Thursday, August 16, 2012

Sequoia National Park

Our big family vacation was going to be camping in Sequoia National Park for a couple of nights and then heading to the coast and seeing Monterey.

Well we started out great!  We stayed a couple of nights at Jake and Susie's house in St. George.  (Very fun by the way)
Sunday we got up very early in the morning and were heading into Sequoia. But they all started to get very sick about the time we hit the mountains.  (we assumed car sick)

Ethan and Emery sick in the car.


The entrance to Sequoia National Park!
Emery, Ethan, Nate and Will
 

Josh and Kara Sequoia National Park
 
But we got in, saw a few amazing trees, General Sherman for one, and then set up camp, ate dinner, had a campfire and went to bed.


The pine cone that almost killed Will.  
This pine cone fell about a foot behind Will as we were walking on a trail.
I have never seen pine cones so big (and no these are not from Sequoia trees.  Sequoia's have pine cones the size of chicken's eggs)
 
In the middle of the night Emery woke up very sick!  Luckily she threw up outside of the tent.  She was up all night throwing up.  The next morning she said she felt better and so we carried on.

(We did get to see one little bear in our campground)
Moro Rock...WOW what a view!!!
Emery was completely TERRIFIED!  The trail was straight down on either side with nothing but a couple of bars like you see in the picture.  But she did it and in the end she was so proud of herself! (I was kinda proud too.  Way to go Emery!)
Will and a giant Sequoia!
Nate the butterfly whisperer!

Ethan was now not feeling well.  So we thought he would be the one to get sick.  Nope, Emery again was sick, but this time couldn't get the zipper open on the tent in time!  It was another VERY long night.

The next morning we decided to scrap the Monterey part of the trip, stay a night in a hotel to get cleaned up and head home. (Which was a very good idea I might add!)

On the drive home I mentioned to Josh that I had always wanted to see Death Valley.  So we took a 5 hour detour (The kids were all much better) and headed into the hottest place in the US in the hottest month of the year!  Crazy?  Probably.


 Josh said "So there is a place in Hell for Mormons!"

But it was fun....at least for Josh and I!  The kids liked it until we made them get out of the car in the 118* heat and walk out on the salt flats in the middle of nothing :)  (we are such good parents)

People were boiling eggs on the sidewalks.  118* (the week before it was 128*)
  

 Another classic picture!!!  Will was so mad at me!  But I just think he looks so cute in his little ranger hat turned around refusing to let me take his picture! 

 Something we will never forget and hey, now the kids can check Death Valley off their lists of places they never have to go. 

Will's Birthday!

Will's birthday was on vacation, so we did his cake and presents the day before we left.  

Since it was the day before and it was very last minute I just quickly made cup cakes....
 He will forever be a tractor and truck boy.....

 Hyrum, Sam, Jonah, Ethan and Noah...
 For some reason I love this picture...He was hiding as we were singing Happy Birthday!
 By the way, thanks Abe for getting my kid a real cake!  :)

Horses!

In June a good friend of ours invited us up to her cabin up in Kamas. Just a couple of us girls and our kids.  We had a blast.  The kids especially!  She had horses that the kids took turns riding all day!!! 

Will and Dallin...
 Nate...and the filly
 Emery....(she was so scared...but wouldn't let it show)
 Ethan....he was quite the horseman. 


 Maggie, Will, Ethan, Ruby, Tyson, and Austin (Emery coming down the path)
 Dallin, Ian, and Will...stick weapons.
 Nate and Ruby...my kids love that sweet little girl!
 Nate and Luke!
 The girls!!  Maggie, Sydni and Emery!
 Lunch! 
Entire crew!

Nate's Birthday



June...Nate's birthday!

Nate just wanted to go see a movie with friends!  Easy..peasy!

Just a random picture...Cody, Luke, Blake and Nate....
 We literally had the theater to ourselves.  The boys thought that was so cool!  We were seeing the Avengers (me for the 4th time)

 Lukey in the box.....Little Luke Allen was in that box!!!!

Random picture of the day ...Ethan and Jake made hammocks in my neighbor's tree. 



Random May and June


Random days in May and June.....Nate got the Altara school award....such a good student!
 
 Emery performed on the piano in the mall...
Nate and Emery had a spring recital....they both did very well.  This was Nate's first one.  He was so nervous.

 Ethan...hmm where to begin...LOL
 He wanted to put the watermelon on his head like a helmet?  Strange child.


 And we got Cowabunga Bay season passes this year!  So we will be spending a lot of time here!!

Ethan, Jake, Luke and Ty
Emery and Will....

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Emery's Birthday

Yep so my little girl is 11!! 

I surprised her and pulled her out of school to get her ears pierced!  She was so excited!!  I also took her out to lunch.

 Then, that night we gave her her gifts and had cupcakes just for the family...(Dad's favorite kind)

 The only thing she really wanted was a Green Bay Packers jersey and her favorite player is Clay Matthews.  And if you've seen Emery in the last 4 months, you know, she LOVES it! 

 On Friday, she had a late over 80's birthday party with all her friends.

Pac Man Cake......
 Dressing the part.....
 Girls just wanna....
 Shrinky Dinks......
 Twister.....
 Dance party to the 80's tunes.....Followed by a music video staring the girls....
 They had the most fun watching the shrinky dinks....