Happy Father's Day!

(At least I was only a week late this time!)



Kenny had a pretty simple Father's Day. He requested eggs in window and bacon for breakfast, which worked out well, cause he still had bishopric meeting at 9:30. The boys had picked out some cards for him and we gave him an IOU for a ASU sun devil hat (he wants this specific one that we were unable to find before Father's Day). Later that day we went to my parents for dinner and celbrated with my dad.



Happy Father's Day Kenny! We really appreciate everything you do for our family! WE LOVE YOU!

Fishing with Grandpa!

Kenny's Dad asked if he could take the 2 older boys, along with their cousin Eli, to Thatcher for a few days to go fishing and do other boy stuff this summer. Um... Yes!! So he picked up the boys on Wednesday afternoon and brought them home Saturday afternoon! I'm sure they had plenty of chocolate milk and bean burros and spent lots of time playing in the playhouse in the backyard. The boys had a really GREAT time!

We received a call on Thursday afternoon from a very excited Tyler. He left a message on the voicemail then called me on the cell phone. It went about like this (speaking very fast!).
Tyler: Hi Mom, guess what?!
Me: Hi Tyler, What's up?
Tyler: I got to shoot a BB gun! And, Ryan did too!
Me: Wow! Where are you shooting at?
Tyler: In Grandpa's backyard! We're shooting at root-beer cans!
Me: Are you being careful?
Tyler: Ya, grandpa's here! It's my turn again!! Love you, bye Mom!
This was very exciting for them because we have no guns in our house. We don't hunt. We know very little about guns and gun safety to teach our children, therefore, I believe we shouldn't have them in our home, and our kids have had very little contact with them. I later learned that Grandpa talked to them about guns and gun safety before letting them shoot, which I appreciate! I think they also went swimming and to Discovery Park on Thursday.

On Friday they drove up to the mountains for the big fishing trip! I was told nobody caught anything but they loved using salmon eggs, marshmallows and nightcrawlers for bait! I'm sure it was quite the experience!

Mckay and Brayden stayed at home, and I thought Mckay might be sad to be left behind. But, I spoke to him before the boys left and he was just fine. I've always said he is my "want to be only child" so I think he enjoyed the extra attention and peace. Wednesday night, they got their baths and PJs on and played until I sent Mckay to bed while I was feeding Brayden... and without distractions from the older boys, he climbed into his bed and went to sleep! On Thursday, I promised him we could do something fun with his cousin Jake so we went to the mall and played and later went to swimming lessons. On Friday, we stayed home and the little boys played while I cleaned the house and washed laundry. It was so peaceful and quiet! But we definately missed our big boys and we were all happy to have them home on Saturday!

Thanks Grandpa for the vacation (for the boys and me!)!

Lot's of Firsts!

Brayden has just leaped forward with so many milestones, we can't hardly keep up! Because he is our last (and they all grow up too fast as it is) we have been in no hurry to teach him.

He started sitting on his own about 5 months, but never learned to roll over! Now he has moved to crawling, but still no rolling! Before we left to Utah he would high-center on his belly and he could turn from side to side and slide backwards... which really frustrated him when he tried to reach something ahead of him.
In Utah he started pulling himself onto his knees and rocking, barely moving forward (sometimes by grabbing at the carpet and pulling) but it was still very slow. Since we came home he has really figured it out and is moving pretty quick. Now he has figured out how to pull up to stand on the tables and couches! Now that he's on the move he's so much happier! If I walk into the other room, he is right behind me. If he gets tired of playing with the boys, he just comes to find me. The funny thing is he still HATES to roll over or be on his back at all. He's like a turtle! He can finally do it, but he prefers to just sit up then go to his knees to crawl!

His top 2 front teeth came through just before our Utah trip as well. It seems like everyday another one pops through! He looks so different. He is starting to look less like a baby and more like a little boy... which is so cute but it makes me sad 'cause he's my last.

He also got his first haircut! He was looking pretty scraggly and it was time to do all the other boys, so what's one more, right! Kenny held him on his lap and he was pretty still trying to figure out what I was doing. I think he looks much better.

He's is starting to babble more and try to talk to us. It sounds like he says Hi to people when they first come up to him. He also says Mama, but I think it's just sounds. All my other boys said Dada first so I don't want to get my hopes up!

Finally, he has started eating food! We've realized he doesn't really like baby food, but he wants all of our big food. He hates the soft mushy stuff, he loves biting and chewing. He likes to feed himself. He'll refuse something out of a bowl with a spoon, but if I pour some of it on his try, he will pick it up with is thumb and forefinger and feed himself. Of course he prefers the sweet fruits, so I have to mix his cereal with apple juice, but at least he will eat it!

He's just so cute and so much fun! He's like a little celebrity in our house. The boys still fight over who's turn it is to sit by him, or play with him or hold him. I thought it would wear off after a little while, but it hasn't. I guess that's what it's like to be the youngest!

Utah Trip - Part 3

(I promise this is my last post about Utah!)

After our busy week, by Thursday, we were ready to take it easy! This worked out great, because Krissy finally got to come home from the hospital on Thursday morning! She was still very sore and couldn't eat much, but was so happy to be home! So we hung around the apartment for the morning, then we took the kids up into the canyons to play so Krissy could get some rest. We met Megan and Justin and their kids for lunch at Canyon Glen (Which was not like it used to be when we used to play there! The entire playground was gone!). Anyway we ate then took the kids for a walk/hike along the trail. We had planned to walk up to Bridal Veil, but stopped at a playground part of the way up to let the kids play, and we never made it any further. The kids had fun throwing rocks into the river and playing around in the mountains. Then we headed home meet Krissy and Taylor for dinner and to fill her pain med Rx's. We went to Sizzler to celebrate Krissy's homecoming, then went home and played Skip Bo and Hand and Foot the rest of the night, which was especially fun with Krissy all drugged up!

On Friday, Taylor had to work in the morning, but joined us later for lunch at Brick Oven (super yummy!) while Kristin rested. After lunch we picked up Krissy to try to catch the new Indiana Jones movie during the matinee at Provo Towne Center. When we got there, the next showing was in 5 minutes, and we heard people ahead of us in line say it was sold out, so we talked about seeing the next showing 45 min later. Just then a lady behind Taylor said her company had bought out the theater for the first showing, but that she had tickets left over if we wanted some. Sure, how much? we asked, and she smiled and said FREE! We were so surprised! We told her we needed 7 tickets total and she counted them out and said Enjoy the show! It was so cool! Stuff like that Never happens to us! It was really great considering the movie wasn't that great. Afterward, Taylor and Kenny went to play racquetball while I started packing to go home. After dinner we played more cards. By 11:00 or so we started talking about staying another day to spend more time with Kristin and Taylor since they had been at the hospital most of the trip and we weren't ready to make the drive yet. During the night Mckay climbed in bed with us and started throwing up out of the blue! It was decided! We were staying an extra day to wash laundry and to make sure he wasn't throwing up in the car.


On Saturday, Taylor made waffles for breakfast, while Kenny washed laundry at the laundromat and the boys played. Mckay was feeling better, (I think he had just eaten too much vacation junk food.) so we went to the BYU bookstore and got some souvenirs and candy then went to the malt shop for a late lunch. We took the kids to the park to play in the hopes that they would crash afterward, but when we got back to the apartment all the adults fell asleep instead! Later, we packed up then played cards one last time.

We slept in a little longer on Sunday morning so we got a late start and didn't get home until about 9:30 pm. The kids were good, but we were all ready to get home and get into our summer routine! It was a fun trip and we can't wait to go back!

Utah Trip - Part 2

On Wednesday, we decided to all meet at Cabela's in Lehi. Jeff is a big hunter, so he loves this store and thought the kids might really enjoy all the animals and displays. Afterward, we went to Tucano's for lunch. We love this place! It's a Brazilian BBQ place that has a big salad buffet and they bring different skewered meats and pineapple around and slice them at each table. Yummy!

Then we all went to BYU to the dinosaur museum. It's pretty small, but it's great for the kids and it's pretty cool to look at and the price is right, FREE!

Next we went to the Bean Museum (as in Monte L Bean, not the food), where they have lots of exotic taxidermied animals and diplays about their habitats etc. I remember going here on field trips as a kid, and the kids love it as much as we did. At the front desk they have different scavenger hunts for all different ages. The older kids did a harder one with questions about the displays, so they were busy searching and we didn't get many pictures with them. The younger kids had one with pictures of animals to find, Kenny helped him and took a picture with each animal, so we have lots of pictures of Mckay, but not the other kids. The kids spent a lot of time looking around, so the adults took some time to sit and rest, Grandpa and Kenny took naps!



After all of this, Grandma and Grandpa were tired, and decided to head back up to Salt Lake to their hotel. The rest of us took the kids to the Creamery on 9th for some ice cream! As we were leaving, the parents were talking and poor Parker was so tired he sat down on the sidewalk and fell asleep!

We were all hot and tired and wanted to go swimming, so Taylor let us into the swimming pool of an apartment complex he works for. Afterward, Kenny took the kids back to get ready for bed and I took Brayden to visit Krissy and Taylor at the hospital.

Krissy was starting to feel a little better so Taylor was able to go to work for part of the day and even met us a Tucano's on his lunch break. She was still having trouble keeping her medications and food down, but was anxious to come home soon!

Danny and Gwen's Wedding!

Danny and Gwen
Tuesday was the big day! The original plan was for Krissy to watch our boys while we were in the sealing, BUT, since that had changed, Gwen's little sister, and her friend volunteered to watch all (11) of our kids. So Nice!! (Did you know the SLC temple has a children's waiting room for weddings?! I think that all temples need these!)
Danny served his mission in SLC (Spanish speaking) and his mission president was Elder Richard Hinkley (President Hinkley's son) and they have remained close, so he asked Elder Hinkley to perform the ceremony. It was so special! He looks and talks so much like President Hinkley, and even referenced his father and mother several times during the ceremony. It was really sweet!

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After the sealing and some pictures, we went to Gwen's parents church building for a yummy catered luncheon. Afterward, we had some time to kill before the reception, so we decided to go the the conference center with Kenny's sisters and families for a tour. It was very cool, but a little long for the kids attention spans. One of the best parts was in one room they have all the original 12 Arnold Friberg paintings like in the Book of Mormon. We went around looking at each picture and Ryan knew the story for every single one (with details)! We were a little surprised! I guess he really is listening even when he is so wiggly and wild!


After the tour, it was time to get ready for more pictures and the reception. The reception was at a very pretty place in Memorial Park. For some reason, Mckay was not in the mood for pictures most of the day and wouldn't stand still, so he's not in the boys picture and was pouting later on!


It was a beautiful wedding and reception and we are so glad to add Gwen to the Crockett family! Unfortunately, since they have been in school at BYU, and both graduated in April, they moved to Logan for Danny's new job, we haven't got a chance to get to know her well yet, but I'm sure we will.

On the drive back to Provo, we called to check on Krissy. She had had a rough day and wanted to go to sleep, so she wasn't up for visitors.