The Retherfords

A few weeks ago I snapped a few pictures for my beautiful sister-in-law Jenna and her cute family! Well it was more like 150 pictures haha....here a few I had fun editing for them. I love the location that my friend Melanie introduced to me to, it was perfect for Jenna and Cragen. The weather was perfect, it was just beautiful out there.

41 years!!!

I feel like such a proud daughter....dad just recently retired from 41 years of work at Chevron in October. Man that is a long time!!! I'm so thankful for dad and all the hardwork he has accomplished over the years. He has allowed my mom to be a stay at home mom, which I will forever be grateful for. I traveled with the kids and mom down to Richmond for a little retirement party they were presenting to dad and another coworker. It was so neat to hear all about the things dad worked on and see some funny old pictures of him. Mom was so funny she insisted that dad bring the leftover cake home. I think that was his workout for the day....it was so heavy. Actually I think I ended up carrying it out to the car. Dad took the kids back to his office and gave them a little tour of everything. I loved all the sticky notes that dad had posted all over the place. I guess that is where I get that habit! I loved the one where he was counting his left at Chevron, that had to be a bittersweet countdown in someways. Love ya Dad!!!

Welcome Alyssa Marie Collins

Congratulations to my Craig and Chrystina who just welcomed sweet little Alyssa Marie to their family. She was born on October 10, 2011 weighing somewhere around 9lbs. Sorry I can barely remember the birth weights of my own children these days. We are so excited for them to experience a little girl in their fmaily. Tyler and Brandon were so happy to meet her. Well actually Brandon did ask if they could put her in a cage, how sweet is that. Here are a few pictures I took of her when Chrystina and Craig brought her out to our house for a visit. I am so thankful for them coming, I know it's not easy 4 days after you have a baby, but I'm glad we were able to capture her cuteness so early!

Pumpkin Farm

We are so lucky to live so close to a great pumpkin patch...too bad it's not a secret anymore. This place is drawing more and more people out each year. But we always make sure we make a trip out to visit Bishops Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland. This is my favorite spot to take fall pictures out....well runner up to the orchards I guess. Here are my children posing for me...nice right!! I love Landry in this one, he really does think he is a superhero most of the time. (That is the reason for his heroic posing). We enjoyed ice cream and caramel apples, the train, and just playing around the pumpkins. Daddy was able to meet up with us toward the end of our visit.

The Hoods Cabin

My good friend Jolene Hood invited me and kids to come to her cabin for a little mini vacation back in June. Bryan had to work, so my Taylor offered to make the drive up with me. I'm so glad she rode me too, because it is a lonnnnngggggggg drive up a pretty windy rode, she is a lot of fun to be with.


The kids were so excited to be sleeping in a real cabin. This cabin is very unique, Jolene's family built it themselves and it is so cute inside. There is a spiral staircase leading up to the loft area. Large windows all around so you can take in all the beautiful scenery everywhere. Their cabin is just a short walk from the beach and lake, which is awesome when you are a mom with five little kiddos.



We roasted marshmellows on the beach and played ball. We did go swimming one afternoon, but the Lake Almanor was freezing!! Here are a few remember when moments:

*Singing The Little Mermaid, Kiss the Girl song in bed with Bella and Taylor...man we had the giggles.

*Cambree throwing up on the way home in the van....Yikes didn't see that coming. Oh and we can't forget the prayer we said to help us finish out the ride down the mountain!

*Cambree learned to make Marshmellow taffy from the best marshmellow roaster I know....Jolene.

*Sitting on the back porch with Jolene and just having a nice heart to heart conversation, she is a wonderful person, so glad to call her a friend.

*Oh and we can't forget our deer hunt we went on one night at the golf course. I had a staring contest with one, I won of course.

(Picture: Katie, Jolene, Emery, Isabella, Brody, Taylor, Cambree, Kelci, Me, and Landry)