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.