Valley of Fire State Park

We made the trek to California full of Christmas cheer as we listened to Christmas music and played different activities in the car. The kids did great on our road trip. Carder did okay with his first long drive. He does not enjoy his car seat and was often bored but we survived the car ride! One thing that helped our journey was making a stop outside of Las Vegas in Valley of Fire State Park. When we got out of the car we could not believe the temperature! It was sunny and warm and felt wonderful! It was nice leaving the snow and cold temperatures behind in Utah!

As soon as we stopped the car the kids ran out and started climbing the rocks! They were sure happy to get out of the car and stretch their legs!

 

Ty climbed right to the top of this mountain! 

 

 Carder was pretty happy and excited to be out of his carseat!

Look at this little lady relaxing and laying down in a rock!

We went on a really cool hike which was perfect for the kids!

As you can see from this cute face he loved the hike and loved playing on the rocks!

 Caleb is so big! He is such a great hiker!

Along the hike we took a little detour up a small mountain.

 Ty climbed to the very top. Behind Ty you can see a tiny little moon!

We loved the rock formations along the way. It looked like Swiss cheese!

  The kids had a great time hiding in all the holes!

 

This was a perfect place to play along our route!

 

Oh 'Caluba'!! How we love you! I just can't get enough of this cute chubby cheek boy!

 He had the best time finding all the holes in the rocks and hiding!

 The coolest part of the hike happened right in front of our eyes as we were hiking around the top of the mountain! We looked across to the other side of the mountain and here comes a heard of big horn sheep! 

 It was so cool to watch the bighorn sheep! We sat and observed for a while! We just happened to be in the right place at the right time!

 

 Some of the sheep had huge horns! 

 Then all at once the sheep turned and showed us all their white bums!!

 

And then like that....the sheep were gone! Ty is our big horn sheep lover!

 Along the hike we went through a slot canyon! It was awesome!

 

 We all loved the red-rock canyon! It reminded us of southern Utah!

Look! It's a reindeer! 

We saw lots of cacti along the hike! We thought about getting a cactus next year for a Christmas tree!

We hiked until the sun was about to go down and then it was time to head to Vegas!

 And Carder? How did he like the hike?! He loved it! He slept most of the way snuggled with his daddy! Too bad he couldn't sleep in the car!

We really wanted to go church since it was the Christmas Sunday! So we looked up the nearest church in Vegas drove around the Ghetto until we found the building. Let's just say we were a little nervous about getting out of the car since all the homes close by the church had bars in the windows! We thought we might get jumped walking into the building! And in fact when we sat down on the bench we sat next to a security guard! We weren't sure if he was there for worship or to protect the members!! It was a little different but nice to be at church and it's amazing how no matter where you go the church is still the same! It was nice to hear the Christmas message and we were grateful to be able to (safely) attend church on our trip!!

Chistmas at Home!

This is our second Christmas...one more to go! We wanted to have Christmas at home before we left for California. The Friday morning before Christmas we designated as our Christmas morning. The kids were out of school and Nate took off work. It was pretty exciting! Nate and I were the first ones up and waiting for the kids to wake up!

Caleb was excited about his Thomas adventure kit! Perfect for an upcoming vacation!

What do you buy a baby for Christmas that you don't already have from the other three kids?! How about a bumbo!

 Carder also got this cute play-mat! He's one happy baby with his new presents!

I found this beautiful dress for Mara! She looks like a princess when she wears it!

Ty was pretty excited about his new lego set!

 

Carder trying out his new bumbo!  He had so much fun in Mara's room having a tea party! She loved serving Carder all the fake food she made!!

As soon as we opened presents and had Christmas we started cleaning the house and taking down the Christmas tree and decorations! I felt kike the grinch putting Christmas away early! It felt as if Christmas was over even though we still had three days until the real Christmas! Caleb was so sad about putting Christmas away! He laid on the floor and cried! I felt so bad! But I didn't want to come home from California after the New Year and have to put it away! I did make it up to my kids and hung up battery Christmas lights in the van for the drive! It was pretty Christmasy in our car for the trip!!

Merry Chistmas! (Part 1)

It really is the most wonderful time of the year! Especially when you can celebrate the holiday not once but THREE times in one month! The first celebration we headed up to Salt Lake to see the Lewis family and have Christmas with them.

W started the festivities with a walk around Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. It was snowing and raining but that did not dampen the Christmas spirit! We enjoyed a nice Christmas concert in the Assembly Hall, and a yummy dinner at the City Center. We were super cold by the end of the night and sopping wet, but it was a great evening with family!

All aboard the Christmas Express! All the kids loved playing in the boxes and lining them all up like a train!

The next morning we celebrated Christmas morning with the Lewis family! All the grand kids got Alaska shirts from Grandma Lewis!

Mara loves her new red and white Christmas outfit!

You would have thought Caleb went to heaven with his new Star Wars toy from Grandma Lewis! When he opened this present his whole face lit up he was so excited! 

Caleb was one happy kid after this Christmas morning!

Speaking of happy kids...Ty was extremely happy with his new air hockey toy! Thanks Grandma Lewis!

Two cute boys and one silly poopy face!! Don't know how we captured that one! What a cutie that Carder!

Grandma Lewis made each of the kids one of these neck pillows. Caleb's is a cute dog!

Ty has a lion and loves it!

Ok is this not the cutest thing in the world?! My sweet baby boy with mistletoe! Thanks Beanie for the darling headband mistletoe!

All the grandkids (but one) in their Alaska shirts!! What a great family to belong to! It was a wonderful celebration. We celebrated early since Grandma and Grandpa Lewis will be in Alaska for Christmas and we will be in California!

Toothless Sweetie!

Mara must be six years old if she lost a tooth!! It's sad but true, my little girl lost her first baby tooth!

There we were at Ty's Jr. Jazz game when I said to Mara Lew, "Let me see your loose tooth!" I touched it with my finger and POP! out came her tooth! She couldn't believe it! We couldn't believe it! Her tooth jumped right out of her mouth! Mara was so excited to put her tooth under her pillow for the tooth fairy! In the morning she found $1 under her pillow!

4 month check up!

Carder is growing so quickly! He is such a happy easy going little guy, or as Caleb says "Widdle-duy"!! We are so excited and in love with this baby and glad Carder is in our family!

Carder had another great check up! He is perfect in every way!! He was so cute with the doctor, he just cooed, and laughed, and smiled and giggled the entire checkup! He just made the doctor's day!
Although Carder might look like he has some chubs on him he is only 15 lbs 14 oz and is in the 69% for weight! No fat kids around here!! He is 26 inches long and is in the 83% for height. I am so grateful for a healthy baby!!

Carder loves to smile and laugh. He sure makes my little heart melt!

Carder doesn't have too many tricks yet, which is good, I don't want my baby growing up so fast! He is practicing rolling over and is close but hasn't quite mastered it! 

 Carder also started putting his binki in his mouth by himself! Still needs a little practice!

Carder enjoys his johnny-jump-up, but I think his siblings love him in it more than he likes being in it!! They are always asking to put him in it!

I just love hearing these giggles!!

A Christmas Miracle!

The story you are about to read is a true story based on actual events! It may not be completely accurate since I was not there to witness what actually happened so I am retelling the story as it was told to me by my husband and children. 

It has become a tradition in our family to cut down a Christmas tree from the forest. This has happened for many years now and it seems as if each year it becomes harder to accomplish this task! This year with a new baby I thought it wise to stay home and let Nate take the other three kids and find a tree. They set out in search of the perfect tree close by in the desert by our house. No pine trees around here, juniper and sage brush! 

As they got out of the car and started hiking around Mara tripped and hit her knee right on a rock. She was unable to walk and had to be carried as they searched for a tree. With not a lot of options and daylight running out they quickly searched for the best tree they could find.

They found a tree, cut it down and headed back to the car. Nate carrying Mara in one arm and draggin a tree in the other! Nate put the kids in the car and began tying the tree to the top of the car. When it was time to head home Nate went to get his keys out of his pocket and couldn't find them anywhere. They searched and searched. They went back to where they cut down the tree but couldn't not find the keys. They looked in sage brush, and behind rocks. No where. They said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to help them find the keys. They were desperate for heavenly help. Nate left the kids in the car and went back one more time to see if he had dropped them somewhere along the way. While he was gone Ty said to Caleb and Mara "Let's say one more prayer and ask Heavenly Father again for help." It was now dark and a couple hours had passed since they had left. When Nate got back to the car he said to the kids they would have to walk home. It was quite a long distance back to our house, it would have taken them several (3-4) hours to walk home. Ty said to his dad "Daddy I think we should look in the Christmas tree." They began searching all through the tree and there in the Christmas tree were the car keys!!!

Coincidence? I think not! I truly believe this was a Christmas Miracle! How grateful I am that prayers are answered. I am so thankful my kids know they can pray to God and that they know He is mindful of them and will hear and answer their prayers. When Ty got home and told me the story I asked him how he knew to look in the tree. He answered "I prayed and the Holy Ghost told me to look there!" 

Grateful for tender mercies from the Lord that he is aware of us at all times! I am grateful he was watching out for my family that night!