Funny Video

O the simple joy of being a kid.

Hee Haw Farms

We were excited when Elsha came to town and invited us to go to Hee Haws with her. It has been a few years since we had been there and it has changed alot. I would have to say the "corn sandbox" was definitely the highlight. Avery was quite mad when she had to get out.

We buried a few kids....

Some deeper than others!!

We of coarse attempted a slip and slide move.

And just had a good time!

There was also a corn maze, which we briefly tried out and then decided was not the best idea for directionally changed people. (like me) Randy did try to convince Matayia to go back in with him but she wasn't diggin the maze either. We went on a tractor ride, rode a big slide on gunny sacks and even chased a few pigs. All and all we just enjoyed being together with our family!!

Really?

How is it that she always seems to get stuck under the table?

Kindergarten Field Trip

I am dreading the day when my kids don't think I am cool anymore. For now they beg me to come to help at school. So I figure I better take advantage of them wanting me there now. And I was happy to join Kaitlyn on her first field trip as a kindergartner.

Kaitlyn, Caleb and Kyle

Kaitlyn and Cole

For my non bus rider, riding the school bus is just as exciting as going on a field trip. I actually think she could just drive around and around on the bus and Kaitlyn would of had a good time.

Cole, Kaitlyn, Caleb, Kaylee

Kaitlyn and Caleb

Note... There are kids in Kaitlyn's class whose names don't start with a "C" or a "K" Funny that I didn't take any pictures of any of them.

Cheer Camp

Kaitlyn was so excited to go to the cheer camp at Lone Peak with her friends. She came home and practiced her dance for the next 3 days. When Friday night came it was freezing cold, but she was still wanting to go and perform at the high school football game. So we bundled up.(Greg had roundtable) And we braved the cold. But right after halftime we darted to the car, for some needed warmth. She may have been cold, but she sure looked cute.

Movement

It started like this....


And evolved into this...



It is a little funny when you see her get around like this. And she is actually very fast. I wonder if she will ever crawl. She seems to be content with just getting around by scooting!

Family Home Evening, picnic at Bridal Veil Falls

I hope someday my kids do remember we had Family Home Evening. OK so we don't have it every week, but we try to and that's what counts right? Family, isn't it about time?

Avery

Kaitlyn, looking so sweet and calm.

Here she is,true to her character

Matayia

I still have balancing skills

Ya, Greg was there too, just behind the camera the whole time!

Labor Day 2011

This year for Labor day we enjoyed a nice couple of days with the Anderson family. Curtis and Marsha rented some cabins right outside of Capital Reef National Park. We had beautiful weather and the kids enjoyed being outside most of the time. There was a little pond by the cabins with a couple of paddle boats on it. It seemed like the girls spent alot of time out there, though I didn't get any pics of it. We also went on a couple of fun hikes. We have some good little hikers. We decided between the 2 days we hiked our little girls about 10 miles. With only a little bit of compaining.

Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn, Kaitlyn

We have a rule at our house. If the girls don't do their jobs they have to pay me to do them. For example, if you don't make your bed you have to pay mom a quarter after she does it for you. So this is how this morning went

Mom: "Kaitlyn go downstairs and make your bed, if not you owe me a quarter"

Kaitlyn: "Go ahead and go downstairs and make my bed, and there is a quarter on the dresser, go ahead and take it"

So I go downstairs, make the bed and come back upstairs with my shiny new quarter. (Hoping to rub it in that I took her quarter)

Mom: "Thanks for the quarter, Kaitlyn"

Kaitlyn: "Your Welcome"

Sounds like my price for making Kaitlyn's bed just went up!!!!

Happy Birthday Avery

I can't believe my baby is already 1. This year has gone by so quickly. Faster than the other girls. It's hard to belive that she is 1 becausr she still seems so little to me. It may have something to do with that she is still a bum scooter and very content with that. My other girls I was strict with taking away the bottle the day they turned 1. And I still find myself wanting to feed her a bottle and snuggle her in her chair. For right now I think she will always be my baby.



I was happy with how Avery's cute "1" onesie turned out. But this was the best picture I got of her in it. And you can't even see the cute matching ruffles on her bum.



Sometimes I wonder why we get our babies any presents when they are just as happy playing with all the wrapping paper!



Sadly, this is our first baby to get thier own birthday cake. We have always been to clean and up tight to do this with our other kids. I am not sure who was more excited. Matayia Kaitlyn or Avery. She started out slow and cautious. But of coarse got a hang of it.



At one point Greg looked at me and said "this was your idea, you get to clean it up"
I thought it was actually quite fun. And I wished I would of done it with all the girls.



She definitey had fun!

Happy Birthday Avery!!!

Happy Birthday Matayia

This was the first year that we gave Matayia the option of not having a birthday party with her friends and just getting the money for it. She took the deal. So no fun friend party pictures this year. Earlier in the summer Matayia was wanting a new bike so we told her she could have her birthday present (a bike) early. She also took this deal. I worried when the day got closer she would be sad, but she wasn't. Of coarse grandma's always pull through with presents!!

Matayia you getting so big. You are so responsible, sometimes too responsible and I have to remind you to be a kid. You are a great help to me and just love playing/ helping with Avery. Your so smart at school, almost always get your homework done without me even reminding you. You are a great reader, and Kaitlyn loves it when you get in her bed and read books to her. Thank you for making our family so great. Everyone should have a big sister like you! We love love love you!! Happy Birthday!

Bike Helmets

I just had to document that we do have bike helmets and dad does make us wear them sometimes!!

I did it

Earlier this spring I decided that I was tired to of being the president of the fat club. So I started running. Running just for fun. I have wanted to run with some of my friends before but they always ran much to fast and far for me. So this spring was my chance, one was pregnant, the other just had a baby. So we started to run. After a couple of weeks Candace decided that she needed to "train" for something to stay motivated. So against my better judgement, I was talked into signing up for a half marathon. I had never run an organized race before. Not a mile, not a 5k nothing. So this was a major thing for me.

So then the real running began. Not really. We ran, but we also slacked. So about 6weeks before the race we buckled down and really stuck to a schedule. There were definitely times that I was wondering what I had got myself into. I thought about selling my spot on KSL, or just saying "I changed my mind" But I still ran on. Most of the time we ran at night. Late at night. A week before the race we ran our long run, 10 miles. We started at 10:30 and got done a little before 1am. And I know I will ever forget that night. We started, and honestly, I was thinking that Greg would wake up in the middle of the night and see I never made it home and have to come look for me on the side of the road. But about half way into our run, I realized, I could do this. I can do hard things. I can finish hard things. I won't say we didn't walk any that night, we did. (because of me) And when we got about home Candace said to me. "On race day, I won't leave you, even if you want me to leave you, I won't" And then I knew, I have a really really good friend. A friend who would never "leave me."

And then race day came, and I still thought I could do hard things, but the question now was, did I really want to. We hopped on the bus and headed up the canyon to wait for the race to start. Then we started to run. We ran and we ran and we ran. To be exact, we ran for 2 hours and 34 Minutes. And I finished. I finished a hard thing.
Candace asked while running the last mile "Did I ruin you? Will you do this again?" Though I couldn't answer right then and there I have thought about it since. And no she didn't ruin me. I may never do a half marathon again. But it showed me I can do things out of my comfort zone and even enjoy them. It taught me that I like to be healthy and it feels good to be healthy again. So will I do a half marathon again? Maybe...

The girls, my mom and dad and Greg were there waiting for us when we finished. They waited and the waited and they waited. ( the race started over 30 minutes late) It was so nice to see them at the finish. I told Candace I wouldn't cry, but I will admit I did have to hold back tears when I saw them, because I can do hard things...

Yes we do...

Yes, we do own a boat. Though you would never know by the amount of time we spend on it. There are alot of reasons why we don't use it, none that I would like to write about. But we have been out a whopping 2 times this summer!! And as always we enjoyed our time out on the water.



We (all the kids,me included) spent some time out on the tub, bouncing our little hearts out. And of coarse Matayia and Kaitlyn always have fun when Adie and Janie get to join them on the tube.



Greg enjoyed some nice "glass water" while his wife, (yes everyone is shocked that i actually can drive a boat) pulled him around the lake a few times. He even said that this was one of his best days on the water, and he was actually remembering why he bought a boat in the first place!!



And though I am putting this picture up against my better judgement. I just have to prove that, yes I can actually get up on ski's again. I have not been up on ski's since I was a teenager. And I was so happy, and surprised to pop up on my first try!!

We now officially have 2 kids in school. Though I am definitely old enough to have a 4th grader I am old enough for a kindergartner. School didn't really start for them on the same day, but Kaitlyn was so excited to join in the "first day of school" picture.

Matayia is excited to be in 4th grade, she has gladly moved up to upper elementary. Her teacher this year is Mrs. Watkins. She was excited to have some of her friends from last year in her class again this year.

Matayia and Swayze



Kaitlyn started school a week later and that tested her patience everyday. She is excited to finally get to go to the big school. She goes in the afternoon not because she is not a morning person. But because her mom isn't. Her teacher is Mrs. Chambers, and it is her first year teaching. Kaitlyn was so excited to find out Cole is in her class.

Kaitlyn and Cole

Classic Redfish Photos

Some would say I have a thing for taking the same pictures over and over. So I do. I admit it. I love to look at the same picture and see how we have changed and grown. Redfish is no exception. We have the family picture log at Redfish. The same log, every year. (we didn't make it to Redfish in 2009)

2008

2010

2011

And of coarse just the girls

2008

2010

2011

And these pictures started a sort of a accident. When Matayia was little we didn't have our trailer yet so we were bathing her in Moalee antique basin on the picnic table and Aubrey started snapping a few pictures. We ended up with so many cute pics that I wanted to get some of Kaitlyn too. But year after year i forgot to do it until last year. Yes, she was 4 and she is in Moalees basin again. And no, she wasn't happy about this. She didn't want to take a bath on the table when she could just do it in the trailer. And yes, I made her do it. But on the other hand you can see that Avery quite enjoyed her mountain outside soak. Minus the cute antique basin of Moalee's. Moalee wasn't there this year but you can bet I will be bathing her outside next year just for the picture so I can complete my set!! Come on how can I resist!

Matayia 2005 (almost 2)

Kaitlyn 2010 (4)

Avery 2011 (almost 1)