Lovely

Lovely. I always use that word to describe my wife because I think it the most appropriate. What do you think of when you hear the word lovely? A soft-petaled flower touched by morning rays? A fresh-fallen snow on a crisp winter morning? A broad-brushed painting with a parasol or a covered bridge?

I wish I could paint, because if I would I could capture the radiance, the beauty, the hilarity that is my wife. I would need every color in the universe to make a proper picture.

Then again, even if I had the talent of Monet or Rembrandt, I could never capture her true essence and the happiness that she brings to my life. I truly do think that I have the most wonderful life on the planet. I have a fantastic wife that has brought me two glorious children. I have a family. Not a family just in the organizational sense, but in the true sense of the word, I have a family.

I am so thankful for my wife. She anchors our family in the Gospel and makes life a pleasure. Happy birthday, lovely. You are my tiny.

I propose a Haylee Day!

Happy Birthday Haylee! Even though you live far away, and we don't get to see you nearly enough, we want you to know how much we love you! We're glad that Greg chose you to be part of our family, thankful for your willingness to be a mom, and for the good care and love you give our brother. We look forward to getting to know you for many years to come! Have the best birthday ever!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAYLEY!

Happy Happy Happy Birthday!

My Baby Grows Up

Brooke is dancing in the Hmong New Year celebration tonight. Our neighbors dressed her up all fancy, did her hair super cute and off I sent her for a day of fun. We'll meet her there tonight, but for now she is off on her own. This is our 4th year attending the New Year celebration, so it's easy for me to gauge her age and maturity based upon the things we let her do each year. The first year she stayed right by us and wasn't allowed to wander. Three years ago she could walk around in the main room, and I kept her in sight at all times. This year she left early and I didn't even worry (too much)! She'll be 10 years old in a couple of months.

Makes me feel old.

Trip to Twin

Last weekend we went to Twin Falls to visit Stephani (really we went because Blair had two college games to ref there, but Steph was my important reason!) We took the kids out of school early on Thursday, drove to IF and then left EARLY on Friday morning to get to Steph's house around 9:30 (Really, Blair was going pheasant hunting, so that's why we had to leave early). The kids had so much fun visiting with her and spending time with the cousins! We went swimming, to the bouncy house, drank volcanoes at the really cool old time chocolate store, played all day long, and had a sleep over at the motel. It was a FANTASTIC weekend. Saturday Dad came over and went hunting with Blair and Adam- they even got 4 pheasants, which made all of the walking a little more worth it. The weekend was too short, but perfect none the less. Below are some pictures of the fun. I tried to make sure to put some cute one's up of Steph's girls, since we don't get to see enough of them on the blog!! There are a couple of pictures of Em that I have tried to load several times, but it keeps loading different pictures rather then the one I choose! I'll try to add them later!

Avery LOVED swimming. This was the first time (I think that's what Steph Said) all out swimming in the water. Dane LOVES it, and wishes that I didn't have to hold on to him.

Steph introduced us to Volcanoes! My kids want to have volcano's with thier friends now! Did you know that Brooke doesn't like "fizzy's"- Pop hurts her mouth, she's probably only had it 4-5 times in her entire life. She would rather be thirsty then have to drink soda.
Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to drop in her egg, but she did in the end!

Love the ball pit. ADMIT IT- all of you secretly want to jump in there to and swim around! I know that I did.

I Propose a Sarah Week

Last Christmas, Sarah learned how to play Wii Tennis. However, she couldn't get good enough to get past the first opponent. Still she would play. Every time a new game would begin, she would explaim in a exasperated, yet somehow still bright, tone, "Oh man! Not this guy again!" It was hilarious.

Beans - 1989

Go Huskies.

Yea for Stephani !!

Yea for Stephani !! I loved your blog. This is what we all should be doing. Lets get busy and use this blog the way we should. I know some of you have your own blog, but please add to this one also. Is there a way you could cut and paste? Love to you all, wish you were all going to be here on Thanksgiving to meet Mike's new "friend". I love and miss you all. Mom

Daddy attacks

Daddy did Avery's hair this day. Enough said. She has just enough curl and it is so long that it got alot of attention when we went out.

Halloween

Really what goes on at our house on a day to day basis and how the girls look when they wake up in the morning is more scary than their halloween costumes. Sarah just had to be Thumbelina, Emily is a kitty anyway (really, she crawls around the house all the time meowing and she meows the primary songs during singing time in church), and Avery is an indian baby because I already had the costume. They had fun trick or treating with Grandpa and Grandma and if Sarah wasn't falling asleep as we were walking around, Grandpa would have gone all night. His mission was more and more candy. All the girls had candy for dinner.

My baby is 1 year old

I can't beleive my baby is one year old. This year went by too fast. Avery enjoyed all the balloons and ripping open her presents. She took three huge handfulls of cake and........................... dumped them over the side of her highchair. Never to be tasted. Grandpa and Grandma Mattson came for the celebration on her day and Grandpa and Grandma Bean came to see her the day after and to have Halloween with the girls.

The South Hills

Every fall after it cools down (it gets really hot here), we take a family trip into the South Hills (which are really mountains). We park at a campground and explore the easy trails (and I mean easy. Look at our hiking attire and Iam carrying Avery) in the area. It is

so fun to have a family of girls. After Thanksgiving we go back and cut ourselfs a Christmas tree.

The fruits of our labor

Last summer we planted 3 fruit trees. An apple, plum, and pear. We collected fruit this year from all three. The girls were so excited to see the blossoms and the watch the fruit develop. We also planted a hefty garden of sunflowers to share with neighbors, 2 tomato plants (which took over the garden), pumpkins, carrots, peas, and gourds. We also enjoyed enough raspberries to make some jam and to eat on hot summer afternoons.

Fishing

We took the boat out almost everyweekend for a fishing or boating trip this summer. Finally by the end of the season Avery could fit into her lifejacket and could endure the wind enough to actually enjoy herself. Emily is the best little fishergirl a daddy could ask for. She is not allowed a hook yet though or one of us would end up with it in our faces. She has hooked her own hand before and that ended the chance for her to acutally catch a fish. She fishes with a big plastic blue fish. We usually like to head to the reservoir for a little swim on the beach, a picnic lunch, and and hour or so of fishing. If not the lake, we take it to the river near our home.

Welcome to Jarbridge Nevada, just a couple of hours drive through the Owyee Canyon and the Humbolt National forest. A one way dirt street where the townsfolk drive 4-wheelers and occupy their time watering the road down to limit the dust then hit the town hall for their weekly square dancing. Truly a time warp where the last stagecoach robbery in the United States happened.

The Outdoor Inn is their restaurant where they serve homemade icecream. The town hall has public restrooms with showeres for those who may not have one in thier home. This is a picture of a classic house with mining facilities. And the last picture is thier school. Adam went to the old gas station with the one old pump to get a soda and found himself in someones living rooom with a cooler full of old soda. Wow!!

The town was all hustle and bustle that day because they were having an event that Iam sure has never happend their before, a wedding. They shut the park down and everything. People were racing back and forth from the town hall ( a big barn) and the park ( a small area with a wooden swing set) with floweres and the townsfolk were wearing their best jeans and boots.

Sarah's growing up

Sarah has been so excited to lose a tooth and go to kindergarten all in the same week. She is not our little preschooler anymore but a young girl eager to experience more of the world under her parents wings.

Death Penalty

Yes or no?