Lava Hot Springs

Last weekend we went to Lava Hot Springs with some friends, and it was a blast! The girls loved the idea that it was snowy around them, but they weren't cold in their swimsuits. We had a fun day soaking in the hot water, then went to an early dinner at a restaurant in town-the kids felt really big since they got to sit at a table on their own (and us adults got to sit alone too!).
Erin was very determined that there was going to be Hot Lava flowing around; like in her dinosaur movies, and she was happy where there wasn't any around. :)
Looks like a super fun place in the summer too: fun slides, tubing down the river, etc. We might have to make another trip up there again soon!

It's your Birthday, shout Hooray!

Well, it's that time of year again...birthdays for Bailey and I! :) Bailey is 7 now...wow how time flies! Lots of birthday celebrations over the past few weeks. Bailey had a party with a couple of her friends at the bowling alley last Saturday; which everyone had such a great time. Bailey even got an authentic bowling pin that everyone could autograph.

From left to right: Bailey, Sera, Ariana, Erin, Marylinn, and Ben. They were all so well behaved, it was such a memorable party for Bailey.

At her request, I made carrot cake with pink and purple frosting....a little interesting looking but tasted delicious!

Then, the night before our birthdays, Josh and his dad were making Dutch Pancakes (YUM) and the stack of pancakes was getting bigger and bigger but I didn't think anything of it since they make such good leftovers. Well, the doorbell rang and there was our good friends the Crocker family and the Jasper Family--for a little surprise birthday dinner with us! Josh had arranged with Lauren to blow up a bunch of balloons and decorate with streamers. It was fun to celebrate with a few friends, it was a nice surprise.

Erin, Bailey, Ben, and Hannah

Gary, Chris, Josh, Makenna, Wendy, Steve, Evan, and Lauren

Now, it is actually birthday day and of course we have to celebrate some more! :) In the morning we went to Crumb Brothers (a DELICIOUS bakery) for some pastries. It is one of my favorite places in town.

Bailey couldn't wait to open her presents, of course. Her favorites were some new books, an Easy Bake oven, and a new bike! She had to take the bike out immediately for a test ride around the slightly snowy block of course. Hopefully this bike will last her a while, she is growing so fast!

Then for dinner we went to Texas Roadhouse. Bailey has wanted to go there since it opened here in town in October, so I figured it was a great time to go. They had peanuts on the table, which was wonderful because it kept Erin busy cracking them for the whole time we were waiting for food. She made quite a pile of shells!

Then, they rolled out a saddle for Bailey and I to sit on for our birthday announcement. Barely enough room for us to fit on together, but it was fun for both of us to be in the spotlight (literally since they turned the light on us). They yelled out our ages as well, but thankfully I'm not old enough to be ashamed of my years yet! (28 years by the way)
It was such a wonderful birthday. Another year gone by, hopefully many more to come!

Presenting...Josh!

Last night was the Cache County Christmas Banquet and guess who was chosen as this year's Department Head of the Year! JOSH! :) I am so proud of him. He works so hard and it is nice for him to get recognized for all the things he does to make the county a better place. It was a lovely surprise for us. In fact I was talking with some people when all of a sudden Josh stood up and walked up to the front. I had no idea what was going on, then someone told me that he had received the award this year! LOL I had missed them saying his name, which he pointed out to the whole crowd when he accepted his award.

They read a wonderful paper about Josh, his accomplishments, his family, his interests, etc.

They called me up as well. They handed him the framed certificate but they handed me the envelope with the gift certificate, etc. I keep trying to convince Josh that it is mine and the frame is his, but he doesn't agree...even though it was presented to me. :)

Thanksgiving, Erin's Run-in with the sidewalk, and a Snowman cake! :)

This year we went to my sister's house for Thanksgiving. It was nice to go there and not have to cook much at all! Ray smoked the turkeys in his smoker, and they were DELICIOUS! My Mom and Dad came as well. It was such a nice day.

Bailey, Erin, Mason, Marissa, and Cassie

The nice picture... :) Mom, Ky, Cavin, Dad, Ray, Londa, and Josh

And the goofy one (thanks Londa and Ky). Like Mother like Son there. :)

On Sunday the girls and I were out for a walk and Erin tripped. Unfortunately her hands were in her pockets so she was unable to catch herself, so she landed right on her face. She was bleeding and crying so I carried her home hoping that she didn't cut herself where she got her stitches this summer. Thankfully she didn't, but she scraped her lips, forehead, chin, cheek, nose, etc. Poor thing. If you ask her what happened she'll tell you that the sidewalk hit her. :)

This is what it looked like the next morning, the swelling had gone down a lot. Now her face is covered in scabs. :(

I am so proud of my cake! I made this snowman cake for Bunco last night at my house. My theme was Winter Wonderland so all the prizes were snowman, so of course we had to eat a snowman cake! It was hard to cut into it though-I didn't want to ruin it!

We Can Pretend

Erin came downstairs this morning wearing this lovely outfit. She thought they matched since some of the stripes are the same colors. I told her that she really didn't match well and she said: "Mom we can just pretend that I match." :) Well, wherever we go today people will know who dressed herself today!

The Truck and Our Little Indian

At school Bailey made an Indian necklace, vest and hat-and I just love the caption on the back of the vest! Interesting thing about the necklace-they strung beads and potato chunks on it. After drying, the potatos shrivel, get hard and look like rocks. I never knew that they could do that....

And...as promised...a picture of our new truck! It's a little dirty, but luckily you can't really see that in the picture. Nice, huh?

Our new truck!

Well, pictures will follow, but we bought a truck this weekend! I haven't taken any pictures yet because we came home in the snow with it so it is dirty and Josh has it at work. But we are all very excited to finally be a 2 vehicle family! :) We've managed with one car for almost 8 years now, but Josh needs the car more at work and I need the car more with the girls-and we figured a truck would be good since we always have yard waste to haul to the dump! It is a Dodge Dakota: white; 2001 with 71K miles on it, and best of all it is the 4 door variety so we can all fit in it! The girls were super excited to go get it, of course! I'll post pictures soon!

A little funny from Erin: She was helping me with the laundry yesterday and she said: "Okay, everything is out of the dryer, let's empty the wetter." :) Makes perfect sense, the dryer dries the clothes and the wetter gets them wet. I love the way her brain works! So no longer do I have a washing maching, I have a wetter machine.