Saturday, August 29, 2009

Covey Family Characteristics

There are a lot of characteristics that our family members have in common that span across the generations. Spirituality, kindness, good looks, bodily functions, etc. Also famous is the ability to fall asleep at any point in time. And these pictures document that it can obviously occur at any place as well.

Johnny snoozed for a bit during our work party to get Beal's school up and ready to rumble.

Dad Covey dozed in the middle of Rock Band.

Papa Covey took a quick cat nap at Collette & Kyle's reception.

Who says there's no rest for the weary?

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Hebgen Lake

I thought Hebgen was spelled Hepkin because that's the way everyone says it. But it's actually Hebgen. Live and learn. Like when I was at family birthday parties and Grandma Covey would start singing the birthday song after the Happy Birthday song and I thought she was saying, "His love brings us here" but it was really "Tis love brings us here" which makes a lot more sense.

The official Montana report.

johnny spent a lot of time in someone's arms on the boat. He expanded his infatuation circle to include Emily Jones. It's just a little bit awkward when your son calls someone else Mom. But since we've been home, he's learned how to say Emily's name and I heard it the entire car ride home after we left her at Megan Morris' bridal shower. Emmie? Emmie?





Johnny spent a lot of time either in the air or almost kissing the lake. Very impressive.


Nana and the two boys.


Johnny might look like he's wearing a marshmallow on his head and a skirt, but this is standard horse gear in these here parts. Johnny's new phrase - Horsies go?

For the record, this child did jump ship once. Mom was driving. I was adjusting Evelyn in her car seat and Jake was on the back of the boat getting his wakeboard gear off after a run. Mom told me I should probably jump in the front by Johnny because she was a little nervous with him up there. I proceed to the front of the boat and put the window down when Mom screams that Johnny is in the water. The boat is not moving, thank goodness and I am thinking "Okay, I can see the neck loop of his life jacket. I'll grab him out of the water and it will be just like when he takes a bath and hates having me dump water on his head. Maybe this child will learn now that he can NEVER do this again." I know Jake was thinking (because we talked about it afterward) "Mom is screaming which means she probably wants me to do something. Oh, man this is just like when we were driving the boat last summer and a towel got blown into the water and everyone is screaming about the towel and I don't know how to dive and I know there is no hope of me getting the towel but I know I've got to go into the water and at least look like I'm trying to get the towel or everyone will blame me for the rest of the trip for losing the towel."
Johnny was just fine which is more than we can say for the towel from last summer that is in the bottom of Hebgen Lake. He was a little freaked out, which is for his own good, but mellow the rest of the ride in to shore. He climbed over the side of the boat. Crazy kid. Thank goodness for life jackets. Thank you, Katie.


My babies know how to sleep on the boat.


Some of the girls.

Working it

I love these boys. And thanks, Nana & Papa, for the tool kit!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Family Resemblance

Even though we contributed equally

Like father, like daughter

For some reason when I think of Raybans, I always think of my mom. It could be the fact that sometimes she would put up money for anyone who could find a lost item and sometimes that item was her favorite pair of sunglasses. Looking at this picture of Johnny enjoying his sunglasses reminds me of my mom.

My mom used to have crockpot Wednesdays. Because every Wednesday she would drive from central California to the Bay area to work at the temple all day. They say you learn more from what your parents do than what they say. I totally believe it. My mom is a doer. And no, Johnny boy, I will never offer you money to find things that I've lost. Instead, I'll offer you your preferred currency that you are always requesting - TREAT? TREAT?

Our kids are so cute.



Wednesday, August 19, 2009

This is for Collette

My son has been bonding with you and you didn't even know it...

Not my favorite cookie of choice, but to each their own.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

A joke

What do you get when you put 8 little kids between the ages of 2 months to 5 years with 6 big kids between the ages of 19 to 31 years on the same trampoline?

A birthday message for their Beepa!

Bon Anniversaire!

Happy Birthday, Dad! Thank you for being such a great Beepa to my kids and my nieces and nephews. I love how well they know you because you are so persistent and consistent in coming to visit us. I'm eating some ice cream right now to celebrate for you. Words just cannot express how much I love you and admire you and look up to you. You rock. We love you!

I remember when you used to go swim at the YMCA all the time and one time I was so excited to go with you and we were driving from our Pony Drive house towards Goldsboro. I had my towel and swim suit. We were on curvy Blue Hole Road in the Audi. All of a sudden I looked down at my arm and realized that I couldn't swim. I had a cast on. I think we went anyway but I just watched.

I remember you came home from Desert Storm and your mustache was so blond. I assume it was because of the intense sun in the Middle East. I thought you were so handsome and young. Even though you have no mustache right now, I think you are handsome and young. I LOVE introducing you to my friends because you're that dad that every kid is so proud of.

I remember you grinding tree stumps down to nothing in the Ashby Hills house because one time when mom was gone, we were all playing hide and seek. I was backing away from you while you were counting. I wasn't looking where I was going and when I finally did turn around, I tripped over a tree stump and cut a big gash in my shin. I thought you were so nice because you got rid of them so quickly.

I remember you would lick the drips off my ice cream cone when we would drive through McDonald's so that nothing would drip on me.

I remember we were driving to a softball game on a dirt road in Nahunta, North Carolina and you told me to put my seat belt on. Then something happened - I don't know if we drove off the road or if a tire blew. But I remember walking with you and sobbing because I thought we almost died.

I remember when you would drive the Audi on the freeway and you showed me a trick. You would take the key out of the ignition and unlock the glove box while the car was still coasting.

Happy Birthday!

We love you, Beepa! We are so happy to have a day to celebrate your existence. We celebrated all the way up to Salt Lake while we were riding trax together.








Double birthday celebrations this month because it was Papa's birthday, too on August 12. We celebrated with breakfast at the kitchen table at Hebgen one (Papa had already been up for hours by the time we woke up to make him breakfast). We wrote him this song. (To the tune of There was an old lady who swallowed a fly - a song that Papa and Nana sing to their 2 boys)
There was a young baby born on an army base
I don't know why he had such a cute face
Perhaps that's still the case

There was a little kindergardner on his first day of school
He came home and he knew he would rule
His mom asked him how?
If he was fighting, she'd have a cow
He could just tell by looking around

There was a little girl, she was right on the money
Tried to get Johnny Covey to call her honey
It was only 4th grade
From him she never strayed
Perhaps marriage plans will be made

There was a young man who wrote lots of letters
His penpal stayed home and knitted him sweaters
ACTUALLY SHE SEWED HIM A SHIRT
I don't know why
Buttons on the wrong side
She cried and cried and cried

There was a teenager who drove down to Provo
wanted to see a girl, gave her no warning though
She'd change her plans
Her parents didn't understand
Perhaps he'll get canned

There was a young elder who went on a mission
GOODBYE FOREVER so she kept on fishing
He was almost too late
He changed Scott Woolley's fate
February 5th was the date

There is a loving father who gives the triple kiss
He offers Neosporin if something is amiss BUT NOT THE GENERIC BRAND
He lays his own tile
He goes the extra mile
He's got a great smile
He irons all the while
He's got a son named Kyle
49 years old is his trial

He better not die!

Happy Birthday to our Papa and Beepa both. We love you!

Breakfast of Champions

True confessions. Please, Rachel, don't hate me. Lily Lyman DID eat a healthy breakfast AFTER eating the Doritos. Don't worry. It was Johnny who dumped them on the floor.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Authentique Nautique

Nigel joined us on the boat today. He was the perfect boat guest - cheerful, napping & singing songs quietly the whole time. What a babe.

I love to see

The temple. It is a holy place. We were able to get our recommends signed by our stake president 14 hours before we needed them to watch our cousin, Jenaca & Stephen Jett be sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. It was a beautiful celebration. I was impressed by 2 different things that family members said. People were giving compliments about the bride and groom and the groom's stories started to turn into a little bit of highlighting points of his life when he wasn't his best self. The joking came to an end when a wise father said with all the love in his heart, "When you're 23 years old, you're allowed to be 23." How sage. How open-minded. What a darling thing to say after already having been 23 and watching your son grow and mature into who he is going to be.

Then, the groom was telling about asking for the bride's hand in marriage. He was nervous and the father of the bride said, "Yes, as long as you promise me one thing." The groom said, of course he was going to say yes, he just hoped that it was a promise he could keep. He said, "You've got to promise me that you'll take her back to her Father in Heaven." And as the groom was telling the story to all of us, he looked his bride in the eyes and said with all the love in the world, "I promise you that we will return to our Father in Heaven." How gorgeous. He wasn't arrogant or proud. He just knew in whom he had trusted. Which is the same for all of us. Through no justification of our own, we all can return to our Father in Heaven. Through Jesus Christ, we are justified and sanctified. What a blessing.

It was a WONDERFUL day.