Thursday, August 18, 2011

First ever Coople Reunion

Here is the reason we got together for four days in Altamont, UT. My great grandma and grandpa Coople. I learned a couple things while we were there. First, I am just 6 or 7 years younger than my dad's youngest cousins. Second, I am the oldest great grandchild and one of the few that really remember them. It was sad when some of my cousins were talking that they were not born or really young when they died. So many great memeroies of them. I am grateful that my parents made the trip to California every year so that I was able to get time with them. Here is my grandparents with their great grandchildren.

Brittany my cousin holding Aiden. We are still working on deholdatizing Aiden. For three weeks any time he made a noisem someone would pick him up. Sometimes it was just the fact that he was awake that people held him. We are slowly getting back to normal. He did sleep better while we were gone then he does now at home. How that worked out I will never know.




One night we had a squaredance caller come. This dance is the pancake polka. It was for the llittle people.


If you notice all the people in my family are wearing the same shirt. At another family reunion years ago my parents had shirts made for all of us. Well this time Brandee and I made them. Okay a store online made them but we designed them. The front says "{Property of the RD Bowen Family". My dad is David Richard. Then there is a stick person for every member of teh family. We are up to 18. 9 girls and 9 boys. They are positioned in little groups for the different families. Then on the back had our names and a soccer number for when we came into the family. My dad is 1, mom 2, me 3, and so on. RJ was number 18 since he joined the family three days earlier. We also had onies made for Bowen and Aiden with the same things. They were so darn cute. My grandma told me that I should of told her we were doing shirts and that we could have had shirts done for the whole family. I told her maybe next time.




Dad, Mom and Garrett each dancing with a little person.



If you look you can see Kira in the background. I was her partner.


Brookelyn dancing with Bryonna.


My grandma. They had each of the Coople children (three girls) talk about different things of Great grandma and grandpa.




Aunt Pauline


Aunt Barbara




The three girls.




One of the few times Aiden was not held. He actually sat there for a long time just watching people dance and walk around.


The whole Coople family. We are missing some but just a few. Maybe 6 or 7. Everyone else made it.


Kira being cute on the way to rock climbing.


Brookelyn, Aiden and Brittany. Brittany is going to make a great mom someday.


Brittany, Bryonna, and Brookelyn. My girls got favorites and then stuck to them the whole time.


Dad and son. I love this pic. Arik was able to make it to the reunion. We had not seen him in three weeks.



Aiden chilling. You know your a redneck when you through a kid and the stroller in teh back of a truck. HEHE. My uncle said that as we stopped and everyone was unloading.


It was a great time. I paintballed for the first time. Arik went pigeion shooting. The girls played thier hearts out. We played many games and stayed up way way too late each night. It was great. At the end, they asked for a volunter to be in charge of the next one. My dad of course spoke up. Then my mom turned to Brandee and I and said find a place. Great. It will be three years when we all get together again.




Thanks to Shannon for putting it all together.




Melanie's wedding

One of the big things that happened this summer was that my littlest sister got married. Her now husband is a great guy and we are so excited for her and her little family. The wedding was in Gilbert, Arizona. It is a 14 hour drive. Arik was on a fire and unable to make it. Luckily my cousins flew in early for our family reunion (another post) and they came with. Bryonna was just a great help. I don't know what I would have done without her. Also, my dad worked it out so that he could be in Salt Lake right before the wedding so that he could drive with me down in case I needed it. My family helps take such good care of me. I love them all so much. Here are pics from the wedding of course they are not in any order, that would be too time consuming so just enjoy.


Melanie has three kids and so she came up with this idea of a kids' table. It was the cutest thing ever. All Melanie's kids and thier cousins and RJ's (new husband) sister and brother were also at the table. He has a 6 year old sister and a 4 year old brother. They fit right in with Melanie's kids. More at the kids' table. Melanie did cupcakes for the kids after they cut the cake. So adults got cake and the kids got cupcakes.
This is what Aiden did the whole reception and clean up. What a great kid.



These next few pics are the reason I wanted a boy. I just think that little boys in white shirts and ties are the cutest things ever. Now I get to have one and dress him up. :)


After the ceremony some couple saw Aiden all dressed up and thought it was the coolest thing ever. The lady said that she didn't even know that they made white shirts and ties that small. (She is not a member). She asked to take a pic of him too.



He is just so happy. I don't remember the girls smiling this much. He is always happy and has the best smiles.


The girls got these dresses for the wedding. They didn't have sleeves so I got white shirts to go underneath. During the reception RJ's little sister asked Brookelyn why she was wearing a shirt under her dress. Brookelyn said that it was inmodest without a shirt so she wears the shirt so that she can wear the dress. (Proud parent moment). Then later on they were playing and my niece had taken her jacket off her little dress. She asks Brookelyn if she looked cute. Brookelyn said, "You did when you had the jacket on. Now you don't because that dress is not modest." Can you tell what we have been talking about in our house. At least now I know that some things do stay in thier heads and just don't go in one ear and out the other.

Brandee had extra flowers from the wedding so she made these hair clips for the girls. Kira is so cute.



Coming out at the end on the way to the one night honeymoon.

I love this picture. Melanie and dad dancing to "I loved her first" by Heartland. I love that song.


Melanie and RJ dancing to "You and Me" by LifeHouse. RJ is in the Navy.

Love this pic of Mels Bells. Totally love the dress.


The new Service family. Right after they were pronounced husband and wife, Lily run up to RJ and jumped into his arms yelling, "Daddy." If someone hadn't cried yet, they cried then. I ahve never seen my sister so happy. Thank you RJ!!!



My aunt made this for them. I totally love it. In a year and some (RJ will be out on the ocean until Oct) they will all be sealed together. YEAH!!!





Sunday, July 10, 2011

Lots of Pictures




My sister took birthday pictures of my girls. Here they are. Of course we got pictures of Aiden too.













Brookelyn is now 45 inches tall (46%) and 40.5 pounds (26%).
































Kira is now 40 inches tall (50%) and 39.5 pounds (75%).































Aiden at 2 months. He is 23 inches long (30%) and 10 pounds 3 ounces (20%). In 2 months he has gained 4 pounds. He is doing great.


































Thursday, June 16, 2011

6 weeks plus 2 days

I can't believe how fast time seems to be going. It has already been 6 weeks since we went home from the hospital. Aiden is such a good baby. He slept from 10:30 pm to 7 am last night. How wonderful!! He is smiling all the time now. Here are some pictures.















Last night he was so tired that after his bath Arik put him on the couch and this is what he did.










The girls are so happy that I can be a regular mom again. I can run and play and finally pick them up. Life is good. Crazy at times but so good.












Thursday, June 9, 2011

Update from May

There is a post for each of the kids. Scroll down to see them all.