Field Trip

Before we went to the Paiute Trail this year, Gavin had his first field trip of the year. It was at Wheeler Farm and I was excited to go because I thought that we would learn a little bit about Wheeler Farm. I've been there many times and know nothing about it. Well, I was very disappointed because we didn't learn a thing. It was just like any other time we've been other than we got to walk around with more people. I think Gavin had fun running around with the other kids at least and I got brave and let him feed the ducks. (If you didn't know I LOATHE birds of all kinds. Ok, basically, they scare the crap out of me.) I did, however, enjoy spending time with Gavin. Sometimes it's fun to just get time with him. I get 2 days a week with just Max while Gavin is at school, so it's nice to feel like Gavin is getting a little extra attention. We also drove with my sweet friend Becky and her daughter. Becky and I have been good friends since before we had kids and now it's nice to enjoy this phase with her.

He thought finding all these feathers was awesome!

I just love his expression :)

Less than thrilled about the wait for the hayride.

I thought this looked like he was kissing the pig :) 

Oh he is handsome.....

Becky's daughter...she is so hilarious and LOVED to make up poses!

SOOOOOO cute!

She was hilarious...I have a million with her changing her poses

Becky and Kati

Everyday life....

I think it's safe to say that all I do is whine about how busy I am, so I'm not going to do that now :) Just know I've had good reasons to be a slacker blogger and I'm trying to catch up. I'm really looking forward to picture time slowing down and just being able to get ready and enjoy the holidays. Gavin is SO excited for Christmas! I am SO excited for Thanksgiving, as usual. Of course I'm always excited if it has something to do with food... Here is just a little bit of our day to day happenings lately...

It snowed for the first time and Gavin wanted to make a snowman so badly.  There was barely enough snow to throw a snowball but he was satisfied anyway :)  He did this all on his own.

Just about everyday the boys pretend they are puppies.  This was a day where it was non-stop puppy central. 

Ignore the runny nose...I wanted to show the "collar" that Gavin made Max.  It has Max's name and his owner's name (Keith) LOL

Haha...are you all wondering why I posted this picture?  It's a horrible picture (on so many levels!) but I wanted to show all those people out there who say they love my hair, just what it's really like...This is what happens if I brush it.  To tell you the truth I don't actually even OWN a brush, I used a pick.  Now people can stop looking at me crazy when I say I never brush my hair....this is why.  SCARY! Also, I don't typically wear my husbands ratty old painting shirt, but if you look closely you can see that my hair really needed to be colored and that's what I was about to do.  Ok, now I'm just rambling and making excuses because I am feeling ridiculous about this picture....

Oh, and Blue Bear had yet another birthday...this has to be like 246 for him....

Same day as the dog day...This is a picture Gavin drew of him and Max as dogs.  Don't get it?  They have whiskers...duh! (Do dogs even have whiskers?)   He wrote their names all on his own.  I was proud he at least knew the letters in Max's name even if they are a bit out of order :) Wasn't so thrilled when he drew whiskers on their actual faces with pen....

Paiute Trail

We finally got to go on a little getaway and headed off to the Paiute Trail in Marysvale!  Where's that you say?  Yep, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and so perfect!  It's a little south of Richfield and basically just this small town where you can camp and go 4 wheeling.  You can even ride you wheelers on their roads....what a town!  Well, we are a no wheeler family, but luckily my dad generously shares his with us and we get to go on some fun rides while we are there.

We started off with a sighting of none other than.....




MATER!  My parents had left earlier in the day and had seen it and told us to look for it.  I knew the boys would be excited.  How cute are their faces?

The rest of the trip was spent riding, eating, visiting, laughing, eating, playing the movie game, eating, showing our walmart pride (LOL, totally an inside joke), visiting a "boutique" (if you can really call it that!), eating, and going on a geo cache hunt that Clint and Julie set up for everyone.  Oh yeah, and probably a little bit more eating.  The meals were incredible!  I don't think other people eat the amazing food that we do when we go camping.  My dad is an incredible cook and over the years has gathered some great camping food ideas.  I mean, hello, does anyone else eat pork and fish tacos when they are camping?  How about omelets?  Smoothies?  Deep fried french toast?  (That was a new one for me and AMAZING! Probably a little artery clogging, but definitely AMAZING!)

Thanks family for the fun trip!  Looking forward to next year!

Grandma Amy brought all sorts of supplies for rock painting and hot rocks!  The kids loved it...almost as much as Grandma Amy :)

Showing off his creations...

The Purple Turtle rock...

Logan hard at work

Hot Rocks....basically you heat up the rocks and then melt old crayons on them

He is such a ham when it's time for a picture...

My sweet niece Myah

And she wasn't very happy at the moment....

Searching for buried treasure in the bucket of wheat! Grandma and Grandpa had all sorts of fun trinkets in there!

Isn't she cute?  I love all my sisters...

And another cheese face...a dirty one at that!

He thought he was pretty scary with these teeth!

Sneaking moms drink!

How cute are my grandparents??

Thankfully the bubbles I brought were a hit

Walmart Pride!

Some of my geocaching team looking for the loot!

Yes, this is my brother.  Yes that is a grasshopper. Yes he ate it.

Yes this is my other brother.  Yes that is a second grasshopper.  Yes he ate it too....WEIRDOS I TELL YA

Happy Birthday, Max!

My sweet baby boy turned 2 yesterday!  I can't even believe that he has been with us for 2 years.  The time has gone by so quickly and he has added so much to our family. I remember bringing him home from the hospital and feeling like our home just felt that much more complete with him in it.  He had a rough first 3 months, but since then he has been an angel kid.  Everything about Max is easy going.  He is just so HAPPY all of the time.  I'm amazed at all that he knows, says, can do already at this young age.  He is truly amazing and melts my heart.  It interesting to see how different he and Gavin are.  It really shows you how everyone has their own little personality despite their environment.  We are so lucky to have sweet Max in our lives and so very proud of him!  And not to brag...(okay of course I'm bragging, cakes take a lot of TIME!) but I made him this cool Lightning McQueen and Mater cake :)

Gav's got moves....

You may remember this video from 2 years ago.....(it's a little long)


Now watch the following...



Boy...has he improved his skills or what?

October Rants and Raves

It's almost halfway through October and I figured I should blog since I haven't all month. I go to my pictures file on my computer and lo and behold there is not one single picture to blog about from October. Slight lie because there are some other people's family pictures I could blog about, but apparently I haven't been so great about taking pictures of my own family. I feel like I have been running around all month and it's not going to let up. I'm super awesome at over scheduling! Does anyone have any great tips on how to fit it all in???  It's been quite the rough month...

So....coming up this month we have our annual family trip planned to the Piute Trail. I am very much looking forward to that and the large amount of time Keith will have off! It's always a blast and I really look forward to spending time with Dad, Amy and fam. Not to mention...no baby this year! I think Gav and Max will be so much fun at these ages and really just looking forward to playing with them and being out in nature. I'm not ready for winter.

Also...looking forward to Max's 2nd birthday! He L.O.V.E.S the movie Cars so I'm planning an extravagant cake. Let's see if it turns out in reality how I'm pretending it will in my head! Can't believe that my baby is going to be 2! And I get the comment about everyday..."Time for another!" Thanks for your input...I'll decide when I'm ready :) (I'm sorry I always sound so bratty about having babies, but seriously...aren't Keith and I the parents, and not you? I hate feeling judged about how I choose to raise my family....)

Pictures, pictures and more pictures. I think we'll have to reevaluate how I handle this next year. I love it, but refer to the part about how I'm AWESOME at over scheduling. Not to mention that it seems like when I have 4 photoshoots, chicken and apple pie filling to can (not together btw!), visiting teaching, and regular duties to take care of, I get a call to, oh, I don't know, speak in church or something...

And Halloween is coming!  If you have read my blogs about Halloween in years past you will remember that I am kind of a hater.  Truthfully,  A) It's a waste of money, so us po-folk ain't thrilled about it and B) I think it's a made up holiday just so people can dress trashy (Have you seen the Halloween costumes for women???) C) My house is too small and it's hard to accommodate people for parties and/or to do much decorating.  Whine...whine...whine...I know.  I've got a problem with that!  Anyway...I'm being less of a Halloween Scrooge and have done a bit of decorating (I'll have to do a little bit each year, refer to the "po-folk" comment...) and I'm trying to be excited about it!  The boys are BOTH going to be Spiderman.  Gav was so sure that Max would want to be the same thing as him, but I said Max got to decide.  Wouldn't you know we go walking down the costume aisle and all I hear from Max is "Spiderman! Spiderman! Spiderman!"   Boys.  So, we somehow convinced Kenna and Pais to be Spidergirls :)  I can't WAIT to see them all together!  I even thought I would get all into the Halloween spirit and be Spiderwoman but seriously, $40 bucks for a costume I'm going to wear for 2 hours?  Nah.

So since I can't post without a picture, here is a cute one of some of my family...(and Dad, I promise you will have these finished soon!  Thanks for being so patient!)

Gavinisms

I took the boys on a little walk/hike the other day and after hiking up a slight hill this was the conversation:

Gav: Oh man....I'm so tired. It's so hot. (whine, whine...) Mom, we are in the desert!

Me: That wasn't so bad! Aren't you proud you made it up that hill?

Gav: I just wish they would have had camels for us to ride....