Repentance!

I have had a few people reprimand me for not posting...I know...so sorry!  I just got out of the habit and well...you know how it goes.  I do love to remember the great fun we have had as a family, and this blog is a way to do that, so I'm going to repent and try to get back on board.   I thought I'd start by posting my top ten for last year...(starting in May where I left off..)

1. May: I loved the simple, no frill afternoons when the kids just play in the sand pile making awesome castles and forts.  Sunday is a great day to do this, no distractions, and no friends, just family!

 This picture of Taylor in the canoe was a family night outing.  When Karl came home from work, I said let's take the canoe out on the lake for an hour or so.  It was spontaneous and great fun!

 2. In June we took the BEST VACATION EVER!  We drove through Wyoming (purchased some fireworks...pulled over and lit them..shhh, don't tell...) then we drove through the majestic Teton Mountains, then on into Yellowstone.  We could not have had more fun!  We stayed in this awesome condo, saw lot's of bison, and smelled the delicious sulfur!  Seriously, so much fun!

 3.  July:  I am all about COUSINS!  We have the cutest kids in our family, and when we all get together, heaven has descended!  The kids wanted to participate in the Provo Children's Parade, so they decorated their bikes, scooters, wagons etc, and rode in the parade.

4.  In August, Sean and his children visited us.  We had a great BBQ, painted squares to be made into a Christmas blanket for our missionary grandparents, and watched an outdoor movie complete with a sleepover.

Below is the quilt we made for my parents.  Each family and grandchild decorated a square and we put it together as a Christmas present.

 Below is the outdoor theater, we even had kids sitting in the tree watching Cars 2.  :)

5. My favorite cousin in the world came to visit me for a few short hours.  We laughed until our sides hurt.  I can't think too much about how much I miss her, or how far away she lives, (Oregon) because it's too painful, so I just eat up every second we can be together.

 6.  OK, this was an unbelievably fun trip!  We went to Lake Powell with our good friends the Hunts..(it always pays to have friends with a boat!)  The entire weekend was everything you could want at Lake Powell...lots of water toys, a nice boat, jumping off the nice boat, learning to water ski, (can I just say my boys were up on their first time!!), cliff diving and gorgeous weather, even a light rain that produced a spectacular rainbow while we were boating!!

 Hanging out with my handsome hunk, does it get better than that??

 7.  Back in January, our neighbors asked if we had an extra milk jug.  They grow these gigantic pumpkins in the milk jugs, then transplant them and watch them turn into these monsters!  They gave us one at the end of the season...greatest thing ever!

 8.  Probably the best thing to happen this year, was my baby was baptized! Our little Taylor is the most handsome, sweetest boy on the planet, and it was a wonderful day!

 9.  Not such a great thing, but a memorable one...Ashlyn had her tonsils and adenoids out.  Her adenoids were so humongous that the Dr. actually broke the "wand" while trying to remove them!  Gross, I know.  The hospital gave her this cute new pillow case and this soft quilt.  The first few nights following surgery I had her sleep in my bed to watch for any bleeding. I teared up as I listened to her breath in and out without struggling for breath, it's been long in coming.

 10.  In December, our little cousin Emma had a horse birthday party.  My future brother-in-law, yes Adrienne is engaged!! (more on that later), anyway, my future bro. brought his horses, and we all rode them.  My kids had never been on a horse, and they decided right then and there that we needed horses!!  Maybe we can borrow Ryan's again!!

11..Did I say top 10?  I forgot about this awesome photo! Isn't she beautiful??  Alyssa went to a formal dance last Fall and had a great time!  You can't see her hair, but it was really amazing in the back, so gorgeous!