Easter and Spring Break

The Sunday before Easter we had a family dinner and colored Easter eggs at our house.

Then the next weekend we headed down to Blanding for Easter and spring break.

Grandma was babysitting some calves that were being bottle fed so the kids got to help.

The kids had a lot of fun playing with cousins.
On Saturday we headed out to Recapture Pockets for our traditional Easter picnic.

Addi and Scout were the best little friends. Addi took Scout everywhere and really watched out for her. They were so cute together. Addi loves Scout.

One of the kids favorite things is climbing all the rocks.

Two of my most favorite people in the world, Grandma Black and Grandpa Halliday.

After eating a yummy Easter picnic the kids got to do an Easter egg hunt.

And they're off!

We had around 400 eggs and only 12 kids so they each ended up with a pretty full basket.

Addi checking out her loot.

We played some volleyball. The goal was to get from A-Z without the ball touching the ground. It took us right up until we left but we did it.

After the fun and games at Recapture Pockets we went to Bluff to see the Bluff Fort. This is where the Hole-in-the-Rock pioneers settled. Some of the families of the pioneers are recreating the fort and building cabins. They're super cute but tiny. I can't imagine how they lived there with several kids.

Kumen Jones is my Great Great Grandpa. This is what's left of his original house.

These two pictures (above and below) are of the meeting house where they held church, school, meetings, dances, etc.

Addi in front of a Ute teepee.

Oakley and Addi in front of a Navajo Hogan.

A huge pot, it was super heavy. I don't know how they would move it if it had anything in it.

Jensen, Oakley, Addi, and I spent the week after Easter in Blanding for Spring Break. Kolton couldn't because he had drumline competitions on the Saturdays before and after Easter. Alexi is turning into a teenager and didn't want to stay for the whole week so she went home with Matt on Easter afternoon. The next Friday Matt came back down to pick us up. Taylor's parents also came down to visit him and Stacy for the weekend so on Saturday we took a little road trip to see the sights. We stopped again at the Bluff Fort. More of the cabins were open this time so we were able to see them. Then we went to the Goosenecks overlook.

Then it was on to Muley Point.

Matt and Taylor

It was an awesome view, you could see all the way to Monument Valley.

Matt on the top of Salvation Knoll.
We had a great week!

All I want for Christmas is . . .

Lexi's new business

One of Lexi's young women leaders had her make a cake for her son's birthday. Lexi made him a cupcake cake. He loves John Deere tractors so that was the theme she used. It turned out so cute! She's hoping to turn it into a little side business and start making cakes for people.

Playing catch up

So, here I am again, way behind on my blog so this is a catch up post.

Last week I gave a friend of mine a surprise baby shower. She is pregnant with her 6th (yeah, I know she's nuts!). I figured she could use some help.

It was a "Dinner and diapers" baby shower. I asked the guests to bring a frozen meal and/or diapers and wipes.

Last month I did a Turbo Kick instructor training with my friend Monica. So now I'm now a certified Turbo Kick instructor. Maybe it's an early mid-life crisis thing?

Last month was also Lexi's birthday. She decided to go to Jump On It for her party.

After Jump On It we came home and had chips and sandwiches for dinner.

Lexi picked "Better than... (pokemon, Robert Redford) cake", whatever you happen to call it. All I can say is YUMMY!

One night I got a call from our neighbors inviting us over to see a special guest who was at their house. I was out for a "girl's night" so I had them call Matt to take the kids over.

Yup, it's a baby kangaroo. Wish I could have seen it.

Kolton's been doing fundraisers for Choir and Drumline. He sold tickets to two different Flash games as a fundraiser for each one. For the one the choir sold tickets to they sang "The Star Spangled Banner" before the game started. Somehow this got lost in translation when he asked if I wanted to buy tickets to this game. I told him I would rather just give them the money for the tickets so they could keep 100% of it instead of 1/2 of it. Then some friends invited us to go to the game with them and after they invited us I found out the choir was singing at the game. In other words it all worked out and we got to see them sing:) They even had seats right on the floor, front row! So much fun! Then the drumline sold tickets a few weeks later for a different game. This time we did buy tickets so we could see the drumline perform a pregame show.

Front row seats, on the floor, even jumped a few times when a ball or player almost landed in our laps.

Luke, Amy, Marilyn, and Matt (thanks Mathew's for the invite!)

Jensen, Lexi, Addi, Matt, Oakley, Cohen, Jeremy J, and Grandpa at the drumline fundraiser Flash game.

President Monson Announces New Temple in Payson, Utah!!!

So rumors have been swirlin' the last few months about men in "dark suits" being seen in Payson in the field next to our church. Some have sworn they actually saw the first presidency of the church. We've all been hoping it meant we were getting a temple but thought we'd have to wait until April conference to find out if it could possibly be true. But two weeks ago on Monday, January 25, President Monson announced that there will be a temple built in Payson. It's going to be built in the field directly North of our church building so only a block from our house! I am so excited for my kids to be this close to a temple and to have the opportunity to watch it being built. What an awesome experience. Jensen is already planning on walking to the temple when she gets married. Now the rumors are that they are hoping to have it finished in 18 months to 2 years. Oh I hope these rumors are also true!