Needle in a haystack

Or Diamond earring in the long grass.

Last night while we were outside playing Taylor jumped on me and hit my head. A couple minutes later I felt my earring was gone. Not just a cheap, no big deal earring. My diamond earring that my parents gave me the day I got married. I instantly freaked out. We started searching and searching. We didn't know where it could be so we started looking where I was on the ground when Taylor hit me. We all were praying that we could find it. I sat down near the area for a little break and decided to just keep looking right where I was. About 5 minutes later I found the earring!!! Amazing! Our prayers were answered and I was feeling a lot less sick! I stood up and Justin came over to hug me because we were both so relieved. Our hands hit and the earring was gone for the second time! My head started spinning and just made me so sick that this would happen a second time. We looked again but it had started getting dark and the kids were ready for bed. We set up sticks where we thought we were standing and would pick up our search after church. This morning I had the thought that this was going to be a great teaching/learning opportunity for the boys. After we got the girls in bed and played a little Star Wars Wii, we got the boys together and started explaining to them that our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and when we need something  we should pray about it. The boys thought it was a good idea and Braxton prayed that we could find mom's earring. We set out and started searching the grass. 30 minutes into it I figured we were going to have to get a metal detector tomorrow and hope the earring had enough metal on it to find it in the long grass. Justin started looking outside the perimeter we had set up and with in 5 minutes found my earring for the second time. He gripped it in his hand and ran inside to put it safely on the counter. We brought the boys back inside and explained to them that we knew Heavenly Father had helped us and answered out prayers. We prayed together again to give thanks for the lost earring. Not my favorite way to have a teaching experience for the boys, and us, but I am grateful that they were so receptive in praying to Heavenly Father in a time of need. I am so grateful for the safe return of something precious to me.

RAIN

As we were eating dessert it started pouring! The boys and I decided it would be fun to go out and play in the rain. The girls thought it sounded fun too! Justin opted out and took pictures instead. The rain was coming down so hard that we were soaked in seconds! Crazy!! We had a great time splashing and running in the rain!

"That was awesome! I am freaking wet!!!"

(Taylor)

Park City

Justin and I went to Park City for a little anniversary trip. We left Friday afternoon and came back Saturday evening. We got to the hotel, The Chateuax, and walked around for a few minutes before our room was ready. We had dinner reservations at the hotel returant at 6:00. We enjoyed the bread and dips and our appetizer (pizza) but neither of us like our entrees. I was just glad I had the pizza to eat so I didn't have to eat any of the nasty meal. After dinner we headed down to the outlets and did a little shopping before they closed. Saturday we skipped breakfast and slept in! It was so nice to catch up on a little extra sleep. We went to the historic part of the city and ate at Bandits BBQ for lunch and it was fabulous! We went back to the outlets to look a little more and then hit up the movie theater and saw "Cowboys vs. Aliens". I actually liked it. We came back to happy kids that loved playing with Aunt J! We went and got us from free Chick-Fil-A and went to a park to eat and came back home to play the night away!

Love the weekends!

Willow Flatts Camp Ground

We went camping for the first time this year. The kids all loved it and Justin was so excited to get out of the office and be out there. I had a good book and we all had a great time.

Grandma had a little nature scavenger hunt set up for the kids...

 We went fishing...

 (this may be one of my new favorite pictures)

 They played in Atlantis...

(i never did hear why it was called that?)

 and at the ampitheater...

 We went on a hike that took us to no where...

We made funnel cakes for dessert...

(any one want to come over so I have an excuse to make them again?)

 And we came home looking like this...

Zoo

On Monday we met some of our favorite friends at the zoo. We ate lunch at the picnic area, rode the carousel and train, and loved playing with Leslie, Lyla, and Wyatt (and Daniel too). The boys had already made up their minds that we were going on the carousel. They WILL NOT ride on the animals but have now decided it is fun on the bench. Funny boys! Taylor told me that maybe he would ride an animal next time. The girls loved it and probably would have loved the animals but the animals by the bench were already taken.

 Taylor, Macall, Avri, Braxton

 Taylor and Macall

 I know its blurry but I loved Avri's cheese face!

 Braxton

 Taylor

 The roar was a little too loud when standing right by it

When we got on the train the boys turned around and asked Lyla if she wanted to come ride with them!

Me and the babes

fun saturday!

Today has been a day full of fun! We went swimming this morning, Justin took the boys golfing while the girls slept, and we went on a bike ride to the park to play basketball. Besides the girls being grumpy ALL DAY (see post below) we had a good, tiring day! I am ready for bed!

Broken

 Today the girls lost their first love. Ok, maybe second compared to their blankies. It has gotten to the point where they have a binki every minute of every day and it drives me crazy while they are trying to talk to me. Today I "broke" their binkis and have been paying for it since. They are so mad about it. Avri kept bringing it to me telling me it was broken and Macall just cried for her "bink". We made it through nap time without them and they are now in bed and not crying any more. (only took 45 minutes) Hopefully tomorrow will be better because there is no going back!

Team pictures were scheduled for the 5th of July so most of our team wasn't there. Ashley took awesome pictures of the kids for us after the last game. Stinkin cute if you ask me!

Braden, Kamdon, Taylor, Addy

Boston, Krew, Braxton

End of the season

Today was our last Tball game. The boys loved playing and did so well! By the end they were hitting the ball from a pitcher instead of the tee. Way to go boys! We also had a little end of season pizza party! It was tons of fun.

 Macall decided she needed to be in the pizza box. Good thing it was gone before she sat in it.

Good job boys! We are so proud of you!