Pumpkin Patch

We decided to support a local farm this year to get our pumpkins at.  It was quite the experience.  We were the only ones there and bought the FULL Access pass.  We got to ride the horses, go on a hayride(which was so bumpy that I thought I would give birth!), pick out any pumpkin and cut them off the vine ourselves.  Since we were the only ones there they let us pick out a few more to take home to put in our yard.  We kept laughing on the way home about the 13 year old boy that was driving the hayride and was so chatty with us.  We were a little surprised that they entrusted our lives in the hands of such a young kid that kept looking back at us and not where he was driving!

Cougar Blue thru and thru!

Heading to BYU football game! Getting another outing in before the baby come! Go Cougars!!!

It's Great To Be Eight!

Daxton turning eight was a big milestone.  It meant that he would now be able to be baptized!  He was so excited that he counted down to the day.  He kept saying, "Mom only three more days till my baptism!"  It was a great day!  We were surrounded by so many of our loved ones and the spirit was strong as Daxton made the promises to follow the example of Christ and live his life the way Christ would!  We felt especially grateful to have our grandparents there.With Grandma DeeDee just recovering from surgery for tongue cancer that they found a few months earlier & Papa John speaking on the gift of the holy ghost.  Then everyone came over for brunch.  It was a perfect sunny Saturday morning!

Birthday Boys!

This September D & D had their birthdays! Dax turned the big 8 and Drae turned 6! Of course they both started of their day with some yummy ebelsquizers! They each got to pick two friends and we all went to Trafalga for some rides, laser tag, go-carts,mini-golf and rock climbing. Then we went to Shakey's for some all you can eat pizza! (Not my favorite-really how much pizza can you eat?) They both have been really into riding and jumping their bikes and so they got new ones for their birthday(finally)!! Derric every year takes in a treat and balloons to their classes. We didn't get any pictures of Drae, but Daxton was surprised! I don't know why I didn't get any pictures of them this year on their birthdays??

Daxton's Piano Recital

Daxton is taking piano lessons from a sweet lady in our neighborhood. She is like a grandmother to Daxton. Daxton loves her and her husband and often stays and 'chit chats' with them after his lessons. He is progressing so fast with his lessons that I am sad to say I can no longer help him with his practicing! Here he is going to his recital. He was upset I made him get dressed up. I told him everyone gets dressed up for a recital. When he got there everyone else was in shorts and t-shirts! Hahaha

Soccer Season

The boys had another great soccer season. I am amazed at how much more they pick up each year and are slowly starting to actually have soccer skills! Drae got to play with his cousins Lincoln and Miles and had a blast! Derric of course coached both teams again! He is such an awesome dad!!

Back to School!

Cutest kids ever, going back to school! Dax is in 2nd grade, Drae Kindergarten and Claire Preschool!

Timpanogos Caves

Since the end of summer was nearing, we wanted to take advantage of our last free days together. Although I have lived in Utah for 16 years now(what the heck!!!I've been here that long)I have never been to the Timp Caves and have always wanted to go. So we decided to go for it. The kids had a great time and complained a lot. It actually was a hard little climb for their little legs! Heck for my big legs-I was so sore the next 2 days, but needed the exercise being 6 mths prego!

AUGUST- The Great Urban Race

Derric found out about this fun race that was going on in Salt Lake. It is the same concept as The Amazing Race on tv. You get your clues and then have to figure out where you are going and then there are challenges that you have to complete at each location. They do these races in all of the major cities. It started off in Chicago and this is the first year that it has come to Salt Lake. There were only fifty teams that signed up this year and the top 25 would qualify for the National in New Orleans. We felt 50/50 odds were pretty good for us! We came in 11th and did qualify. The nationals are in November, 8 days before I am supposed to deliver! I am pretty sure I won't be able to get there with flight restrictions and all, but with a $10,000 grand prize it is very tempting to try!!! We had a blast and can't wait for next year when I am not 6 mths prego!

Seven Peaks

Yes...like the rest of Utah County we took a trip to Seven Peaks! I had to try to suck in my belly or hold the tube in front of me, because apparently pregnant women are not allowed to ride the water slides. Really??!!

Green River Rafting Trip

Summertime seems to be going way too fast but we are still going strong! We took a trip down to Green River for a rafting trip/camping trip. The Jacksons and Hunter and Jax met up with us. It was just a quick over nighter but still a lot of fun. We think we need to challenge ourselves with higher level of rapids next time we plan a rafting trip. We spent most of the time in the water, just getting cool and relaxing:) It was fun to get to see Drew and Krista who were in the first Green River Olympic tri. It actually was right at our campsite so we got to see them transition before we had to head out to the river!

Bubbles!!!

Claire learned to blow a bubble with gum this month! Dax and Drae are super jealous that she figured it out before them.

JULY-Pirate Day

The dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving point had a pirate day to celebrate their anniversary so we met up with some friends and had fun getting tattoos, getting dressed up like pirates and finding clues around the museum.

Cinderella Play

Grammy treated us to a Girls Night Out to the Cinderella play in Alpine. Claire and I met up with Grammy, Grandma DeeDee, McKynlie and Miranda and Megan at Kneaders to start the night of right. We then went and saw Cinderella the play! The girls had a blast and felt very glammed up with the jewlery Grammy brought them to wear!

McKenna Comes to Town!

Our cousin McKenna came out for a visit for her birthday! We got to spend a few days with her doing a ton of fun stuff! To top ot all off we had a girls lunch at Dear Lizzies! LOVE that place! Thanks to Grammy for treating us!

Pioneer Weekend

For July 24th weekend we took a trip to Flaming Gorge. We have never been before and we were all in awe at how amazing it is there! The Gorge is massive and beautiful! We were planning on renting a jet ski and playing for a few days on the water, but upon arrival we discovered that there was no where around that rented out Jet skis. So we spent our time canoeing and one day we rented a raft and took a trip down the Green River. The kids were so pumped to hit the huge rapids!!!(not huge at all:) The kids had fun riding their bikes around the campsite, playing homerun derby and catching lizards. They even named one Lizzie and brought her home for a pet! We have so much fun spending time together as a family and think we have the funnest kids around!

RESS Retreat 2011!

We have created lots of wonderful memories through the years during our time at RESS Retreat(Derric's family's annual get-together). The kids look forward to it every year and they are getting to the such a fun age where they can just run off and play with their cousins. This year we went to the Palisades and stayed at a campsite right next to the Manti Temple. We like to call it Mosquito Camp! There were so many mosquitoes that we all stayed lathered in DEET and still the kids all went home looking like they had chicken pox! It was hot but there was always a rain storm around the corner with fierce winds. So we would be stuck in our tents instead of out playing games. But there were plenty of moments that we were able to be out chatting, playing horse shoes, swimming in the lake(huge pond), digging in the dirt, riding bikes, eating, taking a wagon ride, doing arts n crafts and more! It was definitely another successful year at RESS and we made lots of memories to last us forever!

Daxton's first art show

Derric and I have come to realize as parents that your kids will never know of the opportunities that are right in front of them if you don't make them aware of them. Daxton and his friend William have been making needle and thread art all summer long and getting better and better at them. I was reading about the up coming events for Steel Days and saw that they have an art show every year. The thought came to me to have Daxton enter with his needle and thread. He got so excited and put so much more effort into the piece that he would enter. He wanted it to be perfect! He was so excited to see his art up with so many other talented people and felt a ton of accomplishment! I am not an artsy person and never have entered an art contest myself but have started to realize the world of opportunity out there is enormous for our children and we need to keep an eye out for opportunities for them to try different things and discover what they may enjoy doing and excell in life.

Soap Box Races!

The boys finished their Soap Box Car, a Wii remote!!! They were excited to race it in the American Fork 1st annual Soap Box Car Races!!! There were some serious competitors who had obviously done this before so they didn't win any awards but sure had some fun. Daxton even got to be on the morning news racing the Chic-fillet Cow and in the paper with the photo getting a ticket from the police officer! Guess its good to know the guy in charge, huh!

4th of July!!!

The Fourth of July was low key this year. Usually we race in the Freedom Run but we didn't this year. We slept in and then watched the Provo parade with the cousins. Then we went home and did yard work while the kids played and waited for it to get dark enough to do some fireworks. We had home made ice-cream and the boys were super excited that Dad let them light their own fireworks! I was not too excited about that idea!

JUNE-Our big announcement!

In June we announced to the family that we were expecting baby #4!! This was the card we gave to our parents. Our kids found out at the same time and were so excited that there would be a new baby in the family!!! We now know we are having another girl!!!

Lehi Round-Up!

Who doesn't love a good rodeo? And summertime is the best time to enjoy it! It was so exciting to see all the different events. The kids especially loved the motorcycles riders! Drae is happy in this picture but he got sick and hour into it with a high fever and fell asleep in my arms and then threw up as soon as we got home. :(

Summer Fun!!

Nothing is as fun as going up the canyon for some dinner and smore's!!!