You know you have too much time on your hands when...

You invent and play "real" Angry Birds with the kids all morning!

The Last Days of Summer Vacation

Now that Summer is quickly coming to an end, we are trying to squeeze in some last minute fun before we are tied to a school schedule. Over the last week, we have had some really fun family adventures: 2 different dinosaur museums and a fishing trip.

Last Saturday we went to the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden. I got a great deal on a family membership from Groupon, so we decided to check it out. It had a museum inside with fossils and then a large park with huge dinosaur "statues" outside. We were surprised at how many dinosaurs they had. We wandered around the park looking at all of the different dinosaurs for about an hour. It was neat because the area was forested and had a lot of different foliage, so it made it seem much more realistic. They also had sound effects (roars, insect sounds, etc.) playing from huge speakers hidden in the shrubs to create ambiance.

We were continually amazed at how good Christian was at identifying the different species. One particularly impressive moment happened when we came across an amargasaurus (a long-neck dinosaur). He immediately knew what it was because of its unique features that he learned from "Dinosaur Train". Standing next to it was a large carnivore (much like a T-Rex). Christian said, "That must be a giganotosaurus because they lived in the same place (South America) and in the same time period as the amargasaurus." In shock at his ingenious deductions, I walked over to read the sign, and sure enough, it was a giganotosaurus. He still amazes me with how much info he retains.

 Jonathon matching wits with a troodon (perhaps the smartest dinosaur) / The famous amargasaurus

Last Tuesday, we decided to head down to Thanksgiving Point to the dinosaur museum because they were having a special "$2 Tuesday." We got there right when it opened and met up with Grandma H, Crista, Tiffany and Chantel. We were able to go through it fairly quickly, but it just kept getting more and more crowded. By the time our friends got there an hour later, it was so crowded that we could hardly move. We saw a few things again with them and then we all opted for a picnic lunch and a quick getaway. The boys had a great time though, so it was worth it.

Then on Saturday, we spent some time visiting Jonathon's grandparents. Jonathon's grandpa has lived an amazing life, so I am always interested to hear what he has to say. This time, we were talking about the economy and the difficulties that people are having right now. Grandpa told us the story of when his grandpa (the man who raised him) came home from town at the start of the Great Depression and told him that their bank had failed and that he hadn't been able to get any of their money out in time. Grandpa said that he didn't understand the significance of it at the time, but he still remembers how worried his grandparents were that day. They told him that everything they had saved for his mission and college was gone and that he would have to earn what he needed. He told us that his grandpa only made $60/month, so things in the family were really tight after that. Jonathon's grandpa is one of the most inspiring people I know because he never lets trials or obstacles get him down. He has had his fair share of struggles, but he has always remained optimistic, happy, and full of faith.

Then we headed down to Provo to go fishing with Jonathon's family. We found the spot where the Provo River enters Utah Lake. It wasn't the best fishing, but it was right next to a nice covered barbecue area and had very calm water so we didn't have to worry as much about the boys.

I love this picture of the boys kicking back before dinner. They sure look relaxed!

Chantel caught the only fish of the night, and as she was reeling it in, she was screaming, "I don't want it. I don't want it." We were all dying with laughter. It was so ironic that the only person to catch a fish didn't actually want to catch a fish. Haha! She finally got it in, and it was one of the ugliest fish I have ever seen. It was a walleye and was 22" long... definitely a nice size despite its appearance. I told her we needed a picture. She squealed as it was flopping around and made Jonathon hold it up. You can tell from the photo that she wanted nothing to do with that fish. It was quickly returned to the river!

We had hot dogs and s'mores for dinner, which was exciting because it might be Christian's favorite meal ever. The highlight of the entire trip though was when the boys got to ride in the little blow-up boat that Jonathon's family brought. I thought they were going to chicken out (like usual), but they hopped right in and loved every minute. As soon as Andrew got out and Christian started paddling away, he would say, "Me turn. Me turn!" Then when Andrew finally got another turn Christian sat forlornly at the side of the river and said, "It is so hard to wait for something that you really want to do."(Yes, Christian... don't we all know!) It was a lovely end to our Summer vacation!

 Christian, Crista, and Tiffany

Crista, Andrew, and Chantel

Our First Camping "Trip"

It was definitely camping.

It wasn't much of a "trip"...

Last year for Christmas, we got a lot of camping supplies since we moved from NYC and could finally go camping again. Jonathon is a big camper, so we were excited to try it all out this summer. Unfortunately, this summer has been insanely busy, and we never got a chance to get away for the weekend. We were also nervous about how the boys would respond to the new situation. They are creatures of habit, and we knew it could be a major fight.  

We decided that since school is about to start, and summer is quickly fading, we had better do something soon. We told the boys that we would go camping in our backyard on Friday night. We talked it up all week in hopes that they would be excited.

They were definitely excited! 

They were excited throughout the barbecued hot dog picnic. 

They were excited finding sticks to roast s'mores. 

They were excited while making an ooey, gooey mess with their marshmallows.

They were even excited while setting up the tent. 

That is when it all started to go downhill...

Both Andrew and Christian were freaked out to get into their sleeping bags. They love to play with them, but the thought of sleeping in them threw them both into a tizzy. So much so that Andrew kicked his all the way to the bottom of the tent and refused to even sleep near it. Then Christian got really antsy and kept complaining about wanting to go sleep in his bed. We got some good quotes out of the kid:

"I can't sleep here. It is a weird texture. The texture of my bed is different, so my body is telling me that this is the wrong place to sleep."

"I only try new things when they are super-duper cool, and camping is NOT super-duper cool!"

After about an hour of fighting him to calm down and go to bed, he finally dozed off. Andrew fell asleep pretty easily, but at about 2:30 AM, he woke up and started walking around. He played with his flashlight, talked to Jonathon, and did everything but lay down. Finally, Jonathon got him back to sleep, but not before I thought (and said aloud), "Is this really worth it?"

When morning finally came, the boys were happy as clams. They claimed they LOVED camping and wanted to do it again tonight. Grumpy mommy with an aching back and only two hours of sleep said, "No Way... well at least not for a while." I am glad that they survived the night in the tent and were able to have a positive experience in the end. 

Maybe we will have to try it for real in the near future, but only if I can find a nice air mattress. :)

Making S'mores

These were taken when they first got in the tent and were still excited to be there. Luckily, they looked like this again by the time morning came around.

Family Reunion 2011

What a FANTASTIC family we have! We just got back home from another amazing C. Family Reunion, and I am once again astounded by the amount of fun and pure enjoyment that we have when we are all together. At its peak, the reunion was attended by about 165 of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and their families. It was so fun to play, chat, and renew our friendships. I always feel completely welcomed and loved by every member of my family, and for that I am eternally thankful.

Day 1:
Dinner, Family History Night, Talents, and Ice Cream

 The whole group playing TDQ's (trivia) about our Family History

Vaughn playing "Spinning Song" upside down and Uncle D. and Kaylee playing "You Belong with Me" while the audience sang along

 Vaughn and Corianne and Maren and Grant 

Eating ice cream (a staple at any C. family function)

Favorite memories of the night:

*Eating leftover barbecue and wedding cake from Justin's wedding (I am still dreaming of that delish carrot cake!)

*Stef throwing tons of candy during TDQ's

*Being reminded that nearly every one of our ancestors had major trials but kept the faith (one lived in a dugout, one lived in a wagon box, one had 11 children, one had 23 children etc. etc.)

*Mark L. performing on the piano. Wowzers!

*Daniel being named "Mr. C" (looks most like an original C. family member) after a poll of those in attendance

Day 2:

QRU Fun Run, Melba 4th of July Parade, Buzz sessions (classes), fireworks, Patriotic program, and Red, White and Blue homemade ice cream

 Our Family-- Ready for the 2 mile FUN RUN on the 4th of July

 Jonathon pushed the 2 boys the whole way and still managed to come in at around 18 min.

 Hannah, Kym, and I ran together the entire race (until the very end when we all sprinted to the finish). It was nice to have people to run with and keep me motivated. It was my best 2 miles ever. I felt great the entire race and actually had a good time doing it.

 Mom and Dad finishing strong

(Several of the extended family also ran. Some of them included: Janet, Stef, Julie, and Justin in the 6 miler and Jamie pushing a stroller for 2 miles)

 Watching the parade

The candy total was impressive this year... just what the kids wanted!

 Cupcake Decorating Class/ Coupon Class

Mom had 7 of the grandkids prepare and present classes on various topics for the rest of the family. They turned out to be informative and fun!

Coupons- Sarah

Finances- Darrell (Jonathon and my brothers have been talking about this one non-stop)

Courageous Parenting- Kris and Kyle

Cupcakes- Melodie and Emily (supposedly for the kids, but I saw quite a few adults over there as well!)

Kid's Crafts- Stef and Kelsi

Favorite Memories of Day 2:

*The perfect morning for a run

*Jonathon buying a 14 inch corn-dog (yuck!)

*Katie and Michelle (the newlyweds) winning my coupon class giveaway

*Uncle R.'s field catching on fire during the firework show 

Day 3:

The Lake... waterskiing, swimming, trivia, volleyball, pizza, shaved ice, variety show

 Andrew hanging out by the lake

Playing an intense game of Trivia 

(I was the only person to win 2 games, so I was declared the official winner... Oh Yeah!)

 Some political conversation, no doubt

 Uncle Mike's and Travis' boats were huge hits

 Unlimited shaved ice (another C. family tradition)

Daniel performing during the variety show

Favorite Memories of Day 3:

*Beating Aaron and Bryan at trivia (there may or may not have been a lot of trash talk... on both sides)

*Watermelon and coconut shaved ice... my new favorite flavor

*Uncle Mike's family rendition of "Kids Say the Darnedest Things"-- Taralee wants to be a horse....... rider when she grows up, and one of the kid's dream vacation was Montana (?) Hahaha!

What a great way to spend 3 days. 

Thanks for the Memories... See you all in 2 years!

Tera + BJ

This Summer has been extremely busy, but so special for our families.  Our second wedding of the month took place on June 18th in the Draper Temple. Tera and BJ are wonderful individuals and as a couple they are so happy and good for each other. 

We first met BJ when we moved to Utah. He came over with the rest of the family to help us paint our new house. He was especially helpful because he was tall enough to reach all of the spots that the rest of us could not. We have enjoyed getting to know him over the last year. 

Saturday was a beautiful day. After the sealing, we had a wonderful luncheon, and then were able to enjoy their reception later that evening. We stayed the night down in Provo so that we could spend as much time as possible with the family. On Sunday, Tera and BJ opened presents and then we had a big family dinner. It was a lovely weekend. We are so excited to welcome BJ into the family!

 The Siblings

Beautiful Tera / Handsome Andrew

Family Pictures

All of Jonathon's family was in town to attend Tera and BJ's Wedding, so we decided to take family pictures. We took them in Memory Grove in Salt Lake. I was very happy with how they turned out. The family is getting big and spread out, so it was so fun to spend time together. Here are some favorites:

SUCCESS!

These two got married!

(Congrats Matt and Kat)

 These two were little cuties!

And these cupcakes were a total success!

Decking the Halls

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. We have spent the last week decorating and enjoying the season. Here are a few of the festivities:

Decorating the tree:

It is so fun to decorate our new home because we have a little more space now.

Silly boys

The Lights before Christmas:
I had no idea that our city was so cool. Every year the Parks and Rec. department puts on a fantastic lights show for Christmas. The boys were so excited and ran from animal to animal laughing and pointing. It was a fun way to spend Family Night.

The dinosaurs were Christian's favorite, obviously!

Our own "lights before Christmas"-- Jonathon, dad, and Matt helped put up our lights. It makes us feel very festive!

Gingerbread house

 It only looked like this for  about 24 hours because the boys decided to eat most of the candy off it while I was out of the room. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. 

Hannukkah video
We have watched this video at least 10 times. When we aren't watching it, the song is stuck in our heads. Christian walks around singing one of the lines: "Until the mighty Greeks were gone." It was filmed in our old neighborhood in New York. We sat at that exact spot in Fort Tryon many times. It definitely brought back some good memories. Enjoy!