Beautiful Temple Grounds

This was a rare and precious moment for my little family. I know we have the temple so close to us, but we hardly take the time to go. I was challenged in Relief Society to visit the temple this week, even if it was just stepping on the grounds. So we went as a family on FHE night. We went in the visitor's center and looked around at all the displays they had there and watched the Joseph Smith video. Lincoln loved the little mini cartoon/videos they have for families to sit on little couches and watch. He was so sad to leave. (I told him we'd come back another day, it's been a year Mom. I need to take him on a date and go back!)

Then we walked around the temple grounds and looked at the beautiful flowers. It was really hard for the kids to stay on the path and NOT pick the flowers. They get so excited about everything and want to touch everything. But it was still nice and peaceful. I could feel the Spirit as we walked around and as I had my family close to me. I'm grateful we took the time to go out and let the kids experience a peaceful moment (peaceful enough without Mom and Dad almost yelling to get back on the sidewalk). I'm grateful that this is where Mike and I got married in this beautiful temple, and now we get to live here while we raise our three littles. Blessed.  

Nakey Girl and the Dinosaur Museum with Quoia

Oh man this little one is hilarious!! She loves to put deodorant on. It's so dang cute to see a mini girl being like her Mommy. She loves nail polish, doing my hair, and playing dress up. I just want to squeeze those cheeks she's just so cute!

I got to go with Sequoia on a 2nd grade field trip to the Dinosaur Discovery Museum. It was the first time either of us had been there and was pretty cool. I really enjoyed spending time with my girl. Sequoia is definitely the middle child. It seems like she's so good and quiet at school that we hardly ever worry about her. It was nice to get to be with her and see how she is around her friends at school. Which she's so much fun by the way! There are so many kids that love her and want her to sit by her. She's a fun kid. Her personality is so different when she's at home with us versus her at school. Loved to watch it. And her teacher Ms. Benware is my favorite teacher. So happy she has her this year!

Sequoia is my artist. She loves to create and make all sorts of things. Sometimes it makes me stressed because there is stuff all over the place, but she's making memories (so I keep telling myself.)

Ogden to Play with EVERYONE!!

Beautiful skies on our way to Ogden.

Oh sheesh.  We sure love you Aurora, every little bit of you:)

This house's back yard is facing Grandpa's house. They are so kind and invited our family to come swim in their pool. It was fun to play be in the cool water. Lincoln is doing a great job swimming! He loves it. Sequoia loves the water, but can't quite swim by herself yet. And Aurora won't even get in with being with an adult. She won't even try swimming alone with a life jacket. She does still love to be in the water though.

I love love love watching the cousins play together!

They are TWINS!!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Aurora!!

Welcome to the world Baby Ivy!!

Happy Birthday Sequoia!!

For Sequoia's 7th birthday we wanted to "make it easy" so we let her invite a few friends to the movie to see Finding Dory that just came out. She was so dang excited about. In the end, I can't just invite "a few" kids. Blah. We invited Ayebuke, Zaycia, Olivia, David, and Darian along with our whole family. Craziness. So a simple party turned into a bunch of kids and money. But it was all worth it. She had a blast. We watched the movie, went back to the house for cake, ice cream, and presents, then I took them all back home. No games, so that was nice. She is entertaining to watch when she's with her friends because she's so different than with us, I love it!  Since it was Finding Dory day, I thought it would be a good idea to get her a real Beta fish for her birthday. Not really. She did a really good job pretending to like it, and it only lived for about a month. Poor thing.

Nana Reunion 2016

This year our reunion was out at Marysvale, UT at Gaylene's family property. What I can remember of it was that it was super hot, there wasn't a lot of shade, but I was happy to see my cousins and spend time with my family. 

It was super close to Big Rock Candy Mountain, a place where you can rent tubes and float down the river. We all did it together as a family and I'm surprised I didn't have a full on heart attack that day. I was seriously so worried and stressed that my kids were going to fall out of there tubes and die by drowning. For real.  Yes they had life jackets on. Yes they were surrounded by family at all ends. But I still was freaking out. I'm not very fun to go on outings like that. I was super happy to go home after that reunion. I do wish I would have gotten more pictures though!! Usually my biggest regret. Blah!