School Pictures

The kids are loving school, Madison and Hunter have made lots of new friends.  Madison gets home from school every day and talks my ear off about every thing she has learned, who she played with at recess, what activities she did in class.  When I pick up Hunter he tells me what letter they work on that day and then ask are we getting Madison and going home.  I love the new school pictures of the kids, but they are growing up to fast!

 Madison's Kindergarten pictures

Hunter's Preschool pictures

Old Iron Town

This past weekend the kids and me took a trip down to Cedar City to visit family.  We went to Grandma's house in Old Iron Town first, which is a very small town.  Vance, Coleen, Grandma, Me and the kids went for a walk just down the road to visit the Old Iron Town Ruins, we saw the beehive charcoal kiln remainders of a old furnace, foundry buildings and a old grinding stone.  Later that day after making yummy pizza bits for lunch, we hike up to Lion's Mouth Cave.  In the overhanging of the cave there are pictographs of a small anthropomorphic figure, a snake like figure and other simple drawings.  The kids loved playing inside the cave area.  Later that night Coleen had a fun treasure hunt planned for the kids to do, they got lots of fun crafts, a cute book with a picture of them in it, bubbles that are colored, stamps and a whole lot more. Thanks Coleen.  The next day we went up to Cedar Breaks National Monument, it was pretty cool seeing the giant amphitheater that spans three miles and 2,000 feet deep.  The kids also became Cedar Breaks Junior Rangers, they had to complete the Junior Ranger booklet.  After completing it, Steve the forest Ranger had them repeat a pledge that they promise to not pick or dig up plants and take care of the parks.  I sure have cute little rangers!! Cedar Breaks was gorgeous! I wish the pictures could do more it was beautiful.  We also hike through a mountain forest to go to the Alpine pond, the trail was very pretty and shaded.  A nice little hike for the kids.  Later that night after dinner we went back to the hotel for a nice little swim.  Madison is getting to be quite a good little swimmer.  We had a wonderful trip. 

Vance,Coleen,me,Madison and Hunter

Old Iron Town Ruins

Lion's Mouth Cave

  Treasure Hunt

The kids Vance, Coleen and Grandma

Madison and Rosa

Cedar Breaks

Steve the Ranger, Madison and Hunter Junior Rangers

Alpine Pond

Favorite picture of Vance and the kids

 Swimming after a long day of hiking

Hunter's first day of Preschool

Hunter had his first day of preschool today at Happy Hive Preschool (this is the same preschool Madison went to)!  It felt so crazy to be taking him to school, he can't be that old yet.  I walked with Hunter up to Miss Hollie's door, she came right out to greet Hunter.  He was a little bit shy of course so I followed him in to the class room.  Miss Hollie got out a train set for all the kids to play with.  Hunter was playing well with the other kids so I quietly left, before he notice I was gone.  There is 8 kids, 7 boys and 1 girl, Miss Hollie is going to have her hands full.  I will now have two free hours twice a week without any kids, I haven't decide if I am going to be happy, sad or just enjoy the free time :)

When I picked up Hunter from school he just couldn't stop talking about his new friends, all the toys he played with, coloring and the snacks.  I think he had a great day, and was even talking about when he goes back.  I love you Hunter!!

Hunter so excited coming out of preschool!!

Miss Hollie and Hunter

1st day of Kindergarten

Madison had her first day of Kindergarten on Tuesday.  Madison has had her outfit pick out for weeks, she wanted to wear her camo skirt with the shirt that matched.  My girlfriend also made the cutest camo hair bows to match.  The week before we had her Kindergarten assessment with Mrs Mikulecky, after she was done she gave Madison a bag of magic confetti to sprinkle under her bed the night before school starts.  The confetti was to help her sleep and not be nervous for school.  That morning of the first day of school she had me make her Mickey mouse pancakes her favorite.  Madison was super excited to walk to school.   When we got to the school we went to the office to see Nana, then we walked to her class.  All the kids lined up waiting for the teacher to take them in.  Steve and I watch our little girl go in to class.  I can't believe how fast time has gone, and how big my little girl is getting.  When she got out of school she loved it and was excited to go again tomorrow.  I love you goose!

Finally a picture where Hunter is looking at the camera!

The night before laying on the confetti she sprinkled.

Mrs Mikulecky and Madison

Madison after her first day of school.

Timpanogos Cave

This weekend we took the kids up to hike Timpanogos cave.  Madison did really good, she hike the whole way up mountain.  Hunter didn't do quite that well, he did ok for a little bit, then we end up caring him off and on up the mountain.  The kids love the cave inside, they like the scary stories that are ranger guide told us.  Madison and Hunter didn't like it when we were in the biggest part of the cave and she turned off all the lights.  The ranger told us that our eyes would never adjust to the dark, and you couldn't even see your hand in front of you the kids thought that was pretty scary.  On the way down Hunter didn't even attempt to walk I carry all the way down, Madison made it about half way down before telling us her legs were going to fall off, so Steve carry her the rest of the way down.  It was a nice little outing just the four of us.  As you can tell to Hunter either didn't look at the camera or wouldn't smile so these are the pictures we ended up with. 

Slip-N-Slide

It was so hot the other day I set up the slip-n-slide and pool for the kids to play out back. 

Hunter would start running all the way from the shed and stop just as he came to the slide and lay on his belly and that's how far he would get, it was so cute.  The kids played outside for hours and weren't tried, I was laying in the hammock and was exhausted.  I am sad summer is coming to a end.

Madison sun bathing on the trampoline.

Hunter relaxing with mom on the hammock.

CamPing

The annual Ferron camping trip.  Once again Steve was unable to come to his family's camping trip, but I went and took the kids.  The kids had a blast, the first day we got up there is was raining, Hunter loved jumping in all the rain puddles and was soaked from head to toe.  I did bring rain boots but forgot to get them on the kids, until after the rain had stopped!  While we were there we did lots of crafts with the kids, made leather bracelets, bubble blowers, played games, Madison favorite was Yahtzee.  We went down to the lake to try to skip rocks and end up just throwing rocks in the lake with all the cousins.  We sleep a tent this year, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  The kids thought it was pretty cool .  Had fun taking the four wheelers for rides, the older kids decide to go through every mud pile and the were covered in mud.  The kids really love camping.

 Last picture of camping as we left.