Summer vacation

 

This year we decided to stop in Salt Lake City for a couple of days.  We pass through SL every year but our kids have never been to Temple Square.  Well this was the year!

We rented a condo across from the Temple. It was awesome. We walked most everywhere.

Toured the Conference Center

Watched the Joseph Smith Movie in the JS Memorial Building.  Kirk only watched half of it because Emma got stuck upside down  in the folding chairs and had to be taken out

Ate an amazing lunch and Nauvoo Café, that we still talk about- mmmm!!!

Visited the Church Museum

Ate at an ice cream shop and found out that Carter actually likes fry sauce more than his ice cream.  He was eating it by the spoonful and was egged on every time we laughed- yuck.

Enjoyed Beautiful Bear Lake

S’mores

Grasshopper catching

Frisbee

Cousins

Beach fun

Cokeville, WY 24th of July parade and celebration with Elder L. Tom Perry

Just Dance

Bird Aviary with our favorite friends from college where Katelyn got to see a barn owl, a dream come true.

Amber’s Wedding

And KB & Jeanne’s 50th Wedding Celebration

Don't underestimate your 3 year old

Tonight as we were putting the 2 little ones to bed we pulled out the scriptures. Kirk started off by asking "Who built a boat". Of course we didn't expect an answer and I was just about ready to answer when Carter responded "Nephi". I stopped, picked my jaw up from the floor, and starred at Kirk in amazement. Did he really just say that? Do you mean to tell me that while they are jumping on the bed, running around screaming, and playing, they are actually getting something out of this thing we call scripture reading!!!

Happy Birthday to my babies

Emma dear,

Is officially 2 and loves to say “me do it”

She is a sucker for her blanket.  If you hold it in front of her you can make her do anything.  

She is becoming a pro at her 12 piece farm puzzle, and 24 piece ocean puzzle. 

She loves to sit on the table at dinner time and look at herself in the mirror. 

She LOVES Baby Einstein video’s and knows how to turn on and unlock the iTouch, find the videos icon, and turn on her favorite video. 

Carter dear,

As we  drive around listening and dancing to one of my favorite songs by Taylor Swift  I often hear a sweet little voice coming from the carseat in the back singing the words to the song perfectly. 

He is an amazing climber.  I often find him 4 shelves up in the pantry getting himself a treat or a piece of gum. 

At the end of every book he still says “amen”.

And we can’t forget about his awesome dance moves.

Really wish I knew how to rotate a video.

They both LOVE their blankets and know how much it means to each other so when one of them is crying or sad the other one runs to find the blanket.   They even offer up their own blanket if the other one can’t be found.  Watching them give up the thing they love the very most to make the other one happy is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. 

Me and Em

We had a great weekend visiting Jeanna and fam in San Fransisco.  The weather was great, scenery was beautiful, and time spent with sister (and BIL) and cousins was awesome!  Thanks for having us. 

This proved to be the most difficult task of the weekend, taking pictures of little people all at the same time,  and in focus might I add. Even with M&M’s it was a challenge.

Emma and Jake loved to run around chasing each other and making the other giggle.  I loved to listen and  watch them in action.  Cousins are the best!

 

They both loved the sand and could have stayed there all day.  As an added bonus we got to see horses riding on the beach.

Emma already knows the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  She is feeding Jake one goldfish at a time from her snacks. 

It was an interesting feeling only having 1 child to take care of.  It made me wonder why I thought having one child was difficult.   Emma loved having all the attention to herself as well.

And of course we can’t forget cute baby Sam.  He is so sweet and calm. 

look at him ride

Carter has finally learned how to pedal after weeks of back breaking effort.

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Camping

Kirk has been wanting to go camping for along time and I have been trying to avoid it.   All I could think about is how much work it would be.   We finally decided to do it and I was pleasantly surprised.  We had a great time!  Sleeping was a little  painful for Kirk and I and very cold but the kids had the warm sleeping bags and slept great.  (The cold weather did keep all the bugs away- we didn’t see one bug!)

Houston Mesa Campground in Payson- exactly 1hr 10 min from our house and paved roads the whole way so getting there in our swagger wagon was no problem  

“In the name of the Hundred Acre Woods, I capture you”-  Lasso making was a huge hit. 

Emma tied her rope around this tree for about 1/2 hour. 

Hot Dogs and S’mores- mmm good!!! 

The kids loved collecting pine needles to throw on the fire.  They kept our fire going all night.  

The kids didn’t want to come home and are wondering when we can go again. 

General Conference Weekend

Moments to remember:

Kaleb’s  good friend invited him over to play on Saturday morning and Kaleb asked me “Mom, I thought Alden was Mormon”.  I told him of course he was and asked him why he was wondering.  He replied “Well shouldn’t he be watching Conference”.  

Every night before bedtime we sing a song.  Lately we have been singing the new Primary song from last year “I Know That My Savior Loves Me”.  During the Saturday Session when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang that song Emma came over to the TV and quietly stood and watched as they sang.  As soon as the song was over she returned to playing in the other room. 

Katelyn participated in Awards in Excellence for piano and had a great time with Grandma.  She did a great job and is determined to keep trying until she wins.  Her comment was “all the kids who won are Chinese” (pretty fun observation for a 9 year old). 

Carter enjoyed a weekend of Legos, bike riding in the house, scooter riding  to Grandma & Pa’s for Sunday dinner, and of course the fruit snacks that accompany those visits.