Grandkids and the Waterslide

One of the best investments we've made was this waterslide for the grandkids...Whenever they come around and the weather is warm enough, they insist we put up the slide. Logan even has a mixing valve we can put on to give the kids warm water when the weather is alittle on the chilly side.

Chase is daring enough now to not just slide down the slide, but he launches himself from the deck sailing in mid-air before hitting the slide.

Peyton's first ride down the slide was initiated by her sister....Notice she's not exactly smiling, although Halli thinks it's rather funny.

Chase launching himself from the deck.

Peyton checking out the water temperature.

This is where Chase got the idea of launching from the deck...way to show your little brother how to do it, Tyler.

How many times in just one minute can Halli go down the slide.... (I lost count).

Bowling Night

When April and the girls were here, April wanted to go and do "something"....The idea of going to Grandma and Grandpa's house is for them to take the kids of "Mom's" hands and let her relax, unfortunately for April, we were in the middle of classes and work....So on Wednesday night she suggested we go bowling. It was a little difficult to find a bowling alley that didn't have leagues taking up all the lanes...we ended up down on Madison for our bowling night.

Always take little ones with you when you bowl...they put up the gutter guards which helped out tremendously with our high scores and they had a shute for the kids to launch their balls from, Halli even had a couple of strikes. It was fun to watch the girls retrieve those heavy balls, but by the end of the night Peyton was bored and entertained us with her version of bowling alley angel wings.

Au Revoir St. George

Final parting shot as the sun sets over the golf course and pool. Again, I can't take credit for the photo, I'll post who took it when they let me know.

Peyton was fascinated with this frog from the very first day. Just before we left the house for home, I asked her to go touch the frog, I just had to get a picture of her with this frog that was her size.

Happy Birthday Mom

Our family trip to St. George was all to celebrate mom's 80 wonderful years. It was a very wonderful weekend, being surrounded by family. Mom and Dad were able to relax and enjoy the coming and goings of their children and grandchildren.


Dad surprised mom with a wedding band, as she's been unable to wear hers. He got down on one knee and expressed his eternal love for her and presented her the ring. .......awwwww, so sweet.

After our eventful day of hiking on the red rocks of Snow Canyon, lunch at Cafe Rio, more swimming in the pool, watching the kids and Logan run around the golf course in their swimming suits, we ended the weekend with a party. It was meant to be a dance, but as Mormons go, well, maybe we should take dance lessons. We danced with the kids and then put the little ones to bed. Afterwards we played the game "What If..." I think Morgan got hammered with the what if prom questions.

Snow Canyon

I'm a bit slow in getting these posted and I still have more to post. Credit for the photos come from Ryan, Kate, April and Britt. I didn't have my camera with me. While in St. George the gang went to Snow Canyon to hike amoung the red rocks. I love this canyon....

Okay...most of us went out far enough for the family photo and then headed back to the car, Davis, MacKay and Ken hiked over the red rocks, the rest of us headed to grassy area and ate pomegranets and cooled off on the grass.

Kate took some amazing photos of mom and dad.

This picture says it all, I love this one.

Halli and Tyler on a hike

Ken and Shellie

That's Janna.... "Oh my gosh, this looks just like home, I thought we were getting away from the cactus and rocks"...... Mom's so sweet to smile and nod her head and Jason's blocked it all out.

Go ahead and say it ......I look like my 27 year old daughter, now she might not be happy with that observation.

Peyton and Chase did their share of walking, but many of us took turns carrying them.

At the Pool

It's not a vacation if you don't have a pool. Of course the pool was the central gathing place, catching some sun or going for a midnight swim.

Shellie and Brittany catching some rays.

Is Ryan really swimming on Halli's back? Which explains why Kate is protecting Chase.
The gang's almost all here. The following day, while everyone is swimming, Logan was encouraging the kids to run out onto the golf course and pick up the balls before the golfers got to the greens. I was looking out the window when I saw six kids in their swim suits running out onto the course with Logan close behind them. They ran to three ponds, fishing out balls, the older kids swimming in the last pond. When they finally returned they had handfuls of balls. Tyler loved jumping in, he made this run several times making sure it was caught on camera.
Peyton - Halli loving being flipped by Ryan

St George Utah

Last Thursday at 1 in the morning Logan and I Drove to the Salt Lake City Airport to pick-up Brittany, who took the airport shuttle down from Rexburg and April and her girls who took a flight in from Houston. It seemed kinda strange to be driving with a car full of car seats and a stroller attached to the back and no kids in the car. From there we drove to St. George for mom's 80th Birthday celebration. We rented a wonderful house with all the amenities.

Logan was the morning breakfast chef. Peyton loves to be in the loop on everything. Chase and Peyton competing for Grandpa Logan's arms.
Right after breakfast we spotted this hot air balloon it almost landed directly behind the house offering a great photo opportunity.
Peyton and Chase doing what 2 year olds do. In the lower photo, they're putting pine needles between the slates on the deck.
Photo Class - Kate giving away her photography secrets. Ok, I never got in on the class and therefore my excuse for the lousy photos. If they're good, mostly likely I loaded them from someones camera.
Afternoon golfing. The younger kids were too young to be on the course so the guys rented carts and when the made their way by the house, Logan whistled and the kids went running out on the course and drove away in the carts. Logan let Maggie drive his cart.

All Alone Again

We took April and her girls to the airport this morning, Logan and I got passes to go through security and help her with the girls until she boarded the plane. Last night we packed them up and packed lunches for Halli and Peyton in their pink lunch boxes, which they immediately opened once we were through security. They were the last ones on the plane, and Halli and Peyton had fun running up and down the jetway, at one point Peyton's shoe came off and I went in to put it back on here, so of course, as soon as I came back the gal shut the door, but that didn't stop the girls from running up to the door and give us kisses through the glass.

April called when they got home and then called 1/2 hour later just to let us know that Peyton misses us. He kitten scratched her and she was upset and crying, running to the door to go to "Grandpa Home".

Missing Lexie

April was stripping the beds and putting away the playpen this morning, she said she was doing it because last time they were here, I was crying while cleaning up. But she can't ever get rid of the momentos left behind. Here's what I found while walking through the house this afternoon...and I'm not in a big hurry to clean it up either... and yes I cried.

Crushed Ritz crackers everwhere.

Lonley swings, no more morning swings while Grandpa fixes breakfast.

I found the Foot Loop necklace hanging on the cabinet door.

and one deflated Water Slide. :(