I've Got All My Sisters With Me

I love the ward I'm in!  I love being able to serve in Relief Society in this ward because we have so many awesome sisters that I just love.  On Saturday we had our 4th Annual 5K.  The them for the 5K was "We Are Family, I've Got All My Sisters With Me", in honor of our 2nd Annual National Visiting Teaching Month.  I had so much fun making 3 Birthday Videos all day on Friday, I decided why not make one for the 5K tomorrow.  So at 11 o'clock that night I made this one.  I'm not kidding, by the time I finished that video (my 4th for the day) I no longer had use of my right hand.  It was stuck in the shape of the mouse and I could not push the button on the mouse.  It was all worth it though and I'm all recovered!  I love the video because it shows the love we have for each other and the amazing amount of fun we have together in this ward!

Webcam Wednesday: Ummm, Yeah, That Really Happened

We went camping last weekend.  We spent one whole day riding ATVs.  While we were stopped for lunch we noticed a doe watching us.  She didn't seem to be scared as we got closer to her to try to take a picture.  Then, the next thing we knew, she was approaching our picnic table.  The closer she got, the more we were able to see that she looked very unhealthy.  I felt so bad I thought, "She needs some food!"  So I offered her some of our lunch.  She came right up and sniffed things in my hand.  But she would not eat them.  In hindsight, her familiarity with people, especially at this picnic area where they are apt to feed her people food (speaking from firsthand knowledge), could very likely be the cause of why she is sick.  It was still a neat experience.  I do feel bad for her (I've prayed for her several times since this happened-call me crazy) and hope she will recover.  Here is a video of my encounter:

Cleveland Rocks Days 4 & 5: Shopping, Cupcakes, Dancing, Swimming and Pillows Made of Chicken

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

On Tuesday we went to hang out at Station Park.  We went to H&M.  My girls been begging me to take them there since it opened.  This is how my experience there went.  I about lost my mind.  I could not keep a straight thought in my mind because they were playing the most irritating music at an extremely uncomfortable level.  I seriously developed a splitting headache in that place because I was trying so hard to tune out the music so that I could actually think straight, which was basically impossible at that decimal level.  I sound so old, don't I?  I've decided if I ever have to go back to that place ever again, I will not be able to go unless I take some noise cancelling headphones.  You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.  Seriously.  The girls found some cute shirts.  I tried looking for a shirt for Zac, who was at Trek Youth Conference at the time.  I very quickly decided that was not a place where I could find one single shirt that Zac would wear.  I especially came to that conclusion when we were in the Men's section and Addy kept asking me why I was looking for a shirt for Zac in the girls section. 

After that experience, I really needed a cupcake to calm my nerves.  So we went to Sugar Daisy and had a little refreshment.

Then we hung out at the fountain for a while.

When we got home, Addy found some science experiment kits Zac had put in a DI box in the garage.  She about made me crazy with the mess she made.

 When she wasn't looking, I put the experiments "away".  She did keep the goggles and wore them around the rest of the evening.  Even at the dinner table.

We had a little dance party after dinner.

Here is a dance video:

 Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Teresa and Lauren took Emily, Aubrey and Addy swimming and I got to stay home and take care of cute little Alaina.

When the girls got home Emily and Addy read to Alaina  and kept her occupied while her mom made dinner.

Lauren and Aubrey helped Teresa make her famous Chicken Pillows for dinner.  They were delicious.

Alaina and Grandma

We just hung out the rest of the evening.

Click here for Day 1

Click here for Days 2&3

Cleveland Rocks Day 1: Surprises, Big Trucks & Bean-O

On Saturday June22, my Sister-in-Law, Teresa, and her baby Alaina surprised my kids.  Teresa and my Brother Sam used to live in Rexburg while they were going to BYU Idaho.  We got used to spending a lot of time with them because they would come down quite a bit.  Almost a year ago they moved to Ohio.  We have really missed them.  And they added a family member that we had never even met yet.  Sweet little Baby Alaina.  Teresa and Alaina came to visit for a week.  We had so much fun with them when they were here.  My kids didn't know they were coming.  Here are the videos when they first saw them.  There was no screaming like I thought there would be.  I think they were in shock.

 Meeting her cousins

After we had lunch we decided to take the truck out for a little spin.  We all piled in and we added a few neighborhood kids as well.  Don't worry, I did text their mothers that we had them after we were on the road.  Except for one I tagged in the photo on facebook to let her know her son was with us.  Just your typical friendly neighborhood army kidnapping truck, nothing to see here.

My mom didn't want to go but we made her.

 My mom's victory stance after successfully ascending and descending the truck..

When we got home we did a little video chat with my brother Sam who had to stay home and work.  His dog, Bean-O, got excited when he saw us all.  Then he stuck his booty in front of the camera.  So since Bean-O stuck his booty in front of the camera, Zac and Em returned the gesture.

San Rafael Swell, Memorial Weekend: Days 3 & 4

Day 3 started out with the kids heading straight for their abode atop the cliff by our camp.  They each had their own "couches" up there.  They spent a good portion of the day playing there. 

Here are a couple of videos I took of them in their "house":

Here they are showing me the stairway to the underground.  This is where they fight zombies and dragons.

Steve and Zac and I spent the morning reading in the shade.

We had our own worship service in the wild.

Then we went for a very loooooong drive to find this cabin called "Swaseys Cabin" named for the brothers who herded cattle there.  The cabin was built in 1921.

We explored the area around the cabin for a while.

Zac found this awesome plant and wanted me to climb up to where he was so I could see it.  I kept telling him I was good down where I was.  But he said it looked like it was painted there.  So I climbed up to see.  And it was pretty awesome and it did look like a painting.  This picture of it below is not out of focus.  That is what it really looked like.

 My silly girls posing by the plant.

Down the road a little ways we were able to see some rock art.  If you look right above Aubrey's head you can see it too.

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It was about that time that Steve decided that if we didn't head for the nearest gas station (almost another hour away) we would not have enough gas to drive back to our campsite and then pull the camper out and make it to a gas station the next day.  So we made the long drive into town.  We needed a little refreshment as well so Steve bought us all some ice cream.

Back at camp we had dinner and then Zac made a mallowdog.  What is a mallowdog?  It is a hot dog bun full of roasted marshmallows, made famous by the Robertson boys.

Aside from the mallowdogs, we also roasted hot dogs and starbursts.  Haven't tried a roasted starburst?  What are you waiting for?  It's delicious!

It was absolutely beautiful sitting around the fire without another soul in sight.  The sky was gorgeous.  I took a video as proof:

Once again, everyone wanted to go to bed earlier than I did.  They all abandoned me and went into the camper.  Steve read his book.  Addy and Aubrey were asleep instantly.  Emily did stay up and play a game of Skip-Bo with me, bless her.

The next morning we woke up and packed up camp.  Do you remember the gnats I spoke of in my post of days 1 & 2?  Oh my!  Gnatty Batty.  That's what it was.  Those evil, nasty, horrible, awful gnats.  Trying to pack up camp with those things attacking your entire person.  While they were trying to gain access into your body through your ears, eyes, nose and mouth.  Seriously.  I'm not kidding.  It really was enough to make you go insane.  In the membrane.  

More rock art.  It is so sad that it is crumbling and this is all that is left.

We drove to Goblin Valley.  At the beginning of our trip, Steve told Addy that it is called Goblin Valley because it is full of goblins that turn into statues in the day time.  As soon as we got there everyone was ready to run off and play but I made them stop for a picture.  Then they were off.  And so were Zac's shoes.

 Then we stumbled upon an awesome spot we name "The Arena".  Steve came up with a fun game of tag.

A video of our game:

It was HOT.  H.O.T.  We found solace in the little tiny bit of shade we could find.  We were shocked when we got back in the truck and it said it was only 81 degrees.  I honestly would have guessed upper 90's. 

And at last it was time to begin the journey home.  To keep themselves entertained, the kids (and I) made stuff out of  twizzlers.

We stopped for a bite to eat at Taco Bell.

Zac needed to get out of the booth to show us his dance.  The girls wouldn't let him out so he pushed his way out.  Half of Aubrey's taco insides ended up on the floor.

And here is his dance:

As we were getting closer to home we hit this.  Looks like everyone else was on their way home too.

It was a fun trip.  I am so thankful we had the opportunity to go.  We had a great time and made some fabulous memories.

Click here to see Days 1&2