Bradley Turns 10!

It's amazing how old you can feel when one of your kids turns 10. That's a whole decade. Two short of a dozen. The letter X in Roman Numerals. I can't believe he's 10!


So, I'm a theme person. It makes my whole life easier when I can squeeze it into a theme of some kind. Bradley's birthday was Lego themed. So Blake assisted me in creating the LegoMan centerpiece for the kitchen island. The Piece de Resistance as it were.


You never know what will bring such a spirit of peace and harmony to a home. On this occassion it was a free frisbee. Who knew?




Here's our spread with all of Bradley's favorites. HOMEMADE (pick yourself up off the floor now) Ice cream sandwiches, M&M's, Popcorn and Starbursts. Pretty much a dentist's nightmare but you only turn 10 once!


Way to go Brad! Happy Birthday Dude!

BACK TO SCHOOL!!!

It's a holiday for Mom's across the country. The smell of new pencils, clean backpacks, fresh crayons and diesel from the bus waiting to take the children back to school! We cry because we're happy. Happy our kids are growing, making new friends, discovering things about the world they didn't know. And even though we also cry because our babies are leaving, we're also a little bit happy about the emotional vacation we get 7 hours a day. (Hey, I include the driving time!)


Here is the motley crew waiting for The Orange Bus aka Linda's Bus by our house. You don't mess around on Linda's Bus! Yeah, they all LOOK innocent. . .


The same day not only sent Bradley and Bryson but also Blake off to his second year of Pre-School. He gets to go in the afternoon which his mom is not completely thrilled about. It makes errands hard to do in the morning and competes with Quiet-Time in the afternoon. But, we'll take 2- 1/2 hours, 3 days a week with bus to door service over no pre-school anyday!


Which then leaves Brock and I to have an nice quiet couple of hours until Bradley and Bryson come home. It's good to be an only kid once in a while! We love Back To School!!!

4th of July--2009!

The Partridge celebration of the Fourth of July has acquired a tradition of surprises, service, building things and prizes. The kick-off year, July 2007 had us mowing Brett and Stephanie's lawn (in flip-flops I might add!), sharing FHE, building Pinewood Derby cars and culminating with the BBQ and Pinewood Derby race with Mesa's own Lee Snyder as the judge. We can never forget Blake atop of Brett's shoulders singing "We are the Champions!" with Blake's red "Rebel" car in hand! This year was just as fun and crazy since we've doubled in numbers since 2007!

As you can see the pace started out a little slower for Brock! But who doesn't like a good nap while the breeze blows through your hair?

If Blake looks a little blurry, it's not the picture. Blake moves so fast he's always a little blurry!

We were able to catch up with our friends Kyle and Nicholle. We go back to our days at BYU and had some fun double and triple dates with them. They have the cutest family. Our boys loved having new friends to play with!


We surprised Mom and Dad this year with a quilt of as many Old Navy 4th of July shirts as we could pull from the recesses of our closets. HUGE thanks to Jennifer for pulling it off! I think many of us have now lined up to have her make quilts in other forms. (Mine personally is going to be a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt quilt! Can't wait!)


Brock woke up to the smell of burgers, hot dogs and brauts! I'm sure he had happy dreams during his mid morning rest!


After eating (or stuffing for some!) we moved to Phase 2 of the day: Games! Chris and Cassi, Kaley and Chase, and Scott and I brought a game to play after the BBQ. The first, was the egg relay. Here, you can see we're carefully setting up the cones for the starting line. Wouldn't want any false starters!


The kids were pretty patient at waiting their turn for the egg and spoon. Of course it wasn't just any egg and spoon. Cheryl assisted in all the games and this one got color matching wooden spoons and eggs! WOW!


Egg-cellent focus Blake!


Next was the three-legged race. Brett and I make a good team in bathroom humor and competitions where one or both of us is tied up with rope.


They way I remember it is that we won. I'm sure that's how it happened. . .


Next, the potato sack race. They're all cute and cuddly in their sacks but watch out!


They all have a competitive edge that comes out eventually. The pears did not fall far from the trees!


I've taught my kids well that when someone says "Say cheese" you should do it! Even if you are standing in a potato sack.


The last game was the egg toss. Kaley and Chase, being the ever creative and totally smart Aunt and Uncle that they are, put Starbursts into plastic Easter eggs. If your egg bit the dust you got to share the surprise inside. Much better than runny egg yolk everywhere!


Another Delicious 4th of JULY!!!

Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust--Day 5

The final frontier of this epic adventure was traveling home. Not that our kids were anxious to do so at all! After the "brave" tears on the bunk beds, outside the hotel and in the car heading to the freeway we all agreed it would be a lot of fun to change our address to Toon Town or Tomorrowland.

I was proud of the kids though. They didn't throw a fit--their tears were just--they were going to miss everyone. They love being together with their Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Not to mention they also love being in Disneyland. One of the first things Bradley asked was when was the video of the trip going to be done. Like that happens overnight or something? ha ha ha! So amid a lots of ups and a few scary downs, it was an amazing vacation.

And thus ended the 5th day of the vacation to the land of So-Cal. And although many were saddend by the close of the festivities thereof, they rejoiced that another family vacation would be quickly upon them as many of them would soon be traveling to Utah in the first week of the 7th month in the year 2009.

Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust--Day 4

So after the events of Day 3 we started everyone out at the happiest but shortest ride of them all--Dumbo. It was once timed at something like 38 seconds. That was after we'd waited a good 2 hours so little Kaley could ride Dumbo. This morning we went in to Fantasyland early and were able to ride everything that everyone wanted to but hadn't gotten to yet.

Blake and I are ready for take-off!

Some people need their early morning cup of Joe. We just needed the cups! There's nothing like swirling your breakfast around at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party!


This picture isn't blury--Bradley is just moving THAT fast!


After the kids rode, a few seriously spinning-minded people grabbed a cup and hung on!


I really wanted to see the Parades so after we got through everyone's list of rides to do and do over again we parked along Main Street to see the Celebration Parade. It was really fun because we were smart enough to sit on the shady side of the street. I took Bradley and Bryson into the shops right next to where our crowd was sitting and let them spend the last of their spending money. They have learned quickly that money goes fast in Disneyland. Bradley especially noted that 6 churros will go through $20 like lightening! It's a great lesson for them on budgeting and spending money--even if it's spending money for fun stuff! Anyway, it was nice to have a few minutes with each one shopping and talking. We finished souvenir hunting just in time for the parade and it was great!


Everyone got to say "Aloha" to Stitch again.


This cast member has no idea what she's just gotten herself into! She's asking us to come out and dance! You don't have to ask us twice.


We're rockin'! Benjamin rocked out earlier too!


A Happy Conga-line-er!


I didn't just stop at one parade though. Just as the Celebrate Parade ended, I herded my crowd over to California Adventure to see the Pixar Play Parade. There's just so much to see and do at Disneyland and beause we had so many days I decided there was time to squeeze in one or two things I wanted to do.


Proof we learned our lesson! Brock is happily and securely strapped into his stroller.


And very content with the Mickey Ears he got. Unfortunately, the lights inside have already stopped working. But it was great entertainment going home in the car!


While Blake plays with his new Buzz toy, Bryson ponders the how's and why's of the cost of toys at Disneyland. And yes, Bradley is sitting in the stroller in the back right side of the picture. Everyone's feet and legs were a little tired. They were actually really happy to sit and watch the parades because it meant getting a little rest!


Photographic evidence that Mom does exist and that once in a while she and Dad stop at the same place and the same time!


A few parade pix: The Incredibles


Ok, this needs explaining. Before the trip each family responded to one of I'm sure at least 20 emails from Mom & Dad (we love you guys!!!) and somewhere in there we all came up with character names for ourselves and family members. Chris' family took on the Incredibles and Baby Adam was Jack Jack. I thought this was great with Jack Jack's head flaming!


Love Nemo! They blew bubbles and the kids went crazy!


A Bug's Life squirted water everywhere and the kids went INSANE!


Our last stop was the Tomorrowland Terrace for dinner where everyone ended the evening on an energy high and boogied down with their bad selves. We said good bye making the Monorail our last ride.




And thus ended the fourth day of pictures at the place called Disneyland. And happy were the people thereof except a few who murmured about leaving this place of magic and wonder. But all went peacefully back to room of bunkbeds to rest for the night. And on the morrow they would pack their belongings and journey into the "wild-ness" of the California freeways to return to the land of their mortgages.