Grandma's 75th Birthday

Dougs mom turned 75 this year. The whole family got together for her birthday and had a BBQ at the park. It was a lot of fun to see everyone and celebrate her birthday. The weather was great for the party, then right after we sang a big wind storm came in. It blew everything everywhere. It was a little crazy but memorable.
Here is a video of everyone singing to her. Its not very clear, I didn't realize my camera takes such bad video.


Happy Birthday Grandma!!!






I just wanted to throw this pictures in to show the cake.

Agh!!! School

School starting means we are going to have to be just a little more scheduled. Homework, bedtimes, stuff like that. The boys needed a haircut to be ready for the big day. When they were done getting their haircut the stylist asked if they wanted some colored gel. Of course they said yes.
This is what we walked out of there with.

What handsome boys.

Here they are all ready for there first day of school. (normal colored hair)
Tyson and Lacey had gotten used to their big brothers being around to entertain them everyday. Just before lunch Tyson said "where is Nick and Zack" I told him they had gone to school. Of course he wanted to go to I finally calmed him down by telling him we could paint pictures like maybe they were doing at school. What a mess! However it was fun to get to spend time with just the 2 of them.

I am thankful that my kids get to go to a good school and for the education they are getting. So now that we have played hard all summer, it time to work hard in school boys.

Hello Lake, Goodby Summer Vacation

Before school started, I wanted to have one last summer fun adventure. So we went to what we call the beach.(its really just a retention pond with a sandy area). We got to go with my best friends from High School. I am so lucky to still have these friends in my life, and even more lucky that we all have kids the same age, and they all get along. The kids played for hours and we (the moms) got to sit and visit.

I love this picture of all the big kids! They look so happy and like the best of friends.

(Zack, Skyler, Tori, Nick, Jacey, and Ethan)

And here we have the younger kids(and Jacey). What a cute bunch of kids!

(Lacey, Spencer, Chloe,Tyson & Jacey)

Jacey was such a big helper. She loved playing games with the little kids. Here she was having them all race boats.

This little reservoir is also filled with fish. Sometimes some of them die, and boys being boys of course would have to find one of those and proudly show us all.

Here is Skyler with his fish.

Who is this hottie? Could that be Tyson! He looks way grown up. With that blond hair and tan body the beach is where he belongs.

We all had a great time. We will definitely have to make this a yearly event, if not more often.

County Fair

We decided to go to the county fair. We haven't been for a while so I thought it would be fun to check it out.

At one of the booths they were talking about road safety, they had all this stuff you could dress up in and then drive their trucks. Tyson looks so cute all dressed up.

We as parents made the costly mistake(only because we are week at saying no and there is a lot of kid left in us)

of walking down the carnival game row. We got talked into shelling out a few dollars for some games. I am hoping that it bought our kids some good memories. Plus we all had some fun.
Even Doug had to get in on the games. Here he is shooting the BB guns

Then Nick needed a turn to shoot the gun.
The object is to shoot the star completly out of the paper. Nice try boys!

Then all the kids had to roll the balls and try to make their car win the race

(The benifit of only your kids playing is that at least on of them has to win).

Look at all that loot!!!

This is what we walked away with after our expensive walk down carnival game row.

Rides
You really can't go the county fair without riding a few rides.

Lacey and Tyson on the boats!

Nick and Zack ready to go on some big whirly ride.

And then the gravitron. I remember going on this ride when I was little I loved it.

Nick it a real thrill seaker on rides just like I used to be when I was his age.

Zack just doesn't have the stomach for it.

(look at his face in this picture as he is getting off the ride)
It took him a little while to recover.

You also have to race down the giant slide

Demolition Derby
To end our fair experience we went to the Demolition Derby. All of the Paulson family that lives close by came. It was the first time most of us have ever been to a demoliton derby. We did not know what to expect. They really like to cram you into the benches, so we all got to sit nice and close to one another. Here is a shot of the whole family. (we missed you Clint, Mindy and girls)

So if you have never been to a demoliton derby here is how it works. They put about 10 cars in a arena and then they crash into each other. It's great cars start on fire, they get stuck together and all sorts of crazy stuff. The last 3 cars that can still drive advance to the next round. Then they have the final round where all the cars that advanced go until one car is standing and that is the Winner!

Here is our little faimly with the arena in the background.

(the only bad part is that between the rounds they have to clean the arena and tow off all the dead cars, this takes like 20 minutes so there is a lot of waiting)

Some up close excitment!

After the derby was over. We got to go down on the arena and see some of the cars up close.

Nick and Zack checking out the cars.

We had tons of fun and hope to see everyone there next year.

(we heard they are going to try and crash old buses and tractors, we'll see)

Zoo!!!

So pretty much everyday I tell my kids that they belong in a zoo, so I thought is was time we went and visited one. While we were there I confirmed that I was right they do pretty much belong in the zoo. Some days they are crazy like the monkeys jumping all around and can't sit still. Other times they are as lazy as the other animals there just sitting around doing nothing, waiting for people to serve them. The zoo said they wouldn't keep them so I had to bring them home. Thats okay though I love my monkeys.

Here we are on the zoo train

Splash Park

Our neighborhood has a new splash park. They just opened it this summer. It is lots of fun and the kids love it. I just wanted to throw a few pictures up of it.


Whenever we swim anywhere at some point my kids tell me how cold it is. They then have to wrap up in their towels. Of course when we go home every ones towels are wet, and of course they have to complain about this. I have been trying to tell them. First of all its 100 degrees out here its not cold, and second if you just lay on the hot cement you will get warmer then that towel will ever get you, and as a bonus you will have a dry towel to go home in. I have tried to tell them this over and over.

Oh wait! What is this? Have they finally listened to me? No Way! I guess sometimes, eventually things sink in. Love you kiddos.

Zack's 7th Birthday

I can't believe that you are turning 7 Zack. It doesn't seem like that long ago you were my little baby. It's seems like only yesterday you were todeling around chasing balls and only using your favorite word "Basketball". However, I guess time does go by, WOW you are now 7. Happy Birthday Zack we love you.

For Zack birthday we went to the waterslides at Classic Skating. Everyone had a great time, here is Zack and his cousin Tyler going down the slide.

After everyone played for a while they were all starving so we pulled out the cake and sang happy birthday.

I think that every kid will tell you the best part about a birthday party is opening presents.

Here we have a shot of the whole gang. From left to right and back to front we have. Hyrum, Aiden, Nick, Cameron, Kyle, Zack, Hayden, Tyson, Gracie and Tyler

Thanks everyone for the great presents and for coming to the party.

Happy Birthday Zack!

Irrigation Party at Grandma's

My Grandma irrigates her yard and at least once every year she has all the grandkids and great grandkids over for a irrigation party. It's so much fun for all the cousins to be able to get together and play. Grandma knows how to throw a party. She always has good food and of course for deseret creamies.

Here Nick, Zack and their cousin Jon are hanging out in the thing the water comes out of (I have no idea the official name for this.)

I love the look on Zack's face. We had just asked him, Do you really know what is down there?

This swing had been in my Grandma's yard since I was little, I remember swinging on it. It's fun for me to be able to see my kids making some of the same memories that I have. Look at this cute brother and sister. Sometimes they really love each other

I caught this picture of Tyson swingin in the air, they loved to drag their feet in the water and splash. You just got to love that facial expression.
Lacey and Carson, what cute little cousins.

It was a great afternoon full of lots of fun. Thanks for the invite Grandma and Grandpa. We love you.

Minnetonka Cave

While we were at Bear Lake we went and walked through this cool cave. The Minnetonka cave has lots of formations and cool cave stuff. Before you get to the cave you have to walk on this boardwalk that is right next to the mountain with nothing much below you. It has great views and is really pretty.

The cave is alway 40 degress so when you are standing at the entrance you can feel a cool breeze coming out. (this is why Zack looks like shivering).

There are 444 stairs
into the cave and 444 out of the cave. So a total of 888 stairs. That makes for a lot of stairs when you are caring a 1 or 3 year old. Even though it was only 40 degress Doug and I both broke out in a sweat. We all had a great time. And to quote the boys"Caves are Cool"