12 hours of sleep = Crazy Hair

This weekend...

We had a great time this weekend. We attended the temple marriage of Ryan and Patri on Friday where Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles sealed them. It's always so nice to witness a temple wedding because it reminds me of mine and all the blessings that have come from being sealed to each other for all time and eternity. Later that night I was cutting up some pants and Kate put a piece on her head. She looked so cute as she helped me cut the other leg and then I put that piece on my head. Spencer had to get a picture -- like mother like daughter.

As we laughed and looked at the picture Kate was busy on her own project... wait a 2 yr. old with scissors and a blindfold - not good!
Saturday was went to the Provo Canyon to see the "big water falls" and have a picnic. Kate loved it even thought the water was as cold as melted snow.

We stopped by a little creek for a picnic - great people, great place, great food, great memories!

Later that night Rachel and Anthony went out on a date so we watched their kids. We took them to the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake to play in the water. It took them awhile to get the courage to go and get wet but after awhile Austin really liked it.

Kate looking up at me for assurance.

Both Austin and Brooke got wet but Kate not so much, she had fun running around and climbing on all the rocks. There's always next time.

She came and she went...

Last night we sold Mira to a young couple. Why you may ask? Well, having a puppy in the house was exhausting! I've thought long and hard and came up with these 6 reasons why we gave her away.

6) Expensive - all the extra money you have to regularly spend on a puppy was surprising and then to think of her growing and spending even more...wow.

5) Yard - we have a nice size lot but when it's not grassed or fenced in it made it worthless for a puppy...other than she started digging holes.

4) Patience - I thought having kids taught you patience but having to housebreak a puppy opened my eyes to a whole new meaning of the word "housebreak"

3) Time - one might think that in our situation we would have the time but a 24/7 needy puppy leaves you no time for anything else...laundry was piled up.

2) Travel - we travel to Idaho atleast 6-7 times a year and Florida once not to mention the other days we are gone the whole time. We wouldn't know what to do with her as we have no family around that could watch her.

1) Selfish - this is what it really comes down to... Spencer and I decided we liked the way our life was before Mira, free to go places and do things without feeling guilty because there was a sad puppy at home all alone.

Even though we only had Mira for 4 days and those days were crazy we all had fun with her. So thanks Mira for coming to our house and teaching us were are not puppy/dog people and thanks and good luck to her new owners. I know she'll be good for them and that they'll be good for her and we are good now that she's gone. So it all worked out as things in life often do. Who knows maybe we will get another one in the future, or atleast a stuffed animal that looks like a dog.

Mira

Well, we finally did it. We got a puppy! Both Spencer and I love dogs and part of owning our own home meant we could now have a dog. Didn't take long for us to get one. We got a pure breed Golden Retriever. We named her Mira. She is way cute as all puppies are and we are excited for the many memories ahead...good and probably frustrating at times but it will be worth it.

She already loves hanging out with Kate in the sandbox. Kate likes the company as well.

Of course Spencer loves her as well and is excited. He is thinking of going hunting with her as he has yet to use his shotgun he bought last year.

Mira looks at the fridge all the time because she sees her reflection and since we just got her she probably misses all her brothers and sisters. She came from a litter of 14 puppies. She will be a great dog. She doesn't pee in the house, she doesn't chew, she doesn't whine and she obeys every command...well she will one day!

P.S. Dad...don't worry, we're doing this so you can say,

"I told you so!"

Chocolate

Spencer and I have been trying to eat better. So to give Spencer his ice cream fix I bought these low calorie fudge pops. They must not be too bad because Kate was going to town on one.

*note* She was getting chocolate everywhere and Spencer was right there next to her ... there must have been a football game on.

Camping in Gilmore Idaho

Well this weekend we went up to Idaho for a baby shower for my sister in law Hannah on Thursday night then we went camping in Gilmore. Gilmore is an old ghost town that used to be a thriving community in the early 1900's. It has a bunch of old buildings and tons of old mine shafts. Spencer's family has been going up there since he was just learning to walk. There are a lot of great 4-wheeler trails and many places to go. It was a lot of fun although I will admit it was pretty cold especially Saturday. Below are some pictures from the trip.

Kate enjoyed waling around as long as it wasn't too cold. She loved to go see if the Rock Chucks were out.
On Friday we went for a long ride and it started to rain/hail so we took refuge in this old cabin. Most of the cabins or buildings are old and run down but for some reason this cabin we found had been fixed up, we believe by some hunters, and so we had lunch while the storm passed.

It was hard to get Kate to take a nap in the camper trailer so we would just take her for a ride during her nap time and that seamed to work...well once anyway.

Saturday was the coldest day. We drove to the top of the mountain then planned to hike into this old cabin and mine shaft but as we just started Kate was really cold and didn't want to go further so Spencer's parents went ahead and we drove back to camp.

Kate hanging out in Grandma and Grandpa's trailer as grandma prepares dinner.

Spencer and his dad cooked hot dogs. I had to talk Spencer out of not eating all 3 hot dogs. I had to remind him he had a wife and daughter to feed.

This was just another fun ride we went on. We saw some deer, chipmunks and rock chucks. I was hoping to see a bear but we didn't. It was a great camping trip. Kate loved the 4-wheeler rides as long as she stayed warm of course.

Fun with Cam & Em

This past week / weekend we were so busy. We had a Bori family shin-dig on Monday. Adam came to stay with us on Wednesday and Cameron and Emily and their super cute family came on Thursday and stayed until Saturday. Kate was so excited for her cousins to come and play.

On Friday we took the kids to Kangaroo Zoo, a unique indoor active play place with lots of bouncing, slipping, and sliding. Later that day we went to a water park. Too bad we were having a cold front that weekend. Kate and Gage... well and me too could only stay in the cold water for so long before we had to get out. One way to get warm is to dance and that's exactly what Kate did. Check it out on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDWvMfc8EsQ