SATURDAY MOWING

 

 Nate said he was down at the farm mowing the lawn.

He invited us down for a BBQ.

We decided to weed and plant a few flowers.

We paused for a minute and made hamburgers.

The girls fought over Cheetos.

Madison did a victory dance as she gained control of the Cheetos.

James and Ashton were absolutely filthy by the time we were done.

I took them both straight home and threw them in the bath.

They were both so tired they didn't appreciate that much but it was nice to have clean babies.

 

 

NEW PARK, NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY

 We went to a new park in Grand Junction with our friends and ate doughnuts for National Doughnut day.

The park just opened a few weeks ago and my children have been begging to go.

The morning as we were getting ready to leave I thought it was a bit overcast, but I thought their is no way it going to rain again.

It did.

Torrential downpour was more like it. My children have all had colds.

I think they thought I was the mother of the year because I just went with it but I am pretty sure no one else would.

They had a blast.

 

FINAL STOP

My final stop before coming back home was the temple.

I love the temple.

I love the blessings we receive when we go to the temple.

I am grateful for my family being willing to watch my babies, so I could go.

It truly is a special place.

SPRINGVILLE SPLASH PARK

Jennifer and Derrick, brought Charlotte and came with us to the Springville splash park.

My kids loved it.

It was cold and the water was colder.

My children didn't seem to mind.

James ran and ran.

It was a bit hard to keep track of my little speedy, especially while holding a baby.



Madison's T-Rex walk.

 

PARK, with COUSINS

These two little girls are beautiful.

Chase and Tamara took us to the wooden castle park.

We loved every minute of it.

The girls loved chasing Chase.

He was so nice to push them on the swing.

Tamara bought us drinks and fruit snacks.

Jennifer and Michelle got to chat in between chasing children.

James kept disappearing through all of the wood slates.

I didn't capture a picture of the whole park.

It was so fun.



 

CAN I TRY AGAIN? PLEASE

 

On a whim we decided to photograph these two.

Just because every hot couple deserves several million pictures of themselves.

Drool over their beautiful selves.

They are so blessed to have found each other.

Nate calls Chase, the smiley kid.

He does have a nice smile and who could help but have a big smile on your face when you knew your future was going to be spent with her?



 

 

She didn't like any of them but it is hard to focus when you are hopping around in a mosquito infested field and loosing light so rapidly you are changing your ISO every minute. 

At least they know what they don't want....

 

ARTIST KIMBERLY

 Kimberly is such an amazing artist.

She does these prints and they are phenomenal.

The process is difficult

She actually takes a rubber type mat and carves it

Then she stamps the paper.

Then she carves the next pieces out.

Stamps again.

Carves again.

Stamps again.

This is what each stamp ultimately creates.

Stunning.

My pictures don't do it justice.

It is stunning.

 James of course loved the cars.

I also thought this oil painting was beautiful. It was also featured at the museum.

Congrats Kimberly! We can't wait to see more.

VISITING MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

 I have heard about this trip a lot but have never gone until this year. It was fun to spend time with my Grandma and Grandpa Hair. I loved seeing Stephanie and Aunt Carol.

Auntie Ruthie and Auntie Colleenie were awesome too.

I got to see my great-grandparents gravesites. I have never visited them before.

I have always felt bonded to these two people. I have never met them but I love them.

I love them for all they did in this life for me.

I picture my great-grandfather like old Scrooge, with a thick German accent pouring over his scriptures, devouring them in away I never have. I am certain like old Scrooge he has his regrets but I have a big hug for him. I love him.

My sweet great-grandmother like a sweet angel I picture her in a garden surrounded by a white picket fence waiting to give us all a hug and a kiss.

I have a big hug for her too. I love her.

Life was not easy for either of them but they did their best, like we all do our best. 

 I want to know them. Truly know them not from the memories of others but of themselves. I am so grateful life extends beyond the grave there is so much I want to know and do that one life just isn't enough.

Memorial Day Celebration

 We all met at the Provo Cemetery.

Sorry Bonnie, I should have tucked in your tag but didn't notice it until I was making this post. Your little one is so adorable I had to include it. Forgive me.

 We talked about Utahna, my father-in-law's mother. I got to meet he briefly. She died shortly after we went to Pittsburgh. Our lives were so busy when we were first married we only saw her at family events. She never could remember who I was. She would always tell Nate how lovely I was and that he should settle down and marry me. She said that even after she attended our wedding and Sierra's baby blessing.

 

My biggest regret was when Nate bought his Crocs that he wore everywhere. She would comment and say I would like a pair of those but in pink. They made them in pink. I asked Nate if we should get her a pair. He said, "Why, she wouldn't remember them the next day?" I think she would have and I think she would have loved them. I will have to apologies when I see her again. Luckily, we are bound together even beyond the grave. I will get my second chance. However, it isn't very likely she will care much about pink crocs then. It sure would have tickled her soul if I had of acted on that impression.

 I never met Nate's grandpa. He was dead long before I came along. I wish I could have met him. It is hard to know if you would have liked a person when you only have the memories of others to rely on to know them. I think we will met him someday. Dad, my father-in-law, always says, "He was an awful lot like your husband." Maybe in a way I have met him and I know that I would have liked him very much.

 Maybe I photograph my kids a little to much. Maybe it is just their personalities. They sure are the miserable ones of the bunch aren't they? I think it is mostly a show.... especially that Sierra.

 Until you ask them which one is the tallest, that put a little fire in Sierra.

 Sierra chose to put the flowers we bought on Marry Ann Darrow's grave. Maybe mom will leave a comment and tell us exactly how we are related but Sierra loves the stories about this woman. She chopped off her own toe because it had become so infected she would have died if she left it and stood up against an Indian with a knife. She was very brave.

ASH and KIM

 Kim was so sweet and played with Ashton one morning.

He loved the attention.

Happy baby!