Snowbird!

You know summer has finally arrived when it's time for Snowbird! Tyler's family has been going there for a week every summer since he was little and now its a family favorite. The boys can't wait for it and they talk about it all year long. A whole week of eating, swimming, fishing, playing games, more eating, you get the picture. And here's a special shout out to Angie and Colby, because thanks to them buying a bigger place, the Geldmacher's (both sets) finally got their own room! Grandpa and Grandma have always been very generous and let the moochers (us) share their room and we are very thankful and always have fun, but I must say it's not too shabby to have your own spot to park it(even though its not really ours). We had such a good time, everyone was a little sad to go home. Dax even squeezed out a few tears on Friday night because he was already missing everyone. And I can't sign off without my favorite new quote "Oh my freak. Oh my hell" Sorry, Hiedi if I'm over doing it-you've just gotta love these little boys and their PG ferteen transformer movies :)Ok, so I didn't realize this would be the first picture, but hey that's a cake! Happy Birthday Tyler
Haysies first time on the climbing wall
Dax is finally driving alone!
backflips

More Snowbird

Grandpa's Hike
At the top of the tram
Cousins at the Alpine slide
The fishing pond
Rupps Rockets-I loved this picture. Check out every adult

I Repeat: We DO NOT Have the Mumps!!!

The day after we got back from Yuba, Ash woke up looking pretty scary. Lets just say his face was swollen not beyond recognition, but definitely to the point of near-deformity. I'm not overreacting-look at the picture! Needless to say, it freaked me out and we ran to see the doctor. "Mumps," he said. No way! We are all immunized! Who gets the mumps?! Seriously, I didn't think they even really existed anymore. I've never know ANYONE who was sick with the mumps. The Dr. sent us for a blood test and we had to sweat it out for four days- freaking out anyone with small children who might be capable of contracting our disease, by the way-to find out its NOT THE MUMPS! Hooray! What did he have? Good question. Thankfully whatever it was is now gone. And no, Broc, I don't know what's up with my disease-ridden family:)

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Tyler is 32 tomorrow-and he's got some greys to prove it :) So, in honor of his birthday, I decided count down my Top Ten favorites about Tyler:

10: The dimples. Trouble from the start.

9: The eyes. Again, did me in from the very beginning.

8: He holds my hand in the car.

9: He is smart enough to always tell me likes my hair, no matter what.

7: He still calls me 800 times a day. I may roll my eyes, but I secretly love it.

6: He dosen't care what anyone else thinks-he truly believes HE is the coolest person he knows:)

5: He is really tender hearted.

4: He pretends not to, but he loves chick flicks and family Disney movies.

3: He totally cracks me up.

2: He is a very selfless foot-rubber.

1: He has Friday night sleepovers in the living room with the boys-every Friday night.

1: He is the best dad on the planet (sorry, other dads) and he loves being a family.

OK, so I could have just kept adding onto number one, but lets not get crazy:) Just kidding honey. I asked Dax what his favorite thing about Daddy was, and he couldn't choose between going to work with him or that Daddy will always play games with him. Hayes was sure his favorite thing was the XBox. I said, not your favorite thing, your favorite thing about Daddy. He said playing the XBox with Daddy. Big surprise there. And Asher's newest phrase is "Daddy. Hooome." This can either be said as a question or an exclamation, depending on Tyler's location.

Tyler works so hard to take care of our family, and I'm sure that I don't tell him enough how much I appreciate it. I love you love you love you so much and I don't think there are three luckier little boys anywhere. Happy Birthday! By the way, you are 32, not 33. On occasion I am wrong-just not on very many occasions:) And I put some Dave on my playlist-just for you

Yuba

Since I was a little kid, the Wiley family has gone to Yuba for long weekend of boating and playing in the sun almost every summer. Because of some vicious wind/sandstorms in the past, we've tried a few other places over the years. (Uncle Bret vowed he was never returning to Yuba) But we-Whittiers included- just keep comin' back to the sandy beach at good old Yuba. This past weekend was beautiful. The sun shone(is that right?) the wind didn't blow much, and the water was good. But hello, I must really be getting old because a few times skiing behind the boat and one really good wreck and I am still REALLY SORE, three days later. Plus, no matter the amount of sunscreen applied, everyone always gets at least a little sunburned. But the soreness and sunburns are worth it, because I always forget how much fun it is to ski, or ride the tube, or whatever. All the kids are growing up and getting really good-you should see Natalie standing on the kneeboard:) And since everyone else makes wakeboarding look so fun and easy, I thought, no biggie, I can totally do that. Um, not so much. After drinking half the lake, I decided to stick to skiing. My body has been pointing straight for too many years to suddenly try and balance sideways. Tyler says that thinking I have to be sideways is why I can't do it. Like he knows. He kept asking what foot I would put forward on a skateboard. How many years have we been married? Has he ever SEEN me on a skateboard??? Anyway, I kept trying to get Dax and Hayes to try the little, tied-together skis, but they're not quite brave enough yet. Maybe next year. I think Asher was the best sport, he never cried or got ornery when it got hot, he just played played played. It was fun for all, we can't wait for next year.

Justified

OK, so recently I've come to realize that my addiction to this blog has rendered me incapable of going anywhere or doing any sort of activity without obtaining photographic evidence of said activity. I was beginning to feel like I was going a teensy bit overboard in my compulsion to post-until today. There was a speaker in sacrament who talked about the importance of keeping a personal history-which is basically totally in support of a blogging habit! So I decided that this is my attempt to record some sort of journal for my family. That way, when the boys are older I will have proof of what a wonderful mother I was and what a magical childhood they had. Because, you know, I don't take pictures of the beatings:) Anyway, for those of you who view the Rumpus regularly, thank you for putting up with what is really probably just me showing off my family. I'm sure the obsession will loose its allure someday, but for now, stay tuned for more pictures:)

Disclaimer: No children have actually been beaten...

Another Saturday

We seem to be having some pretty successful Saturdays lately-I'm not sure why, but I won't question it:) So this Saturday we tried fishing. Dax keeps saying he's pretty sure that he is now old enough to not be afraid of a fish if he could just get the chance to go fishing. Tyler bought an inflatable kayak last summer that he is in love with and wanted to take it out. Sidebar: I must admit that when he bought the kayak I rolled my eyes and said something about that being sooo stupid. It wasn't nice. I admit it. Back to yesterday. There is a small reservoir right below our house, so we decided to try our luck. As we left, Dax, Hayes, and I all adamantly expressed that we did NOT want to ride Tyler's canoe thingy. Turns out the fish weren't really biting (Dax doesn't have much patience to leave the pole alone for 5 seconds) but the kayak was a big hit! Every one of us got on and loved it so much it was hard to take turns. Tyler even "trolled" Dax around with his pole.