Warren Week

2 rooms down, a whole house left to go!

2012-02-17T16:04:00.000-08:00

Well it has taken me long enough, but we finally finished both of the kid's rooms! Thanks to the motivation and talents of my sisters and Mom, I got something done. I couldn't have done it without them!

The Camping Room

When Brandon was born, my Mom made this quilt with a camping theme. She thought it would make for a cute and fun room for the boys. Then my sisters took off with the idea, and pretty much created the room. One sister even came home with a huge tree branch for the curtain rod:) I'll have to get a close up picture of the curtains and post that later.

Adam loved helping

Mountain theme with pictures of the boys camping

The cute pictures one of my sisters made

Brandon's moose pillow pet that he loves

The height chart one of my sister's made. The boys love it!

Ashley's Room

Ashley's room also evolved from the quilt. We found it at Swiss Days and absolutely loved it! I really liked how her room turned out. The light lavender walls are really calming.

We painted the crib and dresser and my sister made the cute pictures for her room too. The diaper box was made by a friend. Everything just came together so nicely. David's sister also makes cute cross stitches for all the kids.

I actually helped a little with the curtains, but my Mom did most the work.

The only thing that needs to go are those awful blinds:) One day, we'll get some new ones!

Found this at Swiss Days too, but the lady custom made it to match Ashley's room

It's a good thing I have sisters and a Mom who know how to do this kind of stuff! I really like how it all turned out. Now if only they could do the rest of the house too:) H/H.

Petersen Visit

2012-02-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

It was just so much fun to have my sister and her family here from Ohio. We miss them already.

As you can see, the boys were in heaven:)

The weather was so nice, Nauni did the parachute with the kids, and we even got a good game of baseball in. Lauren and I could not seem to surpass Adam and Bryce. They really knew how to play and were quite competitive.

Aunt Lauren is just too much fun!

Our old roommate, Laura, came over with her son one day. It's too bad these little super heroes all don't live closer by each other.

Buddies and Buddettes:) H/H!

It is so fun to have these little girlies close in age.

Cousin Sleepover!

I don't think there was much sleeping going on.

BYU BASKETBALL GAME

BYU lost this game, but oh how fun it was to watch these boys get so into it.

I think they had the "SWOOSH- CECIL" thing down

Brandon was watching the cheerleaders and trying to be like them.

BYU BEAN MUSEUM

This was a fun outing. We went to their story time and then the kids all got to pet a snake!

PEE-EW! We don't like minks.

(Too bad we live less than a mile from a mink farm:)

ROAR!

Visiting BYU and eating J-Dawgs and the Awful Waffle.

It can't get any better than that!

Christmas Catch Up

2012-02-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

AND A YEAR FULL OF HUGS AND KISSES:) H/H!

Here are some catch up pictures from Christmas (a long time ago I know!)

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

I've never seen a kid get so excited about clothes!!

Ashley's blanket that Grandma made

Are we BYU fans or what?

Christmas at Grandma's

(Unfortunately, I didn't get too many pictures here)

Grandma made the girls these princess dresses.

Adam loved his "real" tool set.

Acting out the Nativity

This is one of my favorite traditions.

Adam took his role as wiseman very seriously

Ashley was Baby Jesus

I love how they are all surrounding "Baby Jesus."

Christmas with Nauni and Papa Jones

Jordan, Amber, and Katalyn came down, so it was fun to spend some time with them.

Christmas was on Sunday this year, so the boys got to get all dressed up. They looked so handsome.

Anxiously awaiting to open presents!!

The Nerf Swords were a "hit!"

I think Ashley liked her pillow. She has got a little smile there:)

Video Conference with the fam in Ohio and South Carolina

Wrestle Time with Uncle Jordan

Sleep Over! (Don't worry, Ashley came up and slept with us)

Christmas Dinner

I love this meal!

Golfing the day after Christmas???

We didn't get a white Christmas this year. It was actually really nice, so nice that the boys went out golfing.

Enjoying Christmas at Home

ALL TUCKERED OUT BY THE END!

Adam's little sleeping cubby at Nauni and Papa Jones' house.

Our Sweet Ashley

2012-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

My sister, Erin, came and took these sweet pictures of Ashley when she was 3 weeks old. I am just now getting around to posting them. Erin did such a great job and we appreciate her taking the time to always do this for our kids.

Are we done yet??

I love this one because Ashley always has her head resting on her hand.

Ashley has been such a good baby and we just love having her in our home!

MEANWHILE... The boys had to get some pictures of their own, doing their thing:)

I love the look on his face in this picture!

They sure know how to be good little super heroes that is for sure.

Go Cougs!

2012-01-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the exciting finish to the BYU Bowl Game

BYU: 24, Tulsa: 21

Otherwise, we would have looked like this:) H/H!

GO COUGARS!

Oh Christmas Tree

2011-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

We found our perfect tree and then got it ready for our traditional sleep under the tree night!

Both Adam and Brandon got in on the fun of getting the tree ready. I didn't know about them handling the saws until seeing the pictures. It's amazing we didn't get stiches that day too:)

Adam was so excited about sleeping under the tree. He talked about it all week and kept asking when we were going to get our tree and decorate it.

We had a fun night. We turned on our fireplace, ate popcorn, and enjoyed a movie together.

When they finally went to sleep, (H/H), they slept great!

In the morning, we listened to Christmas music and ate a big yummy breakfast!

When we were done, Adam asked if we could sleep under the tree every night. I love having a fun tradition that the kids look forward too. David is always a good sport and just goes along with it all!

Urgent Care

2011-12-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Poor Brandon was jumping, running, and spinning around (showing off) when he fell and hit his head right on the edge of our cousin's couch! The couch was even padded, and yet he must have hit it just right, because low and behold, here was the result:

Yes I panicked. As a mom you always think you will be calm and collected when these things happen, but when it is your own child, it is a different story! Seeing a hole in my child's head with him screaming and bleeding, was terrifying for me. Luckily, others jumped in and helped and we quickly realized he was going to be okay.

We ran him over to a Children's Insta Care. The holding him down part was the most traumatic part. That was the only way for them to get the stiches in, but after a Disney Movie, 3 stiches, and a sticker, he was hopping and skipping around as we left.

Turkey Day

2011-11-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Luckily, Ashley came soon enough that we were able to enjoy some of the festivities with family.

Ahhh.. a much needed nap!

Dinner at Nauni and Papa Jones'

All our dinners were delicious and we appreciated everyone in making them for us. I didn't do much helping this year with having the new baby, but we enjoyed the time we were able to spend together and for the yummy, yummy food!

David's 30th Birthday!

David's big birthday got a little overshadowed this year by having a new baby and Thanksgiving, but we tried to still make it somewhat special! (Don't mind the mess in our room... YIKES!)

Adam asked David what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. David said, "Angel Food Cake." Adam looked puzzled, and said, "That's a girl's cake!!" H/H! So here's to David's "girl cake".

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!

We sure love you

She's Here!

2011-11-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

Ashley Leone Warren

7 lbs. 15 oz.

19 1/2 in. long

Ashley came one week early and is as healthy as can be! My delivery went really well. At my midweek check up, I was dialted to a 5 and 80-90% effaced, so we were nervous about how fast my labor would go when it got going, but everything worked out just great. I woke up at 1:20am with some minor contractions 6-7 minutes a part, so we monitored them for an hour and then called my mom to come on over. We got to the hospital at 3:15am and I was at a 6. They gave me an epidural at 4:15am and then broke my water at 4:50am. We thought my contractions would really pick up after breaking my water, but they actually declined to like 10-12 minutes a part. I was so worried, but at 5:45am, she gave me the tiniest dose of pitocin and within 35 minutes, I was dialted to a 10 and she was ready. After 3 pushes, she was here at 6:51am! So from the time I got to the hospital to her birth was only 3 1/2 hours. We are so grateful everything went so well and we are so grateful to have our beautiful baby girl!

The proud Daddy

It was so nice to be able to have the kids come and visit at the hopsital this year. The boys are so proud and love their new little sister.

Going Home!

Ashley's claim to fame:

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/american-fork/donated-knitted-hats-serve-as-reminders-not-to-shake-babies/article_45a71e3b-c691-5564-be85-d3d25a63a21d.html

While we were at the hospital, they were doing a Period of Purple Crying (shaking baby prevention) campaign. The Daily Herold wanted to get a picture of a baby in a purple hat to go along with their article. The nurses chose Ashley to be the model baby for the photo shoot:) It was so sweet and she did great! I can't believe that at one day old, she already has had her claim to fame. H/H!

Let's just hope that it is not an omen that she will be a colicky baby!!

We are so grateful for Ashley. She is so peaceful and calm and we love her dearly already.

Halloween Happenings

2011-11-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great Halloween! We had lots of parties to fully celebrate. So many though that we must have worn little Brandon out. He was too sick to go Trick or Treating, but at least he had other ways to celebrate and opportunities to wear his cute little costume.

Our little Tiger

SUPERMAN!

Party #1: Ward Fall Festival

Our church had a party a few weeks before Halloween, which was nice, so they all weren't right in a row. It was a Fall carnival with chili and pie to eat, lots of games, face painting, and fun for the kids! We were supposed to dress up as Farmers, so we did the best we could:) H/H!

Party #2: Adam's Joy School Group

We got to do the Halloween Party at our house and had a lot of fun. We painted pumpkins, played games, and took pictures. They also liked dancing to Halloween music and doing a little Halloween flannel board story.

Party #3: Slumber Party at Nauni and Papa Jones' house

Nauni and Papa Jones were brave and had all the UT grandkids over to their house for a slumber party. The kids had so much fun. They went on a Scavenger Hunt, walked to a spooky house in the neighborhood, made gingerbread haunted houses, played games, made jack-o-lanterns, and ate a halloween meal of mummy hot dogs and other ghoulish treats. Then they all got to sleep in the basement and watch Yogi Bear!

Party #4: Halloween Tricks and Treats at Grandma and Grandpa's house

The next day, we traveled up to Grandma and Grandpa's house and had a great party there too! We got to carve pumpkins, eat, and the kids got to play some games. We then went to their city "Pumpkin Walk" which was a lot of fun. I have never been to something like that before and loved seeing all the different pumpkins that people had created on display. It was such a nice night to be out.

Even Grandpa got dressed up for a little bit:)

Wrestling with Uncle Mike

I asked Adam to find his favorite Jack-O-Lantern and I would take a picture of him with it. Well, he found his "favorite pumpkin" about every 5-10 pumpkins and wanted his picture taken, so I think he really enjoyed the event as well:) He thought the Star Wars guys were pretty cool too.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ONCE AGAIN!

(Now what to do with all that candy??!!!)

Brandon's Birthday!

2011-10-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!

Brandon was adament that he wanted a motorcycle cake, so we did another motorcycle party like we did for Adam when he turned 2.

The weather was nice, so we had the party outside at our park until it got dark and too cold.

Pizza was the food of choice and enjoyed by all I think:)

Brandon still talks about his motorcylce cake, so I am glad he was happy with it. Of course, the candy rocks are always the biggest hit.

He got a scooter, but is still trying to figure out how to use it on his own. Right now, he likes to just be pushed around on it and is happy with that!

We also moved him to a big boy bed! He is on the bottom bunk and got to pick out his sheets. He picked out Cars. He has been adjusting pretty well (once we took the crib down for good out of his room that is:)

Family October Birthday Party

We also got him a T-ball set for his birthday and the boys have LOVED it! I am amazed at how quickly they picked it up. They are both pretty athletic it seems. It has been fun to go out and play as a family.

I can't believe Brandon is already 2. He is such a friendly little guy and we feel so grateful to have him in our family!

I'm a Big Kid Now!

2011-09-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

Adam's first day of Pre School

We are doing a neighborhood pre school and Adam is loving it! They have already done such fun things. He has 5 kids in his class and we each take a month teaching. I will have them all next month:)

Here they are learning the letter "A" sound

Number Jumping

Singing Time "One Little, Two Little, Three Little (Toes/Fingers)"

Number Ball Sorting

Play Dough

Hands and Feet

Learning to Ride

Adam is also learning how to ride his bike. The bike is a little big, but he is doing well and will grow into it soon. I still think he likes to zip around on his scooter a little more though.

Brandon had to get in on the action too:)

Here are a couple of videos of Adam just growing up. The one above is him riding his bike, and the one below is him doing a flip at Kangaroo Zoo.

Birthday Boy!

2011-09-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Adam!

Adam started out his day waking up to balloons on his door.

Kangaroo Zoo

When David got off work, we went over to Kangaroo Zoo. It's just a huge bounce house for kids. Adam loved it.

It took Brandon a little while to warm up to all the bounce houses and slides, but once he did, he and Adam had a blast together.

We were even able to convince Brandon to climb up the huge slide and come down! Adam had no fear and was doing jumps and flips and "surfing". It was an active little boy's dream place. I'll have to add the video of some of his flips later.

Birthday Dinner

Adam chose to have chicken dino nuggets, artichokes from the garden, and a mandarin orange, pineapple, marshmellow salad. Kind of funny.

Spiderman Party

(Once again, David does the decorating and does a great job!)

Adam got a motorcycle bike for his birthday. It is a little big, but by next Spring, it should be perfect, and he is already getting the hang of it. He had to go on a hunt for it and found it in the basement. He was excited!

Last but not least, Adam got to move up to the top bunk for his b-day! Brandon will soon be making his way into the bottom, so we can free up the crib for the baby. I think Adam feels pretty big and cool that he gets the top.

Family Dinner B-day

Every month we have a family dinner and celebrate the birthdays for that month. Adam got to share it with Aunt Lacy and I am pretty sure she let him pick out what kind of cake he wanted:)

I think all the cousins enjoyed it!

We just love Adam so much and hope that he had a special day. He is such a thoughtful and helpful boy. I just can't imagine life without him in our family.

Triathlon Time

2011-09-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

David competed in two triathlons this year. He did a sprint Triathlon in Bountiful and then did an Olympic Triathlon at Bear Lake. He worked really hard and did a great job!

Bountiful Triathlon

Julie, David, Michael, Krystle, and Mike all did the Bountiful Tri this year. It was fun to have so many people to watch and cheer for. It is becoming quite the family event and tradition, and we are looking forward to more doing it next year, including me:)

The Run: 5K

(David and Michael had a lot of energy despite only getting a few hours of sleep the night before, because they stayed up talking all night long:) I think they payed for it later on in the race though. H/H!

The Bike: 11 miles

Off to the Swim: 350 yds.

Julie and Mike both placed in their age divisions. Way to go!! David and Michael vowed to take the next race much more seriously and to get some sleep!

Bear Lake Brawl

This was a much bigger race and David's first open water swim. He and Michael did this one together and both did really well! They both reached their goal times and had a great time.

The Swim: 1500 meters

The Bike: 24.8 Miles

The Run: 10K

David was really pleased with how he did. He got his goal time of 3 hours by just 2 seconds! Now he is already talking about doing a Half Ironman next year. He really enjoys the training for these events and works really hard. I am proud of him.

The Cheer Squad

Bear Lake was a really fun place to watch the event, because we got to see David a lot during the race and while he was out on his bike ride, the kids got to play on the beach and in the lake. They were in heaven!

We also got to make a trip out of the event, which was a lot of fun. We stayed the weekend in a condo in Garden City with Michael and Lacy and Julie.

We went to the famous Pickleville Playhouse and watched a play called "Who Killed Juanito Bandito?" It was pretty funny. We also got fresh Bear Lake Raspberry Shakes and just enjoyed relaxing together.

Bear Lake was gorgeous and the weather was just perfect. I think we may be coming back!

Colorado Trip

2011-08-29T14:31:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Colorado!

Erin and Mike planned a trip out to Colorado. We stayed in Ridgway and visited Ouray and Telluride while we were there. It was a quick trip, but we had a great time.

Nauni came with us too. She was a good sport to sit in the back and entertain the kids. It was only a 6 hour drive, and the kids loved switching between cars to go with their cousins, but they also got a nap in too.

Here was our cabin. It was called the Log Hill Retreat and it was a retreat:) It was HUGE and just beautiful. The kids all bunked in one room and had a blast. The views were great and it was so still and quiet out there (well until our kids came along:) Every night David and I would go out on the porch or balcony and just sit and enjoy. We had a full moon too, so it was just so peaceful and prefect.

Driving to and from our cabin gave us this beautiful view of the valley.

The Gang!

There were deer and elk everywhere. This morning we found 5 right across the street from our cabin. I think the boys were getting a little close for my comfort though.

Bachelor-Syracuse Mine Tour

We toured a real Silver and Gold mine. We boarded a mine train (also called a "trammer") and advanced 3,350 feet into Gold Hill. It was very interesting. We were just wishing Papa Jones could have been there with us since he used to work in mines.

Naters got chosen to show how they drilled ore veins and worked in the dark. He was pretty brave to just hold on to that tiny peice of metal while the tour guide took a wack with a sledge hammer!

Cascade Falls

We then hiked up to some Falls. It wasn't that full being so late in the year, but the kids were still able to climb up to it and enjoy it. We waited and waited for a group to Canyoneer down the Falls, but they never came, and we couldn't stay any longer to wait and watch them. Too Bad.

Erin and her kids all scrambled up to this little cave found by the Falls.

Box Canyon Falls

After Cascade Falls, we ventured over to another waterfall. This one was CRAZY! My pictures don't really show it, but it was just huge and powerful. It is located in a park, so they have it pretty regulated and cut off.

On the hike to the top of the Falls, you could see a view of Ouray nestled in the mountains. It was a cute little town.

Million Dollar Road

We then took a scenic drive on the Million Dollar Road. It was pretty cool. I took so many scenic pictures on this trip, but only put a few on. My pictures can never really seem to capture it though really.

We saw lots of old mines along the way.

Ridgway Railroad Museum

We stayed in Ridgway and went to their museum. They have a neat history of the railroad along with mining.

The typewriter was the hit of the museum! It was hilarious how the kids were all fighting over that to play with. In here they were using all the old equipment to be railroad dispatchers. It was cute.

Telluride, CO

Our last stop on our way home was Telluride, CO. It was a fun little town and the kids loved it there.

Brandon could have thrown rocks in the rivers all day long. It kept him occupied for hours!

Nauni and the kids

Another beautiful scenic drive home. We took some backroads home and got to see some great scenery.

We had such a great trip. There was so much to do, we wished we had more time, but then it always makes it good to come back! Thanks to Erin and Mike for planning it all and inviting us along:)

Rodeos and Parades Oh My!

2011-08-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

We love the Lehi Round Up every year. We also went to Heber Days. I love how each town has their own celebration with fun events for the whole family. It makes for a great tradition.

Lehi Round Up

Brandon's sweet little profile

The museum did a bird show and then the kids found a fountatin to cool off in after the show.

Let the parades begin! I think we went to 5 parades this year. I kept asking Adam if he was all paraded out, and he would always say, "Nope!" I think he has learned that with parades comes free candy:) When's the next one, Mom?

Patiently awaiting the free candy!

Showing off the goods

The kids love putting on my "cowboy hat" and wearing their "parade shirts" for the events.

David and I, Erin and Mike, and my Mom and Dad all went to the rodeo this year. It was fun. David mainly goes for the motorcycle intermission act, but I didn't get any pictures of that this year. We love going every year.

Heber Days

Suzanne and Phillip invited us out to Heber Days. William and Daniel were in the parade, so we cheered them on.

I think Brandon caught on that free candy was involved:)

The cousins had a lot of fun together.

Brandon in his cowboy gear. I had forgotten he actually has a pair of cowboy boots!

We took the kids to the Mountain Valley Stampede (Heber Rodeo) this time and it was a lot of fun. They had multiple parachuters fly down into the arena.

Heber Valley is just beautiful!

The Rodeo Clan

We ended the night with an impressive Fireworks show. We were right underneath them. It was a fun family event.

Pioneer Day Floats

We also went to see all the Pioneer Day Floats. It was the best way to see a parade! It was all indoors, free, and you didn't have to worry about finding a place to sit or park. Plus they had tons of activities for the kids, entertainment, and once again.... free candy:)

It was fun to see all the details of the float that you normally wouldn't see from the side of the road. I am amazed at what people come up with and can do.

Beach Bliss

2011-08-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

We got to spend a week at the beach!

Grandma and Grandpa plan this camping trip every other year. We camp at Doheny State Park in Dana Point, CA. This is our third year to go. I have been pregnant every year, but each year I am one month less along, so it gets better and better:)

Don't laugh at the wet suits. The water wasn't really that cold, but the wetsuits sure made it nice!

It was so nice to have a bigger car this year for a trip! Somehow, we were still packed to full capacity though, even with the extra room. The car did great and it was sooo nice to have air conditioning!!

We stopped in Vegas for the night and hung out there. We stayed at a hotel and swam. The kids had a great time and it was a great way to break up the drive.

Brandon catching a snooze in the car.

This was our campsite. It was the first year we got one right on the beach. It was so nice and a lot of fun.

Campfire on the beach

David is training for an Olympic Triathlon, so he went for a 6 mile run our first day there. He ended up taking a road that went straight uphill for over a mile. Needless to say, he was tired, but got a great view when he reached the top of the road!

We went to San Clemente Beach every day.

The kids love, loved the beach and never even got bored. They were at a fun age to really enjoy it all.

Catching Sand Crabs.

David and his Dad Boogie Boarding. They caught so many waves and just lived in the water. I actually got to go boogie boarding this year and had a lot of fun being able to spend more time in the water.

Even Adam was able to go Boogie Boarding this year!

There were so many kids at the campsites around us. One night they spent forever just playing in this huge hole someone dug. We even saw dolphins and pelicans and lots of cool ships. At night, they made friends with the neighbors and played glow necklace tag. Adam also enjoyed some Jr. Ranger activities while we were there. It is a very family friendly campsite!

We brought our bikes and found a nice trail to go on everyday. There were lots of parks along the way that the kids could get out and play at.

Everyone found time to get some rest.

Sunset at the beach

Grandma and Grandpa had to leave early, so on our last day, we went on a hike at Crystal Cove.

Then we went and walked around the LDS Newport Beach Temple.

And then we went bowling, ate at McDonald's and watched a movie on the beach.

It was such a fun trip and we feel grateful to have been able to go.

The 4th of July that keeps on givin'!

2011-07-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with all our other 4th of July activities, Grandma planned her annual camping trip at Deer Creek Reservoir this year. It was absolutely beautiful!

Cousin Time!

Can I have S'MORES, please?!

Waking up in the tent

BOATING ON THE LAKE

David's Aunt and Uncle own a boat and took us all out for a day of boating. It was a lot of fun!

I think we wore little Brandon out.

David wakeboarding and Adam imagining himself out there someday!

Ellie's Baby Blessing
To add to all the 4th of July festivities and fun, we went to Ellie's baby blessing. She is such a sweet girl and we are excited that our little baby will have a cousin close in age.

4th of July Blast

2011-07-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

We had a busy, but fun 4th of July. We started it out bright and early with the Freedom Run down in Provo. It was a great race and our second year to do it. We love that we can push the kids and run together along the Parade Route.

The kids did great and enjoyed all the yummy post race treats and drinks.

We then enjoyed the Freedom Fest Parade!

We then went to Grandma's house for a BBQ and fireworks show. David and Uncle Michael did the honors.

We also got to enjoy the neighbor's show with the big fireworks that shot up in the sky.

Adam kept wanting to light the fireworks, which made me a little nervous. Where I grew up, fireworks were illegal to do yourself, so I am not completely comfortable with the whole idea, but the kids and David had fun and it was a good show!

Oh how sparklers scare me, but there is just something fascinating about holding fire I guess!!

Adam and his cousin, Daniel

Happy 4th of July!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

2011-07-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

That's what little girls are made of!

We're having a little girl! She is due on November 27th. We are very excited and hope she can survive a house full of boys:)

Romantic Getaway

2011-06-06T15:34:00.000-07:00

David wanted to make sure my 30th birthday and our Anniversary was extra special, so he planned a romantic trip to the Oregon Coast! He even made all the arrangements for the kids while we would be gone. It was such an amazing trip and a wonderful getaway!

This is what Portland looked like from the plane as we were landing. It was just beautiful everywhere we went.

We first stopped and did a session at the LDS Portland Temple.

Then we drove out to the Coast. We stayed at The Hallmark Resort in Cannon Beach.

This was our room

And these were our views!!!

It was incredible! I could just sit out on our balcony every morning, drink my hot chocolate, and enjoy the views and ocean sounds. We didn't even have to go out into the cold if we didn't want too, because we could open a tiny window that let in the sounds from outside and sit by a little fireplace that was in our room. We were quite cozy!

Our little resort place was as close to Haystack Rock as you could get!

We spent one day sightseeing, and we drove through a little town called Warrenton. Had to get a picture of that:) There was even another town, further inland called, Warren, but we didn't venture out that way.

We went to see the Wreck of the Peter Iredale (a wrecked ship from 1906) and spent some time at Fort Stevens State Park.

On one side of this spot you could see the ocean, and on the other side was the Columbia River. We got to see where they merged.

Columbia River

A lake at Fort Stevens State Park where we stopped for lunch and did some hiking.

We ventured across the Lewis and Clark Bridge that connects Oregon to Washingon. It looked a lot scarier from a distance than up on it, but it was still pretty crazy.

Sunsets on the Beach

It was cool to see all the little fires that people made up and down the beach! We wish we had thought of that.

Okay, this was hands down the BEST BBQ chicken pizza we have ever had!! Yes we went out for seafood, but we were savoring the taste of this pizza all weekend long! Fultano's Pizza, please come to Utah:)

This day was rainy, so we took a southern drive down the coast. The scenery was just so different and stunning!

HAYSTACK ROCK AT LOW TIDE

I was so excited to explore a tide pool, but all of the lowest tides were in the wee hours of the morning. Luckily, on our last day, it was at 5:45am, so we got up and got to see the coolest things. We even saw a baby Harp Seal!

I don't know what all the different creatures were, but it sure was neat. I loved every minute of this trip with my Sweeties:) Thanks so much!

Happy 30th Birthday to Me!

2011-05-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

Ha Ha! No, I am not going through an early mid-life crisis:) The car really isn't mine, but we did get to drive it for four days on our trip in Oregon!

I really like Mustangs, so what a birthday surprise it was when we went to rent a Ford Focus and ended up with a Ford Mustang to cruise in along the Oregon Coast! It was a complete surprise to both David and I. All I know is that I will be renting through Budget again, they were great:)

STORY: So we went to rent our car and they kept asking if we wanted to upgrade, first to a Camaro then to a Toyota Camry. We said "No, we're fine, thanks, we're good." Then they asked us all sorts of questions about our trip and why we were here, etc. Then one guy left and said, "I'll go get them one from Fleet", and then they handed us our stall number. We were going up and down the parking lot looking for our little economy car, but all we were seeing were the nice cars. Finally we got to our number and there was a White Ford Mustang sitting there! We couldn't believe it and kept thinking it was a mistake, but the license plate matched and the stall number was correct. So we climbed in and thought they would stop us on the way out, but we were cleared with no problem. SWEET! It was just a nice bonus to our fabulous trip. I was a spoiled girl this Memorial Day Weekend.

Too bad the speed limits in Oregon are only 55mph! H/H!

I had a wonderful 30th birthday! David made me a chocolate zucchini cake and we celebrated with Erin, the kids, and Papa Jones. I feel great and am loving life! 30's here we come!

Oklahoma Good Byes

2011-05-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

In April, we had one last hurrah with all the siblings who could make it back to Oklahoma. My parents will be moving to Utah, so we knew this would be our last chance to really ever go back "home."

The best part of the trip was surprising my mom. She had no idea we were all coming and her reactions were way better than I could have even imagined!! It started out with Lauren, who came in first. She showed up at my mom's school's class and walked on in. My mom just screamed and dropped the book she was reading to her class. Next, Erin, Dad, and I showed up at the house that night. Mom was out picking Lauren up from a friend's house, so we went into the house and just waited for her to return. She came back home and didn't even realize the TV was on, or anyone was even sitting in the living room, or the laughing and snickering that was going on as she wandered around the house doing little things. About 10 minutes later, Lauren was finally able to convince her to come into the living room, and she just screamed, "What is going on? What is going on?" Then she looked at Dad and said, "What are you doing here?" It was pretty funny. Last but not least, the next morning, Jordan and Amber pulled up after driving all night from Wisconsin and walked through the doors right as Mom was getting ready for school. They walked in and Mom dropped her cereal box on the floor. Then we had to completely reassure her that Jason would NOT be coming, so that she would not be waiting all day for one last surprise!

I didn't think I would get that sentimental, but I did a little. It was sad to see the For Sale sign up on our house.

We knew that Mom needed some help with the house since Dad has not been there with her, so we all went to work.

All of our work must have paid off, because the house sold the day after we all left:) H/H!

We got to meet Katalyn and Claire for the first time and they were absolutely adorable! They are only 6 weeks a part, so they spent some time getting acqainted with one another.

I will miss this beautfiul house and yard! Oklahoma was a wonderful place to grow up.

It was a quick trip, but so worth it. I was so glad I could go and have that time.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT HOME...

I didn't have to worry about the kids at all. David had them well taken care of, and his family took well care of him:)

David sent me these pictures of what they had been up to while I was gone. One thing he did say though, was that he was going to leave the baking of cookies up to me:) H/H!

Easter Events

2011-05-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER!

This was too cute. The boys hadn't seen each other dressed in their Easter clothes yet, so when they came out and saw each other and realized they were matching, they just grabbed each other and hugged! I think they thought that was pretty cool:) (Of course I had to have them pose for the camera to try and recapture the moment though.)

Dying Easter Eggs

Adam was so excited about dying Easter Eggs, he talked about it all day and made sure that we did it. I love his excitement at this age for everything. It is so much fun!

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

I helped with putting on this Easter Egg Hunt and it was a great success. We had over 75 kids come and hid over 700 eggs! I wish I had gotten a picture of what it looked like before... it was a Candy Wonderland!

Easter Party at Grandma and Grandpa's

I think Adam was ready to go and had this Easter Egg Hunt thing figured out:)

Brandon on the other hand, didn't care about how many eggs he got, just about what was in the eggs! He would find an egg, open it up, and then eat whatever was inside right then. Everytime he opened an egg, it was like he was surprised something was in there and got so excited.

Who do you thing was more into this? Hmmm:)

The cousins who could come

Grandma and Grandpa also did an Adult Easter Egg Hunt. They hid money out around the house. It was pretty fun.

Grandma planned so many fun activities for us all!

Easter at Home

I guess Easter just kept going and going this year and it looks like the Easter Bunny found our house too.

This cracked me up. The kids were so excited about their candy, that they started dancing around it and just squealing. I think that was just the beginning to their sugar high after Easter!

Easter Dinner

Last but not least, we enjoyed a delicious Easter dinner at Erin and Mike's with Papa Jones. Ham, Rolls, and Funeral Potatoes are my favorite!! Yum Yum!

Itty Bitty Ball

2011-03-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

Adam participated in Itty Bitty Ball at our rec center. He went six times and got to do a different sport each time. They did such fun and simple things to teach kids the basics of each sport. I really enjoyed watching Adam and Adam had a great time.

Two of his friends from the neighborhood did it with him. Unfortunatley they were all put on different teams though. Adam's team was Team Incredible (from the Incredibles Movie).

They started out each practice with stretching, pushups, running, warm ups etc. It was really cute.

Then they split off into their teams and did six different rotations with each sport. For having 48 three to four year olds, they were pretty organized!

Soccer

Volleyball

Baseball

Basketball

(Adam said this was his favorite sport out of them all)

Football

Lenny the Lion All Sports Day

On the last day, they just played games (of the sports) and had some other activities. Lenny the Lion made an appearance and Adam LOVED that. He even left his team just to follow Lenny the Lion around! It was pretty funny. (If you zoom in on Adam you can see how excited he really was:)

Gymnastics

2011-03-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

In January, we put Adam in gymnastics for a month. This was the first organized activity we have put him in and he did great! It was such a fun class and Adam had a lot of fun. I wish I had my camera on some of the other days, but I kept forgetting to bring it, so here is what we got from one of the days:)

He got to do the rings one day, swing on the bars, and did some jumps from a trampoline too. I wish he could do it more, but it was fun for at least one month!

What Batman Does in His Spare Time

2011-03-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

I love it when Adam gets dressed up. He becomes a true Super Hero flying through the house (and off furniture), fighting bad guys, and protecting Mom and Brandon from any unforseen danger... but even Super Heros have got to take a break, right?

Just some other things we have been up too...

Spending time with Papa Jones and reconnecting with an old friend at the pool and Dinosaur Museum

SWIMMING

Dinosaur Museum

I think Moriah has a crush on Adam:) How does he get himself into these situations? H/H

Being buried in the sand was a good idea...

Until it got to the face:)

It is so much fun to get the kids out and to do things together. I am grateful for friendships that continue on even after we move!

Mommy's Little Helpers

2011-02-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Who knew cleaning could be so much fun?

I have found Adam vacumming our floor when I have left the vacuum out, he loves to clean the mirrors in the bathroom, loves to help with cooking, and he loves to dust, but Adam and Brandon's favorite is the Swifter Wet Jet. I just don't know how I am going to afford the liquid refills, they love to push the magical button that squirts stuff out so much!

You'd think my house would be much cleaner than it is with this kind of help. H/H!

Brandon taking his turn and below is Adam "supervising."

(I'd hate to do white glove cleaning checks on his watch)

Adam helping paint the picture frames for his room.

I love this stage where they want to be so helpful! I know it takes longer to let them help, but I've got to enjoy this help while I can!!

Hearts to You!

2011-02-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day this year we decided to make some sugar cookies. I have never done that with our kids before and it was a lot of fun. Papa Jones was over, so he got to help too.

Cutting,

Rolling, and Frosting

It was fun to see Adam enjoy it so much.

Our Traditional Red Dinner

We did our red dinner with Erin and Mike this year. It was a bit fancier this year with decorations, candle light, lasagne, shrimp, cherry cheesecake and raspberry chocolates, and mood music to top it off:) Erin is so good with the final touches. It was a lot of fun and really good too!

I think it was enjoyed by all and is such a fun tradition. We were glad we could do it together!

On a personal note:
Not to embarrass David, but he was so sweet and hid hearts all over the house with little messages on them. I am still finding hearts even days later and it brings a smile to my face! Thanks Sweetie!!

Gotta Get Out!

2011-02-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

January has always been a hard month for me, so getting out has been the best thing to cope with it!

SNOWMOBILING

David has always wanted to go snowmobiling with me ever since we got married. It was always so expensive, but thanks to a good deal on KSL, we were able to go up for a day (and I was able to surprise him with it for a birthday gift!) We went to the Cabins at Bear River in Christmas Meadows, UT.

We rode up the Mirror Lake Highway in the Uintas. On our way up the road, we ran into a moose! It was so cool to see the moose, but after a while, he would just NOT move out of the way! He was blocking our path, so we had to keep turning around and coming back until he finally decided to move off the road somewhere.

It was an absolutely beautiful, clear day!

We made it to Mirror Lake and ate lunch there. The lake is actually behind David in the picture below.

There sure was a lot of snow, but amazingly and thankfully, the bathrooms were still open:)

It was a great day to just get out and enjoy!

SKIING

We all got free passes to go and ski at Deer Valley. It is such a nice place to ski and we got to go with family! It was so much fun to go as a big group. Our nephew who is only 6 years old even came with us and showed us how it was done:) I didn't get a picture of him though unfortunately.

I was walking down the stairs to the lodge when all of the sudden my boot just completely snapped off and broke! Thank goodness it was at the end of the day, but still pretty embarrassing, especially at Deer Valley. I guess that's what you get for buying $5.00 boots from the DI. H/H!

ICE SKATING

Our friends told us about Ice Skating at the Olympic Oval, so we thought we would give it a try for Family Night. They let you take your stroller out on the ice and had a walker for Adam. It was still pretty hard for Adam, but he sure loved it when Dad pushed him around the rink as fast as he could. It was a fun night out together.

So here's to January (and the beginning of February): You weren't able to get me down this year:)

HAPPY WINTER TO YOU ALL

Jones Jingle Jog 2010

2011-02-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

The Annual Jones Jingle Jog

I was able to convince those who were in town this year to continue the tradition of the Jones Jingle Jog:) We ran it at the indoor track again, and it worked out great!

This picture of Ryan cracked me up. I think he was ready!

We didn't do girls against boys this year, but it still was a competitive match! No matter how much we say it is going to be a fun run, everyone seems to get a little competive edge. H/H!

Everyone got medals at the end.

After it was all said and done, there was still time for good ol' cousin Fun!

Thanks to everyone for being such good sports and keeping the tradition alive:)

Shark Day at the Museum

2011-01-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas Break, we went to the Hutchings Museum of Natural History. They were doing a special Shark Day. It was so much fun! They had so many special activities for the kids and just went all out. We will definitely be going again to some of their special events.

Shark Puppet Show

It was a cute show that followed the story of Wizard of Oz, except the shark was looking for his name. At the end of the show, the kids all got to enter in some names for the two new sharks at the museum. Adam's names didn't get chosen, but I thought his names were pretty cute. He suggested, Shrekey and Baloo.

They had such fun characters.

After the show, they got to go fishing for some fun prizes.

Most of the characters from the show were in the new aquariums. The sharks are really small, but they were cool. I was surprised at how interactive the animlas were in the tank. Adam and Brandon loved watching them and finding all sorts of crazy looking sea creatures.

Then they had crafts. All of the volunteers were so happy and helpful. They made it a really fun event.

After we did all the activities we decided to take a look around the museum. There was some neat history there. We found an old jail cell, and Adam climbed on in.

I didn't know what to expect and didn't know if we would stay long at the museum, but we ended up staying for 1 1/2 hours and the kids were thoroughly entertained!

Festival of the Trees

2011-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Every year we love to go to the Festival of the Trees that benefits Primary Children's Hospital. It is a fun tradition.

Here were some of our favorite displays:

People are so creative!!

We always try and find the BYU tree, but this year, all the trees were "Trees Divided". I guess it kind of was the last year for the big rivalry, now that they won't be in the same Conference. Too Bad!

Kids Corner

The Kids Corner is so fun! Adam remembered the bubble machine from last year and wanted to do that again.

He also tried his hand at "Ice Fishing"

Coming here is such a fun thing for the whole family. I think this is our 4th or 5th year. If you ever go, it is always the first weekend in December and don't forget to grab a scone or cinnamin roll... they are to die for!!

Merry Memories

2011-01-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tree Decorating

A few nights after decorating the tree, we did our annual sleeping underneath the Christmas Tree! Adam took this very literally by wanting to put his sleeping bag right underneath the tree, but we were able to convince him otherwise:)

Christmas Eve at Grandma's

All of David's siblings got together on Christmas Eve Day for a dinner and gift exchange.

Christmas Morning

We stayed the night at Grandma's and had Christmas morning there with her

Brandon took advantage of taking over Adam's scooter. Adam was too busy eating candy to even notice:)

Grandma and Grandpa's House

We then headed off for a lunch at Grandma and Grandpa's house and enjoyed the afternoon there.

Here was my best present underneath the Christmas Tree:)

So we entered into the world of gaming by getting the Wii. It is pretty fun!

Brandon knew just what to do, it was pretty funny. He is already better than me, and he's not even a year and a half:)

Adam and Brandon got the cutest pair of pajamas from Grandma. They were just too cute running around with them on.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the New Year!

Cousins for Christmas

2011-01-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas would not have been complete without Cousins!

This was Christmas Eve at Grandma's house.

During the Christmas Break, Jason and Jessica and their family came all the way from South Carolina, so it was fun to have our kids get to know each other a little better!

This was our first time to meet Colton, and he and Brandon are only 6 months apart!

Brandon practicing his new found talent:)

It was fun to have those together that could this year! We got together for dinner at our house and then went to Erin and Mike's to make gingerbread houses and have a huge cousin sleepover!

Adam was pretty proud of his work, but he and Ryan's Gingerbread House didn't last long!

Let the Sleepover Begin!

Nothing like a morning wrestle to get the day going right:)

We also had a Jones Soup Night where we got together with some of my cousins. While we were there, we discovered a new talent for Brandon! He did this all on his own.

Fun with Friends

We also were able to see some old friends and have fun with their families this Christmas Season!

Sleigh Ride!

2011-01-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

"Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you!"

For my work party this year, we got to go on a sleigh ride up at the Homestead Resort in Midway. I have always wanted to do something like that! It was freezing cold, but so much fun.

Now it wasn't quite how they portray it in the movies, with the whip cracking, the bells ringing, and the people laughing and singing, buit it was close enough and I loved it:)

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling,

Ring ting tingling too

Come on, it's lovely weather

For a sleigh ride together with you

Outside the snow is falling

And friends are calling "yoo hoo",

Come on, it's lovely weather

For a sleigh ride together with you.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap,

Let's go, Let's look at the show,

We're riding in a wonderland of snow.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, gidd yap,

It's grand, Just holding your hand,

We're gliding along with a song

Of a wintry fairy land

Our cheeks are nice and rosy

And comfy cozy are we

We're snuggled up together

Like two birds of a feather would be

Let's take that road before us

And sing a chorus or two

Come on, it's lovely weather

For a sleigh ride together with you.

Gobble, Gobble

2010-12-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went to Roy and Christine's and to Julie's.

As you can see, everything was DELICIOUS! I have never seen this kid eat like he did on Thanksgiving.

SLEDDING AT GRANDMA'S

Grandma had the perfect snow and hill for sledding. It was a lot of fun.

Adam loved spending time with his cousins

Brandon's Turn

Adam's first snow angel

LIGHTS AT TEMPLE SQUARE

On our way home from Grandma's, we stopped by Temple Square. It was really, really cold, but so beautiful! I can't believe it has been so long since we have gone. It was worth the trip.

Brandon's 1st Birthday

2010-11-22T21:22:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!

We decided to do a camping theme since Brandon has camped so much in just his first year of life! That isn't to mean he always liked it though:) H/H!

Here are Brandon's Cakes

We had a tent set up with a little "fire" in the background. I think the kids had fun. We even had a snake hunt. The kids got to keep the snakes they found.

Brandon's Cake Eating

Poor Brandon was not feeling well for his party. (I took him in for his immunizations the same day of the party, which note to self, was a bad idea). He did the best he could, but seemed a little overwhelmed all night.

Brandon pushed the cake off his tray, so this was Aunt Stephanie diving to save the cake! It was pretty funny.

I love the concerned look on his face.

I think the taste of sugar must have boosted his spirits.

Brandon sure has a lot of people who love and support him. We were so happy to have all the family who live here come.

Papa Jones even happend to be in town and sure knew how to make it a party!

I sure love my two boys!!

We love having Brandon in our home. He is just the cutest little guy. It is such a joy to be a mother and I really just couldn't be happier.

For Brandon's birthday, we decided to decorate his and Adam's room. We are doing a camping room theme, so my sisters got busy and made these things for their room! They did such an amazing job, I had to show off their talents. I seriously think they could sell these things... so orders anyone??

Thanks so much Erin and Lauren, we are excited to get working on their room now.

Get Free Christmas Cards

2010-11-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

Shutterfly is offering 50 free Holiday Cards if you post about their products. Not a bad deal I would say. They have a huge selection, so it does take some time to go through all the designs, but I found some good ones. I attached some of my favorites:

I tend to like the designs with only one picture, but if you want to put more pictures on your card, they have plenty to choose from. I picked out a couple with more than one picture that I liked too.

You can choose between:

Folded greeting card: Allows you to have photos inside and out and written text inside
Flat stationary card: Printed on Card Stock
Flat photo cards: Printed on Photo Paper

To see more Holiday cards, click here .

They also offer calendars or New Year's Cards

If you would like to take advantage of this deal yourself, click here: How to get 50 Free Prints

(It takes a couple of days for them to send you the information, but after you put up the post, they send you a promo code for your free prints.)

Halloween and A Pumpkin Shootin'

2010-11-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Our Halloween was a little anticlimactic because we rolled into town from San Diego a half hour before our ward's Trunk of Treat. So we threw the costumes on and ran on over. It was still a lot of fun, but we just didn't do as much for Halloween this year since we were gone. David always says that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I think I am starting to believe him:) (Maybe that is why I was so disappointed we didn't do more!)

Our Little Turtle

BATMAN!!!

Our annual Dinner in a Pumpkin...hmmm I wonder what is in there this year?? H/H!

Just a little scary:)

This video shows Brandon's little crawl. He was the perfect turtle and then Adam was sure to strut his stuff as Batman in the end!

PUMPKIN SHOOT

Our ward had an Elder's Quorum activity where they went and shot leftover pumpkins. They did some clay pigeon shooting too. David had gone last year with our old ward and loved it, so he was excited that our new ward did it too.

Jordan was actually in town for a business trip, so he got to join in on the fun.

"Armed and Dangerous"

Here lie the remains of the pumpkins.

For this next video, all I can say is: BOYS WILL BE BOYS!

Adam the Birthday Boy

2010-10-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM!

We started out the morning with him waking up to streamers and balloons on his door. He thought that was pretty cool and knew that this day was going to be special.

Later that day, we went to a place called Pirate Island for dinner and arcade games. It was the coolest place!! All of our servers were dressed as pirates and the atmosphere was just neat.

Let the games begin! Adam was at a great age for the arcade. He ran all over the place and just LOVED it. He got to play "video games" to his heart's content, because we don't really play that much at home.

What was even better is he discovered he could win tickets and get candy!

I don't know who had more fun, David or Adam:) H/H

I love the seriousness of this on his face.

I just thought the decorations were so cool. The food was actually pretty good too. Adam was so into playing though, he didn't want to waste too much time eating.

Brandon got in on the fun too

CARS Birthday Party

Adam wanted to do a "race car" party, because he is pretty into Cars. So after Pirate Island, we came home for cake and ice cream with Erin and Mike and the kids.

All Adam wanted was candy rocks! We had them on his cake last year, so now he thinks it's mandatory. I let him put them on this year. It's just funny, because if you ask him anything about his birthday, he will tell you all about those candy rocks:) I love how simple kids are.

When Adam was opening his presents, it was hilarious, because he took everything up to Erin and Mike for their approval. He wanted them to see it up close and personal on every gift. We were cracking up.

Well I think this little boy had a busy day!

We just love Adam so much. He is growing up way too fast, but brings us joy each and every day.

Welcome Fall!

2010-09-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Erin and I took the boys up to welcome in this beautiful Fall!

The boys had a blast on this trail. They just took off and we could not keep up with them.

Brandon's diet consists of dirt, rocks and tree bark! I'm sure there is some protein in there somewhere:)

The colors are mainly in the higher elevations right now, but it is starting to come down. I am sure we will be up the canyon again to see more!

What boys do best: Throw Rocks (I'm sure Brandon's got one in his mouth somewhere:)

So the craziest thing happened on the trail. Erin and I were wactching the boys from across the way and we started hearing hard thuds all around us. We looked around and couldn't see anything, then it happened again and again and we saw rocks falling from the trees. We could NOT figure out what was going on. We decided to move because we were so nervous. Once we were away from the trail, we got a better view. SOMETHING was up in this tree above throwing rocks at us!! I am not kidding... so if you are a BigFoot believer, then I would direct you this way! H/H.

4-Wheeling and Dirt Biking
We got a little weekend get-a-way without the kids and got to go 4-wheeling and dirt biking! It was a lot of fun.

So I have no proof, but I also learned how to ride the dirt bike! It was pretty crazy though, so I think I will stick to the cushy 4-wheeler for a while.

The colors were starting to change out there as well.

David and Michael: Aren't they cute:)

National Parks Pass

2010-09-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

This year we got a National Parks Pass, so we have lots of trips to catch up on from this summer. So far we have gone to Arches, Dead Horse Point, Canyonlands, Great Basin, Yosemite, Glacier's and Yellowstone! It has been an adventure to say the least. I will just have to catch up trip by trip.

Arches/Canyonlands/Dead Horse Point

June 2010

We packed up our car and trailer for this trip! I can't believe how much stuff it takes to go camping for a few days. We joined up with Erin and Mike and kids, Grandma, Krystle and Mike, and Suzanne and Phillip and kids. It was fun to all go together. Here are some of the Window Arches.

Since we had already come down to Arches in March, we went and saw some different things this time.

Of course we had a little rain, but actually it turned out to be quite nice, because it really cooled things off and we had no AC in our car!

Brandon sucking up all the water... He couldn't get enough:)

We had a beautiful campsite right along the Green River. It was called Goose Island Campground. We had dutch oven meals, campfires and a lot of fun.

It even had a bike trail within the campground that went along the river. Adam loved it.

All settled in the tent

We were so happy we were able to bring our bikes. We went and did a "family friendly trail" that had some slick rock in it. It was pretty crazy for being "family friendly", but we had a great time. Grandma's bike actually broke on the trail, and she had to walk it back out for a mile or so until we could get the car to it. It was awesome to bike in such amazing scenery though.

Canyonlands

I was excited to stop by Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. As many times as I have been down to Moab, I never ventured out to these amazing sights! Pretty Incredible.

Dead Horse Point

4th of July

2010-09-12T20:37:00.001-07:00

We started off our 4th of July really early for the Freedom Run. We got to see tons of hot air balloons though, so that was neat.

4TH OF JULY PARADE IN PROVO

Lauren and Trevor were still in town and got to enjoy the festivities with us.

These boys are too cute

After the parade, we walked through all the booths and saw this Water War thing. It was hilarious and a lot of fun. You basically shoot water balloons back and forth to each other. The kids got a kick out of it (and I think the adults did too)!

Just waiting to get wet!

COLONIAL DAYS

We have never been to Colonial Days, but it was a lot of fun. They had so many different demonstrations and activites for the kids. I was pretty impressed.

Uh oh, Adam had to have a time out! Just Kidding.

J-DAWGS

The best way to finish off an All-American Day was a stop to J-Dawgs. It is the best.

Cousins from tallest to shortest

I think the kids got a little tuckered out

FIREWORKS

We all got together at our house for fireworks and homemade ice cream. Nauni and Papa Jones were in town as well. We can see the fireworks from our house, so it was perfect.

One other night, we all got together at Erin and Mike's for Root Beer Floats and Night Games. Practically the whole neighborhood showed up and it was HILARIOUS! Just imagine adults of all ages down to toddlers just running around chasing each other and laughing and screaming. It was a hoot. I would love our neighborhood to do something like that when the kids all get a little older!

Lehi Round Up

2010-09-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

We didn't go to all the activities this year for the Lehi Round Up, but enjoyed the Horse Parade and Rodeo.

The kids had a great time seeing all the horses and trying to gather up all the candy that was thrown!

Here was the Rodeo. It was a beautiful night. Last year, it downpoured, so we were wet and cold.

We were lucky again this year to have the motorcross team come and do tricks during the rodeo. They were amazing and of course, the main event for Adam and David:)

We had a big group. Krystle and Mike came down and joined us, Erin and Mike, Lauren and Trevor, and all the kids. It was a lot of fun, but a long day for the kids.

Fun with Cousins

Lauren and Trevor came to town during the Lehi Round Up. It was so fun to spend time with them. The trip went way too fast though and I did not get enough pictures with them all!

Nauni was also in town and we got to celebrate her birthday all together!

I just thought this picture was funny of those cute cousin boys! Something must have been pretty interesting to get that kind of attention:)

Summer of Races

2010-09-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

This was the summer of races! David started out the year with his marathon and then did several races after that since he already had the base. He has stayed healthy and really worked hard. He seems to enjoy training for these big events almost even more than the actual races:)

Here is an overview of some of the other races.

RAGNAR: WASATCH BACK

June 2010

Erin ran the Ragnar too. She was on another team, but it was fun to see them both. Their teams actually overlapped, so they started and finished close to the same time and got to see each other at quite a few of the transitions. There were over 1000 teams which makes over 12,000 participants, so it was pretty insane!

David was the last leg, so he got to finish it up!

Here was David's team. They all got to cross the finish line together.
The teams are made up of 12 runners each running 3 legs that span 188 miles. The run starts in Logan and finishes in Park City.

We came up and surprised David at the finish. It is such a crazy race, he didn't think we would actually get to see him, but we did and it was a lot of fun.

People are crazy in this race. Some dress up, they decorate their vans, and they even create their own lingo. Everyone has a great time though. Adam made sure to get in on some of the fun with these dressed up super heros!

Here was David's Team Van. They were called "2 Fats and 10 Furious" (I won't say which category David fit into... H/H!) David actually got called a couple of weeks before the race to take someone's spot on the team. It was a ward team and luckily he was in shape enough to do it. Depsite the 2 hours of sleep he got, he had a great time.

FREEDOM RUN

July 2010

We ran the Freedom Run in Provo this year with the kids. It was an early morning but we got to run on the Parade Route which was a lot of fun. It was pretty crowded though, so not much room for a double jogging stroller to maneuver through.

BOUNTIFUL TRIATHLON

August 2010 Michael, Julie, David and I did the Bountiful Triathlon this year. This was my first time to ever do one and I really enjoyed it. I loved the diversity in training. I definitely would like to do one again. This was a beginner Triathlon so it was a 5K run, 11.3 mile bike, and 350 yd. swim.

David and I both felt strong and well trained, so it felt good. We did our training together with the kids, so taking off the 50+ pounds we were used to pushing or pulling made a big difference come race day. I loved training with David and look forward to doing it together again!

Now that all our races are over, we are trying to find the motivation to keep on going. Hopefully when winter comes, we will still keep it up.

Brighton

2010-08-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love Brighton! We used to have a cabin (within the extended family) right in the main circle of Brighton. It got sold and knocked down many years ago, and now a huge luxury cabin sits there, but I have great memories of going to Brighton as a kid!

Our Oklahoma Grandparents, Virigina and Terry, (who now live in Utah), invited us up for a rock hunt at an old mine in Brighton. Virginia and Nauni stayed down at Silver Lake with Brandon, and the rest of us set out to hike! (Terry brought some if his grandkids too).

Adam is quite the little hiker. We brought the backpack just in case he couldn't make the 3 mile roundtrip trek, but he did it and loved every minute of it!

We actually lost the trail, because of snow (in June), so we actually hiked a lot further and were out for over 3 hours! That did not stop these kids from having a blast though. They had so much fun.

Adam made a new buddy, Ethan. They had a lot of fun together and Ethan took such great care of Adam to keep him safe:)

Papa Jones and Terry were in "Geological Heaven!" They were born rock collectors and really found some great finds to add to their collection. (The little kids lost interest in the rocks far before these two kids did!)

When we lived in Oklahoma, Virginia and Terry took us to the Salt Flats where we dug for quartz crystal. I will always remember the many things we did with them when we lived far away from our own grandparents.

The trip back down, still in high spirits.

Adam and Papa Jones had a great time together! Here they are "skiing" in June!

Antelope Island

2010-08-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

We went to Antelope Island back in June with Roy and Christine. I had never been there before and was quite surprised at how beautiful and peaceful it was! I am always amazed at the beauty and diversity that is so close to us in every direction. I love it!

We saw bison, antelope, a variety of birds, and a lot of other fun things like biting gnats:) H/H

When we entered the park, they said the biting gnat level was high, but I had no idea! The bites welted up and were all over my legs and arms. Other than the bugs, I loved Antelope Island though and we had a great time!

We didn't get in the water, so maybe next time we will try and experience the Dead Sea of North America!

We went biking and really enjoyed that

I think the kids were beat by the end though. Who knew you could sleep slouching forward like that?

Fruits of our Labor

2010-07-28T13:54:00.001-07:00

David grew up with an impressive and delicious garden. I was a bit intimidated to do our own, because I thought eveything I would touch would die. I also did not think I would enjoy it. Needless to say, I have enjoyed it and even get a little preoccupied by it. I love going out and checking it and seeing how it grows each day. I think I even get more excited about it than Adam does.

David, Adam, and my Dad got the ground ready. It was a lot of work to till the ground. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical at first with just putting seeds/plants in the ground, with little prepping, since square foot gardening is such the craze, but that is what we did and amazingly, IT GROWS!

Adam hard at work

Garden in May Just Planted

David helped me plant everything and then said, "Okay, this is yours now!" I was nervous, so even though he said it was mine, and he was busy with the yard, he still did a lot of work for me with it:)

We got a crazy snow storm the end of May. I took this picture after most of the snow had melted, because our garden was covered with a sheet of snow. I never thought our plants would survive and was so dissapointed, but plants are resillient I guess!

Garden in July

When we came back from a trip, I could not believe how much our garden had grown! I feel like I am the mom of a newborn child or something, so sorry for such a long post:) H/H! I am just amazed that things grew. I didn't even have to do much, that's the crazy thing.

Banana Peppers

Bell Peppers

Zuchinni Squash

Roma Tomatoes

Broccoli

Strawberries

I have never been much of a vegetable eater, and don't really know what to do with most of this, but I am excited to try out our harvest. I think everything tastes better fresh, so it should be good. If any of you have good ideas or good recipes on how to use these veggies, I would love it!

We also have green beans, lettuce, and a raspberry plant.

Not all Fun and Games

2010-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

I know it looks like we play a lot, but we work too:)

(Or I guess I should say David works hard!)

I guess once you buy a home, people weren't kidding when they said home projects would now take up all your extra time. Well, we decided to hit our yard this year. We still have a long ways to go, but have gotten a good start!

Last year when we moved in, there was grass in the front yard, but no sprinklers. We did our best to keep our yard looking nice watering by hand. This year, David has started putting in the sprinkler system, and boy is it a lot of work!!

I guess I can say I helped a little, but all the credit goes to David that is for sure!

Michael came over one day and really helped David get things going. He was a huge help!

Our poor yard all torn up, but look at those nice, straight trenches:)

Our little helpers!

Enjoying the show!

IT WORKS!! Phase one is complete. Backyard, here we come.

David has seriously worked so hard and really done a great job at figuring all this stuff out. For all of you who have done this before, we feel for ya! Way to go. It will feel good to say we did it ourselves, but I am pretty sure this is the last time we will ever do a yard again:) H/H!