First Day of School

It's that time of year again! I can't believe A is already in second grade.
B started kindergarten. Gone everyday but for only three and a half hours.

I'm so glad to see that they love school and are excited to go. I know one day that won't be the case. Mom, C, and D now have to figure out what to do while we wait for the big kids to come home.

Summer Vacation-Part 1, Cedar City

This summer we did one very big trip. We were gone for 11 days and in the car for most of that because we had so many places and people to visit. It was very long but a great trip. It was nice to get it all in.

Our first stop was Cedar City. We stayed with our really close friends and they took Big B and I on a hike in Zion that involved repelling and swimming through nasty water but it was so much fun. While we were doing that Big B's sister and my friend took the kids up the end of the hike and played in the pools. They had so much fun jumping off rocks and playing with the frogs. This is A with a frog.
C had so much fun playing with the frogs that we lost (they died) two because he wouldn't leave them alone.

B had fun too but of course he spent most of his time eating. (I'm going to need a part time job just to feed this boy!)

After the hike we all spent a little more time jumping off the rocks. Zion is so much fun. I can't believe Big B and I never did much there when we lived so close.

Also while in Cedar we hung out with my "favorite aunt", uncle and their kids. They are so good to us and especially my kids. It was a fun start to our trip.

Summer Vacation-Part 2, The Cabin

Before getting to the cabin we stopped in SLC to visit my grandma and introduce her to D. It was really good to see her and get to visit with her. We also did Temple Square while we were in SLC.
We love visiting the cabin. This time we tried a hike. I don't think it was the best hike we could have chosen but it was still nice to get out and explore the area. (My sister was with us at the cabin, that's her daughter in the carrier.)

Here is B and C hiking away. I love how everything is still so new to C. He would find things and be so amazed by them. Oh to be young again.

After the hike we found a good place for our picnic.

The cabin is so relaxing and the kids love just being able to explore outside and I love being so close to good outlets. I managed to get all their school shopping done and even a little for me. Not long enough but still worth the visit.

Summer Vacation-Part 3, Mathews Reunion

The main reason for this trip was the Mathews family reunion. It was so much fun to see everyone but I don't know if I recommend sleeping in a tent with a new baby and three other little kids. It was only two nights and we made the best of it.
We camped at church ran campground and it was so nice, not to mention free. They had a lot of things we could do, including zip lining. C even gave it a try. He LOVED it! I was scared to death that he would slip out of the harness but he did great and even went three times.

A loved it too. I think it was the highlight of the reunion. Everyone got their turn but B, he got a little scared. Grandpa Mathews even gave it a try.

This is A with most of the girl cousins her age. She had a blast with them. I wish they could get together more often.

Summer Vacation-Part 4, Panaca

Miss D watching everyone ride horses.
C hanging out with Grandpa, trying to stay cool, while others are riding horses.

C getting his turn to ride a horse. He did really well. He even learned how to stop and turn the horse. C did so well he rode all by himself. That was the highlight of C's whole trip. Whenever he got mad or wouldn't do what we needed we would bribe him with the horses on Grandpa's farm.

A and B loved it too. For some reason I don't have a picture of A. But they could have rode those horses all day. Next time we will be more prepared and not go looking like the city slickers that we are, in shorts and flip flops. Relaxing in Panaca was the perfect ending to our long road trip.