Indiana Bones; Taking advantage of free community events

Life gets hectic and sometimes I forget to try and make it fun! Especially for the kids. Tonight, however, I succeeded. Just last night I read an email from my girls' school librarian informing us of a free library event. I remembered (thank you phone calendars) and we made it only about 5 minutes late. The kids loved it, and I started thinking, "Why don't I take more advantage of these free activities that communities offer?" Well, mostly because it's hard to remember and get organized enough to make them happen. From now on though, I am seriously going to try harder to get the kids out to more events like this. Really this guy was fun. Even the neighbor boy that came with us expressed his enjoyment more than once. Of course, since we were running late I forgot my camera and I don't have a cool phone with a nice camera on it.
Here is a link to his site though.
http://www.storyteller.net/tellers/mmccartney

Getting Back Into It

Oh my, it has been some time since I posted here. Ok, a long time. However, rather than try to catch up I am going to start from today and only go back as needed to explain something. Otherwise I would get 4 more years behind. So, today I made a fantastic discovery. Holy cow, electric citrus juicer, where have you been all my life?! Or at least for the last couple of years that I have been using fresh citrus juice more abundantly. I found this in my mother-in-law's pantry whilst cleaning it out last week.(Oh my goodness, I threw away 3 big black garbage bags full of expired food. One box was even labeled March of 1999. EEwww!!) Anyway, I juiced probably around 6 or 7 lbs of limes today and a couple pounds of lemons, and it only took maybe 1/2 hour. Granted, this isn't the fanciest or newest models, but it certainly beat squeezing it with my hands.

So thankful for this glorious find. I may even be inspired to make a glass of fresh orange juice on occasion. An overabundance of oranges is difficult to come by around here. Also thankful for living in this beautiful place. Went for a mountain bike ride with Brant this morning, and oh the leaves! So fun to ride along the trails and hear the crunch and crinkle under your tires. Or seeing the colors flash past you like flames.Took this picture too, although our cameras just never do any justice compared to the eyes God gave me. Amazing!

I am wanting to use this blog as an outlet, a journal of sorts and a way to encourage finding joy and simplicity in the blessings of being a wife and mother. Learning to laugh harder at the silly things that happen each day, what my kids say and my flub ups; like thinking my capris were my 7 year old's pants and throwing them into the dryer. Those will be fun to get into next time around:) I am sure I will also post my sorrows at times, because we all have days where we need to express feelings of despair or discouragement. Either way, I am looking forward to getting this going again.

To New Heights

We took the kids climbing a couple of Saturdays ago for the first time this season. Here are some pictures from that. They only made it about 10 feet up, but that is better than last year. It was great to get out in the canyons again too!

Dancing Girls and Milk Moustaches

Last Thursday, my beautiful girls had their first dance recital. They did so well, and I don't think I have ever been so proud. In my prejudice state of mind, I would have to say that they were, by far, the most beautiful dancing princesses ever. Her are some pictures that I took at their rehearsal and before and during the recital.Thank you to those who came to support and cheer them on! Go Starz Unlimited!



On to Brock: I had to take a picture of him too, but I couldn't get him to look at the camera, so I told him to flex like Superman, and that kinda worked.




A couple of weeks ago, we had chocolate shakes. Check out the moustache on him. He cracks me up.

More Birthday Fun

Here are some pictures from our quarterly family birthday party.

Happy Birthday Breein

My tiny fireball Breein turned 6 today. Because of Brant's rigorous schedule, we celebrated it over the weekend. We only do friend parties every few years, but we always try to make the celebration fun with the family. So, she chose cheese pizza for dinner.And Dad's making lemonade to drink.
For presents, we gave her a dress-up, the Enchanted soundtrack, and a piggy bank, for the money she is getting from losing her teeth.(She loves to dress up and sing and dance to "princess" music.)


Then, we had chocolate-frosted, candy-decorated sugar cookies, per her request, instead of cake, but my batteries went dead before I could take a picture of her blowing out the candles.


And what more could a girl ask for than to dance with her daddy on her birthday?


We also played duck-duck goose, which doesn't work that well with only 5 people, and hide and go seek.

Let me tell you a little about Breein. She is brave and fearless, loves to share, strong-willed, has the biggest heart, the best imagination, can play by herself or with others. She loves to get and give huge hugs, and she is the best and most beautiful "second baby bear"(from the book You're All My Favorites) there ever was. I love you, Breein!

Memorial Day weekend

Brant and I gave the kids to Grandma over Memorial Day weekend so that we could go backpacking in Escalante. However, a last second check of the weather in the area we were wanting to go made us change our minds. So, we still gave away the kids but stayed home. It ended up being a pretty good weekend. Friday, we were able to go to the temple (together!), we went for a run (together!), and we had a nap (together!). Saturday it was actually decent weather so we decided to head out to Antelope Island to hike around a bit. We saw some antelope, a bison, and the normal lizards and such. Our adventure ended up turning into quite the hike. Antelope Island has really bad maps, and we thought we would end up going about 7 miles, by combining some trails to take us from the visitor's center to the top of Frary's Peak, the highest point on the island. So, the total trip would be about 14 miles. Here is a picture of the last 1/2 mile or so of the trail. Can you see it anywhere in there? It kind of turned into some scrambling.

And here is a picture from the top of Frary's Peak - 11 miles later. I was pooped.Then we had to turn around and go back. Never wear ankle socks on a hike more than 20 miles or you won't have any skin left when you get back. The views were incredible though, and aside from the biting flies which started to annoy us when our deet wore off around mile 16, we had a great time. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It wasn't hot, and there was a breeze that stirred up the air. Plus, there were lots of clouds off and on throughout the day to shield us from the sun some.

I loved all of the wildflowers that were out. I know the picture doesn't do justice, but look at all of the color on the hillside around my silly husband.



And here are some beautiful Indian Paintbrushes. Brant and I had never seen such soft colors. They are usually more vivid red or orange.
Sitting in our car after we were done, we got to see this.
Brant and I are so grateful for the chance that we get to see our Father's creations. We are blessed to be able to find time to spend outside enjoying them.



Ok, on to Monday, which was very wet and dreary. We picked up our kids and were going to take them on a picnic, but since the weather again changed our minds, we took them to see Horton Hears a Who at the dollar theatre, which is the only place to see movies, and then we had a picnic in our living room.They must have enjoyed it at least a little, because they keep asking me since if we can have another one.