Rhyan's 3rd Birthday

We got home just in time for Rhyan's 3rd birthday. She got a princess scooted with a helmet and elbow pads and thought she was just the coolest kid ever! She calls it her 'kooter' and wants to ride it all the time. We had a carnival birthday party for her with face painting, a fishing pond, a duck pond, a cup cake walk, and instead of bobbing for apples we used these giant marshmallows we found. We even had the authentic popcorn machine going (as you can see Kaleb was the official popcorn helper). The kids all had a great time and won lots of prizes to take home. In true Cleveland style, it started to rain right as we were getting to cake and ice cream, so we moved it into the garage to finish up. The pictures of the girls staring at the cupcakes makes me laugh... you would never realize that cupcakes are that mesmerizing, but the kids were just standing there staring at them! Rhyan had fun and it was a really cute party!

Home at Last

We got home July 17th, and we were all excited to see Larry. I think he was probably even more excited to see us... he was lonely all by himself. He was busy while we were gone though. He chopped down the tree in the front yard, and for anyone who has been to our house, you know it was a huge tree. He said it wasn't the chopping it down that was so bad, it was getting the stump out. He did a great job though and If you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't have any idea there was a tree there. The grass is almost totally filled in where the big hole was. I'll have to take a picture and get the before and after pictures up. And thankfully, Asher didn't decide to full out walk til after we got home. Within the week he was suddenly walking everywhere... crawling isn't any good anymore. Can I just say he is into everything!!

Mount Rushmore

We went to see Mount Rushmore on our trip home, and I am glad to say that I have now seen it. I'm not sure I would make the trip to South Dakota just for that, but I definitely think everyone should see it at some point. The kids thought it was cool, we all enjoyed a really expensive lunch in the restaurant there compliments of Urs, and we now have a new Christmas ornament for our tree. We drove out to see Crazy hHorse while we were there too, but not much of it was done and it was really not that exciting. Urs said the whole visitor center experience was pretty good though, so maybe next time we'll have to stay and listen to everything.

Martin's Cove

We went through Martin's Cove on the way home and went through the museum and pulled the hand carts. It was a great time and the kids loved it. I'm not sure we were authentic pioneers in our flip flops and all, but we pulled the cart about 2.5 miles to go out to the cove and back to the visitors center. The kids loved riding in the cart and Kaleb even pulled for a chunk of it. I think my favorite part is where you see the picture of Rhyan laying in the handcart with her feet up. What you can't see in the picture is that she was on the cel phone talking to her daddy. She would have made a great pioneer!

Horseback Riding

Oma and Opa arranged for the kids to go horseback riding because Mayson has been asking to forever. So we all went out and the kids got to ride around and have fun. Even Asher was thinking it was pretty exciting!

Rhyan wasn't about to get up on top of a horse, but she was pretty impressed with the poop in the horse trailer and kept telling us all about it!
"Yeah... I'll pet you, but sniffing me is not allowed!"
I thought this picture of Dustin & Hank was cute. Dustin is gazing off into the western sky like he's the lone ranger or something!
This picture I thought was great. It was like our own little bunch of cow hands wanderin' down the rode.

Fishing with Opa & Oma

Opa took the kids fishing while we were there and they had a blast. We went to the trout farm just north of Ogden, so of course everyone caught some fish. It's the best way to do it with kids because then you don't have to hear the whining of "How come I'm not catching anything?" We all got to go to my dad's house and have fresh trout for dinner. It was great!!

So, let me give you a little sense of how this fishing trip went. (all commentary goes with the picture below it) "Mom, mom!! Look at my fish! I caught a fish! Look, Opa, look!"

"What the??"
"Mommy, mommy!! Look, look! I caught another one, did you see me? Look at my fish!!"

"If only I had longer arms..."
"Mommy, look! Opa, did you see? Mayson, Kaleb, see my fish!!"
"Ahhhh!! Oh my gosh!! Get that ^@%# thing away from me! It tried to get me!!" (We love you Natalie!!)

Four Generations

While in Utah we got four generation pictures taken with my dad and Grandpa Hall. This first picture has my dad, Grandpa Hall, my brother Weston with his sons Warren and Benjamin. My other brother Dustin with his son Henry. My sister Lacey, me and my kids, and Adam's little girl Quinn.This picture has three generations. From left to right below is my Dad, Lacey, Grandpa, me, Dustin and Weston.
Below is me with the kids, my dad and my grandpa.
And here is Grandpa Hall with all of his great grandkids.

I thought these pictures of the girls were great. The first one Mayson totally has the 'I'm not talking to you' look on her face and Quinn looks like she is totally interrogating her. Then below they all look like they are completely mesmerized by something... not sure what. Cute!!

And this is what you get when Wes is in control of the camera...

Liberty Park

My mom and I took the kids to Liberty Park to play on the playground and the splash pad they have. We had promised them the day that we went to the aviary that we would come back. They had seen the rides when we were there and decided they had to ride them. So, after we got done playing, we all went and rode on the merry-go-round, swings and ferris wheel. Everyone had a lot of fun, and my kids are definitely fans of the swing ride!