Cedar and Shakespeare

We took a trip last weekend to Cedar City with Ryan's parents. We had a great time and took lots of pictures, so get ready for a long post. (Josh did not like being photographed)

Grandma and I loaded the kids up in her Durango and headed down early Thursday afternoon. Ryan had to work so he and his dad were going to join us later. Grandma and I decided it would be better to get the kids there early so they could burn off some energy before bed.

After we got checked into the hotel, we went to find dinner and a good place for the kids to run around. Grandma grew up in Cedar, so she knows the town really well.

We ended up at East Canyon Park. The kids liked running around, and Valerie, the dare devil, could not get enough of the slide. She kept climbing up the ladder. She was a little upset that I would not let her go down the slide by herself, but I am not ready for that.

There is a river that runs through the park. So The kids went down and got their feet wet and threw rocks in the river. They found a few rocks they really liked and decided to
start a rock collection on the vacation.


When it started to get dark we headed back to the hotel.

I thought the kids would be really tired, but when we got into the hotel room it was like someone flipped a switch inside them and they went into hyper mode. They were all really excited. Valerie Quickly discovered the fridge. It was just her size, she could open it herself, and when she did open it she found a sippy cup full of milk just for her. From then on every time we went in the hotel room, Valerie headed straight to the fridge and visited it often.

Our favorite place to stay when we go to Cedar is The Abby Inn. The kids love it too, because of the breakfast buffet. Emily can't get enough of the waffles you make yourself.

Friday morning we all headed to Brian Head Resort. Ryan and Emily brought their bikes and were heading out for a day on the trail.

They took a shuttle up to Brian Head Peak and then rode (and walked some) to Panguitch lake.

It was a 14 mile ride and they were both pretty tired when they got back.

While they were on their bike ride the rest of us entertained ourselves with some site seeing. It was cooler than we expected there so the first stop was to buy a jacket for grandma. We looked at sweatshirts for the boys, but the only ones they had that would fit them had Utah in big white letters on them. Grandpa has corrupted my children so when they see Utah all they think of is the U of U (which Ryan and I love) and they wont touch it, because they are devoted BYU fans. Grandpa tried to explain to Joe that it meant the State of Utah, but he didn't care. They finally settled for t-shirts that kept them a little warmer.

Now that we were appropriately attired, we headed to one of Grandpa's favorite trails. The Twisted Forest. The boys had a little snack and were happy to get hiking. The trail goes through a forest of Bristlecone Pine Trees. These trees are the oldest living organism known on the planet.

The trail started out pretty simple and the boys liked all of the funny shaped trees and roots. They found one that they decided looked like a surf board.

A little ways down the trail the hills started getting a little steeper. The boys were still excited to be on the trail though and did not seem to mind too much. But when it was time to go back down the hills there was a problem, The trail is made of loose shell rock, and it is hard to get good footing.

I had Valerie on my back, and was trying not to fall myself, so Grandma and Grandpa helped the boys. They were getting tired and they were also a little scared. Josh fell a couple of times and was not happy about it. When we made it to the easier part again they were happier, but the pendulum had swung and they were not happy little boys.

By the time we got back to the car, the boys were both fighting and crying. They calmed down pretty quickly once we got back in the car. I am still not sure what they were fighting about, but I suspect it had something to do with being first.


After the hike we checked in at the bike shop to see if Ryan and Emily had returned. They were still going to be a while, so we took a drive up to Brian Head Peak.

The boys were getting along again and in a good mood. They liked the view, but were getting a little tired of pictures. Josh refused to let us take any of him. Joe was willing as long as he was doing a silly pose. This is his gangster pose.

When we first arrived at Brian Head the boys noticed the ski lift and asked if they could ride on it. We told them maybe later after Emily got back. I was hoping they would forget about it, because I am not a fan of high places when there is not much to stop you from falling especially taking little kids on those high places. But one thing about my kids is they don't distract easily and they never forget.

So after Emily and Ryan returned from their hike, Grandpa and I (Ryan is really afraid of heights) took Emily, Joe and Josh on the lift.

Joe and Emily rode with Grandpa and at first hung on to him like they were going to die. Josh was relaxed as could be the entire ride. When the lift turned us to go down hill I heard a scream come from Emily and Joe. Josh just thought it was really cool. It was a really pretty ride with a great view.

After the long day the kids were all pretty tired so we headed back to the hotel.

After a little rest we went over to the Green Show at the Shakespearean Festival. The boys were more interested in playing on the lawn, but Emily seemed to enjoy it.

Friday we started our day on the Bristlecone Pine trail. This is a very short, easy and beautiful walk.

The kids were still collecting rocks, and Joe found the perfect shark tooth rock. He announced that when he got home he was going to polish it and turn it into a necklace.

Grandpa carried Valerie for some of the walk, but she was happy to hike a little on her own.

She loved looking at all of the plants, and she began her rock collection too.

At the end of the trail is a great big Bristlecone pine tree. This is Grandpa's favorite tree.

Our next stop was Cedar Breaks. I forget how much I love the red rocks of southern Utah.

The kids were all a little cold and the boys were trying to bundle up in their shirts.

Joe got almost his entire body in his shirt and then announced. "I'm in Minnie mode."

After Cedar Breaks Grandpa and Grandma, the boys and Valerie continued on to other site seeing adventures while Ryan and I took Emily to her first Shakespeare play. "Much Ado About Nothing"

There were signs that said not photographs, but I had to get a picture of Emily in her seat. Ryan kept telling me I was going to get my camera taken away, but I decided it only meant during the show. At intermission we treated ourselves to a tart. Emily loved the apple one.

We loved the play. The cast was great. Emily was laughing almost the whole time and loved it.

After the play we met up with the other kids and had dinner. Grandpa Emily and Ryan headed over to the green show, but the boys were not that into it the night before, so they stayed with Grandma and I at the hotel. Ryan and his parents were going to see Macbeth that night, so when it was time for Grandma to go we drove her to the university and picked up Emily. She got in the car with a giant sucker. Of course the boys wanted one too. They had all brought their money on the trip so they gave Emily money and she went in the gift shop and bought them one too.

While Ryan and his parents were at the play the kids and I had a party in the hotel room. I had gone to the store earlier and bought popcorn and chocolate milk. So we popped some popcorn and found a movie on TV to watch. I would like to say that by the third night the excitement of the hotel had worn off, but the kids were still a little hyper. (maybe from their giant suckers)

After the movie the only way I could get them to go to sleep was to turn everything off, but as soon as I did they went right to sleep.

Sunday we slowly headed for home. I am so grateful to Ryan's mom and dad for planning the trip. It was so much fun and a great way to finish out the summer. School starts next week. I am not ready. There is still so much to do.

Happy Birthday Emily

11 Years Old

Dear Emily

I love you so much. I could not have asked for a better daughter. You are a beautiful girl both inside and out. It is an honor being your mother.

You have a special gift of compassion and love. You do not judge people and always look for the good in everyone. I have watched you love and accept kids who other children would avoid because they are "different." You do not seem to notice the difference, and if you do it does not matter to you. You are easy to get along with, and your have very good friends who love you too.

I am so grateful to have a daughter who wants to do what is right. I hope that you always have that desire. It makes being a mom a little bit easier when you can trust your child to make good choices without you.

As I look at the coming year I realize that this is going to be a year of lasts for you.

Your last year of Elementary school,

last year of Primary,

last year eating off the kids menu,

and really the last year that you will be categorized as a kid,

With endings there are also a lot of beginnings, and beginnings mean change. Change has not always been easy for you. These will be good changes, but life will be different. I hope that through these changes you will be able to remember who you are and hold on to your special talents.

This is such an exciting time for you. I hope you enjoy this year and live it instead of just waiting for 12 to come. 11 is a great year and the end and beginning of so many great things.

I love you Emily

Happy Birthday!

Love Mom

Emily's Garden Party

Since Emily loves being outside and loves nature we decided to have her birthday party at Red Butte Gardens this year. Ryan's mom helped drive and chaperon the party so Emily was able to invite a good group of friends. (all of the ones she had been playing with this summer.) The boys also wanted to come. They never miss out on a good party.

Everyone got a backpack with a few items they might need at the party in it to start. A week earlier the kids and I visited the garden to plan the game and activities. So as soon as we got in the garden we started on a treasure hunt.

They were given pictures of plants that they had to find in order. When they found them they had to write down the name. At the end they got the treasure if they had all of the names. I thought they might be competitive and try to be the first one done, but they all stayed together and helped each other. I was a little surprised how much her friends liked walking around the garden and looking at plants.

When we were just over halfway through the hunt everyone wanted to rest so we stopped and took a break and fed the ducks.

In their goody bags they each had gum. Everyone had been chewing on a piece while we did the hunt and so during the break Grandma challenged them all to a bubble blowing contest. They all did pretty good, but grandma was by far the winner.

The treasure was a mood ring for each of them. (At this age we as parents need the warning) All of the kids rings said they were in good moods. Thank goodness!

After the hunt we had a picnic lunch and birthday cake. In keeping with the theme of the party the cakes were individual flower pots with dirt cake and gummy worms.

The boys liked digging and burring the worms in the cake better than eating it.

To finish off the party we headed to the fountain to play. I gave everyone a cup so that they could have a water fight. They all seemed to have a good time.

Emily has a really good group of friends. It was fun to spend the day with them and get to know them better.

Happy Birthday Emily!

A New Bike

A couple of years ago Joe got his new orange bike, and handed down his shark bike to Josh. Josh loved the Shark bike and was happy to have it as his own. This spring when we pulled out the bikes we realized that our plan of having Joe outgrow the bikes as Josh needed them was not going to happen. We did not do anything immediately, because secretly we were hoping that we could just make it to next summer and then pass the bike down. But Josh is almost as big as Joe and as much as we ride bikes we finally decided we better just get Josh a bike that fits. So Saturday Josh got a new bike!

We went to a couple of stores before we found this one, and he liked the bikes at those store, but when he saw this bike his whole face lit up and he wouldn't look at another bike. On the way home he told us that he was really glad he wasn't going to have to have Joe's old bike. As funny as this sounds that statement made me happy. Josh has been so obsessed with being like Joe for so long it had started to worry me a little. Josh is starting to be his own person a little bit more now and does not have to be just like Joe. There is also something to be said about your first new bike. Josh has always been good about hand-me-downs and has never made even a comment about cloths or toys or other things, But I could tell that getting a new bike made him feel a little special and loved that day.

When we got home Josh tried out his new bike, and was very happy, and that made me happy too.

Valerie quickly realized there was now a bike available for her. She ran right to the shark bike and tried to get on it. She has been eyeing it all summer.

Emily helped her get on it and pushed her around a little and Valerie was a happy little girl. She has no problems with the old bikes. She just needs to grow a little more first. Sorry Valerie it is still the bike cart for you.

What's So Important About The Middle?

At our counter we have three stools. For over a year now every time we have a meal where the kids sit at the counter there is a fight between the boys over who gets the middle seat. They start calling for it as they run to the kitchen. Then when one of them gets to it and sits on it the other one starts complaining and sometimes even crying.

There have been times when Josh has been so distraught about not getting the middle seat that he has not been able to eat his dinner. I think some of this is because if Josh gets hungry he becomes unreasonable until food touches his lips, but that is another post.

I keep hoping that they will outgrow this stage, but when summer started it seemed to get worse. So I started a system. Breakfast is Emily, Lunch is Josh and dinner is Joe. (Emily was included too because the boys wanted it to be fair.)

Things were going really well until one morning Emily wanted to make pancakes. Since she was busy cooking Josh saw an opportunity and hopped onto the middle stool when it was not his turn. This of course did not sit well with Joe, because it was Emily's turn!

After we got everyone calmed down and in their appropriate seats, we asked the boys WHY the middle was so important. They both said at the same time,

"IT'S FIRST PLACE!"

What do you say to that?

Maybe I should just go buy another stool. We will need one soon anyway.

But ......................

I am thinking I can use this to my advantage. Like, maybe we will start having cleaning contests to see who gets to be in first place from now on. I am up for suggestions.

Sparklers

Because we forgot the Sparklers for the

4th of July

we made sure that we had plenty for the

24th.

Back In The Saddle

Joe's face is still on the mend, and the crash is still fresh in his mind, but last night

Joe got back on his bike.

We went back to the Jordan River Parkway. At first Joe said he would only go back if we went to a different part, but just before we left he decided he wanted to try the same route again.

Grandma and Grandpa came with us this time. Joe was really nervous at first, but after a while he was riding really well again, and racing Grandma. When we got to "the spot" he got off his bike and walked it down the hill both times.

On the way back we stopped at the mark he left on the wall and got a picture. I am proud of you Joe for facing your fears and trying again. You did awesome!