BEAR LAKE

So, we finally made it to Bear Lake at about 11:15 pm Friday night. Kyle ended up working later than expected so we didn't leave the house 'til about 7 pm. Then our quick trip to Wal-Mart for food and sand toys turned out to be an hour trip :) After that we went to Sports Authority to pick up some life jackets for the little ones. Turns out they were 40% off which was great! Anyway, we finally got on the road at 8:45 pm. The drive to Bear Lake takes about 2 hours, but it took us longer because it was dark and we had to watch for deer. Kyle is a pretty safe driver, especially when we are in the car. When we finally got there we unpacked our bags and had some burgers (wonderfully grilled by Gage and Chief). Then it was off to bed so we could get up early to go to the lake.

Gage's family has two trailers parked up the hill from the lake and they were so nice to let us use them for the night. Me, Kyle, and the girls got the small trailer to sleep in. It was pretty comfortable, but cold. Kyle and Brin took one bed and watched Mulan on the lap top (really roughin' it huh). Me, Rai, and Hallie took the other bed. Chief, Sugar, Cass, Gage, and Mike slept in tents and everyone else slept in the bigger trailer. It's amazing how cold it gets up there at night and how hot it is during the day. Anyway, we woke up at about 9 am Saturday morning, packed up the car, and headed for the lake.

Brin went on the boat for about an hour and a half watching the other kids wakeboard and waterski (however she was asleep most of the time). Raigen didn't like the sand at first, but learned to love it. Trav played with her a lot! Hallie sat in her little beach chair and loved being in Kennedi's floaty in the water. Kyle was a party pooper and stayed in the shade and slept the WHOLE time. He never even took off his shoes or socks. I'm glad I have a great fam that helped watch the girls, because he was no help at all. I think everyone else had fun sun bathing, volleyball playing, sunscreening, boating, and just being together as a family. It was a blast!

Here's a slideshow of some pictures. Kenna took all the boat shots so I'll post them later. This slideshow is kinda weird, just click on the play button and the slideshow will come up in a few seconds in a new window. The slideshow program I usually use wouldn't work. Anyway, check it out.

Bear Lake Slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Tribute to Janae

As I'm sure most of you know, Janae loves taking pictures of herself. Kyle has been setting tile at Ashleys house for the last week and a half, so on the nights that I work and even some of the nights that I don't, Brinlee has been hangin' out at Sugar's. She loves to hang out with JJ (that's what Brinlee calls Janae). Anyway, last night I let Brinlee have the camera for a while. When she finally gave it back to me, this is what I found (thanks J)....

I couldn't stop laughing and I guess you'd have to know my sisters. Half the pictures on their cameras look like this. This just shows that she watches everything we do. She is growing up so fast.

As, I said before, Kyle has been tiling Ash and Jared's house for the last week or so. He finished grouting last night and it looks sooo good. He has spent so many late nights over there and we miss him at home, but he loves to tile and loves to help out family when he can. He's a good guy! I can't wait until the day that he gets to tile our house. He really is getting good at it and much faster than he used to be.

We took this chair over to their house so the girls could sit in it and watch daddy work. This time it was hallie's turn. She is 7 months old today. I think she will pass Rai Rai up in the weight department soon. She is getting so big and is such an easy baby. She loves to play with toys and laugh at anyone and everything. She hasn't quite conquered sitting up yet, but I'm okay with her being a "stationary" baby for a little longer. I already have two other little munchkin's that can get into things and that's good for now.

Anyway, I better get to work. We're leaving for Bear Lake when Kyle gets off work at 4:30 (it's 2:15 right now) and I still need to finish cleaning the house, pack, and grocery shop. My family decided to take Gage's boat up and try a one night camp out. We haven't been the "camping type" so we'll see how it goes. I think some of us will sleep in trailers and some in tents. FUN! Brinlee is totally excited.

OH YEA! CONGRATS TO ASHLEY AND JARED. THEY'RE EXPECTING A LITTLE ONE IN MARCH! THEY'LL BE GREAT PARENTS!!!!!!

Look What Mom Bought

Well, I finally got the girls Hannah Montana shirts. I know it's dorky and I've been hesitating because I really don't like character clothes, but I thought they should have something to remember their love of Hannah. It's so funny that they like her because it's not like we forced them to watch the show. Brinlee has just loved Hannah since she first saw her on Disney Channel and now she has passed that love on to Raigen. Cassidy got them the new Hannah CD and they both sing along to it. It is sooo funny. You'd have to hear them. It's just cute that a 2 and 1 year old can be into a show like that. They'd much rather watch Hannah, Wizards (Wizards of Waverly Place), or CSI (seriously) than watch Dora, Winnie the Pooh, or Spongebob. They're just not cartoon girls and I guess I can't complain.

Here's some cute pics of the girls pushing Hallie in their baby stroller. Hallie loved it as much as they did. Don't worry, I was watching close.

MY LIFE IS GREAT

My life is so wonderful! Just when I start to think about everything that is going wrong or everything I am doing wrong, I remember how blessed I am.

I have a great husband who works hard to provide for our little family. He is always telling me he loves me and I can't count how many times he hugs and kisses me everyday. He is an awesome daddy! Our girls get so excited when he comes home from work and he gets so excited to see them. He always puts family first! I'm so glad I get to spend eternity with him. My girls are my life. They love to read their scriptures and say their prayers. Brinlee is so compassionate and caring...everytime Rai Rai wakes up (from a nap or in the morning) she asks her "You sleep good?" She knows when I am sad and will not be okay until I'm okay. She is very aware of other people's feelings. She helps me with laundry, cleaning up, and taking care of Hallie. I am very proud of who she is becoming. Her sisters have a great example to follow.

I am so thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and for the direction it gives me in my life. I need to be better in so many ways and I will never stop trying. I am thankful for my Savior, The Atonement, and the amazing gift of repentance. I can't even imagine not being able to live with my family for eternity. They are the most important thing in my life. I continue to realize that worldly things just aren't as important as I make them.

I want my family to know that I appreciate EVERYTHING you do for me. You are always so willing to help with the girls and that means the world to me. It is so great to have so much support so close to home and I love you all.

Bonfire, Zoo, and East Canyon

Last week we took the girls to their first bonfire in the mountains. We drove all the way up Farmington Canyon and enjoyed hobo dinners prepared by nate and joni, dutch oven desserts prepared by kenna and gage, and of course, SMORES. It was fun, but next time I think we'll do things a little different like... take a light so it's not completely dark (you'd think the fire would give off enough light, but it didn't) and take a play pen to corral the little ones, but, for the most part, it was great and, for the record, WE HAVE THE BEST FAMILY EVER!!

The day after the bonfire we went to the Hogle Zoo with Nate, Joni, Kennedi, and Kylee (Joni's little sis). Brinlee and Rai Rai had fun seeing all the animals, especially the elephants, giraffes, and snakes. Brinlee posed with the cougar for a quick pic (GO BLUE!!) The Zoo is definitely a once a year kinda place. It is so HOT and there were way too many hills. If fact, it took like two people to push the strollers up some of them because they were so steep. It's good for the kids to see the different animals, but, like I said, it's a once a year kinda place :)

On Friday we watched the Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds concert on disney channel. Brinlee and Raigen both love Hannah. They wore their 3D glasses and danced with Chief. They are growing up way to fast.

On Sunday we went up to East Canyon to spend some time with Kyle's side of the fam. His mom and dad have a timeshare up there so we go up to hang out with family and swim at least once every few months. The girls love spending time with their cousins and Kyle treasures the time he gets to spend with his dad. Kyle definitely caused his dad a lot of stress as a child. He was the problem child, but you'd never know that now. They have become really close and Kyle continues to learn a lot from him and his example. Brinlee took most of the pictures. She has turned out to be quite the photographer.

Kyle's BYU Countdown

Just in case any of you like BYU Football as much as Kyle, here's a countdown to their first game. Kyle has been getting two season tickets every year since we've been married. He loves BYU and I guess that means we do too. Brinlee and Raigen love to watch the games with him and you can bet he's taught them to say, "GO BLUE!" In fact, Brinlee will probably know the Cougar fight song by the time she's 3 :) Watching the games has become a tradition at our house. Even I watch them at home when Kyle is at Lavell Edwards Stadium, and then again that night when he plays the recorded version. Anyway, I hope they do as well this year as they did last year. Because, even though we're still fans when they lose, it's so much more fun to watch when they win!!!

fun in the sun

Hi! this is cassidy blogging for lindsay. On monday july 14th we went to lagoon. when i say we i mean, me, my friend Meriah, Mckenna, Trevin, Joni, Kennedi, Joni's sister kylee, her mom Marnie, Janae, her friends Jorden, Cassie, and Gage, Lindsay, Brinlee, Raigen, and Hallie.
Oh wow !!! That's a lot of people. We had a blast !!!

me, meriah, kylee, brinlee, and marnie went on Music Express first. It was fun.

Rattllesnake Rapids was the funnest ride we went on.

Then we went to lagoon-a-beach. The lazy river was way nice.
The water slides were fun too. we did other stuff there to but thats most of the fun stuff

We went on the little slides with brinlee and rai rai.

then they worked on their tans while we went on the big slides.

Brinlee loved the airplane ride and all the other rides she went on.


Hallie, trevin, and rai rai spent most of the time in the stroller or in the shade
They were pretty good but.....
Rai Rai got a little sad and tired. she had a good little nap then she was fine.

Our trip to Idaho

For the 4th of July, we took the girls on a road trip to Idaho. Their cousin, Emma, got baptized on the 5th so we decided to all go up early and enjoy the 4th together too. I didn't get very many pictures because I spent all of my time chasing kids, but here are a few.

Brinlee and Rai Rai were both so good to help Hallie drink her bottle in the car. They are both little mommy's.

We got a hotel with two full beds. Raigen, Brinlee, and Kyle slept in one and I got the other to myself! It was great. The deal was always that Kyle would lay with the girls until they fell asleep and then come sleep with me, but he always fell asleep first. Hallie slept in the Play Pen. She is such a good little girl.

Here's a good attempt at a picture of all the girl grandkids and Grandma Jean...

On Saturday after the baptism and great lunch everyone went swimming. Brinlee loves the water. Raigen just walked around the pool showing off her cute suit, Kyle loved the water slide, and Hallie and I hung out in the shade.

After swimming we went out to eat. The combination of a lot of sun, a lot of fun, and no nap resulted in a very tired Brinlee. Ever since Brinlee was a baby whenever we have gotten her out of her carseat she has woke up. When we got her out of her carseat at the restaurant she didn't even budge. She slept like this on Kyle's lap the whole time we ate. She was pooped!!

Raigen is definitely starting to show her cute personality. She is so independent. As aunt Annie would say. She is "Silent but Deadly" She is quiet but gets into everything and likes to tease everyone. Her and Brinlee are becoming partners in crime. We just love our girls.