Flaming Gorge

Andy got Memorial day off-I know crazy right, a day off on a Holiday working in retail!-it doesn't happen very often. We decided to take advantage of both Andy and Maddie being home and we headed to Flaming Gorge-about an hour from our house. It was a fabulous day! We all had so much fun. We went on trails (Maddie's favorite part), threw rocks in the water, fished, had a picnic, and just enjoyed being outside in a beautiful place all day long. The rain didn't start till about the time we were leaving, so it worked out nicely. We spent most of our time at Browne Lake-very picturesque!

Some of the places were high up, rocky, or very close to water. So with my fearless little girl running around, you would have heard a lot of me hollering out to her. If I let her, that girl would get as close to the edge as possible, or run and jump as fast as she could!

throwing rocks-

Maddie liked to find the biggest rocks possible to throw in-

Garen fishing-

Sophie even got in on some of the fishing action-

After Maddie crossed the log, I almost fell in trying to cross-

Our little rock climbing hiker; she always had to be in front leading the way-

I love this picture because it shows how many bugs there were. The camera focused on all those bugs instead of Maddie-

Happy little fisher girl-

picnic time-

Sophie was pretty good considering we were dragging her around everywhere with the sun in her eye, or the wind blowing in her face, or bugs flying around.-

Andy was skipping rocks in the water and Maddie wanted to try. Her aim was off and she ended up throwing her rock at Garen's head. Then Garen looks up in the tree wondering what hit him. Excuse my loud laughs, it was pretty funny!-

COULD THERE BE A WORSE TIME TO WALK OUT OF WALMART?

I just have to share my story from last week.

I ran to walmart to grab some things we needed. When we got there is was 83 degrees outside and sunny. The kids were in shorts and no jackets. It took us about an hour to get everything.

In the checkout line we started hearing very loud, building shaking thunder. Sophie was crying, Garen was spinning the grocery bag thing around so the lady couldn't get the stuff in the bags. Then I checked my phone for the time-3:20! I had ten minutes to finish checking out load my car and the kids and make it to Maddie's school to pick her up!

We book it to the front doors where several people are just standing there. When I got through the people, I found out why they were all standing there. It was pouring rain! I mean soak you to the bone in 3 seconds kind of rain. There was lightning and the wind was blowing like crazy. I didn't have a choice but to run for it! Of course the van was not close (it never is at Walmart). I covered Sophie with her blanket, picked up Garen and just ran. As my hair whipped in my face, my soaked shirt clung to my skin, my makeup smeared, and my flip flop covered feet dripping, we ran to the van.
It didn't stop there-we got to the van but of course I couldn't just jump in. I put the kids in, buckled them up and then proceeded to put all the bags (which were filled with water) in the back.

When I finally got in the van I felt like some one had just dumped two of those huge drink coolers on me after winning a big game. All I could do was laugh. My laughter make Garen's worried wet face turn into a smile as well.

We got to Maddie's school just in time. And of course, it was no longer raining. I got out of the van to get Maddie, who then looks at me and says. "Why are you so wet, it's not even raining?!"

Great story right-well it didn't end there. We got home and had approximately 10 minutes to unload the groceries and put them away, feed Sophie, change my clothes, and get Maddie's swimming suite on to make it to swimming lessons!
We were late, but we made it out the door. As I pulled away I pushed the button for the garage door to close, and off it goes slipping off the runners and the top corner falling in! I just drove away trying to forget about it.

Then after lessons, Garen just decided he had enough of walking. So all the way from the locker room, down the hall, up a bunch of stairs, through the front doors, down a bunch of stairs, across the street, and into the parking lot I carried crying Sophie in her car seat and 36 pound whining Garen in the other arm. Lets just say I was wet again when we got to the van, but not from the rain this time.
It was just one of those days that having 3 kids just isn't that fun.

Garen

A few things about Garen lately-

-Garen finally talked to his swimming teacher. It took three weeks of lessons and on the last day he finally talked to her and did the things she asked. He also finally got brave enough to put on a life jacket and let go of me. When he learned how fun it was to swim where he wanted to all by himself that's all he wanted to do.

-We had a new loaf of french bread that I left on the counter. I went upstairs to get Sophie and when I came back down he had it on his lap on the couch. I went to get it and realized the entire inside of the loaf was gone! Smart boy just eats the best parts.

-Whenever we go somewhere Garen grabs one of his 5 hats. Then he names that hat after the place we are going. It's his swimming hat, his girl scouts hat, his store hat, his park hat, and so on.

-Garen is very into making everything for boys. When I asked if he wanted to watch Madagascar he said he wants to watch 'boygascar.' If Maddie plays with something it is automatically a girl toy.

-Garen came downstairs and ran for his sister. He gave Maddie giant hug and said, "you're my best friend!" Garen also insists on calling Maddie, puppy. They play dogs alot, but he gets mad when we talk to Maddie without calling her puppy.

-Garen got to go to yet another birthday party. When I or anyone says, 'you'll be 3 soon, he gets mad and says I'm Two!!' There has been several of the same people at the last few birthday parties and they have given Garen the award of messiest cake eater. That's my boy!

-Garen's favorite game to play right now is the 'where's Garen Game.' It consists of me saying where's Garen while he hides in the Ottoman or behind the couch.

-One of Garen's favorite things to do right now is play the computer. He loves the Alphabet Express game the best.

-we just got this little picnic table today. We thought it would be nice with all the up coming parties and extra little kids around with no place to sit. Both the kids love it already!

Sit'n Pretty

Okay she falls over after about 10 seconds, but she's getting better at sitting up each week.

Enjoying the nice weather

We have been loving the warm weather and minimal wind lately. We've had several picnics, gone to the park, rode bikes, and played in the yard. We're actually getting some good grass growing in the back so its not so muddy and dirty. My kids usually go to bed at 8pm but the last couple nights is has just been to perfect outside so we've enjoyed being outside before the weather turns on us.

Madelyn

Maddie is growing up way to quickly! I can't believe she is almost done with Kindergarten and that she will be turning 6 in a couple weeks! Just a couple things lately concerning Maddie:

-She tried out for a community play called Pioneer Legacy. She got in as a dancer and can't wait to perform in July.

-During red ribbon week she got to dress up as a gymnast (something she wants to be when she grows up), wear a jersey for team spirit day, and the funnest one was crazy hair day-

-Maddie is loving swimming lessons, but taking her 4 times a week is wearing on me. She swam to the bottom of the 4 foot pool yesterday and retrieved 2 toys-she's getting very good.

-When Maddie isn't at school, swimming, or girl scouts, she wants to ride her bike. She loves the dirt hill by our house. She slowly pedals to the top and then screams as she flies down it.

-Maddie tells me she's getting so big she's almost a grownup. She thinks she's old enough to do everything by herself and doesn't think I should always be near supervising.

-She's reading chapter books and really loves the Junie B Jones books. And she is also very good at reading verses in the Book of Mormon without help.

-Maddie wants shorts and a t-shirt everyday, hates socks and shoes, never wants her hair combed or done, and is content sitting in a pile of mud in the back yard. That's my girl.

-We've been playing baseball a lot lately at our house and Maddie has gotten to the point where she can smack that ball clear across the road and into the dirt field. To bad I missed t-ball sign ups this year.