Tin Foil Dinners for FHE!

We hadn't done tin foil dinners for quite a while and so we decided to give it a try for FHE.  Mike got home from work and I gave him the job of gathering everything from outside and I took care of the food and all the inside stuff.  Once we had it all in, off we went!  We had a good time exploring and hanging out together.  Even though Mike forgot to bring a flashlight or a lantern or anything that would give us a little light when it got dark, we still we had fun.  Until Mike told the kids that the coyotes were coming to get them and it was all over.  They all piled up in the truck and were ready to go home.  Even Gage!  I love that our kids still enjoy doing things like this as a family.  I hope it will last a bit longer!

Hauling wood....{ kind of the easy way.}

 Love this picture of these boys being real men!  They all thre love to help their dad with whatever he's doing.

We kind of took the easy way out this year though.  We bought our wood from my uncle and all we have to do is go to Alpine and cut it and split it.  It's still in the woods though and it's still work so I'm going to count it. 

Nana and Papa are ridiculously awesome and can still work me plum to death.  They are amazing!

While Dad is working.....

 Mike has trainings in the valley a couple of times a year and I love to go with him and just relax while he works.  This summer though we had not spent much time as a family so we decided to take the kids along with us for some together time.  I thought the kids and I could just hang out at the pool while Dad was working..... then we got a call from Grandpa John asking if we wanted to go to Canyon Lake with he and Grandma Debbie to try out his boat he just fixed up.  There was a slight pause on my end because if you are a Papa and have been on any lake anywhere with John you know that something usually goes wrong.  It's really not his fault either.  I think he just has super bad luck.

  Like the time we all went to Lake Powell on the 4th of July and decided it would be a great idea to go into town to watch the fireworks.  Grandpa John said no worries he had a "spotlight" to find our way back to camp.  So, off we went.  The fireworks were amazing and we were all in great moods heading back out on the lake.  About 3 hours later we still had not found our campsite and Grandpa's "spotlight" was actually a flashlight.  We couldn't see a dang thing and had no idea where we were.  The Papa father and his kids were all arguing about who's grand idea it had been and how the heck we were going to find our way back before we ran out of gas when we hit a rock and busted the prop.  That made our night so much more fun!  Anyway, in the end we did finally find our campsite just before dawn and we were all super cranky!

So you can imagine my hesitancy to go to the lake on a boat with John.  But I thought what the heck!  Why no?!  We met up with them at the lake and a few of them went in the boat.  I thought I might never see my kids again.  Seriously!  Can you see that boat in the picture?  I was afraid the nose of it was going to come flying out of the water at any minute and they were going to be toast!  But they weren't and the boat did great and so did Grandpa!  We can chalk this lake trip down as a success!!!!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the afternoon of fun! 

 The boys LOVED the boat.  They think we need one now.

 Katlyn loved it too.  She didn't love having to take turns though.

 We always take the kids to Bass Pro Shop while we are down.  They love it.  It's free so we dig that too!

 The lake did Gavers in.  Mike had to take him back the next day to see the fish.

These guys are pretty easy to entertain!

All in all it was a great trip!

How the heck did THAT happen?

 We had a little incident this summer with Gavers and his bellybutton.  I still have no idea how it happened or what he did but he came running down the stairs screaming and holding his belly.....

 This is what I saw when he let go.  WHAT THE HECK RIGHT?  How does something like this happen?  I have no idea.  Gavin has had a hernia there since he was born so it worried me a little that he had done some damage on the inside too.  So, we went for a visit to Dr. Bailey.

She checked his belly and said his hernia was just fine.  It had actually healed up nicely.  So, how did the bellybutton "fall out?"  She doesn't really know either.  It was super swollen for a while, but now it just looks like a deflated little balloon.  Dr. Bailey says he's right as he should be, just a goofy belly button.  His dad thinks we may have to do a little cosmetic touch up when he gets older so he can find himself a wife though. 



Watch my cool trick!

 I HAD TO PUT THESE IN HERE BECAUSE THIS IS CLASSIC GAVIN.  HE THINKS HE'S QUITE THE LITTLE DARE DEVIL, AND HE WANTS PICTURES TAKEN OF EVERY DEATH DEFYING ACT THAT HE PERFORMS.

I'M NOT SURE THIS ONE WORKED OUT QUITE LIKE HE HAD PLANNED IT, BUT WE ALL CLAPPED ANYWAY AND HE SURE WAS PROUD OF HIMSELF. 

On rainy days......

 On rainy days, our dad comes out to play.

 & we just love getting tossed like rag dolls.  It's so much fun that we just keep coming back for more.

And then we race to the tree across the green and back to see who can get struck by lightning first.  It's every kids dream to have a dad like ours on a rainy day!

It's Great to be 8!

 Carter was baptized on August 6, 2011 at the Main Street Chapel in Snowflake, AZ.  It was one of the best days! I'm so proud of him and his decision to take this step in his life.  He has grown up so much and takes his baptismal covenants very serious.  I'm so grateful to have his sweet spirit in our family!

 Here's our little family.  I compared this picture with Katlyn's baptism picture and they are all so grown up!  Gavin was just barely on his way here when she was baptized. 

 Dad always has to have a goofy picture in the mix. 

 These are all the wonderful men that came to support Carter.  It was so great to have them all there.  We missed the ones that could not come, but we are all spread out pretty far now!  Carter is a lucky boy!

 This is Carter and his friend Michael.  They were both baptized that day. They are amazing!

Here's the whole gang!  My camera was on it's last leg so we did the best that we could.  We had quite the group there.  I'm so thankful for both sides of our family and the effort that they make to support us in all we do.  We are very blessed. 

I am so thankful for Carter and the amazing spirit that he brings to our home.  I know he was sent here to earth to do some very important things!!!!  I feel very blessed to be his mother.  He has taught me so much in the short 8 years that we have known each other.  His spirit is much older than mine, I just know.  He is honest without question.  He is kind to anyone and everyone.  He is happy.  He is loving without hesitation.  He is so forgiving!  I wish I could be more like him!

Carter, we all love you so much and are so proud of you!!!!!!

Carter is 8!

 Carter turned the BIG 8 this year!  It's hard to believe but it's true!

We had a super fun water party with all of his friends.

THE BOYS WERE PRETTY COMPETATIVE!!!!  BIG SURPRISE RIGHT?!

 These two are hilarious!  Love these two boys!

 Look at the concentration......

 Katlyn was so sweet & set up a mivie outside for a brother

sister party.  The boys thought it was pretty cool!                                                               PRESENTS!

 It's great to have such good friends!



24th of July Rodeo

 This was our kids first year going to the Rodeo.  They thought it was pretty cool.  Gavin loved watching the horses.

 These boys loved the bull riding.  Go figure!



Katlyn loved the drill team.  Our friend Kelly Hatch puts it together and it's really amazing!  It makes me teary eyed every time.  I know I'm a total bawl baby!  After the rodeo they turn off all the lights and let off the fire works.  I think it will be a new Papa family tradition. 

Cousin Camp 2011

 Cousin Camp had a new member this year!  Gavin was invited for his first experience.  He loved it!

 Gage waits and waits every summer for Cousin Camp week.  This year they learned how to be knights.  That's right down his alley!

 Carter is just laid back and ready for anything as you can see.

 Katlyn is not a lover of being away from home and so this is a super hard thing for her to do every year.  I'm really proud that she has done it for so many years.  She's been a good example to her brothers.  This was her last Cousin Camp.  She will be going to Girls Camp next summer!  I can't believe it!

 Here's the whole group.  We were missing Rocko, Charly, and Maverik this year.  They live so far away now it's hard for them to make it.  We missed them! 

Because of the fire, this year Cousin Camp was at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  They are very brave!!!!!

 Here's Gavin being knighted.  He took it all very seriously.  I was super proud of him.

 The kids always do a little program.  Aren't they all cute?

 Grandma also always rents the pool out for us to go swimming.  Gavers thought it wad a tad too cold for him.

 See that arm getting ready to splash his sister.  I'm sure there was a dunk fest after that.  They really do love each other, sometimes....

 Gavin had his first time off the diving board!  He was so brave!  It helped that Uncle Logan was right there to catch him though.

 These two girls are always glad to have each other at cousin camp.

 He's like a fish! 

 She definitely inherited her fathers genes of bravery because I'm a total wimp and would never attempt this!  All three of my older kids did the high dive.  I'm glad they are more like their dad!

This last one is of Gage explaining his shield that he made.  They each made one and colored things that they loved on them. 

So, all in all it was a great Cousin Camp success! 

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!