Fun Friend Time!

What a week it has been!! Blake and I enjoy being busy. When we have a free evening we often try to fill it and we usually like to fill it with friends and family. Friends and family make this world even sweeter. This week not only were we busy in the evenings, but Aubrey Rose and I were so, so busy with such fun things during the days as well! I have so much to catch up on with our blog. So here goes…first I will start with Tuesday night. We had an EXCELLENT BBQ at G&A's house. We can not thank them enough for hosting and for constantly making us feel like family. There is nothing like being friends with people who feel like family. We love all of you guys!

Such sweet friends...Katie, Christina, myself and Ashley

Swim time with Blake, Taylor, Yale, Garrett, Aubrey Rose and Blake.

Dinner time at their adorable kids picnic table
These three were so stinkin cute together. We can't wait until Logan and Peyton can play with us too!
The car was DEFINITELY a hit. And of course if one wants it, the others want to drive it too. Yale was such a wonderful friend to push Aubrey Rose around the yard. Thanks everyone for making life even sweeter.

We are SOOOO proud of you Auntie B!!!

The past few days we have spent some wonderful memories in Salinas. This was the California Ro-DAY-o Salinas weekend and that means it is time to crown a new Queen. Blake's sister, Blair, has been the Queen over this past year and this week was definitely a bittersweet experience. On one hand we all felt like the veterans knowing the routine of what happens, knowing the who's who of the Rodeo and just feeling comfortable and confident. It was so nice going into this week with absolutely no stress...just being able to soak it all up. The contestants were probably freaked out of their mind and Blair just got to smile and lead the way for all the girls. On the other hand, it is bittersweet. Another Rodeo meant there needed to be a new queen crowned for 2009. There were 8 contestants. All of them did an amazing job. They are judged on horsemanship (40%), personality (30%), appearance (20%) and scholarship (10%). It is DEFINITELY no walk in the park. It is so intense! Brittany Slaton, from Hollister, who happens to be Miss CLOVIS Rodeo, won the title for 2009 Miss California Rodeo Salinas. What an honor. It has truly been an honor for Blair as well. Blair did a phenomenal job, not only this entire past year at every appearance she was a part of, but especially this week at the Rodeo. Blair definitely did the California Rodeo Salinas proud. Even more importantly, we are SOOOOO very proud of our Auntie B!! Way to go Blair!!


This was Wednesday night. They have a dinner together with all the contestants and then we go into an auditorium to hear the interviews. There were HARD questions this year! Everything from Rodeo questions to political to personal...all across the board.

Uncle Gary, Bradley and Blake

Some of the contestants with our Queen Blair

Here are all of the contestants with Blair leading the way. The girl that won is the 4th girl from the right. So it goes Blair, then 2 girls in pretty red dresses and then Brittany Slaton who won.

Per contract Blair had to make a scrapbook of all of her memories from this past year. Her and I spent countless hours at my dining room table finishing the book. It turned out so cute!! Lots of people asked if she had a professional complete it for her! HaHa!! Yes, Blair and I are professionals! We had such a good time doing it together.

Here is Miss California Rodeo Salinas 2008 Blair Smittcamp. They asked her some fun questions about what her year was like. She thanked so many people. Blair is made for public speaking. She speaks so well! Good thing she is majoring in Mass Communication and Journalism.

Below is a picture of our little rodeo princess. The interviews STARTED at 8pm, which is bedtime for Aubrey Rose. Aubrey held out as long as she could going up and down the stairs, up and down, up and down, but then she fell on one step and we were done. We couldn't distract her any longer, so we missed the last contestants interview.

The next morning, the contestants had their horsemanship competition.

Here are some of the girls.

Us in the stands...Uncle Gary, Blair's queen coach Pam, Bradley, Linda and Aubrey Rose

Uncle Gary was so wonderful to Aubrey Rose! He followed her EVERYWHERE!!

Auntie B and Aubrey Rose
The girls in the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" attire. Blair is to the right of gentleman. The 2009 winner is standing to the right of Blair.
Linda, Aubrey Rose and Blair
Uncle Brad was so great with Aubrey Rose. He stood with her watching the horses go by. She was LOVING the horses!! She kept saying, "NEIGH, NEIGH!"

This is us waiting to hear who was going to be crowned the next Queen

Our crew...even MomMom and PopPop (Linda's parents) made the trek over to watch their granddaughter make them proud too. It was so cute when Blair came out, PopPop leaned over to the stranger next to him and said "That's my granddaughter." We are all proud of Blair!

There she is!!!

Brandon is a friend of Blair's

PopPop, MomMom, Uncle Gary and Blair

At the end of each night the girls get to be apart of the autograph party. People line up to get their autograph. Blair has fancy pictures of herself that she signs to the fans. Next year Brittany with have the fancy pictures. Here is the 2008 Queen Blair (on the left) and the new 2009 Queen Brittany (on the right). Well done girls!!

Below is the line of people waiting to get their autograph. This is the biggest Rodeo in California. Look how big the stands are in the background! And that is just half of it!

Below is the Autograph table with the Queens and the other professionals. When the autograph session began, the announcer said, "There ain't no party like an AUTOGRAPH party."

We are definitely proud to be apart of the memories. We are sooooo very proud of you Auntie Blair!

Our Patriotic Girl

I love to take pictures of our little girl. And when I got this special dress, I knew it called for a photoshoot. I ordered this dress from Cora's shop. Her parents and family started to raise money to build a Playground in Cora's honor. Cora, such an adorable girl, passed away way too early from cancer at only 11 months old. We were blessed to be able to help support and we got this ADORABLE dress in return! It makes me smile every time I see it and makes me so very thankful for Aubrey Rose and for the Lord blessing me with every new day we get to be her parents.

Daddy was teasing Aubrey Rose and holding a toy she really wanted to have.

Can I have it?

PLEASE!!!!

Fourth of July Fun

We had such a wonderful 4th of July! We had friends over to our house for a barbeque and to swim. It was such a blast! We are so blessed with such wonderful friends. It was just an easy, low key, relaxed, fun time together. Then, we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Smittcamps to watch the BIG fireworks. Our little sunshine is getting way too big, too fast. She loved the fireworks. She sat in daddy's lap soaking it all up. Holidays are so much fun celebrating with family and friends...okay I will be honest, we think any day is so much fun being with family and friends!

The group shot
Myself, Aubrey Rose and Blake
Fun in the Sun

More fun in the sun

Blake and Christina

The guys got crazy in a fun basketball game. They had the best time while us girls were trying to keep our hair dry. :) We still had the whole night ahead of us we had to stay somewhat presentable! The guys were good to us, trying not to splash us too much. The kids had an awesome time in the pool and us girls just relaxed and enjoyed fun family and friend time. What an enjoyable day!

My sister, Christy, her husband, Aaron (on the right), Aaron's sister Lisa and her 5 year old son Michael. Michael is the best entertainment. He cracks me up with the things he says. Thanks for the laughs Michael and Lisa it was such a joy to be with you again. It had been way too long!

Jo-Linda, Dempsey, myself, Aubrey Rose and Katie and Avery
Katie and her girls...Grace and Avery

All of our kiddos!! It is such a blessing and so fun having kids all within just a few years of each other.

We were so glad these three could join the BBQ too! Bill, Linda, Blair and us. We missed you Bradley! (He was soaking up the sun in San Diego.)

We even got to ride Grandpa and Grandma's carousel!!

Aubrey Rose LOVED it!
Logan, Travis, Grace and Dave

Lisa and Michael having the best time!

Auntie Christy is so good to Aubrey Rose. Love you Christy!!

I am so, so happy and proud that she claims me as her mommy!
Mimi, Auntie B and Aubrey Rose...I love seeing these three together.


Kind of hard to see everyone in this picture, but this was our fun crew we were blessed to be with for the evening. Thanks to all of you for making it such a sweet, relaxing, and comfortable time together. You all are such dear friends to us. We can not imagine life without wonderful friends like we have! We already can't wait for next July 4th! We absolutely LOVE our sweet tradition!