Girls will be girls

It just wouldn't be time with my sisters if there wasn't at least one self portrait of us together. This was a little tricky with my DSLR camera.
My sister Janae` got to come for the week before Chantelle's wedding to help with things. We had so much fun hanging out (I mean running around like chickens with their heads cut off doing things for the wedding). Doesn't she just have the most beautiful eyes?!

Greatest Grandma

Owen has a special something about him that draws him to older people. He especially loves all of this grandparents.
One day at my moms he convinced GG to sit at the little table and play horses with him. He was so happy and she was a good sport and sat there with him.

Bad Guy!

That is what Owen refers to super heroes as... He is the cutest one around.

2010 Centennial District Awards Banquet

Every year our Scout district has an awards banquet. Last year we had sick kids so Matt went alone, but this year I wanted to be there...I knew a little secret!
Matt was awarded Scouter of the year for the service he had done in the district. I was so excited and Matt had no clue! (I wasn't a very good photographer, in the moment I forgot to go up and get a closer picture)
Matt and I were also awarded Scout Couple of the year and we were each one of the brightest stars in the district along with several of our friends. Matt wore his grandpa's uniform to the banquet...he looked so handsome!

Camping at Celebration Park

Since we knew that our summer was going to be busy we decided that we needed an early start to ensure at least one camping trip. Matt normally takes his Troop to the desert to camp in the fall and spring and so of course for a spring camping trip that is where he took us too.
About and hour south of our house is this great place called Celebration Park right along the Snake River. The rocks there have petroglyphs on them and they have some cool artifacts there as well.

We were a little nervous because on the way there a huge storm hit. I was driving and it was crazy how hard the rain was coming down. But as in most Idaho storms it only lasted about 20 minutes.

Once we were there we set up camp pretty quickly (we took the troop's big canvas tent, it was so roomy!) and built a fire. Matt tried teaching my mom and I how to light a fire with flint and steel...my mom tried for about twenty minutes before she was ever able to get enough spark to light something, but she finally did it! I never did while we were there.
Mom Practicing

The kids had a blast playing in the dirt! They were digging holes and building dirt castles.

We were finally able to peel them away from the dirt and convince them to get cleaned up a bit to have smores. Mmmm!

The next day we got up and Matt cooked us pancakes and bacon before we packed up. WE found out that there was a pair of Golden eagles nested on the Cliff across the river so we spent some time looking for it. Then we went to the visitor center and had a peak through their telescope.

Matt wanted to go check out some camp spots for the troop for the next weekend at a nearby lake so we went on a hike there. Owen had a blast climbing on all of the rocks.Matt caught a lizard and the kids thought that was awesome!

Owen cried when we let it go.

Poor me....

I should be cleaning up before Matt gets home right now, but I just need to get out all of my feelings with out someone giving me advice.

These past couple of weeks with Bailee have been rough.

She now thinks there is nothing wrong with talking back...screaming at me and being extremely defiant. Along with this she has become very in touch with her creative side and is doing "craft" projects all of the time all over my house!!!! These projects are depleting my printer paper, used all of the staples in the stapler, lots of tape and lots of cutting. In case you don't know, that means lots of lit pieces of paper and string all over the place. Of course she never askes to do any of these projects, she just starts doing them when I am distracted.

My Mom watched the kids last night for us and so very sweetly washed all of the dishes, folded laundry and even vacuumed while we were gone. In the time that it took me to take a shower, the folded laundry became pile on the floor along with several miscellaneous toys, and you guessed it....Paper!!!! Ahhh I just want to scream and cry and hide in my room (which looks like my closet and garage threw up on it and has for weeks because I am constantly after Bailee to pick up her messes or am picking them up myself!). I know that I am not the most organized or the best house keeper, but I try my best. And when I try to be better or do some extra thing to help someone else it always seems to bite me in the butt!

To top it off Owen, our un-cuddly child has decided that he wants to be held about 30% percent of the time he is awake. Of course that includes while making all three meals and any time I stop playing whit them to do something productive. It seems that the only way I can get away from this is to have the TV on, but I don't want them watching TV all of the time!

I want so badly to be the "perfect" house wife and mom, you know the one who's house is clean and picked up other than a couple of toys at any given time no matter when you drop in, dinner is always done on time, FHE treats are made a 10 am, never raises her voice, and never has to complain to her husband about the kids or the house work. I want to be her....

Playing at the Park

Matt's mom and Jack came up for a visit so I could take some one year pictures of him. We took the kids out to lunch and then to the park to play. They had so much fun. Jack Exploring the Merry-go-round.

The first thing Owen does when ever we get to a park is run to the swings. He love it and stays in it almost the whole time we are there.

My pretty Bailee.

Easter 2010

This year for Easter we went to Blackfoot. Matt's Aunt and Uncle drove up from California and brought his Grandma with them. Matt hadn't seen her in a little over 2 years so we made the trip over so he could see her. Of course we enjoyed seeing everyone else too.
When Bailee was a baby we put in a special request with the Easter Bunny that he visit our family on Saturday so that we could keep Sunday set apart to celebrate our Savior. So when the kids got up on Saturday morning they found their baskets form the Easter Bunny. After having some fun playing with their new things and their cousin, Jack we all headed up to the hospital to see Stephanie and have an egg hunt for the kids. It snowed over night so we did the hunt upstairs on the rehab floor where Steph had just been moved from. They were very kind to let us take over the floor for about 1/2 hour. The kids had a blast finding the eggs that were all over the place. Owen cleared one hall all by himself! We forgot to bring the baskets with us so the kids used Patient Belonging bags form the hospital. They were Pretty cute finding all of the eggs. Bailee is getting so big and was good to let the little boys find the easier eggs and she would look for the harder ones. Owen wouldn't let go of his bag and drug it behind him everywhere he went in the hospital.

Little Restaurant

Bailee and Owen play so good together sometimes. Mostly because Owen for the most part just does what Bailee tells him to. We will see how long that lasts.
One day the were playing restaurant and brought me this sweet tray of food. I love it when they use their imaginations.

Doesn't Owen just look adorable in this little apron?

Saidie

While my sister was here I took the opportunity to do a couple of fun photo shoots with Miss Saidie. These are a few of my favorites.

He keeps me smiling

That is just one reason that makes me so glad that I get to call Matt my husband.

In March my sister Kristin, her family and my niece Kayla came for a weekend visit. One day we took the kids to the park by my Mom's house. Bailee and Owen insisted on bringing the scooters. Of course they got tired of them quickly and we ended up carrying them about half way there. Matt was running back to the house for something and I asked him to take the scooters with him. Of course he didn't carry them...he rode them. He got some funny looks from the people at the park, but he got a smile out of me. I love that he can be a big kid when it unexpected. He adds that little bit of spice to my days.

Friend Fun

Last September my awesome friend Anna watched our kids for three days. So we got to return the favor last week. We had lots of fun with their kids. Bailee and Even had so much fun playing family and all sorts of other games.

Lunchtime Surprise

A few weeks ago Matt came home at lunch to get something he needed. Bailee and Owen were delighted to seed their Dad in the middle of the day. They were in heaven when he went out and jumped on the nearly finished trampoline with them.

Bed Time Stories

Bailee loves to "read" to Owen at bedtime. It is so sweet. I finally got a picture of it. I hope that they always like to spend quite moments together.

A beautiful Mess

The other day I had a debilitating headache, I finally gave in to it and told Bailee that I was going to have to lay down and rest. she could tell that I was not feeling well and offered so sweetly to help do some of the things on my "To Do" list. One of the things she did for me was fold the load of towels. Isn't it a Beautiful Mess? what a sweet little girl I have. Words can not express how much I love her. She is truly a blessing in my life.