Girls Day out!

Saturday we had a girls day out. We had a fun trip to Sierra Vista. We went to a quilt show, Taco Bell to eat, and shopping at Target!!! The car ride was very quiet. The girls read books the whole way. It was quiet and very relaxing. The girls read good books, while the Moms got to visit. What a perfect ride. We only have little girls at our house so having a girls day out is no biggie for us. Our friend on the other hand has one girl and four boys so a girls day out is very special. This girls day out was so much more fun for us because we got to spend it with friends.

The quilts were amazing. I love monthly themed quilts like this one. One of these days I'm going to attempt to make one.

The girls had a lot of fun looking at all the different quilts, not to mention all the homemade things that were for sale. I bought a cute little bag that catches all my strings and it has a little sand bag attatched to weight it down. The sand part can even be used as a pin cushion.

My camera batteries died right after this picture, and we were only in the foyer! I was so bummed. I have no pictures of all the amazing quilts. We had a great time. I have a major urge to make something now. Maybe I'll have a quilt post in the near future, maybe when school is out. Taco Bell was yummy, and shopping.....that's always fun, especially at TARGET!

Grandpa Holyoak's Birthday Bash!

I've been trying to make a blog book for 2008. It's looking really good. The last part of 2009 and the first part of 2010 are looking pretty pathetic. If I want to make a blog book every year, like a journal, I need to get crackin! Here is the first important thing that happened in 2010, a little late but definitely blog worthy

My Grandpa Holyoak turned 88 on January 10, 2010. I know, a little late to be celebrating the big event. I just happen to wonder if there was anything on my memory card in my camera. I haven't used it in forever. Look what I found. Birthday pictures. The family had a party for grandpa on the 9th of January (which was also Clay's birthday and the poor guy had to work and we went to Phoenix, he had to celebrate all by himself.).

The Holyoak's. My mom (Charlotte), Aunt Bev, Uncle Hoke, and Uncle James. The birthday boy is up front. I tell you what, those Holyoak's sure know how to have a shindig! It was so much fun seeing all the extended family.
Here's the whole crew (the ones that could make it. There weren't to many missing, a few came in later that day). It was fun to see all my cousins and their kids.
Here's all the grandkids and great grandkids. Grandpa was very happy to see them all. He worked really hard to learn all their names and spend a little time with each of them.

My Mom, Grandpa Holyoak, and Lavina.

Me and Grandpa. His scooter is hard to pose around but this is as good as it got. I don't get up to Phoenix to see him as much as I should anymore, so it was really nice to be able to spend some quality time with him.

Alex and Sydney with their Great Grandpa. I didn't have the chance to know my Great grandparents so I think it's really special that they still have him in their lives. They have two Great Grandmas, and two Great Grandpas still living today.

The awesome Stanley family. We missed having James and Tammy with us but we understand the distance doesn't make it easy to come down often.

Happy 88th Birthday Grandpa, and Happy 35th Birthday Clay. We love you guys!

Now hopefully I can keep blogging the important events in 2010 so we can have a book full of memories by the end of the year.

"Mom, we are so cool"

Yes, I really am updating my blog. Amazing huh?!?! I stayed home from work today (no, not just to update my blog. I'm GOING to vacuum and do the dishes..... eventually. Hubby did say he missed me blogging so.....), my poor little Sydney is running a fever and not feeling well. I knew she didn't feel well when she didn't want to go to school. She hasn't missed one day all year! She is a little upset she no longer has perfect attendance, but still not well enough to go to school. For her to miss school, you KNOW she's sick! So, lucky you. You get an updated blog. Now the two of you that have complained about me not updating can be happy knowing the Doziers are alive and well, and I can get some sleep at night knowing I still have friends! Off we go...

President's Day. We didn't have school, just so happened Clay had the day off too. Woooohoooo. Clay suggested we go hike to the cave at Coronado. We were all so excited. I never saw three girls get ready so fast! Anything we get to do with daddy is exciting!

Now I'm not the most active person in the world but if Clay makes a suggestion to do something, by golly we're gonna do it. He doesn't suggest things to often, but when he does they turn out to be the most memorable days. This was one of those days.
I started out strong, the girls took to the mountain fast. I didn't know they would enjoy hiking so much. Alex lead the way, and man was her pace fast! Mom kept holding up progress. I had to stop like fifty times and catch my breath. ( I felt like a wuss, but everyone was very supportive. Clay didn't even poke fun. Seriously, I was huffing and puffing about ten minutes into the hike and knew for sure I was going to die before we reached the cave!) Mommy starts out carrying the camelback that has our water in it. (see above picture)
Then Mom is about to die with the little extra water weight so the backpack gets passed to Alex. Alex handles it like a trooper and mom still has to take a couple breathers, can you say OUT OF SHAPE much.

Then Alex gets a little hot and tired and so the bag gets passed again, on to Sydney. Sydney also handles it well. Mom is now at this point wondering if she should just pass out right here or if rolling down the mountain to the bottom would be more fun. I was pooped. I think it was because Clay was bringing up the rear of our hiking party and I was trying to impress him with my ability to stay up with the girls Yeah, so not gonna work. All he can hear is huffing and puffing. Great impression, good thing we're already married!

So we make it to the stairs! Clay hiked on ahead to see how much further. He really didn't want his wife to keel over. We met up with him a little further on and he said the cave entrance wasn't much farther! Thank goodness!!! Mom not looking to happy as you can see in the above picture. This is family time. I slapped a happy face on and kept on truckin.

YAY. We made it!! Being a holiday we thought we would be seeing lots of hikers. There was a small group of guys just coming out of the cave when we got there but other than that we had the place to ourselves.

We figured out how to set the timer on the camera. Family Picture! These kind of pictures are hard to pose for. Most of the pictures we took, we have huge eyes because we're starring into the pitch black trying not to blink before the flash goes off.

The kids thought this was so cool. It looked like the Flintstones couch they said. Yes, they know who the Flintstones are!

More posing for pictures. There were some really cool passage ways in the cave.

An endless hole that was super dark.

Daddy and his girls. Clay is one lucky guy, he is completely loved by three girls!

On our way out. The cave entrance is above us. We spent an hour or so inside exploring. What a great way to spend the holiday.

Now time for the DOWNHILL part of the day. Yippie! Mom was in a much better mood now and looking forward to keeping up with the group and flying down the mountain! (Now is when the poking fun starts. We're on our way down and we know mom is going to live through the hike. We have a lot of downhill time to reflect on the hike up. Let the commenting commence. I didn't mind, I knew it was all in good fun. Plus I was too proud of myself for making it to the cave to care!! I did it. We did it!!)

One more timer photo for the road. What an awesome looking family the Doziers are. Thank you, thank you! I have to say, when we are together as a family, we always have a good time. I don't know of another family that laughs, plays, and loves to be with each other as much as ours does. It reminds me of growing up. We had a FUN childhood. I hope my kids childhood is just as fun. I really have some awesome kids, if I do say so myself!

Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, beautiful girls, beautiful family. What more could anyone ask for. What a great day, all thanks to dad. On the way down, maybe it was when we got back to the car, Alex says "mom, we are sooo cool. We made it to the cave!" I was so proud of the girls. Not one complaint the whole time! No wonder mom and dad liked this hike so much. We have plans to go again soon. We had such an amazing time. Clay was loved before the hike was suggested. Now, he is ADORED by his girls. What an awesome father and Husband. You rock Clay!