The Great Outdoors

So we decided to go camping this last weekend before it keeps getting any hotter. We drove just outside of town to a place called Baker Reservoir. Ray had went fishing there a few weeks earlier and had good luck with it so we decided to take Logan there. But unfortunately, the wind was blowing terribly and the water was too choppy to get much accomplished but we still had a lot of fun. Logan's style of fishing was to "throw" or cast the line out then put the fishing pole down and to throw rocks in the water and yell at the fish, "Here fishy, fishy, fishy...Come eat the rocks!" It was pretty cute.

For our camping spot we did it wussy style and went to the paid camp ground site. It worked out good because it had good tent sites and a restroom close by. Logan's activity of choice was looking for lizards. There were just these little lizards running all over that would come sit on the lava rock to get warm and Logan thought it was way cool to chase after them and go for walks to look for them and then try to feed them rocks as well. We were able to have a fire and at first I was a little nervous as to how Logan would respond around it, but he was so good about it. He was very careful walking around it and never tried to play in it. Chase was a super good camper! He just smiled and played and slept the whole time. Part of why he was so good was because we found out at the doctor's that he has allergies, even though little kids his age aren't supposed to be able to get them. Anyways, the doc told us to give him Children's Zyrtec, but it does make him a little drowsy. So we gave that to him for the first time when we were camping and it made for a pleasant Chase.

(Getting ready to head home. Logan wanted to ride in the back so we rode there just through the campsite. )

(We call this Logan's clown picture. You can't really tell from this pic on the blog, but he has Doritos cheese all of his mouth and then a red punch mustache on top of it. He looked pretty goofy, but hey, we're camping right, that's what you do!)

(My boys relaxing by the fire and just having a good time.)

(Chase was having a great time. He loved being outside and scooting around in the dirt. He couldn't have been any better.)

All in all, we had a really fun trip and we hopefully want to be able to make a couple more trips this summer.

Sweet, Delicious, Goodness

So for some of you who don't live around me, you need to know that I LOVE to bake. I don't profess to be that great at it, but I love it. There is always a homemade treat around my house. So this leads me to my dilemma. I need some variety! I love what I make, but I'm wanting to try some new things so I need your help. When you leave a comment (don't feel like you have to) please leave one of your favorite oh so good recipes. Doesn't have to be anything grand or fancy or any thing extreme, just addictive! Please help me out!!!

PS-This post totally goes against every thing I've been working on. For the last month and a half and I've been going to the gym and have even increased to going twice a day lately. But oh well, baking is something that I love and my family has grown to "expect" cookies or treats to always be around.

Just Randomness.....

As usual, I just have a random update.

We finished our living room last Saturday and I think it looks way awesome!!! (Especially compared to what it looked like.) Anyways, what we have done to this area is a complete makeover. We re textured the walls, painted, new carpet, resurfaced to fireplace and painted that also, and did crown molding. We want to get a new ceiling fan as well, but we just haven't found the one we want quite yet. So, all in all, it turned out pretty darn nice. I am so proud of Ray for all the work he has done. But I can't that without thanking everyone that also helped with this project. And not just in the living room, throughout the whole house. Right now I'm only posting a picture of the living room because the other rooms aren't done exactly the way I want them yet. So, here is a little nibble of the improvements we've done. This is the best I can capture the whole room. I am definitely not a photographer or have much of an interest in it either, so it is pretty amateur.

BEFORE............

AFTER!!!

I still need to decorate, but Ray and I are having debates on what to do. So, for now, it's pretty plain, but still looks good!

And as for the family, we've just been having fun. Me and the boys have been spending a lot of time outside so I bought a little swimming pool for them and it's been fun. But we've also been starting to go to the Community Center and going swimming there also. Logan has so much fun!!!

After we got out of the pool, I had wrapped Chase in his towel and he was laying down between my legs and immediately fell asleep. He looked pretty darn cute!

Another fun part of life right now is that Ray's little brother, Alan, is leaving for his mission then end of this month and so he's been in St. George visiting until he leaves. Even though he is not my biological brother, I feel as if he is my brother. I love the silly kid!!!! It's been fun because he comes quite a bit and hangs out with us. He also has been a big help because he's watched my kids for me a few times. Just want him to know that I love him and that I will miss him terrible. But at the same time, I am so proud of him for choosing to go on a mission! He will be great!

Ray is also winding down is school. He only has a week and a half of school left!!! He then will work for three weeks on the Virgin River Project. This was the same job he had last summer except that they are splitting the time between two teachers this time. So instead of working for six weeks, it's only three, but it works out ok. This gives us time to go on vacation and for Ray to have some time off, work on some house projects (hopefully re tile the kitchen and laundry room! hint, hint Ray!), and also take some endorsement classes he needs. So all in all, he will still be a very busy guy.

Oh yeah, we bought a swing set last week that should be delivered within the next week and I am so excited!!! The kids will have so much fun on it and I'm excited to play with them! It will be quite the project to put together, but that comes with the territory I guess. So, after we get it put together, I will post some pictures of that as well.

Chase is holding a hamburger toy and trying to eat it, just looks kinda funny! And the room is a mess because we were putting up the crown molding at the time, so there are tools and junk everywhere.

One night when Logan was giving Chase kisses good night, he wanted Chase to sleep in his bed too. So we just laid him there for a few minutes. They are going to be so good together when they get older!

PS- There aren't very many pictures of Logan because he is in a phase where he doesn't want to cooperate with for the camera. So therefore, it is a photoshoot of Chase!