Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fall Break

Paige and Austin had a week off from school, so we decided to take advantage and go somewhere we haven't been before, but still close by.  We decided that place was Eden, UT.  We couldn't have asked for better weather and a more beautiful place.  We went on a hike at Snowbasin, Brian golfed, we played a little putt-putt golf, hit a few tennis balls and just enjoyed being together as a family.  We were able to have my mom and dad come over night one of the nights and they went on the hike with us.  It was great!  After our 3 nights in Eden, we went to Salt Lake to be with Brian's brother and his family.  We went to Discovery Gateway, which we loved because it reminded us of COSI in Columbus.  Austin's favorite place was the construction area. Bryn's favorite place was the magnet area.  She could have stayed there for hours.  Bryn screamed when we left to eat dinner!  Paige's favorite part was "everything".  She especially loved the pretend area with the grocery store and the play house.  After playing there for a few hours, we ate dinner at the SkyBox with the HUGE projection screen and the arcade games.  Austin is still asking to go eat and play there again!  Of course, I forgot to get the camera out of the car while we were there, so no pictures of our time with Tom, Em, Ethan, Ashley, Jane and Lucy.  Just know that we had a lot of fun and enjoyed each other's company immensely!!! ;0)

Our first night at the condo in Eden.  I love this picture!  Bryn was so excited to eat at the bar with the other 2!

Here's Austin and my dad at our stopping point.  We could have gone a little higher, but the kids were done.  My mom and dad ended up going to a peak a little higher than this, but Brian, the kids, and I made our way back down the mountain.  We figure the hike was about 4 miles and the kids did quite well.  Paige walked most of it by herself (she had a few piggyback rides from daddy).  Austin was on Bri's shoulders for about 1/3 of the way.  Bryn was on my back in the baby carrier the whole way, obviously. :0)  She cried most of the way down the mountain because she was so tired, but at least it's shorter going down the mountain then going up!!

Grandma and Bryn hanging out at the top.  It was a little windy at the top as you can see from my mom's hair! :0)

Don't ask me why Brian didn't turn the camera to take this picture so it would include Austin!  It's a cute picture of Paige, though! ;0)

If you look closely at the ridge in the middle, you can see my mom and dad.

Besides Bryn waking up early, she did really well on our trip.  She was so happy!  She learned to stand up completely by herself and even took 6 steps while we were gone.  If she made up her mind to walk all the time, she could.  She just hasn't decided that it's very important yet! ;0)

On our hike, the kids picked up several rocks and we put eye and mouth stickers on them.  They turned out so cute.  As you can see, Paige and Austin were (and still are) very proud of them.  Bryn was pretty excited about them, too. :0)

Paige showing us how it's done!

Bryn just followed us around the putt-putt course.  She LOVED it!!

We found a little playground after golfing.  They had fun on this, also.

Bryn loved the slides, too.  She ended up going up the steps, getting on the slide, and sliding down all by herself by the time we left.  She would have done it a hundred more times if we let her.  She didn't want to leave.

Paige didn't play on the playground equipment at all.  She was too excited to build this awesome sand castle all by herself!  I personally LOVE the flag on the top made from a twig and a leaf!

Here's Bryn showing us that she can do it all by herself!!

Walking back to the condo.

A shot of the main living area of the condo.  It was a great little place to stay!

Bear World

We went to Bear World for the first time with the Smiths.  The kids had a blast.  It was really neat to see all of the bears, wolves, moose, deer, elk, etc. so close.  (That was Brian's favorite part.)  The kids' favorite part was the amusement park-type rides.  My favorite part was shopping with Jesalee afterwards!! ;0)  (I had a lot of fun at Bear World, too!!)


Aren't these kids so cute?!?

The true Smiths come out!! ;0)


And here's our family!  These are so funny!!

This swan was so big!!

The petting zoo was great.  I couldn't believe the deer let the kids pet them like they did!!

We had to get a picture with one of Grandpa Nebeker's favorite animals!! ;0)

This turkey was very interested in Bryn!!

Austin LOVED this ride!!!

Do you think Paige and Jade did too?

There was a little roller coaster

These were Paige and Jade's favorite ride of all.  They seriously went on it at least 10 times.  The poor girl in charge of running the rides!!  She was a good sport.  I don't know how the girls rode it so many times.  There's a big disc that you spin in the middle of each bear and of course the girls loved to spin really fast.  I was sick after one ride!!

Another FHE at the reservoir

We love that we live so close to the reservoir.  We go there many times over the summer just to take walks or play in the sand.  It's great!!
This is Bryn's first time in a "big girl carseat".  Doesn't she look like a big girl?!?

While Paige and Austin were playing on the big sand mountain, Bryn stayed with us and ate a jelly sandwich.  She quickly added a little (or a lot) of sand to the mix! ;0)  She didn't seem to mind too much.

Such a funny girl!

First day of school

Paige and Austin were so excited for school this year!  Paige actually had 2 "First days of school".  The 1st day of school was just an orientation, but we still had to take a picture because she's just too cute!!

Here's the 2nd day of school, Paige's 1st official day and first time riding the bus.  As you can see, ALL of the kiddos were excited to see the bus!!

Paige in line waiting for the bus

Can you tell Austin was excited for school?!?  I can't believe how big he looks in this picture.  I'm so glad we decided to put him in preschool this year!  He has done so well and is much better at being more independent.  He doesn't have to have Paige or Mommy and Daddy with him or helping him all the time.

He wanted me to take a picture of his "cool backpack". 

Flyin' some kites!!

We love where we live!!  Our house is right next to the Stake softball fields so it's like having a HUGE yard that we don't have to take care of!!  The wind was blowing just enough to fly some kites (surprise, surprise since we live in Idaho!!) so we did just that for Family Home Evening one Monday this summer.  The kids had such a great time and they both got really good at it!
Paige ended up running around the whole ball field with her kite!


Bryn enjoying the weather and just wishing she was older so SHE could have a kite to fly!!

I wish you could see his face in this picture!  Austin was so proud of himself!!

September 11th service project

Our ward did a service project at the reservoir on Sept. 11th.  It was actually really fun being there with so many families.  It looks SO much better!!
This was taken in the first 5 minutes of being there.  Notice that the kids were eagerly working alongside the adults.

Fewer children around.  Can you believe all of those weeds!!

No kids in the background! ;0)  Our friends' little girl was so cute with Bryn!

Taking weeds, dirty diapers and lots of trash to the dump

Towards the end of the project.  You can actually see the rocks and the water now.  Yay!!

This is where our kids ended up for the majority of the project.  In the sand volleyball court building sand castles.

Our cute Bryn!!

Look at that smile!!!