• It did not rain not even one drop!  Yeah I think this is the first year in about 5 that we have not had rain.
• We did not eat one hotdog!  I know it is almost a sin to camp and not eat a hotdog but we decided that Cafe Rio salad for Friday night was better.  Then it was turkey dinner for Saturday dinner and Martha came.  Then I made Indian chicken for the few that stayed on Sunday night.
• Sunday Night:  There is a lot to say about it.  After we had dinner a moose came out of the meadow.  He was young enough to just have buds for horns but he was still a large animal.  There is a sand court for volleyball and such and he got out in the court and was prancing and dancing around.  He was obviously bothered by something.  It was scary because we were not that far away and Huck had just been in that sand about 5 minutes before the moose showed up, thanks to Grandpa Brent who went and got him so he could see the moose.  So he took off again and stayed away for a while but, when he came back he was not alone we assume that it was the mother moose that came back with him.  Well he came back and ate some bushes that are right on the way to the bathroom so he was close.  It made me nervous to be between him and what was assumed to be the mom.  Wild animals are very protective as am I.  It was very interesting to feel the parental safe mode kick in.  I would have thrown myself over my kids or done anything to see that my kids were not hurt by the moose.  Very amazing experience.  He stayed around quite a while.  Where was my camera you ask.  Well it was in the trunk, I know it was a great place for it.  They need to make self picture taking cameras for just said experinces.  My kids are excited to tell their friends at Dancing Moose that they saw a dancing moose this weekend.
• I think my very favorite part is when Eliza and I went over to the bathroom after we saw the moose and she asked me this question:  “Where do moose come from mom, do they lay eggs or something?”  I was so excited that she would pose such a question but a little off guard on how to answer.  I told her that moose are mammals just like us so when moose are born they are alive.  I also told her that the baby moose grows in the tummy of the mommy moose and then the moose is born just like she was.  I was very happy that this answer sufficed and that I did not have to go into any more details.  I love her 5 year old brain.
• Sunday night fire when my kids are so exhausted that they fall asleep on your lap, or Ira’s and Grandma Sue’s.  We had great conversation about our favorite vacation.  I have such great memories of many vacations that it was fun to think about.

Thanks dad for keeping up tradition and having turkey dinner in the canyons so that I can share it with my family.  Love you.

Macy Sue with her big blue eyes.

Kennedy and her parasol.

Archie - aka Quiche!

Huckleberry helping pick out a spot for the sunflowers to grow.

Eliza walking on the cans.
There is nothing quite like enjoying a BBQ with friends and family.

Here is another thing that I have wanted to do for a while. I was talking with someone about wanting to make curtains for Eliza’s room. I went to the fabric store to see if they had any material that would work. No real intention of purchasing but I found the perfect material. It took me a couple of months to finally make the curtains because my sewing machine was in the shop for about 3 weeks.
Here are the before and after of her window. I love the material and I love the curtain rod Ira found.
I did not even use a pattern. I am sou proud.

Before

After

For those of you who have not seen Eliza’s Room here is a picture from the builders website. (our house was a model house.)
I am looking forward to many more projects. I am excited about our garden boxes but I will share those another day.

On May 18, 2010 I woke up thinking about May 18, 2005. I was 9 months pregnant with Eliza. I was monitoring my blood pressure because it had become high at my last few appointments. I took my blood pressure and was sure that it was a miss read. I took it again about 5 minutes later and it was high. I finished getting ready for work and called the doctors office once I knew they were open. They told me to come in later that afternoon for a non-stress test. Ira and I headed off to the office where they proceeded to hook me up to some sort of monitors and made me drink a soda. I was not a very willing participant in drinking the soda because of the massive heart burn it was giving me. Well after what seemed forever and lots of questions and probing and noise making to the baby the doctor asked how I felt about having a baby tonight. I remember feeling very overwhelmed by the statement and very happy at the same time. Ira and I went back to work so I could tie up the loose ends and so we could finish our work day. On the way home I had to make a phone call to Katie making sure she was willing to share her birthday with her niece or nephew. (We did not know that Eliza was a girl until she was born.) Katie was more than willing, thank goodness. We went home gathered the few things that were still at home and headed to the hospital. We got all checked in hooked up and waited until 10:18 the next morning to meet our Eliza.
Eliza you changed my world forever. I will never forget the moment that I first saw you. It seemed as though I was looking into a mirror. I have watched you grow into such a smart and beautiful little girl. I love that you are learning how to read and that you want to be the best at everything you do. I love that you sing songs and love to go to primary. I love the outfits you pick out for yourself and enjoy watching you play with Huck. I am excited to see you grow but I don’t know where the time went. I love you and wanted you to know that on your 5th birthday!
Eliza turns 1!

Eliza turns 2!

Eliza turns 3!

Eliza turns 4!

Eliza turns 5!

So I was looking for some Karate Gis for my kiddos and ordered them from www.karatedepot.com. When I got confirmation email they said that if I post about them they will send me a free t-shirt. So Here you go Karate Depot. I will post a picture of the kiddos in the gis when I receive them with another link to your site.

Here is a picture of the free tee.

Eliza: Huck someday I will die but, don’t worry I will rise again.

Huck: Yeah, with living breath.

I love having small kids around to remind me that we do get to live again and that there is not a wrong time to share the gospel with each other.  I love it that Eliza wants to teach her friends at school all her primary songs.  I tell her that she has to teach them to her friends during recess so that she does not disturb her teachers.  Thank goodness they get to sing Popcorn popping on the apricot tree at school.

I sure hope that this puts a smile on your face.