Another collection of randomness!

Before Dylan left for his mission we all got together at the bowling alley in Tremonton for some fun & some lunchie.  I recommend eating there.  Y U M.  I didn't get any pictures except for this one.  Everyone was so nervous that one of the girls were going to get their fingers pinched.  They loved the bowling balls.  (Taylor in stripes, Rylee in gray)

 We have 2 pear trees in our backyard & we got a plethora of HUGE pears this year!  Casey is convinced that it is because of his pruning job that he did this spring.  

 Sharing a pear with Taylor.  She loved it!

Here is Caleb helping pick them one morning.

 This has been the kids favorite place to play all summer.  The dirt.  It usually ends with a lot more laundry than necessary & lots of baths!  But they sure do enjoy it.

 With twins I have noticed that it is hard to give them separate things because almost always they want whatever the other one has (even if they are exactly the same!)  I don't give the girls juice very often, but this is how I have been doing it.  They suck & suck & suck & suck until they can't breathe.  It's funny.  It's almost like they are trying to make sure that one doesn't get more than the other.

 Rylee loves blankets.  Look at that adorable face!

 I have been working with Caleb on giving his drawings a purpose.  One night I drew a person (blue) and told him to draw one just like it.  I think he did a great job!

 I love sleeping baby pictures.  Even though my girls are 19 months old....can I still call them babies?  Rylee.

 Taylor

 Casey is a good dad.  We tried one camping trip this year (Memorial Day) and it didn't work out.  Caleb has asked several times to go camping since.  So Casey took him camping in the back yard one night.  It was cute.

Brigham City Temple

Casey & I had the opportunity to get away one morning in August to go & see the Brigham City Temple.  It is beautiful!  I love how peach blossoms are incorporated in the design scheme & that they have fruit trees planted outside.  It was a quick in & out tour.  No lines AT ALL.

 

My baby brother, Dylan, babysat for us the morning that we went.  He is currently in the MTC and is going to be serving his mission in Tacoma, Washington.  I know that he will be a great missionary.  He is so easy going, so driven, and so friendly.  He will be missed greatly!!

 Casey's parents are so nice!  They took the us to Maddox for dinner before we embarked on a family tour of the temple.  I love Maddox.  It was nice to spend time with Colby's family.  We don't see them as much as I would like - life just gets so busy!  Caleb LOVES his cousins & was so happy to be sitting in between Nathanael & Logan at dinner.   

 

Rylee & Taylor were so good at dinner.  Here is Rylee waiting patiently.

 We weren't so lucky as to have no lines at this tour.  The line went all the way outside & around the corner!  Taylor was so cute on my shoulders that Casey  just had to snap a picture.  The girls were so good waiting in line.  Caleb was funny.  He just kept sitting down on the ground.

 McKenna also waited patiently in line.  She has the most piercing blue eyes I have ever seen on a baby!

 The girls & I didn't make it into the temple.  We made it through the 15 minute movie & after that they were done being patient.  I ended up taking them home so that Casey & Caleb could enjoy the temple.  I let the girls play by the fountain out front for a bit.  People are funny when they see twins.  I get so many people asking "Are they twins??!!"  Umm.....maybe.  People would walk by them playing in the fountain & whisper to each other, "Look at those twins!"  "Do you see those twins"  "How cute!"  I'm glad that they put a smile on strangers faces. 

 

Brad, Mona & Caleb

Love Britney!

I have a girl crush on Britney Spears.  I love her music, she was able to bust a move back in the day & I think she's hot.  TMI?  Sorry.  BUT....Caleb's new thing is listening to Pandora radio on the Kindle Fire.  He loves the music & loves to see each new CD cover that comes up.  I was doing the dishes tonight & he said, "Hey mom.  That sure is a pretty girl."

 

Guess Who!!!???

I said, "Yep.  She is a pretty girl."  He said, "I think she's my girlfriend.  She can come over & give me hugs & kisses on the cheek.  I think she should bring some toys over & we can share them.  She can read me stories too." 

Isn't that the cutest thing you've ever heard???  I think so. :)

Caleb Started Preschool!

Pre-school?!?!  Next year Kindergarten?  Why do they grow up so quickly?  I was fortunate enough to be blog stalking one day & found out that a girl I knew in high school, Kaylee (Walker) Cook, is a preschool teacher.  She has small classes (10 kids) and lives just a few short blocks away.  Caleb & Allie (the girl that I babysit) will be going together & I am glad for that.  They go on Tuesday & Thursdays for a couple of hours & have 2 field trips/month.  I hope that they make fond memories.  It's odd how vividly I remember my preschool.  It was fabulous!

CALEB'S PRE-SCHOOL FAVORITES

TV Show:  Wild Kratts

Movie:  Ice Age 1 or 2

Song:  Little Deuce Coop - The Beach Boys

Color:  Black

Food:  Mac & Cheese

Candy:  Nem-a-nems (M&M's)

Toy:  Iron Man

Item of Clothing:  Sunglasses & Sandals

Activity:  Wrestling with Rylee

 

Height:  3 ft 3.5 inches

Weight:  31 lbs

I took these pictures in Kaylee's backyard.  She has a fabulous green thumb!  I hope she never comes to my house.  I took a few pictures of Allie & she tilted her head in every one.  It was funny.  Their size difference astounds me.  They are only 3 months apart!

Fort Bridger



Casey has been working towards making some brain-tanned pants out of deer (or elk) hides.  So - my backyard has looked like an Indian reservation for several summers in a row now.  His hard work has finally paid off!  He would contact meat packing establishments during deer hunting season asking if he could have their deer hides.  He'd round them up & soak them in water so they were sloppy wet and then scrape the hair off of them.  Flies love this part of the process.  My nostrils did not.  After they were hair free he would stuff them in plastic sacks & freeze them.  When he had a whole day to spare - he would soak the hide in eggs.  A fabulous thing because back in the day they would soak the hides in deer brains, cow brains, Indian brains (j/k....but why not!).  He would then stretch them out until they were dry & soft as could be.  Once the holes were all stitched up he spent a day smoking them.  I believe this part is what water-proofs the hides a bit.  He then cut out the pattern for his pants & his dad was kind enough to make a trade.  Brad sewed the pants together and Casey has to brain-tan 2 hides for him.  Nice trade!  He just needs suspenders now. 



Here is  our little family at the Fort Bridger Rendezvous.  Yes...every party has a pooper, that's why I get invited.  I have other projects that I want to spend my time & money on at this time.  Maybe one day I'll make something to wear though.  Mona made Caleb's shirt & Taylor (Blue) & Rylee's (Red) dresses.  How nice!  Taylor was walking around and a lady couldn't stand her cuteness & just had to take a picture (Rylee was napping)

 Casey's cute parents taking a break.  It was much hotter than I think any of us expected. 

 Caleb, Taylor & Rylee were mesmerized by this couple.  He was playing the guitar & she was playing a neat instrument with spoons.  It was kind of like a mini harp laying down.  It was beautiful music!

Since I am not into this mountain man thing like everyone else seems to be.  I had to find something to be passionate about.  Breechcloths.  That is what I decided on.  So - when I see one I sneak a picture.  Sometimes it's an easy task, sometimes it requires a bit of chasing.

 The boys!

 Kaetlyn & Colby.  Father, daughter love can be strange at times. :)

 I am glad that Caleb & Shayden had each other to play with & torment. Mona was nice & bought each of them a sweet sword.

 Caleb LOVED the bagpipes & drums.  They played a song & when they finished he pointed his sword at them and yelled "HEY!  Do that again!"

Giddy up

I have a problem.  I can't stay away from the Box Elder County Fair.  I don't think I attended the festivities last year though....I don't have any pictures...but 2011 is such a blur!  I blame it on sleep deprivation.  On Wednesday night my parents met me & my kids and helped me out so i could get Caleb on some rides.  After the kids ate some pizza & 'stick-bread (Caleb's term for a breadstick) we were off!  I was kind of nervous because (I think I've mentioned this before) he tends to freak out a bit at times.  So I have waited almost 5 whole years to put him on any rides.  Well - he LOVED all of them.  HOORAY! 

 He loved when the spaceship was "up high".

Choo-choo!

Jordon & Dylan participated in wild cow saddling in the Bull, Broncs & Barrels at the rodeo grounds.  Boys are so weird.  Neither of their teams won, but they both ended up on their cows at one point & Dylan barely missed getting a concussion when he got thrown off of his...but they were both grinning, so it must have been a good time.  No stitches for Jordon this year!  Hooray!  (Jordon is in the blue up on the cow...Dylan is in the black suit coat)

Caleb really liked watching the horses & cows run around & kept asking if he get get down in that dirt.  Who knows, maybe in 15 years he'll be putting a saddle on a cow!

By the time we got to the rodeo Taylor & Rylee had had ENOUGH of their stroller.  As soon as Jordon & Dylan were done with their thing, we left.  I'm glad that my mom & dad & Ashley were there to help me out.  I grabbed myself a fabulous rodeo cheeseburger & a coke for my ride home.  It was the best coke ever.  It could've been bigger though.

 

Eva, Taylor & Rylee (no - Taylor doesn't have a bloody nose.  It's marker)

When Casey woke up on Friday morning we decided to go use the rest of our tickets so he could see Caleb ride some rides.  Caleb was so excited to go!  I was excited to go so that I could get my yearly carney corn dog.  Y U M

His favorite ride was the dragon roller coaster. 

After Casey left to go to work the kids & I walked around looking at the animals.  I showed Caleb that the white rabbits have red eyes & he said, "Do they need some eye drops?"

I wasted 2 tickets sending Casey on the big yellow slide.  I thought that Caleb wouldn't go down -but he told Casey "I want to go down by myself."  He grinned the whole way down!

Caleb thought the pigs were awesome.

Quack-Quack

Taylor & Rylee were so good.  I think that the sun made them sleepy though.  The zonked as soon as I put the car into drive to head home.  (Rylee in blue, Taylor in brown)