What a July Blast!

Well, July isn't over yet, but tomorrow we head to Oregon for an Iverson Reunion and then a week on the Oregon Coast. We are very excited. Next blog will be about Oregon. So, here are our happenings before the Oregon trip.

First, the kids have been so excited to go to Cowabunga bay since it was first started about a mile away from our house. Here is our inaugural trip. Carson and Audrey had a great time sliding in all the biggest slides and Kate loved to do the shorter ones all by herself! How fun.

Next was a trip to Bear Lake to visit the cabin - just like old times. We stopped and did a race in Logan area on the morning of the fourth and then enjoyed the afternoon in beautiful Bear Lake Country. That night, we did fireworks with the kids in front of our house. They loved it and it was fun to do together.

We visited the Utah Museum of Natural History on their July free day. It was good, as always and we took a couple of friends. Audrey took Kennedy and Carson brought Miles. The kids loved the dinosaurs, gems, and frogs. It got pretty crowded as the day wore on, so we were glad to leave after a couple hours.

The kids and I took a walk along the Silver lake Trail by Brighton Ski Resort. We brought Rylee with us, and we had a gorgeous hike, nice picnic and the weather was perfect - cool in the shade, perfect in the sun. Here we are cuddling in close for a picture.

One of the highlights of our July is going to Lagoon as a family. We go in part to celebrate Chad's birthday. We had a blast doing all of the rides. The lines were shorter than usual, so we felt like we could ride about anything anytime we wanted. This is the first year we haven't spent most of our time in the kiddie area. Audrey talked Carson into doing all of the big rides with her - and Chad and I took turns going with them. So, Carson rode Colossus, Wicked, and the Spider for the first time! Kate loved the little rides. Her favorite was the Odyssea, though. She loved the "Giant Squid". Here she is getting ready for some fun.

Well, July was also swimming lessons - 3 weeks of it! Today was our last day and they have all done so well. It is fun to see them swimming! Kate loved having a teacher - and here she is being helped by her teacher during class. I swam laps while they swam, so we all enjoyed the pool three times a week together.

Well, so much fun! Oregon, here we come!

Rain and Rainbows in June

It has sure been an exciting June. The rain and thunderstorms turned ordinary drives into amazing adventures. The kids loved seeing streets turn into rivers in a matter of minutes. They also loved seeing the soccer fields become lakes and the hail on the ground like snow. What crazy weather. At least with the rain came the rainbows.

With school ending, life has been busy with fun things. We caught an end of the school year party - in between showers. We visited Wheeler farm a couple of times, also between showers. The geese and ducks love the weather and were very aggressive to us while we were trying to feed them.

Cousin group has returned to our lives - though it is sometimes hard to fit it in. We went to BYU's art museum first. It was also their family day - and very fun. Audrey and Breanne were excited to get their face painted. We also decorated cookies, did art projects, blew bubbles and saw the art of Walter Wick who does the "I Spy" books.

It was Kate's 3rd Birthday! She really hammed it up, getting a make-over by Audrey before her party began. Here she is with glammed up and blowing out her candles and later after getting a bike helmet and knee pads. She was a lot of fun to party with! She has learned how to ride a bike this month - and she is becoming very talkative.

My mom, dad and nephew Luke came to visit from Texas in June for a week. We had a blast hanging out with them. We took a hike - but turned around quickly in an on-coming storm and barely made it out. We did get hailed on the last few minutes. My family was here for Kate's birthday and also went to the King Family Reunion in Pocatello, Idaho that weekend. Here is Carson playing Tether Ball at Grandpa's house just like my cousins and I did we we were kids. What a fun trip! Because of busy summer schedules, Chad and Audrey went south to BJ's baptism and Bridger's blessing and missed the reunion. I hear reports that they really enjoyed the special Iverson gathering.

For another cousin outing - we went to the Dinosaur Park in Ogden. We brought along Julie's kids, since she had just had a new baby. In all, there were a ton of kids with only three adults watching them! We were lucky we all made it home safely. We did loose Caleb for a few minutes, but found him fascinated with an iguana.

One of the coolest things this month was running in the kids race. All three kids ran in it this last Saturday. It was held at Sugar House Park for the Utah Arts Festival. Audrey and Carson ran hard and fast. Audrey ended up finishing about 5-6th. Carson finished strong, and little Kate was tough. She ran the entire 1K! When you ask her about it she says "I was crying". But she fought through her tears and finished the race. They loved the prizes and finisher medals. What a cool thing to see them run.

May is Flowering Around Us

Well, here are some newsworthy events in our May.

In addition to Chad coaching Audrey's soccer team, and Carson having a team sport (soccer as well), we have continued the tradition of having a family day most Saturdays. A couple of weeks ago, we took a hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon to Lake Blanche. We did great in the steep terrain, even with mud. But as we ascended the 2700 feet in 3 miles, we encountered the snow line. For at least a third of the steep hike we hiked through snow. We were only wearing shorts! We did make it to the top, believe it or not, because the kids were so determined to reach the top. Chad and I are amazed at what strong kids we are raising! We were also very grateful that we all made it back down safely without the assistance of emergency crews. Crazy Chad ran the Ogden marathon 7 days later, and got a PR. I wouldn't recommend this method of marathon training, I was beat for a week after the hike!


Mother's Day was awesome. Chad and the kids spoiled me. Here I am opening presents with Audrey, after she has taken me on a Scavenger hunt, made breakfast and a treat for me, and I have already collected several presents. I am holding a paper "music box" she created which is pretty amazing. Way to go, Audrey!

Audrey had her dance recital - and what a special event. She has gone to dance faithfully for over 9 months, and only has this one big recital. What a magical night. She smiled beautifully and danced perfectly. What a special night. Grandma and Grandpa came to be with us, and dad brought her flowers. It is fun to see her have so much fun.



For Memorial Day weekend, we took a trip to the Grand Canyon. It was a long road trip, but it was worth it! The canyon was amazing and the camping and fireside memories are priceless. We hiked into the canyon on two different hikes, and returned to the top only to regret not being able to go all the way to the bottom. Audrey and Chad made a pact that when she is older, they will return and do the whole trek. Audrey faithfully kept a journal with about 10 chapters in it. It is very fun to hear her report of our trip. We also saw lots of overlooks, visitor centers and Indian ruins; but hands down, hanging out together at our camp site was the best.

Springing On In

Grandpa took us to Antelope Island the first weekend in April. We saw lots of wildlife - elk, bison, rabbits and birds. The kids really liked it when the bison came across the road after we took a small dirt road to be close to them. But, the kids favorite part was playing on the beach. We had a blast splashing in the water and playing in the sand. It was amazing how shallow it was and how far out Audrey was able to go. Great idea, Grandpa!

During spring break, we went to Baby Animal days in Logan and really enjoyed holding all of the animals and doing so many fun things. Here is Kate holding a baby bunny. We were joined by Grandma and Aunt Carrie and her girls. It was a lot of fun to hang out with all of these girls. Audrey and Kate were excited to meet the Easter Bunny - so here they are posing with him.

Carson enjoyed the baby snakes and turtles. He got to sit in a fully restored Model T, and he loved this tire swing. A little fun for everyone. We had so much fun, it was hard to convince the kids that it was time to go home.

Easter was a great day. Here the girls are wearing the dresses that I made for them. Audrey looks a lot like my sister Jen did at her age in this dress. Carson had a new tie as well. Carson now likes to "match" Chad, so we are going to look for one similar for Chad.

On the right is a picture of Grandma's Easter Party. The kids had fun coloring Easter eggs, hunting for eggs and shopping at Grandma's "store". It is fun to do the Easter stuff, we are most grateful for the Resurection of the Savior.

Carson is 5 years old now!!! Carson's birthday party was a batman party. We really had a lot of fun playing batman games and a bat art project. Carson had a lot of fun planning his party and he was SOOOO excited. He invited his cousin, and 4 friends. One friend was sick that day, and we missed him! Audrey and Kate had a lot of fun playing along as well.

We are enjoying April, let spring begin!

Marching toward Spring

This month has been a little slower pace - and lovely that way. We played outside a ton when the weather warmed up, and we made a snowman when it started snowing again. You never know what you're going to get in March! It was a fun month to just be outdoors after being inside for so many days. We also have enjoyed skiing. The whole family has gone a couple times, and Chad and I doubled with Carrie and Mason. I am learning spring skiing is great because of the warm weather. This weekend soccer starts, so bring on the spring sports.

We attended a magic show at the library, and Carson was so into it, he was called up first to help the magician. I think the magician liked his hearty laughs, his humor was exactly what Carson likes. Carson got so into the acts and magic, he actually started going up to the magician a few times later and had to be dragged back. Here he is about to be amazed as things start disappearing. What a fun day at the library! We were just expecting a storytime!

Carson did baseball at preschool sports in March. Here he is learning how to hit off the tee. He has talked about doing tee-ball all winter, and it was fun to see him try it out. He also knew a few of the boys in this session. His friends Miles, Chase and Mason joined him. What fun.

Carson, Kate and I went to the aquarium to see their new exhibit. We had a lot of fun exploring it, but we were most excited to see the penguins. Unfortunately, because of low funding, the penguins were never added to the exhibit. So, we felt a little sad after hurrying through it only to find out the "big finale" wasn't there. The kids did like the turtles, snakes, and cool fish, however.

Audrey had a oral report in school called the "Great Brain Report" in which she could pick a topic and research it. Then she chose how to present what she learned it to the class. Along with me and the kids, she invited Grandma and Chad to come - and they did! She had quite a cheering section in the back. She did it on the Solar System, and she did a model, made planet pictures and posters and showed parts of a movie. She also insisted on handing out treats. She did terrific, and she still gets excited to learn about space.

Carson's preschool class went on a field trip to visit the grocery store Macey's. Kate and I tagged along and had a good time. They spoiled the kids by giving them ice cream cones, cookies and candies. It was neat to go into the fridge and freezers, in the bakery and look out the windows from the shoplifting prevention floor. It was a very fun trip. What a relief to be out on field trips again after the long winter break.

Fantastic February

Okay, I already did our Disneyland Edition, so now it is time to record our regular comings and goings in February.

This is a picture of Kate and I from the Draper Temple during the open house. You can see a beautiful view of the Salt Lake Valley from the temple. With the new Draper Temple, our family has had lots of opportunities to serve and tour the new temple. I helped on one of the VIP days and got a guided tour. Then in February, Carson, Kate and I took our neighbor on a self-guided tour. It was a neat spiritual experience to be there with the kids. They were so reverent and our friend, Pam, thought it was the most beautiful building she has ever seen. Then that same night, Chad, Audrey and I toured it with a couple Chad knows from work. The chaos of the busy tours at night distracted a little from the quiet reverence we had felt during the day, but of course, it was still wonderful to be there. I especially LOVED the beautiful murals! We have another opportunity to help with the open house in March. And, Chad has had a few more friends ask to go through with us. What a neat thing!!!

Carson's preschool got to tour the Sweet's Candy Factory here in SLC. That is a very cool tour, because you walk down on the floor and watch the machines making the candy. Then, you get to taste a piece of what they were making. The cinnamon bear room smelled fantastic, but the chocolate room was to die for! What a fun sweet field trip. Here are Carson and his friend Ben putting on "candy maker hats" to get ready for the tour.

Okay, I already wrote about our trip to California, but some of the best parts were seeing the family and friends. We got to hang out with Nicole, Andy and Maren for an entire day, plus see Nicole a few times in addition. It was fun to see their cute house and meet their friends and neighbors. Their neighborhood was awesome, and we really enjoyed the walk we took to the little Whittier College a block away from their house. Here is the Hall family on our walk.

Another day trip we made was to the beach. We just acted like it was summer and enjoyed the sand and waves. Nicole joined us with cute Maren. When I took this picture of Maren, I said "smile", and she did! She loves to have her picture taken. Beaches are good for the soul (especially in winter).

Well, the other highlight of California was hooking up with the Kanes. We spent a day with them in Disneyland, and then that night, we had dinner at their house. While we were there, the girls staged a fashion show and we had fun watching them model to HSM soundtracks. It was fun to reconnect with friends (who just moved there from Utah in December). It was like they had never moved away. Listening to them talk about life there and experiencing the nicer weather, it made us wonder why we were living in Utah! Anyway, fun evening, very relaxing and enjoyable.

Well, the highlight of our return to Utah has been a trip to Backyard Adventures. We have wanted to go play for a long time, ever since Carson attended a birthday party there. But, this was my first time with the kids (Carson and Kate). Carson, since he loves dinosaurs, LOVED the dinosaur theme to the play areas. The slides and tunnels were fun for him to explore, and he didn't stop running the entire time we were there. Kate also had a blast, she wanted me to follow her lead through all of the toys and slides. She took me everywhere, and the smiles were the biggest on the bouncing toys.

Well life is getting back to normal, if still very busy. It is amazing how much there is to do when you get back from a trip! I am still enjoying these cute kids. Life is still pretty good.

The Disney Edition

Well, we finally made the trek to Disneyland last week. We have wanted to go for so long, and the time was finally right. Chad and I were so excited to share it with them. We started with a 3-day "park-hopper" pass and then before we even went the first day we upgraded it to a 4-day "park-hopper" pass, and after going 3 days, we added a 5th day. We joked that little 2-year old Kate probably thought her life had changed forever to become: wake up, hurry to Disneyland then play hard all day. All week, we had short lines and did several attractions 3-4 times. Some rides we did daily.

My highlight: It was very exciting for me to share the princesses with the girls. Both were ecstatic to meet Cinderella, especially. It took us a few tries to locate her, but we finally found her. When the girls met the other princesses, they had been quiet and shy, but they were bubbling with excitement for Cinderella. I overheard Audrey tell her "You're my very favorite princess", and Kate told her all about her clothes. It makes me think dreams really do come true!

Okay, I had a second rewarding moment - and I think Audrey liked it, also. Audrey got a chance to watch the High School Musical 3 show and parade, and even got invited to come dance on the "stage" with the performers. We really cheered her on. It was exciting to hear the songs and be part of the crowd. Audrey was a little surprised it wasn't the real cast from the movie, I think she wanted to meet the real Gabriella while we were there. It was still a fun show - and the DVD came out this week!

Okay, now for the kids' favorites.

Audrey's favorite ride by far was - Screamin' over California. We called it "Screamer" and did it a lot. Here she is with Chad, Screaming, of course! We took turns with her and she loved every minute of it, except one time they did it in the rain and the rain hurt! She also liked the Mulholand Madness (Wild Mouse!), and all of the coasters throughout the park. The only ride that was too much for her was the Hollywood Hotel - Carson and Audrey had nightmares and worries about that elevator ride all week.

Carson loves three Disney movies: Cars, Toy Story, and Finding Nemo. We got our pictures taken with Mater and Lightning McQueen, we did the Nemo Submarine ride twice, but hands down his favorites rides were the Toy Story Rides. There was one that had Buzz Lightyear and you needed to defeat Zorg by shooting the "Z's". And, the ride that opened the week before we arrived, Toy Story Mania. This one had the longest lines we stood in. It is a 3-D changing shooting game, very cool and fun for all ages. Carson was in heaven in the toy stores at the end of the games. He bought four toys while we were there, all of them Toy Story. Carson also liked Space Mountain a lot (so did I). He was heartbroken that he couldn't do the Indiana Jones Ride.

Well, what did cute little Kate do through all of this? Well, she could ride a surprising number of rides. She rode the Matterhorn twice (we said "go away big white monster"), and she suffered through "Pirates" three times. But, she loved a few rides. The Winnie the Pooh ride, the carousels, the "Golden Zephyr", Peter Pan and the Bugs' World rides. Some things made her nervous, like the interactive 3-D movies but she seemed to get more brave as the week wore on. She loved the princess and here she is on Ariel's carousel.

Chad, he was a kid, wanting to ride all the big rides with his kids. It was very fun to see.