UEA=Big Springs

UEA came again, like it does every year and we were having a hard time thinking where we should go for our annual hike, so we decided to do Big Springs again since more kids were coming this year and we had a couple of smaller ones with little legs.  We thought this was going to be fairly easy for everyone.

We set out and quickly it became aware that our older kids and the younger one's were not going to stay together.  So two of the couples went on ahead with the "runner's" while the other couple and a half helped the younger one's.

It was another amazing day for a hike.  What a view.

Tyler trying to be one with nature.

Little K taking one of his many breaks.

Jess, doing what she does best, gross us out.

The kid crew.  Malia made it the whole way, not being carried once and she was usually in the front of the pack.  I was amazed, especially because when we started the hike, she was whiney and asking for water and food and saying her legs hurt, but something in her clicked about a 1/2 mile in and she just went, running some of the time.

The adults, still breathing.

After a quick break and snack we headed back and Max insisted on carrying this ginormous stick back with him thinking that his parents would love for him to bring that home.  Unfortunately it stayed back next to where the car was parked, sorry buddy.

This hike stays near a creak almost the whole time and is just gorgeous.

After the hike, Randy and I found a new trail we want to try without kids first to see if they could handle it.  Maybe if we are lucky we can hit it next spring before it gets too hot.

McKenzie's 11-OMG!!!!

It happened, we officially have a preteen!!! I think I'm going to go crazy now.  She wanted German Pancakes for breakfast, which I didn't mind cuz it's sooo much faster and easier than regular one's.

It was a school day, and also parent/teacher conferences.  So we had to do a something quick right after we were done.  We met Gma and Gpa and Dee Da up at Culver's, Mak's choice.  She got to wear the birthday hat while she ate.

Randy decided to have fun with the camera.

Then Micah joined in the fun as well.

So did McKenzie.

Then we went to Dee Da's and opened presents. . . . (she got a Rip Stik which she's been asking for forever)

(Showing off her mad stik skills and wearing her new threads from Gma and Gpa to the gang)

And ate cake. . . well cupcakes at least.

That weekend we had Alina and the kids over for dinner and I made her a "real" cake.  I figured, she's 11, she doesn't need character cakes anymore.  So I made her my mom's whipped cream cake (the one we always had growing up).

 It's hard to believe she's not a little kids anymore :( I can't believe this time next year we will have a Young Woman.  Ahhhhhhh!  Oh well, at least now we have a babysitter, which btw is awesome.

It's Fall

I love fall!!!! I love the colors, the coolness in the air, everything.  Over conference weekend we went up the canyon and enjoyed a picnic and playtime in the park. 

Here's the playtime.  It was a really warm weekend, hence the shorts and T-shirts.

There was a pavilion there that looked a little Barn-ish (it's a word, I promise).  So I attempted shots of the kids.  Too bad they all had been running around that their faces are all red.  Oh well, I'm learning.

My little goofballs.

We saw butterflies

And ladybugs

And me apparently.

Fall also brought a round of the sickies.  Within a 24 hour period, we all got sick.  It was great fun, can't you tell?

After we were done being sick, we were able to go to the BYU homecoming pancake breakfast and parade. 

James even joined us (Rocking Malia's Culver's hat of course).

We even got to see Smokey the Bear.  My dad should be soo proud of us.  Here's for you dad.

I also got into canning (sort of). I was given a 5 gallon bucket of the best grapes I've ever had. It made 8 Qt. of juice and 9 pints of jelly. Also later on I canned some pears. 

Soccer has come again

I love soccer I really do, I just hate going and dealing with the rest of my kids during the games.  It's not very enjoyable for me, but since I really want them to play, here we go again.  The kids have 1 more game this week and then we are done (till the spring).  They've been doing great, making at least 1 goal (usually more) per game.  Micah's color's stayed the same and now we will never lose Morgan.  It's very bright.

 Randy is both of their coaches so he's been really busy as well.

She was showing me 2 for the 2 goals she had already made.  I think she made 3 this game.  Go Orange Dreamcicles.

 Micah's been really aggressive and he's a lefty so that gives him an advantage on the other side of the field since all the other kids are right, they just can't get it away from him.

 Micah and KC are on the same team this year and even KC is doing really well.  Go Black Ninja's

I'm excited for the break now, phew!

Here we go again.  Not only is it Rad Kid year for Kenz. But also Morgan and Micah.  So be prepared.  There will be more coming.  Mac's just the lucky one who goes 1st. 

 After her simulation getting ready to call for help. That's her teacher helping her.

 Malia has gone to so many of these.  It's sad to think that she won't ever get to go through a program.

Here is her simulation with the lobster man.  I don't know why, but these things always make me emotional.  Maybe it's because this could really happen to my child and it scares me. I pray that it never does, but if it does, I know they'll know what to do.

Oh and this is proof that she actually yells.

It's a "Rio" Party

It's been so crazy around here that it took me 3 1/2 weeks to finally let Morgan have her birthday party.  We decided long ago to let our kids have bday party every other year on the even years since those are usually the big birthday's.  It worked for McKenzie, I had no problems getting hers together, but Morgan's birthday was kind of part of the "Perfect Storm" as we like to call it around here.  Her baptism was right after her birthday, we had family in town, we were still getting used to going back to school, I had some issues I'm not going to go into right now, Malia had her first birthday party, soccer was well underway and it just felt like the world was going to crash down on us at any moment.  Anyway, so we gave Morg some options on what she could do and she opted for a "Movie" party, which btw I absolutely love and think I'm going to encourage the rest of the kids to do the same, at least once.  The kids came at 5, and I quickly gave them pizza, drink and some healthy junk and they sat in the blanket and pillow covered living room and ate, drank and watched "Rio." 

 This is who Randy and I decided to decorate which came out so cute.  We wanted to help darken the space (since we weren't watching the movie at night).  So we got all of our streamers out and this is what we came up with.  This pic is of the light fixture in the living room.  Light's off. . .

 Light's on.  This pic doesn't really do it justice.  It looks really cool with the light on.

 We had soccer all day, again, so I wasn't going to have time to make any kind of cute cake, so we opted for store bought cupcakes, I know, lame.  But hey they were cute and I didn't have to make them.

 The crew watching, and eating.  My friend who loaned us the movie even gave us some popcorn bags to use, which was perfect. 

The gang after it was all said and done.

I loved this party because I had little to plan and do.  I didn't have to entertain them with games or crafts because the movie took up 3/4 of it.  All we had time to do when it was over was cake and presents.  There were no dishes, clean up was a snap and Morgan loved every minute of it.  Sorry Morg for being such a slack mom, I'm glad you had fun.

Great To Be 8!

This was a special year for Morgan.  She not only went into 3rd grade, and had a birthday shortly after, but she turned 8!!!!  Which means she was able to get baptized into the LDS church.  On her birthday, her teacher had her give her family presentation and got to wear the birthday hat and get sung to.  That night Randy had school so we really didn't do a whole lot until the weekend when a ton of family came in for her birthday (which also happened to be my birthday, which subsequently is the same day as my baptism, crazy hu?)

 So Saturday we woke up bright and early and got ready, because her baptism was at 9 AM, argh!  It was tough getting eleventy billion of us ready, but we made it.  There was only 1 from our ward getting baptized and about 6 others from the rest of the stake.  It made for a very crowded chapel.  Here's Randy and Morg beforehand.

 Still a family tradition for the girls to wear the dress my grandma made my oldest sister when she got baptized.  It's been through all of my sisters and now 4 granddaughters with more to go I'm sure.

 Just one quick one outside.

The baptism was great.  The talks were amazing (thanx mom) and she came out of it still alive.  I don't know if I've mentioned this before but these girls are inseparable (lol). Katelin was baptized in May, McKenna in June and Morg in Sept.  We really wanted to take shots of them in their dresses.  They were not very interested in standing still for very long, but we got a few.

 And one for good measure.

And the whole family that was able to make it.  There was a lot more friends who came as well.  It was so great having their support.

We tried really hard to get a family shot.  This was as close as we got.

The grandparents were both there for the event (a first since my parents live far away, but not for long).

We celebrated both Morgan's and my birthday afterwards.  Oh and it was the 1st weekend of college football, so that is what Randy was doing all day, lucky me.  I'm so excited for this season, no really.

Billy got a hold of my camera and kind of went nuts.  This is one made me laugh when I went through the card.  Don't ask me what my mom is doing.

But really this day was about Miss Morgie poo.  She is a special part of our family.  We are so proud of her for making the decision to be baptized.  We love you little girly.