Spring Break in St George

We went out to find some sun for spring break. We met up with some friends while we were there. We had a great time. This is one of Carson's best friends they have a great time together. We went hiking above the Dixie sign. This is one of the kids favorite things to do while we are there.

This was at the sand dunes and the kids could have spent days there. I got my first sunburn of the season here.

It was nice to suck up the rays.

Carson and Jake spent the day digging holes. I can't believe how far down they got.

Here is Natalee's impression of a mermaid. She looked really cute.

Las Vegas Spring Break Part 2

We went to Vegas after we left St George. We had a great time in the 80 degree weather.
Of course we stopped at the M&M factory to get some chocolate. The kids admitted that these places do not hold the same magic that they once did when they were younger.

The kids actually thought this bear was creepy. But I still made them get a picture with him anyway. These are the only ways that we can legally torture our children these days.

This is at the Game Works cafe. The food was good but we were rushing out to get to our Titanic exhibit.

Here we are at the end of the exhibit. This was our favorite part of the trip. As you can see by the picture that Natalee and Matt lived. But Carson and I died. The kids loved this more than I thought they would. They are getting older when a museum type exhibit is cool.

This is on the moving walkway between Excalibur and Luxor. The kids were trying to find the Krispy Kreme donut place. Don't worry we found it. After that we stole away a few hours to spend with our cousins. We met them for dinner and time to chat. We wish we would have had more time in Vegas to just hang out with them. But it was a great trip. Any time you get away from school, work, callings, carpool, PTA, baseball, softball, piano, scouts, and just get to hang out it is a great trip for us.

Mini Me

Is this scary or what? She looks a little like me. Natalee had my sis braid her hair and this was the result the next morning. She is just growing up way to fast. We need a tall tower like the one on Tangled to keep her in.

Our little place in Lava

Matt's Mom gave us a gift certificate for Christmas to a little place in Lava Hot Springs. I have one of the best sisters ever that agreed to take our kids for 2 night so that we could go. Here was our little room.
The best part about this place is that you got to share a bathroom with about 4 other rooms. We laughed about that and the no TV in our room. But we really had a great time.

We wanted to give you both angles so you could appreciate it all.

The hot springs were AMAZING that made it totally worth it. We got in 3 different times. It was cold outside, but hot in those pools. It was really fun to spend some time away and alone.

Here is a picture of the Inn. We also had dinner at a little Thai place that is located in an old gas station. Lava was a fun place to visit. Thanks Barb for introducing us to this place.

Yes Carson had a birthday too!

So Carson turned the big 10 this year. We had so many different parties that I can't keep them straight.
Here is the new bike that he got. No more of this little kid stuff this one has all the speeds on it.

Here he is on his birthday morning. We wake them up nice and early so that Matt can be there when we give them gifts. That is a crazy tradition that has come from my side of the family. We never really learned to wait for things so we did it early.

Christmas in March?

Yes this is part of my catching up that I am doing. My Mom said that she was sure that things have happened in our life since Natalee's birthday. The problem is that too many things have happened. Natalee got a cricut and she has loved making little card and other things with it. She is a very crafty girl and this was right up her alley.

Carson finally got the iPod that he has been dreaming about. He loves all the apps and loves to change them around all the time.

Here is Natalee's load. Please don't ever buy her anything pink she hates that color.

Carson is all boy as you can see. He loves sports and it has been fun to watch him grow up to. Now I just need to find the pause button on my kids and life will be great.

This is the crew doing Just Dance on Christmas day. We had a great time with it. Too bad I don't have the pictures of my parents when they took their turn.

Playing major catch up!

The 4th grade ski trip, although I am glad that the kids get this opportunity it makes me crazy. Because after they beg us to go and ski all the time. I do not enjoy winter sports at all but they do have fun.

Carson was so excited about it. He has heard all about it from Natalee for the last few years. They all had a great time.

Natalee turns 12 or 16?

So Natalee got a phone for her birthday and she can text. The world must be perfect for her right now. What she doesn't know is that makes my heart rest a little easier too. I like to know that I can get a hold of her at anytime I want to. She is really excited and it is fun to watch her grow up. She only got 3 other little things because the phone will end up costing us. But she did not mind at all.

For her party we went to Fat Cat's with 14 girls. I was a little afraid but it turned out to be the best party we have ever had with that many kids. They are growing up and are pretty responsible young ladies. We had fun.

Here is the crew. They are all such cute girls and I am glad that Natalee has good friends.

Now if someone could remind Natalee that she is only 12 that would be great. She has always been a little older than her age but I am not ready for 16 at 12. Happy Birthday honey we love you so much and I could not imagine my life without you!!!!

First snow of the season

This was the first snow of the season and it was a big one. We woke up to no power and over a foot of snow on the ground. There is another storm that is hanging around right now as we speak. Here is Carson working on his igloo. It looked really good but the sun came out the next day and made it slump in a little bit.

Here is Natalee on the other side of the drive way. She was begging Matt to help move snow over to help her with her fort.

Here Matt is with a shovel. Don't let that fool you he didn't help with the drive way he only helped Natalee move the snow to where she needed it.

They had a great time and could not wait to get out there. The trees in our neighborhood did not fair too well. About every third house had broken tree limbs. Some of the trees were split in half.

But the kids don't care about the cold or the broken trees they just love to play in the snow. I would really love to be in Florida right now.

Halloween Fun

We had so much fun this Halloween that I forgot my camera every time. Here are a few of the pictures that I did manage to get. Here is Natalee and her friend Whitney at their piano recital. It was Natalee's first one and she did great. She played "A Whole New World" and "Joyful Bells" You would have never known that she had only been taking for 9 months.

Here she is with her paino teacher. She is such a nice lady and has the kids dress up in their Halloween costumes to help take some of the nerves away.

She was awesome and we had to go and celebrate with the Grandparents at Cold Stone after. What a fun night. I am very proud of everything that Natalee has done.

Here are the kids right before Trick or Treating. This wasn't the best picture but everything about that night was rushed.

They carved their pumpkins to be Jack the Pumpkin King and Oogie Boogie. Can you guess who carved the one that looks like a deer? Natalee was a Haunted House Maid and Carson was Major Bruiser. They both looked really cute.

Family Reunion Fun

Here is most of the gang up at Silver Lake which was right outside our front door. Here are the kids climbing all over the rocks up there. It really was pretty.

Natalee took this picture of us in the great outdoors. Matt was so happy to be up there.

Here are Grandma & Grandpa with all of the grandkids. It was so much fun for all the kids to run around together all weekend.

Here is my Dad after the hike where we hauled all 19 of us up the mountain to this lake. If you ask me and some of my other siblings this lake looked alot like the one that was at the begining of the hike :)

Here is my daughter and I. I like to document the fact that I am still taller than her because I know that won't last for long.

Here are the kids up in the toy loft. This place was amazing and I wish I would have taken a picture of the bunk room.

We just went up to Brighton for a family reunion with my family. We had a great time and my Dad and Mom found us a mansion to stay in. We loved just hanging out with no schedule. We had a fun family photo shoot. It was an all around GREAT time.