Downata Hotsprings!!

We had a whole lot of fun. We left Friday after school and got there in time to have some hot dogs and potato salad for dinner. We hung out and played on the playground and checked out the pool then got in our jammies. Jenna cried for just a few minutes and then fell asleep. Andie and Tyson slept in my parents trailer and Casey stayed with us. Everyone slept really well until about 3:00 a.m when 3 trains came by blowing their horns one right after another. The guy next to us brought his dogs and so they started to bark, both Jenna and Casey woke up. After about 30 min and a bottle everyone settled back down and fell back asleep.

We were up by 7:30, but the pool didn't open until 11:00 so we had breakfast and then Jenna went down for a nap while the kids played in the sand. Finally it was time to swim and we all headed out. The pool was very warm and then kids had a blast. There were 3 water slides that whet into the main pool and Andie and Tyson had a so much fun shooting out of them. Casey was content to play in the little area and Mom and Dad had Jenna most of the time.

Jonathan, Andie and I went over to the big slides for a while, "The Black Hole," and "The Dragon." The Black Hole drops about 100 feet into the ground the shoots you around a corner and spits out out 15 seconds later. Johnathan's face was priceless the first time he went down. I screamed like a little girl! The Dragon is more than twice as long as the slide in Thermop and goes around in a couple of circles, it is a really big tube and you can go down it on a mat. Andie and Tyson went on that one. Finally the kids were hungry and tired so we headed back to camp.

After a BIG lunch we all settled down for naps. Two hours later we geared back up and headed back to the pool. The kids had fun again on the slides and then finally Andie said she wanted to go to the Black Hole. Johnathan and I headed over there with her and she boldly walked up there and headed down. She was SOOO excited when she got done and she went on it two more times. I don't know how many times Johnathan went down, but I stuck to the Dragon. Dad was content to play with Jenna in the pool. Finally it was time for dinner so we drug the tired wet kids back to camp.

Dinner was a tin foil dinner in the crock pot. It was really yummy and then we had ice cream for dessert. We tried a chocolate cake in the dutch oven but it seemed to cook forever and we finally just put the kids to bed and went to bed ourselves. Same sleeping arrangements and everyone slept really good until 6:15 when another train came though. We were up and going, had breakfast then went on our pioneer hike enjoying nature. Then we packed up and came home. Camping trip a success!!! We had a lot of fun and the kids were great. It was a nice end of summer camping trip.

1st Day of School!

Andie and Tyson headed out for the first day back to school, but no only was it the first day for everyone, but it really was Tyson's FIRST day! He was so excited this morning that when my mom called to wish him luck he told her "She talked to much." He was waiting for the bus and she was taking much longer talking to him than he wanted.

We all went out and waited together for the bus and when it finally arrived, Tyson jumped on like it was going to leave without him. He was so excited that he ran to the very back of the bus. When he realized Andie had stopped he went back and sat with her.

The rest of us decided to meet them at the school and get a few pictures. Tyson hit the ground running and it was like pulling teeth to get a picture of him at his classroom. Then he ran down the hall and was done with us. We stopped in at Andie's classroom and she was ready to learn. I think she is going to have a good year and I am excited to talk to her when she gets home.

I met Tyson at the bus this afternoon and I asked him. "What was the first thing you did!" Instantly he said, "I had to sit down!" HAHAHA What a crack up! He did talk and talk and talk about the rest of the day and he is ready and excited to go again tomorrow.

Casey and I worked on the alphabet song and then hung out while Jenna napped, on top of that I got the kitchen clean and the living rooms picked up. We also went to the store and played outside for a bit. Overall it was a painless first day and I hope Andie has lots of good things to report when she gets home!

Handy Manny!!!

For those of you who are not aware of this guy, he is a cartoon character on Disney Channel and the boys love to watch him. He is a fixet man who goes to people's homes and places of work and fixes whatever their problem is. He has a set of animated tools who helps him and they all work together to get the job done.

Well today we had a man come to the house to fix Johnathans computer. When he got out of the car Casey's eyes went REALLY wide and he just stared at the guy for a long time. Finally he went and got Tyson and took him into the kitchen, where the man was working, and he wispered. "Its Handy Manny!!!"

Granted the guy did look a lot like the cartoon. He was about the same hight as you would imagin him to be and he had on a blue hat. Casey was stunned and he just kept saying that it was Manny! I didn't try to correct him on the matter, it was just too cute to watch him belive it was Manny. Casey was to shy to talk to him, but who would'nt be a little star struck if one of your cartoon heros were standing right in your kitchen!

Happy Birthday Tyson!!!

Can't believe it but Tyson is Six today!!! It seems like just the other day we were bringing our boy home from the hospital, and now he is getting ready to go off to Kindergarten. We have a fun day planned. He has two of his friends coming over tonight for a little party and we are having a scavenger hunt for his birthday presents. I made a volcano cake for him, it isn't my best work, but he LOVES it. This is the first time that Tyson will have a real birthday party and he is so excited!

My mom came and picked him up and took him to lunch, then they were going to go and look for some school clothes, he was happy as a clam when they left the house. His is such a big boy. We love you Tyson and Happy Birthday!

Kid Update

I just thought I would post some updated pics of the kids and a little info on them.


Andie is done with 2nd grade, she was kinda sad about school getting over, but she is looking forward to 3rd grade. There are lots of things she is excited about this summer and when she feels like it she is a great helper.


Tyson is enjoying Gymnastics a whole lot! He is so strong and it is fun for him to work on the different apparatuses. He likes it when Andie is home and they are spending a lot of time outside. I think he is looking forward to Kindergarten in the fall, and riding the same bus as Andie.


Casey is starting to talk and talk and talk. He is super cute and likes to tell us stories. He also is big into telling me how much he loves me, I really like that. He too is enjoying having Andie home and riding his bike in the nice weather.


Jenna got her first haircut the other day, and now she looks all grown up. She is exploring her facial expressions and has learned to climb up on chairs, couches and even beds, she is going to keep me hopping I am sure! We are hoping to fend off the crib climbing and are currently enjoying her sleeping though the night, but who knows how long that will last.

Sending off a Soldier

This last weekend my parents and brother and I went to Colorado Springs to send my brother Ben off to War. It was a wonderful weekend, and we spent a lot of time together just enjoying each others company. We went to the aquarium and then walked down by the river, attended Church with him at his ward and laughed together talking about old times and what we remember of him growing up. I was 11 years old when he was born and so there were a lot of things to talk about. Sunday night was the hardest. We enjoyed some dinner together then quietly discusses his funeral arrangements. These are things that had to be talked about, but no one ever wants to know what there 19 year old brother wants on the day he is buried. It was hard not to focus on the fact that we may never see him alive on this earth again.

Even with the idea of a last reunion playing in the back of our minds we were able to really have a good time. Ben showed us all the places he likes to eat and then we hiked up to 7 falls and went though some old tunnels up on the mountain. It was so beautiful there even though it rained most of the time. The lightning was amazing to watch and it stayed cool for our hiking and other activities.

Ben will be flying out on Friday to serve the country he loves. He feels so strongly about this and it is truly what he wants to do. Please pray for our Soldiers, they are out fighting a cause that is worthy and great. The next time you see an American flag think about all those families who quietly discussed the funerals of their sons and daughters, and then think about all of those families who have fulfilled those wishes so that we can have what we have today, tomorrow, and forever.

Denver, here I come!

I am going to Denver in two weeks with my Mom, Dad, and brother to see Benjamin off to Afghanistan. We are taking a quick trip so we can see him one last time before his tour with the National Guard. It is going to be really hard to say goodbye to him, but this is really what he want to do and I am so proud of him for going. I know it is going to be scary to think of him over there getting shot at, but I also know that my Heavenly Father loves him, and he loves us, his family. We have no control over Ben's future, but He does and He is going to do what is right for all of us. I am so thankful for my Faith, that allows me to see things though a different set of glasses, and know that we are in the life to learn and grow, and our Loving Heavenly Father will only give us what we can handle.

So when I go to see Ben, I plan on giving him a great big hug and telling him all the things a big sister should, but when we leave he will be in the hands of our Father, and I need to let my faith take over. We can be strong as a family and keep him in our prayers and hopefully in a year or so we can welcome him home back into the arms of our family.