Disney Cruise '10

Alright, we had to do it again. It was SO much fun the first time, and with fellowship immediately following our year at Ft. Riley, we had a good "excuse" not to let the opportunity pass by. The second time? Even better! Maybe since we knew what to expect and how to make the most of our time, but either way it was fun, relaxing, and beautiful.

This time we took my Mom along with us. Since my Dad passed away she has not taken opportunities to do all of the many adventures they had hoped to complete together. It took some convincing but she agreed to give it a shot. Did she like it? Let's just say her next cruise is already being planned.

My Mom loved watching Haley the first time as she was too young to go herself. With the decision to take Mom however, Steven and I knew we needed someone special for Haley J to hang out with for the week. Teresa is my great friend and neighbor, and volunteered enthusiastically to keep Haley.

Ryley, Kadyn, and Thatcher had the best time ever. Ten months did wonders for Thatchers ability to enjoy the constant activities. We had to frequently coax them away from all the excitement just to see them. It truly was a wonderful trip that will not be soon forgotten!

This guy was hilarious. Thatcher chased him with his sword and he ran around the whole room.

I LOVE Kadyn's pose too.

Digging for whale bones

"Yea, I went down the slides"

Thatch fell asleep at dinner one night so they made a bed and covered him with a tablecloth.

Kadyn creating flubber

Thatch becoming a pirate

The Black Pearl. It's now "parked" at Disney's private island.

Residency Graduation

It was a wonderful evening that ended with a wonderful moment.

A diploma!

Residency is now completed and Steven is officially a graduate.

We thank Heavenly Father daily for the amazing years of growth, learning, and love that we have had the great gift of experiencing throughout this journey!

Left to right: Aaron, David, Steven, and John

Above are the four graduates.

Steven referred to them as a "band of brothers", and that is exactly what they have been for one another over the past three years.

He also commented how he's seen more trauma in this downtown area then he would have in Iraq,

which got a big laugh and unfortunately is sad but true.

Many Miles

While Steven finished up his last few weeks of residency the kids and I

(accompanied by my kind Mom)

hit the open road for a very long, very fun, but very glad we're home, trip!

It was 3, 397 miles to be exact - but whose counting?

It all began when we decided to head towards Kansas in search of a home.

We did just that.

A family we know (Steven went to med. school with the husband) is leaving Ft. Riley for fellowship.

They needed someone to rent their home and we needed a home to rent.

It was a blessing for all.

From there the thought process went something like this.

As long as we're in Kansas, might as well head over to Denver and

visit my sister and her family.

Kyle and Kadyn

Kaela, Kyle, Haley

Crazies

As long as we're in Denver, might as well head for Utah and visit my sister, brother, and their families as well.

BYU Creamery and "Y"

Brannon and Paige at her baptism.

Cousin Carson and Kadyn

The girls!

Grandma Darden, cousins Juliet and Ella, Thatcher, Kadyn, cousin Paige, and Ryley
Ella and Thatcher

Above are three of my awesome roommates from Ricks College.

Me, Lindsay, Liz (sis), and Julie.

We had a great time at "Jump On It".

Below is all of our posterity together. :)

A visit to Utah would not be complete if we didn't head to Southern Utah to see Mom and Dad Ballard.

Steven's sister Julia lives there with her family as well.

We had a great time playing at their home and getting to know their cute boys.

Cousins Robert and Ronin.

Mom and Dad had a pool put in this past Spring. It was SO fun.

Out of the blue Kadyn decided to take off her floaties and became a fish in water.

It was an amazing thing to watch.

She was diving and swimming all over the pool.

Now we have 2 out of 4 swimmers. Pretty good odds.

A great half way point from Utah to Tennessee is Albuquerque -

(which happens to be where I was born and raised)

and where my Mom and one brother still live.

Top of the Albuquerque Tram

The kids had the best time ever visiting with all of their cousins.

That alone made the many miles of driving worth it!

On a side note. We missed Father's Day by only one day.

Knowing this would happen I cleaned out the girls top drawer three weeks prior

and the kiddos laid out cards and suckers.

When the great day came we called up Daddy, sang "Father I Love You", and told him to go check the drawer.

It was a great surprise to him!

Hey, he's the best Dad ever - we couldn't just let it pass by! :)

Members Night 2010

Members night at the zoo is by far our favorite visit.

Usually the zoo closes it's doors at 5pm each day.

One night a year however they open back up at 5:30pm and allow all members to

enjoy the zoo for the evening.

They have food, treats, music etc...

It was fantastic.

Definitely at the top of our "favorite evenings" list.

Breaking News!!

In top news tonight....
"After five months in captivity, Batman has been found! His rescuer, Mom, came across him today as she was dusting various fake plants throughout the house. He was found deep within some shrubs, and although dehydrated, is said to be in good health. His guardian, Thatcher Ballard, was overjoyed at the return of this dear companion and was heard by various witnesses exclaiming the words, "YEA!! YEA!!! YEA!!!"

Don't you love it when you're the hero?!

Let Summer Begin!!

The girls finished school last week.

This is a picture before they headed out on Friday.

Walking back to the car at the end of the day was a whole different story.

With tears streaming down their cheeks and sobbing they made their way to the car

and climbed in for the last time here at Rivercrest Elementary.

It's been an amazing experience for our family.

The principal, the staff, and all the teachers were absolutely remarkable

and will be missed dearly.

Kadyn's graduation was awesome.

She cried for two days over the "loss" of her sweet teacher Mrs. Welch.

I'm so grateful that she had a wonderful experience.

Steven and Ryley had a "Daddy/Daughter Dinner and Dance" for Activity Days.

We made a big plate of these cookies and they headed off for a wonderful time.

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall.

Apparently Steven and Ryley not only danced for the entire two hours, but,

all agreed that these two truly know how to "get down"!

Regardless of any end of school "blues" the girls have been able to move forward quite well.

We have spent everyday at various pools and have included daily play dates with friends from school and church.

After all, we have to get it all in before the big move.

Summers just begun, and it looks promising!