Family Camp: Aspen Grove

My Mom and my Step Dad's family try to get together every 2 years. The last two years we have attended Aspen Grove in Provo Canyon, Utah. Mom made us a different colored CTR shirt to wear everyday. It is so fun to know where are group is at all times. Between the 2 parents there are 52 of us. Aaron was the only one unable to make it-although Lou took his spot. So if you can imagine... we have quite the group.

This is my sweet grandma. She turned 79 this year and has never dyed her hair.

I love you Logan!

Avery and Caroline loved playing under the dryer!

A couple of us standing around. Hi Lou!

Christopher and Caroline

Monday. The color was red. Can you tell?

My good looking brothers.

She just loves Logan

Uncle Mitchie and Christopher
It's not the best picture of Avery, but I was surprised to see both Caroline and Cosette in her.
My sweet sisters

This is before the kids went to bed. We had one whole floor to our family and it also had a gathering area. It was usually crazy as you can see and hear in this video. The adults stayed up for hours playing games. We really had a great time. Thanks Mom and Terry! More days to come.

Washington!

Sadly most of my videos won't download. Once Aaron is done with the Bar (next week!!!) I will ask him to help me lower the quality so it with upload. Anyway, Washington was quite the whirlwind experience! Caroline and I had a great time. Michael and Jenny ran off to Paris for an extended weekend and I watched their sweet kids for them. Thankfully Lou was there to help me!

We went to Multnomah Falls. It was beautiful. It is the nation's second tallest year-round waterfall. We did not attempt the mile or so hike to the bridge with 3 kids under three. It was tough enough crossing the street. The sun was right above the waterfall so I didn't take a picture of the top. We did hike up another waterfall and the girls loved the water splashing on their faces. They kept saying it was raining.

They would not turn around at the same time and smile so this is what you get!

We also went to Pioneer Day at the church on Saturday. Lou helped Avery get her face painted and play in the bounce house forever. Caroline and Logan just ate chicken and watermelon. Well Logan only ate the watermelon but he loved it. Sunday was church. I will try not to mention that Caroline peed out of her diaper twice in an hour! It was dry before too. She just drinks a ton of water!!! Thank goodness I was wearing a cotton skirt, because yes, she was sitting on my lap both times. At least Logan and Avery loved nursery.

We took Lou to the airport on Monday morning. I should have taken a picture. I had Logan in the front pack and Caroline and Avery in the double stroller. You should have seen the looks I got at the airport!! And stares! I went in to help Lou make sure she got through to security. Every time I was in the elevator I had to say they are not all mine and I am not traveling. The people laughed with almost relief for me. It was crazy.

Here are the 3 kids asleep on the way home. I took advantage of the 15 minutes of quiet time.

Logan is too adorable and I could take him home with me today. Caroline had to get used to his overly excited bursts of screams. But now everyday she asks for him. Signs Logan and the says "shh." And I say yes Logan is sleeping.

A not posed shot of morning time. It was too perfect and even more perfect that I had the camera on the counter.

We had a wonderful time. Caroline and Avery just screamed and laughed together. They are going to be such good friends. I'm so glad that Caroline was able to spend that time with her. A big change to go from 1 child to 3, but Avery was very helpful. It is nice that someone can truly communicate back with you. And she is an angel. I would do it again in heartbeat... of course with Lou to help me too!

Now I am off to Utah in 45 minutes! Family Camp, here we come!

Life

Caroline and I are off to Washington State tomorrow. We will be gone for about a week. It will be great for Aaron. He takes the 2 day test-2 weeks from today. I know he feels the pressure, so it will be good to go so he can study as long as he needs to. I think he'll do great. He is smarter than the average bear. :) Love you honey! As for Washington, I know Caroline will have a blast! We meet our sweet French girl, Lou, there and she gets to help me watch adorable Avery (3) and crawling Logan (10 months) for a few days while my brother and sister-in-law run off to Paris. I think Avery and Caro-lion (as Avery says) will have a great time together. As for now, just trying to prepare for the trip. Updates of Vancouver will come next week!

First Prayer

Two nights ago I saw Caroline say her first prayer. She covered her eyes with her arms. Said 'Amen' and then opened up our scriptures that we read from everyday.

Today, out of the blue, I saw her again, cover her eyes with her arms- mouth something and then said 'Amen' and signed amen.

I love her.

Caroline Twirling

Caroline loves to dance. This is a short video of her just going around in circles. If you turn up your volume and pause the music on the side, you will be able to hear her sweet short laugh. She loves to dance with her Daddy.

Weekend Pictures

The Library was closed for the Fourth of July weekend. So Aaron was home and we just hung out around the house and did house chores. Aaron has 3 more weeks until he takes the Bar. (Caroline and I are skipping town for 2 of the 3.) He is getting a little antsy and nervous, but he always has a book in his hands studying. Or listening to lectures as he works outside.

This is Caroline watching her Dad mow the lawn.

Crazy, but we have seen several Elk in our backyard in the last week. Here are a few pictures

Our Fourth was fun. Slightly uneventful as I am still trying to make a full recovery. We played it low-key and just shot off a few fireworks in our backyard. Aaron decided that he is against roaming candle wars since he heard and saw a picture of someone who blew off his hand doing it. So he stuck them in one of my herb pots. This is a picture of a race car that goes forward and soon enough we found out that it reverses farther than it travels forward. Caroline didn't like the noise so much. She kept saying go, go, go, go, go.

This is Aunt Sarah. Who Caroline LOVES!!! She didn't mind the sparklers so much.

Sicky Icky

For over a week now I have been sick. Thank goodness I am in the mends. I lost my voice completely on Sunday and it is still not back to normal. (I haven't lost my voice since I was 14.) I hope the coughing soon leaves because I can't take the sleepless nights any more and I don't think my sweet husband can either.

I had family in town this last weekend.. sorry Caloni (I got her sick). I was glad to have people around for Caroline's sake, but I felt like a terrible host. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed at Red Rocks last Monday night and it was amazing. It was a beautiful night, the concert was outdoors, and it was so fun to be with family. We had such a great time. President Monson was there too.

It was the first time we left Caroline with a non-family member for more than a half an hour. It was really hard on both Aaron and I. She did cry so hard she threw-up. :( But then she realized we were gone and played in the bath-tub, had fun with the girls, watched Elmo, played with their bunnies and I think she survived. And so did we, although we were quick to pick her up.

Other than that July 4th is around the corner and for the 1st time since we have been married we won't be going out of town. So we'll see what happens. I think Aaron will take a short break and we'll go swimming. Our sweet french girl Lou Lou will be coming to our house on Tuesday for a few days so we'll be showing her the sights of Colorful Colorado. Hope you have a great 4th of July!

Bad Luck

Have you ever felt that when a stream of good luck comes your way it flows out and over bounds? I think the same goes for bad luck. Aaron has received a generous amount of 2 parking tickets since school has finished. Long story for both. And truly not deserved. Was I upset? No. Maybe with one of the police officers, but I knew that I could blow 25 bucks at a quick stop to Baby Gap that I couldn't feel too bad. Well I blew that 25 bucks times 50 on Sunday. I was making lunch on the stove and my lid slipped off the pot (it wasn't meant for that specific pot) and perfectly hit the side of our glass stove top and chipped it. It is at least 1000 dollars to replace a stove-top that is not ours. Bad luck? Meant to be? Coincidence? Perfect timing? Whatever you call it- I guess it's just life and it happens.

Pool Day

We love summer! Community pools opened up Memorial day and were packed. Shortly after we ran off to Idaho. We haven't had the chance to visit the pool until today! Ya! It was our first pool day of the summer! Fun! Caroline LOVED it. She just splashed the whole time and did not want to leave! She fell asleep so fast in the car on the way home. I'm sure she can't wait until we go again!

Caroline; in the process of splashing.

Caroline and Christopher

Caroline and I spent the last two weeks in Idaho. I helped my sister, Michelene move from Idaho Falls to Boise. Oh how we are excited for the move. Cheaper flights from Denver to Boise and much better weather! NO WIND!

These two had a love/hate relationship. One minute they are playing in cupboards together and the next minute they are fighting and crying over an empty fruit snack wrapper! They were adorable together. Caroline calls him "Ph" the p sound. She kept saying p, p, p, p, today and I couldn't figure out what she was saying. Then it dawned on me and I said Christopher? And she responded ok, ok, ok, ok. I asked her if she wanted to talk to him on the phone and she started to cry, I guess that meant a no. So I asked her if she wanted to see him and she said ok, ok, ok, ok. I have to get the okay part on video. It is quite funny. Anyway here is a short video of the two of them. I have tried updating a few videos, but for some reason I can't upload longer ones any more.

Oh yeah, I don't quite know what Christopher is saying here. But Caroline does babble more. She also learned a new word since hanging out with her cousins....

mine.

They found another cubby in Bed Bath and Beyond

Michelene's new house is beautiful. For some reason I didn't think to take any pictures. I think Aaron was able to get some good study time while we were gone. So much that I've been doing laundry all day and I need to make a desperate trip to the grocery store.

p.s. The girl chose the bright flower nursing blanket!