The Mighty Eight

Summer ~ 2010

2011-01-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

Jake had a birthday while visiting us, (he is now a teenager :) and he got a rip stick! He and Uncle Bill were pretty awesome :)

Max celebrated his birthday too! We had sooooo many birthdays this Summer. We loved it!

We were so excited to have the Armstrong Family out to visit! Every day is full of fun and games when they are here. We miss them so much when they are gone :( We love you Armstrong's!!!

It is great to be 8!

2011-01-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Sarah was baptized while the Armstrongs were visiting :) We were excited to see her make such an important choice in her life. She is great example of following the Savior. We love you Sarah!

The Armstrong Family

Summer fun included water balloons too. Andy was very excited to play :) And Papa's garden grew awesomely this Summer. He was quite proud of his tomatoes.

Six Flags ~ Summer 2010

2011-01-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

Those sure are cute Patrick Grand kids :)

Chandler loves spending every minute with Jake. What great oldest cousins to have as examples in our family. We love you two awesome guys!

And ... The DIVAS!

We had a couple birthdays over the summer :)

2011-01-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Grandma and Papa Patrick bought Eliza a new baby!

Papa and Eliza celebrate their birthdays on the same day! It was fun to party with so much family. Happy Birthdays to our two sweeties!

Guess who turned three over the summer?

2011-01-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

ELIZA JEANNE!!!

Our Niece, Lisa Nothum lived with us for a while over the summer, and she spoiled Eliza with an Easy Bake Oven :) Thanks Lisa.

Eliza you are such a joy to have in our family. You are so cuddly and sweet, and you make our family happier. You are such a great helper and friend to mommy when the kids are in school. We love you so much our little Liza Lou!

Summer 2010 with the Armstrongs

2011-01-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

Swimming at the Wilkins Pool :) Eliza you are so cute!

Eric...what are you up to?

Hayden and the boys worked hard perfecting their dives. Good job!

Aahhh...the spa feels good no matter what the weather.

Summer 2010 with the Armstrongs!

2011-01-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

Of course we visited the Jelly Belly Factory :)

And then we played a little Rock Band...

Missouri - Wilkins Family Reunion 2010

2010-12-21T17:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Fourth of July! Thanks to Linell and Brent for having us all over to enjoy the Willard Parade and fireworks. The kids love Missouri because you can just light a firework wherever you are standing :)

Our cute nieces were in the parade reminding everyone what is most important...home and family.

How blessed we are to enjoy the freedoms we have. I'm so thankful to live in the USA. We love all our family so much! Thanks for all the amazing memories Wilkins Family!!!

Missouri 2010

2010-12-21T16:53:00.000-08:00

Lizzie had a great idea to make a softball field in a lower field on the farm. So much fun! And my kids were actually awesome too! I don't think I had ever seen them play :)

Run Hayden, Run!

Eliza even got in on the action :)

Nice hit Chandler! Look out Robert!

Hayden turns 9 in Missouri!

2010-12-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Aunt Linell we decorated monster cupcakes! And guess who Hayden shares a birthday with?

Hayden you are such an awesome boy! We love you so much. You are so loving and thoughtful. You are a great student and so sweet. We are so thankful that your brothers and sisters have you to look up to :)

Happy Birthday Hayden and Porter!

Wilkins Reunion 2010

2010-12-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

So cute! Our hand prints pressed in cement forever :)

Sharyl and Raleigh Scott :)

More family...

Missouri 2010

2010-12-21T16:09:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a homemade slip-n-slide!

Missouri 2010

2010-12-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

Here we are on the trail waiting for the "ready, set, go" ! On our "physical" fitness day of the reunion, they had a 1mile, 5K, and half marathon marked on the trail. It was fun to see how well everyone did, and I loved seeing the kids run too! Pretty awesome :)

Wilkins Family Reunion 2010

2010-12-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Nice shot Austin!

"No Uncle Jay, don't get me!"

Pretty Grandma Wilkins~

Cousins, cousins, cousins...

Summer 2010 - Missouri

2010-12-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

Fun rides with Dad on the four wheeler!

Missouri - Summer 2010

2010-12-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

Grandma Wilkins beautiful home and land. Look at those cute little rug rats!

And here come the four wheeler rides :)

Our Beautiful Hannah girl and Grandma's "country road" driveway. So Beautiful!!!!

Missouri 2010

2010-12-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

Rex, Zoe, the kids, and I went to Stockton Lake. I felt bad that Eric flew back home to work while we played with the family, but so thankful the kids created so many fun memories!

Dawson and Hayden were head to toe in sand on the beach. And they loved every second of it.

Summer 2010 in Missouri

2010-12-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Eliza girl playing in the chicken coop.

Makenna, Sophia, Hannah, and Aunt Zoe down by the creek.

And of course a fashion show of make-up and accessories :) We were so excited to finally be with Missouri cousins after a "way too long" car ride. Hooray for the 2010 Wilkins Family Reunion!

Hannah and Dawson's Performances!

2010-12-21T14:46:00.000-08:00

Hannah performed in a "Hoe Down, Show Down" over the summer. She was adorable as you can see. She is quite the little diva with her own head set too :) I think she said her stage name was Betty Jeanne. She and her friends sang and danced to about 3 or 4 little songs. This is her next to her good friend Ansh. Great job Hannah!

Dawson was in his 1st grade class performance "Character Matters". He played Humpty Dumpty, and even sang a solo too! He wants to be either a rock singer, or an opera singer when he grows up. I bet you did not know that :) If you are lucky enough, you'll have to ask Dawson to let you hear his opera. It is quite nice :)

Here are a couple of his fans.

Dawson turns 7 years old!

2010-09-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

I love hearing what my kids wish for on their birthdays. This year Dawson wanted Transformers and Silly Bands :)

We have such great family and friends who come to help us celebrate.

We love you Dawson! I can't believe you have less than a year until you will be baptized! You are such a wise little man. You teach me so much everyday. Always humbling me and teaching me random true facts. We love your "quotes" too. You always make us laugh and you work hard in school. You are just so fun to have in our family. Love you Daws man.

Oregon Trip 2010

2010-09-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

I loved this quick trip to Oregon! My Mom and I booked a hotel, rented a car, and visited family, which was long overdue for me :) Carrie, Mark, John, and Sandra were so gracious to take us out to the coast. It was beautiful! And I loved being able to spend so much time with my mom. It reminded me just how much I love and appreciate her. I love you Mom. The trip was also a great mommy break for me, but I was super excited when I did get home to be with my awesome family again!

My trip to Oregon to see GG and cousins

2010-09-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is my adorable Great Grandma, Hilda Gattenby. She will be 95 in November! I hadn't seen her for a few years and I had been prompted to visit her, so we did. My mom and I had a great long weekend in Oregon. We went out for breakfast in the mornings, and went grocery shopping, and met GG's friends and saw her apartment. She still can hold her own, although she is slowing down a bit. But she is still all glitz and glamour, (as you can see with how she accessorizes :) It was great to see her and it brought back fun memories of my childhood.

It's amazing to think that we have 5 generations in our family living on earth.

We were also able to see Mark, Carrie, and Kyle Lennen. And John, Sandra, Chessy, and Josh Fleshman. They are cousins :) It is so fun to be able to see family that you haven't seen in forever and immediately connect again. I loved getting to know them all again. They are great parents and great kids. Thanks for all the fun and for taking us to the Oregon Coast, it was beautiful!

Chandler Turns 11 years old!

2010-09-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

Chandler is such an amazing guy! He is the best oldest brother you could ever hope for. He loves his Heavenly Father and Savior. He obeys his parents. He does excellent in his schooling, and in sports. He is just so awesome, and we love him so much! I can't believe that in 8 short years he will be leaving on a mission for the church. Then off to college, marriage, then babies... I can't wait to see what the future holds for him, but for now I will try to cherish my time with my little 5 ft. 3 inch, 110 pound baby boy. I love you Chandler.

The best Easter egg hunt at Uncle Benny's and Aunt Laurie's Home!

2010-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know who had more fun, Eric or Eliza :)

Grandma Wilkins helping Hannah eat her candy.

The kids even found toys! You know an Easter egg hunt is awesome when you have to use a bag to keep all your findings together!

Thanks Uncle Benny and Aunt Laurie for such a fun hunt! We love you guys!

Easter Egg Decorating 2010

2010-09-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Seema and Ansh came over to decorate with us again :) I'm officially declaring it a tradition with the Naveens!

Chandler, Hayden and the Rocket Derby

2010-06-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

I'm bummed I don't have pictures of the race, but Chandler's rocket won 3rd place! This was our first year of Rocket Derby in scouts. The boys did a great job, sanding and painting their rockets. We had a lot of fun. Good job boys!

Hannah turns 5 years old/ The Folsom Zoo

2010-05-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Our Beautiful Hannie Bananie :)

We love the little train ride. It is always a must when we go to the zoo.

We were so spoiled having Grandma Wilkins stay out in CA for a little while. We saw her on a walk and stopped to say hi, and she decided to come with us to the zoo. Thanks for coming with us Grandma!

Hannah turns 5 years old!

2010-05-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hannah turned 5 years old in February. She is so beautiful and fun. We love you Hannah girl!

Our little princess waiting to eat her cake :)

Hannah loves her grandparents soooooo much!

Hannah is such a little model :) Here she is wearing and displaying some of her gifts. Cutie girl!

2010-05-23T15:02:00.001-07:00

HI There!

New Years Eve 2009!

2010-05-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hannah didn't quite make it to midnight...

nor did Eliza or Max!

Dawson and Hayden playing some fun game :)

And Chandler and Uncle Bill...hey...why are you two playing with a doll? And I have no other pictures of our actual midnight celebration because I video taped it. Sorry no more still shots, but it was full of pot bangin, popper poppin, sparkling cider drinkin, midnight kissin fun! Thanks family for the fun times :)

New Years Eve 2009!

2010-05-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

Eliza and Delaney are too cute! Bill, Bethany, Max and Delaney came over to our place. And Grandma and Papa Patrick too!

Here are our 2010 goals...how's everyone doing on those? :)

Grandma and Papa just love these crazy grand kids!

Daddy helping get all the poppers ready! What a fun night with family.

Snow Much Fun!

2010-04-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

Dawson curled up in a ball and fit perfectly in this sled! What a cutie.

Waiting for their turn on the hill. And Eric is looking very hot!!!

Chandler and Eliza just playing around.

Here we are, the Mighty Seven! I love our family!

Snow Much Fun!

2010-04-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

We went up to the snow a couple days after Christmas, and of course we had a blast! We, or I should say...the kids and Eric, enjoyed sledding down the hills, and I enjoyed the hot chocolate and picture taking :) Chandler and Hannah headed down the hill, and this was Hannah's face the whole time :)

Head first for my brave boy Hayden!

Hot chocolate!!!

Eliza was eating the snow the whole time...pretty funny and pretty gross :)

Christmas Fun 2009!

2010-02-08T23:06:00.000-08:00

The kids did a great job decorating the gingerbread houses. It was really cute watching Jack and Lincoln trying to cover every inch of the rooftop :)

And of course we couldn't forget the milk, cookies, and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.

Christmas Morning 2009!

2010-02-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! We did it again! We were able to spy on Santa while he was bringing in the kids' gifts! We tried to stay as quiet as we could, but we were so excited. Thank you Santa for all the hard work you do to make us so happy! We love you.

The kids as they ran downstairs to find the gifts Santa left. But I love the reminder of the beautiful picture of Christ on our wall. He is the reason we truly celebrate. I'm so grateful for His life and example and sacrifice He made for the world!

The boys with their LEGOS, and Screecher dinosaur. So exciting!

My cutie girls with Eliza's princess tent... which they already trashed :(

Christmas morning 2009

2010-02-08T22:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so fun this year. I love the ages of our children. I love that they know we are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I love the way they peek through the balusters of the stairway to spy on Santa. I love that they are so excited to have each other open the gifts they bought. I love hearing the "thank you Mom and Dad" after every opened gift. I'm thankful that we are so blessed to be able to "spoil" our kids. We have the funnest, cutest, sweetest, smartest, bestest kids ever!!! We love you Chandler, Hayden, Dawson, Hannah, and Eliza!

Christmas Day 2009

2010-02-08T21:48:00.000-08:00

It is always so fun to see Aunt Megan and Uncle Justin and their boys! We love you guys!

And we love our Nana and Poppa Mariluch!

Go Megan...go Bill...go Hayden...go Justin!

The kids were being so patient while they waited to open their presents.

Christmas Day 2009

2010-02-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of Hayden and Uncle Justin singing on "Rock Band" So cute!

Our handsome Chandler man.

Guess what Eric got from Mom and Dad Patrick? He's such a cute cowboy :)

Hannah was very excited about her princess night light. Thanks Aunt Megan!

Christmas Sunday

2010-01-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

Hannah Dezarae and Eliza Jeanne

I love my two beautiful girls! It is really fun dressing them alike too. I don't know where my handsome boys were though. I'll have to get a photo shoot of just them sometime :)

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

2010-01-18T17:57:00.000-08:00

The Turkey!!!

The Patrick Family!

The Wishbone! Little did we know...you have to let the wishbone dry and become brittle before you try to break it. The boys kept trying, but it wouldn't budge. Pretty funny!

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

2010-01-18T17:49:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Thanksgiving, even though we got home the night before from Disneyland,....We were ready to throw together a delicious meal. Thanks again to Bill and Bethany, and Amy too! Mom and Dad were in Vegas with Justin and Megan and the boys. We missed all of them :(

The spread! MMMmmmmmm!

Eric carved the turkey beautifully. hee hee :0

And cute, little Delaney always making us smile.

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T15:39:00.000-08:00

The last day of our hotel stay Eric took the kids swimming. They thought that was really cool, especially because it was the morning, and the pool was heated.

Hooray for such a fun, and needed, family vacation. I hope the kids have these memories forever!

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T15:20:00.000-08:00

Guess who was at Disneyland the same time we were? Cousins, Stephanie and Saylor!

Who doesn't love the Tea Cups?

And of course, Casey Jones train ride. We ended the night with Small World again, but my camera died, so no night pics of that ride. We really had a great time together!

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

Who knew I'd be such a cheesy mom and buy me and my girls matching shirts?!

This is how I want my house to look this next Christmas...think we can pull it off?

Hayden is such a brave, noble knight!

And Hannah...a beautiful, fair maiden!

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T15:02:00.000-08:00

Toy Story Mania was the best ride ever! Totally worth the 45 minute wait!

We even ran into the mouse himself...Mickey Mouse!

Now all of my cute kids have their mouse ears! Strike a pose girls!

Our family up in Tarzan's Tree house!

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

Sleeping Beauties castle was even more beautiful at night!

The kids were troopers! We kept them up until midnight, and they were still happy.

The next day was Disney's California. Golden Gate Bridge and all of California's major landmarks. Pretty fun!

We loved the 3D Bug's Life show. The kids had jumped off their seats at one point and covered their heads while down on the floor. Soooo funny! I guess they were a little bit scared of the bugs!

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

The kids can't say they've never been hundreds of feet underwater now, because we went on the Nemo submarines!

Chandler, Hayden and Dawson drove us around at Autotopia. Great driving guys, but I have to say that I CAN wait until you get your real drivers licences :)

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T13:57:00.000-08:00

We love the Toy story ride too!

What was your score Chandler?

My beautiful princesses waiting for the holiday parade. The castle was decorated so beautifully.

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T13:49:00.000-08:00

"It's a small world after all!"

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

DUMBO!!!

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

They tried to pull the sword from the stone, but no luck :)

Star Tours was really fun, I can't believe we flew that fast in space! And the robots were talking to the kids as we stood in line. The kids were so amazed.

Our 2009 Disneyland Trip!

2010-01-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

On the first day of our vacation we ran to Matterhorn first. We wanted a ride that the whole family could be together on. Eliza just made the height requirement :) Hannah was a little worried about monsters, but loved the ride when it was done. And Eliza was hands up the whole ride. She loved it!

My handsome boys...getting so big.

Then we made our way around to all of the little kiddie rides. Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toads Wild Ride, Peter Pan, Snow White, and more. The weather was beautiful, just around 72*. Seeing the excitement of our kids was really fun for Eric and I. They were so well behaved both days. We were so blessed to be able to take them on such a fun family vacation.

Merry Christmas! 2009

2009-12-24T23:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Here is a sneak peek of some of our Disneyland fun! We love you all.

Halloween 2009

2009-12-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hannah dressed up as "Susan" from "Monsters v's Aliens". Eliza was just a cute fancy kitty. Love my girlies.

Aunt Denise sent this beautiful renaissance dress for Hannah, so she had two costumes this year :)

And of course pumpkin carving.

School Halloween Parade!

2009-12-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

Hayden dressed as "Dan" from Bakugan.

Dawson dressed as "Ben 10".

Chandler was a Gothic punk rocker something.

And we cheered at, and embarrassed, the boys while they walked around the school. Lots of fun!

2009 Soccer Season

2009-12-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Chandler is such an awesome defender! He worked hard to help his team out! Great job Chan Man!

Gramma at the game to help cheer from the sidelines. Thanks to all our extended family who came to watch the games too!

Hayden was put in a bunch of positions this year. He does great in every one of them too. Coach knew he could count on Hayden to be ready to play! Awesome work Hayden!

Dawson played his first year of soccer. He was goal keeper for about half of the season. He did great too. He is definitely getting quicker! Love you boys. We can't wait to cheer you on next year too!

Santa already spotted?

2009-12-04T14:01:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love bubbles? So does Dawson! I can't believe Christmas is almost here. I have so much to post before Christmas comes. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Disneyland, oh man I need to get to blogging more. Oh well, I will get caught up soon,...I hope :)

Grandparents Day was September 13th, (wouldn't have known, but that is what the calendar said :) I feel so blessed to live near my mom and dad. We love them so much. They watch our kids, let us hang out and play the Wii, feed us great food, and they are great examples to all of us! And we can't wait for Grandma Wilkins to stay out here in January. We are excited to really bond with our "Grandma from Missouri".

First Day of School! And Eric's Birthday!

2009-12-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

My boys are just too awesome! I can't believe I have a 5th, 3rd, and 1st grader. All at the same school for just one more year. They are such amazing students. All of their teachers are so impressed with each of them. I am too. I love you boys. Keep up the great work!

One year OLDER and WISER too! Happy Birthday Sweetie! (in case you can't count the candles,...he's 33 :) I am so thankful to have such a great husband. Lately I have had person after person telling me how thoughtful Eric is, and it is so fun to hear. Eric you are so amazing. You give so much of your heart. You are a sweet example to me. I love you.

Six Flags 2009!

2009-10-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

The Wilkins and the Armstrongs.

Tweety Bird, Rachel, and Hannah

Eric loves it when I take pictures like this :)

We love our Poppa!

Six Flags 2009

2009-10-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

A total kid at heart!

Okay, so I love the kids coasters too. You really have to click on this picture because every ones faces are so funny!

I hope my kids will keep these memories forever!

Eliza and Aunt Becca again. Love it.

More Summer Fun 2009!

2009-10-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

Jacob Armstrong was ordained a Deacon by his Dad. What a great example to all of his little cousins. We love you Jake! And we love the Armstrong family too...( my sister is beautiful )

This is not the best picture, but it's the only one I had. We stayed with Great Nana and Poppie Mariluch for a night. We went to the cutest aquarium in Sandy, UT. We love our grandparents.

Aunt Megan,....this is why you have to try for a daughter...please don't say you are done having kids...Thanks for bonding with Hannah!

Just hanging out waiting for Six Flags to close. Good times.

Eliza is 2!!!

2009-10-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Eliza turned two years old in July. I can't believe my baby is getting so big. I was really surprised when we had her and found out that she was a girl. I thought Hannah was enough girl for this family. But now I am so happy to have another little girl. She is so cute and sweet. She loves doing everything her big sister does, except go on the potty :) The other day I had cranked up the stereo so loud while doing my make-up. After a couple of minutes, I went to check on the girls. I had to spy on them so they wouldn't be embarrassed because I saw them totally dancing and singing in the hallway, to the song that was on the radio. They would grab hands and dance together, then alone, then together again. It was the cutest thing I had seen in a while. I mean, they are always doing cute things, but sometimes I don't stop to watch. Whether I'm too busy with chores, or make-up, or whatever... I've been missing out on some of the sweetest times of motherhood. Wow,...sorry, getting pretty deep. Anyways,... I love you Eliza Jeanne!

Eliza shares her birthday with Grandpa Patrick! They are RCB's...Recliner Cuddle Buddies. I'm so thankful that my kids have loving grandparents. It's all about family right? That is why we are here. Love you Dad!

Summer Fun With The Armstrongs!

2009-09-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

We loved having our Aunt Rebecca and cousins, Jake, Grace, Sarah, and Rachel here during the summer! We miss you guys already :(

Eliza really bonded with her "Becca", it was really cute to see.

We even made it to the Jelly Belly Factory, and of course came home with a bag of "Belly Flops"!

The kids played so well with eachother all month. We just wanted to spend every minute with the Armstrongs. Hopefully you guys didn't get too sick of us :) We love you and can't wait until we see you again!

Hayden's Baptism!

2009-09-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hayden turned 8 years old this summer! He was so excited to be baptized. We had grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, our family of 7, and so many friends there. Hayden was baptized by his Dad, Eric, on July 5th, 2009.

I love our family! And Hayden, I want you to know what an awesome decision you made to be baptized, just like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father is so pleased with you. You are an amazingly loving boy. You make Dad and I so happy when you choose the right. We love you so much!

Nana and Poppie Mariluch were visiting from Utah. They are looking good for being Great Grandparents !

We are so lucky to have Grandma and Poppa Patrick living so close! We love you guys!

Dawson is 6!!!

2009-06-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dawson is 6 years old! He has graduated kindergarten, and is such a fun little guy. We had a party for him at home with pizza, pinata, games, and of course cake and ice cream!

I remember waiting to see what baby #3 would be, and just being so excited for another little boy. I love watching the boys grow up together. They are all so amazing.

We love you Dawson! Thanks for making us laugh. You are so cuddly, sweet, funny, and such a good boy!

Chandler is 10!!!

2009-06-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

Chandler turned 10 years old in April. I can't believe it has been that long since we had our first baby. Chandler had a few friends over for pizza, bowling, cake, and ice cream. We had a really fun time. I love this age. Chandler is so helpful, fun, smart, handsome, spiritual, and awesome. We love you Chandler!

What a good example for his brothers and sisters to look up to. They love him so much too!

Our "Sweet Escape"

2009-04-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

ALOHA! Our trip to Hawaii was so fun and perfect! I loved every second of being with Eric 24/7. I just couldn't wait to get away to this sweet escape.

We stayed on the island of Oahu. The house was right on the beach of the North Shore. Seriously...this was our backyard. Surfers, whales, turtles, crabs, lizards, and the tail of a gecko...we saw it all. The weather was beautiful the day we arrived, but the next three days were overcast. We didn't feel bad though because we were working all the days it was yucky. And then for the last day and a half it was beautiful again. What a coincidence!

This is the little cottage we stayed at. Thanks Wagners, we loved it! Turtle Cove, or Turtle Beach is just a few steps from the house. So amazing and beautiful. These huge beauties love to come and sun on the sand. I always loved turtles when I was little, and now I know why...I could lay on the beach all day and do nothing too!

Why, you ask?

2009-04-21T01:22:00.000-07:00

Eric needed to set up huge metal racks, then move 26 huge pallets from one warehouse to another, driving this beauty of a truck, which only held 6 pallets, to finally unload everything and organize it perfectly on the huge metal racks. That is why we went to Hawaii. I was so lucky to tag along.

I really did love watching Eric work. I mean I helped of course, but he is just so awesome! It reminded me of working in a warehouse together when we first met and started dating. He is such a hard worker and so dedicated and determined to get the job done. I love him.

This was our view back and forth until the last load was delivered. Hooray!

And this was the finished product! Edean, Bev, and Christine helped put inventory up. Cute, sweet ladies.

The Dole Plantation

2009-04-21T01:05:00.000-07:00

Yep,...I had no idea how a pineapple was grown. But I love them, and I will forever love and crave Dole Whips as long as I live. I promise. Almost every night driving back to the house we would stop and share a waffle cone, pineapple, soft serve ice cream. Soooo good!

Two peas in a pod

2009-04-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

Six in the morning...

2009-04-21T00:48:00.000-07:00

Honestly, it is not hard to wake up at 6am when this is where you will be. This is Wayameha Beach. Eric wanted to snorkel, so I came along to watch. A little too chilly for me. We did snorkel together at Shark Cove, and that was really awesome.

Aaaahhhh...our footprints in the sand. So romantic.

I love you too Eric!

Aaaaahhhh....our shadows in the sand. Hee hee.

The Polinisian Cultural Center

2009-04-21T00:35:00.000-07:00

Hey isn't He in a movie? I thought I heard him say, "You, pretty...Give me kiss kiss!"

Exactly.

We had a fun visit to Tonga. Eric was called up to be made a fool of. And he was a really funny and cute fool too. The drummer would drum and yell, and then Eric had to repeat everything the way he heard it. I was laughing so hard. Thanks honey for keeping me happy, and giving me nonstop entertainment!

And no...we did not return home tan. Our skin was whiter than it was when we left.

Did it have to end?

2009-04-21T00:20:00.000-07:00

I loved watching Eric search the sand for seashells. We came home with some beautiful one's. He's so cute!

I love this view! I mean the sunsets were indescribably gorgeous, but look at Eric...he is such a hottie! Oh,...his eyes look so awesome! And that little grin. I'm sure I must have grabbed him and kissed him right there. And if I didn't...I should have!

One of my favorite things about North Shore. This shaved ice has ice cream under it too! So sweet! And bitter sweet were the feelings we had about having to face the reality of going back home. But I am so thankful to Impact, and the Wagner family for such a fun opportunity. And so thankful to my parents and friends who watched our kids too. I loved every minute of being with Eric. He is so amazing. I love him so much.

Family fun!

2009-03-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

We all got new jammies for Valentines Day. Our kids are just too big,...why can't they just stay little?

We walked around the temple grounds after a Young Men's basketball game. We love to see the temple! I hope my children know how important the temple is. We are so thankful to be an eternal family :)

We should have stood in our Senior Prom pose,...that would have been awesome. Great job taking the picture Chandler!

This is Hannah's cute big girl bed. I'm so excited because it has a trundle bed underneath because the girls share a room. I can't wait to get the crib out of there. She got the Tinkerbell bedspread for her birthday. She wasn't too excited because she wanted a pink princess bed...what's a mother to do?

Hannah's Princess Party

2009-03-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

The little princesses enjoyed pizza, cake, and ice cream. They all went on a jewel hunt, made beautiful wands, pinned the crown on the princess, and finally opened presents. It was really fun to have all the little girls here. They were little angels.

Hannah was really excited about her cake. It was very simple, but I think it turned out okay.

Thanks so much to Grandma who came and helped with the party. We couldn't have done it without her! Love you Mom.

And finally,...by the end of the night our little girl had crashed on the couch. Such a big day for such a little princess!

Hannah's Princess Party

2009-03-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hannah is 4! I can hardly believe that our first baby girl is so big. I remember the day she was born, and how excited I was to know we were having a girl. She is so much fun...a big headache...and a great big sister. We love you Hannah!

Don't be jealous of my artistic ability. Pin the crown on the princess was really cute. Thanks for the idea Rebecca!

There were 12 little princesses who came. They were all so cute! Hannah could not believe all the attention, let alone all the gifts. Thanks to everyone.

Loving Hannah!

2009-02-05T13:04:00.000-08:00

Can she get any cuter? Seriously.

Hannah loves Hannah!

2009-02-05T12:54:00.000-08:00

Hannah reminds me of me when I was little. She is always making up songs and singing to anyone! She is one of the cutest kids ever. I love you Hannah!

Our Monterey / Carmel Getaway!

2009-01-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

My parents were so sweet, and they watched our kids so that we could get away. We were only gone for a couple of days, but it was a much needed break. Here is the fireplace in our room,...so fancy :)

My little clam.

We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was fun to look around without stressing out about where the kids were. And yet, we would find ourselves saying, "Oh, the kids would love this."
I loved eating out too. Thanks honey for such a nice break!

More fun...

2009-01-27T10:56:00.000-08:00

I love Eric so much! This vacation was so fun. I love getting one on one time together. He is so amazing.

And,... he is so funny,...but he can be serious sometimes.

These are George's Birds. He just wheels his cart out on the pier on a nice day, and he loves people to come hold his birds. This is Angel. She loves to cuddle,...we are best friends now.

We didn't eat at Bubba Gump's,...I don't care for seafood. But it was fun to see.

The fun never ends...

2009-01-27T10:48:00.000-08:00

My romantic husband drawing our names in the sand. I just love him.

My funny husband wrestling a seaweed snake. (guess who won?)

Me on a beach somewhere along the 13 mile drive,... the weather was beautiful, but so cold.

My hotty husband at the beach in Carmel. Gorgeous!!!

Merry Christmas ... finally.

2009-01-15T22:57:00.000-08:00

In our home, for the 4th year now, we were able to spy on Santa! Really! Eric heard a noise downstairs, and we woke up the kids and sat at the top of the stairs. We watched as Santa brought in each child's stocking and gift. The kids can not believe it. They were so quiet this year. And we could not wait for Santa to leave so that we could run down and see the gifts.

Hannah in the background, and pretty little Liza girl got her first baby doll.

Dawson, funny man, wanted Martian Matter from Santa. It is pretty fun too.

Chandler, too grown up, (not obvious here) got a Lego Batman video game, and fun books to read.
We had a great day, and I'm going to have to post more in a week or so because there is just too much to tell about. I'll post later about mine and Eric's trip to the coast, and our New Years party. But be sure to keep scrolling down the blog because there is more fun to see.

More Christmas fun!

2009-01-15T22:34:00.000-08:00

I love this picture with all 5 kids. I just love our family. They are so individual, and unique, and I think that each child is so amazing. I feel so blessed.

This is cute Hannah girl with her doll, and the stocking I made her until 2:30am Christmas morning. So worth it,... right?

Hayden, our awesome guy, was so excited to get a bike. How we are eventually going to fit 7 full sized bikes in our garage is beyond me. Maybe we should push in-line skating more :)

Thanks to the Armstrongs!

2009-01-15T22:22:00.000-08:00

My sister, Rebecca and her family sent so much fun stuff for Christmas! The girls look so cute in their blouses, and they love the dolls. I love my Nativity too! Thanks!

And, of course,...Nacho Libre was a hit with the boys. They love the masks, but the picture speaks for itself! We love you Armstrongs, and we miss you guys so bad. We can't wait to see you this summer!

Dancing With The Stars 2008 Tour

2009-01-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

Amy, Joy, Brandi, and I had such a fun time together! I haven't yelled so loud in a long time. The audience was so dead, probably because it was made up of a bunch of middle-aged women, so we got a little crazy. (not really) There were moments of complete silence, and I would totally yell, "I love you Lance!" (Lance Bass) Or, "I love you Derek!" And I'm pretty sure they could hear because...

At the end of the show, during their last dance, Derek Hough runs out into the audience. There he is above :) So us girls jump up out of our seats and start yelling. Of course nobody else around us is out of their seats, so all Derek hears and sees is us. He totally ran all the way up the stairs to our row, and we are still screaming. All four of us are reaching out to him and pulling him into our row, and then Joy grabs him and totally pulls him in for a hug. We were dying! I was just grabbing his arm and yes,... still screaming. It was the funniest thing ever to witness I'm sure! I felt 12 years old again, as if I had just met my teen heart throb Fred Savage, (yes his posters were hung on my closet doors.) We could not stop laughing and screaming. And old ladies were so jealous that we touched Derek.

This was Toni Braxton singing one of her 2 or 3 songs of the night, and yes they were bad. "Unbrake my heart", she should have sang,..."Unbrake my vocal chords" We could have done without her. But she did give all the hot little dancers time to rest for a tiny bit.

This dance was my favorite of the night. The dancers were amazing, and I had a blast with fun friends. Thanks girls for all the memories. And I will see all of you at next years concert tour!

2nd Annual Wilkins Dance Party!

2008-12-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

Brought back by popular demand.

I am Thankful for my wife and that she loves me too

2008-11-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:15:00.001-08:00

1 MAN + 1 WOMAN = MARRIAGE = GOD'S ETERNAL PLAN

2008-11-01T23:11:00.000-07:00

I know these pictures are from this summer when we were in Missouri, but I had to post them. I hope everyone who reads my blog knows how much in love I am with my family. My HUSBAND is amazing, and I love our MARRIAGE. We are a MAN and a WOMAN who love each other. Through our MARRIAGE we have been blessed to bring into this world our 5 beautiful children. We know we have our Heavenly Father's blessing because this is why we are all here. FAMILIES are central to God's plan. A HUSBAND and WIFE have the responsibility, the blessing, and the physical capabilities to bring children into this world. As MAN and WOMAN we were created by God, and we are made in His image. I am thankful for the knowledge I have of ETERNAL FAMILIES. And I LOVE my FAMILY so much.
Please go to http://www.preservingmarriage.org/ to learn more about FAMILIES.
~Melissa

Yes On Prop 8! Keep Families Safe!

2008-10-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

Please visit www.preservingmarriage.org and read what Proposition 8 is and share it with others. It basically defines marriage as between man and woman, this will be voted on in California this November. It does not take any civil rights away from those of opposing beliefs. We can love all people and still not have to support all things they do or believe. We need to stick up for what we believe is right in the right way. Please support Prop 8 by understanding what it is and helping others do the same.

YES ON 8! YES ON 8! YES ON 8!

Dawson is a hoot! And Chandler is a man?

2008-09-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

We had just finished family prayer the other night, and Dawson says, "Group hug everyone,... Except for Dad. You can't squeeze his tummy because he just got his "gobblers" out." We were all laughing, and Eric's stomach hurt from laughing too hard. All the talk about gall bladders, and gall stones,... Dawson is so funny.

So Chandler discovered he has 3 armpit hairs. It's true... and I tell you because he is so proud, he tells everyone. The other day he says, "well I'm the "man" of the house right now." And I reminded him that dad was upstairs. Then he says "well I'm the man downstairs." Then I said, "Chandler your not even a man." Then he lifts up his right arm and points at his armpit! Not saying a word, just reminding me that he has armpit hair, and that makes him a man. I laughed so hard.

~Melissa

Happy Birthday Eric!

2008-08-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

We love you so much! You are such an awesome Husband and Dad!

We love the salt flats!

2008-08-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

We have never stopped here with our kids, so we thought it would be a fun
adventure. And it was.

We Love Missouri, and we posted a ton of pics to prove it!

2008-08-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

Chandler's crayfish that he caught...cool.

Beautiful Mabel Dyal Wilkins!

Eliza, Hannah, and Makenna on a horse ride.

The almost married couple, Bradly and Irina.
They are so cute!

The cutest tractor pulls ever!

2008-08-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hannah rode barefoot, and made it about 3 feet!

Hayden made it all the way to the end!

Chandler was so close to the end.

And Colton won second place in his age group!

Lovin Missouri!

2008-08-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Eliza Jeanne so cutie!

Aunt Debbie and Eliza so sleepy!

All the kids at Silver Dollar Ctiy in the big rockin chair!

Our adorable Hannah Dezarae!

There is still more!

2008-08-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't like mini golf?

Sydnie, Grama Wilkins, and Kelsie,... so pretty!

Hayden learned a ton of gardening tips from Grandma.

Eric and Dawson enjoying the river!

We love our Missouri Family

2008-08-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

We love games!

I love this ride Eric took,... Justin is driving. Crazy country boys!

Some of our beautiful nieces!

Nathan, Eric, Todd, and Bradly skippin rocks on the river!

Summer Fun in Missouri!

2008-08-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hayden, Dawson, and Gavin...too cute!

Thanks for the fun Breanne and Lisa,... and the rest of the girls!

We love Silver Dollar City...even if we get soaked!

We love you guys,... thanks for all the fun!

10 Years and loving it!

2008-07-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

I love Eric so much!
We spent our anniversary on the Sac River in Missouri. A bunch of family was there, and we just had such a fun and relaxing day. We each took turns, on the canoe, down the river and that was quite the adventure. I'll post more pictures of our trip later, but for now... I can't wait to see where the next 10 years take us!