Aspen turns 5!!

Back in August, on the 17th our sweet little Aspen turned 5. She was so excited for this birthday and has been waiting for it for the past 2 years, (since Kaylee started school) so she could finally be old enough for her to start school.

I feel so bad, My mom took me and Aspen shopping for school and out to lunch for her birthday, but I didn't think to take my camera to get any pictures. She was so excited to spend the day with grandma, without the other kids. I know it was very special for her, and she had a great time. Thanks mom!!!

This is at Grandma Snyders house at a little birthday party, opening her presents from grandma. She spoiled her with clothes for school. She also got the movie Rio which has been a life saver- it's really the only movie Caden will sit down and watch for more than 2 mins.

Thanks Grandma Snyder!!

This was on her actual birthday at our house. Nothing fancy for the cake, she just wanted to make it so its decorated by her with her pretty sparkles.

Her with her presents. She got lots of things to help her get ready for school.

And her favorite, her very own scooter. She rides her sisters broken scooter for literally hours every day. She loved to ride them, so she got a new one that actually goes when you turn the handle bars, and they are straight. She was really happy and has loved it.

Trying it out. (dont mind the naked Briggs trying to scope it out too.)

Aspen is so stinkin sweet. She brings so much joy and love in to our houses. She is definitely the most loving kid we have in an outgoing kind of way. She loves to cuddle, and would do it all day if we would allow it, or had the time for it. She loves babies and is a great help. She is very tender hearted and sweet. She is learning so much in Kindergarten and progressing quickly. She is a peacemaker, and puts up with a lot of stuff from her little brother. Shes very social and loves to play with her friends. She is our girly girl, but she is also starting to be more adventurous and doing more tough girl things. Shes a spas- when she gets rialed up, she is crazy and cant stop laughing!! Shes very ticklish. She hates to wear pants- Like at all. She would much rather a skirt then shorts, but no pants. I'm a little worried for when it gets a little colder and I will have to force her in pants for school. She has beautiful hair! She gets tons of compliments from strangers of how gorgeous her hair is. Some people call her Rapunzel.
We love you so much and are so glad you are in our family- your like our ray of sunshine. Keep your sweet spirit and fun personality!!

24th of July- Cedar Fort rodeo- (Kaylees first rodeo!!)

The weekend of the 24th it was the annual Cedar Fort celebration so we first headed over to the parade then to the carnival for a minute- we mostly missed that, then we headed up to the rodeo. My sister Krista put it on and did an awesome job!!

Dad and Briggs waiting for the parade to come.

Kaylee- getting all pumped up for her first rodeo in just a couple of hours.

The family watching the parade

Kaylee and her cousin Cody getting ready to try to catch a greased pig at the rodeo.

The kidos at the parade

My sister Krista is nice and did a young age group of goat tying on the ground so the little kids didnt have to get off a horse. Kaylee borrowed one of her goats home and practiced and practiced. She was so excited to be in her first rodeo. She did really good especially for not doing it for very long. She had a Blast!!
She was first up, which made her really nervous, but she did it.

Waiting for the 6 seconds. It made it!

All done. What a relief! I dont remember what her time was- 11, or 13? I will have to watch the video. I think she ended up 4th.

Getting ready to go

This is Kaylee and Griff ribbon roping. Poor Griff had a lot of pressure to catch that calf for her, and he did great. They both did a super good job!

Runnin to the goat

Flanking it

Tying

One more of ribbon roping. I know these are all out of order, but It doesnt put it in the order I tell it to. Blogger hates me!! Griff running to the calf, Kaylee running to get the ribbon and Dave running to make sure Kaylee does it all right and to help prevent any wrecks. What a good dad!!

She had a fun day and is already planning for next year- she wants to run poles and barrels. So we will have to see about that! I guess we can probably handle one rodeo a year! :) Aspen kept going back and forth on if she wanted to enter or not. One time she would say yes, then later she would say when she got a little older. When it came down to it she decided to wait until she is Alexas age. What a cutie! So I'm thinking she will want to next year. We will see. I team roped with my nieces Kandice and Kaycie and my nephews Kole and Kale. That's all that needs to be said about that!! Anybody who was there knows what I'm talking about and whoever wasn't there, that's good!!

4th of July

I know I'm slow, but I'm doing it, and that's what matters, right!?!
We came home from camping at Vernon on the 4th of July and then Amelia and her family, and Dave's mom and dad come out for dinner and brought some fireworks. We were glad to see them before they headed back to Idaho.

This is us unloading from camping. Briggs like to drive the gator- by standing on it.

Kaylee, Drew, and Aspen all lined up, ready for the fireworks.

Waiting patiently, Well, Briggs not so patiently.

The whole crew except Dave who is lighting the fireworks. Nick was so cute sitting on Andy's lap, he was brave but had to cover his ears. :)

Kaylee and Drew with their sparklers

Our strawberries were on really good so Briggs was content for a lot of the night crawling though them and eating them.

Caden and his sparkler.

Briggs couldn't quiet decide if he liked it or not. But he never cried.

All the kids helping Dave light them. Is that safe!?

Aspen loved sitting on grandmas lap!

Aspen

Once again another great Independence day. I am so glad to live in a free country and can feel safe to let the kids play. Grateful for all the soldiers who help us maintain our freedom!!!

Vernon camping trip

Wow how time flies! The end of June through the Fourth of July we went camping out to Vernon reservoir. Its sad to say but thats been the main camping trip of the year. Our time is so limited now we dont get out near as often as we would like. This was a special trip because Dave's sister Amelia and her family were able to come spend a few days with us. They had been in North Carolina for her hubby Andy to go to school to be a Nurse Anesthetist. Andy graduated in May (i think ) and got a job in Twin Falls, ID and had just moved there. We hadn't seen Andy in 1 1/2 yrs and the rest of the family for a year. The kids were so excited to see their cousins Nick and Drew and we were all excited to meet their new addition, Joseph. They had never met Briggs either. It was so nice of them to come and spend some time camping with us. Thanks guys!! Another super cool thing is our friends the Collards came for a few days too. They are great friends and the kids are best friends with their friends so they were in heaven to be out camping, swimming, fishing with your best friend for all day!! We have some of the best friends and family anybody could ask for!

The first morning we were there the kids woke up and went straight to fishing- before breakfast of getting dressed.

Caden caught one of his first fishes ever.

And Kaylee caught her one.

Me, Amelia and the older kids going for a little boat ride. We left the babies at shore with their dads.

Kaylee swimming back to shore after jumping out of the boat

Caden chillin on the shore with a pole in the water eating red vines. That right there is a mini Dave. It cant get any better then that!

Caden giving his fish a kiss

Nick, Caden, and Briggs playing in the dirt

Briggs with his buddy Creedin

The kids with a fish they caught. (minus Nick, he didnt want a picture)

Caden with his "best friend" Corby. He tells me all the time that Corby is his best friend. We can tell by their faces they are having way too much fun!

Briggs with his little cousin Joseph. We were so happy to meet him finally!

Kaylee jumping in

This was the kids favorite thing to do. We would take them out in the boat so they could jump out and swim back to shore. Only to beg to do it again.

Almost there!

Dad and Caden shooting their hansom pink gun.

What a lucky girl to be able to stay up late when all the other kids are asleep to be with your best friend roasting marshmallows

Wow, now that is a face only a mom and dad can love! And boy do we love it!!

Caden would make his own entertainment.

Me, Caden, and Kaylee shooting

Dad and Aspen

Briggs trying to escape the screen door of the camper when we would contain him in there.

Me and the kidos shooting

When we were packing up to leave we gave Caden the left over worms to play with. He loved them- He kinda has an obsession with worms. We looked over and he had put him in the mesh drink holder on the chair and liked to watch them slither through the holes and catch them. Pretty gross, I know.

Briggs loved gnawing on this cob of corn

One night before going to bed, Dave and I went to make sure everything was picked up by the water. When we shined the flashlight in the water there were crawdads that would scatter. So Dave fashioned a net to a stick and we walked the shore line with the flashlight and caught a bunch of them.

So of course the next day we had to boil them up to eat them.

The finished product. YUMMY!!
Actually it wasnt too bad. It was probably the best seafood I've had. Jenn and Dave liked it, but not Darrin so much :)

Captain Kaylee

Silly girls

Our little man, whos not so little anymore.

Kaylee with the cooked crawdads. We couldnt get her to try them. Arlee did and liked them.

wow, he is filthy!

Caden loved to try to split the wood with the hammer. He worked really hard at it.

WATCH OUT!! I think this is just before he hit the log with the hammer and tipped it over and it landed right on his big toe. It hurt him pretty bad and his toe nail was just hanging there and bleeding really bad. We kept telling him to put his shoes on, but what do we know, we are just parents. His toe nail is just barley grown back now and is starting to look normal.

Kaylee trying to dry off and warm up with Arlee

Aspen catching a fish while we were out trolling.

Kaylee netted it for her.

Dave diving in

Then Kaylee

What a good dad!

While Briggs drove us.

Check this out. After the kids are sleeping me and dave would just chill by the campfire with the beautiful view. At that moment life was great- it couldnt get much better. Loved it!

This is how we would contain Briggs while we cleaned up to go home.

Caden building up his courage to bail off the boat.

We had a great time together and with all who came and joined us. Thanks!!! Hopefully when Dave finishes school we can do this much more.