The Beat Down Wrestling Match

The boys so badly wanted a wrestling match with Caleb.  The were begging for it.  This must be a boy thing.  Seeing that we have no TV, we have to come up with our own entertainment in the evenings.  Usually with this kind of activity, somebody always gets hurt.  Fortunately no one did...except Caleb got a good beating.  He took it like a man.  I posted a video below in the middle of these pics.  William loves to watch it over and over again. 

 Caleb is in there somewhere

 I don't know why I thought that I could be a by stander.  Even my kids gained up on me.  Thanks to Thomas who got a hold of my camera and documented this.   There were some pretty ugly pictures of momma that have been permanently deleted. 

VIDEO BELOW

This is the video that William watches now over and over, laughing at himself getting flung around. 

 

Thomas was kind enough to take some sweet pictures of Caleb and I after everyone calmed down and before Caleb headed back home.

 He doesn't just give one kiss, he makes circles around my chunky cheeks, forehead, chin, nose and if I am lucky I get a kiss on the lips.  He is such a tender heart always giving those sweet kisses.  I love it most when he kisses me on my forehead and whispers to me how much he loves me...and never forgets to say "and I love your kids just as much".  That means more to me than he will ever know. 

 I love these big hugs and squeezes he gives.  I have to learn not to say, "Wait...the hair/make-up" and just soak them all in. 

 I didn't realize that he made this face and gesture till I downloaded the pics.  Too funny!

 Notice how blond his facial hair is?  Every one he knows usually ask his if he bleaches it.  Nope, he works at the Canyons ski resort and his facial hair is sun bleached. 

I truly love this man.  He has made me and the kids so happy. There are days where I sit back and think, "I don't deserve him, he is too good to us."  For me and my personality, interest/hobbies, and children...he is perfect, perfect for me/us.  We are very blessed.  Life is good...

Family Pictures

Moon Lake, 2010

Here is four pictures a video montage of our yearly trip we take in July down to Moon Lake. It is located about two hours from us and 30 mins. from Vernal. Kids love it. It has everything you can think of to do their while camping. The Lake is so nice, muddy muddy shores, hiking, and a beautiful river to fly fish on.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqlUi6KtF_k

Ski Season, here we come...

We got season passes this year at the Solitude Ski Resort. Beautiful lodge I must say! Here is a montage I made of live video and pictures from our weekend skiing. FYI, last year we left Lydia home and this year Mark is determined to teach her how to ski. This was her first real time skiing. So proud of her! All I can say is that their is going to be lots of Mommy and Lydia time in the lodge sippin' hot cocoa while the boys are tearing it up.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?HDcE3NVep8

Our little fam.

This was before she tried skiing. Her opinion didn't change much afterwards.

Lydia's third run down, she did it. Didn't like it but she did it. Right after this she told me she wanted her root beer that Daddy had promised her. She was done!

I have a feeling we are going to be skiing buddies. The boys left us girls for five hours. We hung out in the lodge, ate lunch, drank hot cocoa, and just about went crazy!

Lydia holds onto my pole as I pull her around.

The boys stopped in for lunch. I had reserved a sweet spot by the fire place.

You gotta have a snow ball fight. Poor William was the one who got ganged up on.

Sleeping on the Trampoline

I had to squeeze in the baseball team pic before I forgot. Thomas is Bottom right and William is third from bottom right. Great year and great team. I think baseball will be my kids sport, they loved it.

Sleeping on the Tramp!

It rained but it was FUN!!!!!!!!!!!

I love my little family. Good times.

Mark read some camp fire scary stories. Didn't scare them a bit. It could have been the dramatic voice and tone that he was using that made it more silly than scary. I guess that's a good thing.

Camp Floyd Encampment

Established in 1858, Camp Floyd housed the largest concentration of U.S. troops then in the United State. The troops were sent to Utah to suppress a rumored Mormon rebellion which never took place. The army was recalled back east in 1861 for the Civil War emergency. Today, the park museum houses artifacts and exhibits from this historic event. Camp Floyd State Park is located in the town of Fair field, 22 miles southwest of Lehi on State Highway 73.

My dear friend Rachel and I went to our first Utah civil war reenactment. We decided to go with no kids on Friday night as our group was getting set up and enjoy the evening, which was a smart idea because once you have kiddos there the next day, time flys and you hardly have anytime to visit with friends. Rachel and I are part of the the Utah Civil War Association which is mainly the military part, so most of the members are guys. Some of their wives come once and awhile. We are hoping to get more of the wives involved to join us in our lady get togethers. The are the civil war era civilians too which we met for the first time this week and they were so lovely. Having both groups there helps to set the tone for that era. We hope to do many things with them too in the future, they were so kind. But don't worry about us ladies around those military men, we hold our own. They are very polite and let us crash their "guy time without complaining. We had so much fun. We spent most of the evening singing war songs around my hammer dulcimer . I brought my books so they had words. They sang till we needed lanterns to see. We finally got told to quite down, it was getting late.

Setting up Friday night

Across the field is the civilian camp

Civilian camp and the blue building is the historic Stage Coach Inn, which is now a museum.


I love the look of the "Stack Arms" (muskets)


Kris and his modern toy

Back in the day, this small canvas tent slept three soldiers. Tight fit, but I bet you sure kept warm.

Scottie jumped in the picture.

Jake telling stories, he's full of them.

Steve and his pipe

Jake

Just before we headed out.

Saturday

My sweet little family, such good sports. Mark dressed up as a confederate soldier.

Rachel and her little boy Emmitt. Back then, boys wore dresses till they were potty trained. They say if you can't tell whether they are a boy or girl, they you did a good job. The only way to really tell the difference is little girls hair was parted down the middle and boys were parted on the side.

VERY VERY cold morning!

Warming up

Rachel and Emmitt

My new friend Jean. He plays the music box and could jump right in. It was fantastic!

Lydia and her fruit basket

Playing games

This huge oak tree has been there since Johnston's Army was here. It provided so much shade.

Rachel over by the civilians camp

Thomas and Mommy

William and Emmitt. William is so drawn to this little guy.

Checking out the little canon

Tender

Mark and our boys in front of the Stage Coach Museum

Walking through the museum

Little Miss Lydia

Standing on the very steep stairs

I made them quickly go under the ropes to take this picture. They thought it was so risque. Their might have been a slight threat on my part if they did not break the rules and go under the rope. Such obedient kids:)

I did the same thing, shhhhh. When Mark snapped the picture, Thomas came running into tell us someone was coming so I quickly jump out and as we left the room and the other people entered the room the rocking chair was still rocking behind the rope, hehe. Think they noticed?

Mark tripped coming down these stairs. It's really not funny, but seeing that I was wearing a hoop and some how made it gracfully down with out a flaw was priceless.

William on the little trundle bed

So then I persuaded rachel to get her baby and by-pass the ropes too. Let's just hope Camp Floyd doesn't get a peak at these pics and come hunt me down.

Amanda to Rachel, "I've got my camera ready. You've got five seconds, throw him in there, hurry hurry. It's fine (as Amanda pats the base of the cradle), it won't break hopefully. (giggiling) HURRY, DO IT!"

Is that a rope I see in the bottom left corner? There goes my ticket to heaven.

I love this one of them two.

I was so very pleasantly suprised that Mark's family came up to visit. My kids thought it was great and I was glad to have their support, seeing that I am dressing their son as a confederate soldier almost against his will.

Mark teasing Emmitt with the wooden sword

The boys and Uncle Mitchell

Lydia is just as tough, watch out when you see her with a sword. Don't let that frilly dress fool you!

Rachel helped me gather the boys together to sing "Dixie" and "Bonnie Blue Flag", all the verses.

At the end it definitely deserved a "Huzah"

Rachel is almost done making her first Cot Quilt. It's the exact pattern and size of what the soldiers would carry on their back during the civil war. Towards the end of the war, the woman would used curtains, old clothes, or whatever scrapes they could find to make the men these quilts. Jake sews his own clothes and knows his quilting and belive it or not Rachel and Jake are discussing that very topic, seriously.

Steve and Mark

Austin

Mr. Wheeler and his Napolian canon. They took the canon out to the shooting range three miles away and shot real canon balls. They were so heavy!

Monday

Gail (our darling new friend we met who is from Heber who is dressed in morning), Rachel, and Amanda

Setting up for Tea Time

Entertaining the crowd with music on my hammer dulcimer

William and Emmitt eating period correct gummy worms

Thomas mentioned to me after our first day that we didn't sing "My Old Kentucky Home" to the people. So on Monday I explained the song and how it was a family favorite of ours and for me growing up and asked if Thomas wanted to sing it for them with me and he jumped right up off his knees and nodded his head. He sang very clearly and loud. I was a proud Momma.

A spectater came up and played his harmonica with me while I sang Come Thou Font.

Free Stage Coach rides. Lydia was more interested in petting the horses than the ride.

Riding in Style!

Some of the sweet civilian laides we met this weekend

The Civilian Barber

Camp Floyd had little mini Union uniforms to try on for the kids and pretend wooden muskets to practice military drills.

It was fun hanging out with my ladies and our military boys. Such good friendships have been formed. Now, off goes the corset and into my Dad's comfy military clothes (which were the ones Mark was wearing). Such a fabulous weekend!

I bid you adieu