picnic with a purpose...

Last week I got Chase all excited to go to Wheeler Farm for a picnic! I enjoy a picnic, but the real purpose for the trip was to take pictures with some photo loving friends of mine!
We had a good time (and so did the kids)!
Chase was being a pain for the camera and did stuff like this most of the time!Luckily Aryn was there - the only decent pictures I got of him were thanks to her! She was happy to act silly to get him to smile and then carry him from one place to the next!
(Chase knows how to work the 8-18 year old girls! He puts on his charm and they just eat it up!)His favorite place to pose was this playhouse. The "day camp" kids were there and kept getting in the picture while their "leader" was goofing around. They were playing CSI (the Miami version, I think) and Chase was just staring at them.I am pretty sure I snapped this picture right as one of the girls knocked on the door, when the main officer (or criminal - I couldn't tell) of the day camp kids pretended to opened the door, she said "your meals on wheels is here". I am sure her and her mom spend many days volunteering, but I thought I better take little Chase out before he learned much more!The kids were able to see the animals, smell the pig poop (Chases favorite) and we took a wagon ride! I loved being able to hang out and relax with friends and can't wait to do it again! Here are some of the cute kids who came with us...To see some great pictures my friend took (including a really cute one of Chase) click here!

family time...

Last Sunday we went to Bills parents for a little get together.
His aunt was visiting from Alaska and his sister was here from Arizona.
It was a beautiful night and (a little late) I decided to pull the camera out -
fight the llama's, and take some pictures of Bill's first car!When we were first dating Bill would talk about restoring his Edsel and I would dream about our relaxing Sunday strolls! Not surprisingly, nothing has been restored and "relaxing" isn't really a word I would associate with Sunday, but looking at the car still brings back happy memories!While in the field, I found some other treasures (junk) that were fun to take pictures of!
Like this old boat...and this surf board thing...not to mention old barns and fences - complete with chipping paint and rust (heaven)!This fence with the sun setting behind it reminded me of Carin's Photo Challenge for August, which was to take pictures with Bokeh in mind!No one had more fun that night than Chase!His feet didn't hit the floor even once!Between his cousins and Aunts he was coddled over all night long!
We usually go to the great-grandparents in Heber (to take fun pictures of old things) for some adventure, but after the stick fights, run down snowmobiles and boats, ditches and llama's, I think the boys are going to want to hang out a Grandma's house for awhile!

our temple...

Bill and I had the great blessing to be able to attend the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication yesterday with Cameron and Reagan. We have been so excited to have a new temple built so close to our home.
Bill and I were able to volunteer many times for the open house and loved each minute of it! We were able to take the kids to the open house as well and let them walk through the temple with us!(the whole crew at the Open House on June 29th, 2009)
Wesley and Chase have come with me a few times to take pictures of the temple so we could have it displayed in our home. We have this picture on an easel in the family room...Chase loves to look at it and say "that's my temple"
- he also loves to play with it, which we are working on!Yesterday's experience with my boys is one that I will always treasure!
One of the speakers told the kids to remember this day, the way they felt being in the temple, with the Prophet - on his birthday! I was proud of them for the for preparing to go and taking the opportunity seriously! One of the most touching, yet simple, parts for me was at the end when we were singing the closing song. I could hear Cameron sing- I looked over and he was following along and singing his best - without being asked! He has never sang at church before -ever (occasionally he did some lip-synching when I was watching him in Primary - occasionally!) - it meant a lot to me that this was important enough to him. Like I said "simple", but something I will always remember! I feel as if I have received an abundance of blessings lately and to be part of this experience is just icing on the cake!

he takes after his mom...

Cameron received the climbing higher award at school yesterday!
He was excited to be the first one in his class to get the award this year.It reminded me of a time when Bill and I taught a youth class in church with the naughtiest 13 year olds I have ever met (I think my mom called it karma). We talked with the Bishop about how to get some control in the class - having the parents and Bishop attend class didn't work - and he suggested giving one of the leaders of the pack some responsibility. The "leader" was made class president and I think we had better behavior for at least two weeks! Cameron has an awesome teacher this year (who apparently knows the same tricks) and I hope Cameron will be able to live up to his call these next few weeks! He might have to quit sneaking out of his room to play x-box during the night to keep up his "outstanding energy" and I really hope I didn't ruin his "creativity" a couple days ago, when I informed him that he is not allowed to draw smiley faces all over his arms and legs during class!

On a more serious note - Cameron has been off to a much better start this year than last. He is the smartest thing and I am hoping this is the year that he applies himself and sees his potential! We are proud of you bug! Now will you bottle up some of that energy for when you get home so you can clean your room! xoxo mom

first for the last...

Today was the first day of preschool for sweet Chase! He was a little timid to start off, but was enjoying himself by the end!
He did have one minor meltdown when he wasn't able to use the pink marker.
The teacher nicely suggested the rainbow of other colors that were in his box,
but his one and only favorite color is pink and it took him a minute to be OK with the fact that crayola doesn't include precious pink in its box of 8 crayons!Lucky for all, there were plenty of pinks to go around when we went outside to draw the self portraits! His teacher, who has also been Reagan and Wesley's teacher, pointed out the difference in the self portraits over the years. She said the first year we didn't miss a detail
the second year wasn't quite so detailed, but carefully colored...
then she added, while looking at Chase's and my artwork, "and now look!"
Not quite sure what she was trying to say?
But who cares, cause now I have 4 hours a week ALONE! just me and my thoughts!That is 108 hours a year!I can feel the isles at Target calling my name!Some how, it isn't as exciting as I thought it would be!After preschool Chase and I headed downtown to pick up some yummy food to have a farewell lunch with my little sis before she flew back home! (don't worry - his hair will have a TRIM before his next day at school - we don't want to get him mistaken for a sheep dog - a really cute sheep dog!)

no peanuts roasting on the rainbow fire...

with yesterday being
National S'mores Day
I was reminded of these giant marshmallows I found while driving
around forever with a friend looking for some kind of grocery store
any kind of grocery store

anywhere
We finally stumbled across some sort of Mexican food store.
While in there, I spotted the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen
(and yet, they didn't have one peanut m&m in the whole store!!)

we roasted them that night!they were gross! and super sticky! another friend gave me a thing that you throw in your fire pit and it makes colors in the fire - the kids loved it!
All of this reminded me that I haven't posted much of the excitement that has been happening in our busy lives lately! Like, the first day of school a few weeks ago...the boys were excited (and tired) starting their first day!
I will do a whole "I miss Wesley" post when life calms down a bit!I hope these aren't a sign of what kind of school year we are going to have
(because they were the best ones I got - yikes).
They were SO excited to come home everyday!
why? you ask...the dogs were back!!!(and "Kristin", of course)but this is making me miss Wesley again - he is just so cute!
SO, that is about one-tenth of the catching up I need to do
(can you tell Chase is missing the boys when they are ALL gone all day - guess what he wants to do all day? not watch TV, that is for sure!)

workin 4 to 9....

some of you might remember awhile back when Cameron did this...being the overly nice mom that I am, I didn't tell you how it happened -
now I will.
Cameron was trying to dunk his brother Reagan underwater at the pool.
Reagan moved quickly and Cameron hit the bottom.
Apparently, Cameron has remembered this and decided to get his revenge
on his little brother yesterday...with a flashlight! While Reagan awaits his dentist appointment,
Cameron has been hired as the newest (and only) member of my home business
"clean till you dream"
until he has paid off his brothers new tooth!
*No need to worry about poor Cameron - I will let him do his homework during his breaks!