Winter Fest 2014

We had so much fun last year at the "EVE" celebration that we decided after a deal posted for half off the wristband price we would do it again. So, for about $10 a person we played at the Leonardo, the Children's Museum, the Planetarium (which included a movie) and at the Salt Palace they had several rooms filled with things for kids to do.  We enjoyed a huge room filled with inflatable bounce houses and jungle gyms, a room filled with 2015 balls of all sizes, and new this year was a Lego brick yard.  There were some amazing creations on display! And we can't forget that the wristband also included lower bowl Utah Jazz tickets.  Such a great deal and the bonus is that you get 3 days to enjoy all these places.  Totally worth it!!  

Day 1 - we spent at the Leonardo Art museum.  Since, you have 3 days to visit each of these places it wasn't crowded at any of the venues.  So, we enjoyed our time together playing with cool things. At the Leo we viewed the Body Worlds exhibit.  The kids really thought it was so cool to see what the body looks like under the skin.  Ashlynn was slightly grossed out by the reproductive area but she made it through the rest of the exhibit.  She is so funny!

   Day 2 - The Jazz game.  We had awesome seats! Ashlynn is not a fan of attending things like this so she stayed with a friend.  While she was having her fun with a friend we enjoyed a great game.  The score was very close at the end of the game and the Jazz snuck off with the win. It was so fun!  The half time show included dancers on stilts.  I was actually nervous for them, but they were amazing. 

 Day 3 - We had the entire day to do things.  We went to the Children's Museum in the morning and then caught a fun movie in the Dome theater at the Planetarium in the afternoon.  Then, we headed out to the Salt Palace to adventure into the fun activities there until it struck Midnight.  The kids had so much energy that they didn't want to leave. We got to see the mirror ball and welcomed the New Year on the streets of Salt Lake City. We decided to hop on the Trax train before midnight so we would beat the masses of people waiting for trains. 

 We had a fun time ringing in the New Year over the last 3 days of 2014. 

Welcome 2015! 

Christmas 2014

It was a magical white Christmas. It snowed all night Christmas Eve and we woke up to a white Christmas.  We enjoyed yummy fondue at Craig and Gail's.  We then spent a quiet day at home on Christmas Day. 

Temple Square with Tracy

Tracy came to visit and we toured temple square and had dinner at a yummy Italian place where they texted us when our table was ready while we toured the square. It was the perfect set up so we didn't have to wait out side the restaurant.   It wasn't terribly cold and it was fun to visit and be with her again since she has moved away from Utah. The lights at the square were as always gorgeous and stunning to look at.  I love this tradition and I always seem to find a view that I have never seen before although, I think the lights are the same each year.  The picture of the kids and I in front of the temple was such a impressive view with the red lights below the temple. The workers did amazing work this year!

Ashlynn tumbling show off

 Ashlynn got to show off her stuff she has learned from a new tumbling gym.  She has been with this gym for a few months and has been improving like crazy!

 Hand stands...

 This is a new trick that she has been working on and finally did it!  

Front back hand spring flip on tramp.  It was so cool to see her happy about doing it.

 Front back hand spring flip on tramp...

 Back Hand Springs...

 I love this shot..perfect form doing a back hand spring. Look at that girl soar...

(I always get nervous when her coach spots her...she is like 8 months pregnant.)

 Making the landing...

Balance beam...good form.

I love that she has found something she looks forward to and is learning new things.  Most of all she know what it feels like to accomplish and be dedicated to things in life.  All important life skills.

We love this fun girl!

Picture background

 Matt and I put together this fun background for our Ward party.  It turned out sooo cute!!

I loved how the marshmallows looked like snow. The kids kept wanting to eat it.

 Background: Grey sheet, marshmallows strung on fishing line, white sheet, batting for ground, snowflakes and added winter decor.

Then we had to add some more fun..I found these funny sticks for the perfect fun picture.

Carter's Science Project

Carter's science project: 

Question: How much salt does it take to make a egg float?

 His board with all his information

He won 2nd place..Yahoo!

 

 The supplies needed...

 The most important part...the EGG.

 Used 2 cups of water with blue coloring..

It took 5 Tablespoons of salt to 2 cups water for the egg to float. That is a lot of salt...!

The egg is actually sitting on 5 TBS of salt.

Success...the floating egg!

Thanksgiving

We had made plans to spend Thanksgiving in St. George but a change of plans brought Mike and Laura's family to come spend the Holiday with us. Our family was so grateful for their visit. We had the best time spending time together!

Turkey day was filled with cooking, football and then Laura and I went out for late night shopping. We had a GREAT time with all the deals we snatched!  We were home by midnight, just in time to sleep and enjoy the next day.

 

 Friday we got out and toured the Layton Lights and then Saturday we braved the huge crowd at the Ogden Christmas village.  Very cool houses but too many people!

The girls had a craft night. We painted wood and made fun winter and Christmas decorations.

I also got to experience a waffle made from a truck.  It was so divine! Too bad the kids weren't around to experience it. The best part was that it was FREE since it was park outside a store that was giving out free waffles.  It was perfect timing! That pretty much sums up our entire weekend...PERFECT!

D.A.R.E. Graduate

The entire 6th grade had a great opportunity to take a course with the DARE program. They participated in several activities that were lead by a DARE Officer that taught them about the problems with drugs, alcohol, Internet safety, peer pressure, violence and many other important choices in life. This is such valuable information to teach these kids and I am glad our school is proactive with this program. The Mayor came and spoke to the kids about how important it is to further their school education so they can do the things they want to grow up to be.  It was a very inspiring talk. The were each given a t-shirt and a certificate to remember their accomplishments.  Great job Carter!

Hard Knox Basketball

 Carter has been working hard on his new basketball team this year.  He decided to join this completion level team, where he knew nobody and there is no such thing as equal playing time. You have to work for your playing time and give it all you have each time your on the court.  He has already improved and we always enjoy watching him play.

 Carter has been on the starting line up each game.  

Here he is after the tip-off.

 He is back to shooting from the 3 point line.  This is his favorite shot and makes them pretty consistently.

He was fouled a few times and made some free throws.

This is a year round team and he still wants to play with the Jr. Jazz league in the Winter with his friends.  So, we are going to be watching lots of basketball until Spring playing on two different teams. No complaints here... we are enjoying this time in Carter's life right now.

Kitchen Window Makeover

It took a year to get this project completed..phew! I know it doesn't seem hard but the major hang up was that one of windows had a hole through one of the panes due to Carter throwing a baseball through it last fall.  Well, the new window is in and I put up new roller shades instead of the blinds.  I have been trying to clean the wood blinds but have been unsuccessful with my many efforts to get the water and grime off.  So, off they came! I am really impressed that these turned out. I bought cheap white roller shades and covered them with fun sturdy/waterproof material and put back up the crown molding from the blinds. I really like the finished look. 

Volanco Project

Ashlynn worked hard on her volcano.  This was part of her research project for the week and she was determined to make it awesome. 

The finished project.  She brought it to class and her teacher used it to show the class how to make it erupt.  She was so excited!

Happy Halloween!

The cousin are here!! 

We were all excited to celebrate this holiday with family.  Matt's twin brother and his family came to visit us.  We always have a great time and are sad when we have to part ways.  While Laura and Caleigh were at Time out for Girls and the boys headed to a football game,  I took the rest of the girls to "Wood Connections" to pick out a wood project to paint and create on their own. We had a great time making our projects.  They turned out so cute!! We can't wait to make more.  We had a fun and eventful Halloween weekend! 

This was another one of my wood projects...Pilgrims. They are so fun and look great on the table.

Now on to enjoying the thanksgiving holiday season.

Frightmares 2014

I love to hang out at Frightmares! Carter was determined to go through every haunted house and I wasn't so sure. I was pressured into it and had a great time screaming every second some one jumped out at me. HaHa!  It helps to go with a big group and hang in the middle of the pack to protect you on both ends.  Carter was pretty proud of himself to get through all of them.  Ashlynn was with us during the day but then went home with Matt when it got dark because she doesn't like to be around people with masks on.  So, she and Matt had daddy and daughter time while all of us stayed behind to enjoy the scary fun.      

October Activities

This month was a fun a busy one..we love to celebrate Halloween and all its fun festivities.

We had a our annual kids Halloween party.  I added a neighborhood scavenger hunt where each group had to collect or take pictures of things within the neighborhood.  One of the favorites was to find the most decorated Halloween house and wrap someone in toilet paper and take a picture by a fire hydrant.  We also had fun food and laughs. 

The kids school had their annual carnival and Ashlynn and I attended a ward mother and daughter activity at Scary Hill.  We went on a hay ride through the park where skeletons where having fun, went through the maze and had treats.  So Fun!

We did something new this year..we where told to check out this pumpkin walk. It was a path of lighted pumpkins all throughout the park.  There are some very talented and creative people out there.

We only ended up carving 2 pumpkins this year because we ran out of time.  There is just so much to cram in before the big day.  Matt and I's pumpkins will be decor on our front porch.  So it works out perfect!

We are ready to the 31st to come...the kids are excited because they get to spend Halloween with their cousins this year.  They will be here in a few short days!

Our favorite pumkpin patch

We we able to fit in a trip to the pumpkin patch once again even though it was dark.  We love Pack's Patch and have gone there since we moved to Utah. This year Ashlynn brought along her friend. It was a fun hour to enjoy the fun festivities. Now on to the hard work...carving all those pumpkins.

Football Team Photos

It was rainy and terrible weather during our scheduled time to take our teams photos so Matt and I made these up for the boys.  I think they turned out so much better and it cost less to print them.  Wahoo!  

We had a AWESOME team this year!  These boys made it all the way to the semifinals and then lost to make it to the championship game.  It was fun getting to know more parents and see these boys improve and most of all have FUN! Great Times!!      

Wood working kit

A special "Thanks" to Grandma Bobbi! Carter now has is own kit that comes in the mail each month. Its a wood working kit.

He spent his time listening to conference and putting together this helicopter.

 

Ashlynn helped with the painting.

It turned out pretty good.



Another year wiser...haha

I had a Birthday! Shout Hooray!

Yummy Cake!

 

 Fun at the Scary Hill!

 Haunted mini Golf.

Had fun celebrating the day with these funny people!

Had a relaxing morning and afternoon, watched conference, dined out, attended 2 basketball games for Carter and then headed out in the dark for some fun mini golf.