Riding and Shooting

On Saturday, Oct. 10 we dusted off our motorcycles and took them out to the desert again for a day of riding and shooting! It had been a year-and-a-half since we last rode, but it came right back.

Just like riding a bike!

It was a perfect day. A little cooler than normal, a few clouds in the sky and a nice breeze.

Olivia learned how to ride a motorcycle for the first time and was riding the 70 on long trails and over jumps by the end of the day!

Her quad riding days are over!

Rustin bought a paintball gun with his birthday money but hasn't had a chance to go out and shoot it yet. I suggested he bring it along and he was all over that!

Here he is sharing with Chloe.

A little hot and sweaty!

Rustin is a great coach.

Chloe can't concentrate without biting her tongue.

Rustin forgot to bring the hopper for his paintballs to go in so we had to load them by hand, one at a time. Thanks Dad.

Tess in her Gilbert Tiger sweats taking off for a ride. She likes to ride alone.

Just as the day was winding to a close, she ran over a piece of barbed-wire that wound around her tire spokes and stopped her bike in a split second and dumped her on the ground. You should see the big purple bruise on her knee. OUCH!

O.K. This part was RUSTIN'S idea. I shot him in the back. Yes, I shot my own son!

He had never been paintballing before and wanted to know how bad it would hurt to get hit, so he asked me to shoot him in the back from 30 feet away. He donned a helmet and I shot him! I felt bad but flattered that he trusted me to shoot him. That sounds really weird. He said he knew I would only shoot him once! He had a nice red welt there right away and it's still a little red today (Monday) He said it hurt pretty bad but it didn't last more than a few seconds.

Tough guy!

Next we got out the BB gun and had fun shooting at Coke cans and water bottles- not each other with this gun!

Liv trying different ways to aim. Looking so cute in her motorcycle gear!

Now I've got the BB gun. Watch out people!

Rustin teaching Liv how to aim with his gun. It's hard because there are no sights on a paintball gun because the hopper is normally in the way.

I don't know if I killed any of those cans or bottles but I had fun! Thanks Russ for an awesome Arizona desert day! He spent all last Saturday getting the bikes ready and the whole week getting everything licensed and ready to go!

LOVE YOU!

Prophets and Pedicures

The day before General Conference we bought some bright new nail polish colors at Justice and it gave me the idea of doing a nail salon between conference sessions. While I was upstairs getting ready, the girls set this all up...

During the first session we drew ideas on paper of how we could decorate our nails with the new colors and thin black and white decorative brushes we bought.

They got REALLY creative!

We got started and the fun never stopped!

Olivia getting ready.

Chloe chillin' with her very cool baby bottle from a b-day party

Rustin in the other end of the room being very manly

Tess did her own nails. WOW!

What a masterpiece!

I did Chloe's mint chocolate stripe

Liv half-way done.

Tired of waiting for the paint to dry!

Chloe painted my plaid piggies!

Great job!

Olivia did my fingernails! They looked like fireworks going off.

Love them! :)

I did Olivia's nails pink with a blue tip and white stripe between.

Lovin' it!

Thanks for a fun day ladies!

Colorful Clean-up!

Flowers and Fun

My camera has been funky lately and this is the only picture I got of the Wilson's visit to our house on Labor Day and it was too cute not to show you. That's Peter, Rich and Mj's newest baby. So CUTE!

Caught Russ playing the wii with the girls and thought I'd snap a quick pic.

Looks like an intense game Chloe!

Chloe went to Rachel's birthday party where they made these cute necklaces and tons of pretty hair flowers. She took these pictures and then then next day we went to the store and got even more flowers and made one for every color in the rainbow!

It's fun to be a girl!

Grandma Rain Visits

This cute little bundle of joy, Avis Lorraine Duffes, was born over 88 years ago...

She grew into this beautiful young lady...

Who married this handsome young man...

William Rustin Crawford

And they had this darling little guy...

Rustin Murray Crawford

Who married his lovely sweetheart...

Janice Ann Richeson

And they had this cutie pie...

Rustin William Crawford

Who I LOVE!

For my History 433 class at BYU I am writing the family history of Grandma Rain and her husband, affectionatley known as "Bompa" (William Rustin Crawford)

We usually fly her out here once a year so she can spend some quality time with her oldest grandchild and her oldest great- grandchild (Russ and Tess) and the rest of us!

We had her come a little early this year so she could help me with my project. She was such a good sport. I interviewed her for over 13 hours (NOT in a row!) and I copied page after page of her pictures and documents. What treasures I found!

What a treasure she is!

Tess was born three days late and still barely beat out (by one day) her second cousin, Taylor, to be the oldest Crawford great-grandchild.

Grandma and Rustin who was named after her husband, son and grandson.

Me and my new best friend!

Grandma had so much fun watching Chloe do gymnastics all around the house. She thought it was funny how often Chloe was upside-down.

Russ and his Grandma who was a major influence on his life growing up. She is an amazing woman who has greatly blessed the lives of her family.

Grandma and Olivia, who danced and entertained Grandma every day!

When Grandma left she gave me these $5 bills with little notes attached for the kids when they got home from school. She assigned them all nick-names.

Tess: "Charming Roommate"

Rustin: "Foghorn McGee"

Chloe: "Cartwheel Gymnast"

Olivia: "Razzmataz Dancer"

Thanks for all your help Grandma!

It was a pleasure having you in our home and we can't wait 'till your next visit!