Flaming Gorge

We had a great time at our new favorite family vacation spot. We loved it so much last year and our second trip last year got cut so short. We decided to go back for fathers day and decided that will be our new fathers day tradition to travel to Flaming Gorge.

The trip started out a little crazy we had truck problems again and I spent some quality time in Parleys canyon waiting for someone to come and get me. I made it up a little later in the day than Ben and the kids.

Our first full day the fishing started out slow but is was so nice and beautiful and the kids had a blast chasing lizards, finally catching fish and just being carefree.

There were so many moments that I didn't catch with my camera but so thankful those memories are burned into my memory. There was one moment when all of us were walking back from the lake the sun was almost completely behind the mountain and so everyone was just a silhouette. I felt so blessed in that tiny moment.

My mom and sister came up for a day and brought the boat and so the next day we spent the entire day on the lake. Went to our favorite boat in camp ground and looked around, had lunch on the boat and spent a lot of time fishing.

The kids always make friends when we travel this time is was with some older folks and their dogs. They also did really well together until about the last day then all the crazy arguing and complaining started. It became somewhat comical because they were just exhausted and ready to go home.

Life is happening full speed and is not slowing down at all. I was staring at Alivia a few times and was taken back at how big she is getting. She is getting so tall and more mature.  

Cooper is having some stomach problems and Bauer loves camping more than anyone and he doesn't bat an eyelash when Ben wakes him up at 5:30am to go fishing. Kessler on the other hand sleeps until 10 am and loves taking the dog for a walk around camp  

So far pretty fun summer, lots still left to do. So glad we can spend some time together and enjoy being outside, which reminds me the pool is up and the kids and all their friends are having a blast. So glad they have cute friends to play with and they all have a good time in the pool.

Today is a recovery day in more than one way. Getting caught up on laundry and cleaning up our camping mess. I also had a exploratory "procedure" done today for some female problems I have been having. 

Everything went well they put me under and that is the hardest part trying to snap out of the fog I feel I am in.  Feels good just relaxing but it also stinks knowing the mountain of things I need to get done.

I took this picture because Ben is one of the very few people I know who can wear a pair of shorts under his pants. Seriously if I tried to put on a pair of shorts under my pants, I couldn't' zip my pants up:)

Creddie found his spot by the fire

Ben is so patient with the kids, all the kids need their rods, reels and lines baited and tackled he moves from one to another, and then will turn around and say what next. He rarely fishes himself (until we get on the boat) He loves to watch the kids get excited and gets excited right along with them. They are many great dad's out there, but he is right at the top with those other great dad's. I don't think there are many other things that make him as happy as being with his kids. He is an amazing person!

We were talking about grey hair and I commented it is more white now, he didn't believe me so I snapped a photo to prove it:) He really wasn't a fan of this photo...ha ha

We took an afternoon and drove into Green River, Wyoming. I don't know if I have every been there, but it was fun to walk and let the kids play along the river. There was also this really great splash pad and playground (that was free) the kids had a blast in!

If you would have told me Cooper would catch a fish with a lure, I wouldn't have believed it. He was standing on the shore one afternoon and told Ben he wanted to practice casting and only had a weight on the end of his line. Ben said Cooper if you are going to keep doing that put a lure on the end of your line and maybe 10 or so casts later he said, I think I have a snag and we all soon realized it was a fish!! It was so awesome to watch him do that.

Schools out!!

Hooray ~ the long wait it over, schools out!! Excited for a fun laid back summer. We made it up to Deer Creek reservoir for a 4 day weekend. We repeated what we did about 2 weeks ago, it was a tad bit warmer. We also had the boat with us, which was nice not to sit on the shore the whole time but spend some time on the lake. Here are some pics from the trip.

Alivia like telling ghost stories while we sat around the camp fire and Cooper did not want to be a part of it so he covered his ears.

Ben on the lake with his pontoon.

The kids played charades around the camp fire, I have the funniest video from that. The kids were mimicking each other, I am pretty sure it is going to be a treasure especially when they get older.

Bauer and one of his fish.

More charades, Bauer is pretty good at guessing what people are acting like.

Alivia waiting patiently for a fish.

Watching Ben untangle a fish out of the net.

Ben doesn't like sitting around the camp fire very often. He doesn't like to go to bed smelling like smoke. However he graced us with his presence a few times.

Ben and one of his fish from the pontoon. Also he donated his favorite sunglasses to the bottom of Deer Creek.

Creddie smelling the fish

Cooper every time we go to Deer Creek often asks why people don't go up to the top of this mountain?? and comments that he wants to hike to the top of the mountain. I never thought he actually would.....Ben took him across the bay to fish and he asked if he could go up a ways and before Ben knew it he was half way up the mountain. Well not my idea of a super smart thing to do, I knew it could take one mis-step and he could loose his footing and tumble down the mountain. He didn't though, thank goodness. He was pretty proud of himself and said he didn't want to do that again, that it took too long.

Things coming up

Andrea goes to Youth Conference with the youth

Another family camping trip over father's day weekend.

Lot's of yard work

Lot's of house work

Summer flying passengers (vacationer's my favorite)

Ben starts a 10 million dollar remodel of his store...

Things I am grateful for right now

Family time

Sunshine

blooming flowers

cute kids

easy going Ben

Cooper

I have been wanting to post about Cooper for quite some time. He is the most interesting, challenging, loving kid we have. Obviously all the children have the same qualities but Cooper has been extra interesting lately.

The reason I wanted to post this is, his imagination is out of this world and sometimes it is hard to keep up with all of his ideas and thoughts. 

Some of his latest comments-

Wants to sing the Star Spangled banner at a sporting event.

Wants to be a "celebrity" or "movie star" and be on t.v.

Wants to invent new things. (took apart an old garage door opener to see if he could put it back together)

Wants to be a chef

Wants to sell things at Costco (or give people massages????) didn't ask him anymore about that one.

Wants to know why it takes construction workers so long to build things

He has been very interested in when and how, Ben and I met, and doesn't get it that we didn't know each other in school.

Wants to be a babysitter

Wants a baby sister or brother really bad, he has had dreams about it and asks me why I am not pregnant if he dreams about it...

Wants to know how the Suburban backs up on its own?

Can't wait for Kessler to be in kindergarten. 

Everyday he goes to the kindergarten fence and talks to the kids, he has a 5 year old friend named Cruz? he says he talks to him everyday at recess and can't wait until he can go to the fence and talk to Kessler.

I am worried that he still does not play with anyone at recess or sit by anyone at lunch and not very often wants to go out and play with his brothers when he is home.

These are not all just the ones that have stuck out for a while......Needless to say, he exhausts me!!

I am happy for him that he will now have a summer break but nervous that he loose a lot of ground he has made up this year.

I am going to take him off of some of his medicine this summer, I am going to keep trying to help his anxiety throughout the summer.

This may not sound like he is doing very well but he is, he is very happy, so good at doing his chores. We had a contest with the kids- who ever did their chores everyday without being asked got a 3 hour pass to a local arcade. He won hands down! 

He can do more and more of his homework by himself and is so good about getting up in the morning and getting himself ready to go for school.

He tries really hard to be a good friend when he does play with kids in the neighborhood and often asks what I think he should do for fun, for the little kids.

Cooper is always full of questions, some I want to answer, some I do not. Most of all I am so thankful for that little guy and everything he makes me think about, and letting me be a part of his little fantasy world.

I love the Iris blossoms, they remind me of my Grandma Posey

The boats out, it started so good and sounded so good. Had some trouble with the pump that keeps the engine cool. Ben figured it out today, so hopefully it will be 100% tomorrow when we take it back out again.

Sorry I love my drawing app on my phone!!

Camping Whidden's

We had a great time for the first camping trip this year. We wouldn't have survived this weekend in a tent it was cold and rainy. The sun poked through enough to enjoy some time by the lake. The kids had a really good time fishing,  chalk drawing, running around, sitting by the fire and they were super excited to sleep in the trailer. The fishing was so much better than I thought it would be.  Especially Bauer and Kessler they were so into it. There was one time Kessler saw his pole bend grabbed it, reeled in the fish without any help. It was so cute.

My new favorite app on my phone, changing the picture into artist drawings!

The kids loved sitting around the camp fire, next trip teach the kids camp fire songs:)

Bauer probably loves fishing the most out of all the kids. He reminds Ben over and over about waking him up in the morning so he can go with him down to the lake.

The boys made it their mission to make it to the to of this steep hill and against all my motherly instincts I let them try and try again, even though there were many cuts, scrapes and some tears from sliding back down over and over. BUT they finally made it, Cooper wanted to make sure Kessler could make it to the top too and helped him up the whole way.

I was so shocked how big Kesslers fish was. He had a hard time standing up straight trying to reel it in.

I love seeing the boys cross their legs like this it always reminds me of Papa Whidden for some reason:)

This little girl brought the biggest fish in.....again. Our last fishing trip in Flaming Gorge she brought in the last big one. I think she is pretty proud of herself among all these boys.

 Cooper doesn't really like the patience you have to have to fish. He kept himself entertained though. 
The kids watched Nacho Libre and laughed at all the funny parts I was so impressed they got some of the really dry parts. They also watched the Princess Bride and loved that too. I hadn't realized they had not seen that.

Overall glad we went the weather scared me a little, but it was actually nice being a little bit cooler, we slept really well. So excited for the summer and some really fun plans.

10 years

10 years ago, Ben went to a job fair while still going to school at BYU. He ran into someone who invited him to a Target Job fair the following week. He showed up to the job fair, to which no one was expecting him, his name wasn't on any list/roster/schedule to be interviewed. They interviewed him anyway and hired him to be a Team Leader at the American Fork store that would be opening in a few months. He started his training helping opening the store and all that is involved with that process. Exactly 93 days after he was hired and 3 days after our medical benefits went into effect (Alivia was 5 months old, and I just found out I was pregnant again) Ben was in an accident on Utah Lake. 2 emergency surgery's, being hospitalized, his leg being "filleted" as they called it, and draining for 7 days to be sewn up again with a new titanium rod in place. Target immediately put him on short term disability (we did nothing they set it all up) sent us a check for 500.00 to help with grocery's and took really good care us while he was in and on a wheelchair and crutches.

In the last 9.75 years he has worked so hard, moved from store to store. Covered every position that you can do in Target management. I have even caught him being a cart attendant and cashier from time to time. He has had well over 100 pairs of khaki pants and the same amount of shirts he has gone through 5+ pairs of  black shoes. He has volunteered for habitat for humanity, the food bank, and many other Target volunteer opportunities.

He is currently the STL of Sandy Super Target and also in ADP a program Target has to promote store managers to DTL's. (ask him how excited he is to have to interview with the Target CEO, for his final interview)

We rarely shop anywhere else, besides my beloved Costco. Cooper on many occasions has commented he wants to be a Target guy.

 Congratulations on your 10 year anniversary Ben!

Thank you just isn't enough it is hard to express how hard you work for our family and how much it is appreciated. Much sacrifice comes from the responsibility of being a retail store manager. 

THANK YOU !!!

A very nice passenger boarded my flight his arm in a sling, I welcomed him and asked him if there was anything we could get him to make him more comfortable meaning his arm, I thought he would maybe say an ice pack or pillow?? he immediately replied a beer:) Every time I checked on him throughout the flight he was very nice. As he was deplaning he handed me this yellow paper all folded up I put it in my pocket, I was kind of nervous to open it and see what it said, I wasn't sure after my whole foot massage guy what to expect. This is what I found. Still not sure what I am going to do with it?

Summer break cannot come soon enough. I am over homework!

Alivia had her spring concert a musical Broadway themed, she has been working very hard on her parts all of the choreography and had a successful three night show.

Weekend plans

If the weather holds up we might go camping and fishing. 

If the weather doesn't hold up we will go camping and fishing.

A report of how it goes to come.

Other tid- bits

Garden is planted

Only 2 flower beds to go

10 more school days

boat almost un-winterized

Ben made himself a work bench, not sure what he going to use it for yet?

A big SkyWest rumor we are getting new airplanes (different brand and size) hmmm?