Henry and Della are still doing jiu jitsu! I don't think they love it necessarily, but they are doing well and know that they just have to do it. I told them that they had to do it for a while so they are being good sports and just putting their heads down and getting it done!
We hadn't seen the Bartons in a while so Bryndee and her kids met me and mine at the Huber apple grove to hang out and talk. It was a little bit chilly and overcast, but it was fun to see them!
Rusty was at young men's one night and I wanted to do something fun with the kids. It was decided that the night was perfect for a laser tag war in the field next to our house, complete with face paint and black clothes. It was really fun, and seeing their little heads sticking out of the long weeds will be a favorite memory for me!
It was time for Lake Powell! We met the Barruses out there, but we went a couple days early so that we could do some other things we wouldn't have had enough time to do. This time we drove all the way through without stopping. We checked into our AirBnb and got some delicious Mexican food. The next day we went and did the Antelope Canyon tour. Even though it was touristy, it was so beautiful it was really worth it. On the tour we heard that the best fry bread was at the gas station restaurant, so we went there and it really was soooo good!
Owl!
At WalMart when we were getting groceries for the week, I let Amelia pick out the birthday cake she wanted. We ordered one just like it for her with her name on it for her birthday! The Barruses got there that night, and it was so fun to see them! The first day we went out on the boat all together and did a little bit of everything: tubing, cliff jumping, surfing.
The next day we all needed a little bit of a break from the sun so we decided to do a hike. There was a cool little slot canyon that we went to and it was really fun. We found some cool places to climb up and get better views and even eat our sandwiches on top of these little pillars.
The next day we went boating again! We anchored a little bit off shore where there were some cool sandy dunes and let everyone play there for a while before getting back to our normal boating activities. Lake Powell is so cool because it has so much variety!
Rusty saw a roadrunner!
For Amelia's birthday we went boating! We got out on the water and then I had a little surprise and while she was swimming with the kids we decorated the boat like a pirate ship and got everyone eye patches. I had made a treasure map the night before that had a bunch of candy hidden on the boat. My baby is FIVE! Amelia is a ball of energy and light. She is a true joy to be around and brings that joy wherever she goes. We love her.
Henry played soccer again! This year he had a coach that actually did practices, which was great. We realized that he was starting to get a little bit behind so I found a high school player that could come over and coach him once a week. This season was a big season of improvement for Henry!
One game Henry got a ball right to the face and had a gushing bloody nose. He was tough and went back in to finish the game, with blood all of over his jersey!
Della opted for horseback riding lessons this season instead of gymnastics or dance. And I was all for it! She is absolutely in love with it and wants a horse of her own. She is all in.
I had never been to the Midway Bakery before, so one day we stopped there and got some yummy treats before going to the park. Midway is a really magical place!
While Amelia's birthday was technically in Lake Powell, we did a little bit when we got home. She opened up her presents from us and the grandparents.
One night was just so beautiful outside that we got the paints out and turned some fun music on and we all had a paint night! It was fun to be outside and enjoying the weather before it gets too cold. And it was fun to see what everyone wanted to paint. The girls started doing a dance party before long and it was just a really great night!
I took Henry and some of his friends to see the Harry Potter Exhibit in Sandy. It was fun to show them around and to do something with kids Henry's age. I'm trying to give Henry more opportunities to hang out with peers and so I started a little group for them and took them here today!
Rusty and I went mountain biking!
The kids have been working hard and they got a stripe in the stripe ceremony! I'm so proud of them and they are so excited!
Amelia got a new bike for her birthday! She needed a step up from the strider bike and Della's old one has really seen its final days. We went into Wal Mart and let her pick one out.
One day Henry and Rusty went dirt biking up Snake Creek! They had a great time and got to explore so many cool places. It was so beautiful and I was a little jealous so when he got back I went with Rusty next and I loved it so much!
It started raining on us on our way back but there wasn't anything to do but keep going! By the time we got home we were pretty wet and cold but the ride was amazing!
We went to Thanksgiving Point so that the kids could see the Archimedes Park. We are studying some basic physics and have been learning about some basic things like levers and the Archimedes screw. The park here has life size examples of those for the kids to play with. Before we did that we went to the farm and looked at the animals and let the kids ride the horses. Della fell while she was standing on the fence waiting in line and chipped a part of her tooth off! We met the Bartons there.
We got to ride the new carousel for the first time!
We went up mountain biking and did the first part of the WOW, dropping off not that far down the trail back onto the road and then rode up and did it all again! It was beautiful and is one of my favorite sections on the trail and it was really helpful to do the trail and then redo it and practice again.
The universe flipped upside down and Rusty sold his bike! Actually he sold it so he could get a new bike so that makes more sense.
We got our family pictures done! It had been a while and I was so excited to get new ones taken. Sarah took them for us and I was so nervous because when we were driving to meet her up by Sundance there was a wreck and it added forty minutes to our time. I got really scared because we were definitely going to run out of time before the sun set and then there wasn't enough light to take the pictures. Sarah was great and we just did what we could and it ended up working out great!
Afterward we went and got sushi to celebrate being done! The kids did great and it ended up that we got some really great pictures!
For Della's baptism I wanted to give her a compass but I wanted to be able to sit down and talk to her about why. During the actual baptism time it was too chaotic and then I forgot, but Della came down one day and asked me to explain it to her. We talked about how now with the Holy Ghost it will guide and direct her just like a compass does.
Della took some pictures of Rusty and I talking in bed and I just love how he's looking at me! It's so sweet and looks like a Hallmark movie. I love that guy.
One day Della was feeling a little bit forgotten, so she and I went up in the mountains just us. Sadly, we only got to go for about fifteen minutes but it was still fun to get away and have some one on one time with her! She is a sweetie!
Porter and Kaden came down for dinner and to work for a little bit on Porter's four wheeler!
For school I showed them a video of venus flytraps and the videos of this are absolutely hilarious. The girls were horrified and Henry was just mouth wide open.
One morning Rusty and I went on the WOW again, and I was a little bit stressed because I was going to meet Sara at the pumpkin patch at 10. Rusty and I had decided not to drive up with the bikes but just rode up, and I was nervous I wouldn't be able to finish it in time. But we got it done and had the best time!
The pumpkin patch with Sara was so fun! This was our second year going and it was so stinking cute. I love this little patch.
Amelia made this apple crisp! She was so proud of herself. It was part of her preschool projects and she did such a great job.
Extra Pictures:
Della's Glinda dress!
Just in an apron and undies
Book club
Henry's Highlights:
- When listening to the Italian song "Sway", the lady says " I can hear the sound of violins" and Henry says: "I bet you can crazy lady!"
Adeline's Adventures:
- Always says, "I know, right?"
- Still has the best belly laugh sound
- Loves her orange dress and wears it all of the time
Amelia's Updates:
- Amelia: "He just said 2 v 1! And... I don't know what that means but... I'm not gonna allow it."
- Always says "titch". "I thought they'd be just a titch nicer" (about the Dursleys in Harry Potter)
