A Little Baby Love!

It is McKay's goal everyday to see how hard he can make Cannon Laugh! Cannon will get so tired from laughing that he will just lay his head down on the carpet!

Sending A Little LOVE to AMY!!!

Amy, my sister-in-law is starting college this week. I am so proud of her for raising such a fabulous family and having the courage to start college! We love you Amy and want you to know that we are proud of you and excited for you! When I told McKay that she was starting school too his question was so sweet: "Does she get to ride with me on the bus? Because if she did that would be sooo awesome"! The Boys were so excited to make this video for you! Thank you Amy for all of your love and support you are the most amazing mother, aunt, sister-in-law and friend! Good Luck & we can't say it enough WE LOVE YOU!!!

Yummy Slush

So, I was having a hard time deciding what to take around to our new neighbors. They have been so welcoming and helpful and I wanted to give them a little thank you! When it is over 100 degrees outside cookies just don't sound that good! So, I made them slush! This is my favorite slush recipe. It's a hand me down recipe - from my aunt Susan to my cousin Megan to me! So, it's a true family favorite! I had some people ask for the recipe so here it is!

1 Big Can Pineapple Juice

5-6 Smashed Bananas

1/2 Can Orange Juice Concentrate

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

4 Cups Sugar

4 Cups Warm Water

Mix the 4 Cups sugar and 4 Cups warm water and let sit and dissolve. While the water and sugar are setting blend the bananas in a blender - I add some of the pineapple juice to help them blend better. Once the sugar is dissolved add the remaining ingredients in and mix it well! It's really simple! I usually make a double batch because then I can just use one whole can of orange juice concentrate! And then I have a really good supply of it in the freezer! Mix the slush with 7-Up and enjoy! I usually just spoon it into a glass and enjoy it as we want it - you don't have to mix it all up at once. I have frozen it in freezer bags, tupper ware or ice cube trays - they all work well.

First Day Of School

Teacher gifts that I made with some cute flowers I got on Etsy!

The tag (another purchase from Etsy!) had cute little school buses on it!

McKay on his first day of Kindergarten

Waiting at the bus stop. Yes, I have sun glasses on for a reason! To hide the tears!

McKay and his little friend Parker waiting to get on the bus!

McKay with his bus driver Moe!

Carter Crying in the car the whole way home from the school! It was very traumatic for him!

Today was McKay's first day of school! A day that he has been looking forward to since Pre-school. He thought he got to ride the bus to pre-school... and was seriously disappointed when he didn't! So, he has been looking forward to the bus for 2 years! As we were waiting at the bus stop he kept saying "Mom, are you sure this is the right place... Because I really don't want you to drive me on my first day of school"! McKay was so excited and I was handling it o.k. but Carter.... Well, he had a total break down when McKay got on the bus and left! It was so sad as he just kept saying "I don't want McKay to go to school he is my best friend" over and over again! So, we got in the car and drove to the school to watch him meet his teacher and I thought that would help Carter. He was o.k. until it was time for McKay to go into the school and for us to leave that's when the break down happened again! McKay saw him crying and ran back to us to comfort him! I could tell that McKay was just so torn with what he should do. After a minute of the teacher waiting for him he said to me "Mom, I guess I don't need to go to school... I can stay with Carter"! That's when I lost it! I was so proud of him! He is always so true to Carter! I have tried to teach him that there is no one more important to him than his brother (other than his parents of course!). So, to see him in that moment and to know how long he had waited to be there - it was so sweet to see him choose his brother! I almost took him up on it because I wasn't ready for him to go either! But, I gave him a hug and told him how proud I was of him and sent him through the door! Carter continued to cry the whole way home - about 5 miles! I just keep looking at the clock wondering what it is exactly that he is doing in this moment! But, excited for him and proud of him more than anything!

Reason To Celebrate!

My Dad called one day and told me that I needed to come back to Idaho. I had only been here in Saint George for 2 weeks and it was so hard to be away with Travis still in the hospital. I had planned to be back there by myself this week - But, my Dad thought it was too long to wait. I needed to come then. So, the boys and I loaded up again and headed back to Idaho Falls! I am so glad that I didn't wait! The day that we got there Travis was given a day pass to leave the hospital! We were able to bring him to my parents house who live close to the hospital for the afternoon. My Dad drove the car around to the back yard and we were all waiting for him! We all just sat in amazement as we watched him and ate a celebratory watermelon (One of Travis's favorite summer treats). I just sat and stared at him - truly struggling to find words to even speak! I spent the week with him doing his morning routine. I would go and get him out of bed and eat breakfast with him and stay with him during his speech, physical and occupational therapies. It was such a special time that I got to spend with him. Often times Jason would join us and I really enjoyed the time that I got to spend with just my brothers. I've always thought that we were so different - but, as I have got to spend this time with them and through the summer it's scary how much we are alike! I can't even put into words how humbling it was watching Travis recapture his life. It's humbling to ponder the miracles that have happened to bring him back to us. The Lord truly has a special mission for him to fulfil in this life. I have never been as scared as I was on June 10 when I got the first call to come to Idaho Falls as fast as I could. I would rate it the worst day of my life. But, last Friday it came full circle as I left the hospital for the last time. As I walked out I wondered how many times I had gone in and out of those doors in the last 2 months... multiple times a day! But, that would be the last time because Travis was going home too! Friday August 7, 2009 more than 8 weeks from the accident Travis got to go home! He still has A LOT of recovering to do. Many weeks of therapy and many more hard times. But, I am convinced that he will continue to amaze us all! In fact, the doctors have even said there is a good chance that he will be teaching at the college again in January! He will make a full recovery with a new "magic leg" as McKay calls it! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers for my family. This has truly rocked us to the core... But, through this we have learned to love, appreciate, understand and depend on each other so much more. I have had a lot of people tell me that this has been a rough year for me... I have moved twice to different cities, had a baby, dealt with some family health issues and had Travis's accident... I can see that I could choose to think that is has been a rough year. However, I am choosing to look at it this way: At this time when so many people are without jobs I am grateful that my husband has one even if it has caused us to move twice, I had a baby and as crazy as that was with going back and forth to Idaho to have him he is healthy and strong and a blessing to me, My family as a whole is healthy and my brother... Well, my Brother is a miracle! It was truly a tragedy but he is alive and Emily is alive and we will get them through this. So, I am choosing to see the hand of the Lord in all of this and to be grateful for the blessings that I do have.

Reason To Celebrate!

My parents have a swing in their tree that the kids love to swing in. But, when they all get together it's a lot of kids waiting their turn! So, my Dad made a double decker!!! The funny thing is that Carter was the only one of the smaller kids who dared to ride up top! So, he got to keep going and going! At first I was a little nervous that it would turn into one of those "you were doing what with your child" as you are at the emergency walk in clinic! But, it was a huge success!

The kids all waiting their turns to ride on the new and improved swing!

Jackson giving Cannon love! Jackson was my saving grace this summer! He was such an amazing help to me with my boys! Most of all Cannon - he knew how to feed him, make him happy and even how to swaddle him correctly! I loved catching him telling everyone how to take care of him! He would get my keys out of the car and lock it up each night for me, he would run errands with me and even hit Sonic for drinks with me! Thank you Jackson I love you and appreciate you so much! I loved all of our little talks!

The kids have got to spend a lot of time together this summer with me living at Jason and Amy's and helping out with the girls as much as possible. But, this day was a special day and the kids could sense it as much as anyone! Travis was with us even just for a few hours... it was still amazing!

Our Little Adventure!

The night before we were leaving Idaho Falls last week my Dad decided to take us fishing. I grew up fishing with my family and have a lot of good memories on the river bank! I really appreciate the efforts that my parents take to make special memories with my children. McKay caught three fish all by himself - he casted, set the hook and reeled them in! Carter helped Grandpa a couple times and loved it but didn't want to have anything to do with touching one of them! And Cannon just took a little nap! The boys not only had a good time fishing but threw rocks, waded in the water and went on adventures up and down the river bank. Thank you Mom and Dad for all you do for us - But, most of all thank you for all the time you spend with us! We love you!

Happiness = Ice Cream!

We were eating dinner out on the padio one night when we heard the ice cream truck! McKay knew instantly what it was and got so excited! I will totally admit that I bribed my kids and told them if they ate their whole dinner without complaining they could get ice cream - which they did. So, they went out and sat on the driveway and waited patiently for quite awhile! James and I started worrying that we had missed it... So, he was good enough to get in his car to go track him down! I had to laugh when I looked up the road and I saw James in his car and the ice cream truck following him to our house! What a Goood Dad!!! So, now the boys do extra jobs to earn quarters to buy ice cream from the ice cream truck every Tuesday night!

Brothers!

How fun is it to play army if you don't have a comrade? My parents got McKay army clothes for his birthday and my Dad was smart enough to think about Carter! So, the day after McKay's birthday he gave Carter his army clothes! Carter almost died he was so excited to feel so big like McKay! There is a park across the street from my parents house that has an old tank that the boys spent quite a bit of time on in their army attire! So, as you can imagine it is all about army at our house right now!

What Would You Do Without A Grandpa?

My parents have a HUGE maple tree in their back yard that is fabulous for shade but seriously causes me so much stress... Stress because my kids are always convinced that they need to be climbing it and always end up with cuts and scrapes. So, one afternoon McKay decided that the thing to do was to make a ladder! Grandpa thought it was a great idea and the two of them had a little moment doing their project! AND I had a little moment watching them! Thanks Dad!

24th of July

McKay didn't weigh enough to handle the firehose on his own - it would knock him off of his feet!

This is McKay's little friend Caden who lives behind us. They have really become good little buddies! This was their little "huddle" when they were playing football and as always McKay is always so true to not leave Carter out.

Running to go on the slide...

McKay coming right behind him.

Cuteness!

The 24th of July is a big holiday here in Utah as we celebrate the Pioneers. Our ward had a little party at the park and if you want to have a party outside in the middle of the summer in Saint George one thing is a must... WATER! The boys had a lot of fun shooting the firehoses, playing football and playing on the water slide.