New family picture

Already one and a half months!

Claire Rae McNeel

Claire was born on April 20, 2010 she weighed 6lb. 12oz. 18.5 in long. We are so happy to have her be a part of our family. She is so sweet and quiet we don't even know she is here most of the time. She was born 4 weeks early and spent the first three days of her life in the NICU. We are all home and doing well!

Owen turns three!!

K so I am still not very good at this blogging thing so this one is a total mess but oh well at least I got some pictures up! And to add to my list of challenges my camera had a big finger print right smack on the lens so every picture has a blur mark! ( sorry i'm special sometimes)

Anyway Owen had his third birthday last Friday, he was so easy to please! He didn't care at all what he got to do just something fun he would say. Since we haven't been to Chuck E. Cheeses for a really long time I thought that would be a fun place to go. The kids had a blast, I on the other hand was ready to go after about 10 min, there is just something about the germ infested place that makes me a little sick. The boys were SOOO EXCITED when Chucky came out I tried like crazy to get a good picture but every time one of them would move so that is why Owen is a total blur in that one. (gotta love crazy boys who can't sit still EVER) I can't believe my baby is already three years old, time goes by so fast it makes me want to cry. He is getting so big and follows right along with Austin, he isn't about to be shown up! I love them both so much and I am so thankful for them and the blessing they are in my life.

IT'S A GIRL!!

She is showing off her cute bum

Her cute side shot, does she look like anyone in the family?

I went if for my 21 week ultra sound today and everything is developing normal and looks really good!! (Huge plus to hear those words) We went in before Christmas just to find out what we were having and they thought it was a girl but today they were really able to see she really is a girl! I am so excited I don't even have words to explain how I feel inside, it always helps that Austin and Owen are just as excited as I am!! Clay is excited too but deep down I really think he wanted another boy. I'm sure I have a lot to learn when it comes to little girls but I can't wait for her to get here and let the learning begin!

Halloween

Our Halloween kinda got off to a bad start this year, of all days Clay woke up sick. I thought he had just come down with the flu again but nope not only was it the flu but the swine flu. So because he was so sick I got the kids all dressed up to go out trick or treating. Alex came over with her family and joined us. We just walked around our neighbor hood, so the kids didn't get a ton of candy but it was enough. Owen was Iron Man this year, he has really gotten into the super hero's this year. I had to hide it from him just so it would not be totally ruined before Halloween even got here. He love to dress up and jump off the couch like he is flying! Austin was a fire fighter, he wouldn't smile in any of the pictures cause he said fire fighters don't smile. So he had to act serious in order to pull off the costume!

Summer time pictures

So because it has been SO long since I have posted anything I thought I would just share a few pictures from the summer. The first ones are of when we went swimming with my sister and her kids. The kitty pictures well I am a sucker for cute little kittens being given away in the Wal Mart parking lot. The one of Owen sucking on the cats ear...well if any of you know Clay he got that from him. Clay has a major love for ears, not cat ears but he is always playing with the kids ears! I guess Owen thought he would give it a try!

Nothing like camping in the rain!

The whole group

Owen looking into flashlights

Clay being crazy

Enjoying themselves

Trying to stay dry

A few weeks ago we went camping with a few friends of ours. We had been waiting all summer for a chance to go camping, by the time we got all of our stuff loaded the big black clouds started to roll in. After making a few stops to get the things we forgot... we were finally on our way up the canyon. The clouds were black as smoke right above the mouth of the canyon, when we got to the camp site it was pouring, and with no break in sight. Setting up a tent in pouring rain is not so easy, not to mention freezing cold. Soon we had everything set up and ready to go just as it stopped raining. We took advantage of no rain for the time being to cook yummy dutch oven chicken and cherry cobbler. After stuffing ourselves full we sat around the camp fire and told stories and laughed until it hurt! We had big plans to get up early the next morning and hit the trails on the four weelers...well that didn't happen either. It never stopped raining all night long. After about an hour of debating on what we should do, and realizing that our tent was starting to leak we decieded to pack everything up in pouring rain and head for home. Clay and I both looked like we had just jumped into the river when we were all done. I guess if nothing else we can say we are tough enough to camp in a compleate down pour!

Mingo Family

This is my good friend Shelley Mingo, I have known her for about five years now. She and I met when we lived in Lehi we happened to be in the same ward. Shelley has done my hair ever since. She is the most wonderful person I have ever met, and has the best family anyone could ask for. Monday Shelley received the tragic news that her husband had been killed in a plane crash. He left last Friday for Washington to go fishing with his dad and brother, when the weather took a turn for the worst they were unable to see and that's when they crashed. It took all three of them. Jordan and Shelly have three little kids their youngest is only three months old. Jordan was an amazing young father, caring and compassionate who loved his family more than anything. Shelley is trying to stay strong for her kids and make it through this terrible time. There has been a fund set up at any wells fargo bank for anyone who is able to donate. It is under the Mingo Family Fund.

Feeding the ducks!

Last night for family night we went down to Springville and found these little river/ponds that had a ton of ducks. We took some bread to feed them and had them right up to our feet! Austin and Owen thought they were the coolest thing ever. It was so much fun to have them come so close, they tried and tried to catch one but they wouldn't let us get quite that close! This was such a beautiful area it will make a perfect place to have our family pics taken!!