Yellowstone

Some of my family decided to load up the kiddos and head to Yellowstone so we decided to join them. We went to my Aunt Jeanette's cabin the first night ( thanks Jeanette and Rod!!) and then headed out to the park. Stopping for square ice cream in Swan Valley on the way to Driggs.
The kids feeding the chipmunks that lived under the little cabins we stayed in in Mammoth.

Happy kids!

Me and the girls at the falls.

The falls again BUT this time Maycie is the Photographer!

Makenely took this on of My Mom and Me and Maycie.

Oh so pretty! I didn't take a ton of pictures. Didn't really notice until I got home. I think I was enjoying the scenery and the time with the kids I kind of forgot! That's ok I have lots of memories in my head.

Top Ten Yellowstone Moments....

1. Staying at the Old Faithful Geyser Basin for 2 1/2 hours waiting for the Grand Geyser....TOTALLY worth it! So beautiful and the kids were champs waiting so long!

2. Seeing the two young buffalo's fighting! Hitting heads, scratching feet the whole bit. Then hurrying away when one of the bigger buffalo's came up to them.

3. Trying to find all the USA state license plates. All but two...Rhode Island and South Carolina!

4. Watching a bunch of people being really stupid getting way to close to an elk herd. One guy got stuck in a corner with his backed turned with an elk breathing right now his neck. Little scary. Some people not so bright!

5. The kids "art" all over the road at Keli's campsite.

6. Seeing a bear! I can not tell you how many times I have been to Yellowstone and I have never seen a bear! Super excited!

7. Having the buffalo's cross the road right in front of us. The kids loved it!

8. Getting to spend hours and hours in the car talking to my mom.

9.Listening to the kids get so excited to see any animal.

10. Watching my kids enjoy nature. Even from the car.

Makenley

This little girl had a super big day last month.....
She wanted to get baptized!

Love this little lady! I am super happy for her for this big decision she made. I know she is excited to have the holy ghost and to share her testimony.

End of School Year

Another school year is over! I can hardly believe it! Seems like just yesterday I was taking Adelyn to kindergarten and in just a few short months I will be taking Maycie to "the big kids school" to start kindergarten. Makes me a sad. They are all getting way to big. Can't we just freeze life for just a little while? If anyone figures out how to do this let me know! The girls all absolutely loved their teachers this year. So did I! They were wonderful. Lexi didn't want me to put this picture in...but it's the only one with her and her teacher. Oh well! Lexi and Mrs. Butterfield. (Hoping Maycie gets her next year, fingers crossed!)

At the end of the year the school does a Dance Festival. Each grade does a different dance and then performs it on the field for the other students and parents. Lexi was extra excited about it this year. She has watched it for so many years I think she was just so super excited to be IN it this time! She danced to under the sea. She knew all the actions perfectly and sang to the song the whole time. I was so sad I could hardly see Makenely! But she was jammin' and did an awesome job! The whole time Adelyns class was practicing her dance she would tell me mom it is so weird and she would show me a new move they learned that day. I have

say they did have some funky moves! She did great and had a huge smile on her face the whole time, such a performer! Adelyn loved her teacher, Miss Kunz. She was so great! SO nice and positive with the kids. Addy learned a ton from her and Miss Kunz always made her feel like she could do anything she put her mind to!

Mrs. Deaver and Makenley (and Chelsie! He he!) Kenley loved her. I love a teacher that can balance being nice with keeping her class in check and not allowing it to be crazy! All the girls teachers had that this year! Mrs. Deaver was great for Makenley. She had lots of fun ways to keep the kids motivated. Soda pop math, Friday fun club and Deaver dollars.

Apparently when you are in 4th grade you are officially old enough to wear sunglasses and hats during the Dance festival. Seems to be the thing every year!

Addy decided she wanted to run for Student council for next year. She had to write an essay, fill out a questionnaire about what she felt it meant to be a good leader and good example. Then they had to have an interview with two teachers who are over student council. The student body voted. Also the students trying out had to have good grades and the approval of their teacher to run. She made it!! She was so excited! I am so proud of her for being brave enough to try!

Maycie hates, HATES, to be in front of people! I think she was just so happy to be done with graduation that she couldn't help but smile!

This pictures says it all! She was trying so hard to be brave. When she first walked in she had a smile on her face and it slowly faded! Thank goodness for cute Miss Amber who knows she is terrified of being in front of everyone. She was really sweet with her.

Mrs. Jodi, Maycie and Miss Amber.

I feel so bad for Maycie. She really does love school. She loves to sing songs she has learned at school. She can repeat all sorts of poems she has learned at school. BUT when it comes to getting up in front of a big crowd of people...NOT her thing. I totally understand how she feels. I was so shy when I was little. Corey on the other hand gets bugged with it. He doesn't have a shy bone in his body so he doesn't understand the fear.

She sat up with her class. Did not sing one word. Did not do any actions. Nothing.

BUT she stayed up there and only cried for about 1 minute when she walked in! It is an accomplishment in my book! Last year during preschool she didn't make it through one performance and stayed at her graduation for maybe 3 minutes!

Who knows maybe next year we will actually see her sing songs with her kindergarten class!

We had a great school year. Lots of learning and loads of fun! However I am so excited that school is done. I love my kids being home with me!

Let the fun begin!

Disneyland

This was the most fun trip ever!! We drove down to California on Sunday and stayed until the next Sunday. One full week of family time...heaven! The kids were so excited to go to Disneyland. This has been a long awaited trip. We went about 5 years ago when Maycie was just a baby and Addy was only 5 so it was a much different experience. The girls were up for trying just about anything! We went every ride they were tall enough for. Perfect ages for Disney. There were only 3 rides Maycie couldn't go on.
We took it nice and easy. Had a few times where we just sat down for a few minutes. This was one of those times. Addy snapped this picture for us. This was our first trip without a stroller! It was so wonderful, I felt free! The girls were such troopers. By the fifth day on our way back to the hotel there were two girls who said my feet hurt...so did mine if someone would have offered to carry me I would have been happy with that!

The Rapids. This particular time we got soaked! It was our last ride of the day and we walked back drenched!

I was shocked that everyone loved all the "big" rides. Space Mountain was a favorite of everyone! We were lucky because there really weren't lines we had to wait it so we were able to go on lots of rides over and over!

The Jellyfishes

Pirates of the Caribbean. We walked right on to this ride anytime we wanted. It is a nice on to take a little break on. The first time on most rides Maycie was a little apprehensive. On Pirates she pretended her fingers were guns in case she needed to shoot and mean pirates. Adorable. After each new ride we would ask her if she liked it. Her response was usually I don't know yet. About two minutes later she would say... I loved it lets go again!

California Adventure

Adelyn's favorite ride-California Screamin'

Makenley-Tower of Terror

Alexiya-Muholland Madness and Tower of Terror

Maycie-Muholland Madness and Tower of Terror

The kids all LOVED Muholland Madness! There was on time we went on it 6 times in a row. Did not even get out of the ride! NO line is the best!

The few time we had to wait we played Jon-kim-poe! Pretty much rock-paper-scissors with a little twist. The longest line was for Toy Story Mania. About a 30 min. wait. Totally worth it!

The girls picked these huge suckers for their treat on the first day. It is about as big as Maycie's head!

Favorite rides in Magic Kingdom-

Addy-Space Mountain

Kenley, Lexi and Maycie-Splash Mountain and Space Mountain

The best trip ever. I will always remember it!

Festival of Colors

The Festival of Colors is a celebration held at the Hare Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. It is a cleaning ritual. Linda and Larry thought it was would be really fun to go. Corey's cousin, Paige, was in town so we decided to show her a good time! This is taken in front of the temple when we first got there. It is a beautiful building. The girls were so excited to see it up close. We drive by it at least twice a month on our way to Linda's house. They call it "the castle". So not knowing what to expect I knew it would be worth it just to give the girls the chance to see it up close!Our little family + Khyler and Paige

Inside the temple sitting on a little bench.

The girls looking at the shrine inside the temple.Paige was the first one to get a little messy. She was just walking and some guys threw the color powder right at her. I told her it was because she was the cutest!

Here is a look at all the people dancing around and having a great time with the band.

Here are a few of the girls after Grandpa Larry bought us some powder to throw at each other. I was surprised everyone got into as much as they did.

Here are some of the young bucks walking out from the mass of people throwing the powder at each other. People were covered! It was amazing how thick the chalk was on some people.

This is the cloud that was hanging around after the mass throwing of chalk. We kind of stayed out of the mass of people seeing as we had 5 little kids with us and I don't think you could have even seen your hand in front of your face!

I thought this was way fun! All for getting messy!

Lexi was not so sure about this whole thing......until she started throwing the powder then she was all about it! She LOVED going after the adults that were a little apprehensive about getting dirty (COREY!!) !

This is Maycie at the very end of our day! She was so covered in green powder! She and Khyler had so much fun. I think Maycies favorite part was dancing around to the music and throwing the powder on herself!

AHH sorry Corey...I know you didn't want to get messy! Thanks for being a good sport and I know you had fun!

Adelyn was ok with getting messy. She took a minute to warm up and then she really got into it! I think the majority of chalk that is on the adults is courtesy of Addy! She was little nervous nelly when we were on the hill dancing worried that the girls were going to far down the hill and getting to close to people. Love her, she is so much like her little nervous Daddy!!

Now Makenley was a little different from everyone else. She wanted the powder thrown on her from the second she saw what people were doing! She asked a lady to throw some on her withing the first 20 minutes of being there! She absolutely LOVED getting messy just as much as she loved throwing it and getting everyone else messy!

Linda is always a good sport and up for anything!! She gets pure joy out of watching the kids have fun and fun they had! Great idea on her part! She and I decided this needed to be a yearly tradition.

All the ladies jammin' out!

Lexi and Makenley

This was thier hair! The hair I had to take home and wash and be ready for church the next day! I was pleasantly surprised that is washed out quite easily. This was a wonderful day! We had so much fun! Can't wait for next year for this "cleansing" ritual!

Out of the mouth of Babes

Tonight we went to buy Cleats for Maycie and some goalie gloves for Addy.

Corey to Maycie: Mayc do you think now with your new cleats you'll be able to run even faster?

Maycie to Corey:Duh!!
Ahh gotta love kids! They always think they are the fastest, best, hottest things ever!
And they ARE!