Lyman Vacay - Bear Lake

We just love our family vacations with Grandma and Grandpa and all the cousins.  They look forward to it and talk about it every year.  We are so grateful that we get to have these experiences and it wouldn't happen if Jed and Candice didn't feel so strongly about them.  They work so hard to iron out all the details for every family and they do so much work to get food and all the extras thought about and prepared.  THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

This year we went to Bear Lake.  It was an incredible cabin with the most spectacular views. The house was so equipped you didn't even need to leave its walls.  Some of the things we did: tons of crafts, movie nights in the huge theater room, ate and ate, played basketball, hung out, went sledding, played "One-Up" on the tramp, played on the indoor playground, played golf indoors, slide down each level on the slide next to the stairs, had family pictures, played games and so much more.  It was seriously amazing!

 There was no shortage of snacks for Mason.  He just helped himself and no one there was going to say NO!

 Coy and Aleyah had the best time together, inseperable..  I love it.  They explore and imagine for hours!

 The sledding hill was amazing! Endless snow and hills.  You could go forever if you wanted to hike that far back up!  It is hard work getting to the top of the hill!  It's also is very dangerous.  Some adults were all going down together holding hands and Livvy was just in front of them and wasn't on her sled right, so she stopped mid-hill.  As the adults turned backwards in their ride down, they plowed over the top of Olivia.  It was the scariest thing for me to watch.  It was going in slow motion as I screamed for a halt that could not have happened. She is one tough little cowgirl.  She gulped down her tears as much as she could until she got to my arms.  Jeremy to the rescue carried her up the hill.

 She was hurt more than she let on.  She wasn't able to jump on the tramp or anything too rough the rest of the trip.  It was pretty sad.  I sure love this girl and would die if anything happened to her.  Luckily she made it back to her old self by the evening.

I can't say it enough how awesome this long weekend was. Our family pictures turned out to be not great weather, in fact it was down right COLD.  My kids did an awesome job doing their best to imagine it was summer.  So. Much. Fun.

Bad Hair Day!

This 4 year old does not like his haircut! I tried to explain that even though I cut it too short, it would grow back in a couple of days. He did not agree. But he sure is dang cute! Of any of my boys, Coy is the most picky about his hair. Since this pic, he has decided he likes his hair smooth and not spiky. But no matter how he decides to have it - he makes sure it's up to his standard before leaving the mirror!

THIS BOY!!

I don't even think I could have one more ounce of love for this boy!!  I love him so much.  He brings more love into our home than I even thought possible.  BUT MAN!  He needs a haircut.  I tried to grow out his golden hair and in my mind it was easy.  No, not so easy!  So Brandalyn, cut it!

AHH!  So much better!  He is my little goofball.  He pretty much gets what he wants, when he wants it.  I try, I really do!  But who can say no to this face full of bumps and bruises??

It's always so much better to watch Mickey Mouse in the nude.  I don't blame him one bit!

Olivia turns 9

Olivia turns 9!  I have had the best 9 years with the pretty girl!  She is the most down-to-earth girl you will ever meet and so much fun.  You want this girl on your team because she is a WINNER!

All Olivia's Aunts bought her an American Girl Doll Horse, and needless to say she was super excited about it. I also bought her an iPod so she was quite spoiled today!

She was definitely in Heaven singing away to her favorite tunes on her birthday!

Dear Olivia,

Your are tuning into the most beautiful young lady, inside and out.  Your favorite color is teal and you love food just like your dad.  We are blessed every day with your kind nature.  I love watching you show love to your brothers by spending time with them and teaching them things.  Being the only girl, you bring a softness to our home.  I have loved watching your testimony grow.  For the first time ever you are getting an opinion about what you want to wear.  In our family photo above, this outfit was going to be the one and I tried to match everyone around it!  You have spent so much time in the wilderness this year and with Grandma's pony, Chiquita.  It is amazing how much that has shaped you! You have had a bunny and a hermit crab die this year.  Your tears fell fast and it shows how much you love those creatures.  Heavenly Father knew I needed you in my life and you make my whole heart happy!!  I love you soo much Miss 9-year-old-girl!!  Every year with you only gets better.  Maybe we could skip the teen years though?  Every now and then I get a glimpse of this inner-attitude you have and I am afraid.  HAHAHA!!  NAH!

Love,
Mom

Primary Children's Visit for Cohen

Anytime I get to spend time with Cohen is a sooo very happy time.  He does really well with one on one time and he loves it.  Let's just say he knows how to milk it for all it's worth too!  We went up to Primary Children's to get another opinion with all of Cohen's allergies.  He learned how to use his inhaler better.  They tested his airways and when he is having a "good day" his lungs work great!  It's the bad days that we are constantly worried about.  Coco is a trooper.  He deals with a lot!  Every day he is tempted with foods he cannot eat and he wants them real bad.  Trying to keep him full with non-junk is so hard.  The few foods he can eat - he often gets tired of eating them.  For the most part though, he knows this is his trial and he accepts it and has little complaint during school parties or other activities.  For that I am so thankful.  We are continuing to do the immunotherapy drops daily.  This Dr at Primary Children's was pretty discouraging. He thinks Cohen will struggle throughout his life! I don't really think so.  I have to be more optimistic than that!!!!  

We stayed the weekend with Noelle and that is for sure our happy place!  They all fell asleep playing, pretty much on top of each other.  I love how much they love each other!

Girls Weekend

Man, I love having girls weekends!  I love these girls so much.  They are like family to me.  They do so much for me.  They are great examples in my life of charity, service and love.  I am so so lucky.

We just got a hotel room for overnight in Salt Lake City.  We did so much shopping!  I literally had a list of shops I wanted to go to a mile long and we did it all.  Mary, Brandalyn, Becca, me and Alyson.  LOVE my BFFs!

Prayer Works

This year in Primary the kids all drew pictures for the sacrament meeting programs.  It was so awesome to see each kid's drawing.

This year, in our home we have been focusing a lot on prayers.  Prayer works,  I know it with all my heart.  In fact, I couldn't live without that communication with our Heavenly Father.  Mason is learning to pray. He watches the older kids and does his best to copy them.  He loves to say his own little prayer and copy what the older ones are saying.  It is very, very cute but more importantly it is teaching him at a young age to always talk to Heavenly Father.  I love it.