New Picturs

Here are the newest pictures of the boys. I only was planning on getting Parker's five month picture (we do pictures every month) but Hayden begged to have his taken too.

Of course the day we had scheduled he was covered with scratches. But he usually is.

Memorial Day

I love to visit cemeteries on Memorial Day. Growing up, my family drove to Idaho every year to visit my great grandparents' graves. I have so many wonderful memories of those trips. I am grateful to be able to have a place to go and think about and celebrate Scott. (check out Scott's blog)

After visiting Scott's grave we went to my grandpa's grave and to lunch with Grandma Great. Then we went to Joe's Uncle's grave and his grandparents. I hope Hayden and Parker will always know that Memorial Day is not just a day off work/school to have a barbecue to kick of summer. It is time to think of those who have gone before us.

When we were finished visiting cemeteries we had a great evening with Joe's family.

We played Boccie.

Hayden got Grandpa to do whatever he said.

Most importantly we celebrated Jill's birthday with chocolate cake and home-made strawberry ice cream. Unfortunately Jill was in Europe and missed her own party.

Little Gym-Winter/Spring 2009

Hayden just finished another session at Little Gym. We really enjoy it! It is fun to see how much he can do by himself now. When we started Little Gym he wasn't even walking yet.

Canyons

Wednesday evening we went up the canyons for dinner with Joe's parents, Jason, Anne, and Eliza. It was such a lovely evening. We had a simple dinner and let the little ones climb the mountain, throw rocks in the raging river, and get nice and dirty.

Wheeler Farm

Joe's mom is tending his sister's children while they are out of town. So we decided to have a picnic and see the animals at Wheeler Farm.

I need to be better about taking pictures of Parker. The problem is he always wants to be held and so he is always in the snugglie, therefore he never gets his picture taken since I am the one who takes the pictures. Poor Parky.

Thanksgiving Point Farm

On Monday we went with my cousin and two of her children to thanksgiving Point Farms. I had never taken Hayden there before. In the morning I told him we were going to see the animals. He said, "The zoo?" I told him no we were going to the farm and he could ride a pony. To which he responded, "Hayden ride the sheep?" We told him that when we go to the rodeo next year he will get to ride the sheep (Mutton Bustin').

It was fun to see the baby animals. We saw chicks, duckings, piglets, baby goats.

This man was cleaning out one of the stables and Hayden was watching. He walked over to Hayden and told him he could sit on the truck with him. He let him ride with him to the next stable. I think it was a toss up which he liked more, riding on the truck or the horse.

I love the sign on the fence. "Please Do Not Feed Your fingers to the Horses."

Cowboy Up

Last weekend we went to the Rodeo with my parents. They had the Kiddie Corral before the rodeo started. I had such a great time watching Hayden. He was definitely the cutest cowboy there.

Getting ready for stick horse barrel racing

Racing

Riding the bull

Roping the steer

Petting the pony

Wishing he could drive the tractor

Posing

Searching the straw for candy

Showing his loot

Watching the rodeo with Grandma and Papa

Checking out the herd

The End!

Happily Ever After

In Sunday School this week we talked about the Plan of Salvation. This quote by President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve was read at the end of the lesson. I loved it!

“There are three parts to the plan. You are in the second or the middle part, the one in which you will be tested by temptation, by trials, perhaps by tragedy. …

“Remember this! The line ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ is never written into the second act [of a play]. That line belongs in the third act, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right. …

“Until you have a broad perspective of the eternal nature of [the plan], you won’t make much sense out of the inequities in life. Some are born with so little and others with so much. Some are born in poverty, with handicaps, with pain, with suffering. Some experience premature death, even innocent children. There are the brutal, unforgiving forces of nature and the brutality of man to man. We have seen a lot of that recently.

“Do not suppose that God willfully causes that which, for His own purposes, he permits. When you know the plan and the purpose of it all, even these things will manifest a loving Father in Heaven” (The Play and the Plan [satellite broadcast, 7 May 1995], 1–2).