St. George and My Birthday!!!

Where is a better place to spend your birthday than St. George?! We needed a little get away…and my parents did too…so down south we went. We woke up that morning and took he kids on the funnest little hike through slot canyon and to the top of Dixie Rock. We really need to do that kind of stuff together more as a family. Toby got me breakfast in bed from the Egg and I and we went running together and swimming…it was all just perfect. - Then that evening my parents watched the kids so that Tob and I could go on a date. And what a perfect dad it was! We went to eat at The Outback Steak House and then went to Fiesta Fun after. We went bowling together, mini golfed where I creamed him, and played arcades like we were kids again. We're best friends. I'm so lucky to have him. My friends and family know how to make me feel like so incredibly special. I'm very blessed to have what I have. It was a great great day and a great great weekend. 

Fourth O' July

One of my most favorite of Holidays. The fourth of July! This year the plan was to spend the night down at Kathy's condo's. But with Tory and Janie's family and Kath, TJ and Teren it was just too crowded and we wanted the boys to be able to sleep well. So we went down the night before and spent some fun time with them at the carnival and stuff but then drove home to sleep. Then drove back in the morning to hang at the parade and have breakfast with everyone. The kids loved it. I loved it. Love the Christensen's. After we drove to Kathy's and had a big bar b que with everyone including the Down's and Joni's family came too. We love swimming and being together. One of the best days of the summer. We ended the holiday at my parents lighting fireworks and eating Grandpa's famous home made ice-cream. It's tradition. LOVE this holiday and am so incredibly grateful for the freedoms we enjoy or for the men and women who fought for these freedoms. We truly are so blessed to live here. And these pictures of Kemp. Can you even stand them?!!!!

More Random Pics

Just some random pics of stuff like Cash and Tate compared battle wounds, big hugs for Dad, Girls nights out to city creek, last day of school, and enjoying some watermelon at Grandma's house. You know...the good stuff.

"The BOYS"

It's funny how I have 3 boys and 4 kids total but whenever Toby or I say "the boys" we always know we're referring to the younger two. It's like we have our first two kids and then our last two kids. These two little boys are going to be the best of friends I just know it. I picked these pictures for our book because I always want to remember them. I want to remember the two of them snuggling on the ground, the way Kemp always lifted his right leg out of the car seat, Tate running out of bread and the ducks chasing him for it, they're big beautiful eyes, how excited Tate got when Grandpa brought him home a teddy bear from Montana, how it breaks my heart when one of them is sick, how Tate stuck his head under the flower pot to "get wet" after I watered it. So many little moments that make up my whole world. Being a mom is not always easy but there is nothing I love more.

Utah Valley Half Marathon 2015

 THIS is the best race Ever. I want to always be able to run this race. The training is hard. It's time consuming. It's very difficult. But it's all so worth it when you cross the finish line. I'm grateful that I have a best friend who will run it with me. Of course he is ahead of me the whole time, but still fun to go through the whole pre race and everything together. The race is such a rush. My goal this time was just to finish. I really hadn't gotten more than a 5 mile run in. But I had so much adrenaline and such a strong will to run the whole time that I honestly couldn't believe it when that's just what I did. Ran the whole time! and I even PR'ed. I really love running and hope that when my kids are older I will be able to do this on a more regular basis.

Happy Birthday Taters!

I blinked and he was 3. How did that happen? Time please slow down! This little boy in one of a kind. He's incredible. He's difficult. He's hilarious. I love him with everything I've got. It was so fun to take breakfast in bed to him. He was so excited to wake to balloon on his ceiling. We took him to the Lego store and to Build a bear to celebrate him. We also had a little party for him with all the downs' combined with Jordan since you know…they share a birthday. But let me tell you…Tate was so terrible that night. He was awnry, tired, not grateful, and by the end of the night I wanted to cry. Why are kids so difficult on their birthdays?! Too much attention or too overwhelming I guess. I was so frustrated. You picture everything going so perfectly and this one certainly did not. Oh well. You win some you lose some. But I forgive him. He's too wonderful not too.