BeN, ShAnNa & CoMpAnY

2010-01-09T01:41:00.000-08:00

Our family was lucky enough to hitch a ride to Sacremento with Grandma Doris and Grandpa Brian. Then, Brian let us take his van on over to San Francisco so that we could spend a few days with Chuck, Julie and Otto. Sadly for us, Chuck had to spend the holidays in the Bahamas with his ultra rich boss, we did miss him a ton, but Julie and Otto showed us an incredible time! We had such a blast, Rae kept saying, "this is the best day of my life!" and then she'd remember that she'd said that the day before and add, "again!" Vincent replied on the way home that it was one of the best WEEKS of his life. Grandma and Grandpa along with Grandpa Grape (Brian's dad) made us feel completely comfortable in Sacremento. We are so lucky to have so many fun and wonderful family members! Just wanted to share a few pictures.... we didn't have our good camera, we ended up using our cell phones for all the pictures, so they are not the best quality, but they are better than nothing. AND... we did have Jason's little video camera and he is in the process of making a little movie to showcase the trip. We didn't get any pictures with our cells of G'ma, G'pa, G'pa Grape, Julie or Otto... but you WILL see them on the video! We really thank you and think you are the best!!!!

Jelly Belly Factory

2010-01-09T01:39:00.001-08:00

Haight-Ashbury and Coyt Tower

2010-01-09T01:36:00.000-08:00

China Town

2010-01-09T01:32:00.000-08:00

Golden Gate Bridge

2010-01-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

2009-11-05T13:33:00.001-08:00

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Happy Easter!!! (catch up)

2009-10-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

This year we went to Fillmore to spend Easter with Grandma and Grandpa Harper. We are so thankful we did, it was so much fun to spend time with them. Grandma Alice loved coloring eggs with the kids and Grandpa got a kick out of watching them hunt for Easter nests. It was a terrific day.

We love this picture, it is the last one we have with the kids and Grandma. They sure love her!

The Harper's yard is perfect for cute rustic looking backgrounds. The kids had fun posing, at least for a while.

Vincent digging for Trilobites (catch up)

2009-10-14T23:05:00.000-07:00

Vincent and I drove out west of Delta to hunt for trilobites. It was so incredibly fun! They gave us each a little pick and a bucket and told us to go at it. We found over 50 fossils! A super cool m&s date.

Vincent gives a nice little comentary on digging. Check it out!

Crazy Rae late Kindergarten Days (catch up)

2009-10-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

WE'RE ALIVE!!!!

It's been so long that I have tons to catch up on. So I am just going to add a few random pictures until I can catch back up.

These first few are from Rae's last few months in Kindergarten. The first few are from Dr. Seuss' Birthday. You will see Raelee-Roo-Hoo and Bailey-Boo-Hoo.

This is bathtime with Mona Lisa. Fun times!!!!

And these last few are from Nursery Rhyme day. The girls are the Three Little Kittens who lost their mittens. (actually, they only each lost one).

Happy Birthday Dad!

2009-10-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to do a quick post about my dad.

My dad was a worker. Everything he did was to provide for our family. Every cent he made went to the family. He might have changed jobs often, but he worked like a madman at each one. I think he litterally worked himself to death. He did it for us, Dad loved us.

He called me his little angel. At least when I was little. I know that I drove him almost crazy during my teen years and early adulthood. He didn't give up on me, he always believed in me. I miss him.

I remember once when I was about 8 years old, Mom sat all of us kids on the stairs to wait for Dad to come in the house from work. When he walked in, we sang this song. I think it was one of his favorite memories... the smile on his face that night is definitely one of mine. Here you go dad!

I have a family here in earth

they are so good to me

I want to share my life with them

through all eternity

Families can be together forever

through Heavenly Father's plan

I always want to be with my own family

And the Lord has shown me how I can

The Lord has shown me how I can.

-Love you!

2009-03-03T11:38:00.000-08:00

Pay It Forward
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Rae and Mona Lisa

2009-02-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the he that's a she with a very happy Momma Rae. She just adores Mona Lisa!!! Mona is Rae's baby, she dresses it up in her build-a-bear clothes, pushes it around in her baby stroller and as you see, they sleep together. Ben sent these to me from his phone, all my pictures are on my other computer and I can't get it to hook up to the internet. Big bummer! Anyhow, these don't do Mona (or Rae) justice. I'll update more when I can.

Christmas Morning

2009-01-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

We have a rule at our house that the kids can't wake us up until after 6:00. Without fail, we can hear them giggling long before that time, however, they are so great! They just hang out our door until 6:01 and then attack us and get us going.

This was a fun year... I think the kids were all happy with their stash of gifts. Jason's favorite gift was his new Ipod... imagine that. He really wanted orange... we had him thinking we'd gotten him green. So he was very relieved when he open the paper to find his favorite color. Vincent was totally excited to get "everything". He wasn't feeling 100% that day...

he ran a little fever and slept a lot. Rae's favorite gift is hands down her new kitten, Mona Lisa. (I'll get a picture later). She was so excited to open the box and have little Mona pop out. She started trying to think of a name, and I told her it was a boy kitty. She didn't want a boy kitty. So I told her we could take it back. No, she want's THIS kitty, she just wants it to be a girl kitty. After about a half an hour of telling her it's a boy, and her saying she wants it to be a girl, I finally said, "Fine. It's a girl kitty," to which she clapped her hands together and said, "Yeah!!!" That was that.

Nutcracker

2009-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

Gotta love the Nutcracker!!! Rae and I have been counting the days down to go to the Nutcracker. And this was our first year going with Grandma Doris! She loved it. We loved watching Rae's reactions and listening to her cute little comments. It was fun to hear her memories from last year. When asked what their favorite part was, Mom and Rae both replied, "the sugarplum fairy". After the show, we went on stage for punch and cookies and waited our turn for pictures with the cast. If I ever get a good scanner, I'll get the picture on here. It was so much fun to see all the props, the sled, the bear costume, Madame Buffoons dress, etc. Very cool. What a fun girls day out!

A Christmas Carol

2009-01-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

This was Rae's first year to come to the Christmas Carol at the Hale Centre Theatre. She loved it!!! Of course she did.... we ALL do! We took the kids to Chili's for dinner, kind of a tradition now. It was kinda cool, one of the servers used to live in Fillmore and recognized me. Usually Ben is the one that people recognize. I think she was in my ward when we lived there, but that was over 15 years ago! The play was awesome, they changed the scenery from a little town to just fancy christmas decore, but it was still pretty. I just really love feeling as though I'm in the town. They also changed a few props. The show was terrific... as always and I can't wait to go again next year.

Here comes Santa Claus Symphony

2009-01-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

We took Sydney and Anna to our annual Here comes Santa Claus symphony. Rae was very excited to see Santa and Vincent and Jason were great and got the Santa picture for mom. :) Love ya guys!!! I have to admit that I think this is the best Christmas symphony they've done. I am really glad that Syd was able to come this year. After the symphony, we went to the Garden for lunch. Anna had never been there, so when Syd suggested it, she didn't have to twist my arm very hard. After lunch, we were giving Syd and Anna a little tour of the JSMB. It was really fun to check out the little nativities they had

from different countries. The kids had me take all kinds of pictures, but I really liked this one of them taking a break and just being candid. While we where looking at the little chapel, we were lucky enough to get a close up look at the organ. I believe it is french and the keys are backwards. The ivory keys are black and the ebony keys are white. It is a beautiful organ. We felt pretty special to have been able to see it open. Fun day!!!

Temple Square

2008-12-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

I took Raeannen and Bailey to Temple Square last night to see my beautiful niece, Sarah, sing with her high school choir. They are really good! It was fun to give Sarah a quick hug before we headed out into the cold to enjoy the beauty around us. The little girls ran around holding hands and giggling, pointing out different colors and decorations. They also loved the huge tree in the JSMB. My camera battery was pretty much dead, so the pictures are a little fuzzy, but hey.... gotta have pictures, Right?

We went over to wish Grandma Doris a happy birthday and warm up with some hot cocoa and birthday cake. I have the best mother in the world. At least, she is perfect for me. She lifts me up when I am down and she delights in my good times. She is wise and thoughtful of our needs. She's cute and quirky, yet beautiful and admirable. She adores my husband and children and they adore her. She is our family angel and we are all so blessed to have her in our lives! Love ya Mom!!! Happy Birthday!

Tree hunting & Family nativity

2008-12-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

We went up to Idaho to Cindy's this past weekend to have our McVey family Christmas party. Mike and Jenny drove up from happy valley and Mom and Brian from Centerville. Ben had to work and we really missed him. This is one of the times of year when I really wish my other 5 sister and brothers and their families lived closer. I miss them... a LOT! (I better start making some phone calls). We did the live nativity. Rae was Mary and Vincent was Joseph. We nixed the wisemen and so Jason, Wes and Spencer were all shepherds, with a darling sheep named Rachel. Emma and little Claire played the part of the angels. You can tell they were all so excited... (especially the boys...NOT). But it is nice that they do it for G'ma and the other adults. Great kids... not so great actors. :)
Christmas tree hunting was a different experience for me this year. I really missed trudging through the snow with my honey in search of our perfect tree. Cindy was a great partner... she found me a great little tree within an hour. I cut it down and dragged it back to the car (it wasn't too far off the road) and we enjoyed hot cocoa and watching Jedd play with the girls. The kids had a lot of fun with their best buddy cousins and we had a great visit. Now I just need to finish my math final tonight and we can get the tree up and decorated. It's about time!!!

Somethings missing...

2008-11-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning... day after Halloween... going through mounds and mounds of candy. What to eat first??? Mmmm.... this popcorn ball looks yummy.

She takes a bite and wouldn't you know??? Rae's tooth decides to fall out. And I cry. My baby's passed the next milestone to not being so much my baby. How can something that is so hard for me be so WONDERFUL to her??? She has been wishing for loose teeth since she was barely 3 years old. And now she is running around like it was Christmas morning at Disneyland. I know that the prospect of the tooth fairy coming and being able to be part of the missing tooth club at school is all great... but what about Mom having to deal with my little precious darling princess angel growing up???? Okay, yes... I am over reacting a little. And she does look absolutely adorable. And she is so super-d-duper-dy elated. It'll all be okay... right?

A few more Halloweenish pictures

2008-11-03T11:47:00.000-08:00

So, here we have pictures from Rae's Kindergarten Zombie party, we turned all the kids in her class into zombies. Way fun!!!

We also have her little friends all in costume at my house. I love these kids.

We also have some family fun night pumpkin carving.

And last but not least, Rae's trick-or-treat costume... The Corpes Bride. (I didn't get any great pictures. Shame on me!)

Redemption... I hope!

2008-10-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

So, here ya all go!!! Don't my kiddos look AWESOME!?!?!? We went to the Halloween High-Jinx Symphony this past weekend with our good friends Anna & Sydney. It was a great time, as allways... however, we definitely got jipped in the costume contest, the kids didn't mind... they had so many people asking for pictures and giving them all kinds of compliments. Everywhere they went somebody pointed and said, "Hey look! The Blue Man Group!" They all felt pretty cool. After, Sidney took us out to Leatherby's for icecream. A perfect way to end our fun night out.

Pumpkin Walk

2008-10-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

The kids and I spent a few hours at the Stansbury Park Millpond Gristmill. It was fun to see all of the fun pumpkin displays. They had a little maze set up and lots of little games like beanbag tosses.

I never have been able to pass up a photo op like this. Maybe next year Vince can be a scarecrow and Jason a flying pumpkin. Rae is wearing the Donkey Kong costume I made for Vincent when he was three. We were looking for a quick fix just to wear around the gristmill and DK is definitely easy on easy off.

The kids did a little coloring while we were waiting to watch a few friends dance. I really love it that they can have fun together... maybe not the time of their life, but still they can enjoy each other.

Before we went home, we decorated cookies. Vincent wanted me to take a picture of his for the blog and tell the story behind it. There was a guy hanging out in a cave full of stalagmites and stalactites. Well, I guess there was an earthquake or something because one of the stalactites fell on top of the man. You can see his leg poking out from the front of the stlactite (candy corn) and I think an arm is in the back. So sad... poor guy.

Yoshi 4-Ever?

2008-10-24T08:31:00.001-07:00

Can you say, "Blackmail"? Hee Hee!!! While the boys were looking for costumes, we thought it would be funny to see if the old Yoshi costumes Grandma Doris and I made for them YEARS ago could fit. I wouldn't exactly say that they "fit"... but they did get them on. And oh boy, I could not stop laughing. I wish so badly that I could find some pictures from when they were little, (I think they were 3 and 7 when they wore these the first time). Jason and Vincent were sooooo cute. Anyway, those of you who remember them in these costumes years ago will get a kick out of this. For those of you who never saw the originals, I think you'll probably get a laugh as well. :)

A costume for Vince

2008-10-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

This year, my kids are going to be the Blue Man Group for Halloween. We are not quite sure if the bald caps can be used more than once, so until the symphony on Saturday, they have to make due with costumes out of our "costume box". These are the ones that Vince came up with for the Halloween Carnival.

He ended up going as "Rocky" in the first photo... however, I really thought he looked just darling in pink. What a ham!

Happy Late Birthday Shelisse!

2008-10-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

After spending a wonderful day in Fillmore with the Harper's, Ben drove the kids down to Cedar City to see Shelisse and her family. Shelisse turned 13 in September and so we thought it would be fun to have a little birthday with her. They all went to this amazing park near the Blad's home. I wish I had some pictures of them playing tag and running around, but alas, Jason was in charge of the camera and he was playing tag and running around.
After the park, they went to Pizza Hut for lunch and Jason did take a few pictures... yahoo!!! This handsome young man is Shelisse's brother Christian. He is super friendly and Vincent really likes him.

This big guy is Shelisse's youngest brother, Gabe. I hear he's a real cool kid too. After Pizza Hut, they went back to the Blad's house for some Birthday cake... (I know... could be a candidate for Cakewrecks)... and some good old video games.

Rae fell in love with Shelisse. They painted fingernails and Shelisse put make-up on her. Since they've been back home, Rae can't stop talking about her sister. She's drawn multiple pictures for Shelisse and points out her picture to everyone and anyone who comes by.

Thanks Shyanne, Shelisse, Christian and Gabe for spending an unforgettable day with my family!

UEA down South

2008-10-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's really not that far south... the kids and Ben went down to visit Grandma and Grandpa Harper Thursday. They really love spending time with these two amazing people. (If you can't tell). Ben says that Rae is just a little Grandma's girl. She followed her around everywhere.

Grandpa Gene took the kids to pick out pumpkins. It's a tradition that we look forward to every year. Vincent found a 31 pounder to bring home. Thanks Grandpa!

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Rae was invited to go pumpkin hunting with her good friends Bailey and Lily. She had such a fun time running around the pumpkin patch (it was HUGE) with her little friends. They would run over to one pumpkin and check it out from every angle, sometimes discuss it and then move on to the next. You could hear them giggling clear across the patch.

Rae picked out one that what somewhat tear-shaped. She liked that it was different than all the others.

We had so much fun, maybe we'll start going every year, just for one.

Photo Tag

2008-10-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

I have never been really good at tag, but I just thought this looked like fun. You are supposed to go to your picture file and go to the 4th file and open it. Look for the 4th picture and then post it and tell a little bit about that particular picture. So, here it is and here it goes.

This was taken 5 years ago when we were heading home from Cedar City after Shelisse's baptism. We were half way back when Vincent "really had to go". So, Ben pulled over to the side of the road and was gracious enough to show Vincent what to do. I was lucky enough to get the perfect picture in the rear-view mirror. Gotta love it! (How do ya like Vincent's blue hair?) Now I tag you!

Homecoming 2008

2008-10-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Jason took his good friend Taylor to the Grantsville homecoming dance this year. They started over at a friends house playing games like 3-legged tag with around 5 other couples. They dined on pb&j and chips and soda and then took the girls home to get ready. Of course this was Conference weekend for the LDS church and so while the girls were getting ready, the boys all went to priesthood session. They picked the girls up later that evening. I was lucky to get a few pictures as they were dashing off to meet their friends. Jason said that they both had a really great time.

The Circus is in Town!!!

2008-09-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

We finally got the kids to the B&B Circus a few nights ago. We had so much fun!!! Rae was pointing and laughing and just all around happy. Vincent and Jason were pretty entertained by all the performances and Ben and I were just more than pleased to see how smiley our kids were. We loved it! Highly recommended family entertainment!
We didn't have much time on the floor with the clowns and other entertainers... it didn't really matter because the show was so much fun.
You can tell just by the look on their faces what a great time they were having!
All smiles after the show!

My own little bunch of clowns... gotta love 'em!

Yellowstone

2008-09-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

We did our yearly camping trip over labor day with our cousins... this year we were lucky enough to not only have the Ercanbracks, but also Grandma and Grandpa Seamons and Aunite Trish and Mollie came along. We went up to Yellowstone again and had a wonderful time.

A day in the River

2008-09-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite things to do at Yellowstone is to play in the Fire (something) River. There is a hole in the river that you can jump into that will shoot the older kids and adults down the river quite a ways. I guess it is really really really fun. The boys and Ben love it. Rae just loves playing with her cousins in the shallow area. Making mud pies is obviously also a highlight of playing in the river.

I forgot to pack her swimming suit, so alas she had to make due. Thank goodness for bright pink undies!
Just thought I'd throw in a few more pictures... we love all the shady places for picnic lunches.

Rae go's to Kindergarten!

2008-09-11T12:35:00.001-07:00

So, my baby's gone to Kindergarten. I really thought I'd be okay with it, but I think I was even more emotional than my Michelle! Raeannen was very excited. We rode bikes to school just for fun. The girls loved it. We went right into their room and took a few pictures and then the girls were off to play with their friends. She was gone! It's final, my kids are all growing up. One in each school, crazy!

A Deacon named Vincent

2008-09-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little Vincent is twelve! He is such an amazing young man. He cares so much about his family and those around him. He really wants to do what is right and is such a good example to me. I love him so much and I am so greatful that he is my son.
Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Seamons for sharing this day with us. We love you!
And thank you, too, Grandma Alice and Grandpa Gene for coming way up here to share in Vincent's ordination. We love you, too!

Ben ordained Vincent to be a deacon. Grandpa Gene, Grandpa Brian and Jason all participated as did the bishopric. Very special day!

Vincent's Birthday!!!

2008-09-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Vincent opted for a "Water World" themed birthday party. I have to admit with my school starting (Algebra is a totally different language), I didn't get into the theme as much as usual. I don't think it mattered, the boys had a blast!!! We rented one of those big water slides and filled up a gazillion water balloons and just let them have at each other. What more could eight 12-year old boys want?

After the sun (and the slide) went down, we moved inside and had dinner and icecream cake. Then we opened his gifts and after the Rock Band was opened, they were off to the tv for the rest of the night. Good times.

Stansbury Days

2008-09-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

This is the first year we've made it to Stansbury Days. It usually lands on the Saturday that we do Vincent's birthday party. This year we postponed the party a week later and were able to participate in the fun. Michelle helped the girls decorate their bikes and Vincent tyedyed our scooter for the parade. They looked so cute cruisin' down the street. It was a pretty good distance to ride, I was impressed that the girls made it to the end.
After the parade, there were tons of activities. They had all kinds of booths with different foods, arts, crafts and fun things for sale, different races on the lakes, and of course some bounce houses. Oh how we love bounce houses.
We went over to the lake and watched a few of the races. We really enjoyed the cardboard box boat race. There were some really cool boats. The last picture is of the "silver surfer". It belongs to Rae and Bailey's friends. Pretty cool... maybe we can get a boat after all.

Swimming at Stansbury

2008-09-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

After the parade and activities, the pool opened up for free swim. The kids loved it, Raeannen wants to have a mermaid birthday now. Hmmmm...

Knot Ninja's summer camp

2008-09-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Ben is the Scout Master for our troop. He took the boys up Stockton canyon this year for their summer camp. They all had a really fun time roughing it... this was true blue wilderness. No toilets, no running water, no nothing. (unless you walked 10 miles west). :)
They call themselves the knot ninjas. Has a cute double meaning. Get it?
One of the leaders brought up a sword, of course one of the highlights of camp for these guys.
As senior patrol leader, Jason has lots of very tiring duties and responsibilities. It just wears him out.

They worked on quite a few merit badges. It was a great experience for all of them. I am glad they got to go.

Back to School Fashion Night

2008-09-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

My good friend Michelle has started a new tradition for the girls... "Calling all divas and princesses. Come in your favorite new back to school outfit to our Anual Back to School Fashion Night! " The girls invite their friends to come and make jewelry to accessorize their outfits. Really fun!

JaSoN's HoMe!!!

2008-07-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

We are all so excited to have the one and only super-cool, super-tan, super-happy-to-be-home Jason back! He says he had more than a great time working as a kayak guide on the Salmon River this summer, but he's ready to be home. We are feeling like a complete family again...... Obviously Vince and Rae are all smiles! (So are Mom and Dad) :) :) :)

Rae and Rae

2008-07-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

So, she comes to me all excited. I knew that she had been working on something for quite a while. She had me close my eyes and wait until she was ready. "Okay mommy," she says and so I open my eyes and she has on these little glasses she made out of colored plastic finger rings and twisty ties. "I didn't make them... I bought them from the Wibbilly-Wobbilly store. I can't see without them." Then she'd take them off and squint and say, "I really can't see ANYTHING mom... I HAVE to have them." I guess thank goodness for the Wibbilly-Wobbilly store. And then, a few days later, she comes down with her little plastic rifle "dressed to kill". Where does my sweet little innocent daughter come up with these things???? Gotta love her.

If only all the girls at Krispy Kreme were this cute!

2008-07-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this... Grandpa Brian always brings Krispy Kreme up to Cindy's. He also is great to bring the hats for the kids. Rae insisted that Alayna not only get a hat but also model it for everyone. They were just too cute not to take a picture. Rae really loves Alayna.

McVey Family Reunion '08

2008-07-22T19:25:00.001-07:00

We all gathered at the Erkies up in Idaho. We had Cindy's family (imagine that), Mom and Brian from Centerville, Trish from St. Louis, Amber and Francis and kids from Wisconsin, Mike, Jenny and Claire from Pleasant Grove, Jo and Justin and kids from Louisville and us, the Harpers of Stansbury Park.
The kids were all so happy to see all of their cousins. Rae is a few years younger than the other girls, but they are so good to make sure she was included as much as she wanted to be. I think I've mentioned before that she's a momma's girl, so she hovered around me a lot... but she had a lot of fun with the girls too.
Jason and Vincent consider Wesley and Spencer their best buddies ever. They would be more than happy to pack up and move to Idaho today if they could.

Cindy and Morgan had just put a beautiful fire pit in their parklike back yard. So of course we took full advantage of it. We spent every night talking around the campfire, roasting marshmellows and just enjoying each others company.

It was also fun to see Cody and his girlfriend McKenna. They came up on Sunday. I really loved spending so much time with the people I care about the most. I did really miss George and Sammie and their kids and Chuck and Julie and Otto. We did think of them a lot and hope that they are doing well.

I am so greatful for such a wonderful family. I consider them my best friends and love them with all my heart. We have truly been blessed to have each other in our lives.

Fun on the River

2008-07-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun on the river this year. Rae and I went down the first time together. She was a little hesitant at first because she didn't want to get water in her nose. I told her we'd be fine. So, we're floating down the river and I feel like it's going great. She' s lovin' life and thinks it's pretty cool. Well, wouldn't ya know about half way down the river, we hit some pretty good rapids and got SOAKED! The next thing I know she's trying to stand up on top of me, pushing me down through the tube. It took everything I had not to slip down and lose both of us. Needless to say, I got a nasty "bru" as Rae calls it and a screaming daughter, but we made it to the bottom. That was her only time down the river.
My sisters and I had a blast together. We all went down multiple times and all came away with various battle wounds ranging from semi-mild to not-so-mild. It was awesome, we just laughed and laughed and laughed, and cried a little too. :)
Meanwhile, the kids were doing what kids do best.

It was great to have all five girls together.... and Mike. :)

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

After the races, Rae and I went and saved spots for our family and friends to watch the parade. Ben and the boys hurried home to shower... THANK GOODNESS! Michelle and Sean Higgins came with Oscar and Bailey. Rachel Wood brought Deja and Chance. Sydney and Anna Holmes were the last to show. It was a lot of fun to watch the kids. We had to really twist Jason's arm to get out there and gather candy (for the baby of course). Grantsville is always perfect for banking on tootsie rolls and soft water taffy. The kids usually each get a few frisbees and sometimes even t-shirts.

After the parade, they all came over to our house for a bar-b-que. Vincent really wanted to show off his Guitar Hero skills and we all ended up taking turns playing. I don't know why I love that game so much... I really can't play to save my life, but it really is fun.
We finished the night at the Stadium of Fire. Rae was so excited to see Miley Cyrus and the rest of us were psyched to see the Blue Man Group. We didn't plan very well and got stuck in traffic and missed the skydivers. Bum deal... but the rest of the show was quite the production! BMG definitely didn't get enough stage time, but we all knew that the majority of people there (young girls with parents like us) were there for HANNAH MONTANA. Anyway, Rae had a mega blast, she was a little frustrated at first, I think she thought we'd be in a more intimate venue... but once we got into it, she was more than content.

All in all, we had a fantastic Fourth. One to remember anyway..... :)

Independence Day 5K

2008-07-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

So, my whole family(except for me) decided to do the Grantsville races this year. Ben and Jason ran the 5K and Vincent and Rae ran the kids 1 mile. We got up at 6:00 and hurried to Grantsville to get everyone signed in. I was a little concerned about Vince and Rae because neither of them really runs very much and they hadn't trained a whole lot. But I needn't have worried. Vince was awesome, he stayed with Rae and just "coached" her on. She came in third to last, doing a nice little jog, not panting a bit, no sweat in sight. Vince was right behind her, and VERY sweaty and THIRSTY. I was so proud of both of them, Rae for finishing and Vincent for being such a fabulous big brother.

Ben and Jason had to hop on the bus before the kids race really even started. They dissapeared into the wilderness and I went back to cheering on the kids. After the 1 mile was done, Rae and Vince jumped into the car with me and we drove up about 1/3 of the way through the 5K. We waited and waited until finally the runners started passing and we got to give Ben and Jason a big cheer. Then we drove back to the end of the race and waited. Both Ben and Jason came in within about 30 seconds of each other. They did great... I love it how my guys enjoy running together. Anyway, when they announced the winners of the childrens 1 mile, we were all amazed to hear Rae's name called for first place in Girls 5-6 bracket.... (remember, she came in third to last overall)... but I guess that's what happens when you're the only girl in that bracket and she is very excited about her medal.

Ben came in third in the Men's 31-35 bracket. He is awesome. I think the ribbon should say something like "I came in third in the Grantsville 5K and all I got was this itty bitty ribbon". Pretty cool anyway. I think it's time for me to learn how to run so I can actually fit in my family... but then again, who'll take the pictures? Decisions, decisions.

Sleep out!

2008-06-29T14:43:00.001-07:00

We slept out under the stars the other night... it was perfect weather for sleepin' on the tramp. Ben and Vincent hauled out the pillows and sleeping bags and Rae took out the bug spray and we all cozied up and looked at constelations. We saw tons of satelites and a even a few shooting stars. I woke up before the others and took a few pictures, it was really fun. Looks like we'll be sleeping out quite a bit this summer! :)

Rae's year end revue

2008-06-24T20:42:00.000-07:00

So, here we are... Rae's first year of dance classes has come to an end. We drove to Magna (with the Higgins in their sweet new van) where we met Grandma Doris and Grandpa Brian at Cyprus High School. My good friend, Sydney, saved us some great seats right up front. (Thank you!) I am sure that it is a pretty nice auditorium when the air conditioning works, however, it was VERY HOT!!!

Thank goodness we had some darling little girls who entertained us for the two hours of extreme heat. Rae was excited to perform again and I think she is the best in her class. (Yes, I know all mothers think that, but it's true). Vincent was so proud of his little sister. Can ya tell?

I do think that I will start looking for a different studio. I really don't think she learned much more than I could teach her myself. I think for the amount of money we've put out she should at least know her first position from second. And to be honest, the dance she did in her preschool promotion was just as cute as this one. What do you all think? Gimme advice.

At least they have darling costumes and she did have a great time at class. But I'd rather save the money... she has just as much fun dancing with the daycare kids here at home. :) I have signed her up already for summer dance and we are trying tumbling just to see what she thinks. Maybe she'll love tumbling more and we'll just stick with that. I guess time will tell.

Random Pictures

2008-06-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

Now that Jason is gone for the summer, (he's working as a kayak guide on the Salmon River up in Idaho for the next 7 1/2 weeks), these two are going to have to stick together. I must admit that this is a good start. We are lucky to have such good kids who actually really like each other... at least most of the time. :)

Jason did get to go to EFY this year. He had an AWESOME time, but refused to take a camera. This is the only picture I got.

Ben decided to prove that he can grow facial hair. He had me take this lovely picture right before he shaved. Hooray!

Lagoon with the Erkies

2008-06-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Lagoon with Cindy and her family. Katie was in a clogging competition, so we got discounted tickets and who can pass up discounted tickets to good old Lagoon? Obviously not us! I must admit that I enjoyed hanging out with my awesome sister Cindy while taking little girls on little girl rides. Not that I don't like going on little girl rides by any means... I absolutely LOVE the Ladybug Bop... but there is just something about sisterly bonding, ya know?

Of course the teenagers and tweeners took off as soon as we got there, so as usual, I only have one picture of the older kids. They all had a blast though.

Two-headed monster

2008-06-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

It's great that these two girls can have so much fun together

They are best friends, so close that they can break each others hearts like no one else ever could. This is their new favorite past time, finding BIG sweatshirts and becoming the fierce two-headed monster. Gotta love 'em!

Kentucky

2008-06-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Lucky me... I got to go to Louisville for baby Alayna's blessing. It was so great to go visit my Booboola on her own turf. (Pet name for Jo for those of you who are wondering what the heck a Booboola is). It was fun to hang out in the Sorenson's house. They have a pretty nice house for struggling dental students... hmmm... :) Jo definitely has a talent for decorating. We had so much fun, just hanging out and being together, it was really cool to share Jo with Mom and Brian and Trish and Kelly and Justin's parents. Alayna is beautiful, as you can tell... I had to post this picture of her in this daaaaarling outfit, (yes, from me). Jordan was pretty cute himself.

Rae's Preschool Promotion

2008-06-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Raeannen's preschool program was really cute. It was to a rockin' 50's theme and her teacher, Miss Lindsay, is so creative. She and her assistant , Assinette, made little poodle skirts for all the girls. They gave the boys sunglasses and had them all wear white t-shirts and jeans. They were so adorable! Anyway, Rae was very excited about her trophy, obviously! The following video is the girls dancing to "Lollipop". Watch it if ya have time, it is pretty cute.
Rae's teacher is awesome. She taught the kids so many things... I don't think I would've been explaining much about the differences between stalagmites and stalagtites with my 5 year old. And of course, we always love sharing these fun experiences with Bailey. :)

Vincent moves on to Jr. High

2008-06-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

Vincent is now a proud graduate of Rose Springs Elementary School here in Stansbury Park. We are so proud of him. After 6 years of education, education and more education mixed in with a little fun and friends, he finally walked away with a "Certificate of Completion" and he is ready to head on to JR HIGH!

Vincent's teacher, Mr. Robison, was kind enough to stop and grace us with a picture. Vince had some really cool friends this year.
Way to go bug!

Building more than just a Bookshelf

2008-04-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

So... we had ran out of storage space for our movie collection around Christmas this past year. I kept putting off getting anything because I just didn't want to spend money on something I didn't like. However, I finally got sick of stacking the movies higher and higher on the wall and so I went out and purchased this bookshelf. I brought it home fully expecting Ben to put it together.
Well, he didn't. My awesome husband saw an opportunity for some good learning experiences. I think it originally started as a project for the boys, but of course Rae got into the action as soon as she got home. They had such a good time and worked so well with each other. It was great to see them bond together while working together to accomplish their goal.
Almost done! Of course Rae had to try it out before the shelves went in.

And here they are... with their masterpiece! They did such a fantastic job! And Jason, Vincent and Rae are closer than ever. (I think I just might go get some other things for them to work on... hee hee)

A Priest named Jason

2008-04-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

There are all kinds of scary things associated with children turning 16. Driving (I'll never sleep again), dating (where do I start???), jobs.... will I ever see my son again? But some things make it all worth it. I am so proud of Jason. He is such an amazing guy. He is extremely grounded on his beliefs and his strong testimony lifts us all. Grandma Alice and Grandpa Gene came up from Flowell and Grandma Doris and Grandpa Brian drove over from Centerville to share Jason's ordaining with us. Thank you for helping us to make it a special day!
Vincent really looks up to his big brother. (He will probably deny this if you ask.... brother rivalry has become huge around here). They do really love each other. I try to grasp the hugs when I can.
I think the adoration goes both ways with Rae and Jason. (Bet you couldn't tell, huh.)

And of course we had to add the wacky picture of the family. No shortage of fun around here!

Thoughts on Conference

2008-04-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have been so excited about this past General Conference. I think it is not only because of my love for President Monson and being able to participate in sustaining him as our new head of church, but more so because I have been more prepared to listen and learn. I had been praying for some guidence in many areas of life, especially where it comes to my children. Please, please, please dear father, help me!!! There were several talks that really impressed me, but two talks totally hit home. Sunday afternoon session. Thank you Sister Tanner for that beautiful talk on "My Soul Delighteth". I have so much to be thankful for and so much to "delight" in. My incredible husband, my wonderful children, my awesome family, my sweet home, thoughtful friends, incredible teachers, beautiful children to take care of, living prophets, and most importantly my Savior. Thank you Elder Ballard for your inspirational talk of "Young Mothers". Now, I know that I'm not that young (compared to most of the mothers in my ward), but I am still not even near "old". I loved listening to his questions and answers. It was also good for me to trade out my name and put Ben in here and there. His wise counsel was the answer to my prayers. Thank you dear Father in Heaven! Thank you for loving me and hearing me and helping me. What a testimony building weekend for me.

What was the Easter Bunny thinking????

2008-04-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Crazy string in the baskets! The kids had a blast..... Again, I wish I'd had more battery in my camera. Fun times.

Easter at the Erkies

2008-04-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

Easter was a lot of fun. We went up to Idaho to spend it with Cindy and her awesome family. It was interesting to see how different families celebrate this special holiday. My kids were a little confused about why the Easter bunny didn't leave a jellybean trail to the baskets. And it was interesting to hunt eggs in patches of snow. Overall, it was a very happy weekend. I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked.... somebody (Jason) used up the battery in my camera. So, please enjoy the ones I did get.

The Robin, Idaho Easter Egg Hunt was super!!!! They took a count of how many kids showed up and divided it up between how many eggs were hidden. Then they let each child find 11 eggs! It worked out great... everyone went home happy!

Harpers in California!

2008-03-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

So, I am finally adding some pictures from our super-d-duper trip to California! Ya Hoo!!! The only problem is that there are so many pictures that I didn't know which ones to post. So I have attempted to do some slideshows. They are backwards on here from the way we took the pictures on our trip. I did try to split them up into theme parks. So, I think you'll find us in Hollywood on the walk of fame first and the flight home. The next set is of SeaWorld. Then you will find us at the San Diego temple and at La Jolla Beach. Then we will be at Universal Studios (I some how posted that twice, sorry!)

And then finally you will find us at Disney land. We actually started our trip in the LA area and spent our first three days at Disney and
California Adventure. We loved it!!! Rae was in princess heaven. It was really fun for her because we were there on her birthday. They gave her a badge to wear and everywhere we went the employees wished her "Happy Birthday" including all the princesses. The boys all had perma grins, unless I asked them to pose for a picture. We all had a great time. Then we went to Universal. It was cool to check out the back lots and of course, the boys loved the few rides and Rae loved the characters. We drove down to San Diego and spent the last three days there. The beach was super fun for the kids and by the time we finished Sea World, we were ready to come home. The day we flew home, we drove up to Hollywood to check out the stars. What an incredible fun time for our family. Hope you like the pictures below!

Hollywood Walk of Fame slideshow

2008-03-02T14:42:00.001-08:00

SeaWorld slideshow

2008-03-02T14:38:00.001-08:00

The beach slideshow

2008-03-02T14:33:00.001-08:00

Universal Studios Slideshow

2008-03-02T14:27:00.001-08:00

Disneyland slideshow

2008-03-02T14:20:00.001-08:00

Rae's 5th Birthday!

2008-02-22T09:02:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Rae who was going to turn 5. She wanted to have a party. She decided to have a fairy tale party and invited her 20 friends to dress up in costumes and come to her party. They all had a lot of fun and lived happily ever after.

Yes.... I am crazy! But thanks to awesome friends and the best mother in the whole wide world... (yes, thats you Grandma Doris), the party was a total success.

Rae wanted to be a mermaid, it is hard to tell how cute her costume turned out in these pictures. We had a lot of fun just making her costume!

When the children all arrived, we split them up into 6 groups of 3-4 kids. Then, we rotated them through the different "stories" where they did crafts or activities.

At "Cinderella", they made wands and crowns. At "Hansel and Grettle" they made gingerbread houses. At "Jack and the Beanstalk", they planted their own bean and decorated their plant pot. At "Peter Pan" they made telescopes and eye patches. Jason played "Granny... granny.... granny....WOLF" after the Red Riding Hood story. And Vincent had the kids act out "The Three Little Pigs" and "Goldie Locks".

It seem like opening presents took forever. Imagine that! She is lucky to have such sweet and thoughtful friends. Her favorite gifts are her digital camera and her MP3 player. Thank you Grandmas and Grandpas!
All in all, it was semi-organized madness. The kids all had a super fun time and I think the adults are just happy that we survived it. Most importantly, Rae had a blast!!! Thank you all so much for your help!

Rae's Dance Recital

2008-01-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

Rae's first "real" dance recital was tonight. These girls could all just stand there and do nothing in their cute little costumes and all of us parents would just oooo and aaaah. I hope the video works out okay, make sure to pause the music on my blog first so that you can hear the music she is dancing to. I am sorry about the crazy lady yelling at the end of the dance. Some mother was really proud of her little cutie. Just a little loud.

Rae was so excited to have Grandma Doris and Grandpa Brian come. And of course, she and Bailey were more than happy to pose for a few pictures together.

I love my boys!

2008-01-26T21:15:00.001-08:00

What can I say? I just can't get enough of my 3 boys!

Vincent's Country Project

2008-01-26T21:09:00.000-08:00

Vincent spent an incredible amount of time putting together his country project. He chose Monaco and he learned a lot about it. He wrote a two page typed written report, made note cards, a web, this awesome poster, and an oral report along with the power point on the video. Then, I made some baked brie and creme brulee to share with the class. He definately did a fantastic job and I was soooooo way proud to be his mother!

Enchanted.

2008-01-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

Michelle and I took Rae and Bailey to see Enchanted last Saturday. We thought it would be fun to dress the girls up. They got lots of comments on how pretty they looked. Michelle made the cute tutu's and head bands. The boys went to National Treasure. They didn't get to dress up. I don't think they felt too bad. It was a fun day!

Have you seen this bearded girl?

2008-01-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

So, shortly after Christmas, Rae came downstairs saying that her princess barbies were all in prison in the castle and that Cinderella was dead. I just kinda laughed it off until Ben came downstairs and asked if I'd seen Rae's barbies. He said it was a little disturbing. This is what I found. (Be aware the following video may contain images some may find disturbing. Caution is advised. J/K) I guess it just proves that she loves her brothers and hangs out with them a LOT! Anyway, Rae also thinks it is cool to have a beard, she pulls her hair into a pony on her chin. It actually almost looks real in life. :)

2007-12-29T19:47:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky to have such a great family! I mean, how many almost 16 year old boys can you get to sit on Santa's lap just for the picture? Man, I must be the most special momma in the whole wide world!
We always have a fun time at the "Santa Symphony". I am so happy that my kids are learning to love music the way I do. They are always such good sports about going to things like this with me, it never hurts that they get to dress up in costumes (Halloween) or see Santa. Vincent is always great about sitting on Mr. C's lap. One more chance to relay the message about the skate board he wants so badly. Raeannen is a little shy about Santa still, but will always flash her smile at the camera. The last picture was after church on Christmas Sunday, just had to throw one more of them together in.

2007-12-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

Raeannen and I have been all excited the whole year about the Nutcracker. She has been practicing her whispering and manners just so that she could go.

We were lucky enough to have Rae's best friend Bailey come with us. (One of my dearest friends, Michelle, is Bailey's mommy). The girls got dressed in their nice new Christmas dresses and got their hair done up and were ready to go! We had a delightful dinner at the Garden in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building before the show, and then we were off to the main event. The girls were so cute, they were acting as though they were princesses, holding the corners of their dresses as they walked and almost tiptoe-ing as they went along. The show was fantastic and the girls loved it. Rae especially liked the wind up bear and doll. I just loved the whole thing. I am excited to start this tradition in my own little family.

Christmas

2007-12-29T19:07:00.000-08:00

This has been an interesting Christmas season for me... usually I am so happy and excited this time of year and this year I just haven't caught the Christmas bug. I don't know if is because our tree died, (huge bummer... it was beautiful), or because Jo and Justin are gone, (big bummer... but will be worth it) or what, but I in spite of my odd mood the kids had a wonderful Christmas. We all did some fun things, we did the 12 Days of Christmas for an older couple in our ward, we went Christmas caroling with Michelle, Bailey and Grandma Candy, Grandma Doris and Grandpa Brian and also Jessica Ercanbrack came along. Mom and Rae went to the Nutcracker and Jason and Vincent went to the Hale Centre Theatre's A Christmas Carol the Mom and Dad. And of course, we got to see Santa at Abravenel Hall when we went to the Utah Symphony's Here comes Santa Clause. Jason stole the show at the Grantsville High's music program. His solo in the Jazz band was really good and got him a lot of applause. Rae rode in the Tooele Christmas parade with her ballet group and had a little performance at the December craft fair. It really has been a fun month, even if I'm a little bit of a Grinch.

2007-12-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

I knew the boys would be excited about the Wii, but I never thought they would be this excited. It was pretty funny... and then when they found out we were going to California in February, all they said, "Oh cool.... Disneyland." Hmmm...

Family Christmas party

2007-12-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

We held the annual Christmas party at the Erkies again this year. It was a good time for all.... we enjoyed great visits, a freezing trip to the res for some iceskating and a very fun party with lots of good food and an awesome nativity complete with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, 3 wise men, angels, shepherds and even a sheep. Baaaaaa. Thanks Cindy for a fantastic time. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful family.

My children experienced iceskating for the first time. Jason picked up on it immediately. He and Wes were all over the place. Vincent did really good too, he was just a little more timid at first. Rae was lucky to have beginner skates with 2 blades, so she did pretty good herself.... until she got to cold and had to go potty. That was that.

2007-12-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

2007-12-18T13:09:00.000-08:00

2007-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving

2007-11-26T16:41:00.000-08:00

We had a great time up in Idaho over Thanksgiving. Of course Cindy made a wonderful turkey dinner complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and her ever famous orange rolls. Jenni provided a perfect brocolli salad and I just whipped up Dads favorite salad and some sweet potatoes. Mom brought up 3 pies and Cindy had another 8 pies. I wasn't quite sure if we'd have enough.... as long as I had plenty of pecan pie it didn't really matter.
We ate way to much food and then played games way to late in the night. It was great. Of course tradition sends us off hunting for the Idaho grown Christmas tree the day after. I don't mind missing Black Friday. I'd rather trapse through the snow looking for our tree than battle a million people to save some money. We had such a fun time this year. There really wasn't much snow, a little disappoining to the kids, but better for us to search. We got off pretty early and all had our trees cut and loaded before dark! A record for sure. We had a lot of fun and now are looking forward to getting the tree decorated for the rest of the
holiday season.

Happy Halloween!!!

2007-11-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Boo!!! We had a great Halloween. The boys decided back in July that they were going to be missionary companions this year. I loved the idea, easy easy costumes. They did a fantastic job. They obviously wore white shirts and ties and dark pants and then the took their scripture bags as trick-or-treat bags. Then, they carried their backpacks so they could empty the scripture bag in it when full. They looked really good. I wish I had taken better pictures of the two of them, but they where in and out of their costumes so fast! So , I hope your imagination can visualize them.

Rae started out as a zombie. She actually makes a very cute zombie. Then she decided she was the corpse bride... (good idea for next year)... and finally ended up telling every one that she was a spider? Whatever.... anyway, Rae and I went trick-or-treating together. She was awesome. What a little trouper. She didn't want to stop. House to house. We made up Halloween songs and had so much fun looking at all the costumes and watching for friends. Finally, she decided her feet were hurting too bad to walk. So, of course she wanted me to carry her from house to house. No Way!
Needless to say, we were soon knocking on our own door and staying home. Ben did a wonderful job of handing out candy. Go Dad. The boys came home shortly afterwards and we all agreed it was a fun and successful Halloween night. (We have enough candy to open a small sugar store). Hope you all had a great holiday as well!

Hunting season

2007-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

Ben got one! Ya-hoo!!! We have enjoyed venison steaks and some mighty tastey jerkey. Now that deer season is over, he is excited about feeding us pheasant. I can't wait.

Lagoon time

2007-10-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

We went to Lagoon yesterday... we had a great time! We always go at Frightmares. Obviously Rae loves the monsters. We watched all of the monster shows at least twice, followed the monsters around and got lots of monster pictures. Vincent loves the rides. He went on all of the important ones. Jason liked the girls.

2007-10-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pictures. Vincent had an awesome mohawk this summer. It was pretty hard to let it go when school started, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. We also had to get a picture of our "other" family members. Max the dog joined us last Christmas and Morris the cat has lived with us for the past 5 years. Also, Rae started ballet lessons a few weeks ago. She's the cutest thing we've ever seen in tights.

Idaho camping

2007-10-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

We had a super fun time camping with the Erkies and Mike & Jenni & Claire up near Lava. Rae loves riding horses. It's always good to spend time with family.

Happy Birthday Vincent

2007-10-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Vincent turned 11 this past August. He had a "survivor" birthday party. We made grass skirts out of plastic tableclothes for each boy. They played an oyster toss, water balloon volleyball with giant water balloons, tied spaghetti to make ropes, body painted with chocolate pudding and had a soda spray. The boys had a great time and obviously got very very very very very messy..... and Rae was right there with them.

Here ya go....

2007-10-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

Okay... here I go on my first attempt at anything like this. I thing our blog will be fairly simple, mostly pictures with a few comments. So, for all of those who have patiently waited, and those of you have have not been quite as patient, enjoy.