Utah visit!

We headed to Utah Sunday, August 8 after my parents mission farewell talk. We had left Crossfield early Sunday morning to be able to be there in time for their talks. I am incredibly thankful we were able to be there. My parents mean so much to me and not being there wasn't even an option.

Their talks were amazing and it was nice to hear what they had to say as I learned things about them I didn't know. They are going to be awesome missionaries! The people they are going to be working with/serving with are going to love them and that makes not having them around for 2 years a little easier. Cause I know they will be happy and taken care of.

It was also SO good to see Cole for the first time in 2 weeks. He had been down there helping my parents with some renovations and work around their place. He had a great time with his other cousins down there too.

We left Cardston Sunday late afternoon and took my nephew Zack (9 years old) with us. Brynely stayed in Cardston with my parents so we could spend some good quality time with boys and have fun with them. I forgot to mention we also had our dog Buddy with us as well. So we had a full truck as we were also pulling our fifth wheel down with us.

Kent wanted Buddy to come down to and I had arranged for him to go to a kennel while we were going to be down in Utah...I figured it would be easier. Kent said he should come cause why not and plus it will save us money instead of paying to have him in a kennel. All was fine until we left Cardston and we began the drive to the States...Buddy had gas!! It was awful and we were having to open the windows every 5 minutes I kid you not. He had gotten into some people food while we had been camping up at the lake and it was finally hitting him I guess. It was NOT a fun trip down there to say the least.

We stayed in Butte Montana over night at the Walmart parking lot since it was free and all. We arrived there around 11p.m. so we were tired. Monday morning we got up and let the kids go walk around Walmart and then we headed out.

We arrived in Utah around 6 p.m. as we had a few stops along the way down (mishaps with the fifth wheel...UGH!) It was good to FINALLY get there. We got the fifth wheel all set up. And then got the kids and their tent all set up as well.

Buddy and Fresca and the kids tent in Em's yard.

Fresca is only a few months old and she wasn't quite sure about Buddy as he was so dang huge compared to her. Buddy and Fresca got along well and had fun together.

HAPPY 36th BIRTHDAY EMILY!!
Tuesday, August 10 2010

This is the first time in over 15 or more years that I have been with Emily on her birthday. It was SO fun to be there and making sure she had a good day. I had the pleasure of showing Emily her best birthday surprise of the day that morning (long story). I couldn't wait to show her so I brought her outside to see and it put the biggest smile on her face...ahhhh, a GREAT start to her birthday!

Emily, her daughter Elizabeth (11 yrs old) and her friend and I all went shopping for about 2-3 hours. The guys took all the other kids and went to the Nicklecade and had a good time there. We all met up for a late lunch/early supper at the Golden Corral.

Once we were all done eating Kent asked our waiter if they did anything for Birthdays and he said,

" yes we sing to them."

Kent told them it was Em's birthday and to send them over. We were laughing and as you can see on Em's face I think she wanted to hurt Kent ha ha!

Emily and Barb

I wanted a picture of Emily and I together so I gave Kent the camera. He was taking too long so we started being silly.

Emily and I are only 15 months apart. I think my Mom was crazy having us so close together (ha)...mind you, I think I was a whoops! But, probably the best whoops she has ever had.
*wink, wink*

Emily is a great sister! And I really look up to her. She and I have gotten a lot closer over the years. It is important to us that our kids are close and know each other.

After dinner Emily and I took most the kids and headed home while Kent and Mark and took a couple kids and went to get her birthday cake. We got on the freeway and all of a sudden heard this weird noise and it got louder and louder...the tire had blown! We pulled over and realized we had NO CELL PHONE to even call anyone....CRAP!!! We also knew Mark and Kent probably wouldn't even think anything was wrong for about an hour or so as they would be driving home a different way.

It was getting dark out and traffic was busy on the freeway. We were so scared we were going to get hit. Em put on her hazards and we opened up the back of the minivan to try to figure out how to do the tire ourselves. We couldn't even figure out where the jack was and what not....NICE!

Em turned on some music to distract the 6 kids we had in the minivan and we stood outside at the back of the van HOPING someone would pull over...NOPE!! After standing there for about 40 minutes Emily decided to run up the freeway to the next off ramp and go to a gas station...it was a LONG ways away. Thank goodness Em is a runner...but I didn't like her leaving as it was dark. I was praying like you wouldn't believe...for Emily's safety and ours, for someone to pull over and help us and for the guys to CLUE IN that something was wrong. Anyways, to make a long story short a wonderful couple and their son FINALLY pulled over and helped us. They were SO kind and helpful...they changed the tire for us as we couldn't get a hold of Mark and Kent (this couple had a cell phone we used to try to call the guys and they weren't answering).

Emily got picked up just as she had gotten down the off ramp and they brought her back to us and she to used there cell phone and couldn't get a hold of the guys. Not once did a policeman drive by on the freeway the whole 1 1/2 hours we were out there. They did finally show up once the tire was on and done. So I gave them a hard time and he said actually they had great timing cause it was all done by the time they showed up...real nice! Kent and Mark FINALLY called us back and came. They said they didn't know the number that kept calling so they didn't answer it LOL!

I am grateful all my prayers were answered and we were able to get back to Em's and finish celebrating her birthday...even though it was around 11 p.m. at this point.

I love this picture of Em...she has the greatest smile!

Kent and Mark picked out her cake and they did a good job...it was an ice cream cake. The candles on it were a question mark and a 6...too funny!

We sang to her and then she blew out her candles.
Em said she had a good day. It was definitely and eventful one to say the least.

Love you Em!



Wednesday, August 11
Kent and I did some shopping that day. Then around 4 p.m. we all went to Cherry Hill. It is a fun place that we went to last year. It is a water park that has a fun tube ride, a big pirates wading pool area for the little ones and then a swimming pool, miniature golf course and another type of slide that you have to sit on a mat to go down it. I am ashamed to say not many pictures were taken that day as I was enjoying myself so much I forgot LOL!


Cousins

Korhman, Tyson and Zack are all 9 years old and man are they all alike...it is quite painful actually ha ha!


Korhman doing a back flop into the water...let's just say he did a really good one and he was in a little bit of pain LOL!

Korhman doing a belly flop...once a gain another good one and he was a hurtin' boy!


Zack and Kent doing cannon balls into the pool


Tyson doing his belly flop. Kent and Mark were judging them as they did all these things into the water to let them know who did the best.


Zack doing his belly flop. He came up with a beat read face and chest. He said it felt like a sunburn LOL!!


Having fun in the pool together


Korhman, Zack and Tyson doing "the nutcracker" into the water. I don't think I need to explain this...it is self explanitory...silly, silly boys! Korhman won at this ha ha...



Playing in the ditch

Anytime Buddy was off his leash and there was water in the ditch he went for it. SO the kids decided they would get in and play as well. Once they got in Buddy wasn't interested to go in. So they kept calling and calling him to come play in the water with them.

He finally got in and they all had fun

He went running down the ditch past each of them splashing them and you could hear them all screaming and laughing!

Buddy was cooled off and I swear he had a grin on his face LOL!
He is such a good dog. In the end I am glad we brought him.


Dancing Vehicle

On our way home from Cherry Hill we had Max (13 yrs old), Cole (12 yrs old), Calvin (5 yrs old) in the truck with Kent and I. We had the music playing loud and we were dancing and singing away to it. The kids wanted slurpees so we told them the only way we would stop and get them one is if they danced the whole way there. HA HA HA...it was the funniest thing ever to see them all just given'r in the truck. It was fun...I tried to take pics of everyone dancing and I got some pretty funny ones =)

Thanks Emily and Family for having us. We had a great time as usual. Hopefully we will see you in about 7-8 months =)


We left Utah Friday, August 13 to head to Great Falls to camp for the weekend so we could do some school shopping. We stayed at the KOA in Great Falls. Really nice place, but much to our surprise VERY expensive. Once again, not one picture...DARN!! The kids had a good time.

I was anxious to get back to Cardston as I was missing my Brynley somethin' fierce. The ride back home was WAY better as Buddy didn't have gas this time...thank goodness!

Jada, Paige (my neices) and Brynley.

Brynley looked so cute all done up as they had just gotten home from church. I was all teary eyed seeing her and her seeing me and her reaction was even better. She was giggling and just kept saying

"Mum, Mummmm, Mum!"

I got the biggest most tightest hugs and kisses...it was awesome!

Thanks again to my parents for having Brynley for that week so we could have fun with the boys. You are awesome! Saying bye to them knowing we won't see them for a long time was hard. We love you both so much!

No more suckie!!!

Today, Wednesday, August 18th 2010 is a BIG day in our house...Brynley is officially "suckie" (soother) free....YEAH!!!

Reading that actually kindof has me sad for various reasons. Don't get me wrong I am HAPPY it is done and went so well. BUT, that just means that is another step to her getting bigger *sigh*.

If you haven't already noticed in most of her pictures over the past couple of years there is usually a soother in her mouth. She has been a really big "suckie" baby. Brynley called it her "eeee" (for suckie)!

Goodbye "suckie" a.k.a. "eeee!"


Seriously, you don't even know how shocked we are that she adjusted so well to NOT having her suckie anymore. We truly thought it was going to be such a hassle and a big fight. Nothin'!

Monday we decided she would only get it a nap time and bed time and she did really well. She asked for it a couple of times throughout the day. And I would tell her, "all gone, all done" and do the hand sign to her as I said it so she knew. Once I did that she didn't freak out or keep asking she just went about doing whatever she was doing...it was SO nice!

Monday night Kent was laying with her to get her to sleep and he didn't even give it to her...she went to sleep without it and slept ALL night! What the heck eh?! The next day she went the WHOLE day without it...not even at nap time. She asked for it once or twice and was fine when I told her and signed to her that it was all gone and all done. Last night again no suckie and she even slept in her own bed the WHOLE night...didn't get up until 6:30 a.m. What the??? So this morning when we were up I took all her soothers and threw them in the garbage so there was NO WAY of reverting.

Seriously, if I had known this was all going to be this way I would have done this MUCH sooner LOL!! What a girl. I have to say though I am very proud of us for getting it done =)



Brynley in her new hoodie I bought her from the states...how cute is that hey?! Actually when I told her to say, "cheese" she folded her arms like we were going to say prayers ha ha!

Don't mind the messy closet...Bryn has torn it all apart. Look at that face...so kissable!!

Ok, Ok, one more random picture of this cuteness we call Brynley. Seriously now, can we say LOVE IT! She looked so dang cute in this outfit going to church. She loves the skirt cause it is so poofy. Might I add that I got the skirt for $2.99...yep, that's right!




Funny story...
Melanie called me this morning laughing as Tyson was over there playing with her kids. And she over heard Tyson telling them that,

"my Mom's baby making machine has been taken out"

Jade (6 years old) asked,
"how did they do that and when do you get a baby making machine?"

Tyson then replied,
"I don't know, I am not a girl!"

Oh my goodness is all I could say to Melanie as we were laughing. Nice!!

Right after I had had my hysterectomy Tyson not understanding what happened asked if we could have another baby. Kent told him no that both our "baby making machines" had been taken out. Poor Tyson is so confused...good thing he will learn all about that this year in Grade 4!!! ha ha

Kids Rooms...

May 27th was a BIG turning point for us as Brynley was no longer in her crib. She had climbed out of it (very quietly I might add) and scared me to death banging at her bedroom door one night.

We decided we needed to get her out of her crib A.S.A.P. as she could really hurt herself by climbing out of it. So, we took it apart and the two sides of the crib grow with her and act as a foot board and head board to a double sized mattress. We got a mattress and got it all set up. Now I needed to find bedding...that was harder than I thought it would be. I had a hard time finding anything to go with what was already in her room...but I did find something I could work with.

Her nursery stuff was pink, brown and cream...I wanted to incorporate more colors so this is what I came up with.

Brynley LOVES her new bed. When she first came in her room and saw it she said,

"ohhhh wooowww"

and had thee biggest smile. Her reaction was great and it made us laugh.

She is doing so-so with sleeping her in own bed. She usually wakes up around 3 or 4 a.m. and one of us gets up and goes and lays with her. There has been a couple of nights where she actually has slept throughout the whole night...that was AWESOME!!!

Oh how we wish this little girl would stay asleep....ALL NIGHT!! The lack of sleep is a hard thing...one I can't wait for her to get over.

I had blown up that cute black and white picture of Russ and Brynley and had it in our front room. But I thought it was time it got put in her room and it looks really nice. She points to it all the time and says, "Poppa a Me"(meaning Poppa and Me!)

The lampshades have stickers on them right now...and I really don't like it...to me it looks tacky. So I have bought all different colors and widths of ribbon that match the colors in her room. I am going to glue them onto the lampshade like stripes. I haven't done it as of yet...I need to get on that!

This wood window frame is one we found on Kent's Dad's family farm land down near Cardston. No one lives there and there are just some old farm buildings. One day Kent and I went rummaging through the buildings for the heck of it and we found 4 or 5 old window frames...so we brought them home.

Brynley's bedding set came with all these stickers to match it. Kent went out in the garage and brought in this window that we had brought home from the farm...it was perfect and it even had pink on it. Putting the window frame up like this with the stickers was all Kent's idea. It is so cute and I love that there is a story behind it all =)

Cole's Room

Cole has been downstairs ever since we moved into this house 4 years ago. So his room has been set up nicely for a while. His room colors are the Calgary Flames colors. Since his room was already painted we helped him de-junk it, put up a few new wall things and organize his room better...man does it ever feel better in there!

We made these vinyl wall decals (my sister in law Sheri has a cricket machine...LOVE IT!!) This is what is on the back of Cole's hockey jersey...his last name and number so we thought that would be fun to put up. So this is what you first see when you walk into Cole's room.

I found this saying online and thought it was very fitting for Cole being a Goalie and all...it says:

My GOAL is to DENY yours

And then we put his hockey pictures and some of his medals with this saying. Cole liked it a lot and so did we...makes it more fun and personable!


Cole's room feels and looks SO much better now that we have re-organized him and changed a few things.

Tyson's Room
Ty wanted his room to be the same color as his hockey team he plays on...red, white and black. No problem!

Poor Ty has had to wait the past 2 years to get his room looking nice. He originally was upstairs and we had it all done nicely up there. But when Brynley came along we decided both boys could be downstairs...that was 2 years ago! Cole was already down there and his room was already done.

Kent getting it all ready and started. I did help tape and that is not a fun job!


Tyson wanted to help so badly...so Kent began to teach him how.


It didn't last long as it was hurting Kent to watch Tyson do it ha ha! Kent started out as a painter when we were first married so this is one thing he is VERY picky about.



The finished product...

I found this saying online and thought it was perfect for Tyson's room. He plays defense on his hockey team...the sayings says...

Hockey players have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins

incorporating Tyson's hockey pictures over the years he has played and some of his medals with the saying went really nicely I thought. Tyson liked it and had a big smile on his face...so that is what matters!


I made more vinyl wall decals out of Tyson's hockey number and his last name...I wanted it to look similar to the back of what his hockey jersey looks like...turned out great! You see this when you first walk into Ty's room.


His new bed, bedding and new room. It feels SO much better and WAY more comfy than before. When it was all done Tyson laid on his bed with the biggest smile on his face and he said,

"yep, this is much better."


This poster is on the wall by the door...so this is what he sees when he is leaving his room and turning off his light. It says:

Armor Up!

"Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day."
-Ephesians 6:13

Did you put YOURS on today?

Cole and Tyson both have this poster on their walls in their rooms. We hope this poster will be a good reminder to each of them to say their prayers each day and what is important!

It feels SO GOOD to FINALLY have all 3 kids rooms D-O-N-E!!!

2 New favorite stores!

In Ogden Utah near where my sister Emily lives is a great store in the Newgate Mall called Down East Basics.

They sell modest swimwear modest clothing, dresses, shirts, jewelery, accessories, hand bags etc. It is a store I have to go see every time I am down there. They have the cutest skirts and the prices aren't bad either.

I bought a black and white skirt that has hot pink in it from this store and I get a lot of compliments anytime I wear it. It is so comfy!


These shirts are GREAT to wear underneath other shirts or sweaters or what not. They are SO comfortable and affordable.

My other favorite new store is called Maurices. It is only down in the States as well..and I just learned Canadians can't get things shipped up here from them. So I am not happy about that and I will have to figure that out LOL!

It has the best clothing, jewelery, hand bags, shoes etc.



I bought quite a few shirts from there that are called "screen tees" I LOVE them! They are very thin and so comfy to wear.


I recently bought this down in Utah at the Maurices store there. It is a jewelery holder for your earrings, necklaces, bracelets etc. Can I just say it is AWESOME! I love that it is double sided and that you can see what is in each pocket. It was like Christmas organizing my jewelery into it. Now I am kicking myself for not buying 2 as I really need another one...yes I have a lot of jewelery =)

Stanford and Nielsen family fun!

Earlier this year Sheri and I had been talking about how it would be fun to get all her siblings and their families together along with her cousins that live in Carstairs and their families. There are too many kids and too many people to get together at some one's house so we were trying to figure out what we could do. Sheri came up with camping up at Glennifer Lake at the group campsite. Everyone was able to come except for Gary and his family as he had to work that weekend and Derek and his family as they were back in Ontario.

Friday, August 6 2010
We took our fifth wheel up there and arrived the same time as Sheri and her family and Niki. Niki was tenting it kind of behind, but beside out fifth wheel. And Sheri and her family have a fifth wheel as well.

We were setting it all up when I realized I hadn't seen Bryn for a bit. I panicked and was calling her and calling her..and this is where I found her. Sitting comfortably in Niki's van sitting in Lucas's car seat watching a movie.

She was quite happy with herself. I let her sit there cause it kept her safe and busy while we were trying to get thing done.

It got really hot and almost kindof muggy as we were setting up. We had brought Bryn's little blue pool so Ty took it over to the water pump and put water in it and kept Bryn and Lucas happy.

Here is 11 year old Taylor sitting in Lucas's car seat watching a movie. He was zoned right out and quite comfy there...silly boy!

Lucas and Bryn hanging out on our fifth wheel steps. You can see that they are saying Cheese!

Lucas (20 months old) Brynley (22 months old)
How cute are they?! I can't get over how big they are getting and so fast...

The group area we were in was HUGE and perfect for all of us. There was a big fire pit as well and the lake right there.

The kids were so excited to see each other. It was fun to watch them all go running to each other as each family arrived.


Kent, Jeff and Mike checking out the boat. These 3 were always doing this...whether it was the boat or hanging the tarp or whatever.


Everyone having dinner and visiting

It was Mike's birthday that day...so Kent and Jeff snuck up behind Mike and both of them bear hugged him at the same time. You could hear Mike being squeezed to death...poor guy LOL!



Bocce Ball

All the guys played Bocce Ball after dinner. Some of the kids got to help...but most of them watched and had fun. The guys played this for hours.

Brynley trying out her cousin Mac's Strider bike. She really liked it...plus she looked so cute on it with the helmet and all.





A Minute To Win It!
(Friday evening)
Sheri organized and came up with this fun game to play. She had seen it on T.V. and thought it would be fun...and was it ever! Every task has to be done within a minute to win it.



Cup Stacking

Taylor and Tyson started first with the cup stacking game.

You each start with a different colored cup at the top of your stack of cups and have to put each cup underneath using alternating hands. Once the colored cup is back at the top you win...as long as it is within a minute!

Mike and Kent
I can't remember who won this...I think Mike did...but if you ask Kent I am sure he would say Mike cheated some how and he should have won =) Actually now that I think about it Mike did cheat a couple of times ha ha!


Niki and Barb
Niki won this...I was right behind her though. It is harder than it looks!



Elephant March
(not sure if that was what it is called, but I think so)

Sheri tying the string on Kent and getting him all set up and ready. She tied a yo-yo from the back belt loop on his pants. No hands could be used as they did this game.



They each had 2 rows of 8 cans lined up that they were in the middle of. And they had to swing the yo-yo from one side to the next until they got all 8 cans knocked over...all within a minute to win it!



Kent and Taylor

Let me tell ya this was a really funny one to watch. They did some funny moves and motions to get that yo-yo swing and hitting those cans...very entertaining!



Noodling Around

No hands allowed!

Kent

I believe there was around 6 noodles that they had to try to thread onto the spaghetti noodle. This had to be done with not breaking the spaghetti noodle and within a minute.

Jeff

Jeff won this one. After Kent had done it they realized the table was on a slant as Kent's noodles kept rolling and moving on him.




Junk In The Trunk

Each player had 8 ping pong balls in a box of kleenex that is tide around their waists. No hands allowed! They can bend, bounce and jump all around to get those 8 balls out within a minutes time. I think Tyson won this round. This was another funny one to watch.

These games were so fun and there are SO many more you can play. They are prefect for get togethers like this.

THANKS SHERI it was so much fun!!

After that most of the kids were in bed and then the adults visited around the bonfire or wherever.




Saturday Fun!
The boat was the highlight of the day. I didn't go on it myself as we are able to go on it whenever. That way others had a chance to enjoy it. I didn't get any pictures since I wasn't down at the lake. And of course Tyson FINALLY got up on the wake board for his first time. He came running up from the beach to tell me. He was so proud of himself and I was so proud of him to...I was ticked I missed it though!

This is Kent's cousin Dean cradling Bryn in his arms trying to get her to sleep.

Brynley wouldn't nap for me and when she did fall asleep (which was in my arms) I wanted to lay her down in the fifth wheel as she is heavy...and of course she would wake up each time. So Dean took her from me and walked all around the campsite and Bryn was out like a light. It was the sweetest thing to watch. He held her her whole nap time so that she would sleep. He is such a good guy! It was HOT that day too so the poor guy was probably dying, but he never led on. So thankful for Dean =)



The kids had fun playing together as there was TONS of room for them to play.

Bryn playing with her Daddy!

I could just eat her up...she is too cute!

Our family had to leave Saturday evening as we needed to be down in Cardston Sunday for my parents mission farewell talks. Most everyone else stayed until Sunday. It was good timing on our part as it started pouring rain when we left =)

It was A LOT of fun and we hope it is something we all do each year!