Memorial Weekend

We got to spend our weekend with family and good friends, it doesn't get much better than that! On Saturday Bryan had in Inspection to do so he dropped me off at his parents house. We had lunch and then the kids rode their bikes over to the park.

After that Bryan got done with his Inspection, and we went over to my parents house for dinner with Glen, Scott and their families.

On Sunday evening our good neighbors invited us over for dessert. They unfortunately are moving because Dave got a job elsewhere. We are sad to see them go, but hopefully can meet up with them in the future and keep in touch!
While we were eating dessert they said that they have never been up Providence Canyon and seen the waterfalls; so we grabbed our coats and headed up. There was still snow on the trail up to the waterfall so we didn't do that, but it was fun to drive around and look at the beautiful scenery.

Jaclyn, Dave, Bryan, Me, Hailey, Carter, Gabe and McKennan. They have one more little baby, Sawyer, who was asleep in the car.

McKennan and Carter



Then on Monday my good friend Kate and her family came up to have lunch and do the zipline. Their boys were awesome, and they both did it!

Cooper, so excited to give it a try!

Me and Kate
I met Kate when we lived in our apartment in Bountiful. She was the one that showed me the apartment and we had an instant connection. From then on we have been great friends. She is the type of person that just makes everyone feel comfortable and loved, and I just love hanging out with her. We have a lot of fun together.

Love this girl....

And this boy!

Jackson gettin ready to go!

Kate and her Mike
It makes me laugh that she is crossing her legs while hanging on a zipline. Such a diva!

Kate and Cooper
Cooper was bawling when he climbed up the ladder and saying that he didn't want to go anymore. Kate hurried and strapped up with him and kind of forced him down. After that he was all smiles and wanted to go again! What a cutie!

"Wishes"

Hailey has had an obsession with dandelions lately. When we go for walks or bike rides, she has to stop and pick them all. She calls them "Wishes" for the obvious reason that you make a wish when you blow them! She was thrilled to find that our neighbor had a TON of them and quickly got to work picking them.

She stopped for a minute, looked around, and then said "How am I going to pick All of the Wishes?"
It got me thinking about how we are all overwhelmed at times, even kids. And what may seem silly to me, to her, it was a big overwhelming task. I struggle with this every day. In the end I know it isn't gonna matter if my house was perfectly clean all the time, or my yard beautifully manicured. All the things that I stress about daily, really DON'T matter! All that matters is that I take time to PLAY with my kids, and give my TIME to my family and friends. I love my family so much, and I don't want them to ever think that I don't have time for them. Hailey did a good job of reminding to do that today.

She did not like how it made her hands dirty!

She's done her job, now it's home for lunch! (She stuffed all of her "wishes" in the seat of her scooter.)

I just LOVE those gorgeous eyelashes

Ziplinin' Fun

One of my favorite things to do in the Spring and Summer (when I can ignore all of the weeding and yardwork that "could" be done) is hanging out in our backyard. I just love it, especially in the Spring when everything is still nice and green! Between the trampoline, hammock, zipline, and firepit, there is always something to do! I love having family and friends over for BBQ's and just hanging out.

The other day my little brother and his girlfriend and kids came over. We Barbecued and then Bryan hooked up the zipline. Above is Jordan trying it out. I think he tried it one time last year and then didn't want to do it again. This year he enjoyed it a lot more!

Carter had never dared to try it yet. We mentioned it again, and he said no. Then he saw Jordan enjoying it so much and decided he was ready to try it!

Brianna (she looks so graceful doing it, can you tell she is a dancer!)
I don't think I look so cute when I go down!

The boys had to trim some trees out of the way and Carter made good use of the branches to make a hut.

I love the look of concentration on Jordans face here!

Up the ladder he goes! I was so proud of Carter for trying it. Climbing the ladder is pretty scary!

A view from the neighbors yard, where the zipline goes.

And he's off! Carter always has a serious face when he is doing things like this and it used to make me wonder if he was having any fun. When we go to the fair and ride rides, when he is riding a 4-wheeler, whatever it may be, he looks so serious! Then afterwards I ask him if he had fun, and he bursts out a "YES" and then doesn't stop talking about it, it's hilarious!

So proud of himself for accomplishing another kinda scary thing! I am so proud of Carter lately. He has been more willing to try new things and is growing up so fast! Now he loves the zipline and wants to go on it everyday!

Brianna and Carter going down the zipline together.

Yea for Good Weather!

With all the rain we have had lately, when we get a nice day we try to take full advantage and enjoy it!

Today Carter had a couple friends over and they helped him learn to ride his bike with no training wheels! Bryan and I have tried to show him how to do it numerous times with no luck. I never thought about having his friends show him! He was cruising around the block in like 30 minutes with their help! Bryan took them all for ice cream afterwards to celebrate!

I had to laugh at this picture because his shirt is on backwards. On Saturdays if we are not really going anywhere I let him pick his clothes for the day. He is a boy......which means he doesn't care!

Thanks Hannah!

Hayden and Hannah followed closely behind just in case Carter needed help. What good friends!

Thanks Hayden!

He jumped off his bike and did a little Happy Dance. He was pretty proud of himself!

The kids have also enjoyed the little dirt bike Bryan picked up for pretty cheap. They love to go for little rides around the house.

Why God Made Moms

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used
bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything
nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly
use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get
drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom . You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's
who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic
surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get
rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my brother who did it
and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back
of her head.

Mother's Day

We had a wonderful Mother's Day! We took Bryan's Mom to lunch at McGrath's where she got brave and tried some of Bryans Raw Oysters.

Bryan and his mama


Then we went back to their house for a little bit, then headed to my sweet Grandma Larsens house. I always forget to get pictures there! The kids always look forward to going to her house. Carter was thrilled to find a bunch of snails in her flower bed. After Grandma's house we went to my parents house and made Chicken Kabobs. We are lucky to have so many great moms in our lives!

Hailey and Carter snuggling and watching cartoons at Grammy and Papas

Bry and Maggie

My mom and I with the kiddos

My mom is the most patient person I know and I strive to be as good of a mother as she is, with my kids. Every time I get mad and yell at my kids, I think of her and how loving and patient she was with us. I don't remember her yelling at us at all, yet I'm sure that wrangling 4 kids was no easy task! Now I appreciate her tenderness and patience even more because I know how hard that is to do! Thanks mom for being such a good example to me!