Huff camping trip

This summer we finally got out and went camping with our good friends the Huff's up by Yankee Medow!! It was a much needed trip for us and so nice to just get out and enjoy being up in the mountains. It was Avery's birthday and we were lucky enough to be the people she wanted to spend her camping trip with. We love these guys, its like hanging out with family (that you like :). We were able to go on some small hikes and both our kids spotted some amazingly close deer so overall it was a success! Thanks guys for the invite!

Hot doggers unite.

Okay so my kids didn't want their hot dogs really either...who could blame them when we were having hobo dinners (aka tin foil dinners with potatoes, chicken and the works!) But its always fun to cook them.

The mallows....of course my kids won't eat them, but they have to roast them.

Isn't he a cute Wonder Boy?

Before and Afters.....TA DA!!!

Okay this doesn't have a before but I totally wish it did! I found this gem for $5 at a yard sale. But the entire thing was covered in (i'm certain) a Million stickers! Seriously took my longer to get the stickers off than everything else combined. But I needed a new dresser for Jaq and since the mirror was still in good shape, I couldn't pass it up.

Its been about 18 months coming but our basement is finally 100% finished!!! It is amazing! WE LOVE IT! The toys are downstairs, the kids are downstairs, the TV's downstairs, all the Cedar Weddings STUFF and computer is downstairs.....its like I have an entirely new home.

I am obsessed with bins and organizing containers....If I could I would be constantly buying more and more things so that every toy has an exact place. This is close.

This was a BIG project. But I think it turned out great. I found this dresser at a yard sale for $20 and after seeing all those grooves in the drawers, I just couldn't pass it up for a nice glaze. Its now at the bottom of my stairs and I think it looks a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

Ahh the piano. Been wanting to do this for quite some time now. Never thought I'd actually have the guts to. But after days of fumes from spray paint and glaze, its done and I love it. I've now incorporated this color into my living room with red accents. Its bold I know and some people can't figure out why I did it but, I am so glad I did.

July This and That

Beautiful Jaquelle

This was a presentation I did for a stake Relief Society event. Basically we were supposed to portray a talent or something we loved to do. So for mine, I just put together a display of shoes that I love, worn in things that I love to do. (and then of course my kid's shoes too, cause I love them too :)

Aren't they cute? They really are such good friends


Swimming in the backyard one day.

Family Camp-out in the backyard! Sounds great right? The kids of course were wired and so excited they couldn't sleep.....and we realized only about 3 hours of sleep into it that grass is not as comfortable as it might seem. But man it was a great tool of bribary for the entire week prior. :) And the kids did earn it.

4th of July

We started the day off with the Cedar City parade and got great seats thanks to our friends the Huff's who live right down the road. The parade itself was definitely below par and really was a mass marketing tactic for local businesses. But they had fire trucks (that Seth is obviously a fan of) and they did throw out "some" of that generic taffy candy....so maybe it was all worth it? Ahh, I kid. It was fun going with friends and hey its TRADITION!

Love this little delectable patriotic desert I make every so often come July 4th. I was determined too, to make it. Even though blueberries were NOT on sale and I have clear memories of Cordelle rolling his eyes on the price of said blue berries which I normally would never spend that amount of money on, but which he knew I was going to (despite his disapproval) because I had set out to make it. Once I get my mind set on something....

We decided to have some the Frisby's, Askeroths, Ramsay's, and Losee's over for some after lunch swimming party. We snacked and talked and the kids went crazy in the sprinklers, pools, and with water balloons. It was actually a lot of fun, and lucky for those of us not getting wet, it was pretty cloudy all day.

Jaq and the sparklers!

Fireworks with some friends in the circle.

Seth really did enjoy the sparklers, despite this look

Over all it was a fun and busy day. Between the parade, the water party, a barbeque, and then a separate desert party with fireworks, it was quiet eventful. But whats best is right outside our door we get Enoch city's firework show which for a small town is actually quite good! And just short enough to let the kids watch and then walk inside and go to bed :) Love this town.

SOCCER in the USG

Our friend Andy Losee decided to put together a soccer team at the last second and asked me if I wanted to play. I was actually excited to play. It had been awhile since I'd played (probably last year at the Summer Games) but we ended up doing fairly well. We took bronze in the intermediate division. So....not too shabby. I'll tell you what though, I am getting old. I have never been so sore in my life. Even after my half marathon I didn't feel this sore. I don't know if soccer is just using completely different muscles than running does, but I am struggling just lifting my legs. Not to mentioned a pulled tendon in my ankle, a huge bump of a bruise on my shin, and about 4 other huge bruises :) Still love it though.

Andy, Me, Andy's brother Ammon, Tom, and Andy's cousin Kiley.

I can't wait for next year. Hopefully Cordelle's knee will feel better and Neal might even be down here. I miss playing with them.

Yankee Medows Fishing

This last Monday, we realized that the fishing liscence we bought a year ago was going to expire in 3 weeks, so we decided to load up the kids and go a few more times before it did. We drove up to Yankee Medows about 35 minutes away and it was a beautiful sight. It felt good being up in the mountains and just enjoying the view. It was almost dusk so in the shade it was actually starting to get really cold, so I had to take a whiny Jaq away from the fish and an irritated father before she scared all the fish away. So we decided to go for a walk where the sun was still shining. Seth braved out the cold and stayed with his dad. And despite seeing TONZ of fish, we caught nothing. Maybe next time.

Sometimes I think fishing is a lot more work than its worth. And kids have a really hard time being quiet and not throwing rocks and watching them ripple in the water. I guess its good for the memories and for us to get out and to see how funny dad acts when he's frustrated that the fishing line gets all tangled up :)

Jaq making faces for the camera.

USG opening ceremonies

Every year we go through this battle to watch fireworks. What gives right? Most kids would love to stay up late and see fireworks. Seth is terrified of them still. But every year we go, we are right next to where they shoot them off and behind us is this huge brick building where the firewords echo really loud. So needless to say, Seth simply has bad memories of fireworks. So this year, we ditched our friends and went up on the hill in Cedar City and opened up our trunk and cuddled in the back. And would you know, being a little further away, Seth finally enjoyed the show! It was worth taking him further away. And we actually had a great view. It might have to be a new tradition.

STRAWBERRIES

Okay I know these kind of look like raspberries, but they are actually very small and delicious strawberries. Our strawberry plants in our front yard have exploded this year and we go out and pick a bowl full of yummy strawberries every day. The kids LOVE finding them and they make the coolest ground cover out front. Now if I could only get my raspberries to grow.

I love these kids!

Seth and Jaq have become the best of friends. Seriously. They play with each other all day long. I sometimes feel bad that I don't invite more friends over for Seth to play with but really he and Jaquelle get along so well that I don't really need to. They are so cute together. My favorite things are listening to Seth explain every day things or words to Jaquelle and her just eating it all up. Jaq is imagining and adding her side of play right along with Seth. They really are so entertaining just to watch together.

Check out this shiner

While we were gone Seth was playing Tball with a neighbor kid in our backyard. Seth told me later that he had to ask him a question and decided to do so right when the kid swung the solid t-ball bat and smacked Seth right in the eye. Poor kid. We skyped them from AZ the night it happened and he just seemed so sad. But the next day when we came home he was just fine, just had a pretty good shiner from it for about a week.This picture makes him looked drugged too, but I think it was just my flash that made him close his eyes half way.