Not so sure....

I'm not so sure what Wyatt was playing in these pictures. He received a new art table and chair from Matma, but I think this is his "invention station" in these pics. He has his own version of scientist garb on...pretty fashionable, I think!

Backyard fun!

JR's uncle, Bob, used the tractor to push the snow into sledding hills out in the field for the boys. We don't have to drive around looking for the perfect hill, we have them in our own back yard! They are the perfect size for the boys' first attempts at sledding. We had our friends Sonya, Liam, and Riley Duke over to try them out. It was so fun! Yes, the moms even took a turn, and got some good speed going!

Goofballs

I love it when my boys are just having fun goofing off. Here, Kash found Wyatt's billy bob teeth and decided to give them a try...we were all cracking up

Winter Wonderland

Christmas was cozy this year.....no traveling, no hustle and bustle of airports, last minute shopping, or any schedule to follow. It was just the 4 of us in the morning, to be joined by Grandpa Chris and Sheri later along with Melinda and Kimball. No dinner plans had been made (what?!) but that was ok....we had on hand everything we needed for a nice Christmas dinner- turkey, potatoes, and the rest of the works!

The boys had a ball and got everything they wanted. They were especially pleased with the nerf dart tag game, which obviously is sized for kids! (JR is a kid at heart!). They had fun chasing each other around the house, and I already realized I will need to buy replacement darts fairly soon (Kash already shot one into the fireplace....they aren't flame retardant, FYI!) Another great gift idea from Auntie Tiffany and her family!

Between the opening of gifts, dinner and playtime, I had to break for snow blowing! We had a great storm come through and it dumped A LOT of snow! 3 different trips outside in one day to keep the paths cleared! Thank goodness we bought a snow blower this season! We got spoiled in Idaho not having to shovel snow! All in all, a great day! Merry Christmas!

What should you do when.....

What should you do when you leave the house only to have to go back for forgotten items, not once, but twice????? Stay home!!

We had an evening planned for dinner in Salt Lake and the lights at Temple Square. We left at 4:30 only to return once for the stroller and once for camera! We arrived to a very crowded downtown scene...we had not known that BYU/USU were playing basketball at the energy solutions arena and traffic and parking were terrible!. We parked, walked through the Gateway Mall and found McGrath's Fish House. We were anticipating a nice dinner, but we were mistaken. We waited 10 minutes before the server arrived, then we waited another 45 minutes before the food arrived, only to have JR's order completely wrong! They were in the process of fixing it (another 10 minutes) when the boys decided they were completely bored with the restaurant scene. So, I found a manager, made a complaint (I have to say, I was very nice about it!) and he offered to pay for dinner! JR left to bundle up the boys, when the waitress returned with a check! I still had to pay for the boys' dinners! So, JR never even received food, I paid for the boys, and only mine was taken care of.....oh and did I mention that we never had one drink refill?!

So, on to temple square, where people were aplenty, strollers were being tripped over, flashes from cameras were blinding, and Wyatt proclaimed he was bored! Oh and one more thing....the audio to their nativity display was broken, so we didn't get to watch that this year! We quickly made a lap around the square, headed back to the truck and were on our way home. Mind you, JR was STARVING because he never ate, so we stopped at A&W, grabbed a snack, headed up the canyon and ended the night with a quiet ride home, boys sound asleep and Christmas music on the radio.

Note to self..... next year, skip the lights at Temple Square, we are going to do a driving tour of light displays around the valley (found on the local news website), and head through the drive thru at McDonalds!

One Picture!!!

I can't believe it! Matma and Papa came out for Thanksgiving, spent 4 days here and all we took was ONE picture!!! Ugh!! I'm so mad at myself! I am the picture queen!!! I am the one who takes the camera to every event, no matter how inconvenient. I'm the one who comes home and immediately downloads them to the computer because I'm so anxious to see them. I'm the one who gets them printed and puts them in an album, because a blog and computer images aren't enough! Now I'm the one that didn't even think to use the camera at our Thanksgiving meal or swimming with the boys at the hotel, or showing Matma and Papa the chickens or visiting Matma's cousins. I am so disappointed in myself! But, I do have to say, the one picure we took is very nice, don't you think????

Matma and Papa came to visit for Thanksgiving and we had a great time! We had a terrific turkey dinner, all prepared by JR (great job, JR!). We spent black friday in Provo (after the morning crowds) and picked up a few deals. We went swimming at their hotel and relaxed at home on Saturday. Sunday we took them to Matma's cousins' house in South Weber where they spent the night, then returned to Santa Cruz on Monday.

I am so thankful they were able to come. I appreciate the effort it took to travel. It meant a lot for me to have them here. This was only my 2nd visit with them in 2008.....a lot less than the usual 4 times a year! Wyatt and Kash had a terrific time with them. It is always fun to have family visit. All in all, it was a wonderful, quiet Thanksgiving!

The North Pole in 90 minutes!

A picture from the Heber valley Railroad gallery



The boys couldn't keep still in their seats!


Mom and Kash on one side....



Dad and Wyatt on the other




An old train car on the Heber Valley Rail Road





Waiting for the train!

Heber has a unique tourist attraction....a railroad complete with steam and diesel engines, refurbished passenger cars and on sunny days, open air cars. The rail road is commonly known as the "Heber Creeper" but officially it is the Heber Valley Railroad. It has been in operation since 1899. Originally it carried freight and people down the canyon to Provo. Now, the tracks run from Heber to a park in Provo Canyon and is used solely as entertainment. The car we were in was 75 years old, and had been used in several movies...including A River Runs Through It. Maybe I was sitting in the seat that Brad Pitt sat in!!! The train runs right by the house several times a day, so we thought it would be fun for the boys to experience an adventure on it. They host several theme trains....Thomas the Tank, Murder Mystery trains, Spook Train, Trail and Rails- horse and train ride, and the Polar Express!

What a great time! We ventured to the North Pole in search of Santa. Along the way we enjoyed cookies, hot chocolate, entertainment by elves, and the reading of the "Polar Express"- a favorite book (and movie) of Wyatt's. When we arrived, you could see the lights of the North Pole in the distance (lighted framwork on the hill) and Santa Claus (on a platform with elves, waving). We were just about to head home, when all of a sudden, Santa jumped aboard! The kids went wild! Everyone was so excited! He made his way down the aisles, asking the boys and girls what they wanted for Christmas and handing out the famous "silver bell" just like in the book! Flashes were blinding as moms fought for space in the aisle to snap the perfect picture. Soon, we had to say goodbye to Santa and head home....we sang Christmas carols and listened to elf jokes as we made our way back to the station. The boys were so excited.....and tired! They were eager to crawl into bed and have visions of Santa in their heads. What a great trip....who knew that the North Pole was only 90 minutes away?!!





Santa stops for a snap happy mom....




Kash receiving his silver bell




Wyatt receiving his silver bell....

I don't think any "Santa at the mall" can top this visit!

You know you're getting old.....

that's not coming clean......


out with the old, in with the.....


........NEW!!!!

Had to show the progress....looking good!

Yes, its true...I'm getting older! You know how I know??? Because I was ecstatic to get new kitchen floors!!! If you'd ask me 10 years ago...kitchen floors were not something that would have sparked excitment, in fact, it would have been a bore! But today! Well, that's a whole other story...one of visions of easily sweeping up crumbs, a quick swipe of a cloth to banish spills, and boys racing around on wheeled stools...with out even a hint of a scratch left behind! Yes, it is true bliss...a kitchen floor, that is!

Let me just add that appreciation for kitchen floors grows even more when you put your own blood, sweat, and tears in it...okay, okay, so maybe not blood, sweat, and tears....but definitely time and frustration (well, maybe a little sweat!). JR and I measured, cut, laid, and tapped this lovely floor into place. I became queen of the chop saw and will forever have memories of the spacers, rubber mallet, and "tongue and groove" method. The outcome is marvelous and I'm sure we will enjoy it for years. It seems a shame to cover it with kitchen rugs!

Cowboy Up!

Heber just wrapped up its annual Cowboy Poetry gathering, which has grown into a pretty big event. There are concerts, poetry recitations, the cowboy train, the buckaroo fair(vendors), dances, BBQs, mountain men trading posts, horse clinics, and hundreds of cowboys (and cowgirls!). The the high school is "cowcamp", so I got a sneak peek at some of the "stars" and also was served a BBQ lunch catered by Eddy Dean... President Bush's personal favorite! It was delicious. As an additional perk, they give the faculty free tickets to different events. I managed to get my hands on some general admission tickets and tickets for the cowboy church on Sunday. The general admission is all we need....we like to mosey through the booths. This year, we had to buy Wyatt some new chaps. The ones we bought at the event about 3 year ago are too small. So, poor Kash, always getting the hand me downs, has those now, and Wyatt got some new ones. We sat in on the free stage that has a quick turnover of different cowboy poets and musicians. Wyatt was enthralled with the funny "stories". Kash danced to the music. Mom and Dad were surprised at how engaged our 'little rustlers' were! The cowboy church is a non denominational service comprised of various cowboy musicians. It is a wholesome, family affair.

Come Monday, Wyatt insisted on showing off his cowboy duds at preschool. He was proud of his hat, shirt, buckle, boots, and of course, the new chaps! We added the cap gun and holster after the pics. You can tell by his smile he is pretty pleased.



I guess we're at the "o.k" corral with Wyatt's thumbs up!


Every cowboy needs a sidekick...Kash fits the bill; just look at that face!



Wyatt can't get enough pics....Kash is a different story....

Wyatt looking like a tough cowboy. Funny thing is, he just won't get on a horse! We're hoping the spring time will give him some bravery in that department!

We're not sure where he learned this pose. We think he saw it from a winning cowboy at the PBR. He's proud of himself, that's for sure! What a cutie!

A Great Day!

What a great day! We had nothing to do, so we seized the opportunity to get up in the mountains and spend the day. We drove over Wolf Creek to see if we could see any wildlife, none spotted, but still a great day! We left Heber with no snow on the ground, and when we got to the top, there was plenty to play in. So the boys donned their new snow gear and started exploring. We took pictures, threw snowballs, and ate a picnic lunch. Everyone had fun. It was a sunny, clear day, not too cold and just enough snow to have fun in. We only wish we had brought the dogs to add to the fun....next time.

What a view!

The green on the right are more farm fields, and everyone that lives up to the base of the mountains is in our ward. The green on the left side is Soldier Hollow Golf Course.


Notice the fire pit....a favorite place to "hang out" during the warmer months at night....love to roast marshmellows and cook dutch oven dinners!


I thought I would post a pic of the view from the kitchen window. Some people have asked just how rural is it around us, this gives you a good idea of the "neighborhood". The closest house you can see on the west side(that "small" one-5,000sq ft) is at the bottom of the field. We have closer neighbors on the south side of us and across the street to the east.....no one on the north side.

Happy Halloween!

A cute pic, not necessarily because of the people in it (although they are cute! ha ha), but because Wyatt took it! He did a great job! I'm thinking of an idea for a Christmas present because of this....don't they make kid proof cameras?? hmm.....



(batman theme)na na na na na na na na.....BATMAN!!!



Watch out....he looks cute, but remember tigers are WILD animals.....very fitting, don't you think?? ha ha




My two cuties....they had fun in their costumes and loved all the candy....especially the chocolate. What can I say, they get it from their mother!




We seemed to have a Halloween that lasted all week. Monday night we had a Halloween party hosted by the Utah Valley University (formerly UVSC) at the Wasatch (Heber campus). They had plenty of activities for the kids to do. Thursday the township of Charleston (where we actually reside) had their Trunk 'r Treat, then on Friday the real Halloween was celebrated. I will say that our Friday was very quiet....not a single trick 'r treater to our door! It is kind of hard in our neighborhood....houses spread out, no sidewalks, etc. Wyatt and Kash still managed to bring in a haul of candy which will not be lasting long, I'm sure. Hope you enjoy the pics!

Bear World!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

What a trip! It started out pretty bad, but ended up being great! We got to Idaho Falls late Weds night, excited for a good nights rest in a hotel. That was interrupted when JR woke me up in the middle of the night to show me his knuckle that had swollen up to the size of a golf ball! He had cut himself the previous Saturday, but thought it had healed nicely.....this was not the case. His only option was to go the Idaho Falls emergency room. So at 2:00 am, he trekked on over to find out that he had an infection called cellulitis in his hand! They casted it to keep it immobile so it wouldn't spread and gave him an antibiotic.

Thursday morning we drove and drove and drove and hour and a half out of our way to get to Bear World, oops, we missed the turn! We made it there, only to find out they weren't open until Friday! Ugh! We were a little disappointed, but we were determined not to let it ruin our day.

We cruised around Idaho Falls and shopped a little. In the afternoon we met up with my old good friend, Britney Christensen (Barlow). She has 2 adorable boys, close in age to mine. We hung out at her house for a while, then met up with her husband for dinner. It was great to see her....we have a TON of memories from BYU.....she was a constant in my life during those years and it was fun! I was also able to visit with her mom, Darla for a minute, which was also great....she did a lot for me during those college days, which I appreciate.

After dinner, it was a follow up visit to the E.R., which took almost 2 hours! He has to wear the cast until Monday, he's thrilled! ha ha We made it to Bear World Friday morning and it was terrific! The boys absolutely had a ball, there was a lot to do.....the drive through the park, the curator tour that let's you feed the bears, the petting zoo, the amusement rides....it was great fun! We spent a good 4 hours there and then headed back to Utah to JR's mom's house, where we dropped the boys off for the night. JR and I enjoyed a quiet dinner at Maddox Ranch House and a night at the Crystal Inn in Brigham City....it was a much needed retreat for us....and the boys loved staying at Grandma Marge's house; definitely a win-win situation!

We ended our vacation a day early (we had planned on driving to Boise, but JR's hand and the series of mishaps changed our minds!), but it is nice to be home, there is plenty to do-like laundry from the trip! ha ha!

Wyatt's 5!

Painting pumpkins-here's a tip- garbage bags with handles work great for smocks!
We used tempura paint....you can wash it off and then carve the pumpkins as it gets closer to Halloween!
Little brother Kash, always wanting to "help"- Wyatt blew all the candles out in one breath!
Here's a perspective of the treasure hunt....they couldn't quite figure out what had four legs and no tail (the table just in case you were having a brain cramp!). They needed a little help, but they found the clue!

Well Wyatt relished in a day of getting all the attention and a lot of presents.....what more could he ask for? I wish it was his birthday everyday (minus the party)....he was sooo helpful beforehand, cleaning up toys, his room, chores, and setting up, I couldn't believe it!

We had a smaller party than last year (16 kiddos last time!)....this year we invited 8, 6 attended. One boy made it to the house, but ended up leaving in tears....he didn't want his parents to leave him alone, I felt bad, so we dropped off a favor bag to him later this afternoon.

The party was a hit! The theme was transformers- a little hard for mommy to come up with games and activities for, but the decorations were cute! They painted pumpkins, had a transformers pinata, and had to go on a "treasure hunt" to find their favor bags. From what I could tell, the hunt was the funnest part, they got really into it. The goal was to find it as fast as they could. If they found the blue Autobot card, it gave them the next clue. If they found a red decepticon card, it gave them a task that slowed them down (sing your ABCs, freeze for 10 seconds, etc). They loved it. The bags were at the end, and we topped them off with candy from the pinata.

Wyatt is set with action figures.....transformers, ninja turtles, batman, and power rangers were among the presents he opened. All the kids were great- very nice and well mannered! Marilyn and Kim came down. Great grandma and grandpa, Betty and Rex came over; and Aunt Melinda and Uncle Kimball were here too. It was a rainy day, so our plans for an outside party, quickly had to change to inside. It worked out well, though and the day was fun!