Hogle Zoo with Friends

We were invited to go to Hogle Zoo with some friends.  Brian was at scout camp so it was the rest of us that went.  It was the perfect time to go since we got in for late house (our friends have passes) and it was not to hot.
We first rode the train around the African Safari experience and saw lions, zebras, giraffes, ostriches and things.  Then we had dinner and explored the elephants, bears, birds and tigers.
We also went and played in the really fun splash pad they had. They had an "Old Faithful" geyser, tide pools and a lighthouse with a slide to play on.  I (amanda) wasn't going to get Mason wet, but that didn't last long- and he LOVED playing in the water.  We could have all played there all night (which we did spend a huge chunk of our time there).    We also rode the carousel and did alot of walking!

at the splash pad

Rocky Mountain Raceways

We have the Pass of All Passes.  It includes some fun water parks in the area, but also includes select things at different venues.  We were finally able to go the Rocky Mountain Raceways to watch some Oval racing.  We had meant to go the waterpark for a few hours then head on over, but the waterpark was closed for a private party, so we went earlier than anticipated.  Well it was fun but super hot and we weren't too prepared for it!  We left before the qualifying rounds were done and it seemed when all the people actually showed up!  Oh-well!
There were all different kind of cars that did little races around a track.  Our favorite were these really loud ones (Winged Sprint Cars?).  They also had some funny ones called the double deckers.  There is a car with a driver on the bottom that controls the gas and brakes.  Attached to the top of that car is another car with a driver in there steering the wheel.  Kinda crazy!  Lily's favorite were the mini cars (which were really small) and ofcourse there was a pretty pink and purple one that was her favorite.

Mason was pretty red in the face from the heat

the double deckers

She thought it was fun to play on the bleachers

A Day at the Park

We love going to the park.  However, it has been WAY TOO HOT to go by the time we are ready to get out the door, so we haven't been in a while.  However, this particular day it was still nice out at 11:00am so we decided to pack a lunch up and ride our bikes to the park.  We even decided to go the extra mile and go to the park further down the road.  It was fun and relaxing.  We explored the new playground equipment and Mason practiced up on his walking!  We also tried out a cool kite their Uncle Michael brought back from Kitty Hawk for them.  Then we headed home.  The ride home was quite a hot one though because by that time the sun was a blazing!  We were so glad to make some orange julius when we got back!

Avery figured out how to climb up a pole

riding the bouncy horse

who's there?

the wind was gusty and not very consistent.  The kite was still fun though!

FHE: Sharing by Avery

A couple of weeks ago Avery wanted to give the lesson in Family Home Evening.  He said he wanted to do a lesson about sharing.  So we (mom and Avery) found a idea online at LDS Inspired that said to talk about Jesus feeding the 5,000 with the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. (Did you know that there were 5000 MEN and then they didn't even count the women and children, so there were alot more). Avery talked about how Jesus wanted to share the food with everyone to help them be happy and not hungry.  It helped that he said a prayer to bless the food before he shared it.

After Avery retold the story to everyone, we played a "ShareFish" game where we caught fish (with a pole, yarn and magnet).  Each fish had something on it and we had to decide if it was a good selfLESS fish or a bad selfish fish.  They had to throw the bad fish back in the "lake." The kids loved playing it and wanted to play it the rest of the week.  We all needed to hear the message because we all have problems with sharing one time or another.

the kids liked to help each other catch the fish

is Daddy going to catch a big one?

Mason just went along for the ride

Happy 4th of July

Avery got to spend all week with Grandma and Grandpa so he could go to swim lessons at Downata.  He actually skipped one day to go camping and fishing with Grandpa- but that's ok.  He still had a lot of fun.  

We decided since we had to go get him anyway, that we would make another weekend out of it and go camping for the 4th of July.  We went up to Amanda's parent's property up Lava Ranch in Idaho.  Someday they hope to build a cabin, but for now it is just a place to camp and there is a shed with beds in it (that needs to be cleaned so we didn't stay in it).  We had some good friends (each of our roommates from college who also got married) and their kids come with us as well as Brian's siblings Mike and Taunya.  Some more friends from college came up later. It was quite the relaxing trip.  There was a little bike riding and dirtbike riding, playing games and just hanging out.  Our friends brought the idea of roasting strawberries covered in marshmallow fluff- AMAZING!   Mason loved getting to crawl around in the dirt and Avery and Lily were intent climbing the "mountain" cliff next to our campsite.  Needless to say we were all sooooooo dirty when we were done.  We went swimming on our way home at Downata and had to make sure to shower off before getting in the pool!

We drove down to Lava for the fireworks.  It was a fairly good show, but we kinda missed our local West Point show.  It was still fun though.  Lily fell asleep by the end, but Mason was awake the whole time.  Mason was really scared at first but then became interested in the fireworks.  

hanging in the pack-n-play in the shade

waiting for daddy to get back so we could go home!

On the way home (after visiting Amanda's parents at Downata) we had to stop on the freeway just outside of Malad to console a crying Mason.  It was at this time we noticed the van smelled liked something burning.  There was new oil splattered all over our trailer (which we noticed on the way down but thought it was from construction).  SO we got off the exit and call Kia since our van is still under warrenty.  THere was no oil left in the van and we didn't want to drive it anywhere.  SO they sent out a tow truck (free with the warrenty) to take it all the way to Ogden.  Since the tow truck didn't have enough seats for all of us, Amanda's mom were nice enough to drive us and our trailer home that night.  She didn't get home till after 1 in the morning- but we are so grateful for her!  While waiting for the tow truck we unloaded some of our stuff we had to take home- it looked like we were homeless for a little bit all sitting on the side of the road waiting.  We also had to leave most of our stuff in the van- which was packed full of stuff.  Oh-well!  Luckily our van is getting fixed!

It was a really great weekend and we just love spending time in the outdoors!  Thanks to everyone who came and helped with all the yummy food!

A Visit to Great-Grandma Owen

We were able to go visit one of Amanda's Grandma Owen (our kids' great-grandma).  It is always a pleasure to visit grandma!  The kids loved exploring throughout the house and outside (where second cousins played).  They also know exactly where the cookie jars are- they managed to get into them less than 5 minutes after getting there.  But Grandma doesn't mind- she said Grandpa always told her to keep the cookie jar full just for grandkids- and she has always done that!  

It was nice to visit with Grandma and hear about all the things she is making (she is amazing at making pillows and handtowels- something I (Amanda) wished I could do).  She also shared with us some more family history things she has been doing.  Amanda had a sharing lesson to prepare the next Sunday on family history and it helped her get started into her lesson (and more excited about family search!).  Grandma Owen has spent alot of time compiling family history stories and biographies that are such a great asset to our family.  I love reading the stories about my ancestors! 

We love our Grandma- she is never misses a birthday and we love getting her cards in the mail.  She has alot of grandkids and alot of great-grandkids but she makes sure she sends them all something.  We love you Grandma!

love this one of Grandma and Mason

all of us and Grandma

I Want to Be a Missionary Now!

...I don't want to wait until I'm grown...
A couple of weeks ago we did a couple of FHE lessons on missionary work to get our kids excited about it.  Avery thinks going on a mission would be scary, but we really want him to know that it won't be!  We've been better about writing Brian's sister Alycen on her mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and encouraging our kids that they all can go on missions when they get older.
For one of our family home evenings, we talked about a typical missionary's day, such as getting up early, getting ready, studying, going out to serve and preach, etc.  It was fun to learn about and then we had a fun relay race where the kids had to "do" all the missionary things.
They had to race and look up a scripture (for scripture study), race to put on clothes (a dress and high heels for lily and a shirt/tie and Brian's shoes for Avery), brush hair and get make-up on if applicable, put name tag on and then carrying scriptures run down the hallway and knock on the closet door.  We all had a fun time with this game.  And we had some pretty cute little missionaries as well.

Birthday Boy! Mason Turns One!

After our camping trip, we came down from the mountain and celebrated Mason's first birthday!  We cannot believe that it has been a whole year since this cute little boy joined our family:

He weighed 8 pounds then, and now he weighs just under 20 pounds!  (he probably would have weighed more but he got the stomach flu the week before and lost a bunch of weight we think)

We had a very fun celebration with him at Downata where we went swimming with some of Amanda and Brian's family.  After swimming we had pizza and cake and ice cream!  Mason did really well eating his cake and didn't even get too messy (it could have been because he was a little tired by the time we had it).  Avery and Lily picked out the tractors and trucks that went on top of his dirt cake and they also chose the blue cake since he was a boy.

with Aunt Chelsea

with Aunt Candace

loves the water

cousins!

with Grandma Downs

Birthday Cake

figuring it out

maybe if I shake it?

found a hole!

yes, we only had christmas wrapping paper

cute boy!

 Enjoying the CAKE:

He got a car road mat and a couple of cars.  He LOVES playing with cars. Or anything that he can push like a car for that matter.  

Here a few things about our Mason man!

*LOVES cars.  see note above.  Not only does he love pushing cars around he already has the mouth motor sounds going.  

*has stood up on own a few times, but other than that he is quite content and fast at crawling wherever he goes.

*loves to pull all the vents out of the house and eat what is in there (yum...)

*loves going outside.  He gets so upset when he sees Avery and Lily go outside and shut the door before he manages to escape.  Its pretty cute to see him get mad.

*When he does get mad he throws things including his binky.  He has a good arm for that purpose.

*Likes his binky and has it upside down most of the time.

*still hates getting his clothes or diaper changed.  He has been like this since day one at the hospital.  He just doesn't like to be "handle" like that.

*says "Mama"and "Dada" but not always to the right person.

*loves playing with Avery and Lily

*loves food in general.  Often he will eat Avery and Lily's leftovers.

*is quite wiggly in church!

*has four teeth- two on top and two on bottom with some more starting to come in.

*has been sleeping all the way through the night since weaning him to whole milk.  It did take a couple of sleepless nights but now is really good at going to bed!

*loves climbing up and down the stairs (we never got around to getting a real baby gate)

*loves the bath and water.  Hates when he has to get out and Avery and Lily get to stay in.

*loves getting into the toilet...need I say more

*gives up the best hugs and open mouth kisses in the world!  He only like to hug you on your right shouler looking out, but it sure is a great hug!  Lately he likes to crawl up to Brian right when he comes home to give him a hug for a few minutes. 

We sure do love our Mason!  We can't imagine life without him now!