A very BUSY July!

What a July it has been! The Sanchez Family has been BUSY enjoying the sun and our family! Here's a few things the we have been up to!

Chase turned out to be a prettygreat waterskier!

Elly's first time tubing SOLO!


Feeding Grandpa the yummy huckleberries that the kids worked so hard to pick.

Madyson enjoying the waves!

Mom and Elly right after riding Timber Terror at Silverwood

(she was scarred to death at the beginning and as soon as we stopped she said "I want to do it again!")

The guys riding Panic Plunge

Water Baby! (Hard to believe that last summer she wouldn't touch water!)

My little bathing beauty

Happy 6th Birthday Elly Monkey!

Destroying the pinata!

Cake and homemade ice cream - YUMMY!




First of all our little Elly Monky turned 6 on July 20th! I CAN"T believe that she's already that old. I remember meeting her that HOT July evening and staring at her beautiful skin and full head of dark hair. I knew that instant that she was something special and not a day goes by that she doesn't prove it to me! We had a birthday party the day before her actual birthday. We had a dual slip and slide that lasted all of an hour! They certainly don't make those like they used to. I remember the yellow one we had as kids that lasted for years! My mom probably still has that thing hidden away somewhere! :) On her real birthday we went to Silverwood Theme Park as a family! We spent the morning at the water park and rode the rides all afternoon. We were all starving when we left so we finished off the night at Olive Garden (Elly's favorite!). Jorydn amazingly made it through the whole day and dinner without a nap! As soon as her belly was full and we loaded into the car she passed out and slept until late the next morning. I think Elly really enjoyed her birthday and we had so much fun with her.

The following week was CHAOTIC! Terry had a Gas and Welding regional convention to attend and I was fortunate enough to be invited to all the "fun" events that were part of it. On Wednesday night we toured Lake Cour d'Alene and enjoyed drinks and appetizers on one of the resort cruise ships. The next day we were invited to spend the day on the lake with one of the distributors. This is the biggest boat I have ever been on! It was amazing to see all the gorgeous home on the lake. Some of them were borderline castles! That evening was a delicous catered dinner at the resort! I ate like a QUEEN! Until then I had never even been in that hotel. It was fun to pretend to be among the "rich and famous" for a day or two but the next morning I woke up and it was back to reality. We were supposed to head out to go camping in a few hours and I hadn't even started. Somehow I pulled it all together and off were went...... again.

We spent a awesome weekend at Seeley Lake with mom and dad! Other that than mosquitos that tried to eat us alive and Jorydn's "sleep issues" it was a pretty darn good weekend. Mom and Dad's boat was running again so we all got to innertube and low and behold I actually got up on waterskis after a 10 year sabaticle! I was feeling pretty good until my hubby and stepson both got up and made how I skied look pretty pathtic! Oh well - other than the fact that here I sit, a week later, and my body is still feeling it I was pretty amazed that I did it! Yes, age certainly changes things. Things certainly don't work like they did when I was a teenagers. Funny how the signs of age creep up on you! I know you are all thinking "you're still so young!" but think back to just before you turned thirty and all the little "details" you started to notice! Hee hee - gotta love it! The kids and Terry also scoured the campground and picked a full bag of yummy huckleberries! I just finished making a huckleberry cheesecake with chocolate truffle glaze that we're going to bring to a friend's house for dinner tonight. Can't wait to taste it! It looks soooo delicous!

I hope all of you are enjoying your sunny days as much as we are here! And to all you wimpy Seattlites complaining about your weather - put on your big boy/girl undies and suck it up! JUST KIDDING! But 100+ weather here is not uncommon so I guess that I ALMOST feel sorry for you!

LOVE YOU ALL! -AMY_