Fun at the Museum

We were luck this summer, we did lots of fun things! We spent one whole day with our cousins, Shaunda, her kids Porter, Kellin, and Teagan, Brena and her cutie Camden, and Kim, in Provo at the BYU Museums. We went to the park first and had a picnic lunch, then we headed over to the Museum of Palaeontology (Dinosaurs) It was small, but had plenty of hands-on stuff, and the kids had so much fun! These boys just love to get together. Too bad that it seems to only be a few times a year. Next we went to The Museum of Living Sciences (the Bean Museum). There were all sorts of animals there, complete with a giant elephant (my favorite!). When we were done there, the kids all voted to go to the Art museum. There is some strange stuff that is considered "art" these days! We had a really great time, and hopefully it won't be a whole year before we can play with these fun cousins again!

Here is Branden and Porter in a Dino head.

Branden trying to get his head bit off! Watch out! That is Kellin waiting for his turn, with Ashton right behind!

This is the picture that got me in trouble. The boys were getting tired, and were being silly. I thought it was a cute photo, and as soon as the picture was shot, the security guard ran over and politely told me that no pictures were allowed in the art museum. Oops!

The whole crew in front of the Dino wall. My camera wasn't good enough to get everyone in, but they were trying to "blend in" to the mural by being dinosaurs!

Watching the video presentation at the Bean Museum. Cute Jace and Kellin being bestest buds!

This is the whole crew, L-R, Teagan, Porter, Camden, Branden, Keira, Ashton, Kellin, Jace.

Swimming Lessons

We signed up for swimming lessons again this year. I had high hopes after my boys spent so much time in our pool last summer and this summer. They all seemed to do really well, but when it came time to test, they all fell a little short, literally. None of them could swim the distance that was required on certain strokes. Bummer! Ryan said that we're not letting them try again next year. We'll see! I know that they can do it, and one teacher even said that if he practiced, he could move up next year. Anywho, I was proud of them. I can't swim with my face in the water, so they are all better than me!

Mammoth Parade

This year, my kids were invited to ride on the Sheriff's Office float for the Mammoth Parade during the Ute Stampede. They were really excited to say the least! I only got a few pictures, they were moving and I wasn't going to chase them in 100 degree weather!

They had a great time throwing candy, and when they got to the end, the Sheriff lost them. Yup, I did say that. They were supposed to wait there for me to come to get them, but the message was lost somehow. So, they decided to walk the 5 or 6 blocks to where I was. Honestly, it would have been OK if they had, but when I showed up to get them, I asked the Sheriff where they were and he just gave me a blank look. I told him who I was, he said he knew who I was, but didn't know where they were. I jokingly said "Oh great, you lost my kids? If I can't trust them in the care of the Local Law Enforcement, who can I trust them with?" Ryan didn't think that it was funny. I'm sure that the Sheriff knew that I was kidding. Anyway, I found them about 3/4 of a block away headed to where I was sitting during the parade. No harm done!

Here I am!

No, I didn't vanish off the face of the earth, I'm just lazy! I have so many things to add, I am just a little overwhelmed! BUT, The important thing today is that I mention that it is Keira's Birthday! Yay! She is so great. Such a happy girl, except for when she's not! She is just barely 20 lbs (my skinniest baby so far!) but is a pretty tall girl. She almost has enough hair to put into little pigtails, but won't hold her head still so that I can do it! She babbles all of the time, and half of the time, it sounds like she is saying actual words. She has almost 5 teeth (slowest teether) and is almost walking. She has great balance, but is too chicken to really walk. We've had one or two steps here and there, but nothing too serious! Starting today, she and I get to have a few hours of alone time while all of her brothers are at school. It is going to be a nice break! She'll sleep till at least 9:30 most days, I love it! This baby is such a blessing to our family. She loves her brothers and gives lots of kisses (mostly to Jace!). She has such a fun personality and is sure that she is the funniest thing ever. She and I took a trip to the cemetery to visit Gabriel the other day, and when I started to cry, she turned right around and gave me a huge slobbery kiss, then lots of hugs and more kisses. It was so sweet! She has just learned how to say "boo" this week, and plays peek-a-boo with the old people who sit behind us at church (sometimes she has to wake them up first!). It's so funny! We are all so glad to have her as a very important part of our family, and love her so much! Happy Birthday baby!


Here are some before and after pictures. The day she was born, and on her birthday.

Swimming ROCKS!

We finally got the pool out a few weeks ago, and put Keira in, after her brothers begged! She couldn't decide if she should laugh or cry!
I think that over all, she has fun!

Grandpa George

I love my Grandpa! He has always been so gentle and loving to his grand kids. He makes wooden cars for third world countries in his spare time, and loves doing it. His health has been fading the last few years, and he is starting to get really forgetful. It is so hard to see someone you love so much, get older. At Amanda's wedding, he picked Keira up as I was cleaning some things up, and when I noticed them, she was looking up into his face just talking away as she played with his tie. He was smiling and talking back, it was so sweet, so I snagged a few pictures. I hope that she will treasure these pictures later in her life when he is gone.


They probably talked for about 10 minutes! I hope that she will be able to really TALK with him someday!

New cake

This is my sister Amanda's wedding cake that I made last week. I think that it turned out perfect.
It was a lot of cake! Luckily, she was smart enough to serve the cake for the refreshments, and didn't have much left over! Everyone helped with this cake. Branden and Jace helped mix cakes and grease and flour pans, and eat left overs! Ryan helped with icing, and Keira helped with clean-up! Or really, just helped me with messes to clean up!

There were little chocolate hand prints all over my floor! I had to mop before I could finish the cake! Yes, my child is the devil! Really, someone turned the red eye thingie off on my camera!

Three little Indians, or Way too much sun and not enough sun screen!

I had to laugh the other day as my boys were getting out of the shower. I had to send them in to show daddy their bums! Put on your sunglasses for these pics!

Branden and Jace were pretty embarrassed about the picture thing, but not Ashton! He was wagging that hind end all over for the camera! You gotta love the back yard swimming pool! I swear, I really do put sun screen on them!

Cakes

I've had some requests to post some pictures of cakes I've done. Here are a few. The one that everyone wants to see is the latest, the rock climber wedding cake. Yes, this is what they wanted. Honestly, I think that I improved on their idea! They brought me the little people, these are not what I would have picked! This one could be on cakewrecks!

I don't have finished pictures of this next one, it had Gerber daises on top and I think scattered around it. This is the point I got it to.

This is one I did with my sister for one of my old neighbors.

The baby's screaming, so I'll have to make this one to be continued...

Cinderella baby!

Keira was in her first pagaent, and won! I shouldn't be surprised, after all, she is the cutest baby ever! She won the Central Utah prelimanary. The state competition is in two weeks in Richfield. Ryan wants me to take her so that we can show her off. He's not proud! She was in the local paper with her little tiara, giant trophy and "Cinderella Infant" banner. What a cutie! Oh, and pay no attention to the giant lady holding her!

Fun with Jace

Jace's First grade class put on a fun program this year. It was all about being a Terrific Kid. Jace's part was the song Happy Wanderer. He did a great job playing a hobo!

The first grade also got to go on a field trip to the Discovery Gateway. I got to go with Jace, and it was worth the drive! I am so lucky to be able to spend such fun quality time with my kids! Jace seemed to have a great time, but we were pretty tired when it was all over!

Man, he is a cute kid!

Easter IS in May, and don't tell me it isn't!

We had a really fun Easter this year. With all of the egg hunts, the spilling of green coloring all over my counter, and Daddy at the Dunes on official business, it was a super good time! Keira has a fun time with her first Easter. She even got a cute new Easter dress. We had one hunt at Grandma Gail's house....

And one at the Retirement home in Nephi....

And then there were all of the goodies that the Easter Bunny brought.

A few days after Easter, I gave Keira a basket full of empty plastic eggs to play with while I put on my makeup. She started crying, and this is what I found! She was so mad at that basket!