Lava Walk

The rest area's by our house have these great lava walks that are nice, easy walks where you get to see the different kinds of lava that have flowed and settled here. Last year, after returning from a trip somewhere we stopped at one of the rest area to use the bathroom. We decided to check out the lava walk while there, but it was in the middle of the summer and the heat kept us from going very far. We decided we needed to go back when it got cooler. Well, life happened and it took us nearly a year to get back.

Ben reading us a sign about how lava is formed.

Exploring some of the lava formations.

All 4 kids taking the lead on the walk.

In early May we were having a fairly warm Saturday, warm for May, and we decided to take the kids to the rest area for a walk. We all needed to get out of the house and it was a nice free adventure. The weather was good when we got there and we started out on the 1 mile or so walk. The kids enjoyed reading the signs and learning what they could about the lava, wandering off the trail and climbing on the hills of lava, and looking for the different types of lava formations. It was just nice to get out of the house and enjoy a little of nature. They also loved the cactus bushes they found on the side and would try to be the one who found the most cactus bushes.

Dan chilling out in the backpack with Daddy.

Sarah Kate and Gracie exploring a little hole in the lava.

About 3/4 of the way into our walk the wind started really blowing and we noticed the clouds in the distance were awfully dark. Rather than sitting and having our snack on the look out we decided to hurry the kids along in case it rained. When we got back to the car we realized the storm was likely to just blow, no rain, so we let the kids play around a little and then headed over to the other side of the freeway to do the other walk. By this time the kids were tired and hungry so we didn't do much of the other walk. That's OK! It gives us something to do this fall. It was a lot of fun to get out and enjoy some time with the kids. Life's been real stressful and getting out with the kids to do simple things can make the stressful things seem more manageable.

Sarah Kate showing off her favorite type of lava formation.

Ben and Sarah headed to the car. I always wanted a sibling as close as these to are. They are such good buddies.

Mother's Day

I'm back tracking a little bit. I didn't realize I was so far behind on blogging, but I'd still really like to talk a little about the things I've missed. So it looks like I'll be going back as far as Mother's Day. Mother's Day this year was very simple and that was just the way I wanted it to be. I missed seeing all my family, like we do every Mother's Day, but staying home was so nice. Our ward split the week before Mother's Day and we were made part of a new ward. Because of this we only had sacrament that day and then came home. We took a little nap and did, well, nothing. It was so nice to relax and just spend the day resting.

For Mother's Day this year the kids made me things at school. I love those kid made gifts the most. Sarah Kate made a cookbook and Ben made me a bookmark and drew a little picture with a saying. It's so fun to be a mom and see all that my kids do. They make all the exhaustion, work, and stress worth it.

Ben's Mother's Day paper to me. He filled in the blanks and I just love what it says. 'My Mother is the most wonderful Mother in the whole world! She is as pretty as a flower. She weighs 1,000 pounds. Her favorite food is beef jerky. In the good old days when Mom was little, she used to dance. I think that Mom looks funny when she pretends to be a chicken. It makes her really happy when I help her out. I wish Mom would play with me everyday. I wouldn't trade my Mom for gold. Happy Mother's Day!

Dan Loves TV

Sometimes I feel guilty letting my baby stand and watch TV for a half and hour or more at a time, but he loves it so much and it is beneficial for him (and me.) In early June, Dan discovered Baby Einstein movies. He loves to watch them and will watch sometimes for more than half an hour at a time. This is wonderful for me because it allows me to get some much needed things done without him crying at my feet wanting to be held all the time (he's really heavy.) The thing I love so much about it is that he stands while watching. He's been so slow on all his physical things that we've been real worried that he'd never catch up. However, watching TV has made him love and learn how to stand. He'll hold onto the TV stand and watch while he stands. It allows him to stand for a long time and build up those leg muscles. I think that's good! Anyway, he's so cute standing in front of the TV that I had to take some pictures.

I love how he raises his feet. Babies are so cute.

So yes! If any of you were wondering, I do let the TV babysit my kids sometimes. What parent doesn't? I just try to excuse it away. Besides he looks so big standing up there.

Memorial Day Fun 3

Standing at Grandma and Grandpa Mickelson's grave. These are my mother in-laws grandparents who had both died before I came into the family. They had 11 kids (one being Grandma Holderness) and have populated much of Grace.

While in Grace we headed to the cemetery to put flowers on some graves for the holiday. At first it was just going to be mostly adults, but my kids all wanted to go so more kids ended up coming than we had planned on. Going to the cemetery is always a different outing than most. The kids enjoyed looking at all the graves and trying to determine how old the people were when they died. Of course we saw graves for people ranging from infant to near 100. It was a good education for my kids.

Picking dandelions with cousins Maddi and Gabbi.

Hannah standing by a poster made for Michael Mickelson. He's Helen's Great Grandpa and his old house is now Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Kenny and some of the kids sitting near the grave of a childhood friend who passed away in a tractor accident when they were seven. Having kids brings all new emotions to an experience like that.

Memorial Day Fun 2

The Newbry cousins (minus Travis and Trent)

There's getting to be a lot of them.

Here are some more pictures from Memorial Day. We had such fun and there were so many pictures taken that I thought I'd break it up into 3 posts. Of course being with family is always such a highlight. The kids love playing with their cousins and we love visiting with adults and letting the kids go off and play. We crammed a lot of fun into a short weekend, but that's what we do. This blog is mostly pictures so enjoy.

Playing Grandpa's new air hockey game. I love the line up the stairs of kids waiting their turn.

Jumping on the tramp first thing in the morning. What's better than that?

Aunt April brought some dress-up clothes and of course you rarely saw Gracie in anything else.

Monday afternoon we roasted marshmallows and hot dogs. There's no better way to usher in summer in my mind than cooking things over a fire.

Ben cooking 3 marshmallows. He was nice enough to share one with his Mom. What a good boy.

The adults were able to sneak away from the kids on occasion and play some games.

My DanDan. He's getting so big. Soon he'll be jumping on the tramp, roasting marshmallows and running around with the rest of them.

This Memorials Day was a special day because it also happened to be Grandpa Newbry's birthday. We had a cake made out of a bunch of different cupcakes (perfect for a bunch of little kids) opened some presents and had a little party for him. I wonder if Grandpa ever envisioned having a birthday surrounded by so many of his grandkids. Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Passing out the cupcakes.

Gracie loved the cake.

More trampoline jumping.

It's always hard to leave once the time comes. After so many fun activities the kids were not wanting to go. We headed out the same time as Kingston's and Dearden's and it made it easier to leave when they realized everyone else was leaving. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a great weekend. We can't wait to do it again.

Hannah and Sarah saying bye.

Gracie (who stole Grandma's giraffe, ooops) and Daniel, buckled and ready to go.

Ben being goofy in his sit. That's my boy!

Memorial Day Fun

Cutting the siding to allow for the new window.

Memorial Day was a lot of fun this year. We headed to Grace to help my in-laws punch a whole in their house. They wanted to install a window in one of the upstairs rooms and enlisted the help of all the males in the family over the weekend. Everyone came except Michael and Sarah who are in Alabama. They were missed, but they had a good reason. All of Kenny's other sibling arrived on Saturday morning, but we couldn't make it until late that evening. It was nice to see everyone and get to spend some time with family.

Ben "helping" on the scaffolding.

Cutting out the window. Good job Kenny!

The project went well. They got the hole cut out of the wall and got all the wood that was in the room (they took the old cabin out that they would use for pictures) out the hole. The kids thought it was fun to watch and Ben enjoyed climbing on the scaffolding with dad. All in all it took only about and hour or two and then we had some family fun time before it was time to leave. The window will definitely add more light to Helen's new office/craft room and I can't wait to go scrapbooking with all the girls in the new room when it's done.

Kenny and Karen doing a 'Laugh In'/'Hee Haw' skit. Never put those two together unless you want something goofy to come out of it.

Sending the wood from the old cabin out the window. I tried to help with this, but no one was willing to let me help. Sometimes being pregnant is such a bother.