OUCH!!

One day we were all riding our bikes down to the library when all of a sudden Ty decides to do a quick pop-a-wheelie when CRASH he fell off his bike and smacked his face on the sidewalk. Blood was pouring everywhere. One look and I knew we would not be going to the library for our fieldtrip but we were headed to the ER instead! I'm surprised in a such a traumatic experience I could stay so calm and not freak out and lose it! We quickly walked our bikes back to Mimi's house, luckily we weren't to far away. Mimi watched the kids and I drove Ty to the ER. There is nothing worse than watching your child suffer and go through so much pain and not be able to do anything but hold his hand. It was so sad! I felt so bad for Ty. He was a trooper and very brave. They had to stitch up his lip on the inside. I think he had 4 stitches on his upper lip. Then they super-glued the outside top lip. He had a mighty bad road-rash on his nose and chin.

 The swelling was so awful. I was really worried it would stay like this and he would have permanent damage. 

 

So, so sad! This broke my heart. I felt so helpless not being able to help Ty. All I could so was hold his hand and try to comfort him. 

Poor kid! This was a couple days after the accident. He still had a lot of swelling. After a week or so the swelling went down. His road rash went away and really it is almost 100% back to normal! He has a little bit of scar on his top lip but it isn't to bad! 

Ty's sweet Auntie Chel came to visit and brought little Lincoln. That helped cheer up Ty! Ty loved seeing Link and here they are with their robot they made together out of blocks! 

Trip to Boise!

A few days after we returned home from our camping trip from Moab we unpacked the car only to pack it again! This time our destination was Boise Idaho! Nate had training all week for work and we decided it would be more fun to go with him. Since we still didn't have a house to move into we might as well live it up!

The first day of our vacation we went to the Discovery Center! It was a great place to explore and play! When we got there we were swarmed by 100 kids on field trips. I thought maybe this wasn't such a good idea! But shortly after all the kids went home for lunch and we had the discovery center to ourselves!

Carder could have played in the grocery store all day long! He loved playing with all the fake food!

Miss Mara the checker! She said she might like to do this for real wen she grows up!

Ty is making the world's biggest bubble!

Caleb is learning how to use the pulley-system! He is actually pulling himself up in the swing! 

This might have been the kids' favorite thing at the Discovery Center! 

The thing that makes this place so cool is it is a great science learning center! He we are in a room full of mirrors learning about reflections! 

Here's Mara learning about airflow! The ball is actually suspended in the air!

Check out that tower of blocks! Pretty amazing! Ty loves to build!

Good job Carder! Good building towers!

It's always sad when it is time to go home especially when mom won't buy anything from the gift shop! What a sad sad face!

We walked across the bridge to a park near by and had a picnic after the discovery center.

What a silly kid sticking out his tongue! Glad he is smiling again!

Mara trying to fit in the baby swing!! But she is much too big!

The park had tons of little fuzzy baby geese!

After daddy gets out of his training we liked to grab a bite to eat and then head somewhere fun. He we are at the Ann Morrison Park watching all the geese near the river!

Too bad we didn't have any bread to feed the geese! We especially loved the baby geese!

The next day we went to an indoor trampoline place! The kids jumped their little hearts out! They loved it! 

They had a foam pit that you could jump into! 

The kids pretended they were swimming in the ocean of foam blocks!

We had never seen so many trampolines in one place before! It was amazing!

They had some balls for dodge ball on the tramps. We played ball tag...so fun! 

This is what happens when we have too much fun playing a the trampoline place! We all come back to the hotel room and take a long nap!

One of the kids' (and daddy's) favorite shows is Man vs. Food! They love watching all the cool places to eat around the nation and watching the star of the show pig-out and eat as much food as he can. Well we so happen to visit not one but three of the places from Man vs. Food!! This was Big Judd's! This was the biggest 3+lb hamburger! We split it and it fed most of our family!

The kids' very favorite part of the trip was of course the swimming pool! I think we swam at least once a day!

The pool water was awfully chilly so the kids had to warm up in the hot tub!

What a cute little swimmer! He is quite the little fish!

Cannon-ball!! No fear here!

Ty just can't get enough swimming! It doesn't matter how cold the water is! He LOVES swimming!

And this little swimmer doesn't mind just sitting by the pool watching everyone else jump in! He likes the warmer water not so much the cold water! 

 And this is what happens when we play too hard! They are just too tired! We sleep the rest of the afternoon! 

Fieldtrip: Hogel Zoo

We moved from Price in April, and since school didn't get out until May I enrolled my kids in home school! I am officially a home school mom! I was extremely overwhelmed with the idea, but as I got into I actually loved it! What a great experience! It was hard! Four kids, four different ages, and attention spans! But really I thought it went so great! We had an awesome routine and schedule every day. I loved all the material we studied. My favorite part was read aloud after lunch! The kids loved having recess! And we even had field trips! One of field trips was to the Hogel Zoo with our cousins! School doesn't get much better than that!

Here is the crew! Just missing three grandkids! They sure a cute bunch! 

The silly boys! 

Cute Carder seeing the elephant! He loved seeing all the animals! 

How many kids can fit in the nest?! 

We loved watching the sea otters and seals swim!

And what is a trip to the zoo without a ride on the carousel?! 

Cute Sadie on the giraffe! 

Carder wasn't too sure about this carousel! 

I think all the kids chose the giraffe! 

Look at all those monkeys in the zoo!!

Thanks Grandma Lewis for a fun day at the zoo!!

Moab Camping Trip!

A week after we moved out of our house in Price we had a camping trip down in Moab! Sure! Why not?! We are homeless anyway we might as well go (we are living with my parents until we can get in our new house!) We had been planning this for several months. It would be a reunion with all Nate's friends and college roommates: 'the fellas'!! We were really excited about this trip especially to see all our old friends. We haven't seen many of these friends for years and years! As the time got closer Nate felt like it wasn't a good idea to go because he didn't think he could take the time off since he just started a new job. I told him I was going no matter what (thinking I could eventually persuade him to go!) Well as it turns out Nate really couldn't go, but I was committed and determined to attend! So I packed the car, and loaded up four kids by myself and took off for my first camping trip as a lone ranger!!

The kids slept most of the drive down to Moab!

I knew the kids would be okay with the drive. They are used to road trips and I knew they could handle it to Price and Moab was just a little farther! So we set off for our adventure without daddy! :(
As we drove past Price and we were somewhere in the middle of nowhere all of a sudden I had this thought: "What in the heck am I thinking!?!" Driving all this way...by myself...camping...with four kids....all alone!?! Maybe this wasn't such a good idea! What if something happens?!

But somehow I did it! We had the greatest time! It was amazing! I can't wait to do it again! But next time I will take Nate!

Between setting up the tent, getting our camp ready, chasing four kids, feeding them, helping them, visiting with friends, and everything else I did by myself I only took one picture the entire time! I am so bad! Dang it! Well, we were just having way too much time for pictures! My kids LOVED meeting new friends and playing with their new friends. At the campground was a playground, perfect for the kiddos to hangout and play! We went for a hike, which with so many little kiddos in the hot heat it just didn't turn out so good. But after the hike we had a fun picnic at the park and went swimming! So much fun!

So here are the fellas! What a great group of guys! They haven't changed a bit!

  

 Such amazing friends! It was like we hadn't been apart! We just picked up where we left off! When I was telling Nate about our trip I told him I had the worst night ever in all my history! Carder cried most of the night and we didn't not get a wink of sleep! He asked if it was worth it and I said: Absolutely! I would do it all again! No questions asked! I am so glad I went! It was totally worth it!

 Look at all these kids! Wowzers! It was fun how most of the kids matched up. They all felt like they had a friend. We will definitely have to make this a new tradition! We can't wait to do it again. I wish Nate could have gone. He was missed! Next year. Same time. Same place! Can't wait!