Happy Birthday Kaitlyn! 7 years old!

Happy Birthday to our Kaitlyn!

Our Kaitlyn has learned how to rock climb and she loves it!  Whenever we get the chance we have a little mom and daughter date at the climbing wall at our local gym.  She's getting really good and really fast at scaling those walls.

 For her birthday we tried a climbing wall cake.  It didn't look the best but it tasted wonderful.  I realized I didn't have any skin color too late to go to the store and pick some up so it turned out more orange.

 Before my parents left on their mission we had a fun little family party with everyone.  

We later celebrated with the family on her real bday.  We also spent one day at a new museum and went roller skating again earlier in the week.  All requested by Kaitlyn.  

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!  We love you!

Favorites:

Color:  light blue, pink, purple

friends:  Ryan, Lauren, Campbell, and Sophie

movie: Charlotte's Web

treat:  ice-cream, oreos, and brownies

book:  Unicorn School and now she's into the Geronimo Stilton series

scripture story:  Any story about Nephi but especially when he is going to shock his brothers

thing to do with mom:  hard puzzles and rock climb (she also loves to help me cook in the kitchen)

thing to do with dad:  not sure

thing to do with Abby and Olivia: not sure

thing to do with Alec:  play his favorite things and read to him (she also plays train with him and they go around the house acting like a train)

favorite things to do:  read, play the computer or ipad, legos, roller skate, rock climb

in her free time she would like to read, do puzzles, and go rock climbing

when Kaitlyn grows up she was to be a piano teacher, a life guard, and a school teacher

Kaitlyn is determined, independent, stubborn, a fabulous reader and speller, wonderful soccer player and pianist, and very helpful to Alec

I hope they call me on a Mission

Well, my parents finally went and did it.  After years of talking about going on a mission, they turned in their papers and were called as missionaries to the Berlin, Germany mission.  We are so excited for them!  They got the call July 17th and they had to report August 18th and they were ready!  The cool part about where they are serving is that my mom grew up in part of that mission, the place where she was baptized is in the mission, distant relatives are there, there are just so many cool things about it! We were all very excited for them.

 The last month was filled with getting in as much Gigi and Gpa time as possible.  They took the girls out all for one last birthday breakfast and we spent many afternoons and evenings up at their house.  What a great example they are to our family to sacrifice and say good-bye for a year and a half.  We are so proud of you mom and dad!

Happy Birthday Abby! 9 years old!

Happy Birthday to my 9 year old!  Last year in the single digits!  

People tell me that time goes by too fast and it does.

We celebrated Abby's birthday on Sunday with family.  This was the cake design she had picked.  Abby is very big into birds and when she say this picture of an owl, that was it.  Abby got a lot of earrings as gifts since her big present was going to be getting her ears pierced.

For her actual birthday Abby was able to invite her best friend and I took everyone to a movie and then we just hung out for the day.  Abby didn't want much, she's pretty easy going.

Abby big wish for her bday was to get her ears pierced so she and I had a little mother daughter shopping day.  We headed to the mall and did a little shopping and then went over to get her ears pierced.  She was a little nervous but handled it all very well.  We then celebrated by grabbing a bite to eat at Chili's.  I loved spending that time with her.

 Abby also had to get glasses shortly after her bday.  We had her well check and her eye sight had gotten pretty near sighted over the year.  She grew a lot too.  We got her two pairs and she loves to wear them.  I think she looks older in them.

FAVORITES:
color:  purple and turquoise
food:  ice-cream, cinnamon pizza sticks, spaghetti
friend:  Madison
TV show: Dog with a Blog - which I find funny since we've only seen a couple episodes
movie:  The Croods and Despicable Me 2
treat:  brownies and ice-cream
scripture story:  Abinadi
book:  Charlie Bone series
favorite thing to do with mom: talking and skating (we like to read together at night too)
favorite thing to do with dad:  Playing soccer or throwing a football
with Kaitlyn:  play Legos
with Olivia:  play stuffed animals
with Alec:  whatever he wants
favorite thing to do:  read
when Abby grows up she wants to be an adventurer and a vet
she would spend her free time: drawing, playing on the computer, reading
4 words to describe herself:  animals, nature, reading, crafts

Stolen Wedding Ring

On our drive home from Idaho, as we were climbing in elevation over the mountains, my fingers started to swell.  I knew that driving through the mountains this would happen so I brought my ring box with me so if I needed to take off my wedding rings I'd have a safe place to put them without them getting lost.

Within the first couple hours home I took both my engagement ring and wedding band off and put them in the box.  The ring in the slot and my band over the top.  I then put it in the glove box for safe keeping because who would guess a wedding ring would be in a glove box?

When we got home my hands were so full of other things I just told myself I'd get my rings later.  Well, I drove the van the rest of the week and never sat in the passenger seat so I didn't think too much of the rings.  Friday came and I took the van in to get detailed after a 3,000 mile trip.  This was the only time the van was out of my sight and it was for 45 minutes.  Still it didn't dawn on me that my rings were in the glove box.

Sunday came around and I was having a rough morning with my of my children who will remain nameless.  She was pushing it and I was at the end of my rope.  Todd was at some meeting so when he came home and we were getting ready to leave I thought, "I should put my wedding rings back on."  I went to the car and came back in and opened the box.   I was so sick to my stomach when I looked inside - there was no diamond engagement ring.  My band was in there but not the ring worth money.  To put it lightly, I lost it.  That sent me over the edge!

I was mad at myself for leaving it in the car but I knew right away where it was taken - the car wash.  Todd said to leave it until tomorrow morning to call the police.  All of Sunday I was just sick to my stomach and we were having a family birthday party for Abby and I had a hard time keeping it together.

Early Monday morning I called the police and they sent an officer over to take a statement.  They then were going to turn it over to a detective.  The officer did go by the car wash place to tell them what was happening and that they'd be investigating and if the person was caught it would be jail time.  Later Monday I received a call from the car wash manager and he expressed there would be no way any of his employees would take the ring.  He thought I was out for the insurance money.  Ha!  Insurance would only cover $500 worth.

By Wednesday morning I received a call from the detective who stated they were going to start questioning people at the car wash now that they have a list of employees.  I asked if he wanted to finger print the box and he laughed saying that TV makes that look easy but it ruins everything it touches.   I thought the ring was long gone and there was no hope.  I had been surfing Craigslist and Ebay to see if it would pop up in hopes to catch the person.

Wednesday afternoon I was heading to the store and got another call from the detective.  They found my ring but wanted to make sure it was mine.  I quickly came home and was shaking that it might be it.  It was!   The story they told me was that an employee found it on the ground, thought it was a child's ring and put it in lost and found.  The manager called me later and said that one of the high power vacuums must have pushed it out of the car.  Right!  Out of the ring box, out of the glove box, onto the ground.  Likely story.  I think the person caught wind of the investigation and made up the story so he wouldn't be caught.  Oh well, I have my ring back which I thought would never happen.

Days 8 and 9

 The last couple of days was spent with cousins (here's half of them) and visiting with some of Todd's old friends.  We did also make it to Todd's 20th high school reunion.  Are we really that old?  The family event was at Heise (Hi -C) for a picnic that was next to some hot springs.  After lunch we took the girls swimming in the natural hot springs and down the tube water slide.  Olivia loved that she was able to go on the "Dragon" slide.

We even survived the two day drive back to Texas.  However, I don't think Todd liked that I didn't want to drive through the night and he did.  We did pull over somewhere in Kansas around midnight for some sleep.  It was so late we didn't pull out the pack n' play or air mattress.  We slept 3 to a bed!  How happy we were to make it home!

A couple quotes from the trip:
Kaitlyn to Todd:  Mind your own business!  I'm serious!

Olivia:  (when I opened up a package of grape licorice) I wish I could eat the smell!

Favorites:
*smell of the rain in the dessert
*taking a break and playing in the McDonald's playground
*Hiking the arches

Alec's favorites:  playing in the hose and squirting Grandma and Mom, 4 wheeling, the bears

Olivia's favorites: Dragonslide, 4 wheeling, playing in the sprinklers, the pig at Bear World and the deer that bit Dad's shirt

Kaitlyn's favorites:  Dragonslide, 4 wheeling, sleepovers with cousins, petting zoo and Alec chasing the duck, loved the peacock, and playing baseball, playing with Taylen

Abby's favorites:  bird weddings, birds, ("I can't forget the birds.") riding bikes, Dragonslide, 4 wheeling, playing football, playing Uno with Bre, playing with Taydem,

Day 7 - The 4th of July

What a great 4th we had!

 We debated back and forth about going to a parade in the morning but, by the time we'd have to wake up and then fight crowds to get a decent spot, I was good with skipping parades.   We instead saw Despicable Me 2 with the whole family - lots and lots of cousins.  The other debate was if we went into Idaho Falls to watch the big firework show later that night or do fireworks at home.    Our kids had be deprived of never having the chance to do sparklers or fireworks at home - too hot and dry in Texas a backyard show sounded great.  

With no where to go for the day, the girls ended up throwing weddings for all the birds.  They matched them up, made flowers, necklaces, bow ties, and hats.  Had cute little ceremonies for all the "couples" and spent a majority of the day doing that.

 By early evening we started playing ball, Abby was again showing some great football skills, Kaitlyn with baseball,  and we had a little hot dog roast for the kids.

Olivia hanging out by the fire with Uncle Thayne.

 Kaitlyn got really good at hitting the baseball.  I'd pitch it to her and would get many line drives right back at me.  I had several bruises on my legs from where I got hit.  We need to get this girl into some softball.

 Roasting marshmallows

 The evening was capped off with a fun firework display in the backyard.  Kids loved the sparklers up until Kaitlyn held one a little too close and got burned.  All in all it was a fabulous day.

Day 6- Bear World

Even though Todd grew up in Rigby, down the street from Bear World, he had never been to Bear World.  The girls were hoping this trip we would also drive up to Yellowstone.  Todd and I quickly put a stop to more driving but gave them an alternative - Bear World - and they were game.  

 The drive through the park didn't take very long, maybe 30 minutes.  We saw the albino elk, pretty cool, and of course, lots of bears.  Alec would wave out the window and say "hi" to all the bears.

 Besides driving through to see bears, there is a petting area that we spent some time in.  The deer loved to try and eat Todd's shirt and shorts.  Alec chased after a duck and was having a great time doing that. The worker would say to him "That's enough little boy."  in a very meek voice.  I'm thinking, my kid is 2 and there is no way he's going to listen to you.  I let him chase the duck a little more and then dragged him over to some other animals to pet/torture.

 What's Bear World without rides?  There were about 4 kiddie rides that didn't have a size limit so Alec was able to ride everything as long as an adult was with him.  

 Wish they'd always get along like this.  2 minutes prior to this picture though they were fighting.

They secretly do love each other, they just don't show it all the time.

 After Bear World we just hung out in backyard.  The girls discovered Gma and Gpa's collection of birds that make their real chirp.  They've collected these birds from all over.  Well the girls got permission to play with them and they were their favorite things the rest of the trip.

Playing birds with cousins

 Another favorite thing to do in Idaho is help Grandpa mow the lawn. 

 They each took a turn and love to sit up there with Gpa.