Fun Activites with my Kids!!!

It has been a long winter but we did try to keep the kids involved with activities to keep them from driving us to the little white house on the hill.

Some of the things we did were quite creative and others were just anything to keep their wonderful minds occupied.

We tried some crafts that you can see on these pictures. I think the thing they liked the best was using the glue. It was pretty fun though.

One Saturday we decided to take just the kids bowling. We just sat and watched them and had the greatest time ever.



We laughed a lot and cheered each other and surprisingly Tyler (age 2) got the highest score at over 100. Now I can't even get that high. They insisted on carrying the balls themselves and lifting it up on the holder. It was the best thing we have done.

The kids love to swim when we go to conference and look forward to it every year.

Thank goodness for tubes that keep them from drowning (although Jeremy did try that as you recall from Abby's blog.

Tyler had just gotten stitches in his hand the day before and his hand was all wrapped up in a gauze and was not supposed to even go swimming, but who wants to be the one to tell him he had to stay out and the others could go. Not me. Of course, he got it wet but he had a blast! My favorite spot, of course, is the hot tub.

Branding was a BLAST!!!!!!

We had lots of help this year and everyone had a blast. Dad cut his finger on the first cow. He claims it was an accident but I think he had an ulterior motive on how to just be the boss and not have to do any actual work. Matt had the most fun branding and cutting the ear marks. (I have to pause in my narrative here and state that I actually taught Abby something she didn't know about deleting. She didn't know how to delete a complete word rather than just the letter. Miracles never cease) On with the story. Justin says he just kept the cows coming and didn't get to actually do the fun part as everyone wanted to do that.

It was a warm and beautiful day as you can see from the pictures. The sky was the bluest blue with no clouds in the sky. There was a slight breeze but just enough to keep everyone feeling good. We brought them lunch at a record 1:00 as they were all starving.

As you can see Dad and Eddie found the easy chairs and shade and made themselves at home watching all the fun the kids (and big kids) were having. Levi's friend Emma was quite the girl. I mean she is up for anything. She tried the whole schmo. We dared her to eat one of the Rocky Mountain oysters and she did. She washed it off, and ate it raw, chewing for a few minutes and then swallowing. YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. It was gross to see the blood in her teeth but Matt's nephews got a huge kick out of it. She was their hero. (Which I think was her idea behind the whole thing.)

Anyway, this was a record branding day as they finished by 3:00. They all came back with sunburned necks but all were saying it was a great way to spend a Saturday. (Wish you could have been there, Louis and Stephen. Maybe next year your dad will be on his rounds in Utah at the time of the branding. Make it so Daddy.)

My Oldest, My Only

Louis, Sheridy, McKenzie, Stephen, and Allison are far away from me in Kansas City, MO while Louis attends Medical School. This is his second year and the kids are growing up so fast. They have great friends and a super ward which makes it easier for me to have them far away. Pictures help me stay a little closer to them.

They are always doing something cute that I can brag about. They call and talk with me on the cell phone. Time is flying by. Next year McKenzie goes to kindergarten. She likes to send me things in the mail.

Lynn is branding the cows today and we wish Louis could be here. Stephen is a little cowboy and loves to help. Sheridy's dad and brother are coming to help. Mat and Justin will be there too. Hope the weather cooperates.