Things you might have missed

june 2011

 Kersten's work had a trivia contest.

And Team Ninja Zombie reached the final 2.

Do you LOVE their t-shirts?

Pure luck that Kersten got questions he for sure knew about

like Arrested Development and Green Day.

And as luck would have it THEY WON

and he got a gift card to the movie theatre that basically

we could take our family to 2 movies a month.

This is how we saw Pirates, Smurfs, Harry Potter, Cars 2, The boys saw Transformers,

Noah and I saw Captain America, X-Men First Class etc

So we really took advantage of this card and even got popcorn too.

We still have a bit on it and we are saving it.

We are a movie loving family so it has been an extra treat this summer and on.

Aug 2011

 Yes. this is our family at a Mustache Party.

We look totally awesome.

Everyone at Grahams birthday had to wear a mustache.

Maybe for my birthday I will have a 

Aug 2011

 An In-N-Out Burger opened close to our house.

Everyday we would drive past it.

Noah would update us on it's progress and what was new.

We have gone a couple times since it opened.

On one of the visits our kids received Hats.

For 3 days straight my kids played In-N-Out

they would take orders and make burgers.

I heard them laughing so hard once and when I asked them what happened

Apparently, Phineas and Ferb's dad (Lawrence Fletcher)

kept coming in trying to order a chicken salad.

And they only serve burgers.

It was hysterical and they were entertained for days.

Sept 2011

Hooray!

We got a new car, a Honda Pilot 2005.

My Corolla had 3 big things break in a week.

So we traded it in.

LOVE my new car.

I love the space, the way it drives.

It makes me happy.

Noah and Sofia named it the BHB

the Blue Honey Badger.

The Honey Badger is the fiercest in the animal kingdom.

Just ask YouTube. 

Sept 20,2011

 Sofia went on her first field trip to the Apple Orchard.

Her cousin Kaitlyn went to her preschool last year and came with us.

It was super fun.

We went on a hay ride and got to pick apples and leaves.

She was really excited to meet the farmer.

And was very disappointed when Farmer Randy

did not wear a hat and overall.

Sept 21,2011

For Amy's Birthday all she wanted was 

The Captain Jack Sparrow Barbie.

We went on a treasure hunt to find him.

It was delightful and delicious.  

We found him and he is absolutely beautiful.

I collect Barbies too and have not wanted one for awhile.

But Johnny Depp is just to beautiful for words.

In all forms including Barbie form. 

Sept 2011

 Sofia loves her picture taken.

She wanted a picture in the new car

Pretending to sleep.

She usually wears her jammies to drop Noah off unless it is a school day for her.

Silly little woman.

Sept 23,2011

 Noah class learned about the Constitution.

His whole class can recite the Preamble 

and do it in Sign Language.

It was really impressive.

They went on a Field Trip to the State Capital

and had to dress up like one of the delegates from 

the Constitutional Convention.

Noah was assigned a delegate from Virginia

named Edmund Randolph.

He could not make up his mind so he didn't sign.

Luckily we have hookups.

Papa Al has period clothes.

So everything but Noah's socks and shoes are period.

He was the hero in school.

I came in the day before to show them the clothes and a powdered horn.

I love the hat.  I think he looks rather dashing!  Don't You?

Attempted Family Togetherness

Over the weekend,  Kerst and I had a fabulous idea of going on a little hike up to Donut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Noah had been begging for 4 days to go up into the mountains.  So we went up in the afternoon to go on a short hike.   It seemed like it would be successful

From the beginning it looked like we had one little person not very happy about the prospect of walking in the mountains.

Screaming, crying,  complete fit throwing.    We made it a few hundred feet before we figured there was no way we were going to enjoy this hike.

We left sad and bitterly disappointed that we did not get to go on our hike.  It was a lesson for all of us how one person can make a difference in every situation.  We talked about different situations where what your attitude is makes a difference.  And examples of when each of us made a good or bad difference to our family.  Sofia fell asleep on the way down the canyon and stayed asleep which in itself is a miracle.  She slept for over 2 hours.  I think that is what she needed most.  Noah still talks about it. And we will try again this coming weekend

Our Trip to Washington

Seattle

Highlights

Here we are at the top of the Space Needle

Sci fi museum- which was super cool

I mean look at this Storm Trooper

 R2D2

The Supremes Clothes Exhibit

at The Music Experience

They were tiny women.  Beautiful Clothes

Sofia's favorite part of any of the museums.

Trampoline Fun

 Noah really wanted to see the Ocean.

and he says this day was his favorite part

Other than playing with his new friends

Sofia's First time at the Ocean

 Kersten saw his cousin Mason.

We spent the day with him at the beach/park.

Went on a double date with Care and Lincoln.

We saw Inception.   So amazing everyone should see it.

AND went to dinner at Iver's.

We celebrated Kersten's birthday that night.

This was my favorite part of the trip.

Isn't my best friend so beautiful?

Our Hosts for the trip.

They really made us feel welcome.  

It was a bit of paradise

Kersten had steak and Crab legs for his bday dinner.  I love the bib

On Kersten's actual birthday we went to Pike's Market.

We started out with Carrie making us yummy waffles.

I love the energy and all the venders.

Noah loved seeing a big salmon.

Kersten's childhood fantasy comes true.

and some of my more recent fantasies come true.

We had about 5 random people comment on how cute that little

girl with her curly hair was on her daddy's back.

We played a lot of Wi

the boys got along so well,  it seems so meant to be.

My sweet husband watched the kids for us so that Carrie 

and I could go shopping and go to lunch.

It is like coming home being with my friend.

I just don't know what I would do without her.

Can you stand this baby?

I mean this Maggie just has me smitten.

and my entire fam as well.

she is a frequent topic at our house now.

Oh,  I just want to squeeze her again.  

All the kids in one place.  

We really did just have so so much fun.  

It was just fabulous.

Thanks again for housing our little brood.

We're Back

Hey, I know you have missed me!

The last nine days we have been away visiting my best friend Carrie and her husband Lincoln and crowd in Washington.  It was heaven on earth.  We had a fantastic time.  Playing and cruising around Seattle, lounging around her house,  having fantastic conversations,  the kids were totally entertained and  we just loved every minute.  I will update on our trip later.  I have a lot of unpacking to do and a first grader to get ready for school that starts tomorrow.  Craziness. 

Busy Summer

Here is a sampling of what we have been doing the last couple weeks.
Warning: this might be a bit long

It has been super fun but busy and we Love it.

Wheeler Farm

July 21

with my 3 beautiful cousins from TX

and some of my nieces and nephews.

I love how in this picture the 3 youngest kids are playing

and the older kids are standing together like we asked.

We fed the ducks and one of them had 5 babies following her around.

The kids were entranced.  Even the older ones.

Thank goodness for Amy who brought 3 loafs of bread

We looked at all the animals. 

Reveled in the pigs, petted the bunnies and ahhed at the baby calfs.

And sat on a tractor.

We ate a yummy collective picnic by the stream.

Laugh, talked and played in the water.

We gathered and piled rocks.

Jumped over the stream and got scolded for it

It really was a very love afternoon.

It was good to be with 2 of my sisters. 

Love Wheeler Farm.

Primary Parade and Carnival

Evening July 21

 

Noah rode his bike that same evening in the Primary Parade.

This was a big moment.

He struggles with pedaling.

He rode it all the way to church and in the parade.

He admitted for the first time this summer 

that bike riding is fun.

(On his job chart, he has to practice on his bike everyday

I know I am the meanest mom)

Afterwards, our ward has a tradition of having a big carnival.

It was awesome and everyone in our neighborhood is involved.

They had pony rides.

Noah had so much fun riding his bike 

He had to wear his helmet all night.

 

First time Sofia has ridden a pony.

She loved it and wanted to do it again and again. 

 A big slide,  cotton candy, snow cones, a dunk tank,

hot dogs, pot luck,  a fishing pond, beanbag games, duck pond.

Sofia actually fell in the duck pond and got soaking wet.

So Kersten took her home so Noah could play longer.

It seriously was super fun.

I really really love our ward.

Swimming Lessons

Noah is rock'n it this year.

And Sofia it has to be her idea.

  If the teacher changes than no way.

A Treat?

At the grocery store today in the produce section
I picked out some onions
Got some grapes
and moved onto vegetables

I said to the kids,
"Should we gets some cucumbers as a Treat for dinner?"

And they both broke out into spontaneous cheers of Yes.
Sofia even did a little dance.

Noah pipes in
"Hey, Mom, can we get some celery as a treat?
and we need Raisins."
I want to make Ants on a Log."

And you cannot say No to a request like that.

I received some interesting looks from a couple and another woman in the aisle.
It probably was because if you looked in my cart there were plenty of "Real Treats"
such as Popsicles,  Scooby snacks, marshmellows and assorted candy for Kersten's candy addiction.
Hah,  I love it.

Cabin Anniversary 2010

Last weekend for our anniversary

We went to the place of our honeymoon.

We had so much fun just being together as a family. 

here is our family at the park.  

This is our normal.  

We went on lots of walks

We tried to take a family picture of our shadows,

This is the best one of all four of us.

Sofia was not cooperating very well.

We read lots of books.

Colored lots of pictures.

Ate lots of food 

and watched lots of movies.

Nik and Lena came up to visit.

We went to the park and played.

Colored lots and ate nachos.

We love playing with our aunt and uncle.

We even ate lunch at Granny's.

Swings were a huge hit.

I was amazed how high Fia would go.

The time to clean up came to fast.

I love this old vacuum.

It has always been there.

The Cabin is a sacred, wonderful place.

It makes me feel calm and loved.

It always revives me to go there.