Trip to Idaho

The first weekend in December we went to Idaho for our nephew and Cousin Drew's baptism.  We left early Saturday morning and grandma Snyder rode with us. We went to the baptism Saturday morning then in the afternoon we went shooting guns. Went to church Sunday and hung out for a while then came home Sunday night. It was a short trip but still lots of fun!

The kids loved climbing the big hill where we were shooting the guns

Dad helping Kaylee to aim. She loves to shoo and is asking for her own .22 for Christmas. I don't think so :)

Aspen trying out the BB gun

This is seriously one of my favorite pictures of all time!! I LOVE her face of determination, aggression, anger.. I don't know, but whatever it is, its pretty serious. I love it!!

Dad teaching Kaylee the different shooting positions.

I think she about got it.

On Sunday we played some pool. First the adults (BTW.. I was always on the team that lost- I know it couldn't have been me!)  then the kids had some fun.

My pretty Aspen

Thanks to Amelia and Andy for letting us crash your house- we had a super fun weekend!!

Cutting down and decorating our Christmas tree

This year we got a permit from the BLM to cut a tree out on Look out pass by Vernon. It was our first time ever going out there to get a tree. The guy I bought the permit from said there were a ton right along the side of the road so I was pretty excited. Well we drove out there and drove around the entire area looking for a pinion pine, found a few really big ones, but there was a ton of junipers. I don't know if I got the wrong kind of tag or what, but we hiked around and couldn't find one.  We drove to another little area where Dave, Kole, and Kaylee hiked up and around the side of the mountain and me and the little kids stayed in the car because they were in a hurry because we were running out of day light.  On the whole mountain they found one tree and it definitely wasn't the prettiest tree but Kaylee chose to cut it down and bring it home.  I feel bad because Kole had a permit too and he came with us but we couldn't find him a tree.  Dave cut it down with his hatchet and drug it the mile back to the road and we brought our sweet tree home. I was a little disappointed there wasn't as many options as I was hoping for but it was still a blast to hike around and look and the kids had a blast getting in snow ball fights and hitting branches covered in snow to "make it snow" on the people behind them. Kaylee and Kole had a good snow fight most of the time. We had fun and it is one of our favorite traditions for sure!!

Dave and Briggs

My sweet boys

Kaylee

Aspen eating her snow - like always!

I Love my kidos!!

Kaylee and Kole in a snow fight - her hat already covered in snow...

I think Kole won :)

Caden got "snowed on" pretty good

Wait for it.......

And Kole got them :)  But Kaylee was armed and she is about to launch the snow ball in her hand!!

Then she was running backwards to get away and fell and got stuck - I'm so nice and just laughed at her and took pictures. :)

Me and the younger kids waiting at the very top of look out pass with a beautiful sun set while Dave and Kole and Kaylee were getting us a tree. It was so pretty , this picture is nothing.

Back to the trailer with the tree getting tied down.

Decorating it

Caden mostly liked to watch and cuddle with Patches the cat.

My favorite ornaments!

My awesome kids with our not too bad of a tree after its all decorated. Even if its not the prettiest, the smell it brings to the house is worth it!!

A trip to the Zoo

I finally got around to taking my kids to the zoo for the first time ever!! I know, I am a boring mom! I've wanted Dave to go with us but life is so busy! There was a free day and it was supposed to be nice weather so I couldn't turn down the chance. The kids had fun, but a lot of the stuff was closed for the winter of for construction, but the kids were happy to see any animals. Jessica was nice enough to come with us and bring her kids too.

The kids watching the elephants

Kaylee and Aspen were such good helpers with the little kids.

The Rhino!

This was their favorite part, and mine. This polar bear was swimming like crazy! We could stand behind the glass so your looking under water and watching it. It would dive under right in front of us, then hit the side, like in this picture then flip backwards and push off with its feet so it could float on its back until it hit the other side, then do it all again. It was literally right in front of us and the kids thought it was hilarious. Definitely the boys favorite part  and mine  :)

Caden laughing at it swimming on its back.

Swimming under water in front of us.

They also liked the bears

And the tiger -  that was sound asleep!

The apes

Push Caden, push

Probably one of their other favorite things was playing with this big ball and the water.

They also really loved the spider monkeys that were climbing and swinging around like crazy. The boys would laugh and laugh when they swung by them. I thought this one was cute - a momma monkey nursing its baby. Its hard to see but it was super cute and the look on the moms face while its resting its chin on the branch in front of it was a look I understood so well, or one that any nursing mother would. It was too cute!

We were glad we got to go and hope to go again next summer and see a  lot more stuff.

Thanksgiving 2012

For Thanksgiving this year we did the same as last and helped run the hunting club for the morning.  Dave and the kids went early in the morning to help catch the pheasants for the hunts.  They had fun chasing the birds and catching them. After they got the birds caught we got to help plant them for the hunts.  Caden and Aspen didn't want to help with that  - they liked the warmth of the clubhouse :)  After the hunts we ate our yummy thanksgiving meal there and hung out most of the day visiting and looking at the black Friday ads. Kaylee had been dying to hunt all day she brought her BB gun and had shot it at targets throughout the day but wanted to hunt birds so Kole and Krista took us out for a hunt. It was a blast! His dog is awesome! 

Caden holding the nice rooster he caught

And Briggs

Briggs helping grandpa drive while we were planting the birds

Kaylee and Dave planting one.

Dave getting it dizzy so it wouldn't fly away :)

Briggs, Kaylee, Dave and Briggs trying to get the pheasant out of the bag.

Kaylee planting a nice pheasant in a bush

She did good :)

Kaylees favorite part.. cleaning them.!!! She had to teach the boys how to do it :)

Caden was glad he got some feathers

Kaylee drew a nice happy thanksgiving picture in the cleaning shed for everyone

Briggs was happy for some feathers too.

Kaylee trying to "take down a bird" as she calls it :) her little pink BB gun wouldn't quit do the trick so now she thinks she needs something bigger :)

Kaylee with her prize bird

With some yummy meat.

Aspen with her feather that she liked to tickle people with.

I seriously feel soo blessed to have so much. Healthy beautiful kids that make me so happy. A truly amazing hubby who treats me like an angel that I love to death! A warm house, our fireplace (as its snowing outside) Always enough food to feed my family, my amazing friends and neighbors. The best family ever -  And in laws!! The love of my savior and his teachings. Honestly, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for all that I have and thank my Father in Heaven!!