hOw dAds wAtcH thEir kiDs...

Tonight we got done with dinner fairly early. I told Jeron it would be nice to work before family home evening. He took the kid downstairs while I worked. I got done and went into the kitchen I saw that it was a mess. I told the kids to come up and finish and Jeron yells up to me "No. You come down." I really was irritated but did anyways. That is when I found three of my children wrapped up like burritos. I ran up got the camera, grabbed a blanket for Elsie, and came back and they were out. Jeron could see my frustration so he wrapped them up again. This time we threw Elsie into the mix and here are the results.
Yes I think in some homes this would be considered torture. As you can tell Elsie agrees. Dont worry the three older ones were loving it. Elsie was only in hers long enough to take the pics. She was actually not even wrapped. I think she was afraid of the whole thing to start with.

aHhh cUte biG bRotHer

I was working the other night and JJ knew I needed some help with Elsie. He didn't even have to be asked. He simply took her in his room and got her to sleep. You can't see it in the pic but the flashlight is on. It is always special to walk in on a moment like this.

hAviNg sO mUch fUn toGethEr

We have been meaning to get together with some friends of ours for the longest time and finally we made it happen. We headed up to the cabin for a little lunch time BBQ. It was nice to just hang out and talk while the kids roamed the mountain.

I was taken away by how pretty the canyon looked. Don't mind the pics I took them while Jeron was driving. They still show the colors though. Around every turn was another breath taking view.

Emma is always there to help with Ellie. They really are best of friends.
We don't do hair when we go to the cabin. Dont judge!

These two ladies just heart each other.
Anneka made this crown for Emma it was actually really well done.

This is Molly's oldest Clara. She looks darling in this picture. All smiles:)

Jana, Me, and Molly

Jana and Graydon and Tatum

I realized on the way home that the boys were never around so none of them got pictures. So in the car I at least took one of JJ and Trevin.

Jeron and Megan

Little Boo
I love the scrunched up nose

Tiny Tatum (cute as a bug)

To bad the season of the cabin is almost over for the year. We will have to do it again next year and when John can come. John had to go to a football game so he couldn't make it. It was a good time with great friends. We need to do this more often.

prOjEct: sKiRt

My neighbor's little girl had this really cute skirt on the other day. She told me her sister made it so I asked if I could borrow it for the day. I spent about an hour cutting and sewing...and here are the results.

I LOVE IT! So easy and so cute. If I can do it anyone can. It is always so fun to put together some scraps you have lying around and get this out of it.

Ellie is in love with it. She is so cute, the minute she put it on she started dancing and shaking her hips. I just love this girl.

Canning Chicken...Yep I said Chicken!

I went to pick up Ellie from preschool and a friend of mine and me got talking. She told me she had just canned Chicken. She said that it was easy, there was a great sale on chicken and all you need is a pressure cooker. I got a hair brain idea that I should do this as well. I went out and bought the chicken and started cooking it. THat is when I realized I didn't have a pressure cooker. So after a lot of phone calls I finally found a friend of mine that has one.

It was a lot of work but so rewarding. I have only canned one other time with my Dad. We did raspberries. So this was my first time doing it all by myself. I will have to say I think it turned out pretty good. As of right now I can't stand the sight of chicken so it will be awhile before we break open a jar. I will have to say I am a little nervous to eat it. I know it is fine but just the thought of chicken on my shelf gives me the willies.

After the high of the chicken wore off, I decided to do my very first freezer jam. Okay...it is the easiest thing to do. I can't believe I have never done it. The kids helped and we banged out 13 jars in an hour. It tastes so yummy. I think I have found a new favorite thing to do. I love the feeling when you step back and look at what you have accomplished.

Ellie was more of a mess than a help but she had fun. She would smash the strawberries and get them everywhere. I spent more time cleaning her, then I did on the Jam.

JJ was the official dryer and he did help stir.

Emma was the cutter and chopper and she would stir as well.

Ellie was crying from her room and this is how I found her. She still has her shoes on. She is covered is strawberries. She started laughing when I walked in her room. That is why I let her help. She has such a great time doing it. I guess the mess she makes is worth it to see that silly smile.

Elsie is 18 months...when did that happen?

Where does the time go? Elsie is showing more and more of her personality. She is sweet as sugar,and with the twinkle of an eye she is as mean as a bear. She is definitely a Mama's girl. I have about a 2 foot reach before she starts to get nervous. She is saying a few things. Mostly she says the things Ellie can say. One of my favorite things that she says is Mum. We think she might be English because she always calls me Mum. She loves to play with her dolly. She carries her all over the house. She also is usually wearing dress up shoes or the shoes of some poor unsuspecting girl who takes them off at the front door. She sings along to the radio and dances her little legs off. She is obsessed with my phone. She loves to play Peek-a-Boo Barn on it. She will bring it to me and say Bar. That is telling me that she wants to play. Ellie and Elsie have an interesting relationship. They are mortal enemies then the best of friends. Elsie has a tendency to pull hair, bit, and scratch. This has made Ellie a little hesitant to hang out with her too long. Elsie is our animal lover, I thought Emma was until Elsie. Elsie wants to pick up every puppy or kitty that she sees. She is a little rough with them so it makes me nervous at times. She will see a horse on the side of the road and yell "MUM!" at the top of her lungs and point to it. She really is so cute.





I will have to say she is a handful. At times I don't think I have enough left in me to deal with her moods, but then she will do the cutest thing to remind me just why I love her so. Jeron and I often say she is lucky she is so stinking cute, because with that temper she is a lot to take. One of her favoirte people in this world is my brother David. He tells me that she is just so smart she gets frustrated when she is not understood. She is one smart cookie. We love her and are so glad she is part of our family.

Our Time

I am thinking Jeron needs to get with the program. I love to take pictures and he doesn't. I really think that we need to stop looking like "Sloth" from Goonies. It is getting bad. Since he won't let me do retakes this is the only pic we have from our little get away.

Our sister-in-law text me on Friday and asked if we wanted a room in Park City. So after a lot of scrabbling we found babysitters and headed out for a kid free get-away. We went to dinner, saw a movie,stayed up until 4am, ate at The Eating Establishment, went shopping, hung out, ate at the Park City Pizza, and had a wonderful time. We even slept in. What? People still sleep in? Oh it was so nice. On the way home Jeron said "So, are you missing the kids?" I looked at him with a puzzled look and said "Nope, not at all." I could have used a few more days before that started happening. :)




Tara thanks for getting us a room. Michael and Brynn, David, and John thanks for watching our kids.

We had a raging fun time

We have been trying without any luck all summer to go to Raging Waters. Every weekend that we plan it it seemed to rain. It finally happened the first weekend after school started. The kids had a blast and loved every minute of it. Ellie took some warming up but once she had she didn't want to stop swimming.

Here is Ellie not to sure about all this water park business.

Grandma and Boo

I think Emma could have done this all day.

Love this little girl and you just have to love that cap.

JJ and Sarah(Gene's Granddaughter)

JJ and Sarah skiffing across the water.

Grandpa Gene and Grandma Jan so cute all matchy matchy.
Doesn't Gene look great for just having heart surgery two days before:)

Oh aren't we so cute.

We had a lot of fun. Grandma and Grandpa arranged everything and we just got to have fun. Jeron and I even got to go on some of the slides without kids...together! Thanks for the fun time Grandma and Grandpa.

Happy Anniversary

I can not believe it has been 11 years already. Where does the time go. Jeron and I were reminiscing last night about all that we have done. I think every year we have had some kind of event that has made our marriage what it is today. I love you Jeron. I am so glad that we are married. There is no one in this world that gets me like you. I love you!

First Day of Preschool!

Ellie was so excited to start school this year. She had to watch JJ and Emma go a whole week before her and it has been so hard for her. This year Ellie is attending 2 different preschools. She is going to Eagle Bay and Ms. Marilee. I figured since she is going to kindergarten next year it would be good to get use to everyday.



When she got home today from school she was beaming from ear to ear. I asked her if she likes school and while jumping up and down she said "YA YA YA YA YA!" I think that is a yes.

On a side note I got my times all goofy and I took her a half hour early, so we had to go home and wait which was really hard to explain to Ellie. Then when I went to pick her up I was thinking wow that was a lot of time. I get there and all the Moms are bringing their kids for the afternoon class. I was thinking to myself, "Huh, that is going to be crazy, everyone picking up and dropping off at the same time." Then and only then did I realize I was a 1/2 hour late picking her up. I walk in and she is eating with the family. I felt like such an idiot. Hopefully I will not do that one again.

Labor Day at the Cabin

Every Labor day since I was young we have gone up Millcreek Canyon and had a breakfast with the Monson side of our family. Well that family is getting too big for all of us to do it anymore so we have been doing it with the Cracrofts. This year with lack of planning on my part things slipped by and we didn't plan anything. This makes me sad and I hope that next year we will make it work. It ended up that my family (Meads) just went to the cabin for lunch. Since most everyone lives away it was actually just My parents, Michael and my fam.

We still had a fun time. We played card with Mama, talked to Michael about his dating life, and went on a hike. Dad and Jeron like always worked on the cabin. Uncle Dave and Aunt Lila made us ice cream. I think Ellie only went missing two times. It was a nice time.


Even though there is lack of pics we did have fun. I can't believe that summer is over. I swear it just began. I will have to say though that I am excited after all Autumn is the most wonderful time of the year. Halloween, crisp air, changing leaves, candy, the smell in the air, pumpkins, costumes, decorations...I am getting excited just thinking about it. So farewell to summer and HELLO Autumn