Let's Get Cooking *Ü*

Keeping a collection of Blackham family favorites ...

Desserts

• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Coconut Goodies
• Cookie Press Cookies
• Gingersnaps
• Ice Cream
• Lemon Jello Cake
• Meringue Nests
• Oreos (Homemade)
• Peanut Butter Bars

Breads

• Banana Bread
• Cheesy Breadsticks
• Rolls (dinner rolls and sweet rolls)

Dinner Meals

• Baked Ziti
• Lasagna
• Macaroni Rosa
• Chicken Pillows
• Sanpete Marinated Meat
• Soup - Chicken and Wild Rice
• Crack Chicken

Muvees ...

A little Muvee magic ... our home videos/photos set to music ...

Check out my YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/ScrapJenB

For all the Basketball Muvees, go to

Hoop Dreams

Halloween Party. Keaton'sClass. Oct2010

Soccer - Cooper (Fall2010)

Summer Swimming (Summer2010)

Soccer - Colton (Summer 2010)

BottleRockets (Summer 2010)

Derby Days (May2010)

StreetBall (Spring2010)

Derby Days (May 2009)

Soccer - Cooper (Spring 2009)

Aiden's Birthday Bash (June2008)

Rockets (Summer2004)

Ana's Wedding (2004)

Westra Waterballoons (Aug2004)

Park Play (June2004)

Landon's First Derby (May2004)

Playing with Puppies (Summer 2004)

MiscMayMemories (2004)

Buca Birthday (May2004)

Soccer - Callahan (Spring2004)

Landon Allstar (2004)

MiscMemories (Spring2004)

Halloween (Oct2003)

Keaton's Birthday (Aug2003)

Welcome Cooper (Aug2003)

MiscSummer (2003)

Christmas (2002)

Basketball Keaton Jr. Jazz 12112010

Basketball Cooper Jr. Jazz 12112010

Basketball.Callahan.GF.11062010

Basketball.Callahan.GF.09252010

Basketball.Callahan.GF.05222010

Basketball.Callahan.GF.04172010

Moab ~ Reunion, Music Park and Sand Hill

Family Reunion Time. It was the end of August, 2008, and the Blackham Bunch and the Extended Blackham Bunch, all headed down to Moab. This was to see Grandma Henry (Grayson's Dad's Mom) and those relations. In past years, everyone had stayed on Grandma Henry's property or next door, and we thought that was the plan this year. We hooked up the trailer and took it with us. We had some issues though ... got pulled over for a light not working, and then realized we weren't up to date on the registration. Oops! We stopped in Price and ended up staying at a hotel ... and then leaving the trailer there rather than risking any more problems. We'd discovered the rest of the family (Maga, Ana and Clay's family) were staying at a local hotel, and figured that would be more fun anyway. And it was.

The reunion was held at the same park we'd had it in previous years. The kids ran and played. I had forgotten it was this reunion where we got the classic picture of Maga in the funny glasses. We also visited Grandma Henry's house ... the dollhouse. A real house, but so named because of all the dolls inside. She was clearing things out and gifting items. We received a "RedBull" and a little SpongeBob couch.

We then went to a local park ... it was SO unique and different! Instead of the usual slides and swings, this was full of "musical instruments" of all sizes and shapes. There is some video under the pictures ... because you really need video to get how cool a concept this "Percussion Park" is!

... the final activity was the big red sand hill. Running up, falling down. 

Getting sweaty, and getting sand stuck. All. Over. Right before the car ride home!

Here's video from the weekend away ...

... we picked up the trailer in Price on the way home. Got hit with a huge rainstorm for the last little bit. Poor Colton had a bad cough much of the trip. The nights had been long. It was good to be back home.

Birthday Bash

Birthday Bash in the Blackham Backyard

It was my nephew Aiden's 1st birthday. There was a big slide, water squirters, and of course, a water fight. I think I was probably the only person to stay dry ... but I had the camera!

Colton and the Car Door

When Colton was little, he surprised me by opening the car door all by himself. Such a BIG boy!

Easter 2008

Easter was early in 2008. March 23. We'd barely got back home after a family trip to St. George. We'd gone out Thursday, March 20th, and Grayson ran the Pinewood Derby for Jensen's ward (Wendy was pack leader, Josh took first place). We stayed for a couple of days, and even participated in the annual Ivins Easter Egg hunt. It was packed with people, different fields set up for the different age groups. They started by giving all the kids a couple eggs (in case they weren’t able to grab any in the chaos) and then the rest were just laying on the grass to be picked up. Cooper was intimidated by the whole thing and didn’t even hit the field. Colton and I went out and picked up a couple eggs and called it good.

We headed back home Saturday. Got the kids settled downstairs (because they often sleep on the couch, but we need it empty for the Easter bunny!) and to bed. MY bed. Yeah. A peek at the baskets above (even Mom and Dad got baskets this year) and more Easter activities below. Dying hard boiled eggs, decorating cookies, nests, playing with toys the bunny brought. 

 Happy Easter!

Pool Time for the Littles

I got this little inflatable pool for the little. And it was LITTLE. But enough that Colton could "go boom" and splash. Cooper seemed more entertained by the hose. Dad got his feet wet too. 

Camp & Beach ~ Pineview Family

We had a 4th of July getaway planned - had reserved a spot up at Anderson Cove at Pineview Reservoir. Tuesday, July 3, Grayson went into work and I got my workout in then took the younger kids to the store to pick up stuff for the camping trip. Did the packing... Keaton kept asking when we were leaving every 15 minutes. Gray got home a little after 5:00 and we got off shortly afterward. The boys were a little antsy during the drive, asking when we were going to get there. We made it there and got set up. Colton was quite a handful, running in and out of the camper, climbing up on the little concrete barrier, running into the road (Gray had to make a mad dash for him as a car was coming up). We roasted hot dogs and then marshmallows. Callahan almost had a meltdown about having to poop in the outhouse. Keaton was cute after his visit there, saying “there was NO flusher in there”. Cooper just sat and played his gameboy. Colton tried to throw his blanket into the fire twice (I caught it the first time, got it out fast the second, successful time). When the coals were glowing we roasted marshmallows. As night rolled around we played Uno and ate mini-chocolate donuts. Cooper wanted to go home and Colton was uneasy but we finally got everyone down and to sleep. Colton slept with Gray and I and the other boys slept on the other side. I don’t know if Colton is always so restless, but he really kept me awake all night.

In the morning, Maga and Olivia showed up and we headed down to the beach. Cooper was NOT happy about being close to the water but settled down in the shade of the canopy and played gameboy the whole time. The bigger boys played in the sand and in the water. Colton didn’t seem to like the water but after I got in, he came in and had some laughing, splashing fun. Cooper complained almost the entire time, and Callahan didn’t last all that long either (he had his cast on, and it was technically waterproof, but ... also had to make sure SAND didn't get in it. He got it removed the next day). We stayed a few hours then packed up. I had put sunscreen on the kids so no one got burned (Gray got so much sun last year it made him sick). 

Video quality isn't great - but still fun to look back on "live" ...

We had pretty much packed up everything before heading to the beach, so other than packing everything back up to the car from the beach, the cleanup wasn’t bad. We hit the road home around 2:00.  Got home, unpacked, got showered and such. I was wiped out, as was Gray. The kids played around and wanted to do fireworks. Gray picked up some KFC and we ate dinner then let the kids light fireworks. I had bought a $10 pack with some additional of their favorites (smoke bombs, snakes, sparklers) and that was enough to make the kids happy.

A Tent for Two

I always joked that a 10-man tent was really good for about a family of four or five. I like room to spread out, not walking all over each other. I don't even know if this smaller tent is considered a "two-man" tent or if it's supposed to sleep more. This camping trip it was just the two of us. It's the only time we ever did a camping get-away just us.  It's amazing the difference when you aren't chasing littles around. A different experience for sure! 

The beach without littles was more relaxing too. 

Birthday Dinner and Limo Service

 

While we didn't get the whole Westra clan/Blackham Bunch together for Jen's 36th birthday, Mom/Dad and the younger brothers, and C&C made it for dinner ... and a ride there in a limo! Grayson arranged it all as a surprise. Here's Jen's journal entry from the day:

November 10 (Friday) Happy birthday to me. Gray sent an e-card a two separate flower arrangements. VT dropped off a gift, RS dropped off a card, Mom called. Then a third arrangement was delivered (3x12=36). The babysitter showed up at 6:00 as scheduled ... but no Grayson. Not a huge surprise, I knew he was planning something and it was taking longer then anticipated. Olivia had let the cat out of the bag a little, calling to wish me a happy birthday saying sorry she couldn’t come tonight (letting me know that it was a group gathering). Gray finally showed up around 7:00, with a huge limousine. Inside were Clay and Courtney, my parents, Shane, Alicia and baby Rella, and Derek and Danielle. We drove to Ruby River for dinner, then dropped everyone off. Gray wasn’t overly impressed with the limo service, the ride was a bit jerky (Gray started to get a little carsick), one of the TVs didn’t work, it had a “Vegas” smell, and the driver didn’t know much about the controls (to heat or cool things down). Gray also gave me a new video-recorder as a gift.