Jeppeson kids at the ranch!

Joseph Cannon, Nelly, and Cooper Jeppeson...dancing on the hot tub cover.

Alyssa Jeppeson, Ashley & Joseph, and Nelly...playing with water balloons

Briggs is up to NO GOOD here!!!

The tired moms after a full day of play outside with the kids.
Briggs with Mitch Jeppeson squirting the kids as they slide down.

Emily Day Jeppeson brought her adorable family up to the Armstrong Ranch for a day of fun. We had a great time relaxing, horseback riding, playing in the water, and talking! We had a wonderful time. We both wore our grubbies and got dirty and wet at the ranch. Sweet Grandma Gloria facilitated all of the fun, as always!!! Lisa brough her kids up, too. They all had a fantastic time. It was so fun to catch up with Emily on all the amazing things she's been up to. I love seeing my old friends still happy!

Briggs and Nelly being crazy and cute!

Briggs and Charlie...Best Buds!
Beautiful Nelly...she's still learning table manners.
...At least she knows how to cheese it.

Disneyland and the Beach July 2008

Breakfast with Minnie!
Tarzan and Son...

Spaceship ride with Daddy...5,4,3,2,1...Blast-off!!!

At the beach in California. This is classic Briggs and classic Nelly.

Lovin' life at the beach!!!
After our Zion trip, we were lucky to be able to go to Disneyland and the beach. It was a whirlwind trip in less than 1 1/2 weeks...that ended in Las Vegas at the Fife's house, as you saw below in a post. We're a little bit out of order.

Zion Ponderosa Ranch July 2008

The whole Brent and Gloria Armstrong Gang!

The Johnson Fam

Briggs and Daddy

The Swimming Hole

Rex, Ashley and Briggs, ready for the zipline!

What an amazing place to go with our family! We had an insanely fun time. All of my siblings, nieces, nephew, parents, and my own family came to Utah for this vacation. We stayed in cabins at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch, which is east of Zion National Park. We hiked, swam, did the zipline, rockwall, rode ATVs, ate tons of food, relaxed, played, talked, watched movies...just about everything you can do on vacation.

American Idol Auditions!

Me, Monica, and Mandy...and our stalker. He was always standing close to us...even though we weren't ever kind enough to say "hi". We kept moving away from him, and he'd move with us. We were waiting outside of the Delta Center at 3:40 am on Tuesday. Then, we had to do some little cheers and waving for lots of cameras. They let us into the Delta Center by about 9 am. We went to our seats, learned some group songs to sing for the cameras, and waited...all day. The best part was when Ryan Seacrest came. He's so great! We were freaking our freak!..."RYAN!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!"...and so on. I was so nervous off and on all day, watching hundreds of amazing singers get turned away. There were about 6000 or 7000 people there. Only about 70 received yellow tickets to go into another room, where they auditioned again in front of producers...then those who make that cut get to see Simon, Randy, and Paula in September here in Utah. It was so funny to see so many really sorry singers/entertainers/ventiloquists...get through to the next round. It was such a scary experience, but I am so glad I did it. Mandy and Monica sang right after me...we were in a line of 4 people, we stepped forward to sing, then stepped back in line. None of us made it...surprise, surprise! I still cannot get over the fact that we did it. I was one of the oldest people there. Sad! The worst part of the day was getting in our car to go North right into the worst traffic of the year. We laughed, cried, screamed...then finally arrived home. I slept for 12 hours straight at my mom's house that night. Then, Jonathan called at 9 am..."honey, can you come home?" REALITY CHECK!!! I was so glad to see my family again. I hate to be away from them...even if it's 1 1/2 days. The one good thing that came of the whole AI Experience?...I dare to do any flipping audition ever now. I think I just may try out for a little musical next summer! How about that, Simon!? Ha!

Here's a quick shot of Ryan Seacrest when he came in to film stuff like, "Home of David Archuleta...welcome to Salt Lake City!!!"...etc. He was really fun. He let a big huge polynesian guy pick him up. The funny part was watching the director switch the position of the audience by Ryan, so he had 2 short girls next to him.

Nelly Goose Egg...

Not cool! Not even funny! Chanel seriously just fell off of our trampoline onto the cement mowing strip. Someone came to bring a gift for us while our babysitter was out on the tramp playing with the kids. This person's grandkids decided to jump on the tramp at the same time, and quickly learned that there were too many kids on the tramp. "How?", you ask? Well... Chanel fell off. Loud bump. Screams of horror...the whole bit.

I received a call from Jonathan while I was running errands... "Heather, go home now. Chanel fell off the tramp." I threw my things down at the store and ran. I got home (possibly dangerously quickly)... and said some interesting phrases once I laid eyes on the huge goose-egg, raspberry, tennis-ball-size bruise on Nelly's head. She wasn't crying anymore, just acting like her normal self.

Jonathan called his paramedic buddies at the Fire Dept., and they came right away and did a check up on her. They said that she has a concussion, and we have to watch her for any of the serious signs that may accompany a concussion for the next few days. We are so horrified! I know she'll be okay, but I'm so dang sad! We can call the medics again any time, and they said they'll take her to the ER w/o paperwork and stuff...love those kind of connections. Medics are like some sort of brotherhood...it's great.

Anyway, she's asleep now, and we're checking her every 15 minutes or so to make sure all is well. I'll keep you posted on her progress! Sorry to scare you! It's not fun. Needless to say: the net is going up today on the tramp, and we've made a new rule: if a babysitter is here, she can blame us for being mean: "Sorry, but those rude Johnsons don't want any other kids here while their kids are being babysat, thanks!" I feel so bad for our babysitter. She was so close, but unable to catch Chanel in time. The extra boy jumping wildly on the tramp was out of control. Dangit!

Vegas, Baby!

What a fun trip! Zion with the Brent and Gloria Armstrong clan, Disneyland, the beach, and our last stop: Vegas! We had such a relaxing time at David and Becky's home, playing in the pool and having a yummy BBQ. They kindly babysat our kiddles while we went to COLDPLAY at the MGM Garden Arena. We had an amazing time, and were able to go to church with them the next morning. What a beautiful and neat family are the Fifes. We are so happy they put up with us!