Oregon Part 3 (the beach)

The beach was a good and bad experience depending on who and where you were. Kevin loved every part of it!

Janet, Raven, and I had fun playing with the anemone's (is that how you spell it?). They were sticky to the touch and would close in around your finger. They were cool!

Claire hated every minute of it! The closer we got to the water the colder and more windy it got. She didn't like the cold, but she really didn't like the wind. (watch the video above this post to see just how much she hated it!)

There was this grogeous waterfall right on the beach. I made Jan and Nat pose for a picture by it!

Oregon Part 2 (crabbing)

Here is a picture of Nat, Patrick, and the boys on the crabbing docks getting ready to crab.

Here is a crab we caught.

While we were crabbing there was another guy on the docks with us who caught a starfish. He thought the kids would like to look at it before he threw it back in. Just a fun fact that Raven shared with me, I guess if you cut a starfish in half it won't die. Both halves will regenerate to make two new starfish!

The end result of our crabbing experience! cooking and eating the crab! Yummy!

Oregon Part 1 (Arrival)

We recently took a trip to Oregon to visit Janet and Nat. They really wanted us to experience Oregon, because it's the best, THE BEST! (right Nat?). Here we are when we first arrived at the Awesome place Jan and Nat were kind enough to set up and pay for us! (thanks again guys). As soon as we got there we all got dressed to go swimming, which is why I'm dressed like this. I don't normally strut around dressed like this, but I do strut! Hehe.

Some pics of our room!

The coast was amazing!

Patch and I posing by the coast on the balcony in our room.

Clairey the Fairy!

Claire's aunt Tina made her this tutu for christmas this past year. She wore it all the time for a few weeks and then decided she wanted nothing to do with it. I was so happy when she came to me the other day and said she wanted to wear it and wear it she did! She wore it all day. We took the kids to a movie that day and she insisted on wearing it. Patrick thought it was a little weird at first, but she was so adorable! She took her little fairy wand and wanted to wear her pretty purple shoes. She was casting little fairy spells. She was so girly! I'm so glad she isn't all tom boy. She had me worried there for a while when her favorite toy was a motorcycle.

Crazy Hair Day!

So, the day before Kevin's last day of school they have what is called Crazy Hair Day! It's the one day of the year that the kids get to wear what they want and more importantly do their hair as crazy as they can. At first Kevin wanted nothing to do with crazy hair day. He was too embarassed to try something silly and new, but 5 minutes before school he changed his mind. This little mowhawk was what came of that 5 minutes. I just happened to be helping out at his school that day and I saw all the kids with their crazy hair. I was thinking Kevin's was pretty crazy, but oh no! I was wrong. Turns out it's a big thing at his school (he transfered there last October). One girl had put her hair in lots of little braids and then attached a helium filled balloon to each braid and another boy grew his hair out just so he could do a reverse mowhawk where he shaved all the hair down the middle of his head! It was like being in a Dr. Suess movie, Crazy! I guess I have my work cut out for me nexy year!

Bear Lake!

We went to Bear Lake a few weeks ago for Memorial Day weekend. We all needed to get away. It was fun! Here we all are at the beach! It wasn't very sunny, but it was still fun just the same. Kevin and Claire went crazy picking up and collecting shells. We also got to spend some time with Patrick's grandparents who live up in Garden City during the summer. They really enjoyed having Kevin and Claire around to entertain them! It was a great little trip away from home!

Minnie Golf!

Patch and I took the kids to play minnie golf this past saturday. Kevin had been before, but Claire had not. They loved it! We all had so much fun. Kevin got a hole in one and won a free game of minnie golf! He was so excited! Here is Patrick making his move!

Kevin waving to the camera!

Mommy and Claire taking a break on a nearby rock!

My little babes being cute as always!

Little Seeds!

Claire has a new favorite song! It's called "Little Seeds". It's a song she sings in nursery. Enjoy!

The Inspector!

Ok....Now you have seen the pictures, time to explain what they are all about! Aside from old Halloween pictures I have never seen or been able to get Patrick to dress in costume. I've always wanted him to cut loose and have a little fun, but it's just not his thing. I have learned to accept that over the years, so you can imagine my suprise when he told me about a month ago that he had to dress in costume for a young men/young women activity. For those of you who don't know, Patrick is in the young men presidency in our ward. The young men and young women decided to do a combined activity where they put on a live version of the game clue. Patrick was originally supposed to be a character that was more in the background and he had very little lines. Well...When he came home with the script it said he was to be the Inspector! On top of that he noticed that the role of the Inspector had the most lines. You can imagine his stress! Again, those of you who know my husband know that he is not a social person. He likes to keep to himself. Well...Patrick decided to try and make the most of this new development and went full out with the costume! I was so proud of him for stepping out of his shell for the night! He is an amazing, funny, and creative man and I'm glad others got to see
a side of him that only I see! Of course I had to get pictures! Patrick did grumble a little, but ultimately agreed to let me take them. In return I let him get pictures of me with his moustache and hat....and Of course the kids wanted in on the action, so we made it a family affair! I love my husband very much and I know he had way more fun then he'd like to admit! I love you babe!

Sunday Stroll!

Sunday afternoon, after the 10:00 session of Conferance, Patrick and I decided to take the kids out for a walk. It was such a nice day (Finally) and the kids have been itching to go outside all winter. We had so much fun just hanging out and watching the kids play. I love this time of year, because it's not too hot and the bugs haven't quite comeout yet. I hate bugs! I love when my kids are getting along, even if it is for the sake of a picture!

That man with my kids sure is sexy1

What a Nerd!

My Creative Son!

Kevin loves to draw and one day, while I was gone visiting family with Claire, Patrick took Kevin to work with him for a few minutes. Weeks later he was cleaning out his desk when he came across these drawings. He brought them home to show me, because he thought they were funny and cool. In this one Kevin is jumping from building to building. When he gets to the highest one

he proudly exclaims " Me Kevin YA! ". This one is a picture of what Kevin calls a ziz bird. The ziz bird, Kevin says, is bigger then the world. The little round thing next to the bird is the world.

This one is of an evil villan Kevin likes to call Lord Syrde (see-rd). Lord Syrde is holding his evil lighting sword.

I love that My Kevin has such an imagination. He suprises me every day with a new drawing or story or game that he has made up. They are so detailed. He invites me into his little world and I'm happy to join him!

Birthday, secrets, and dreams!

So Kevin had a birthday on sunday and we invited our friends Monica and Chris over to Patricks Parents house to celebrate. Thier son, Isaac is Kevin's best friend. He wrote this special birthday note to kevin all by himself. He had no help coming up with the idea (although I think his parents said he is really into Harry Potter). I think it is so funny and thought I'd share it with you all! It says " dear kevin your present lies in the vault of secrets and dreams from your best friend to kevin".

Here is Claire thinking she needs to be the center of attention.

And Here is the adorable 7 year old birthday boy himself!