Colorado Trip

We were blessed enough to be able to spend a few days in Colorado before school started this year. As always, the time went by way to fast and it was hard saying goodbye. It definitely made me want to wish away the year to 2 years that will have to pass before we can live closer to our families. It was so great watching my kids get to play with their cousins and see the special bond cousins always seem to have. We felt very welcome and right at home from the beginning. I am mad that I didn't get pictures of the trip Diana and I took with our kids to the pool. It was kind of an ordeal getting there since all of the ones in our area were closed. Our kids were so excited though so we searched our brains and Diana finally found an indoor one in Downtown Littleton that ended up being really fun! There was a wave pool (I think) and the kids loved it! I just remember going in there with them and it seemed like it was nonstop splashing, running and keeping kids' heads above water, very chaotic, but definitely worth it to see how much fun they were having.

These are just some random photos that i took and some of them are pretty blurry, but we were having so much fun, I didn't take the chance to get better ones.

Thanks everyone for a great couple of days! :)

Fun in the sun with the Lowes

We had a fun day with our friends the Lowe's a while back. Christy and I were roommates and I feel so lucky that we live close enough now that our kids can play and we can still hang out! Great friendships last through the ages! :)

They have a fun backyard and combine that with the element of water and we had the perfect afternoon. It is fun to watch our kids get along so well. Kaci and her youngest, Sophie, are only a few months apart (maybe one?) and hopefully they will grow up being good friends.

Thanks for lunch, a fun day, and some great memories guys!

Pioneer Day Highlights and Lowlights

Our Pioneer Day...

Highlights:

• Winning free passes to the pool for the kids' completing all the pioneer activities
• Buying frozen bananas covered in chocolate and sharing them with my kids and remembering when I ate them in Disneyland so long ago as a kid. (Mason, Carter, and Kaci had to eat the bananas up before they could get their coveted treat - cotton candy) haha
• Watching my boys compete in a root beer chugging contest, and Mason standing on his chair and jumping when the Elder in charge yelled "chug, chug, chug" because he thought he said "Jump, jump, jump" :)
• Country music being played by the band in the park.
• Watching my kids enjoy themselves
• Having missionaries dressed in western and pioneer attire help the kids with the activities.
• Free bottles of water available!
• Carter's favorite- panning for gold and Mason's favorite - being in jail.
  
• Kaci's favorite - riding in the stroller and spending time with her brothers doing big kid things. :)
  

Lowlights: :)

• David having to work and be at clinicals all day and night the night before, day of, and night of so we had to go daddy and husband-less.
• BOTH of my boys getting lost at one time or another. Mason was just going to turn his paper in for a prize and i found him quickly. I was very scared by the time we found Carter. We were playing at the park and he lost sight of me 'cuz i was helping Mason on the monkey bars. he tried to go back to the car (but I didn't know that's what he was doing). We (Me dragging Mason and Kaci) looked frantically all over and finally went to the information booth, where just when we walked up, a volunteer came up carrying Carter. She said she saw him lying on the sidewalk by the crosswalk. I think he was too afraid to cross the street by himself (thank goodness) and was just waiting for us. I am very grateful that my frantic silent prayers were answered that day and we were able to find Carter!
• Getting yelled at by the owner of the old fashioned fire truck 'cuz Mason was on the top of it. I honestly didn't think about it that that might not be a good idea. :(
• Forgetting to go to the petting zoo! I can't believe I did that. We were just so tired I guess, but I still can't believe that I forgot!
  

Mason is a whole handful!

I know I always say how late my posts are, but I couldn't not post about Mason's "whole handful" birthday. On June 6, Mason turned 5! He has eagerly awaited his birthday and was excited to have his first birthday party with friends! When we went to get a pinata, he instantly chose the Sponge Bob one, and that made it easy to decide what cake to request Daddy to make! As you can see, it was quite the success.

At his birthday, we played toss the sponge (soaked with water), catch the jelly fish (with butterfly nets and balloons), and fish, fish, shark (duck, duck, goose), hunting for buried treasure in the sand box, and of course jumping on the tramp. We also had a pin the tail on the donkey game that we lost at the last minute. Just a few days ago it mysteriously appeared, just in the middle of the hallway, still trying to figure that one out. I think Kaci had something to do with it, but that's just a hunch. :)

The pictures are out of order, but on Mason's actual birthday, we took the kids to a place called Pirate's Island. Luckily I had purchased a Groupon for that a while ago, so it wasn't too expensive. It's kind of like Chuck E. Cheese, but with pirates. I was very UNimpressed with the food, but didn't really expect to be impressed, so that's okay. Aaron and Cindy were able to meet us there so that made it extra fun for Mason. He was VERY excited to get money from his Great Grandpa and Grandma Park, as you can maybe tell from the picture.

I will do a whole post on memorable things about Mason at this stage and sign off on this one now just so that I can get it posted!