clothing (all sizes)
Pajamas, Summer & Winter (all sizes)
New socks & underwear
Shoes (all sizes)
Large size diapers & Pull-Ups (sizes 3,4,5)
Baby formula (Enfamil w/iron LIPIL most used.)
Baby Wipes
Trial size tissues & wipes
Clorox Wipes
Rubber gloves
Sun Screen
Lotion, soap, hair care items
Children's Shampoo
Children's toothpaste
Craft kits/activities for all ages
Puzzles (New)
Glue Sticks & Markers & Ink Pens
Spiral Notebooks
Scrapbook supplies
Birthday wrapping paper & ribbon
Birthday kits (cake mix, frosting, etc)
Children's DVDs & VHS
Infant Toys
Kid's music CDs
Kid's exercise videos
Soccer balls, volleyballs, basketballs, outdoor balls
Water fun toys
Large & small plastic totes
Bed Pillows (standard size)
Portable radios/headsets
Paper plates
Backpacks
Snack foods and Juice Boxes

Thanks so much for your help! You will never know just how much your kindness can touch the lives of others!