Lake Powell

Lake Powell was so much fun! We went down with most of Jason's family. The kids LOVE playing in the sand and water. Britton tried many things for the first time: waverunning, four wheeling, tubing behind the boat, cliff jumping. He had a blast. Haley also did waverunning and learned how to float with a life jacket. She was a bit more timid, but by the end she was more comfortable with everything and she's already talking about the next time we go and everything she's going to do. I hope this becomes an annual tradition for our family.

Pioneer Day Weekend

I started a new tradition this year with the kiddos. We are going to spend Pioneer Day up at the cabin every year. We did all the traditional pioneer things like cooked over a fire, didn't change our clothes for several days, and walked and walked and walked and walked.

I had been wanting to go up to the cabin for longer than an over night stay and this was finally my chance. The kids and I were there all day Thursday, Friday, and most of Saturday. Friday afternoon, Jason's parents brought up Hayden, Corbin, and Landon and they stayed for dinner. It was perfect timing because it was right about that time that they were starting to get a bit antsy for entertainment other than me. Jason came up a few hours after them and then right as they were leaving, the Kammerman's, sans Patricia and baby twins, arrived.

It was so much fun just being up there away from all the distractions of home. My kids are so at home in the mountains. I love watching them play together. And it's much easier for me to focus on them when I am away from the distractions of home too.

The cabin


In the (soon-to-be) fort


Britton!


Haley!


Haley playing cowboy


Dinner--gourmet mac n cheese cooked over the fire (everything tastes better cooked over the fire)


On our Friday morning hike, notice the cute Y necklaces that Britton designed and made


Being goofy


Our hemp necklace making supplies. I'm pretty sure that making hemp necklaces was a favorite hobby of the pioneers.


The Kammerman crew


Wildflowers














One thing that I don't want to forget about this trip. At one point when it was just the three of us, Haley grabbed a stick and started pretending like it was a microphone. She said that she was Britton's sister and that she loved him very much. Anyway, right after that, Britton grabbed the stick microphone and said, "Did everyone hear that? That's my sister Haley. She is so sweet. Life just wouldn't be the same without her." It was just the cutest thing I've ever heard. I love my kids so much.

31 Flavors

Last week I realized that Haley had never been to Baskin Robbins. What? We quickly remedied that even though she was already in her pajamas and ready for bed.

Mountain Monday a Few Weeks Ago

We really have been keeping up on our Mountain Mondays, but I haven't been good about posting about them. I think our 2nd one I took pics on my cell phone and I don't know how to get them off so I just haven't posted for a while. So, the pics from Bridal Veil Falls will have to wait until I figure that out.
A while ago, we went up to Sundance and it was just gorgeous. Haley didn't want to take the ski lift up so we just walked around and took pictures. It was still really fun.

Weekly Roundup

This has been such a fun week. Last week I was gone to Girl's Camp all week which was so much fun, but there's nothing like being back with the family. My kids had a blast with Jason all week though. But, apparently, I need to teach Jason how to do laundry because Britton had to wear Haley's underwear one day and then he got smart and wore his swimming suit the next. Poor kid. :)

Anyway, here's a random list of some of the things we did this week and I'll post some pictures later.

*cleaned and rearranged and reorganized the kitchen and living room
*went bowling at Fat Cats for free (kids bowl free all summer--woohoo!)
*found out there are raccoons living in our backyard (and our nice neighbors set traps, caught them, and took them away--woohoo!)
*got in my first accident backing up into someone in a parking lot (boo!)
*watched the movie Earth
*went to 7 peaks
*went to the library
*spent 3 days at our cabin, the first day and a half it was just me and the kids. They LOVE being up there (and so do I). It's so relaxing and beautiful.
*went to see Singin in the Rain at the Hale Theater with Jason. I sure don't go to plays often enough, I love them. And I found myself saying all the lines in my head throughout the whole play. Definitely one of my favorites.

Haley

I love the way little girls think.

The other day, I was playing with Haley and I was pretending that I was eating her. I would say, "I'm going to eat your eyes, you don't need your eyes, do you?" Then she would reply, "I need them so that I can see!" Anyway, I went through all kinds of body parts and she said the expected answer as to why she would need that part. When I said I was going to eat her stomach though, she said, "I need my stomach so that I can get a baby in there!" It made me smile. Then when I said that I would eat her big toe, she said, "I need my big toe to take care of the little toes." Too cute.

More Spring Pictures

Hayden, Britton, Gabe. (both of these boys lived in our basement at different times)

Britton's basketball class--he loved going to this

Haley singing along to her "How to be a princess" dvd. I love how she has all her animals lined up watching her.

Chloie and Haley at the Bean Museum play room. Every Wednesday at 11 they have a storytime there about some different kind of animal. It's really fun.

Haley doing a puppet show at our ward play group.

Thankful

A while ago, I walked into the kitchen and Haley had her scriptures out with a notebook and pen. She was pretending to read and then she would write down things about it.

With all my bad habits that my kids pick up, it's comforting to know that they are picking up on some good ones too.

Britton's 7th Birthday--April 19

Britton's Family Party at Nielsen's Grove Park





Britton's Friend Party at Chuck E. Cheese

Isaac, Stephen, Britton, Derek, Ethan, and Haley in the back