Utah Trip - April 2010

here is my meager attempt at catchup.

few words, many pictures.

we made a quick weekend trip to cedar to see hannah between her college semesters. (thank you skinners for letting us borrow the tahoe!) four wheeling was the highlight of the trip.  we headed out to my parent's land in new harmony and soaked in the sun despite the chilly wind. 

my girls LOVE four wheeling.  

almost as much as i do.

dan had quite the encounter with mark's big new motorcycle but mastered it after a few tries and a gash to the shin.  

he has the scar to prove it.

not pictured: macy on the back of the four wheeler. 

since she can't run behind them anymore, riding on the back is the next best thing. 

it was awesome.

hannah and kolob.

best buds.

hours spent playing with noah's ark, the same toy we have at home that nevers gets touched. 

everything is better and grandma's house i guess. :)

macy's poor feet.  

here is her walking cast made of pvc pipe.

madison chose the color of her dressings.

macy and her new alpha male. lol. she loves him. and don't tell mark i told you this but i may have seen him carry macy to the bedroom when she was too sore and tired to walk herself. as in, scooped her up and carried her like a baby.

it was a quick, wonderful trip.

Two Years is a Long Time

a lot has happened in the two years they've been gone.

these two were born.

they married.

which means my kids have one more grandpa.

porter gets this guy (said affectionately)  as a dad - after the wedding next month.

first anniversary.

our "first" memorial day.

and our second.

not pictured: birthdays, macy's accident, a move to AZ, a college freshman, a move to MO, a first home, match day, a miscarriage, new callings, graduations, and an elder's safe return - plus all the small things in between.  there have been really, really hard times; that can't be put into words. i think that unless you've lost someone, you can't fully understand how it feels or what it's like. 

i miss their voices, mannerisms, and smiles. i miss them because they lived and loved to serve, both in the church and out, and i want to be more like that.  they valued family and the gospel.  though not perfect, they were continually progressing and trying to do better. to be better.  they loved everyone and looked for the good in people. 

i miss them because i love them.
and i love them more, because i miss them.

despite all the heartache, i am full of joy. (interesting to find both of those words in the same sentence, but it's true.)  i have learned so much.  my testimony, of the plan of salvation, the importance of families, and of my Savior, has grown leaps and bounds. thankfully, i feel stronger because of this. i'm still not grateful for this trial (will i ever be?) but i am grateful for what i have felt and realized and learned.

what matters-
my family
my testimony
my relationship with the Savior
and Heavenly Father
that i obey the commandments
that i am happy
(come what may and love it, right?)
 trusting in the Lord means accepting His will and His timing 

{siblings on cedar mountian- memorial day weekend/chris's homecoming}

 so much has changed. 

so much is different. 

it's been a long and eventful two years.

  but even as much as it hurts not having dallin in this picture with us, it makes me smile because it shows we are happy. life keeps going and we don't want to be left behind. there is so much to enjoy. so much to be happy about. and so much to celebrate.  

life is good. 

and that's all.

A Must

i'm LOVING this wreath. 

is it just me or is it super cute?

{via: the creative homemaker}

Untameable

two cow licks in back, one in the front, plus humidity - 

that combo makes quite the hairdo.


**post edit - {fyi} this is grace's 24/7 do, not a bad hair day. 
but we love it and think it matches her personality perfectly.

If I Could Be Anywhere

i would be doing this-

four wheeling in new harmony, utah. 

with family. 

madison hanging on for dear life because she likes me to drive "fast". 

and grace sneakily reaching for the gas. 

not only does she reach, but she pushes. 

and then i'm the one hanging on as she guns it forward.

good times.

the view of kolob, on the edge of zions national park (april 2010).

and look at what grace is doing.

i told you she was sneaky.

There Was This One Time...

...when i had the {not so} brilliant idea to take madison with me to the cemetery and talk to her about 'things'. it kind of backfired. as in, i had to use bribery with a sucker to even get her out of the car. and she wanted to run around everyone's headstones to play tag. i don't know what i had in mind or what i thought i'd say. i don't know what i expected her to do or why i even thought she was ready for something like that in the first place.  it just didn't go as planned.

so i let my expectations go.

what we did end up doing was laugh, smile, and be happy. plus take pictures. 
i told madison it was a special place.  that was simple and enough. i could tell she felt it.

then i let her run {around all the headstones}, because i was IT, back to the car as she finished her sucker.


**happened during a quick trip to utah last april

"Mmnastics"

madison took a little tumbling class in mesa this spring and loved it. but it didn't start out that way. at the end of the class on the first day, she scooted off my lap and would barely touch the edge of the mat with her toes. i wasn't about to pay money for her to sit and watch the other kids so i decided to give her until the end of the month to warm up and then we'd reevaluate.  turns out all we had to do was teach her how to play duck, duck, goose!  {they played it at the end of the first class and so we went to grandma skinner's house after and she learned it.} madison was SO excited to go back the next week, wearing her leotard and leggings, to play duck, duck, goose.  it was pretty cute and funny to see all these 3 and 4 year olds trying to figure out how to follow instructions and move their bodies as the teachers were showing them.

madison really concentrated and did very well, despite being one of the youngest in the class.  she loved it. today i signed her up for a beginning class at a local dance academy here in MO,  for the "fall semester".  it all sounds so official but i'm excited to see madison have fun and progress if she wants to stick with it.  (even though i never got into dance myself and can't wait till she can start soccer. :)  i can't believe how big she is getting.

{mmnastics - as madison would say}

Engagement Pics

want to see something that will make you happy?
check out these pictures of kamber, shane, and porter.
i smiled.
and i cried.
i really love them - the people and the pictures.

Disneyland Day 3

our last day in disneyland. 

the girls devoured these tigger tails.

attacking aunt lindsay with their bubble gun souvenirs from grandma and grandpa.

madison riding the roller coaster with dad, one last time. 

{far left}

one last group shot on our way out.

do the girls look worn out or what?

misc day 3:
*funnel cake
*madison being 'measured' for the ride she's already been on 10 times {had to be there}
*really tired and sore feet
*thunder mountain railroad malfunction
*grandpa skinner had a sore back and was quite the trooper!
*great priced hotel within walking distance
* five adults to two kids is the perfect ratio

it was a wonderful trip! we had great weather, short wait times, and got to see and ride everything we wanted to.  we put in 30+ hours at disneyland in 2 1/2 days.  thank you dan/laura/linsday for coming with us - it wouldn't have been the same without you. 

it was the perfect trip and worth every penny.

***congrats to anyone who didn't go on the trip and actually made it through all 3 posts of pictures.  :)

Disneyland Day 2

more carouseling.

and madison chose everyone's horses.

toon town - minnie and mickey.

grace wasn't a fan.

winnie the pooh ride with grandma and grandpa while waiting for us to ride splash mountain.

lunch in ariel's grotto and this was the dessert plate.  everything was edible, down to the white chocolate conch shell. {i am SO my mother's daughter - taking pictures of the food.}  the princesses wandered around and mingled with the kids at each table.  madison was in heaven. 

madison's absolute most favorite ride of the whole trip. 

she rode it over and over and over. 

misc for day two:
*a 10-12 hour day {it's been too long for me to remember much else. the day's ran together.}
*delicious dinner at Fire & Ice
*lindsay's phone was lost and then found/returned
*grace loved the carousel and madison loved the roller coaster
*{pics from the princess lunch to be added later}


stay tuned for day 3...