Cole Turns 10!

Cole's Birthday

10 years have gone by in a blink...I'm afraid of how fast time is going.

With Cole's birthday in the summer it is hard having a party when all your friends are not in town at the same time.  So we decided to take one of Cole's special friends to a local pool and make a day of it.  We spent a long time letting the kids swim, go down slides, and the lazy river.  Then went back to our house for pizza, cake, presents, and more fun.

Cole wanting to dive into his ice cream cake!

Day Trip #1

Walnut Creek National Monument

One Sunday back in July we woke up late and decided to skip church and go on a day trip up to the Flagstaff area.  It was great to go up to the mountains and cool off.  We've made it a goal to go on a day trip as much as we can.  We would really like to try and explore Arizona while we are here for these few short years.

We went on a hike through this canyon that had all these Indian ruins.  We all were amazed at what was built so long ago.

We also went to Lake Mary

It is a mountain lake near the town of Flagstaff. 

We stopped to put our feet in the cold water and have a picnic.

Bayja

Bayja

We love you and miss you more than words can say! 

She was our first baby.  She brought such life and love to our little family and she is truly missed.  On July 10, 2011 we had to let her go.  She had been losing weight little by little since February even though she ate and seemed normal, for an old girl.  While we were in St. George this last little while my Father who is a great veterinarian did all the tests he could do to see what was making her lose all the weight and some other symptoms she had been suffering.  In the end we came to realize that she had intestinal cancer in her small intestine and there was nothing we could do.  The cancer, up to that point was slowly starving her to death. We didn't notice right away.  What she ate was passing right though without being properly digested.  We had a hard decision to make, not one we came to easily, but we didn't want her to suffer any more and it was only going to get worse.

That Sunday was a beautiful morning in St. George.  It was a cool and a soft drizzle of rain was falling.  We sat on the back porch over looking the horses and said our good byes and held her for the last time.  She went so peacefully. 

We loved her so much, it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.  How do you say good bye to one of the biggest parts of your life.



 Bayja at 2 months. 

She was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and we got her right after we finished school at Utah State and before we were to move to Colorado.  She was with us for each of our big adventures in life.  First big move, first house, all the births of our children, life changing directions (dental school).  She was a trooper and the best companion for all of it.

Our first family picture, August 2000.



Her first Halloween.

We only did this to her a few times, she really hated it, poor thing.

She was the best nap buddy.



Cole and Bayja

She was always on the look out for a yummy morsel to drop.

Her favorite things were, a game of fetch (she could go forever), FOOD, cuddling, and long walks.



We took this a couple of weeks before.  I wanted a picture with Bayja and the kids. 

This post was more for me than anything.



Father and Son's Weekend

Kevin took the boys for the Father's and sons camp out on Friday.  The boys were so excited and after a long year of dental school, they really needed this time with their father.

I heard they had a great time.

Nobody mentioned this little guy!

I was probably better off not knowing.

This is a new thing for me not having grown up with any brothers.  I felt bad for Isabel when the boys all left and she couldn't understand why she couldn't go.  So I thought that I would make it fun for her at home so she wouldn't feel left out. 

We pitched a tent in our living room!  She thought this was a great idea, it really made it fun after the boys left.  

Next year will be even better!  I've got all my creative juices going for next years

" Mother and Daughter weekend"!

Baseball 2011

Baseball ended for us a few weeks ago.  It was strange starting back in March, but it gets hot around here pretty early so it makes sense.  It was fun to finally get the boys in an activity.  It was our first since moving here.  I think I took for granted how easy everything was back in Colorado and how much cheaper it was.  But I finally found something we could get the boys in.  It wasn't great, but at least it was something.  They both had fun and that's all that matters.  

Cole

Coach Pitch

Ethan

T- Ball

Something Random...

I had to put this up. Izzy and Ash are such buds.  They love to spend time playing with each other while their older brothers are at school.  They play well most of the time.  I took this picture of them swinging together.  So cute!

 

We spent spring break in St. George.  I took off with the kids while Kevin stayed home to study.  This is the only picture I took.  This is my newest nephew Toa, my sister Sallie's baby.  Izzy wanted to hold him and I had to capture it.  He is such a little cutie!

Easter 2011

This Easter we had my sister Holly and her family come and visit, it was a lot of fun having them!  We used to live by each other in Colorado and would spend Easter together all the time.  It was so much fun getting the chance to do it again.

We went over to the Midwestern campus on Saturday for their Easter egg hunt.  It was a lot of fun.  They had it roped off in sections according to your age.  Cole, Maddie and Bryce had their section almost to themselves. They made out like bandits, filling their baskets to the brim.  However, it was short lived.  I guess there was some confusion about when they were suppose to start and there were some kids that didn't get any.  So they sat down and shared their bounty.  At first they were upset, but then when they saw how happy it made other kids I think they felt good about it.  Even after all the sharing they did, they all still had too much in my opinion.  I'm glad it happened, it was a really good lesson that they learned that day! 

Bryce, Cole and Maddie ready to get started.

Aunt Holly and Ashton taking a rest and having a treat.  If was a fun morning full of  jumping castles, face painting, crafts and more.

Ethan and Jayna showing off their goods.

Isabel was happy as you can see.

We went home after to decorate eggs.  Holly had a kits where you could dress you eggs up like dinosaurs, they turned out so cute and it was a hit with the kids.

Sunday we woke up to find the Easter bunny found us and the kids had fun trying to find their baskets full of yummy treats.  Later we went to church and then had yummy Easter feast!   

Ashton loved his Peeps.

It was a great weekend!