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!!

Halloween 2012

Pics from Halloween.. Kaylee was that funny purple unicorn thing again. Aspen was a Mulan type thing or Ninja fighter she called it, Caden was a race car driver, and Briggs was bob the builder.

Oh and my Brother Riley, not sure what he is.....WOW!! :)

Aspen digging out her pumpkin. She said it was like a spider web.

Briggs

Kaylee

The whole clan (minus me)

That is a nice smile, Briggs :)

Caden was cute drawing his design and writing his name on his pumpkin.

Cadens all done. I cant remember what it was supposed to be :)

Aspens was a witch flying

Kaylees was a graveyard with a mummy

The kiddos with their finished products

Briggs the handy man

This is at the girls school they go across the stage one at a time so you can see every ones costume.  Kaylee wouldn't turn and face me and look up.

Aspen walking across the stage

Aspen with her friend Brielle

Aspens class singing their Halloween song

Kaylee with her buddies Arlee and Mckayde

Pretty Aspen

My little crew. Gotta love Cadens hat.

Visiting with great grandma and grandpa Smith

Collecting their mounds of candy from trunk or treat.

Harvesting our honey

We have made it a tradition to harvest our honey from our bee hives on the Saturday of October General Conference.  It was a little more tricky this year than last since we have learned that Caden is super allergic to the bee stings. We had to make sure no bees were able to get in the house. We had my parents watch the kids Friday night while we went on got the hives and tried to get all the bees out. I only got 2 bees in my veil. That honestly has to be one of the worst things ever! Trying not to totally flip out because if you do, you will probably get stung, but completely flipping out inside. I couldnt unzip my veil with my big gloves on but eventually I got it and we were ok. :)  We were doing really good with no bees until the morning started warming up and I all the neighborhood bees got scent of the honey in the back of our truck. We should have brought them in the house but we were trying to get them warmed up by the sun so the honey would come out easier. Its obviously a learning experience until we figure it all out and have a system down. We had a few bees roaming around the yard but no stings and everything went well.  Andy and Amelia (Daves sister and her hubby) were in town from Idaho that weekend and helped for a bit. They were here last year we did it and saw how much harder it was to do it without the right tools so they are awesome and got us an uncapping knife which made it 1000 times easier!!

Andy uncapping the frames and dave spinning the honey out

My mom and dad came over to check it out and my dad took some turns.

Kaylee was a good help

MMmm.. like gold at our house.

Caden helped too.

I feel bad the pictures weren't very good, I was having camera issues.  I think we ended up with about 150 lbs of honey this year. We were really happy about it. It was a bad honey year and a lot of people didn't get any honey. Hopefully next year will even be better :)