This one's for you, Ronny....

...since you are probably the only one besides me who would ever look at my blog anymore. I know I keep saying I am going to update. Well now that it's been four months since my last post. I have finally gotten around to it.

Can you believe it?

Get ready...I tried to be selective, but hey, it's been four months....lots of pics to sort through! And sorry, but there is no order to this.

I started with my favorite...Sammy devouring his ice cream cone. We're doing our best to fatten him up. Dr. Brown says he's in the 1 percentile for weight.

And here's our cute cousin, Garrett, who we like having over to skate and hang out with us.

AIDAN tried to surf on Bear Lake...it didn't really work.

Aidan had fun anyway, hanging out with his cousins

Apparently it is a tradition (for some of our cousins) to play army guys before the fireworks on the 4th of july...so this is what it looked like

Grandma Murray always gives Sam an ice cream cone

This is what Jason and Sam did at the Karren family picnic

Picking peas with Karren cousins

The only photo I snapped while preparing for a very successful fundraiser for Nicholas.
It was a very busy time!

I think it is pretty much expected that if you have 2 boys participating in the cub scout program...you will be asked to help out. So every Tuesday...I get to hang out with these awesome boys and thank goodness for Mary Ann who does all the planning!

Remember our awesome slip n slide on Kauai? Well it's not so awesome on our flat backyard in Logan. We had fun pulling Sam around on it anyway.

Craig and Jennifer gave us their old trampoline that was coming unstitiched. Jason sewed it all back together with his mom's heavy duty sewing machine. All was well until our landlord saw it and made us take it down since their homeowner's insurance doesn't allow it. It was a sad day for all of us! The joys of renting!

I love summer eating! We eat as many meals outside as we can...it's the best! With fresh vegies from our garden....it's even better! Here's our version of caprese salad...with our own tomatoes and lemon basil...with crumb brother's bagette..extra virgin o.o. and some balsamic vinegar (Cole likes to add avacado) we eat it as our main dish. It's too easy and we all love it.

Lots of campfire in the Summer!

Aidan was pretty excited about his roasted cheese

Sam turns one!

A Snake, Two Goats, A Duck, and a Snake

We're down to two goats and one snake now...no pics of the snakes....I don't like them!

Oh Tetons, How we love thee!

Grand Teton National Park is one of my favorite places on earth. So glad we made it there this summer. I want to go back. Jason wants to move back there. We had so much fun playing while surrounded by such awesome beauty and it's so hard to quit gazing at those wonderous peaks when you are there....and oh so many memories!

COLE'S birthplace: Jackson, Wyoming

Whenever we go to Jackson we always drive by St. John's and tell Cole about when he was born and about our lives once lived in such a fun little town.

I told Jason we had to go get nachos at the Mangy Moose. We were super disappointed to find out that their famous nachos (famous for us at least) are an apres ski item only....not on the summer menu. The deck was fabulous though and so was the pizza. They have really improved the atmosphere at Teton Village (not that it needed improving) and we were super impressed after initially being disappointed (about the nachos, of course)

Coon skin caps...that is what our boys wanted and that is what they got while we were shopping around Jackson. We all thought it was fitting after listening to "Where the Red Fern Grows" on the drive to Jackson.

Mountain Biking in Moab

This is how the boys looked at the beginning of the Porcupine Rim Trail...a pretty killer trail for a eight and ten year old I might add.

This is how they looked at the end of the trail. Aside from, a bit of dehydration...the boys did awesome on one of the toughest Moab rides!

Somehow Jason talked me into biking Slick Rock with the boys....and I am really glad he did. I hadn't biked Slick Rock in over ten years. It was really fun, but next time I do it...it won't be in July!

Delicate Arch..the hottest hike of my life
I've hiked to delicate arch before...no big deal. Hiking in Arches N.P. in July ...not a good idea.
We knew it was going to be hot, but we decided while we were already in Southern Utah we might as well see some sites....I don't know if I would do it again though.

I was so proud of Sadie!

It's been a very tough summer for Grandpa Murray and we are so glad he was able to come to Tony Grove with us.

Jason and Sam napping on the red sandstone of Lake Powell...love this place! It had been several years since our last trip to Powell...such good times with the family at Lake Powell...it's a special place for the Karrens.

Uncle Dave brought all the fixings to make Spam Musubi and oh, how my kids love spam musubi!

I love how my Dad always remembers to bring his captain's hat on the trip....The Captain and his co-Captains

My favorite picture...al the kids in the cubbies on the boat

Beaver Creek Campout and a Day at Bear Lake

Nothing's better than a mountain bike ride the whole family can go on...even little Sammy!

taking a break in the creek

Our Sammy's growing up...sniff, sniff

and now...
Back to school.

Looking forward

...to a summer of many mornings sleeping in and cuddling with my sweeties.
5:14am. That's what my clock says...and I think I've already been up for a couple of hours. Thinking and looking into summer activities on the Internet. I can't wait for summer. I can't wait for warm weather. It's raining and it's supposed to for a couple of days. I'm not SO excited for summer that I decided to get up at 3am. I have a cold and my throat's a little dry and sore and I had to put Sammy back in his crib...so he doesn't have to sleep with a sick Momma...but then I couldn't get back to sleep. It's these early hours of the morning when you get to think and ponder and read and write and sometimes its therapeutic.

I was thinking that I have been ungrateful. This winter was hard for me. I knew winter was going to be long. Long and cold. But I didn't know how dismal and gray it would be. I know I could have gotten out more. That I SHOULD have gotten out more. Instead I chose to hibernate. Not wise. However, hibernating is easy to do when you have an adorable baby Sam to do it with and when the thought of going outside makes you shiver. Sam and I did a lot of cuddling by the fireplace this winter and I loved that part of hibernating. But hanging around the house too much isn't so good for my disposition. I know I haven't been the easiest person to live with.

When I woke on Mother's Day it was pretty early. Early enough that I knew I was the first one up. I was wrong. Jason had gotten up even earlier because minutes after I woke a beautiful breakfast tray with my most favorite raspberry and cream crepes was brought to my bed along with some loving and kind words on paper. The kind of words that made me cry. Soon after, handmade cards and gifts were brought by my children. I felt so undeserving. I also felt so blessed. I know I have been ungrateful. I know my family has been patient with me.

I have missed warm weather and getting out everyday to enjoy it. I miss Kauai. But until we get some sun and all my kids are home with me for the summer, I have to focus on what I have. I HAVE SO MUCH.

Winter's STILL not over!

It's been over four months since my last post...when I was blogging about winter arriving. Well, tomorrow is May 1st and winter is STILL here. In fact, it's snowing right now. Am I surprised? Do I think this is unusual? No way, not for Cache Valley. I won't even be surprised when it snows in June.

So today as I sat at my computer with the furnace blowing out warm air on my toes I decided it was time for a winter recap...because here in Cache Valley we just can't get enough of winter.

TUBING

YURTING

Uncle Jeff planned a "Man Trip" to the yurt in Green Canyon and somehow my Aidan and Cole were manly enough to be invited to accompany their dad on the journey. They had a great time planning, packing, trekking in the snow, and eating lots of food. And Aidan even got some of those men to play a few hands of "Old Maid" with him.

ICE SKATING AT CENTRAL PARK

I love to skate at Central Park because it's something I did as a kid. I love to seeing the temple in the background. Plus it's a great family activity during a long, cold winter. But I'm sure I've never had as much fun skating as I saw my kids have this winter. Aidan was a little speed skater racing as fast as he could all over the rink...never tiring. And Sadie would twirl and twirl and twirl. Cole loved to run and slide down on his knees and see how far he could glide on the ice. And it was always best when the cousins were there with us.
Jason is a beautiful skater...graceful and smooth. he can skate backwards, he can turn and do tricks and he can skate fast. After about an hour of skating my feet hurt, I'm cold, and I'm done. But not my kids...every time we went skating they were NEVER ready to leave.

OUR VERY OWN NAPOLEAN...(as in dynamite)

Aidan wore these beauties to school EVERYDAY, so it's a good thing that his Karren cousins passed down not one, not two, but three pairs of Napolean Dynamite boots. In April I told Aidan he couldn't wear his favorite boots to school anymore....at least not until it snows again next year. I hope I'll be ready to pull those things out again because I know Aidan will not forget them!

HOT CHOCOLATE CLUB

Sadie has every other Wednesday off. Many of those Wednesdays were spent with the hot chocolate club. While I pushed little Sammy in the stroller on the ice. Emma and Sadie worked at perfecting their skating skills until it was time to get the yummiest and chocolatiest hot chocolate ever.

AIDAN'S SPECIAL BIRTHDAY

Aidan looked forward to turning eight for a long time. He had prepared and was so excited for the opportunity to be baptized and to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

His baptism was very special. Grandma and Grandpa Karren had just returned from their mission in Chicago and were able to speak at his baptism. Grandma Murray gave the opening prayer and Aidan and his cousins sang together about baptism. After Jason baptized Aidan, Grandpa Murray confirmed him a member of the church. It was a great day for Aidan and for our family. We were so happy that so many people who mean so much to Aidan were able to attend this special event in his life.

BOARDING AT THE BEAV

I learned to ski when I was in middle school when I went up to the mountain on ski day with my school. But I really learned to ski after I married Jason and we moved to Jackson, Wyoming. How can you live in Jackson and not ski? Jason had been skiing his whole life. He took me to the top of the black diamond runs at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort and I tumbled down while he skiied gracefully down the expert shutes. I'm still not a great skiier, but I can get down the mountain without tumbling.

Then one day I tried snowboarding. It was painful. The next day I couldn't walk up or down the stairs. I think these are skills best learned when one is young.

A couple of years ago when we spent the winter in Logan our boys wanted to snowboard. So, at 39, Jason learned to snowboard with Cole and Aidan, while I skiied with Sadie. Jason amazes me. A couple of painful days and he could board....really well I might add. He took Cole and Aidan every weekend and THEY HAD SO MUCH FUN! He asks me all the time if I will try it...but I am too big of a wimp. And I am so glad he can take our kids to do something they love together.... and, of course, that he makes them wear a helmet.

Cole getting big air

Aidan jumping off Ted's Rock

BIRDING

Aidan has a new love....BIRDS. He has learned all about birds from Grandpa Murray. He loves to watch them in Grandpa and Grandma's backyard and talk about them with Grandpa. One of his favorite birds is the pheasant. He wanted very badly to catch one so he could have it's tail feathers.

Jason helped him set up a trap in Grandpa and Grandma's field, but all he caught were cats, magpies, and.....

THIS GUY!

Aidan did his science project on the birds he's seen this winter and learned about from Grandpa Murray. He continues to collect bird nests that he finds all over the place. On our spring break trip he caught a gray jay in his bare hands. It was awesome!

Our SAMMY...nine months!

VERY early this morning as I lay in bed looking out my bedroom window at the moon I thought about my beautiful baby Sam and how it was nine months ago today that we welcomed him into our family. Then I thought about how he came to our family at the perfect time and how Heavenly Father truly blessed our family by giving us Sam to love.

I love, love, love his slobbery open mouth kisses and his tight grasp on my neck when we're cuddling.

And I can't kiss his cheeks enough.