Our 2011 Summer Staycation: (A story of pictures)

This year I have decided to do Summer Fun Days  with my kids. We have made a "Staycation Calendar" and try and do something fun everyday (except Mondays...cleaning day for me):

Our weekly schedule usually goes something like this:

Monday: Cleaning Day
Tuesday: Piano Lessons, Swimming Lessons, Craft Day
Wednesday: Library Day (we have signed up for the reading program in Blackfoot and it is amazing this year-My kids Love it!
Thursday: Movie @ the Theater, Swimming Lessons
Friday: Day with Daddy or Baking Day with Mommy

I have had alot of fun doing this, it keeps us busy and having fun and I get to spend time with other Moms. Here are some pictures of our adventures.

Piano Lessons:

 Ocean day:

We made scubba gear and an indoor ocean while listening to Knee Deep by the Zac Brown Band. Afterward we watched Disney's Ocean movie. Oh how I wish I were on the beach swimming with my family!!

Also, this year I decided to try a square foot garden in my backyard. It is convenient, NO weeds, easy and my kids can learn and watch it grow everyday.

The moon was SO beautiful!!!

On Saturday we decided to go on a family picnic. We headed to the BIG Southern Butte: It was a really pretty day. 

Ben and I were talking about Rattlesnakes and then we saw one crossing the road. By the time we backed up to see it he was slithering away into the bushes...YUCK!!!

Nice roadside scenery. It cracked me up for some reason, I could totally see myself using this as a landmark in the directions I give to someone...."Next you'll pass a really old chair on the side of the road..."

SOOO scared of rattlesnakes, we picniced in the back of our Durango.

"Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons"-unknown

Line of Authority

Last week was a bittersweet week for our family. Ben was released from being Elder's Quorum President to being ordained as the Ward Clerk. The Stake President asked me to bear my testimony in Elder's Quorum and I of course I started crying. I was happy that Ben would be home more often but sad that is was losing something he put so much time an effort into. Ben is such a good example to our family. He is a great leader and put a lot of time into training his counselors and going on visits with them. I can recall many times that I walked in on Ben down on his knees praying over someone in his quorum. I know he really grew to love them. This week Ben was ordained a High Priest and is really excited about that. He was ordained by his Dad who gave him a really special blessing.

SO...the reason for my post is to get any ideas of making a NEW Line of Authority for Ben. I have one already but I kind of would like to change it up.

Here is is current one (which made a really fun Father's Day gift a few years ago):
It is not very good photo quality here, but it turned out pretty once it was printed and framed.

 After this week I am just so glad he was not called to be a High Councilman, sacrament meeting alone would NOT be fun, so I admire young mothers who do it every week!!

Out with the old...

Ben and I recently decided it was time to upgrade to a larger vehicle. Although I absolutely LOVED our Honda, it didn't fit our family comfortably. We found a family (who were so awesome and SO nice) in Idaho Falls who were selling their Dodge Durango. It was a steal of a deal and had everything I wanted in a car. I will miss some of the little features the Honda had, but I know we will have fum making new family memories in this new car.

ALSO, and on somewhat of a sad note-My baby is 3 months old today. I can't believe how fast time flies!!
Here are some highlights about this little Chubba Wubba (aka: Nathan):

• Sleeps from 10 pm-3am. I have loved having him sleep longer at night! He also takes a longer nap in the afternoon and a couple cat naps in the late afternoon, early evening. He loves taking naps in his swing!!!
• He loves to eat, if you can't tell by the Chubbiness. We have let him taste watermelon, pineapple, pickles  and chocolate frosting. He has liked them all.
• This boy is either ALL smiles or really mad. He has severe acid reflux and it really acts up at nighttime. I hope he grows out of it soon. 
• He loves people. Especially his sister and brother. When they are around he is usually smiling at them whether they are looking at him or not.
• Today I weighed Nathan and he was a little over 15 lbs. Cute huh!
• He loves to talk. He often tries to talk back to us when we are talking to him.
• He loves standing up. I can't wait until I can break out the "Johnny Jumper"!!
• He is very alert and is always looking around or watching the tv if it is on.

We love this kid!!!