Ivy's 3 year old Birthday

Ivy turned 3 this past summer! We gave her the option of having a friend party or a cousin party. She chose to have a cousin party! The Tuesday before her birthday, our little family of 5 went to see Finding Dory in the movie theater. G&G Hughes and Wendy and Darian came too! We all loved it! Afterwards, we came back to our house for cupcakes and presents! On Sunday, Ivy's actual birthday, we celebrated with all of Ivy's Utah cousins. We had homemade snow cones and played. She was actually asleep on the couch when everyone arrived. But it didn't take her long to wake up and join the party!

Camping Trips! Part 3

Beach Camping!!!! I am way behind on blog posts, I have been posting some stuff on Instagram for our chatbooks but I feel like there is a lot I haven't been recording! I need to get back in the habit.  We went beach camping at Caprinteria State Beach for a Willardson family reunion. It was a blast! We played at the beach, caught sand crabs, spent time with cousins and extended family, played games and told stories by the fire, and just had a great time!

Camping Trips! Part 2

Our 2nd camping trip was to Flaming Gorge! We LOVE Flaming Gorge and take a trip there with the Hughes' every other year.  We started 4 years ago, so this was our 3rd trip! We usually stay in a house/hotel but this time we camped.  We camped in a tent, Greg and Miriam camped in a tent, and my parents rented a motor home.  It was really nice to use the motor home for certain things, and my parents were super helpful with meals, the kids, and the dishes! Camping with the grandparents makes camping easier, that's for sure! On Saturday, we rented a boat and drove around the lake.  I got to hold and snuggle with Tanner most of the boat ride, which I loved. He was very snuggly and even fell asleep on the boat in my arms.  I love holding and snuggling my babies. And I love when they fall asleep in my arms. It was a very enjoyable couple of hours. :)  Andrew, Jenna, Ivy and I also jumped out to swim around at one point which was fun. The girls were a bit nervous but it was a good way to teach them the concept of a life jacket and show them how it helps them to float! After boating my mom, Jenna, Ivy, Tanner and I went to Sunny Cove, which is a little beach with pretty shallow water.  I pulled the girls around in our inflatable raft and swam and played with them.  It was so fun! My mom held Tanner on the shore and apparently took a lot of pictures of the girls and I playing while we weren't looking, but later during the trip her phone fell to the bottom of the lake! :( So her phone, and those pictures are lost.  On Saunday, my parents and Greag and Miriam went rafting down the Green River.  We Hansens went through Vernal up to the Dinosaur National Monument where we saw dinosaur bones, petroglyphs, a cool really old cabin, and some beautiful views! We planned on swimming and jumping off some small ledges that the girls were excited about, but it was so cold and windy, so we just came home. We had a great trip and are already looking forward to next time!

Jenna asleep on the boat in 2012

Ivy asleep on the boat in 2014

Tanner asleep on the boat in 2016

Our happy camper!

Camping breakfasts are the best!

Super cool petroglyphs

Dinosaur national monument

Camping Trips! Part 1

We planned a lot of camping trips for this summer! The first one was near the end of May. We met the Aspreys up at Lake Walcott in Idaho.  It was a lot of fun! It was short, but a good introduction to our summer of camping! We chatted and hung out with our friends, the Dad's took the older kids fishing, I got to take Jenna and Ivy on a canoe ride in Levi's canoe, we went on walks, gathered skipping stones to toss in the lake, relaxed and just had a lot of fun.  It was fun to sing row, row, row your boat with the girls in the canoe. I love vacations because I feel like I get to unwind and play with my kids and be more of a relaxed, fun Mom! My and Andrew's phones were dead so we weren't able to take any pictures! But the Aspreys sent us some that they took to help us remember the trip by!

Our car was packed tight!

The kids chillaxin' during lunch

Cuties

Levi  probably giving Tanner words of wisdom

He has older sisters :)

My kids and I found a good spot for collecting skipping rocks, so we picked a bunch and then came back to show the group our golden spot.

Jenna and Tyler

Jenna Field Trip and Recital

On May 11, 2016 Jenna and I got to go on her school field trip! We rode on the bus, went to the aquarium and then had a picnic lunch at Riverton City Park! 

It was so much fun!

Jenna really enjoyed her recital this year. She practiced hard and did a great job.  In the past, she wouldn't smile on stage, but this year, as the bright lights turned on, Jenna saw that the strange lady waving at her was actually me sitting in the front row with my phone/camera, and she immediately got a big smile on her face. It was sooo cute! 

She especially enjoyed her Lion King dance "I Just Can't Wait to be King" She had special parts in that dance and had a lot of confidence!

Sadie and Reese performed in the recital too! Rachel, Brookie, Angela, Max, the Blacks, us, and Grandma Hughes all to came to watch and support! And Jenna got a lot of flowers!

Spring Time Part 2

Greg and Miriam's Wedding

Sibling love

Jenna drew this and I thought it was pretty great. It's Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse under a rainbow. :) The girls use this easel while playing school 

Mommy Jenna selfie

 I just think she's so cute. This is her typical bedtime scene.

           Busy at play

 Jenna's Music Recital! She did a great job and was so fun to watch!

Cousin Mindy came to Jenna's recital after receiving an invitation Jenna saved for her.

Mobile Baby!!!

 She doesn't take many naps while we are at home anymore, but she does like to nap in the car.

      Cuties