My Five!

This is a wonderful idea. I saw this on a good friend of mine's blog (Hi Amanda, hope you don't mind if I copy...!!!) and I thought why haven't I thought of this before! I've been blessed with SO much, but it's easy at the end of the day to think of all that didn't go just right. SO starting now at the end of each of my posts I'm going to list "My Five." 

My Five:

1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints... because it's true. I've had many instances in the last while to share that with people, and it feels so good!  

2. Fire wood! I LOVE to lay in front a popping fire and just toast!!!

3. A wonderful husband who builds the BEST fires and makes the BEST hot chocolate!

4. Loving kids who know just what to do to make me smile... or cry!

5. Birthday's!!!! Because today is mine!

Especially now when we are experiencing such uncertainty, we all need a little "pick-me-up" each day, right!!!

Boots the Dog...!

Some of you may have had the privilege of knowing my family's dog, Boots... what a character. He really would never hurt a flea, although as he grew older, Boots had to prove that he wasn't a softy! You know the phrase "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" well that didn't apply to Boots, not even a little bit. Not only did he learn new tricks... many, many new tricks (and he's like 15 years old)... he became more crafty with each one. For instance:

• Boots is the only dog that has ever escaped from the dog pound in Fillmore... and he did it 3 times!
  
• He could somehow wriggle his way out of a full body harness (to this day we can't imagine how), so a leash around his collar was out of the question!
• Leashes and harnesses were easy for Boots. Nothing could contain this dog. Not even a dog house inside a completely inclosed area. First, he would climb on top of the dog house and somehow knock the chin-link fence from the roof just enough to get through. So with a HUGE pice of ply-wood on top to prevent that, he would wiggle out of a 8 inch hole that he furiously and diligently dug. I swear! The garage was the only place he couldn't conquer. Poor dog!
• Although afraid of lightening and thunder, a stampede of the neighbors angry horses only made him smile!
• He memorized my parents work schedule. He knew when they would leave in the morning for the office (my dad's a dentist and my mom runs things!!). So he would leave 5 mins. before they did so he could beat them there. He even knew that Thursday's was their day off... seriously, cause he'd stay home instead of trying to beat them to work.
• While he was at the office he was nothing but a pest. Chasing cars and barking at dogs in the back of pick-ups. (if this is how you know Boots, I'm really sorry).
• If that wasn't enough, he started terrorizing my parent's neighborhood. Eating people's dinner... before they did, ripping off the next door neighbor's truck fender...twice, and chasing the neighbor's horses and sheep just to name a few!

My parents can't figure out way he'd do these crazy things. I guess it all kind of started when we all  started leaving home. But the other day Boots' days of tricks came to an unfortunate end. He lived a completely full and busy life for a dog. He went on many hunting excursions, camp-outs, and trips to the farm (his favorite)! And now I'm sure he's re-chasing all of those turkey's and squirrel's that he'd already gotten before!! ;)

You'll be missed ol' Boots... by your family at least!!

Emma... our little princess!

If you have a daughter, you have a princess! Emma is becoming such a sweet girl. She loves making new friends no matter who they are. She's quite the ballerina as well twirling and leaping with every step (time for dance lessons I guess).

I asked Emma to "help daddy" get ready for church the other day and it looked like she did a pretty good job!

Bike rides are always longer then you expect. She takes time to look at and appreciate just about every rock and bug and flower (or weed... it all depends on how you look at it). Lately she quite enjoys  the dirt that ended up on the trail after the creek flooded over. She writes her name everywhere and thought way not the sidewalk too!

And believe it or not she really LOVES bed time. And who wouldn't if you had the crew she has to look forward to once she climbs in bed. In order (and it HAS to be in  order): Toby, the green hippo; Buddy, and brown and white puppy; Bunny, the pink bunny; Tony, the black and white tiger; and Pup, the tan and brown puppy, who sleeps on the pillow next to her. Sweet dreams!!!
She is a wonderful big sister and friend. We are so proud or our Emma Bear!

Tal... our little man!

Tal is so fun! He is a rolly-polly now that he's figured out now that rolling over really isn't so bad (he REALLY hated doing it up until now...). 

His favorite thing is his "play seat." The little seat turns so he can enjoy all the colorful creativity! 

He always stops at the mirror though and as you can see he really likes the person looking back at him!!!

He LOVES to be outside and go on walks with Emma.

And he ADORES his big sis. When she is in the room he has all eyes on her. His biggest smiles are always for Emma!! I'm so blessed to be their mother.

The Zoo!

The Fall is a great time to go to the St. Louis Zoo. We spent a fun day with Emma's friend Aubree, her mom Heather, and her sister Isabelle (what a good sport)!! ;) 

The first thing the girls had to see were the 5 brand new baby tiger. Now, as we watched this sweet, sweet mama and her babies I totally and 100% knew what she was thinking. Right before I took this picture she was trying to use the bathroom the way tigers do. All of a sudden she was pounced on by all 5 little ones. Everyone up above was saying, "Oh how cute!" Not me. That mama tiger was thinking "Are you serious!! I can't even use the bathroom by myself anymore. What the heck?! And to make it worse all these people saw it. I swear I just want to run and hide and leave these kids..., I mean cubs, so I can have some me time. AAAHHHHH!" We've all been there mama, we know!! 

Mission accomplished!! 

Apple Pickin'

We did such a fun thing the other day. We went with a few of our friends to an apple orchard and picked apples. This family opens up there orchard to the community so everyone can have the experience of picking our own apples! It brought back some great memories of my sister and I climbing our parents apples trees and eating more then we'd pick. There's nothing better to give you the fall tingles like eating an apple right from the tree!

So we hopped on the hay ride to the orchard and picked us a bushel (I'm actually eating one as I type this...yum, yum)! When we got back there was some fun things for the kids (and Matt!!) to do! We'll have to do this again next year!!

"Do we have enough yet... Let's get back to the goats!!!" thought Matt :)

I'm pretty sure Matt bought the goat food for Emma to use (or so he says...), but she got distracted. So Matt made a new friend... "William!" Matt doesn't look to disappointed though, does he?!

The rope maze:

Searching, searching...
Still looking...
Emma found the way!!!
They made it!!

Branson Trip

I just realized that I never posted these pictures about our trip to Branson, MO this summer. Oooppps!! We had such a fun time. Matt's whole family was there: Nate and his cute new wife Jasmine, G-pa and G-ma Coleman, Aunt Dita and us!! We had a crew, but we all had plenty of room in the house that we rented on Table Rock Lake. 

We took the jet skis, and the boat, and Nate and Jasmine were heading back to Utah after our stay so they had a U-Haul. With all of the recreational "fun" we were dragging behind each of our vehicles, we definitely looked like we were up to something (especially when they were all parted out in front of our house before we left...)!

Branson is quite the place. There is something for everybody: shows, shopping, water, amusement parks.... and I'm sure there's more! We spent the first day inside cause is was raining. Plus it was Matt's birthday, so we ate a yummy SMASHED Cardinals cake (not sure I'll tell that story-- but it was still really yummy)!! :) The next day we went into Branson for some shows, shopping, and food!! Day 3 was spent on the boat, jet skis, and pontoon boat (thanks to Dita)! And day 4 we were on our way home. It was such a fun trip and so nice to be with everyone. 

Here are some pics:

There was a great water fountain where we were shopping. Of course Emma couldn't resist putting her feet in. This amazing fountain was designed by the same person who did the one at the Bolagio in Las Vegas. It put on a pretty good show... but a little too loud for Miss Emma!!

Emma sees a snow cone vendor. Grandpa buys Emma a "blue" one. Emma loves it! Emma's blue!!
There are some really talented people in Branson and you can find them on every corner willing to share with you what they can do... like Danny the Clown. Now Danny doesn't have your ordinary every day talent. He can make just about anything with balloons!! I thought 'Oh how cute, he'll make Emma a little dog or something.' Oh no... not a dog for Emma, she asked for Cinderella! And she got it. He really was good. 

I did take a few pictures of Tal on this trip! Yeah for me! There was this crazy bean bag chair in the house were we stayed that Tal loved to lay on (you and see what I mean by crazy...hello red!!). 

(I played around a little with picture and this is what I got)
Oh the bunk-beds. Emma was obsessed with the bunk-beds. And she had to sleep on the top bunk, because she was sure she wouldn't fall out. Well you can see why she didn't... I padded her in there so good she didn't even have a chance!

We made some really great memories this summer!! It was filled with family, friends, and a whole bunch of family bonding in the car! Just wonderful. 

Now on to FALL!!! WAAAHHOOOO!