October Break

Bryant and the Kids at This is the Place Monument. It was cold of us AZ people. Max was sick and this picture tells the story of the vacation - Max off by himself not feeling great and the rest of us doing okay.

Madi and Maya on the bridge at the resort. It was sunny and beautiful!

Rapier Cousins - lots of fun sliding down the stairs!

Maya posing at the park. There were other kids playing too, but none of them had sweatshirts on.

The week of Octber 12th thru 16th, we had October break from school. So on Saturday the 10th, the kids and I drove up to Utah to spend a week at East Canyon Resort. It is up in the Mountains behind Salt Lake.

Bryant flew up Monday night. We saw my parents and his parents on Tuesday night when we all had dinner together. Thursday we went into Salt Lake and met up with our "cousins" and played Frisbee golf and had dinner at Hires. Thursday, Bryant took Madi fishing and they eve caught soon.

We went home on Friday and we glad to be home and sleep in our own beds.

Max is 7 and I can't believe it!

On October 2nd, Max turned 7 years old! I can't believe that he is already 7. It seemed just like yesterday that he was born! What a joy he has been in our family and we love him!!!

Bryant made Max a baseball glove birthday cake! We had a family party and Max had lots of fun.

Here is a better picture of the cake. Max did say the funniest thing - I asked him how it felt to be 7, he said - not much different, maybe I will feel older tomorrow!

We love Max and love his smile, laugh and love of life!!!

Scuba Anyone?

Madi has now done something that neither Bryant or I have not done. She went scuba diving for a birthday party. Here she is under the water and loving it!

She freaked out only once when they first started. She is getting help from the instructor.

Getting much more comfortable under the water. What a fun way to celebrate your birthday!

Another picture - she is in the back just kind of hanging out in the water.

Swimming around with the birthday boy - a son of one of Bryant's coworkers

Madi had a great time and asked Bryant if she could do it for her birthday in June. We are so glad that Madi got to do something fun and new! She had a great time.

Boys.......

I have been a mom for more than 8 years now and I have just come to really understand how truly different boys are from girls.

My son has learned things lately that Madi never has even thought of. Max is acting up in ways that Madi never has. He knows what is right but sometimes forgets immediately after I tell him.

I love Max. His smile makes me smile, he can make me laugh easier than anyone. He is sweet and caring and loving...

But he also knows what my buttons are and how to push them the quickest when he wants to.

If anyone has any suggestions in how to encourage a very active almost 7 yr old boy to behave- I am open for any and all.

First Day of School

Wednesday August 12th was the first day of school for Madi and Max. Madi (as she told me she wants to be called - no more Madison) is in 3rd grade and was so excited to go back to school and see her friends.

Max is in 1st grade and was excited to go back to school for recess, PE and lunch. He has had a good time seeing his old friends as well.

Maya was sad that they were starting school without her. She starts preschool in September and has to wait for a few more weeks. She has been bored without them.

Here they are at the bus stop with the other kids from the ward. On Wednesday they wanted me to walk them to the bus but on Thursday they wanted to walk all by themselves. I let them do it but I watched them the whole time until the bus came. They are growing up way to quick!!! Hope everyone else had a great first day of school!

Summer Vacation Part Two

Sorry that the pictures are out of order. Max at the Church History Museum building his own temple! He could have spent all day doing that! (7/31)

More of Max building... (7/31)

Kari and Maya after a long day of walking around and see lots of stuff. Very Tired!!! (7/29)

When we got to Salt Lake City, Wednesday we spent the day with Bryant's Parents who are serving a mission at the Church Office Building. We did lots of fun stuff. We went to the Church History Museum.

Madi, Maya and Grandma Karen tying a quilt at the Church History Museum. (7/31)

Thursday we drove up to Idaho Falls to see Bryant's Grandparents, Mike and Angie and Joy. Here is a picture of Bryant and Max on Granpa Dale's quad. They had a great time (7/30)

Here is Bryant with the girls coming in after their ride - do you think that Maya had a good time? I could hear her screaming (a good scream) before I could hear the quad coming. She had a great time and Madi drove them for some of it! (7/30)

Here we are at the Church History Museum. This is to show us the small compartment that the Saints had when they sailed from Europe to America. (7/29)

Outside of the Salt Lake Tempe where the Brides and Grooms stand to take their pictures. There sure were alot of them getting married that day! (Wednesday July 29th)

Bryant flew back home on Friday in order to go to work on Saturday. Kari and the kids saw her parents again as they came over for a JC Jensen (my granddad's family reunion). It was on Saturday at a park in SLC and we had a great time seeing cousins who we have not seen it a very long time.

Sunday morning came bright and early and found us in the van trying to get home as quick as possible without getting a speeding ticket. We were so happy when we pulled into our garage and could sleep in our own beds!

We had a great trip, added lots of miles to our van, watched lots of movies in the van as we did a circle from AZ to CO to WY to UT to ID to UT and finally home to AZ. We had so much fun seeing all of the friends and family that we saw and are grateful to each on of them for the time they spent with us!

We are very happy to be home and the kids are glad not to have to go for a long ride in the car for a while.

Summer Vacation Part One

We just got back from a long but very fun 10 day vacation! Here is the first part. On Thursday July 23rd, the kids and I along with my mom who flew down to AZ the night before, drove from Mesa to Lodge at Trout Creek (my parents home). We got out of the car and totally enjoyed the 60 degree weather!

The kids played and played and played some more. Here are Madi and Maya in the creek near their home.

They played dressup and had a parade!

Spent lots of time at 5 or so different parks. Madi mastered the monkey bars with...

Maya right behind her. They both loved doing them!

Max, however, preferred to go thru the tops of them instead. We stayed in Colorado until Tuesday July 28th. We left the beautiful cool weather where it rained almost every day and the kids had the best time. We drove through Wyoming, which they thought was very boring to Salt Lake City to pick up Bryant from the airport who had been at home the whole time we were gone. He stayed behind to work so that we could go and play and also he finished his school work.