Berry Patches

We went berry picking just before we left on vacation. They were big and juicy and the kids had fun picking and tasting. It was Natalie's first time picking and she loved it. I think she loved having a bucket to carry around. But once we saw a spider, she wouldn't pick anymore. They have some very interesting looking spiders here.


Evan was 2 when we first went picking. He ate more berries than were in his bucket, but he was the most dedicated picker of our bunch. He was the same this day. This was the first time we picked blackberries and he worked just as hard.




They were all great helpers and were definitely ready to go when Mom was finally done filling her bucket! Next on our list-peaches!

Watermelon skills

I bought a huge Watermelon at one of our Farmer's Market and the kids were so excited to eat it, except Zach (he doesn't like it). But I didn't think about the fact that we usually get a seedless one in the store, this one wasn't. So my 2 melon eaters were trying to figure out how mom was spitting out the seeds and keeping the melon in the mouth. Natalie was the funniest. She was trying so hard to eat just the melon and not the seeds. Then she attempted to spit them out with the melon in her mouth and it all seemed to fall out. She had it all running down her fat little belly (what a mess), but we had fun.
Yes, we were under a trampoline, in attempts to have some shade from the sun. I knew that it was going to be a mess and so I wanted to be outside. But man it gets hot out there!















Evan was getting really good at spitting seeds. (I think he liked the fact that mom was approving of the act) He was trying to see how far he could "shoot" them. And now he keeps checking to see if we have any watermelons growing in our back yard.

Happy Birthday Natalie

I'm back!!! I haven't fixed my computer, but I am at my moms house and hers is working well with my camera. I am going to try and catch up while I am here.



First, our little baby turned 2 on June 14th! Amazing, I can't even believe that she is not my baby anymore. She is getting so big. She is my most independent child ever. She has to do everything herself and if she doesn't watch out temper. Yes, she has a temper! She is our little other mother at the house. She will hover over the boys if they are crying and then if I am trying to get them to do something she is right there repeating everything I say to them. Her vocabulary is much bigger than the boys' were at this age. She loves to talk and have the attention on her. Her big thing right now is to convince everyone that she is funny and then laugh like she is the funniest! Last night we were driving back to my parents house after a long day at Yellowstone Park. It was about 9:30 and I thought for sure she would be asleep. I asked my husband, who was sitting next to her, if she was asleep and before he could respond I heard Natalie say, "still awake!" We all busted up, it was hilarious. And of course she laughed along with us. I love our little Natalie. She is so much fun to be with, even with her phases she is going through, she is a little sweetheart. I think it melts Gabriel's heart when he walks through the door, anytime, to hear "Daddy!" She will run to him and wrap her little arms around his legs. It makes My heart melt! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!!!
After the birthday bash!












The frosting did a little tinting to Nat, she loved her cake

I'm not going to blink

I love the songs that have deep meaning, what can I say I am a hopeless romantic.
First, let me apologize about the lack of posts. I have some really cute pics that I want to put up, but something happened to our computer and now I can't download my photos. I am working on that problem and hopefully will have that resolved shortly.
But in the mean time I had to post tonight to record a tender moment that I don't want to forget. My younger son had a rough day making some not so good choices and was in time out twice today. This evening after bath time we had a disobedience issue and he lost a privilege. He was, to say the least, upset. (Add in a very tired little boy and you get lots of tears!) He begged and begged for the privilege back, and I almost caved. It was breaking my heart to see him so upset. I picked him up in my arms and walked him to his room where we read scriptures and had prayer. He cried some more when I asked Heavenly Father to help Evan's little heart be comforted. After I got the others in bed I came back and laid by him and his brother. (Ev didn't want to sleep in his bed, so the two boys were sharing a sleeping bag on the floor.) It was so sweet and wonderful to have both my boys there snuggled up to me. I love my little family. And though at times it is tough to be a parent, it is wonderful to comfort them and help them to see a bigger picture. I definitely did not "blink" as the country song would say.
I will post pics as soon as I can.

Cute bugs!

This is my cute little bug. My mom got her this outfit and it makes her look so grown up. When my husband saw her in this he couldn't believe how big it made her look. They grow up too fast.











These two were so excited to find a bug on our little tree. They were playing discovery and finding all sorts of things this day. But this was their greatest find! I love spring time when everything is new and exciting.

Sunday afternoons

This is our sunday afternoons after church. The other sunday I actually got a nap in and when I woke up my boys wanted to show me what they had created. I am not exactly sure what it was suppose to be, but let me say that for the next week I found tape and yarn everywhere in their playroom!! Creativity does have its price!









Yesterday after church Evan is suppose to be changing his clothes and he comes out and says to me, "Mom, look at my superman costume!" He was very proud of himself.











At night it is a treat to pop popcorn, since we just got a new air popper. And it is the only kitchen appliance that my daughter is not terrified over. Anything else that plugs in she is scared stiff and is frozen in place shaking hysterically! But this is a fun thing, if you can't tell from her face.









We love Sundays!!!

Easter activities

Saturday before Easter was our Egg Hunt. Nat loved the Easter bunny, but not our boys. I could not get either one to go near him. And Nat couldn't get enough of him, she just kept walking up to him and resting her head on his lap. It was really cute! Then she found a lady there that had these cute little baby ducks. She and I fell in love with them. I wanted to get one so bad, they were only $10. It seemed like the perfect pet. You keep it for 6 weeks and then take it down to our lake and realease it and you can visit it when you want. My kind of pet. But my husband predicted something bad would happen to the poor thing. Then I read a friends blog (who had 2 baby chicks) and just as my husband had said is what happened to both her chicks. But they were so darned cute!!












Easter Eve I went to check on our kids and this is what I found on the boys top bunk. How can that be comfortable! If I slept like that I would be absolutely sore in the morning. He is hilarious.














I could not get my kids together for an Easter shot on Sunday morning. But I definitely wanted to get one of Nat. I have discovered that I love her in green. She is so darned fun to dress up and she loves for you to tell her that she is pretty.
I never take enough pictures when it is all said and done. I need to just go picture crazy. It is better to have too many than not enough!!