This is the place

We went on an extended family outing today with my side of the family to This is the Place Heritage Park (thank you grandma and grandpa). My kids favorite parts were the petting zoo area, the pony rides, and the train rides. And it wasn't crowded at all so we got to do the rides quite a few times in a row. Then we headed back to grandma and grandpa's house for a little BBQ and homemade ice cream, yum!

The forgotten fruit

Poor rhubarb often gets forgotten. Luckily my parents grow it, and gave me some to make this delicious treat I've eaten since I was a wee one.

It's rhubarb crunch, and it's delish! I ate this for breakfast/lunch=brunch and have decided not to feel guilty about it because 1-it has lots of fruit in it (rhubarb). 2-it has oats in it. and 3-the whipped cream that it is swimming in is a dairy product, and I really need to eat more dairy.

I mean, osteoporosis is a big deal.

Too bad you can't actually see the rhubarb crunch much in the picture. I REALLY love whipped cream, and it just melted into a puddle of yumminess due to it's straight-out-of-the-oven-warm-goodness.

mmmmmmm! mmm! mm!

First day of first grade

McKinley has been excited since before Kindergarten ended to start first grade. She thinks that eating lunch at school will be the coolest thing ever! I kept trying to talk her into another year of Kindergarten (I can't believe she'll be gone all day!) but she wouldn't go for it. I'm glad she is excited and confident for a new school year. She'll do great, and I'll always have the off-track weeks right?

Fish Lake

The good things about camping

• making memories with my little family
• campfires
• roasted marshmallows (I think I ate a whole bag myself!)
• pretty wilderness
• my kids seeing their first real caterpillar in their lives

and that is what I will try to remember next year when camping season starts up again...and block out all the other stuff that comes with it.

Let them eat cake!

I made this cake for Sawyer's birthday. It's my homage to the 'cake challenge' show I love so much. It's not so beautiful and smooth though, because I despise the taste of fondant frosting! Who wants a cake covered in clay? Blech! So mine is buttercream...yum!

The best part was Sawyer's reaction, who thought it was 'awesome!'

We had family over to celebrate his birthday and eat cake and ice cream. Then on Tuesday we had our own little family day of presents (we are still trying to talk up Sawyer's new bike. He's struggling with the coordination of pedaling and gets frustrated easily), lunch at Los Hermanos, and then a movie without the kids (gotta love grandma's).

Happy 4th Birthday Sawyer

My birthday buddy is 4 years old today! I can't believe you're a little boy now! You were my chunky little baby face just the other day! You are all boy now. You love cars, dirt, bugs, cars, hiking, adventures, cars, transformers, friends, video games, and oh ya...cars.

I love you! Thanks for sharing a birthday with me!

Albion Basin

We went for our annual visit to Albion Basin to see the wildflowers while they're in bloom. We went around sunset, so the temperature was perfect, but the bugs were man-eating monsters! So lovely though. A must see. The hike to Cecret Lake is 1 mile, although it seems longer (especially with little kids), but do-able.

My favorite this year was the ridiculously enormous fields of yellow flowers. So pretty!

Red necks and red punch

You know you're a redneck if...

you get really excited to go to Tooele to watch race cars.

It was awesome! We got tickets and decided to go to celebrate Sawyer's birthday. He loved it and wanted to stay longer. I want to go to the big boys race in Vegas now someday.

I only got to stay for a few laps because there was a big celebration at my grandpa and grandma's house. It was grandpa's 90th birthday, soon to be my grandma's 85th birthday, and their 65th wedding anniversary. They had me create the party invitations (see below), and I brought my rainbow jell-o salad. It was a no kids allowed party so Kent stayed with the kids at the race.