Hiking to the "G"

With the gorgeous weather we have been having here in Utah the past week Marc decided to take the kids and hike to the "G". I stayed home because we didn't think Kamryn would have been a great sport.
Some spots on the way were easier to go down on your bum then walk down so Kelsey took the easy way.

Here they are at the top enjoying the sun and view from atop the mountain.

If we could get all the kids to look at the same time it would be a miracle. But here they are before they headed up the mountain.

While I was at home Marc called me when they reached the "G" and I stood on the back porch and took a picture of them. If you look really close you can see our little clan at the bottom right of the letter G.

Kylie is "9"

Kylie had her ninth birthday last week and celebrated for days. We took her to dinner and then she picked her favorite place for dessert. Then the next day we had a huge "Rock Star" party for her. I decorated the house with balloons and streamers and the girls listened and danced to their favorite songs. All the girls made bracelets and then I tied a glitter strand in their hair. It was warm enough for us to be outside where we played guesstures and had a lip syncing challenge. It was exhausting when it was over but I came to the realization that 13 little girls might be a few too many at this age. She had a great time and that was all that mattered.

Halloween

I did not buy any costumes this year instead our children were left to find what they could at home and come up with their own costume. Conner was a skeleton and in this picture he is a little grumpy because Coco who was also dressed as a skeleton was not in the picture. Kamryn got her dress up for her birthday and it is a Tinker Bell costume but if you ask her what she is she replies "a BEAUTIFUL Thumblina". Kelsey found this dress at a yard sale and decided immediately she would be a Queen. I don't know when we graduated from a princess to a Queen but she was happy. Kylie was a leopard/cat. She was so cute and came up with how everything would go in the costume. McKenna was a book worm which is just what she is anyway. She was so cute at the beginning trying to decide what to be and not really exited about dressing up but since she is still in 6th grade they do. I wish we got a better picture of her costume because she actually drew the entire book cover. She is quite the artist. McKenna is my little girl who is 11 going on 22.

I am not a fan of Halloween. . .

• I don't like the notion of my kids going and knocking on neighbors doors expecting candy. There is a sort of greediness about the whole thing I don't like.
• I don't like the goriness of the holiday and everything that goes along with it.
• I hate the pressure of finding costumes-either in the buying of something new or in the finding and making of the costume. I think there is a creativeness in coming up with a costume instead of just going to the store and picking something off the rack.
• I hate all the candy. I instead give out pretzels. . .much to my husband's disappointment.
• And this year I especially hated the fact that the first group of 7 or so kids who were so impatient that while I was taking pictures of my children at the door they helped themselves into my home in search of candy.

That being said I DO love the fall season. The cooler weather, pumpkins and fall leaves are so inviting. I also love the spell of my pumpkin and spice candle, eating pumpkin cookies and snuggling with my kids when the nights get cooler.

Halloween Carnival

Kamryn had her first preschool program. She was so excited to sing and participate in the carnival. The preschool really knows how to throw a party complete with 3 bounce houses, cotton candy, fishing pond, tattoos, hair sparkles, pizza, and candy, candy, candy. It was so cute to watch her enjoy being in the spotlight instead of always being a spectator.

Harvest

When we moved into this home the previous owners had a beautiful garden area. They planted herbs which came up even a few years after they left. Since Conner and Kelsey were little I didn't bother on keeping a garden and then the next year we planted everything under the sun only to become pregnant with Kamryn and realize it was too hard to bend to pick weeds. Last year I planted a few things and the plants were going well until we went to Nauvoo for 2 weeks and the weeds over took everything. Going into this spring I wasn't very optimistic but decided I would try 4 plants and start small. I kept up on the watering and weeding and now we have veggies!! I am so tickled to actually have kept something (other than my children and the dog) alive. My kids have had a great time going out to the garden to shop for the ingredients we need. Conner loves to water and watch how everything gets bigger.
I know, I know these veggies might not be hard for ordinary people to grow but for me it was quite the accomplishment. I started with the items that were easy and maybe next year I will branch out with pumpkins. . .

We picked out this zucchini this morning and instead of thinking fried zucchini or zucchini bread Kelsey thought baby. She dressed it, fed it, burped it and currently it is sleeping with a blanket on her bed. I cringe to think what will happen in a couple weeks when it gets mushy and stinky.

Camp Out

We don't go camping much. . .well actually we don't go camping at all but Marc does put the tent up in the back yard and the kids are able to "camp" while I sleep in a nice comfy bed. He is always a good sport and stays out with them. This year a few even slept on the tramp. We roasted marshmallows and made smores and watched a movie outside. We had so much fun from the comforts of our own home.

*Kamryn fell asleep during the movie so she was just placed in the tent that is why I have no pictures of her camping out.

First Day of School 2009

McKenna 6th grade

Conner 1st grade

Kelsey 1st grade

Kylie 3rd Grade