Easter camping

Picture overload from camping!

 Jared used our new four-wheeler (scored a deal a couple months ago) and towed the trailer around the corner to Tyson & Rachael's house to get air in the trailer tires. He rode Argentine style with the 3 kids!

We went camping with Tyson & Rachael's family and Tyson's parents and sister and her family in Warner Valley. It was a DIRTY place. We've played in dirt, camped in dirt, and everything else with dirt. However, this stuff had magnets in it to stick to anything and everything it could. It was still a lot of fun with plenty of toys for everyone.

 Cooper and his cousin Caitlyn after taking her for a ride in our Jeep.

 Cooper taking Aly for a ride in the Jeep. She had so much fun with all the toys with wheels!

 Jared showed me Aly sitting in the Jeep (I think the battery had died). He said she had sat there for at least half an hour!

After an almost accident with Jared's nephew and the little boy of another family with us (two families from our ward had also come camping - one left Saturday morning and one left Saturday night), Jared and his brother used our four-wheeler to teach our boys had to drive the four-wheelers including using the gas, brakes, and steering.

 After that Crue was a pro and drove the 90 cc four-wheeler all over. The family from our ward that stayed through Saturday had brought it along with a 50 cc dirt bike.

 Grandpa Frandsen let Cooper steer the Razor. Cooper was fascinated with watching the tires turn every time he turned the steering wheel.

 Aly LOVES four-wheelers, motorcycles, pretty much anything like that.

 With her hat and helmet waiting for a ride with dad. (Aly had a pink jacket and Jared had a pink shirt - it was hilarious!)

 The kids had dug holes before we got there and they had a blast playing in them. Cooper, Andrea Forsyth, and Paisley (cousin) are playing.

 We did a couple of Easter egg hunts. The first one was Friday night with flashlights and glow in the dark eggs. The next one was Saturday morning. Notice Crue's helmet. It was pretty much glued to his head most of the day so he could always ride the four wheelers or dirt bike at a moment's notice.

 Dad helping Aly find eggs.

Paisley and Aly looking for eggs. I found Aly a cute pink camo Easter bucket.

 I swear he used super glue on his helmet. :) But he sure is cute!

 Grandpa Frandsen brought otter pops that the kids loved!

 Another happy kid!

 Crue and Damon Forsyth (it was his family's four-wheeler).

 Crue taking Mia for a ride (she is Paisley and Dylan's cousin on the other side of the family).

More playing in the hole with Dylan and Cait I think. 

 Aly and Grady hanging out in Grady's Razor on the trailer.

 Crue riding the dirt bike that he loved.

 Sadie, Grady's cousin, taking Cooper for a ride in her Razor.

 One dirty little boy!

 Aly found a new friend in Lydia Forsyth. They had fun Saturday afternoon together.

Aly in the full size Razor. I had to pull her out to go home and in addition to LOVING anything with wheels, she hadn't had a nap so she threw the biggest fit.

We stopped at McDonald's real quick on the way home and then straight into the shower when we got home to see if we had the right kids (kind of hard to tell with all the dirt on them!).

 After the Easter bunny came. They each got a book, Crue got a helicopter Lego set, Cooper got Chutes and Ladders, and Aly got wood blocks. And they each got a LOT of candy! They've had fun with their books and toys.

Zions Vacation

Jared's brother and sister-in-law gave us a two night stay at a hotel on the East end of Zion's National Park. My mom came and stayed with the kids while we went (they were only spoiled a little....ha ha ha).

 At the end of our first hike. I struggled getting a good picture.

 Squirrel along the hike. There were tons along this hike and people were feeding them.

 Temple of Sinawava was our first hike. This is where you can hike to and play in the water. It was a cold weekend when we went so we just enjoyed the view. You also start the Narrows this way if you want to hike in and then hike back the same way you came.

 We also hiked all three Emerald Pools. This was going up to the Upper Falls.

 The Upper Falls (the falls are to the left of this picture).

 One of the middle pools.

 An arch we saw while driving home. Loved the shot with the moon.

We were gone Friday night through Sunday. We went and stayed at the hotel Friday night (dinner was from the gas station since Subway across the street was closed and it was getting late). Saturday we slept in and went to Zions that afternoon. For dinner we ate at the Thunderbird Restaurant that was part of our hotel. Then we ate breakfast there before heading home Sunday morning. This is Jared's 1 lb. ham steak for breakfast along with hash browns, eggs, and toast. And yes, he ate the entire thing and a little of my breakfast! It was a fun time and a much needed break!

Wrestling and cute kids

Some friends of ours told us about wrestling that their son and another boy in the ward do. We decided to sign Crue up. Cooper was a little too young but they said we could bring him and let him run around. Jared was helping Crue and Cooper learn the moves in this picture. Crue usually wrestles with the other kids and Cooper plays with another boy that comes while his brother and sister wrestle.

 This is the only tournament we went to (it was free because our team - Canyon View - was the host). We would have gone to the other Cedar one but Jared and I were gone that weekend.

 He didn't win any but it was good practice to know what real wrestling is like and not just practice.

 We couldn't find Cooper (a few times) and one of the times we saw him up on the stands where we had been sitting.

Crue wrestled 4 kids the entire time. He was one tired boy the next day!

 We had some rain one day so I let the kids stand outside in it for a minute. They loved it! 

I made no-bakes one day (the brown cookies as Cooper calls them) and while I was scooping them out, Aly kept picking a the one in the corner. Cute little stinker. :)

Christmas!

We had a good Christmas this year. Jared spoiled me and got me everything I wanted and although the kids didn't get the one thing they asked for (presents were already bought before they made a request), they still loved what they got. Jared was pretty happy with his Christmas. Thank you for online deals so I could score him some new tools!

 Our one picture with Santa at our ward Christmas party. Aly didn't want anything to do with him, only the candy, so I had to hold her for the picture. The boys definitely know who he is though!

 Christmas morning! We told the boys they couldn't go out until everyone was awake so they hung out in our bed until Aly woke up.

 Aly wasn't too far behind the boys when she woke up. And the boys were sure excited to get her when she woke up!

 This is the 2nd year I've made the kids pajamas for Christmas (just the bottoms). The boys loved theirs so much last year I decided to keep doing it. They opened them in St. George so they could wear them home (they fall asleep on the way home so we end up putting them straight to bed). Crue and Cooper were pretty excited for theirs with the motorcycles and bikes and things on them. 

 Checking everything out!

 Santa brought Aly a new bike! Good thing because whenever there's one of those bikes at someone's house, she immediately starts riding it. Now she has her own.

Aly got this scooter from my parents on her first birthday. My mom sent us a charger and we found out the batter still worked so Jared brought it upstairs Christmas day. She loved riding it with Crue and Cooper!

Salt Lake & St. George

We finally went to visit my parents in Salt Lake since once a year isn't good enough for them. :) We don't mind being there, but we could do without the drive and all the tons of people there. Made us even more happy to be home!

 Jared put all the kids on the fridge before we left. Aly was grumpy I think so he got her to smile by putting her up there and then the boys joined her.

 Our first stop was Scheels. We brought lunch and ate it in the parking lot and then went inside. My brother came and joined us. It was a lot of fun to see him! He held Aly while I went to the bathroom and they looked at the fish and she let him hold her the rest of the time. She LOVED the airplane. She says airplane anytime she can see or hear one.

 The boys in front of the Santa Moose (and a lot of other animals that they loved looking at).

 They have these little picture spots so Crue, Cooper, Aly, and my brother Lex went and stood in one.

 They have a ferris wheel inside that is only $1 a person to ride! Aly was too little so Jared stayed with her so I could go with the boys since he took them the only other time they've been on one. It's been a while since I've been on a ferris wheel. I was fine once we were going but when it was stopping to get everyone off and the baskets would shake a little every time, it was kind of nerve wracking!

 We went to Temple Square and City Creek Center while we were there. The boys got to ride on dad and grandpa and I had Aly in the framed carrier that she LOVES (so much in fact that we put her in it at my parents' house and she got mad if anyone tried to take her out or even take the cover off).

 It was so beautiful!

 Crue and Cooper in front of the reflection pond.

We went to St. George on Christmas Eve like we do every year. These are the 2nd cousins that were there minus Aly and one other baby. Berlin, Crue, Dresdin (Berlin's brother), Kyri, Cooper, Berklee (Kyri's sister).

 Aly hung out/hid by the xylophone for a while. Not sure why but I made sure I got a picture.

And of course there's always the singing! Aunt Louise played and everyone there sings so well that it's wonderful to listen to!