Chill... people!!!

So, while I was watching my little niece and nephew, I started to make some Lemon Bars for the Young Women Bake sale (am I a true Mormon mom or what...today was my first time participating in a Bake sale!). Anyway...I didn't get very far when I realized I was out of butter. WHAT??? Not even any in the freezer??? none! (unless I wanted to use the butter-spread in the fridge that is coated with toast crumbs-thanks sweetie). So...neighbors aren't home, and I have four kids with me all under the age of five. "I can do this, I tell myself. Piece of cake! Four kids isn't impossible!" (CRAZY??? or true Mormon?) I decide that Albertson's will be my store of choice because it is close, never has lines, and they have carts that will hold more than one child. So I loaded four kids in the van and buckled all their seat belts. Drove to the store. Found a cart that would actually hold all four kids (with Kelly in her infant carrier in the back). MAN I love Utah! What other state would make it possible to hold FOUR kids in a shopping cart??? I carted my mini-bus into the store and that is when it happened! The STARING began. I could actually see the contempt on people's faces as they stared at me! The kids were all angels (I only had to get butter after all), but people were STILL staring. No one smiled at me. No one talked to me. Not even the checker that oversees "the self check-out" said a word. She was too busy raising her eyebrows. I am sure they were thinking "Why doesn't she invest in Birth Control?"
Next time I am going to wear a sign that says "NO THESE ARE NOT ALL OF MY CHILDREN AND EVEN IF THEY WERE SHAME ON YOU FOR JUDGING AND MAKING THIS TASK EVEN HARDER. WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO A KIND SMILE OR UNDERSTANDING GLANCE? WHEN DID WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT GET REPLACED WITH DISAPPROVING GLARES? CHILL PEOPLE...JUST CHILL!" So to all you young moms-especially if there are any with four children under the age of five-bless your hearts for all you do! Our lives do not stop when we have children, we simply weave the kids into all the crazy tasks we do each day, and EVEN WITH FOUR KIDS--WE STILL NEED BUTTER!!

Kitty!

I watched my little niece Keely today and Andrew fell in love! He has this obsession with kissing little girls! Watch out world! Anyway...he calls her "Kitty". I think it is hilarious. He has a hard time pronouncing his "L" consonants that is also probably why Logan goes by "Go-GO".
Any time we talk to people (at church, in the yard, or wherever..) Andrew feels it is his responsibility to introduce the family. He points to his dad and says "DADA", he points to me and says"MAMA", and then he points to Logan and says "GO-GO!" It is too cute.

Fishing in the snow!

On August 15th we went fishing with Jason's family in the Uinta Mountains. We drove all the way up there and spent much of the time in the trailer because it was SNOWING!! I took pictures, and it made me think of one of my very favorite poems.


"Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening", by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.


My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.


He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.


The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.



The weather eventually cooperated, and we were able to fish. By that afternoon, the skies were clear and beautiful. What a gorgeous area! It is so nice to slow down, and enjoy nature sometimes. Logan was trying to get a good look at a "fishy" and got too close to the edge. He fell in head first (good thing the water was shallow). He wasn't happy and had to wait in the tent for an hour while his shoes dried by the fire. (No I did NOT think to bring an extra pair of shoes for a one day trip!!)
A happy fisherman!

Little fishy!!

I signed Logan up for swimming lessons this year and he LOVED IT! This is the first time he has ever been in any organized lesson/sport! He was not afraid at all and passed the preschool level with flying colors.
His class was pretty big so there were three teachers. Of course he followed the boy teacher around everywhere so that he could tell him all about: super hero's, Star Wars, and swords! One the last day, they had the kids practice jumping into the deep water. Geronimo!!!

The children also did "treasure hunts" where they had to open their eyes underwater to search for the coins.

I also took Josh to swimming lessons. I have babysat him for three years and he and Logan are best buds/ worst enemies--almost like siblings, eh? This was Josh's last day being babysat at our house. They have moved, and he is starting school. Logan already misses him.

Pudding Face!!!

The other day I was busy cleaning the kitchen when Logan asked for a cup of pudding. Of course Drew had to have some too! I continued with my cleaning and forgot that the little guy still had his pudding. Oh well! At least in entertained him!

Little Drew already has a beard and mustache!

6th year anniversary!

For our anniversary, we were supposed to stay in a resort at Park City. When we went to check in, the resort had actually sold our reservations because of the Arts Festival (even though we made reservations months ahead, and I called a few days prior to make sure our reservations we were still set!!)
So... we ended up in Salt Lake city and stayed at Little America. It was so beautiful. We hadn't ever been there before and loved it.


Jason knew I was disappointed that I didn't get to go to the outlets in Park City, so he took me on a carriage ride in Salt Lake. It was so much fun!!! I have always seen others on the carriages, but never tried it out myself.



We also took a tour of the Beehive house, and went to the Joseph Smith memorial building to see the movie on Joseph Smith. After that, Jason drove me around all of the commercial buildings that his company has been working on. We went shopping, had dinner, and came home refreshed! FUN Anniversary. I guess we turned lemons into lemonade.

Roots!!!

Every year, we visit Jerome Idaho. Both of my parents were raised in Jerome, and some of my grandparents as well. My paternal grandmother still lives here in the home where my dad grew up. We always stay with grandma and hear great stories about the life she lived. It is a fun trip!

Three generations! My sister, dad, grandma, and I. Jason talked me into wearing his cowboy hat for the pictures!

Our first stop was Shoshone falls. We come visit the falls almost every trip to Jerome. It is beautiful, and LOUD. I will admit..nothing beats the grandeur of Niagara Falls.


Banbury's is a pool located very close to a hot spring in Idaho. We always came here when we were children visiting grandma and grandpa. It was so fun to bring my own kids and watch them have a blast where I used to swim. I don't think that they have changed the pool at all in 25 years!


We visited the Jerome Stake pioneer games. My cousin Brian and his wife Megan were in charge of the games and they did an outstadind job! My husband and I thought it was interesting that we had to go out of Utah to participate in some really fun pioneer day activities!

Real handcarts! Andrew liked the ride about as much as he liked the boats a the carnival! Jason was right in his element as he helped Logan "Lasso the log"

This picture turned out awesome. I snapped as the Tomahawk was in mid-air.
It only took Jason and Logan 27 seconds to cut the log! WOW!!!
Potato sack races. Logan had a ball.

Drew was so mad when he had to get back into the car seat for the ride home. Poor kid!