The Fair....

We're lived here for more than eleven years and we had never been to the fair! N8 was ok with this and had little enthusiasm for going this year, but Mo was positive we were going! It doesn't help the from the Kindergarten playground there was an excellent view of the ferris wheel!

We lucked out (and really we wouldn't have gone otherwise) but Friday night kids under 12 were free so we just had to pay for N8 and myself, a bunch of tickets because we are WAY to cheap for wristbands ($25 a kid!!) and so fun!

We started with the Alaskan Pig Races, quiet silly, but fun!

The kids each rode a couple of rides (the wished for more, but settled for what they got!).

Then the free petting zoo, Emma was deemed the Chicken Whisperer. She held that chicken for a good 10 minutes with it just happy as could be.

We ended with the Bubble show. It was the best part of the evening.

Emma got to be a helper wearing costume and all!

Mo dumped mentos into soda and Bud launched a rocket!

I hope to convince N8 to go again next year!

Proud Parent...

Today we got Buds 1st quarter report card. I am one proud mom! I was so worried about 6th grade and middle school. So far he seems to be navigating everything well, enjoying himself and getting great grades on top of that!

Sisters weekend...

On Thursday morning I headed out at about 5:45 am and started my drive to Provo. My sister Ruth had planned a sisters weekend. It had been several years since we had been able to do something like this and we had not been able to get all 4 of us together before.

I made it in good time enjoying the sunrise listening to Anne of Green Gables!

About 2 miles from my final exit I got a call from Karen. She was almost to the Trax station and wondered if I was close enough to pick her up. After we figured out the address and I figured out how to get there, I got her picked up and we checked into the hotel. We then headed over and got a tour of my 2 nieces apartments that are freshman at BYU.

We headed back to the hotel and met up with the rest of the group (included my Brother in Law Ray who was also in town recruiting for BYU).

We headed to dinner at Red Robin and then to see Austenland!!

It was hilarious, we all loved it!

On Friday morning we went over the the BYU bookstore and did some shopping and then headed off to get pedicures (a first time for both Karen and I).

All four of us!

Then we went on more shopping, Walmart for cheaper BYU shirts and Seagull book. At this point we took Carol back to the hotel so she could head home and we headed over to the Brickoven to meet up with the college girls, and my brother in laws Brent & Ray.

Then we went bowling at the WILK

and to the observatory in the Eyring for Lucy to finish and astronomy assignment!

We stopped by the BYU creamery on the way back to the girls apts and grabbed some ice cream and gabbed for a while and gave them the bracelets Emma and I had made them.

On Saturday morning we headed to Costco for the girls to load up!! This was Casey's cart!!!

Then it was on up to SLC and Temple Square. We stopped at the Church Art History Museum to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit

and then just walked around, visited, shopped

and ate at Kneaders (so good!!)

Very good friends from growing up Sharynn and Julie also met up with us.

We headed back to Provo, at some Los Hermonos, watched some very funny Youtube videos and we were done!

I left at 7:30am (Utah time) on Sunday morning and made it back home at aboue 5:45pm. Lot of traffic, but well worth spending time with my sisters. Keeping the bonds alive and remembering that families are what we have here, take with us and love forever!

Crossfit kids...

The kids have been going to Crossfit for a while now (8 or 9 months or so) and really enjoy it. They just go once a week for 30-40 minutes.

This last week they worked on climbing the rope!

Oh the Places You'll Stand-YW

Last week we had our Young Women in Excellence. It was a lovely night where the girls shared where they had Stood in Holy Places this year.

Our school district has an AV center where you can use their die-cuts. Karen and I went one afternoon and we (mostly she!) cut out the letters and then the girls decorated and traced for a mutual night.

Then everyone was asked to share a special thought, experience, where they have seen that girl stand in a holy place. It was awesome!!

Karen also used my cake-pop maker and made these fabulous cakepops! I LOVE the color and it was a neater (cleaner) way to eat cupcakes!!

Each YW also went home with their own copy of "Oh the Places You'll Go" and a fun pair of socks to help the remember to Stand in Holy Places!

A marathon weekend...

This weekend we packed up and headed to St George so that N8 could run his 3rd marathon!!

We left about 9am on Friday and loaded into the Rav. A tight squeeze but a savings on gas mileage!

We got N8's packet and checked into our hotel (a huge step up from last years hotel) and headed to an all you can eat pasta bar so that N8 could carbload!

In the parking lot they had a phone booth. The kids didn't know what one was!!

N8 caught a shuttle to the drop off at 3:45am!! and the kids and I headed over at about 9am ready to cheer him in!!

We were SUPER excited when we saw him!

3:12:33, a personal record!!

And an ice cream sandwich to make it worth it!

After he got cleaned up we needed to refill all the calories he had burned!

This was my meal, a huge sandwich!

N8's cousin Kara lives in St George so after lunch we met up at a park so the kids could burn off some energy and we could visit!!

Then a Costco run and N8 and the boys stayed at the hotel, caught Priesthood session via the internet while Emma and I shopped and grabbed dinner from Durangos (yummy and cheap!).

N8 got a free Yogertland coupon for running so we headed there with a TON of other people. Well worth it!

We downloaded Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon sessions of conference and listened live and what we downloaded the entire drive home. I think we missed 1/2 of one of the sessions, but otherwise I think we got it all.

My favorite thoughts:

• attend all 3 hours of church
• missionary work, don't be afraid to ask
• Teaching youth the gospel, be prepared
• Parents should know the lessons their children are being taught.
• There's more, but that's it for now!

He's 11!!!

It's hard for me to fathom that Benjamin is 11!! Today he left for school at 6:45am, will attend Cross Country Club for the first time and go to his first night of 11 year scouts!!

11 years ago N8 and I were just beginning this journey as parents. Now he is thriving in school, he just finished reading the Book of Mormon for the first time and just as great as ever!!

We love you Bud!!

He has sure grown from his 1st birthday!!