Yellowstone!

 What is a summer without Yellowstone?! Last Saturday was the free park weekend for national parks. So we got Craig and Alyssa to come up for the weekend (Alyssa and the kids have never been to yellowstone.) We stopped at Mesa Falls on our way to yellowstone. And there was a rainbow off the waterfall it was gorgeous! 

Mesa Falls

 Family picture opportunity. Too bad the sun was way too bright.

After mesa falls we headed to yellowstone the LONG way around where you go through quake lake...not my idea I didn't want to go cuz it's not much to look at, but I was out voted. Anyways when we finally got into the park one of the first little road stops we made this little friendly chipmunk was running up to us for food.

 He got sooo close. I'm sure they get fed alot by people. We didn't find him though. Just took pictures. The kids LOVED it lol

 Saturday was a cold and rainy snowy weekend in Yellowstone! So all that was out were the Buffalo.

 Gotta love those buffalo. All the other animals were hiding. 

 This was one of the stops where you can get out and walk the board walks and see all the hot pots and stuff going on out here! 

 Cool blue pool. That blue water although you think it wouldn't be that hot is actually close to 300degrees!

 Jacob was plugging his nose because of the sulfur smell! hahaha so funny! lol 

                                                    Fountain Paint Pots! Looks like bubbling clay!

                                                                This was a creepy steaming hole!

 A little geyser just bubbling and blowing! :) I LOVE my new camera it captured some pretty great pictures this weekend. 

Lyman (lee's brother) and his fiance Amie! 

Getting married August 16th in the Idaho Falls Temple. Yay! 

Ol' Faithful! 

We froze our butts off...and our hands and our ears and toes....waiting for Ol' Faithful he was a little late but that's ok. He put on a good show!

 Maddie                          Craig                                                  Alyssa                       Jacob
                                                        in front of ol' faithful.

More Buffalo!!!! This time we got super close! These guys walked right past our car. They had crossed the river and were coming towards us and then ended up crossing the road.

just moseying along

These two guys in the back decided to start fighting and butting heads! haha SO COOL!

Still fighting.

And then there leader had crossed the road and they were a little behind so they ALL decided to start running! They looked like they were going to charge into Robert and Kandice's car behind us! haha

On the way back out of the park there was a big close group of these buffalo with babies! so cute. These ones were kissing noses :) 

Lookin' kinda patchy shedding their winter fur

passed out from all the fun.

We had fun in Yellowstone even though it did snow. We didn't get to do everything I had originally planned. Because of our stupid detour through quake lake but we'll just save that for next time. I just don't like it when my plans get interrupted for something dumb like a caved in road. not cool. oh well I'll get over it someday right?! haha Maybe next time we go up it won't be snowing. :) 

Baby Sophie

My newest niece is here! My brother's daughter Sophie!!! The first granddaughter! She is absolutely the cutest little thing ever! I can't wait to go and kiss her and love on her! Look at those cheeks!

 She was born June 5th 2012 at 5:11am 6lbs 14oz

                                                                  Little cuddle bug!

                                                   GG and her newest grandbaby!

Great and Terrible.

Oh man I don't even know where to begin. Yesterday was a great and terrible day. It was great because my brother  in law proposed and I'm going to have a new sister in law!!! Definitely excited for that! :) Now here's the terrible part.....brace yourself it really is horrible. I just feel like I need to get all my feelings about it written out and hopefully it'll help me calm down and feel better...I dunno....have I freaked you out yet? Ok sorry...just so you know ahead of time our family is great we're all good...I'm freaked out but good...

Yesterday the kids and I were out. I was riding my bike and we just got a new 2 seater bike trailer and they were riding in the back. We'd been out riding around and I turned the corner onto my road and all of  a sudden I hear a lawn mower being shut off and frantic and terrified cussing and swearing and a kid crying. And my neighbor across the street is trying to get the riding lawn mower off of his grandsons foot. I don't know exactly how the grandson got there or how it happened. But it looked like he was done mowing and putting it back in the garage but something happened and the lawn mower got his grandsons foot. The grandpa picked him up ran inside the house the grandma met him at the door and screamed when she saw what'd happened. I could see his foot was all bloody but I could still see his toes. I was in complete shock.

 Bianca ( our lady renting our upstairs) came out to see what was going on. I told her what happened and she ran over there to go help. The Police showed up and actually stopped at our house ( I was still standing outside just staring at the house sick with worry for the little boy and waiting to hear anything from Bianca. The boy is probably about 5years old.) He asked about the lawn mower accident and I quickly pointed him to their house. Bianca came out and told me it looks like he was going to be ok that they think it just got the top of his foot but that the grandparents were both crying and just really shaken (obviously). A couple minutes later the ambulance showed up and by the time the carried him out to the ambulance to take him to the hospital his crying had slowed and calmed down a lot...I'm assuming it's because shock was setting in and he couldn't feel too much pain. I'm not sure. But let me tell you. Coming upon a horrendous accident like that right as it's all happening is purely terrifying. All I could do after it happened was go inside and cry. I just went to my room and sobbed. That might sound weird cuz it wasn't one of my kids or anything but that's all I could to even attempt to make the sickening frightening feeling even begin to go away. I'm crying even as I'm writing this and I feel dumb. I think it'll just take time to get over it all. My brain just keeps re playing it in my mind and although I didn't see exactly how it happened I think the after math of everyone's voices and reactions is what is keeping it so fresh in my mind and so terrifying.  I know he's going to be ok and I said several prayers for him in my head as it was all happening. But I think with having kids of my own it has just really really scared me. I hate when anything happens to my kids and any kids in general. And this was like a worse nightmare coming true. I don't like my kids outside when lee mows the lawn anyways just because you never know when something can happen. We just have a push mower but still. Things do happen. I'm just so grateful we've been so blessed that we've never had any accidents like this not even close. Bianca called me later that night (we were in Rexburg celebrating Lee's brother's engagement and although I didn't feel like going or doing anything that night I figured going and getting it off my mind would be the best and it did help.) Anyways Bianca called me to let me know that she talked to her friend, who is related to our neighbor and his grandson, and that the little boy had broken all the bones in his foot and he was going into surgery that night. They also couldn't find the little boy's big toe bone so he is probably going to lose his big toe. But compared to what could of happened (did I mention he was barefoot when this happened) I was so relieved to hear it. I'm still freaked out but not as bad as yesterday. It'll just take time and I feel better after writing this out. Even though I've told the story several times I think writing has been the biggest help. Yesterday I was so confused feeling so many different and extreme emotions at once all I could do to react was cry. It's totally different hearing horrible stories like this than actually witnessing them. I don't think anything I've experienced could have prepared me for this experience and that sheer feeling of terror. I don't even know what more I can say about it. It's just insane. And I'm going to beg all of you to please please please be extra extra extra safe and careful out there! Sorry if this brought you down I just needed to get it out and people keep asking about it so here it is in one spot so I don't have to keep repeating it.

I'm also going to end this with great news...the great news that lifted my spirits entirely yesterday.
I got a text from my brother and Lauren (his gf) is going to be induced tonight!!!!!!!!!!! LITTLE SOPHIE IS GOING TO BE HERE SOOOOOOON!!!!!!! She's being induced tonight at 7:30pm! I am BEYOND excited for my little niece!!! I'll be posting pictures of her soon whenever I get some!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Anniversary Week/end

As many of you know our Anniversary was last week. May 3rd! 4years ago I married the love of my life in the Rexburg Temple for time and all Eternity. :) I'm so lucky to have him. :) 

For our 4th year anniversary we decided to do something a little more special then the usual dinner and night out. So we went to Utah. My sister in law Alyssa watched the kids over night for us and we got a themed room at AnniversaryInn in Salt Lake. Our themed room was the Swiss Family Robinson room! SUCH a COOL room! Our bed was in a tree!!!! We LOOOVED every childless minute of it! :) Our bed was in a tree which was so much fun! It was the softest most comfy bed ever too and it had like a million downy pillows as well. I highly recommend going to the Anniversary Inn it was so much fun. check out all the pictures of our fun room:

 You could either take a bath or turn the waterfall on! haha so fun! 

 Our breakfast that arrived at the door in the morning! The Ham and chesse cresant thingy's were soooooo good! and so was the yogurt parfaits! 

 We went and hung out and walked around Salt Lake and checked out the new City Creek Center mall! way cool! I wish I had more pictures of it. You'll just have to google it! It had cool water features through out it and lots of shops it was really nice. we even got to see the overhead roof close up when it started to rain!

 Funny glasses. I actually really liked these once I put them on but I would never have anywhere or any reason to wear them lol But they were cute. 

Eventually we had to head back to Layton and go see if Alyssa had survived having 4 kids under the age of 3. I was really worried about how good zeke would be for her cuz he's such a Momma's boy. But Alyssa did awesome she had them all in bed asleep by 8:30pm that night! wow! way to go! and the next day we got back around 3ish or maybe 4 and they had all taken naps earlier in the day! way to go Alyssa! 

 Here's all the kids havin' fun in the wheelbarrow with Lee.

All in all it was a great trip and anniversary. We had lots of fun while we were in Utah with Craig and Alyssa and we always do! :) Oh and Let me just say that I cannot wait to go back with money to spend at Hobby  Lobby. It's officially my new favorite store ever!!! Alyssa finally introduced me to it and it's amazing! haha Wish we had one in Idaho. But if we did then I'd be broke so maybe it's a good thing lol