First Hike Of The Season

The weather has finally started cooperating, so we headed into the canyon with a few friends for a hike. Because there are still quite a few feet of snow in the mountains we started our hiking season off at Bell Canyon Reservoir. This hike is about 3/4 of a mile to the reservoir. With an elevation gain of about 500 feet.

Two of our hikers were small, but they were determined to do it themselves. This slowed the pace a little so the older kids got a few extra breaks while they waited for us.

I was impressed with how well the kids did, especially the little ones. We got almost 1/2 mile before they started wanting to be carried.

Then after a few minutes of being carried they would try to walk again.

The view was really cool on this hike.

the kids liked looking out over our city and seeing places that were familiar. We had a really good view of the park in our neighborhood.

Somewhere along the trail Joe found a great walking stick. He was really excited. He used it the rest of the hike, and then brought it home to use on our next hike too.

The first thing we did when we made it to the end of the trail was have a snack.

Then we headed over to check out the water.

The water in this canyon is part of the watershed.

So that means no swimming.

But it was fun to look at, and throw rocks in.

Valerie was tired, so I carried her back down the trail most of the way. I think the other kids liked this because that meant we could go faster.

It was a great day for a hike and with the water so high this year, everything was very green and pretty. I can't wait for the snow to melt a little more, so we can check things out a little higher up the canyon.

Let's Play Ball

For Family Night we headed up to the school to play a little ball. Grandpa and Grandma joined us. We designated Grandpa as the pitcher and then everyone took turns hitting, while the rest of us played the outfield.

Josh was excited to play. He had watched Joe and Emily all season and thinks baseball is what he wants to sign up for in the fall.

Joe dressed for the occasion, and got a few hits off of Grandpa. He is really starting to get the hang of it.

Grandma took a swing at it and got a hit.

Emily was having a lot of fun helping her brothers and getting hits herself. After the boys got board with the game and wandered off to the playground, Grandpa and Emily got in some extra practice time.

Valerie did not try to hit the ball, but she had a lot of fun with the bat.

Until she discovered the after game treat. Then all she could think about was the cookies.

It was a fun night, and I am seeing a lot of baseball (and softball) in our future.

Family Fun Day!

We had kind of a rough start to the summer at our house. Just as school was ending the stomach flu began. At the rate that it was going I was not sure if we would recover in time for Family Fun Day, but by Thursday everyone was on the mend.

So after a week of staying inside we were really ready for some outside fun to kick off summer.

Family Fun Day is an event our Stake puts on every June.

There are all kinds of treats to eat.

A rock wall to climb.

A dunk tank....Joe was the only one of my kids brave enough to get in it.

Face Painting.

Building and launching paper rockets.

Bounce houses........This was Valerie's favorite part (along with the treats) She stayed in them for the first hour and a half.

And last but not least

The Water Slides

This is where the boys spent most of their time.

What a great way to kick off the summer!

Valerie The Big Girl - No More Diapers

Valerie is my child who can't wait to grow up. She wants to be just like the big kids. From the moment Valerie could move around and play on her own, she has wanted to run around with her brothers. She loves them and wants to do the things they are doing. Last November she took this love and admiration to a new level by dressing in some of their clothes.

By January when I told the boys to go get pajamas on, Valerie would run in and put some of her brothers pajamas on too.

And she loves to wear their underwear.

Sometimes she puts it on over her diaper, and sometimes she decides to take her diaper off and just wear the underwear. At first when this would happen, I would put the diaper right back on and she would usually keep it on. At least until it got a little wet. After a couple of months of that she started just taking the diaper back off. So I told her that if she didn't want to wear a diaper she had to use the potty. Valerie does not like diapers and will take hers off every chance she gets.

I got the potty seat out of storage, washed it, and then showed Valerie how it worked. She sat on it for a few minutes and then happily went on her way with a diaper on. I left the seat in the bathroom, but we did not do much with it. The other kids had not potty trained until they were three, (I tried earlier with the first two) and not without a struggle. So I did not see any reason to push it.

Valerie did not show much interest in the actual potty, but the diaper-less escapades in her brother's boxers became more and more frequent. As time passed I realized that when Valerie did this she was not having accidents, and when she felt like she needed it she would ask for a diaper. I also noticed that I was finding the diapers she removed to put on the underwear in the bathroom. So I began to think that maybe potty training would be possible.

But I also new it would mean staying home for at least a week, and our schedule had just gotten REALLY busy with sports. For the next two months there was not one day where we would just be home. So I put the idea to the side and thought I would come back to it later.

In April we stopped by the library one night after Emily's game to pick up a few books. I let the kids each go look for a book too. Valerie and I walked through the kids section and I noticed the "Potty Book" display. Valerie and I picked out a few to take home and read together.

After we read the books, Valerie started being a little more interested in actually sitting on the potty. When she asked I would set her on it. Sometimes we would play pat-a-cake or read a book. Valerie never did more than just sit and play. When she was done playing, she would get off. I did not mind because I was not ready to really train her.

A little over a month passed and as far as I noticed nothing had changed. I did not expect it to, because I had done nothing to change it.

On Sunday I found Valerie in the bathroom two times taking off her dirty diaper. This was not too unusual, because Valerie hates having a dirty diaper on. Sometimes she takes her diaper off the minute she is done wetting it. So I helped her get a fresh diaper on and went about the day.

Then about noon we were sitting in the front room. Valerie stood up took her diaper off said "potty" and ran down the hall. I ran right behind her. She sat on the potty and used it.

When she was finished instead of heading for a new diaper, she walked into her brother's room pulled out a pair of Joe's underwear and put it on.

She wore it and kept it dry the entire day!

So the next day I took her to the store and we picked out some Big Girl pants for Valerie. She was really happy with the ones she found. (I was worried she would still like the boys better.) She came home and put on every pair all at once. We are staying home this week to really get it down, but Valerie is doing great.

Potty training is one of my least favorite stages as a mother. I am so happy that Valerie took it upon herself to figure it out. Way to go Valerie!

You are such a big girl!

But don't grow up too fast. I love getting cuddles and loves from you and I am not ready to give those up yet.

6th Grade Graduate

It is hard to believe that Emily is finished with 6th grade. She finished off the year with her Country fair.

She chose to do her report on France, because that is where Ryan served his mission. She has been working on her France report all year, and she did a great job. Lucky for her Aunt Tracy visited France during the year and shared her pictures with Emily. Emily liked doing this report and I could not believe all of the things she learned and remembered about her France.

Then to celebrate the completion of 6th grade and Elementary school, the PTA threw a 6th grade party.

The rule was student attending had to bring a parent with them so that meant I got to go too. the party was basically a dinner and a dance. It was fun to watch Emily with her friends.

I got some fun videos of them dancing, but Emily does not want them posted. So out of respect for her I wont, but they are really cute.

The kids all had a good time and they are all ready to move on to Jr. high..........So ready or not here they come!

Emily the Actress

Emily had so much fun in "Up With Kids" last year that she wanted to do it again this year.

Her friends Lindsey and Tiana also signed up. Every Friday they worked hard learning their songs and parts, and they had lots of fun together.

About January they get to let the teacher know which parts they are interested in. Most of the parts are about the same size. Everyone gets a speaking line and they all sing and dance in the scenes, but there are a few larger parts. I told Emily that she should go for one of those parts, but she did not want to . She told me that she likes to be in the plays, but she does not like to stand out.

Emily was given the part of The 6 of Hearts. She was very happy. As you can see from the photo she was one of the lucky cards in the croquet game, but she blended in nicely. Just the way Emily wanted to.

May 14th was the day of the big show. This years play was titled "Alice in Wonderland"

The play was cute, and I could tell Emily loved doing it.

Emily has also been busy at school preparing to perform a shortened version of "Midsummer Nights Dream"

They got to try out for the parts they wanted, and again Emily wanted something simple that did not make her stick out to much. So she was Very happy to be Fairy #3.

She looked really cute in her fairy outfit, and did a great job on her part.

When the kids in the class were not on stage they had them sitting on chairs on the side, so I could see Emily the entire time. I am so glad I could, because the thing I loved the most about this play was watching Emily when she was not on stage. She sat with a big smile on her face, laughing, watching, and enjoying the play as her friends performed. I could see that she did not care about her part, but just being a part of something fun and good.