July 6: Holiday World

As soon as the weather got nice, J has been asking us when we would go to Holiday World.
We told him when our friends came to visit we would go.
The day finally arrived!

We spent most of the day at the water park area, so not a lot of pictures.
Our favorite water slide is the brand new slide called the Wildebeest. It is the world's longest water coaster. It is an amazing ride. It sends a raft of up to four people accelerating uphill at speeds up to 25 mph!

After the water park we went on a few amusement park rides.

The little kid roller coaster

Baby's first ride: The train

For some reason, our kids love these canoe's

Not the best picture but you can see all 4 of the older kids riding the little merry-go-around!

We all got way to much sun, it completely wore us all out!

Looking forward to when we can return to Holiday World again!

July 4 = Friends, Fireworks, Fun

In the evening we of the 4th did a little photo shoot on the Riverfront of the Ohio River

When we first met our friends we only had these boys

Look at us now!
Each family has 2 boys and 1 girl in the exact same order, we think it is pretty neat

All of the kids!

The girls

Our kids looking adorable in their red, white and blue!

July 2 & 3 Louisville, KY

Earlier in the month Our good friends drove 9 hours to met up with us in Louisville, KY!

While we were in Louisville, we visited the Louisville Temple, a cool park, went swimming at the hotel,
went to a craft show, visited the Slugger Museum where of course we got free bats for everyone!

June 27: Blessing Day

Blessing Day

If you've been reading this blog, then you'll know that my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer a couple of weeks before our little slugger was born. This changed our blessing plans quite a bit. We were going to have a come-if-you-can, quite event here in Indiana.

Many family members and close friends had made travel arrangements to be with us for the event. My dad really wanted to be there for his name sakes blessing. My parents had already purchased airline tickets. However, with the surgery and treatments ongoing, it wasn't possible for him to come to us. So we decided to have the blessing in Utah.

This actually worked out really well. Tom's family is pretty wide spread, his parents live in Japan and his brother Billy's family live in N. Carolina while he's deployed to Afganistan. He has three siblings who still live in Utah, one brother in Logan and another in American Fork with a sister in Orem. So it is rare for them to all get together, (we missed you Billy).

Tom's two other brothers made arrangements to bless their babies that same weekend. That way everyone would be in town and able to participate.

Things did not go quite as well as planned. The day before the blessing my dad was hospitalized with Sepsis, i.e. a bad infection. That morning we were prepairing to have the blessing in the hospital chapel. However, after starting on IV antibiotics his condition improved and he was able to leave the hospital for a couple hours to come to the blessing.

He was doing very well for the first 30 minutes he was at church. It was wonderful to have him and all the rest of our families there, (save one.... Billy). Even Tom's Grandpa Priddis was there. To see our son sourounded by honorable men who love him and will be an example to him throughout his life was a picture perfect momment and one I wont soon forget.

A few minutes after the blessing, my dad became very uncomfortable and asked to be taken back to the hospital.



Dressed to Impress. The same tuxedo his older brother wore.

These are the beautiful booties our dear friend Laura made for us. She is amazing.

Family photo

Seeing the white suit, I almost expect him to jump up and start tap dancing.

Families are Forever

A Sealing and 3 baby blessings in less then 24 hours....

The sealing of our nephew

The 3 babies who were blessed that weekend

A 4 Generation picture

Those members of the Priddis Family who were able to attend this whirlwind weekend.

Adventure part 2

More pictures from our Utah trip.......

Spending the day with family especially my Dad on Fathers Day!
Only downside was Tom wasn't in Utah yet.

For FHE one Monday we spent the night climbing around a pyramid

(aka cement and metal playground set) and surprisingly nobody got injured.

While driving to Ogden to surprise Nana and Papa Priddis, (first time meeting our new baby)

my sister was reminded of the new law to change lanes if a policeman has someone already pulled over.

Tom arrived in Utah and for a couple of hours we explored Wheeler Farm

First time for everything...

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.....and sometimes that includes having family pictures taken at the local Hospital. Take a look at some of the amazing pictures our friend Amy took for us on her blog! Thanks again!

Part 1 of Adventure

Adventurous is the one word that explains the 3 weeks we just spent in Utah….

(1) Taking a mid-day stroll to the park and on our return notice that babies legs got a little red

(yep his first sunburn)

(2) A fun evening of swimming with papa, which lead to papa having to get a new cane

(3) Took the kids rock climbing for the first time with their cousins, which resulted in one of our cousins having a sprained ankle by the end of the day.

(4) Seeing a huge display of the Salt Lake City Temple

(5) Driving though the canyon to go fishing with the gas light on is always an adventure!

(6) Horseback riding with papa even though all the doctors didn’t recommend it.