When It Snows For Spring Break...

So this year for Easter and Spring Break, we decided to embrace the (stupid stupid) snow and just go with it. Thanks to Tyler's dad, we get the opportunity to stay in fun condos at Powder Mountain every once and a while. With some convincing that cold is as much fun as warm-which I don't think anyone, anywhere really believes-we packed up Grandma Jo, Callan and Jaci, and Aunt Paige and her kids and drove into the snow.

Tyler decided that it was high time the big boys learn to ski and hello, there couldn't be a more perfect place. Of course, this is where he skied growing up. Saturday turned out to be beautiful with lots of fresh new powder. Because of little #4 on the way I couldn't go, so Tyler bundled the boys up, bought 1 adult and 1 child ski pass and took each of the big boys for a half of the day. I must say when it came right down to it, I was quite jealous. And I also must say that I'm so very glad that Asher's best friend, Callan, came to swim, play and entertain him all weekend. It totally took the pressure off me:)

They both loved it. I think it was a good thing for each of them to have some time alone with dad. When Tyler asked Hayes if he would like to go to the lodge for a snack after the next run he said that Hayes answered,"Sure, Dad. I just want this to be a great day with just me and you. It doesn't have to be all skiing. It can be the lodge too."

Of course we had to color Easter Eggs so that, as Asher says, the Easter Egg Man could find us. Is it just me, or does that guy sound a little creepy?

The condo lodge had an egg hunt at which we were semi-successful

All in all, a very fun Easter weekend. Thanks to everyone for braving the snow with us:)

Seven Years

Hayes turned 7 on March 11. He's practically all grown up if you ask him. But I think I'll keep him a little boy a while longer:) For his birthday he had a Lego party and received another Leopard Gecko, which he named Leopard Head. Very creative, I know. So now there is Skid and Leopard Head. Tyler wants to change them to Skid Row and Def Leopard, which I think really shows his age, don't you agree? Plus no one ever said we were good pet namers.

Haysie (I'm not really allowed to call him that anymore) is in 1st grade and doing awesome. He's great at making friends and really gets excited about everything- everyday is the best day ever. But he does have one true love. Something the mother of a seven-year-old can be really proud of. Here's an example: every parent-teacher conference we go to his teacher asks him what he thinks are a few things he is really good at. I'm assuming she means things like reading or telling time or art, all things at which I think he is really good. Every single time the first thing he says is "video games." So that's about it in a nutshell...

Hayes, I love you! You always, always make me happy:) Happy Birthday buddy!

We Got Skills

This season was our first attempt at Jr Jazz, but so not our first attempt at the the Art of Appreciating Basketball. Or, Basketball As An Art Form. Tyler has a solid belief that one should have a deep love for all things basketball (and college football, if we're going there), especially where the Jazz and the Cougars are concerned. He has for some time now done everything humanly possible to draw the boys' interest to this love. This includes basketball parties, basketball jerseys, creating team posters to use at home during the game, going to actual games, and sometime even playing basketball. Also the Holy Grail of at-home basketball activities, teaching the boys to keep track of players' points using box scores. The boys, of course love all of it, but mostly just because they love their dad:)

So as I said, this was our first year for Jr. Jazz. It was actually a really good program for the boys. They spent most each hour each week learning skills in a workshop and then played in a short game at the end. We um, need the skills practice to say the least. I just hope for Tyler's sake that at some point they begin to take after him in this department, because my basketball skills are just about as good as my bow hunting and nun chuck skills. They did have a ton of fun and were really excited for basketball each week, which is the important part, right?

Scouts is Awesome

In February Dax received his first badge-his Bobcat-at the Blue and Gold Banquet which also happened to be the Scouts 100th Birthday party. He was pretty excited and pretty proud of himself. In case you didn't know, you're super cool when you're old enough to go to Scouts. Grandma Jo invited Dax over to help him make his Blue and Gold cake for the cake auction. She said he was very "hands-on" and didn't really want her to help, but in the end allowed a few suggestions and maybe some help with the letters. The cake was much admired at the auction and sold to the Geldmachers for a whopping amount. And I must add a thank you to our wonderful scout leaders. It can't be an easy job to have what must seem like several hundred eight-year-olds at your house on a weekly basis. You guys rock.

Christmas 2009

Christmas was so fun! The boys are at such a great age for that time of year. It's sort of magical for them. Oh, except for Asher. The problem is that he is never Big Enough, as evidenced by the fact that he really hated everything Santa brought him. Seriously. It started with not getting a snow board like the big boys and never really got better. He asked for Rocky the Robot Truck for months. But after the snow boards, nope. Hated it. It was super adorable, that throwing a fit on Christmas morning:

Thank goodness for Aunt Camille. She might only have girls at her house, but I think she knows a thing or two about little boys because Ash loved his present from the Jewetts.It was a beautiful day, so we took the boys right out to test their balance on their new boards. We have some perfect hills behind our house. I won't say the word "naturals" came right to mind, but they did pretty good for their first time. By the time we went home they could both stay up all the way to the bottom of the hill.

And believe it or not Asher actually became one with his super duper sled and even liked it a whole lot. Will wonders never cease.

Thanksgiving 2009

This year we spent Thankgiving in Cedar City with the Wileys. It was super fun and super delicious. The Berretts were very kind and offered us their beautiful new condo in St. George for the weekend. We accepted, of course. It was also super. Thanks Berretts!

There's nothing better than a chocolate cupcake and a roll in the leaves before the big meal. I fully support chocolate cupcakes at any time. Especially on holidays. And days that end in y.

The twinnies got festive in several dance costumes before their leaf jumping. Oh to feel beautiful in spandex.

On Saturday we asked the kids to choose an activity that they would like to do. Being the ambitious little buggers they are, they picked hiking. We decided that was an excellent idea-especially after our super star eating all weekend-and we took them to one of our favorite places from back in the day, Red Cliffs.

I wandered around for a significant amount of the weekend without doing my hair or my makeup. I think I'm getting lazy in my old age. Don't worry, I'm ok with it.

Some of us even climbed up the holes carved in the wall using the rope. It seemed very high and daring over that waterfall.
Yay for boys that pick to go hiking. Also very super.

A Baptism and A Halloween Party

Dax got to be baptised and confirmed on Halloween day, 2009. It was an awesome day for him. And what happened in Sacrament the next day was even more awesome. The Bishopric invited him up to the stand to congratulate him, announced him as a new member of the ward and also invited him to sit with them. They gave him a brand new Book of Mormon as well. As he was standing up there, I noticed a whispered conversation going on between him and the Bishopric councilor. Notice in the picture that he is holding scriptures. Tyler and I gave him a Book of Mormon and a scripture case for his baptism. You can see where this is going, right? Um, yes. He politely informed the Bishopric on the stand in front of the entire ward that he didn't really want their Book of Mormon. He got one with his name on it and everything just yesterday. Thanks, but no thanks. Uh Huh.

Now on the note of that little jem, here's where I get a little mushy. It really was amazing for Dax to have the opportunity to go through this special experience. To become a member of the church and to get to have the gift of the Holy Ghost! What a blessing. I don't talk about it as much as I probably should, but I want my family to know that I have a testimony of the Gospel. To raise these sweet boys into righteous young men who will hold to the rod in this scary world is a great responsibility that I worry about. A lot. And to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion to them brings such comfort. I am so thankful for Tyler, that he was worthy to baptise Dax and be an example to all the boys. I am thankful for all of our family and friends, for their support and love. I am thankful that we are an eternal family. The Gospel is true. We are known, and we are unconditionally loved.

After the baptism, we of course had a rockin Halloween party. It was so fun to share Daxon's special day and Halloween with cousins and friends.

A little Rock BandThe Trick or Treat crew