Memorial Weekend

On Memorial Day weekend we went out camping with Javan's sister Bayley and her family. It was rainy and cold in Blanding and up on the mountain so we headed south toward Lake Powell. The first day was pretty cold and rained off and on all day but the weather got better and better.
Poor Ally is always the only girl whenever we go camping. So she has learned to play with the boys and play boy things.

Of course, Javan always starts some kind of game with the kids. Here they are having a mini marshmellow fight. It was Javan and Ally against all the other boys.


Ally was reloading, sneaking marshmellows for dad.


We drove down to Clay Hills Crossing to the San Juan River to try and do some fishing and let the kids play in the water. The river was running really high and fast and we kept snagging our fishing line so we bagged that and just let the kids play.


We can't get Ethan to talk to people he knows or say anything at his graduation. But he loves to talk to complete strangers. Great! I guess we need to have a lesson about stranger danger.


Ethan loved splashing in the waer and getting muddy.


Javan set up some pop cans and helped the boys shoot them with the .22 pistol.


Ethan, Max, Reed, and Daniel playing trucks on the rocks.


Javan teaching Ally how to roll her tongue. She did it!


On the way home we stopped at the Mule Canyon Indian ruins (I have driven by the turn-off countless times in my life, but never stopped). Then we went over to the Three Towers ruins, here is a picture of the crew overlooking the canyon.

Blowing Bubbles

I don't know about you other moms but blowing bubbles is not my favorite. It is so messy, and therefore an outdoor activity only. While I was planting flowers the other morning the kids were playing in the water and got all wet and decided they needed to take off their shirts and then they got the bubble stuff out. Just to see how big of a mess we could make. Oh well, it was outside, and finally a nice day for once. Here is a little video clip of the bubble blowing. The look on Ally's face after she blows the first time is priceless. She has been giving quite a bit of attitude lately.



P.S. Just a little side note on Ally's attitude. The other night I was getting dinner ready and I put Ally's on a green plate. She looked at me and said "Why did you get me green?" Then pointed at her shirt and rolled her eyes and made this disgusted sound and said, "See, it's pink!" Like "Duh, mom, my dinner plate should match my shirt." Great.

Ethan's Preschool Graduation

Ethan attended Tiny Tots Preschool this year. On Monday we had his graduation. All the kids looked so cute in their little caps and gowns. Ethan is so shy around groups of people and would bearly even sing. He was supposed to sing a song by himself, but he pretty much stood in front of everyone and mouthed the whole song. He must get that from his dad. Good job bud! Ethan in cap and gown. The pressure is too much. Receiving his diploma. The graduate.

Sunday Play

After the trauma of leaving Toby we can home and played out in the backyard for awhile. Here's Ally and Ethan awaiting the hit. Ethan going after the ball. (Why can't he be this excited in T-Ball?) Ally swinging. A video of Ethan and Ally doing tricks on the trampoline.
A video of Javan doing tricks on the trampoline.

Farewell to Toby

We decided to sell Toby, our dog. We didn't have time to spend with him and he was always stuck on his chain. And since his girlfriend Rose died he has been pretty mopey (sp?). So I put an ad in the paper and we got a call from some people I know from Monticello. The actually live out at the Dude Ranch. They wanted us to bring him out to see if he got along with their other dogs. They have 2 other labs, a chocolate and a yellow. So we went out on Sunday afternoon. Toby loved the company and the space and loved running around so they decided to take him.

So I started getting the kids buckled in the truck and Toby came running over, ready to go, and I had to go and lock him in their kennel so he wouldn't follow us. I hadn't anticipated on getting emotional but I just started bawling. The poor people didn't know what to do. (Even now, I am crying again, just thinking about it.) I am happy for Toby, I know he will love it out there, it's like dog heaven.

A few hours later the lady called and said they had walked up the pond that is on their property and threw sticks out and Toby swam and got them and he was just running everywhere and was loving it. She even said they only feed their dogs the good stuff that they get from the vet.

I know he'll be taken care of and will be happier out there. But it was sad to leave him. Like giving up a child kind of. I'm such a baby.

A Circus in Blanding!

That's right, the circus came to Blanding, and let me let you, it was quality. And it only cost one month's salary to get in. Not to mention the popcorn, drinks and pony ride. The kids had a great time though. Here's a few pictures.

The clowns in the little car.


Some sheep doing tricks.


Pretty pony's doing tricks. This was Ally's favorite part.


During intermission they did a little pony ride. Well after Ally saw all those cute pony's she and Ethan both wanted to ride. So here they are loving the pony ride.


Here is Ally not loving the pony ride. The ground was pretty uneven and their little cart kept trying to tip over. She was removed from the ride.


A giant horse. The biggest horse Javan and I have ever seen. Holy cow.


A bunch of big sheep dogs doing tricks.

More T-Ball

Just thought I would add a few more pictures of T-Ball. It has been so cold for all the game that Ethan likes to bundle up. Here he is trying to fit on the helmet with his hood and beanie on too. Playing catcher Getting aggressive with his hands in his pockets. Ethan batting A little video clip of Ethan batting.

My Belly

Here is a picture of me at 22 weeks. It feels like I am already huge. And for those of you who know how big I really get should be scared for me right now.

Unlikely place for a nap.

Ally was mad at me yesterday and throwing a fit so I was ignoring her. When I was done on the computer and was heading back upstairs this is where I found her. She is such a nerd.

Season Opener

We went on our first camping trip of the year this weekend. We had a great time. We went up on the Elk Mountain, and woke up to snow on Saturday morning. But the day warmed up quick and we had alot of fun.

Here's Ethan, Porter, and Maddax watching a movie before bedtime. (We really rough it when we go camping.)


All the dad's and the big boys went on a hike to look for elk sheds so Misty and I took the little kids on a hike down to a corral that was by our camp.


Climbing the fence. Jeter, Oakland, Ally, Porter, Maddax, and Ethan.


Ethan, Maddax, and Porter with Maddax's new puppy Payton.


In the cow chute. Ethan, Porter, Maddax, Oakland, Ally, and Jeter (and Payton)


My sweet little Ally.


Ethan


Isn't she sweet?


After the hike all the guys and big boys geared up for some serious paintball wars. I think we had 7000 paintballs and we went through all of them. Everyone has some battle wounds to show for it.
The mighty paintballers.


After that first game we played a game of husbands against wives in a paintball war. The wives got destroyed. We had no chance. But to our credit Karen and Misty have only played once and Jodene and I have never played so we didn't know what we were doing. We all have bruises on our bodies from where we got hit, one on my belly. I know, not very smart for a pregnant lady to be playing paintball. So after that round we were so upset that the guys hadn't even got hit once that we talked them into standing in a line and letting us each shoot 3 shots at them. I can't believe they agreed. I was videoing so Javan was lucky that I didn't shoot him.
Javan, D.I., Davey, and Kylor

Mother's Day Flowers

Ethan made this cute bouquet of flowers for me at school for Mother's Day. I wanted to get some pictures of him with them. And then it just turned into making funny faces for the camera.

T-Ball

This is Ethan's first year for T-Ball. He seems so tiny compared to all the rest of the kids on his team. He doesn't really know any of the kids on his team so he is pretty shy and won't really get into the game. Javan has to go stand in the outfield with him. Hopefully he will open up as the season goes on, but when there are only 9 games, there's not much time for warming up.

P.S. Every T-Ball game day has been horribly cold and windy so far, adding another reason why Ethan doesn't want to go. I haven't been having that much fun either.

The team lining up to bat. Ethan is the little guy at the end.


Waiting for the ball.


Lining up the bat.


Nice hit!