Are you scared of Heights?

We went to Las Vegas over the weekend and made a quick trip to see the Hoover Dam.
I was nervous about my kids being there....it's a really long way down and I'm scared of heights.  After laying down the law about how to act and what NOT to do while we were there we set out across the dam.  Pretty soon into our walk my older boys were saying that they were kinda nervous too.  I was thankful that they were nervous I knew that they would stay away from the edge. 
We were all in AWE of the new bridge they built to by pass the dam.  How was it even possible to build such a structure?  If you are in the area I would suggest going to see it.  The history behind the Hoover Dam itself is fascinating.

Watch my family on 20/20 TONIGHT!

Somehow the post I did yesterday about tonight's episode of 20/20 on ABC has disappeared.

WEIRD.  And BUG.

How does a post just disappear?  I even had a couple of comments.

Anyway....remember to watch 20/20 tonight on ABC. 

Watch my family on 20/20 this Friday

Remember when THIS happened at my parents house in August 2008?  



Watch 20/20 on ABC this Friday night, the 13th to see where they are now and to also see my very own, very camera shy parents!  To see some clips go HERE and click on the one that says something about "the witnesses to the crash".  

Don't forget to watch then come back here to my blog and let me know what you think. 

Searching in Manti

Manti Temple

A couple of weeks ago during Spring Break we took a 2 hour drive down to Manti.  We hadn't been there in about 12 years since Mark went to school at Snow College.  I also had been reading and studying some family history and had a few things I wanted to find in Manti.  My 3rd great grandmother on my mom's side is said to be buried in the cemetery in the picture but we could not find her anywhere.  After getting back home and doing a little more research I read that she is buried there but there is no head stone or marker.  I was pretty disappointed and kind of sad that there is nothing to mark her grave.  It's really sad actually, she emigrated from Sweden, and was a pioneer who crossed the plains from Nauvoo.  She helped settle Midway, where we live now, and then was called to settle Arizona.  After being in Arizona a few years she and her husband came back to Utah.  I don't really know much more about her but I wish I did.  And it's a travesty not to have a marker for her grave.  

We hiked up the hill on the back side of the temple to where these stairs are.  The kids had a lot of fun and I am still in awe of the massive size and beauty of this temple that was built in 1888.

Another thing I wanted to see in Manti was this dug-out house.  I have read in my family history and Mark's about our ancestors living in these dug-outs during their first winter in Manti.  They sit just at the base of the hill of the temple.  The stories are heart wrenching and faith promoting and I'm so glad that they have preserved this dug-out.  It was a good lesson for my kids.

If you have never been to Manti I highly recommend it.  Especially if you live with in a couple hours drive from it.  The drive is easy and the country is so pretty.  I had forgotten how pretty it is down there and just how awe inspiring the temple is.  I don't think I will be waiting another 12 years to go back!

15 Months

Can anyone tell me what Temple this is?? 

Since I'm a BIG girl now, I'm gonna start down here at the bottom
and climb my way up to the very top!

I Made It!
Now LET ME IN!

This baby sister is 15 months old today!  Where has the time gone?
Yesterday was a semi-nice day here in our part of Utah and we were outside enjoying the sunshine when one of my biggest fears came true. 
Clara was stung by a wasp!

We were just minding our own business watching the chickens peck the ground & each other and all of a sudden Clara just started screaming.  I looked down and there was a BIG HUGE wasp on her wrist.  It started swelling right away and I was worried that she might be allergic.  I got her inside and put some ice and clay on her wrist and hoped she didn't have a big reaction. 
Thankfully there was no allergic reaction. 
Poor baby cried for a while though and was pretty fussy the rest of the day.  My hatred of wasps and every other stinging insect/arachnid borders on obsessive.  If I could kill them all I would, I don't give a darn about how they help the earth. I HATE THEM!    Her brothers were so sweet and geared up for war against every wasp in the neighborhood!

This girl hasn't decided to walk yet ! AHHH...  hopefully soon, it's driving me crazy!

She is talking more everyday and knows quite a few animal sounds.  Chickens are her favorite, probably cause she can see ours out the window.  She says "Bop bop" all day and we love it. 
She loves to get into everything she shouldn't and can be quite sneaky about it.  Especially when she is in her brothers room destroying their latest Lego creation!  

This girl is the light of all of our lives and we love watching her grow. 

This Kid!

Today this kid and his friend (our neighbor) were being mischievous! 
They were having the time of their lives finding bugs and worms and putting them in the shoes of the big kids who were jumping on the trampoline. 
When I looked I saw a worm in one shoe and a rolly poly in another!  

I wish I had video of Hayden & Drew sneaking around, it was WAY TO FUNNY!

Mr. Studious

At the beginning of the school year Colby announced that he wanted to run for student council.
We were delighted that he wanted to and helped him with whatever he needed.
He enjoys it and is having some great experiences.
He also got glasses.
At first he was SUPER upset about having to get glasses, but after the lady at the Dr. office told him that they had some "Sporty" frames he thought it would be ok to have glasses. 
I have been told by his teacher and a few others that he looks so handsome in glasses. 
I would have to agree, he is DANG handsome and athletic and smart too! 
Colby is just an all around great kid.  He is very social which is one thing that his dad and I are not so sometimes he drives us crazy with his "socialness" but I think it will really benefit him in his life to be smart and social so I hope he stays that way. 

Snow Mountain Wrestling

My boys make full use of the snow mountain next to our house. 
Lately it has been the sight of some pretty intense snowball fights and wrestling matches. 
I caught some pictures of a match between Cameron and his cousin Jacob. 
Mark and I were betting on who would come in crying first.  Amazingly neither one of them did!

In the end they were still friends and they had a TON of fun!

Hayden's Valentine's

Hayden and I made these Rice Crispy Valentine pops and Hayden delivered them to his friends. 
He was so darn cute knocking on the door and saying "Happy Valentine's Day".  Someday he's gonna have the girls fighting over who gets to give him a Valentine!!

Busy

Scenes like this are an all to common thing around our house.  We were totally spoiled and maybe a little misled with Hayden.  He was a DREAM baby, slept like a champ, didn't crawl-ever. just kinda scooted on his bum, didn't walk until 18 months and he Never put anything in his mouth. 
Clara is also a dream baby but she is a VERY busy dream baby who doesn't sleep well at all, she crawls fast as lightning and put everything in her mouth!  She loves to get her little hands on paper, napkins, kleenex and rip it to shreds, eating it along the way.

After pulling countless items out of the trash that were put there by sweet baby sister, I bought a new taller trash can with a lid. 
Did it stop her from her mischief?
HECK NO!
She is a very tall little girl and she stands on her tip toes like a ballerina!  I think the trash would have to be like 5 feet tall to keep her out of it. 

This girl is a climber too!  None of my boys were climbers, they didn't even try.  So imagine my surprise when I look over and see Clara up on this chair!  She was so stinkin' proud of herself and just giggled and grinned for ever.  After snapping a few pictures I sat by her and tried to teach her how to get off the chair safely.  When I thought she was over the chair I put her down and walked away.  When I looked back at her she was on the chair and making her way onto the train table.  AHHHH!!!!   She now tries to climb on EVERYTHING!!  I don't know if I'm gonna survive her, she is a FULL TIME job.  Good thing she is lets me pick her up and kiss her to death quite a few times a day!

I know someday soon I will miss this crazy happy little girl and I will for sure miss her clinging to my legs everywhere I go.  I had Cameron take a couple pictures of her the other day to document this sweet stage in her life.  

Poor baby girl is so sick right now.  Coughing, runny/stuffy nose.  Her eyes are so red and sad, her cheeks are flushed with fever, and her voice is hoarse and raspy.  Sick babies make me so sad.  I am enjoying the cuddle time I am getting with her even if it means trying to sleep in the recliner with her and waking us both up every few hours to keep the medicine in her.  She did finally sleep for about 4 hours in her own bed and woke feeling much better & with no fever.  She is taking a nap again and hopefully sleeping of the rest of the sickness.  Hopefully this doesn't last much longer, I miss my crazy busy girl!!

The Winner!

First of all, a BIG THANKS to everyone who entered my giveaway!

It was fun and I may have to do it again sometime.

I wish everyone could win but that's not the case.  11 people left a comment, so after entering the numbers 1-11 in the random number generator I found on Google the LUCKY winner is.................

JESSICA F. who lives in our nations capitol!

email me with your address and the color of flowers you would like and I will get it sent out to you.  

Last Day to enter

It's the last day to enter my Valentine's Day Giveaway. 

Leave a comment by Friday the 18th at midnight.

Defending the Brownie Mix

Hayden sat so good...happy as could be that he got to lick the bowl.

The evidence of the goodness was all over his face like an electric sign advertising what he had.

It didn't take long for his brothers to see the sign and invade Hayden's bowl.

Defend it to the death he did.  He was not about to let his brothers in without a fight!!

Sometimes it's really not easy having two older brothers.  It's a good thing that Hayden is going to be WAY bigger than both of them in a few short years!