We've Been Tagged!

My friend Katie who is also Chris's cousin tagged me on her blog! I was supposed to get the 27th picture from July 2008 file and see what we had! Well....this is when Chris was working in Denver and the kids and I went and visited him for a week.

I was 5 months pregnant with Charlotte. We visited the Hammonds Candy Factory and saw candy canes being made. It was actually a really fun time and a great week. Thanks Katie!

Hiking Fun

The weather in St. George has been absolutely gorgeous! Perfect hiking weather. The kids had Friday and Monday off of school so we took a couple of hikes.

Hieroglyphics

On Friday we went just past Santa Clara to the Indian Hieroglyphics site. It was really fascinating to see the "blogs" of the Native Americans. It was fun to try to guess what they all meant.

Miss Maggie had a great time. She wanted me to take her picture on practically every rock.

My crazy little monkey and my handsome husband.

A nice man insisted on taking a family picture for us. Thanks! Afterward we hit the Santa Clara farmer's market for some yummy fresh fruits and veggies.

Zions National Park

After a kind of stressful Monday morning we decided to take off again and head to Zions. We hadn't been there yet as a whole family and thought it would be a great way to spend the day. It was!

Maggie on the bridge.

We hiked up to the Upper Emerald Pools. The weather was a bit windy, but other than that just right.

Maggie was a great little hiker. She struggled a bit with the last part of the hike but was a trooper.

Chris and his girls.
The leaves were changing colors and set against the red rocks it was just gorgeous.

Mom and Sophie

Sam being crazy. The sign says "Danger Beyond this Point".

The girls on the tram ride back to our car.

Sophie of course was looking for lizards the whole hike. She caught a baby lizard and was the envy of all the other children on the path.

Can you find Sam in this picture?
After the hike we took a nice drive up to the mile long tunnel and beyond. Then headed back and had a fun dinner at the DQ in Hurricane.:)

Here Comes Halloween!

I love the fall!! It's been so fun to be somewhere where the season actually changes (and I mean extreme! It's gone from over 100 to low 70's in just days!) There is a crispness in the air, the smell of wood-burning fireplaces and the excitement of Halloween. Bring on the holidays!

Of course we have already got the kids costumes. It was hard to decide this year. I was dying for Charlotte to have this cute pig costume that I had in mind from last year, but the kids really want her to be a monkey. She is just our little monkey! Well orangutan to be exact. Here let me show you:

And usually her hair is sticking strait up like this monkey. She is such a rascal. So...I relented and Charlotte will be a monkey. But I will most likely put pink bows on her ears and tail.

Sophie and Mags are going as Elphaba and Galinda from Wicked! They both really wanted to. Sophie can't wait to be green and Maggie is excited to wear a ball gown and tiara. Sam's at that age wear you don't really dress up even though you still want candy. He doesn't like scary costumes, he actually wants to be Keroro. It's his favorite Japanese anime character. Here's a pic:I know, don't ask. I suppose it could be worse. I'm actually grateful he doesn't want to be the Grim Reaper. We'll see what we can figure out.

So I'm looking forward! Like I said I live for the next few months. The saddest thing for me right now is not having my own home and being able to decorate it and make this cozy and fun. This is actually the second year in a row since last year I was pregnant and packing to live in Abu Dhabi-hello! But enough whining, I am focusing on the positive and I'm actually very happy:).

First Day of School!

Well, we never expected to be putting the kids in school in St. George! But we were still here so at the last minute we signed them up and off they went! School started on August 13th which is over three weeks earlier than in Aliso Viejo.

Sophie is in 4th grade this year and Maggie in 1st. I'm loving their schedule from 9:00 - 3:30 and early out is on Friday, yay! So much better for elementary students.

We are in Bloomington where I grew up, (weird!) so the girls go attend Bloomington Elementary. Go Buccaneers! It's a great little school. Soph is in Mr. Everett's class and...

Maggie has Mrs. Waldvogel.


Sam is in 7th grade and attending Tonaquint Intermediate School. Another thing I love here. It's just 6th and 7th graders! It is a fabulous school and he's doing really well. Actually they've all adjusted better than I thought they would. Especially given the fact that we are so unsettled.


It has been hardest for Sam as he had such a great group of friends in California. He misses them A LOT. The girls miss friends too but they have been quick to make friends and that makes it easier.
Sam gets out at 2:00 so we have a nice 1 1/2 hours together before the girls get home and that's been great. He also gets to take the bus sometimes which has been a new experience.

Belated Birthday News

Sam's 12th Birthday!

Sam turned the awesome age of 12 on August 5th! I still have a hard time believing that my oldest is that old! But I am so proud of him and the young man he is becoming.

We celebrated by going to Pirate Island Pizza! It's a Chuck-E-Cheese type place with a pirate theme. So fun! His cake was Costco cupcakes in the number 12.

Opening gifts with cousin and bud, Gage.

Maki and Papa

With lil' sister Charlotte. She loves her big brother.


The adults had fun in the shooting gallery. Scares me a little.

Jenny and Matty.

Chris gave Charlotte a full cupcake before I could do anything about it. I let him clean her up;).

Scout and Sophie are inseparable! They are wearing their own necklace creations.

Maggie's 6th Birthday!

Maggie turned 6 on Sept. 2nd!
Grandma & Grandpa Roberts sent a really fun package that included this darling watch. She was thrilled to have such awesome gifts.

It was a school day and the first time she was able to celebrate at school and bring a treat for her classroom friends. She was very excited. She gave abouncy ball, mini slinkies and Laffy Taffys. They were a hit!

Her birthday colors were yellow & hot pink! I made her a birthday outfit that she calls "cha cha". Here she is in it with Uncle Andy.


We had a party at Matt & Jenny's house. She had too much fun opening gifts.

She picked the dinner of breaded chicken, wild rice and broccoli.

Charlotte had fun with the wrappings.


Maggie's polka dot cake! Sadly I made it at my parents and by the time I got it over to Matt's house in the plus 100 degree weather, it had melted. The yellow was lemon cake and the pink was strawberry cake.

I copied someone over at Etsy and made this little cake topper with a clothespin doll. I found a little puppy button to finish it off. She had a great day.

Ellie's 37th Birthday!

A couple of days after Maggie's b-day was my birthday! We went to lunch at the newly opened Brick Oven Pizza.


Later we had a fun celebration at Matt & Jenny's house. We had Key Lime pie for dessert. I asked for canning supplies! I have never canned and I've always wanted to.
I was very excited to try it out and so were the kids. So....

A few days later I had made my first batch of strawberry jam!! I am so dang proud of that jam and I felt so domestic, Mormon, and like a good mother (is that wierd?). I have since made Raspberry Mango jam and Pomegranate jelly. Yum!

One Crazy Summer Part Deux

Well, we landed in St. George for a while and thought while we were here we would take advantage of some of the local things to do! The first thing we did was the Gunlock Rodeo!

We thought the kids might enjoy a rodeo and this one was as small town as they get. It was "Steak 'n Taters" night and I'll tell you that was some good steak and potatoes!

The bonus is that we ran into Chris's cousin and my friend Katie Fowler Smith with her family and sister Besty. It was a nice spontaneous reunion. We had a great night. Yee Haw!!

Mom, Charlotte, Sam, Sophie, Andy, Ellie & Dad enjoying the ro-day-o!

Charlotte love her shave ice (it was just ice)!

Miss Maggie Rose


Sam & Sophie went out on the field at "half-time" to try to catch chickens with the other kids. (Maggie was just too chicken.)

Jenny and I took pictures of each other taking a picture. I think it's a cute picture of taking a picture.;)

4th of July!

Charlotte & Uncle Andy

Matt, Sandy, Andy

The next day was the fourth, my brother Matt's favorite holiday. They took a ride on their Harleys and we all met up later at Matt's house for burgers and fireworks.

Maki & Charlotte

Me and my honey

We've had a lot of fun hanging out at Matt & Jenny's. They have the party house, we are always celebrating over there. And it's been so nice to be able to get to know Jenny better-love her! And of course her two awesome kids, Scout and Gage.

Matty and his honey, Jenny

Jenny beautiful sister, Margo and her son, Justice. Jenny's mom & dad were also there, but I didn't get any picts:(.

My girlies, Charlotte and Maggie

Sophie & Maggie, ready for trouble!


Later we lit fireworks in the street and everyone danced around them. Her is my dad at 80 doing his dance.:)


After our own fireworks we went into town and enjoyed the St. George firework display. We caught some grass on Bluff St. It was our third year in a row to be in St. George on the 4th.

The Wildlife Museum

Chris, Charlotte, Sophie, Maggie & Maki

We'd always been curious about the Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum, so we thought we'd check it out. It is pretty cool. There is actually over 300 species of wildlife to view. They give you this little black wands that have all of the information on them to listen to and you can choose to listen or not and go at your own pace.

Sam & Papa

Sandy & Roy looking like they really are on safari.
They also have a cool bug and butterfly exhibit that Sophie really enjoyed.

Swimming!


Of course the kids favorite thing to do, especially in the heat is go swimming! We've been lucky to have had a few fun places to choose from: Green Valley, my cousin Meg's and my Aunt Mary's. The kids never tire of it.

Charlotte enjoying the pool lounger.

Pine Valley Hike

Eating lunch at Pine Valley Lodge

We hadn't been up to Pine Valley in years so we decided to take a little day trip. It's such a pretty little valley and it shaves a few degrees off the weather which is a bonus too.


Sophie, Sam, (again holding Charlotte in the Bjorn, so cute!), Maggie and Chris

Charlotte quickly figured out the Camelback and loved getting drinks.

Sophie is in heaven outdoors. She caught a bunch of creatures, as usual:).

Love this picture of Maggie in the Meadow.


After our little hike we took a tour of the historic Pine Valley Chapel that's still in use!
It was another fun family day.
And before we hear anything about how lucky we are to be able to do all these things together with Chris (though we totally know we are), just remember how long we had to live without him!

Brigham Young & Jacob Hamblin

We visited the homes of Brigham Young and Jacob Hamblin. Both fascinating in their own way. It's nice to sneak in a little church history that's visual and fun. The kids especially liked the Jacob Hamblin home. He was a cool dude.

Charlotte

Charlotte bathing in my mom's sink.

Little miss Charlotte is just growing up too fast! I want her to wait so I can enjoy it more but she just won't stop. She is such a little rascal and wants to be involved and is just so aware of everything going on around her. She is a total momma's girl and can't be away from her for too long or she kind of freaks out. It's hard for mom, but totally worth it.

At this point she was doing the G.I. "Jane" crawl and getting up on all fours just trying to figure out the crawling thing.


Her two bottom teeth budded! She was getting kinda fussy and had a little runny nose and I couldn't figure out why....duh. Poor punkin.

Signal Peak

Chris took Sophie and Sam on a hike up to Signal Peak which is basically the other side of Pine Valley through Leeds. They were hoping to get to the top but it proved to be a much longer hike than they thought it would be and it was pretty darn hot for the kids.

At the time they may not have appreciated it, but someday they will look back and be grateful for the time they got to spend with their dad and they did see some pretty cool views.