Halloween & Thanksgiving (2014)

Oh my goodness it is crazy to look back on these pictures and realize this was almost a year ago!  How can that be when it seems like yesterday?   I love the saying "The days are long but the years are short."  

 A little princess is exactly what I think of this little girl.  Not in the sense that she needs to be babied and is going to get what she wants, when she wants... but in the sense that she is special and is loved beyond measure.  I hope she realizes how much we adore her for her sweet, little spirit!

 Here she is with her best friend Autumn.  The girls are all dressed up and headed to Kindergarten.

 I took this picture because as I watched Morgan play with her friends I saw how how the little girls gravitated towards her.  I was very proud of the girl she was being that day because she took special care not to leave anyone out.  Kindness is a trait that I think is most needed today.

 Cutest. Monster. Ever.

 I don't like that Carson and Cole want to be scary people now for Halloween but I understand they are boys and this is what they want.  I was pretty impressed with my painting face skills, not professional but not too shabby!  Cole would not let me take a picture of him.  He was too busy running around trying to find his friends.

 Our little Thanksgiving spread.  I am not the best cook but I really do try to put extra effort in this meal.  I get a lot of joy in preparing the food, setting the table, and then being able to sit down and have a great conversation with the family about gratitude.

Family is the best!!

Shooting (2014)

So Michael is a lover of guns.  You name a gun and I am sure he loves it, and because he loves it, he feels the kids should be well versed in these handheld tools. I think they should too.

 Here is our cute little model showing off one of daddy's guns.

 Carson loves to go shooting.  Every time Mike asks the kids to go, this one is the first one to say, "Pick me, pick me".

 Once Cole gets there he enjoys himself.

The second amendment states: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

All I have to say to that is ......AMEN!  Know how to use them and teach your kids how to use them.  

Dad and Carson's 1st Elk Hunt/ Pine Wood Derby (2014)

 Uinta mountains is where this hunt took place.  Mike and Carson went with Jed for 3 days and it was beautiful weather the whole time.

 Carson was in such heaven he said that he didn't even care about spiders possibly crawling on him.

 Carson says he was starving in this picture.  He remembers getting up at 4 am and then riding on the 4 wheeler for an hour and then hiking for an hour and then being able to watch the sunrise.  He said that was the best part.

 I know he had the time of his life with his dad because when he came home he was glowing with happiness and went into a little bit of depression over having to be back and do his normal things.  I felt so bad for him.  I can relate.  When I go off and have a good time and then have to come back and do the normal routine it can be hard.

 So glad that the kids have a dad that takes them places and wants to be part of their lives.

 Pine wood derby this year was amazing!  Mike recruited some top notch help in putting the cars together.  Brady and Danielle painted both the boys cars.  Mike Holmes helped add weight to the cars...with silver!  I think that might have been our secret weapon.

 Cole was not feeling good that night but he still took 2nd place!

 Carson took first!

Love this shot!!  I was away at a home school conference so I didn't get to see it but Mike called and sent me pictures and told me all about it.  Made this mamma's heart happy.

Park City Fun with Friends (2014 Still)

 This was such a fun trip to Park City, we went with the Beckstead's and the Gull's.  Blogging about this a year later is a bit difficult so I think we stayed there at least a couple of nights and boy did we stay active.

 Here is the proof of how active I was!  After we all rode the rides we decided to ride bikes down the mountain!  I for one have never ridden a bike like that before so I took a little spill but I would do it again in a heart beat.  Its fun to do things you haven't done before, especially when you are with such a fun bunch of people.

 I am sad to say this is the only group photo I got of all of us.

 The girls being wild and crazy.

 When we weren't busy with all active stuff during the day, we were getting on some serious poker at night!

 This is just some random photo of Tater that needs to be remembered.  He makes the most adorable little doggie!! love love love

Cousin Time 2014

We had such a fun, busy last summer.  Maddy and Bella came to visit too!

 Bella and Morgan doing a foot scrub.

 Uncle Jake got a pool that summer and boy oh boy did the kids have fun in that thing!

 I have fun playing in that pool.  So glad that Jake is close and we get to hang out so much together!

Love having Bella here with us.

Summer Fun 2014

 Mike got the kids this little 4 wheeler that was pretty fun...before the kids broke it!

 Ashley came for a few weeks at the beginning of the summer.

 We really enjoyed having her here with us.

 Mike took all the kids, plus Dani and her friend to a Lindsey Sterling concert.  We LOVE her and they said it was such a good time.

 We decided to go explore the great Salt Lake one day.  It. was. hot.   But it was neat going to look at it up close.

 There were lots of pool days last year at Desert Peak.

 We had a cook off with Jake and Jared, Mike and me.... all made a dish and then we had Brady and Danielle come over and judge who's was the best.  Of course they said all were good!  That was pretty fun.

 These guys totally took it serious!  Wish I would have taken a picture of all the dishes.

 Zoo day last year with us all.

 Here we leveled and are prepping for a play area.

We were able to find this used last year.  I put a coat of paint on it (not this picture) and had to fix a few things but its been a good toy for the kids the last year.