Through the lens of a 4 year old

Back in May when we to South Dakota we got Landen a disposible camera so he could take pictures of what ever he wanted to. To say the least we have a lot of pictures we can't quite figure out what they are, but we also have a lot of pictures of the fun we had.

We have lots of pictures of these sweet girls:)

Landen trying out a blonde wig.

I love this picture Landen took of Kaden. He looks so cute!

NO we didn't see any of these animals on our hike around Mt. Rushmore, but apparently they are there somewhere.

Us hiking around Mt. Rushmore

A pinecone. I wonder if this is the first pinecone he has ever seen?

Katelyn loved the fact that Landen had a camera and loved taking pictures of her.

Emily wanting in on some of the modeling action.

Of course a snake. The boy LOVES snakes. To bad his mean mom won't let him bring one home:) Maybe this picture is so he thinks he has one?

Our Big Week!

We had a big week last week full of all sorts of excitment. Ty found out he made Staff Sergeant. Yeah for promotions. Gotta love a smarty for a husband:)

Ty also finished his BS degree in World Securtiy and Strategic Studies from Bellevue University and we will hopefully be recieving the actual diploma here shortly. He has worked REALLY hard for the past 4 years on completing this. He has done his degree while working full time and being an awesome husband and dad. He has stayed up many nights really late doing homework because he didn't want to do it with the kids awake, he just wanted to play with them!! Since transferring to Bellevue he has remained on the deans list and is graduating with an amazing GPA. Once again we are so lucky to have such a wonderful and dedicated guy in our life!! WE LOVE YOU!!

Since Ty has finished his degree I've decided that it is time to finsih something that I started 6 years ago and that is my associates degree from Snow College. I never had any intentions on finishing it, I was just going to start over after all the kids were in school and to be honest probably graduated, but things kindof fell in place to where I knew it was something I needed to do now. So I am taking baby steps and doing only one class at a time. (Remember its been 6 years and I have 3 kiddos) So it will be a slow process, but I should be done by the end of next summer. Yes it would have been much easier to have been more focused while I was at Snow 6 years ago and no kids, but lets be honest Ty was just to cute to want to do anything else, but hang out with him. So now that I have him I can focus a little more on school:)

Dinosaur Park

Yes Dinosaur Park again. If you have ever been to Dinosaur Park you could probably tell why every little boy would want to go there every day. I am just grateful we were smart enough to buy a membership the first time we went. The boys LOVE this place. To those of you who haven't been here its not anything to spectacular. (That is to an adult) They have a museum inside a building which isn't very big and then outside they have paths you can walk around and look at cement sculptures of dinosaurs. So why do I go??

Because look at the smile it brings to these little boys faces! (Landen is winking on purpose. He only wanted one eye open for the picture. He is such a silly boy:)

Hattie even likes coming here. Yes the strange noises freak her out a little, but she just looks around and then continues on with what she is doing.

Playing at the park.

Just going for a ride on a strange looking dino that convienently has saddles already on him.

Of course we had to pretent to be paleontologist. We just love the sand so much!

What do you see?

While I was TRYING to get Porter to want to leave Landen snuck this shot in. This is what happens every time we need to leave I have to go find Porter, because he is usually going the opposite way that he is supposed to and once I find him I have to carry him to the stroller and the whole time I am trying to brib him so he doesn't make to big of a scene when we leave. I don't want people to think I am kidnapping him, because sometimes it may seem like that is what is happening. Gotta love those 2 year olds.

In other news Hatties top tooth has finally broke through and is coming down quite rapidly. Now hopefully its neighbor will come down soon so she doesn't have the snaggle tooth look for to long.

Our Baby Girl

This will teach her!

So Brig I hope this teachs you not to steal my camera and take crazy pictures of yourself:)

6 Years!!!

Well Babe, I can't believe it has been six years (on the 14th of August) since we went to this beautiful Temple and we were sealed for all time and eternity!! I am so thankful for the last 6 years and ALL the things we have accomplished. Can you believe we have moved 6 times and most importantly we have 3 beautiful kiddos? Sometime I wonder where the time went! I am so grateful for you and all the wonderful things you do for our family. I am grateful for the sacrifices you have made so I am able to stay at home with our kids. You are such an amazing husband and father. You are so patient, kind, thoughtful, and loving!! I love you so much and I can't wait to see what our future brings. I know it will be filled with lots of love and laughter:) I LOVE YOU!!! I can't wait to have you back home where you belong!

Up Up and away

Friday morning I woke the kids up bright and EARLY to head to Eden for the Balloon Festivle. I have never been to it before, but I LOVED it and I would wake the kids up early again to go do it again. Me and Porter braved the cold weather to watch them inflate the balloons. He wouldn't look at the camera because there was to much excitment going on behind us.

We decided to head into the action and watch them inflate the balloons. It was so much fun to be so close to what they were doing. Well what are we looking at you ask?

We were watching this. We were standing right next to this balloon as it was inflating. It was so nice and warm next to it. You could feel the heat of the flame. Hattie didn't know if she was a big fan of all the noise, but I think she liked the fact that it kept her warm.

I;ve never been this close to a hot air balloon, but these things are HUGE. This is the top of the balloon we were watching.

And they are going up...

up and away.

So this energizer bunny stole the show. I thought the balloons were huge, until this thing started blowing up. It was massive. I mean look at the size of the basket compared to the rest of the thing. The boys got a kick out of this because it was a bunny flying.

And after all the balloons were on their way so were we. This was so much fun we will definatly do it again if we are in a place that they have them. This was Braxton, me, Hattie in my arms, my dad, Porter, and Landen. My mom was hiding herself behind the camera taking all the pictures of all the fun. Thanks Mom:)

"M" is for Mcdonalds

Thursday we rode the Frontrunner down to the Gateway in Salt Lake with my friend Jamie, her kids, mom, and sister. The kids had so much fun riding the train. I think they loved the fact that they didn't have to sit in car seats while they were going somewhere. Here are lots of pics of our adventure.

Porter, Landen, Braxton (my brother), me, and Hattie all starting out on our ride to Salt Lake.

Porter, Landen, and Spencer walking down to Gateway to go find some grub.

We found the grub and of course we had to eat at McDonalds it was "M" day.

Porter racing a horse and the arcade. They had a lot of fun playing games.

Spencer and Landen showing me their superhero poses.

After we had lunch we headed over to the fountains and let the kids play in the water. Porter was okay until he slide and bonked his bean. Landen took a minuted to warm up to the idea, but in the end had fun. Hattie loved watching all the kids run around. She didn't make it completly in but came close.

Cute Hattie showing off her swimsuit.

Landen running around like a wild child.

After we got done playing in the water we decided it was time to end our adventure and head back home. We had to get on trax to get to the front runner station. Well we were loading up the strollers. Jamie put her stroller on first and her mom and sister got on. She then went to help me put mine on and the doors closed and off went the train. The boys decided that we were just going to have to stay here. So they laid down and were going to sleep here. Then all the sudden Landen had an idea and Spencer said a prayer.

Spencer saying a prayer. It went something like this. Heavenly Father we are sorry we missed the train please send another one so we can get home. It was the cutest thing ever.

Spencer's prayer was answered and we did get on another train and we made it home.

Splash Park

This afternoon we got to go to the splash park with my good friend Jamie and her 3 cute kids. THe boys didn't really now what to think of it and it took some convincing to get started, Hattie on the other hand jumpled right in and had a blast. She kept putting her mouth completly over the sprayers it was pretty funny. We had such a good time, hence the reason not a lot of pictures. Cameras + Water= not such good happy things. We know all to well:)

Porter a little confused

Me and Jamie getting in all the fun

Baylie, Hattie, and Landen having way to much fun:)

"L" is for Library

Today we headed to the Weber County Library for "L" day. The kids had a lot of fun looking and reading books, but I think their very favorite thing was playing with the toys. Sorry once again no pics.

"K" is for Kangaroo

Sorry no pictures, but yesterday we colored LOTS of pictures of Kangaroos to celebrate "K".

Weber County Fair

Thursday we enjoyed the day at the Weber County Fair. All the kids had so much fun looking at the animals and playing lots of fun games and winning LOTS of prizes. Here some pictures from our adventures at the fair.

Porter didn't know what to think of this big cow just laying there with no fence in front of it. He really just wanted the picture to be over quick.

Hattie taking her prize out of the fishes mouth after going fishing.

Landen throw 3 balls into the dish so he won a pretty awesome shark hat.

Hattie, Porter, Landen, Braxton (my brother had to come along my parents where gone at Youth Conference.) Come on guys everyone look in the same place and smile:) Oh well we tried.

Everyone picking out which goat they wanted to take home.

Porter would not turn around for a picture. The pig kept snorting at him and he was getting a little nervous so he wanted to keep a good eye on it. Landen really just wanted the photo session to be over. He is so patient with me and wanting to always take pictures. Now if we could only get him to look at me for more then a second we would be golden.