The Holidays 2010....Round 1

Finally, pictures from summer!

Sorry, we really haven't fallen of the face of the Earth!

It has been so long since I posted anything!
Somehow, life gets busy and crazy situations keep you from the little side stuff we like to do.
So, here's what we have been up to in a nut shell:
This past summer we spent 8 weeks working as campground managers! We spent 24-7 up at Willows Camp ground in South Fork canyon. While camping the kids learned how to live in very close quarters, play with rocks, sticks and everything in nature.....And best of all each other.
We where able to see a lot of animals. Some of them where too close for comfort though!
The kids and I where able to come home just in time for school to start (Justin had to stay at camp for two more weeks though.)
I went back to Wasatch for my second year as an office assistant and playground duty. I have been so blessed to find a job that I actually enjoy going to.
The kids where excited to go back to school this year. They where especially excited to be back in the real world and be involved with civilization. Tyler is now in 5th grade, Blake is in 3rd, Kaden is in 1st, and Sydney started preschool. It is shaping up to be a good year!
We are moving AGAIN! We thought we found a place that we would be able to stay in forever but, our minds where changed for us. We where renting a home from friends and planned on buying it but, they stopped paying the mortgage with our rent payments and now the home is in foreclosure. Apparently our friends used the money for other fun things instead of what it was meant to go to.
The good thing is, we found a new house and are in the process of moving. It's only 4 years old and we are excited to have a house that needs no repair and is up to date. That will be a welcomed change!
We've decided to keep the kids at Wasatch and they'll get to hitch a ride with me to work every day. Their new home-school is year round and I don't think I'm ready for that kind of change.
So, we really are still around, just a little busy.

Swimmin at the Roy Aquatic Center.

Our Friend Rachel invited us to go Swimming at the Roy Aquatic Center with her and her boys. So, we loaded up the cooler with Sub Way and drinks

and had a fun day in the sun!!

Sydney going down the frog slide!

Now testing her floating abilities.

Kaden's turn on the slide.

Tyler and his Ozzy look.

Blake was sweet and took Sydney in the deeper part of the pool

and made sure she was safe (even though she could reach).

Ty going down the "Fast" water slide.

The splash down!

Kaden was ready to go home.

By the time I gathered everyone up to go home he was asleep.

Thanks Rachel for inviting us! We had a BLAST!! Even with the sunburns!

Father's Day Fun!

For Father's day, actually the day before, we went to camp and had a BBQ.

We had Justin's mom, my brother's kids, and my parents enjoy the festivities with us.

I forgot we had the camera until everyone was gone.

Here are the few pictures I did take though....

Here's Sydney after playing in the COLD fire pit.

Tyler cleaning out the pit after playing. He wasn't as messy though.

Blake with a grumpy look. I told him to give me a look.
This is his, "I wanna go home" look.

I didn't get a picture of Kaden because he really did want to go home.
His look would have been way worse, and REAL!

Anyway, we had a great time and Justin kinda enjoyed Father's Day!
(He had a bad sinus/head cold)

The Backyard Pool.

The kids have been begging to play in the pool for forever.

So, Summer was officially here and I didn't have anymore excuses.

Here are Kaden and Sydney having a little fun!

Here's Sydney with her new Smile!

Oh, too sweet!

Gotta have Popsicles!

The Tooth Fairy"s 1st Visit to Sydney

Poor Sydney! This is her with her partially swollen lip.

It was way worse and she looked like a Who in one of Dr. Seuss's books.

While playing, Sydney noticed that her front tooth was loose. She was soo excited!

I, on the other hand, knew that it wasn't a good sign.

Everyone had to have their chance feeling her tooth's wiggiliness.

When Blake had his turn he really gave it a go and made it wiggle more.

That night she woke up in pain. And the next morning a swollen lip.

It happened......it was an abscessed tooth and was infected.

I'm sure everyone wiggling it didn't help either.

We took her to the dentist, did the x-rays, and it was abscessed!

The only thing they can do after that is pull the tooth.

So, Sydney had her first visit from the Tooth Fairy!

Kaden's Kindergarten Graduation

Don't we love Kindergarten graduation!

I hate to say but,

I'm so glad this school year is done.

And Kaden has really been looking forward to 1st grade....Thanks Mrs. Miller for all you did for Kaden!

Here's everyone standing for the Graduates.
Kaden is one of the first ones to come in.

Kaden looking around for his cheering squad.

Don't the kids next to him look like they

are having the best time ever?

Principal Scott's last Kindergarten Graduation!

Enjoy your retirement, we'll miss you!

Kaden and his friends singing

the Peace Builder song.

Mrs. Miller giving Kaden his

Graduation Certificate.

Kaden holding up his certificate

for us to kinda see!

And of course, you got to have a picture with Eddy!

You did a great job in Kindergarten Kaden!!

Good Luck in 1st Grade!........Look out Miss Taggart

here Kaden comes!

Take a Hike!

Well, we loaded up the trailer and the kids for Memorial weekend.

We went to our usual place and actually, it felt like we never left for the winter.

Tyler and Blake had a "bee in their bonnet" to go hiking up the mountain across from camp.

They had seen some sort of animal up the mountain and wanted to check it out.

So, up the mountain they went!

While on the mountain they saw the alleged animals and it was a couple of BADGERS!

Those little stinkers can be mean so, they decided to cut the hike short.

They actually went on a hike a few times, one of which I braved.

Here are some pictures from one of the hikes:

On the way up.

Of course, power lines where in the way of all the pictures

Almost there.

Considering I was in camp and they where up the mountain, these pictures are decent.

Sydney was upset that she didn't get to go.

The boys said they could hear her screaming on the hike.



Stopping to enjoy the view and take pics.

Daisy was waiting for them to come back.

Syd and Daisy spotted them!

We had a great time camping and it was a great start to our summer.

I'm sure there will be many more hikes but,

next time I'll have to take pictures from the other end of the hike.

The Parachute

We decided it would be fun to find and buy an old parachute to take camping for shade.

At first we tried the good ol' Smith and Edwards....

They had some but, they seemed a little to pricey for our liking.

So, Justin did some searching on-line and was able to find a good deal on a used cargo parachute. When we got it, the kids where way excited and wanted to break it in right away. Here's a few pictures of the fun:

Now we'll just need to figure out how to hang this huge thing up while camping. I'm sure that will be tons of fun!

Blake's Baptism April 10, 2010

Blake was soo excited to get Baptised!

We are so proud of his decision and we are glad he is on the path back to Heavenly Father.
The day was great to begin with then afterwards we had a little celebration with the family. We had good food, a NERF battle, a little trick-or-treating, lots of talking and laughing, and of course good company!

Thanks every one who helped make Blake's day possible!!

I am ADDICTED to these....

11 Years of BLESSINGS!!

I first met Justin at a YM/YW activity in 1993.

We where having a senior dance where we where suppose

to be dancing with the old fogies in the ward.

Everyone dared me to dance with the "new guy" and, I did.
We did the casual talk thing.......

"So, what grade are you in? (He was in 9th and I was in 10th)

Where did you move from? (Provo)"

***

I thought I was older than him so, after that day, I just admired him from a far.

(And I thought he looked Dang Cute in his double-breasted suit when he passed the sacrament.)

***

When I was a senior, I was a TA in his science class and we started to talk more.

Sadie Hawkins was coming up so I decided to ask Justin to the dance.

I asked him a "Brief Question" and he said YES

That was our official 1st date.

After that first date I decided Justin was not my type!

I hate to admit but, I ignored him after that.

***

After a year or so... I started to feel guilty so, I apologised and we started talking again.

He asked me if I would come to his Mission Farewell.

I thought he was funny because we where in the same ward.

Of course I would be there!

Well, come to find out we had a death on the family and I couldn't be there.

I felt so guilty! I told him I be there, and I skipped out on him!

Or at least that's how I thought he felt.

I decided to write him and explain why I missed the farewell.

The only problem was, I had to ask his MOM for his address. It took me a few weeks to get up the nerve. And even then I felt like I was going to pass out when I did.
I wrote him about 6 months into his mission and we kept writing...

Justin actually asked me to marry him a couple of letters later.

(You'll have to ask Justin about that story)

I thought he was NUTS and told him to focus on The Lords Work.

...

Three months after he Returned Home with Honor we where married in the Bountiful Temple.

We have been riding that Roller Coaster called MARRIAGE for 11 years.

When I think back at those years, it seems like it has flown by.

I remember the hard times but, not as much as the GOOD times!

We have been blessed for many years and I look forward to many, many more years of blessings!

But of all of our blessings, the best ones call me

Mom.

I am so thankful for Justin!

I am thankful for the hard work he does to provide the things we need!

And I am thankful that Heavenly Father

has provided a way for our family

to be an Eternal Family .

Ty found this on YouTube and we LOVED it!

Easter 2010