Quick trip to Rexburg

Jared was with us for almost two weeks before heading back to Denver to be our bread winner. We spent most of the time in Malad just relaxing and Jared spent some time building a chicken run for my Dad. We spent the last few days of Jared's vacation with his family in Rexburg. The picture of the kids in helmets is just outside the civil defense caves in Rexburg. We didn't make it all the way through because we left behind a very needy baby and didn't want to be gone too long. My mother-in-law was such good sport about taking the baby while Jared and I finally got some play time (This hasn't happened in a long time). Thanks Maxine! Anyway, the picture of us in the canoe is up at Island Park. We stayed at Jared's Grandparents cabin a couple days. We got caught in the rain on our first trip down the river. My grumpy face is because I threw my coat in the water.....yes I am very smooth! Even without my coat, it was really fun. If you look closely you can see the kids under the plastic cover. Our second trip down the river was even more fun though. Jared and I took one conoe and Jared's sister, Sara, and her friends took the other two. We left at about 11:00 and went down in the dark. We couldn't see a thing even though we all had headlamps. The fog was so thick that we could only see a few feet in front of us. We all finally figured out that we could see better without the headlamps. It was REALLY fun....definitely something we need to do again. My brother and his fiance Karissa came up and canoed the next morning and took the kids down the river a few more times. What a fun trip!

Camping

We did a quick over night camping trip to Power house camp ground at Malad summit. The kids played in the water and were forced to pose for way too many pictures. Jared made Mia and Mason walking sticks and we tried them out on a short hike the next morning. We camped a couple of times while in Idaho and while I love camping, I always question my sanity the next morning after a long night of everyone sleeping in the same tent with a baby. On one camping trip at Jared's Benedict family reunion (Jared wasn't there), one of my kids wet the bed and so sleeping arrangements were very interesting the rest of that night. Anyway, I can't wait till my kids are a little older so we can enjoy camping even more!

Summer '09- Malad

I have so much to post from this summer that it might take me all day to upload all the photos, but I'm determined to get it all done before Mia starts school on Monday, so here goes!
The kids did a lot of tree climbing and luckily Jared got a few shots of the kids in the trees. Mia and Mason slept in the new pull out couch/bed at my parents house. They loved it.....can you tell.

swimming lessons

Mia and Mason took swimming lessons in Malad this summer. This was Mason's first year and I was thrilled that he even got in the water without me having to sit next to him the whole time. He got right in and even though he didn't pass, he did put his head in the water and blow bubbles, so what else could I ask for. He actually really loved it and had a great teacher. Mia was in level 3 this year but had her same teacher from last summer, so she was exited about that. She did great and passed her level. She was most exited about learning how to dive. Mia can already swim better than I can. I am so proud of both of my kids. I really don't want them to be afraid of having their head in the water for very long like I am. So I think we have a good start.

chicken coop

When we got to my parents house at 3 in the morning, the first thing the kids did was go downstairs to look at the baby chicks that were living in a box under a heat lamp. My Dad decided to build a chicken coop and raise 10 chickens all in the name of self reliance. The kids think it is the coolest thing ever. They love checking them every morning and night; filling their food and water containers; catching grasshoppers and earwigs to feed them; and just watching them grow all summer. They should be big enough to lay eggs this fall.....I have no idea what my parents are going to do with that many eggs, but it's pretty cool huh. These pictures are of the kids painting the coop with my Dad. They also have their handprints, names and birth dates on the back, but I don't think I got a picture of that. Jared spent a long hot day building the chicken run and door for the chickens. The chickens moved in a few weeks after we got there and it all turned out great.

Idaho weather

We had tons of rain in Denver this spring and it just kept coming when we got to Idaho. We were so anxious to be outside though that we put Brant in his highchair and rigged an umbrella so we could go out and play in the rain. One day the kids skateboarded in the rain on the front porch. I loved the weather this year.....there were so many rainy days and it didn't even get hot until after the 4th of July.....FABULOUS! Oh, And can you believe that Brant would need a heavy coat in the middle of summer....crazy.....but isn't the coat cute....it's a horse



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Becky's Baby shower and Mason's Fish

We had originally decided to leave on Friday June 13th to head to Idaho, but Jared found out he had a job interview on Monday so we decided to wait out the weekend and miss Becky's baby shower. But then Jared's interview got moved back to Wednesday and he called Friday afternoon and said to pack up and he would just drive us out then drive back to Denver then back to Idaho....crazy huh. But three hours later we were on the road with an SUV full of stuff to last the whole summer. We arrived in Idaho early Saturday morning and made it to Becky's baby shower. Doesn't she look great!

That night my dad walked over to the reservoir with my kids and the little Diego fishing poll he bought them last summer. They've tried fishing a bunch of times over the last couple years, but never so much as got a nibble. So, Mason was totally freaked out when a fish was on the end of the hook when he reeled it in. He was so proud that it was him that caught it, but wouldn't come near it the rest of the night....it really scared him....he he.

Family Pictures

We had family pictures taken while we were in Rexburg. Here are some of the better ones.