Catch up...Again!

Okay, so I know I said I was going to blog as things happened from now on, but summer has just been so jammed packed with this, that and the other that I couldn't even take pictures fast enough. Plus, my computer got a virus...twice in one week, so my blogging came to a halt. But I am back. The computer is fixed, the parties are over (for now) and I have a few minutes of breathing room to catch up.  So, again, I have 9 wonderful, fun-filled, crazy, blogging adventures to take you on so hold on tight, keep all hands and legs in the ride at all time and enjoy!!

Back to School 2010

 I can't believe summer is over. It just seemed to have come so fast this year. I wasn't ready to send my kids back to school yet, we have been having so much fun this summer and I really do love having them around. But weather we like it or not, summer has come to an end and a new school year is here.

Calli 12 years old

7th Grade

Lava Ridge

Such a Tomboy. Her entire school wardrobe this year consists of basketball shorts, and Nike and Adidas  T-shirts.  But she's happy and looks "awesome" (we can't tell Calli she looks "cute"anymore,  it's an insult. ) Calli wasn't too happy to go back to school, but I know she'll do great. She has so much confidence and can tackle anything in her way.

Sadie 9 years old

4th Grade

  Red Mountain Elementary School

Teacher: Mr. Campbell

Sadie is out little style guru.  She knows just what she likes and what she doesn't and loves to put new creations together.  What a cutie. She was excited for school to start to see all her friends. She is a social butterfly.  She was also really excited about getting Mr. Campbell this year.
 

 Gentry 6 years old

The big 1st grade

Red mountain Elementary

Teachers: Mrs. Bozarth & Mrs. Lords

Gentry doesn't care what she wears as long she has on clothes. (except at night she prefers her underwear) Gentry was so excited to start school. She was excited to get to stay at school ALL day, she was excited to eat lunch at school, she was excited to have Hallee in the class next to hers and she was excited to have 2 teachers. I'm excited about that as well. They are both such amazing teachers and I'm so glad Gentry will be taught by them.

Each year on the first day of school I have a tradition where I go and eat with my girls, especially when I have a first grader. And I can't believe my baby is in the first grade. It was bitter sweet going to eat with her. I was so happy to go and see her and see how her day had been so far, but also sad to see that my baby is growing up so fast.

Congratulations girls! I hope you have a Fantastic Year!

Family Party!

Each summer we have a little family reunion with all my dad's side of the family that live here. We usually go camping at the "dirt farm" but by the end of summer we had all been camped out, so Sharla and Jeremy planned the big family bash at their house. It's the perfect house for entertaining large groups. It has something for everyone of all ages.

Of course there is always lots of food and visiting.

Gentry and Jantzyn swimming in the pool. They found this little nook that was just their size and hung out here most of the night, having it all to themselves, while the bigger kids were busy being daredevils...

Calli getting ready to jump off the balcony into the pool below.

She did it.

Sadie on the balcony trying to get up enough courage to jump. It took a while and $10 from grandma to convince her but she finally jumped off too.  She loved it and spent the rest of the night jumping off.

Talen, Gentry, and Jantzyn below watching all the kids do cannon balls, and dives off the balcony.

After a while they decided they needed a bigger challenge and started jumping off the roof above the balcony. Of course, Calli had to do it too.

Gentry enjoying a ride around the backyard on the train.

While Sadie enjoyed the paddle boats with Trasen and grandma.

Adam and I scaled to the top of the tree house

(I think the tree house alone is bigger than my house)

Once dried off they all had a blast with the indoor slide, ball pit, theater room, and ice cream machine. But their favorite was the trampoline and the Velcro wall.  Here's Sadie stuck to the wall.  It was so funny to watch the little kids because once they got stuck they couldn't get down without help. (I think I need one of those for "time out")  

Calli got a little help from Adam to get stuck upside down. 

After a while my sister and I decided we needed to go try it out. If you ever want to know how out of shape you are try jumping on a trampoline high enough to stick yourself to a Velcro wall. It was quite a workout. Luckily no one got pictures, it was quite embarrassing as to how quickly our heavy bodies would fall off the wall.

We all had a such a great time. Thank you Sharla and Jeremy again for letting us play with all your cool toys.

Boating!

One of my favorite parts about being in the Young Women's is going on all the activities with Calli.

We took the YW/YM out to Gunlock, boating. This is one of their favorite combined activities that we do each year. Calli was so excited.  She loved every minute of it. I went out on the boat so I could watch her on the tube. She was an animal.  She got whipped off that thing so many times, but she would climb back on for another round.  One round was enough for me, once I got whipped off, I was fine to climb back in the boat and enjoy the ride.  I don't know what was more nerve racking me being on the tube or me watching Calli on the tube. She loves a good adventure.

A Day with Dad!

Every once in a while Adam has jobs out of town, where most of his day is just traveling. Being summer the girls and I decided to join him.  We went across to Kanab and then up and over Cedar Mountain.

  While on Cedar mountain right at the entrance to Zion we stopped to get out to stretch and run around, when the girls spotted horses and...

a whole herd of Buffalo.

We had a great time, just being together. The girls did great traveling and Adam and I enjoyed visiting.  

Brian Head!

July 9-11 2010

 

My mom thought it would be fun to have the entire family stay in a cabin in Brian Head for the weekend. She was right...it was a blast. I think we found a new family tradition.

We had so much fun being together and...

PLAYING GAMES:

  My sister-in-law Jen, brought a deck of cards that she had made using "yearbook yourself" with each of our faces on the back.  We laughed so hard when we saw them that it took us an hour to finally settle down to play a game with them.

Here's Adam and I. Aren't we hotties?

It was hilarious.

EATING:

Of course there was good food and LOTS of it.

Adam and I taking our turn at cooking breakfast.

Dad making his famous Dutch oven ribs and potatoes.

I love this picture. We have a picture of my grandpa (his dad) just like this one.

HANGING OUT WITH COUSINS

Jorrin, Ashlyn, Calli and Kassi

The basement was huge and had wall to wall bunk beds. There was enough beds for everyone to have their own, but they all bunked with each other anyway.

Calli, Jorrin and Ashlyn

Sadie and Kassi

and Jantzyn and Gentry.

 RIDES:

The guys all brought their bikes and took off for a few hours to ride the "dark hollow" trail, while the rest of us took a ride on the...

SKI LIFTS..

It was a 40 minute ride up and back. It was a lot of fun and the scenery was amazing.

Calli, Ashlyn and Jorrin

Jantzyn, Grandpa and Gentry

Tavin, Sadie and Jadyn

Emily, Jen Ethan and myself.

A view from the top.

All the grand kids minus Tyson. 

While on top we found SNOW.  All the grand kids gained up on grandma and grandpa for a snowball fight.

ENTERTAINMENT:

The kids entertaining themselves by doing funky hairstyles, poor Talen they even got him in on the action.

Tavin and Jadyn entertained the adults for about 2 hours with their "improv" dancing and wicked cool moves. It was hilarious.

OUTDOOR FUN...

Gentry, Ethan and Trasen playing horse shoes.

The Swing...This swing injured just about everybody, but they couldn't get enough of it.

They spent more time on this wreak less swing that anywhere else. They all loved it.

CRAFTS:

These beads were a big hit with the young and old. I think everyone got in on the action.

MORE GAMES...

When not playing cards on the poker table, or playing ping pong or pool, we found our own games to play, like...

an intense family game of "Sardines"

It was so funny watching 27 people try to cram in one hiding spot... until certain people would let themselves be known (if you know what I mean) P U!

We ended our weekend with all of us going to church down at Town Hall in our jeans and Tshirts.

What a great time we had making memories that will last forever!

Girls Camp!

Girls Camp 2010

The theme this year was "Anchored in Safe Waters"

Where each ward was a water craft.

We were the surf boards. Everything was centered around our surf boards, the food we ate, the games we played, even the decorations. This year was the best ever, not only did we have the best camp directors EVER...

Shelyce and Kristen,

 but also because I got to be there with Calli for her first year.

She was so much fun to watch interact with everyone. She is totally in her element when camping and loves it. She got the "dirtiest camper award" which fits her to a T.

We had a great time. Our camp directors kept us busy with tons of fun activities.

Crafts: we made flip flops and hot dog sticks.

Our hot dog stick garden.

They had tons of games planned to like:

Family Feud

Minute to win it.

 the Amazing Race

and a intense dot game that got out of hand...with Kristen and I taking the brunt of it.

Ha Ha Don't you just love my furrowed Una Brow.

Kristen, complete with arm pit hair and tattoos.

They even got the bishop involved and colored his hair purple.

But all fun and games aside, it was a great experience.  We had some amazing speakers, my favorite being Zack Coder who taught how to not be like Lamen and Lemuel by Search, pondering and Praying. He was hilarious.  But my all time favorite activity we did was the faith walk. It was such an emotional and spiritual experience, and I'm so grateful to have gotten to share it with Calli.

While I was at camp Sadie and Gentry was with my mom by day and Adam by night. They had a great time as well. My mom did great keeping them entertained and happy.

Grandma even picked up Kassi and took the three of them to Fiesta Fun!

They had a great time! Thanks mom.

On the last day, they went to Kami's just for the morning until I got home. 

Sadie and Raiden have such a cute relationship. He worships her and she adores him.  He cries for her when shes not there, his eyes light up when she comes around, he calls her his girlfriend, and loves to hold her hand and hug her.  She loves to go over to his house and play with him, and take him on walks. What cute new cousins they are.