{1.27.20 - 2.2.20}

Matthew and I took our annual Vegas trip with Shane and Marlene and as always we had so much fun! I made everyone go back into the M&M Factory again this year...I'm pretty sure none of them were all that happy about it! Haha!  

We went to the Belagio to check out their botanical garden. It's so amazing to me! // I figured the kids would love this disco ball horse! It was HUGE!  

Some of the flowers made of flowers hanging about our heads in the garden. // The coy fish. Again, it was so big! I wish you could see the size of these things in the pictures.  

I love going into the garden to escape the smoke and fogginess of the casinos. It's like a breath of fresh air for a minute! And I think it's really pretty! // This fountain in the Belagio was just gorgeous! I loved the tile in the ceiling above it. 

A view of our hotel from the strip. // Eli has found my camera!  

The kids were so excited to get M&Ms with their names printed on them!!  

Sorry these pictures are so blurry! The kids got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa while we were out of town and their aunts got to come down for a bit to play too! (Thanks for letting me steal your pictures! Haha!) 

Man I love these kids. No matter how my day was with the kids...pretty good or pretty bad...I love that I can look at these cute pictures of them and feel nothing but an overwhelming amount of love for them! They really are the best thing that has ever happened to me!  

So, it is currently the end of April while I am writing this blog post...we are in the middle of social distancing for COVID-19 and everyone is being encouraged to wear masks when they leave the house. Who knew Eli was going to be so ahead of the game way back in January! (wink, wink) // Sorry I accidentally posted this picture twice. It's late and I'm apparently tired! But he's still cute! And I love that he's even holding the camera right...his finger already knows where to go to click a picture!  

I wish I was better with my words. I just don't even know how to put into words how happy this picture makes me. I mean, I love that he's sitting reading his scriptures, but I also just think this would be darling with any book in his hands. Just to capture a moment of stillness makes me so happy, I guess! // Potty training the baby is still in our very distant future, but he is obviously watching us work with his big brother and I think he understands what he is supposed to do, but for now it's just fun to sit on the toilet and pretend. And that's fine with me! Maybe he will get comfortable on the throne so that when the real thing comes around maybe he will catch on pretty quickly. 

I thought this was fun while I was in the M&M Factory. I kind of forgot this was there, but when you ride up the escalator all the M&M guys are painted on the wall and it's just fun to see how they have changed over the years. 

{8.5.19 - 8.11.19}

We went up this week for Matthew to put some trail cameras up. This little guy threw the biggest fit while we drove up the mountain and it didn't stop once we got him out of the car either. It was crazy! I've never seen him as upset as he was! But you would never know it by his cute little face in these pictures.  

This little boy is such a character!!! He makes me so happy!  

I have finished a few burns this week. I am pretty happy with how they turned out!  

This one is for a cousin of mine who's nephew was getting married in the Snowflake, AZ temple.  

And this one needs to be tweaked a little bit...the temple is just not dark enough. This was a hard one for me and I hope I'm happy with the finished result!  

We headed to Moab for a family reunion this weekend. We stayed in a beautiful "cabin" and the girls thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub and outdoor shower!  

They also loved that they got to road trip with Jeni and Crystal the entire weekend.  

I want to remember their long skinny legs! They are just getting so big!!! // We walked to some dinosaur tracks...(I love how excited Axel's little walk is!) 

...Axel is standing in front of an old crocodile drag fossil.

Here is Matthew pointing out some dinosaur bone fossils in the rocks

This picture cracks me up!! Axel looks like such a little twig!! And I think it's so funny that they both look so happy!  

I love this picture of my little family! My phone was not working this weekend so I didn't get any of my own pictures. I am so glad that Matthew's family took so many and were willing to share with me! // Axel was so proud of conquering his climb!  

Lyla found a lizard way up in the rocks across from us! // He's just such a happy little guy!  

We also made it to newspaper rock and Eli is very impressed! // Grandpa is pretty funny!  

.Newspaper Rock. 

{7.22.19 - 7.28.19}

I love his little wink and his happy little face!  

We stopped at the SnoCone Shack for a treat. Sadly this is the first and probably the last time we will go this summer. I feel like summer is just getting away from me. // Axel was so nice to share with Eli and he made a mess! But he is a darling mess! 

We have a hole in our backyard (remember how the girls used to "sleep" in it?) that Eli got stuck in and as you can see he was not at all happy about it! // We made it to our annual 24th of July camping trip with our friends! We had so much fun and all the girls loved cruising around on their bikes!  

I think every year I talk about how much fun it is to see all the kids and how much they change and grow! Left to right: Ainslee, Alya, Annalynn, Lyla, Eli, Axel and Alexa.  

He's just so cute (almost) no matter what he does! I love his grimy fingerprints all over my glasses! // This messy faced boy just gets cuter and cuter!  

He sure knows how to lounge!  

The dirt pile was a huge hit the whole week! // Eli and Miss Marley enjoyed their walks!  

I don't even know what he was yelling but I'm so glad Diana got this picture! // I love the friendship these girls have!  

Love, love, love his blue eyes! // They got so dirty!! (Lyla)

All of our girls! // Diana put together a scavenger hunt again this year. The kids love it!! 

Here they are digging for their treasure! 

Last year the kids all walked around camp saying "Guess what? Chicken butt!" So I decided they needed shirts for this year! With Diana's help and a very talented friend each of the girls got one of these silly t-shirts! 

Diana also brought these cute little bird-houses for the kids to make! It was a lot of fun and they turned out so cute!  

We camped in Paris, Idaho this year so Bear Lake wasn't too far away from us. Unfortunately the day we chose to go was the coldest day of the week, but we still had fun at the beach!  

Even the dads enjoyed playing in the sand!  

Kolby and Becky brought their toys and all the kids were able to take a ride! 

We had to change a tire on the trailer and Eli was a great little helper! // We also made a trek to the Paris Ice Caves.  

Axel and Lindsey // The ice caves were pretty cool! I'm glad we decided to go!

Lyla had a big week! She lost her first tooth after our camping trip! She was so excited and the tooth fairy spoiled her with a dollar for her tooth! 

We missed a few of our friends who couldn't make the camping trip this year. I hope they are able to come next year! I love this tradition!! I am grateful for these wonderful people!!