visit to utah

Mendon, Utah!

We went to visit a couple weeks ago and it was so nice to get out of town.  It was a last minute trip because Ryan had some business to do over in Eastern Idaho and we decided to be dropped off in Northern Utah for the few days he was doing business! It was so nice to visit family over there, we've sure missed them! The area is BREATHTAKING. 

Logan Utah Temple.  It's beautiful! I love the homes around the area, brick and ivy.  Gorgeous!

I loved being surrounded by the snow-capped mountains.

The Smith's house was built in 1898 and has a huge yard.  I was TAKEN with their house. I wish I could have taken a picture of every square inch.  It's very full of personality and I loved it. 

Ryanna, Max, Andrew (who consequently looks like a dinosaur) and Dawson playing Moon Sand. 

More of the boys playing...see the dinosaur again?

Cute Kaleigh!

Beautiful Morynn!

My kids love their cousins.

They grow their own chickens for eggs, Carter loved chasing them! He'd run with them and when he got within grabbing distance, he'd FREEZE.

He kept calling them Cows.

So instead, he'd jump on the tramp.  Then he got too tired after a minute!

Taking a break.  Jumping is HARD work!

This picture was cool, except I don't know who that extra boy in the front is! After I took it, I was told he was the neighbor. How funny that I didn't even notice.  No wonder he kept NOT responding to me when I was calling him "Max" ha!

They ran around the yard, jumped on the tramp, basically wore themselves out every day.  It was AWESOME.

Thanks to our family, The Smiths, for letting us come and visit! It was a wonderful trip and we loved seeing you!

the princess and the baptism

This is the princess dress that she and Grandma Holdaway bought at Jolene's in the mall.  It's gorgeous and she was an absolute PRINCESS!

Her hair was stunning.

 Janalee Wolfe did her hair, what good friends we have! Thank you so much Janalee!

Ryanna and her proud Daddy.

Here's the entire gang at the Baptism.

(well, sans Brenda and Preston...we're tickled they could make it!)

It was hard to sit still for all 2 hours! There were 12 kids from 6 different wards getting baptized the same day.

Afterwards, we all ran around for a while.  It was nice to get outside.

Cute kiddos!

I'm so proud of you, Ryanna, for making making a good decision and congratulations on your baptism. I can't believe that I have a child THIS old!

And then after all this excitement, we went back to my parent's house for a couple of parties:

-Birthday party for Aaron, my baby bro who turned 19 that same day.  Happy Birthday Aaron!!!

-Baptism party for Ryanna

We're all exhausted!

I'm SO far behind in all my posts! Even on my OTHER blog too.

I'll get to it...hopefully!

so last week

How did last week slip away from me??

I'm still playing CATCH-UP from that dumb time change.  One hour makes a difference...it TRULY DOES!

Stay tuned this week...lots of pictures about the latest adventures...including favorites from:

-Dr. Destructo

-Ryanna (and her tonsillectomy scheduled this week)

-Dawson and the many adventures in his world

STAY TUNED...

who? with a what? in a where? (a dr. destructo post...)

Toliet plugged. Really plugged.

Plunged it. Snaked it, thrice.  Stuck our hands down where hands should NOT be...

No luck.  Still really plugged.

We found out the HARD way how to unplug the toliet...

(while you're enjoying this post, keep in mind WHO COULD POSSIBLY BE RESPONSIBLE for this...)

First, THINK about the situation at hand.  Think REALLY HARD.

Second, look at the toilet to pretend you know what you're doing.

Third, turn water off, unbolt toilet.

Next, get a bucket and lift porcelain potty onto it to drain. (Did I forget to mention that although it was plugged, Ryanna forgot and went poo-poo??)

Next, forget the bucket idea.  Instead, drag the toilet on two towels throughout the entire downstairs and out the back door to be hosed off...in the privacy of our own home and not for all the neighbors to see!

(Did I mention the "liquid" from the toilet got all over the floor!!!!????)

Hose it out...

Find what's causing the big mess...

And then find the party responsible!

Here are the mugshots of the guilty person...

I know I know!

 Carter.  In the BATHROOM.  With a TOOTHBRUSH.

Did you guess that also?

catching some zzzzz's

It was Sunday afternoon.  Cold cereal for dinner.  Lazy hazy and EXHASTING day.

Carter took off his shirt, climbed up to the dirty table, put his head down and fell asleep. 

He was balancing on his leg,

(I was watching him the entire time, if he had fallen completely asleep, he would have hit the floor!)

Silly Carter.  It's a lot of work being him and making mishchief all day long. 

fun with the fam

Monday night this week, we went over to Britton and Tena's for a very special FHE.  She is amazing, she captured all of the kids' attention and they actually LISTENED! She did a great job.

The kids all beat up on Britton for a few minutes before...

We made GINGERBREAD cookies!!! The house smelled delicious.  It's one of my favorite smells in the whole world.  Yum!

The kids rolled out the dough.

Then we used cutters to cut out shapes.

We waited patiently until...

We could EAT them! Dawson made rockets and hearts.

Ryanna made boats and butterflies.

It was a nice evening to spend with our beloved family.

We love our family!

Thank you to Aunt Tena and Uncle Britton for having us over for a very special FHE!

(I told her to smile and then snapped this picture.  I laughed as I told her that this looked more like a "grimace" than a smile!)

my favorite poem

The man who wants a garden fair,

Or small or very big,

With flowers growing here and there,

Must bend his back and dig.

The things are mighty few on earth

That wishes can attain.

Whate'er we want of any worth

We've got to work to gain.

It matters not what goal you seek

Its secret here reposes:

You've got to dig from week to week

To get Results or Roses.

by Edgar A. Guest