Cabin Vacation 2010

We've been planning this mini-vacation for a while now and it is finally here. The kids and I are so happy to finally be here, even if it is without dad. Dang it. Wouldn't you know that his boss would extend an invitation that he didn't feel like he could refuse. It really is ok though, we understand. And we are grateful for Chance's job and that's a big deal, especially lately.

Today we mostly hung around the cabin watching tv, eating, and playing board games. We did go down to the lodge after dinner for some yummy frozen treats and to play on the swings for a bit.

Tomorrow the plan is to get up and eat breakfast, clean up the cabin and be at the pool when the gate is unlocked. The kids read on the sign that summer hours are from 10am to 11pm and I think they plan to be there the whole time. Boy will they be bummed when I'm ready for hot dogs and a nap.

What's with these Hodgson kids and their need to climb on everything? It looks like they took me seriously when I told them they couldn't climb up the outside of the cabin. I told them Papa would not think it was a good idea and they found something else to do. Phew!

Until tomorrow, good night...sleep tight...don't let the bed bugs bite...and if they do...hit 'em with your shoe.

RC Willey Picnic 2010

My sweet cutie pies!

My new friend Dave. So nice!

My favorite friend Dustin. So handsome!

My favorite person in the whole wide world!

Kuna Days 2010

A few short weeks ago, Davis got off the phone with Rafael and told me that their band was going to be performing at Kuna Days. He was excited, I was excited, his little brother and sisters were excited but, as usual with him, we had almost no details. Within the next few days we learned that it was a "Battle of the Bands" arrangement, the boys would be the first to perform and there would be a total of about eight performers.

While Charlie was out of town, Rafael and Davis got to work writing and practicing. They worked so hard to get the song sounding just the way they wanted it.

Today was the big day and Charlie made it back in time to get a little practice in and play with the newly dubbed "JustUs". They were FANTASTIC! I know, I know…I'm his mom so of course I thought they were great. But so did Davis's aunt and uncle and grandparents!

And so did the judges, the boys won the contest! It is ten hours later that I'm sitting down to write this post and I'm still drowning in pride. I keep watching the video over and over and checking facebook to see who else has commented on my status update regarding the win.

Chicken Coop Clean Up

Can you believe this mess? We always have tons of weeds but this crazy wet spring has caused them to grow and multiply like crazy! If you can't tell what the dilapidated structure is behind the big mess...well, that's our chicken coop. I'll have to show you pictures of the hens sometime, they are really kind of cute. The roosters are even cuter and we even have a little bantam rooster who is so tame that he comes when you call his name and lets you pet him and pick him up and everything! They are all so cute that I thought they deserved an Extreme Home Makeover and this is our first day of work.

We pulled a bunch of weeds and made a little raised platform for the feed. (That garbage can holds their food.) Then I thought they might need some flowers or something so I had Sarah go scrounge up some pots that we'll be filling soon.
I also want some stepping stones up to the door since this area gets pretty gross when its wet out. Then I need to do something along the side there where the vine is. We walk back there to get to the coop and the weeds are even worse back there. It freaks me out to walk through tall weeds because I always think there may be a snake down there! Uugh! Then, maybe someday, I'll slap up a fresh coat of white paint...how pretty it'll be. Then we can call it "Cluckingham Palace".

Memorial Day 2010 Part Deux

Thomas Lindley and Leatha Lindley
Cache Valley, Utah is, in my opinion, one of the prettiest places on earth. I used to visit a lot as a kid...the Lindley's are from that area. But until earlier this year I hadn't been back for a long time. It is just as beautiful as I remembered.

Merle Lindley and LouJean Lindley
The thing is though, the reason I went back was because my Grandpa passed away a few months ago and we buried him in the Wellsville cemetery next to my Grandma, his first wife, who died over 20 years ago. I still miss her and I'm sure I'll be missing them both until the day I get to see them again.

Merlean Lindley
Here is the grave of Grandma and Grandpa's first baby and their only girl.

Dayton, Sarah, Maggie and Davis
The kids mention often that they miss Grandpa. The reason we took this trip is because Chance and I didn't take them for the actual burial. We drove down and back home the same day and it was cold and snowy so we left them home. But I wanted them to see the place where he grew up. I think they had a good time but they didn't talk much about Grandpa. That's ok, I know they think of him often and I think he may be watching over them.

Phineas Reeves Bird and Edna Bird
These are my Grandma's parents. I can't remember my Great-Grandma, although I did spend some time with her but I do remember my Great-Grandpa. He was a sweet, quiet man.

Verna Bird
Verna was my Grandma's sister, who I also remember just a little. She and Grandma were very close and I'm sure their's was a very happy reunion.

Dayton, Sarah, Maggie and Davis
This photo was taken at the Mendon cemetery which is up on a hillside and overlooks the whole valley. It is so pretty that I think I want to be buried here.

Davis and Sarah
The kids had fun playing hide and seek and rolling down the hills.

Maggie

Maggie
We love you and miss you Grandpa Merle!

Memorial Day 2010

The kids and I are in Kaysville for the long Memorial Day weekend...yay! We LOVE visiting Uncle Mike and Aunt Colleen's house, they are so wonderful and we always have such a great time! School got out early on Friday (and Sarah skipped altogether) so we got out of town by 3:00. It still took us forever to get here this time though. Between Dayton having to stop for bathroom breaks and me stopping for everything else, it was a long trip!
Dayton woke me up at 5:30 this morning. I told him he better go back to sleep in my meanest voice but it didn't work so I sent him out to the living room with his DS and threatened to beat him if he woke anyone else up. A few hours later everyone was up eating Uncle Mike's chocolate chip waffles and then we were off to the cemetery to put flowers on Grandma and Grandpa Hodgson's graves.


Nice stone, huh? I can't help but wonder what the story is behind this. And just a note to my husband...if this is what my headstone says (if I go before you) you will be in big trouble.
We visited Temple Square today too. They had a new display that just opened today. It was a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple that had one side cut away so you could see what some of the rooms inside look like. It was pretty neat.
Tomorrow, church and relaxing. Monday, the Mendon and Wellsville cemetery to leave flowers for Grandpa Merle, Grandma LouJean, Great-Grandma and Grandpa Bird and Aunt Verna. I can't wait to visit those beautiful cemeteries!

Working

Proof of hard work! When we got in that night it was late and there was no time for a bath. I sat all three of the filthy little beasts on the bathroom counter and went to work with a washcloth. Next time I'll just turn the hose on them!
We are trying to transplant some aspen tree starts. They are pretty small and a little hard to see among all the weeds sooo...the kids put little stone borders around each one. They really worked hard and felt good about their work. My sweet kids are not good workers most of the time so when they get into a job that they enjoy and care about, it is pretty cool. I suspect that part of the reason they enjoyed this job so much had something to do with the dirt!
The light was nice and I've been trying to learn more about my camera so I can take some really nice photos. This one is close to what I'm going for. I tried to get the girls too but Sarah wouldn't quit making goofy faces. Maybe next time.

Sarah's Haircut May 2010

A few weeks ago Miss Sarah informed me that she wanted to get her hair cut and she would like it in an "A line" style with highlights. Ahem. I said yes to the haircut but no to the highlights. "My friend at school has them. It's just little streaks of lighter hair. Like this little bit and maybe this little bit" she said. I told her that I was aware of what highlights were but that I was opposed to an eight year old girl having even a little bit of her hair colored. I wonder what she'll be like when she's twelve? Oh, boy.
It's been quite a while since Sarah's hair has been short. She does love it long except for this one problem. She is the BIGGEST WUSS IN THE WORLD when I comb her hair. It just kills her. And her hair is always so tangled. She won't wear ponytails, pigtails, braids or barrettes for very long so all the playing and wind just destroys her nicely brushed hair. I think the poor girl just finally got tired of me yanking on her hair every morning. Can you believe how long that ponytail is? We are hoping that it can be donated, the stylist was going to check on it for us.

She's so funny...always so serious. We had to wait a while for Sadie, the stylist, to finish up her previous client and Sarah was so nervous! I kept telling her that she didn't have to get it cut if she wasn't sure and she finally told me that she wasn't nervous about getting her hair cut...she was nervous about having someone new cut it. What a silly!
What a gorgeous girl! She may be a handful when she's a teenager but her dad and I are a little more worried about boys. I think we'll set the dating age at 30 here at our house.

Mother's Day 2010

Ahhh, Mother's Day. I like Mother's Day but it's not anywhere near my favorite holiday. That would be Christmas. This Mother's Day, Chance had to work all day. Total bummer. But the kids and I saved the day by heading up to "Redbud" to spend a few hours with Nama Jane and Papa Dale. We got there just in time for lunch and then the kids put their feet in the hot tub. It didn't stop there though, Dayton had on long pants and he didn't want them to get wet so I said he could just take them off and that was the beginning of the end. Dayton and Maggie ended up skinny-dipping and Sarah and Davis went in right in their clothes! Next time we won't forget the swim suits!
After we dried off, Nama took us for a walk up the road to a pasture where several mares had foals this past week and one more should have hers any day now. They were so cute! The hike up the hill to the pasture wore us out...the ride home was pretty quiet. Until Davis got a hold of the iPod!
We missed Chance and he was bummed that he didn't get to come with us but what can you do? He did bring me home chinese food and oreo cookies so I would have to say, it was an awesome Mother's Day! I am a lucky girl!