A-Z Scavenger Hunt

Today we had the kids do a scavenger hunt where they had to find an object from A-Z. They had a great time. We split them into 2 teams (boys verses girls, of coarse. That is how they wanted it.) I thought their ideas were pretty creative. I thought that I would post them. Remember they had to actually find the object and put it in their bag. They struggled with X but with a lot of thought they figured it out. It was a lot of fun. The girls finished first so they won for time and the boys won on creativity.

Girl Team (Acaylia, Madison, Ruby, Micah- not a girl, but at times acts girly)
A: Animal
B: Block
C: Candy
D: Doll
E: Earring
F: Fox (stuffed animal)
G: Glasses
H: Hat
I: Ice
J: Jam
K: Kirkland ham
L: Lindsey (picture of friend)
M: Mail
N: Necklace
O: Orange card
P: Pencil
Q: Q-tips
R: Ring
S: Scissors
T: Telephone
U: Umbrella
V: Vaseline
W: Wings (dress up)
X: Xavier (signature on Cabbage Patch Kids bottom)
Y: Yellow butter
Z: Zebra (stuffed animal)

Boys Team (Braydin, Matthew, Maxx, Sam)
A: Art (picture colored)
B: Branch (from a tree)
C: Can
D: Dog
E: Egg
F: Flower
G: Goggles
H: Hat
I: Ice pack
J: Jet (plastic toy)
K: Knife
L: Lipstick
M: Money
N: Net (one from fish tank)
O: Oats
P: Pudding
Q: Queen (from deck of cards)
R: Raisins
S: Sharpie
T: Tie
U: Underwear
V: Vacuum
W: Whitlock's family picture
X: X-large shirt
Y: Yellow star (eraser)
Z: Zelda (PlayStation game)

Night Swimming

Amy has been feeding her neighbors pets while they have been on vacation. They told us to fell free to use their pool while they were gone. So we decided to do some night swimming. It was awesome. They had a basketball hoop which provided tons of entertainment. We might have some future basketball stars in our family. (However, we'll be lucky if our kids make it over 5 feet tall. Sorry kids - mom's fault!)

Finger Painting

We let the kids eat some yogurt outside. Not our best idea. They thought they were suppose to finger paint with the yogurt instead of eating it. They had so much fun that we just let them go for it. When they decided they were done we hosed them off. It was pretty easy clean-up!! The mischief makers are Micah, Maxx
and Sam.





The ring leader of this mess is trying
to hide his identity behind his mess.
Clue: It is not Maxx or Sam.

Day at the Park

Vegas has the BEST parks!! This park had 4 different playgrounds, a hockey court, basketball courts, and 3 different picnic areas. It was so much fun. The day was overcast so we could actually go out during the day without frying. Madison and Daddy couldn't come with us, we missed them. But we had a blast. We were there for over 2 hours. It was fun to just have some boy time.
(The pictures are small - you can view them better by clicking on the view all images.)

Monkeys

Ruby taught my boys how to be monkeys. (Not like they weren't already.) They had a lot of fun climbing the tree in their backyard.














The tree did take a little beating, but I think it will survive.

Studly Matthew

I thought Matthew looked so cute in these pictures, so I had to post them. He is sure growing up. David took them and did a great job. Thanks honey!!

Zions National Park

On the Fifth of July we made a day out of seeing some incredible things. (Thanks Dad Dave for the idea.) I had more fun than I could have imagined. Here are some of the things that we did:

*Visited the cemetery of our 5th Great Grandfather- Byram Lee Bybee-in the city of Grafton. This cemetery was awesome!! Most of these people were killed by Indians and disease. (The ride there was awesome as well. Huge dirt hills to ride over, gorgeous scenes, and excited kids. They had a great time just getting there. It was in the middle of nowhere.)

*Saw the hide out house for Butch Cassidy. Also an old school house.

*Went to Zions National Park. You could easily spend a week here just hiking. We climbed to the Weeping Rock. It was fabulous!! (As Micah would say)

* We also ate lunch and ice cream. Two of my favorite parts. :)

Thank Mom and Dad for the terrific time. You spoiled us all. This is a memory we will never forget. Thanks for being such wonderful parents.

4th of July

Amy bought all the kids matching outfits. She is too good to us. They loved matching. The boys loved their "pirate hats". However, they did look a lot like cancer patients. So we ended up just tying the bandanas around their heads like head bands. We had a great day!! It was full of swimming, riding a play jeep, relaxing, visiting, a BBQ, and entertainment with fireworks at the Dixie Sun bowl.

Great Grandma with the crew.


The cooks. Hottie David and silly Alex. They made some great hamburgers and hot dogs.


Maxx would not leave the neighbors flag alone. He wanted to just stand by it and touch it. He thoguht it was "awesome."


Ruby as her usual self. She is a goof.


At the Dixie Sun bowl enjoying the entertainment. They did a talent show where 10 contestants sang country songs. It was fun. I do not like country, but I was surprised that I actually knew some of the songs. We danced, clapped, giggled, and had a great time. It was great, plus it was free. It was the St. Georges versions of the Stadium of Fire. It was wonderful. (Plus it did not take 2 hours to get home afterward, so that was a bonus.)

Just relaxing, having a great time.


Micah needed a little daddy time. He is usually very attached to mom so I really love these moments.


These two are inseparable!!



Thanks to Grandma we all got more than our fill on snow cones. They were only $1 and she always spoils the kids so they each got at least 2. They were high as kites. Thanks Grandma! They were delicious!


This picture and the next are the results of the snow cones. They were jumping and dancing. They had turned their straws into violins and drums. We all had a great time. I think that at times the adults were acting goofier than the kids. Okay, maybe just I was. But when there is music you have to dance. David was a good sport and did get up and dance a slow song with me. He was a little embarrassed since we were the only ones dancing. But he is good to me and every once in a while I can get him to embarrass himself. Acting goofy is just part of personality so it doesn't bother me. (Most of the time.)



Matthew really getting into the drums. He is a rocker!


After the entertainment they had a great firework show. Maxx freaked out a little, but toward the end he started calming down and I think that he actually enjoyed it.
(I talked to mom Ashby after the holiday and she mentioned how she missed Maxx watching the fireworks from her front window because he is always too scared to come out. You would have been so proud of him.)

We missed the Ashby's during the holiday. David did not put on his annual firework show. He usually does it at Mom and Dad Ashby's house - I think he really missed this. Here in Vegas they do not celebrate the 24th of July so he won't get a chance to this year. (Maybe the New Year.) We love and miss you all so much. Happy 4th of July!!

For more of our rocking holiday visit Whitty-Lock's (My sister website)

High School Musical

While in St. George we were able to attend the Dixie College's performance of High School Music. It was a fantastic performance. A lot of the performers were still in High School and they were amazing. The kids loved it. It was nice because Grandpa said that he could not stand to see one more interpretation of High School Musical and stayed home with Micah and Sam. So it was really enjoyable.


Here we are waiting for the show to start.


Grandma and Maxx. They were pretending that they were on a date. So Maxx held her hand and opened the door for her. It was cute.


Madison and Acaylia were so excited. Madi says that she absolutely loved it. She thought it was funnier and liked it better than the movie. (I think that I did too.)


Great Grandma Stettler with Ruby and Matthew. Poor Grandma did not have her hearing aids so she did not know what was going on. But she still had a great time. Ruby wants to be Sharpay. She has been practicing everyday since the movie came out years ago. Matthew loved it but was really tired toward the end.


We were able to meet all the cast, get their autographs, and even snap a picture with the kids. (the actors are Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, and Sharpay. Sharpay did an amazing job - sooo convincing!! It was great. My favortie was Mrs. Darvus the Drama teacher. She was hilarious!!!)

Thank you grandma for taking us. We had a great time.

Water Fun

After the temple we decided to go play at a little water park they have downtown. The kids had a blast!! At first they were a little nervous to get their clothes wet, but that did not last long. It was fun, even us parents played in the water.

Sam, Madi, Acaylia, and Ruby.

Matthew was not so happy to get his clothes wet so he decided to pout. He wanted a swimsuit. Poor kid. (However, he does eventually join the fun.)

Maxx and Sumo Sam. Sam (in white) decided that he would jump off one of the rock and skinned his nose and top of his head so bad. We all felt so bad. Some medicine and a Batman fruit snack fixed it. (Not all the way, but he did get in a little more.) I wish a had a picture. He skinned it good.

We might have a cheerleader on our hands. GOOOOOOO MICAH!!!!


The water would stop quirting up and Micah thought it was because he was plugging the hole.

Our movie star posers. Ruby (in pink), Madi ( yellow) and Acaylia.

Maxx had so much fun. He always has the best facial expressions.

Look how soaking wet they are. Our car was so wet by the time we got home. But it was too much fun to pass up.


Look who decided to join the water fun!! It just takes him a little extra time to realize new things like swimming in your clothes can be fun.


These two followed each other around the whole time they were in this part of the park. They were so cute imitating each other. It is good to see they like each other. There are times that I wonder- they are starting to see things differently and fight some. (That is put nicely. There are times I think that one of them might destroy the other. Brotherly love.)


For more fun pictures visit my sister blog at Whitty-Locks You can see Sam's skinned nose. (Her pictures are not posted yet, but will be soon.)

St. George Temple

We decided on Wednesday July 2, 2008 that we would all visit the temple. We walked around the grounds and then went inside the visitor center. It is beautiful. In the visitor center our guide was Mark Eubanks, the weather man. I grew up watching him tell me the weather forecast and it was fun to see him in person. (The kids thought it was cool that he use to be on the news.) It was such a neat experience to be there all together. It reminds me how important families are and how blessed we are that we can be together forever. (I wish David could have been there. He did not arrive in St. George until Friday morning. We all missed him, especially me.)


St. George temple. It is beautiful!! One of the missionaries told us that when this temple was built Brigham Young said that they were going to build it in the middle of Saint George. However, back then the temple was off to the side of the town. Brigham Young told the saints that one day it would be the center of Saint George. Today, the temple is the center of Saint George. I thought that was really interesting.


Everyone together on the side of the temple. We had some sister missionaries take the picture.


The grandparents trying to keep all the kids out of the fountain in front of the temple. Good Luck!!


Grandma and Grandpa with the kids. That is one cute family.



Micah running through the sprinkler at the temple.....


and then Micah picking a flower on the temple grounds. He loved it so much. Can you tell which child is the youngest? He might be a little spoiled. My mom says sure while he is doing mischief you just take a picture. Yeah I do. I think he is too cute. I know I need more discipline. But kids are just precious and he was just being a kid. There are always so many rule. But being there was so peaceful and they were all so happy.


Micah, Matthew, Madi, and Maxx in front of some flowers on the temple grounds. The grounds were gorgeous. We had a wonderful time. I am glad that we took the time to take the kids there. Sometimes, it seems like such work to get them ready and out of the house, but this was definitely worth it. I love my family.


For more great pictures visit my sisters blog at Whitty-Locks (Pictures are not posted yet but will be soon. As soon as I let her get on her computer!!!)