Gwen's First Birthday!!

Baby Gwen is ONE!!! I seriously can't believe it!! We had such a fun day celebrating it. Kaylix and Elsie helped me decorate and wrap the presents and bake the cake. They were so cute being perfect little helpers. They were so excited for the party to start which made for a long day. I heard "is it party time yet?" all day. But it was so fun to see them excited.






Gwen was also getting impatient about getting started. She could not wait to eat her cake.



I am so mad at myself because we videoed her eating the cake but I forgot to take pictures. :( Maybe I will have to figure out a way to upload the video. She was so funny, she kept trying to get the cake and trying to get the cake and then finally I put a piece in front of her and she wouldn't touch it. She kept looking around at all of the adults like we had poisoned it or something. Once we helped her get started she loved it and of course got real messy.
She didn't get much chance to open her gift because her older sister was "helping" too much. But she received a clock radio (so I don't have to keep getting Elsie's) and shoes from mom and dad. Elsie picked out mini mermaids to give her, so she can share them. :) Jenny my sister gave her a barn toy with shapes that she loves. My best friend Jenni Partington came too and gave her homemade hairbows, which were super cute. Grandpa Bill gave her McDonald's bucks which she will love to use up. I think she did pretty good for a one year old.



I love this picture. She is just so CUTE!!!

Tea Party!

We had a tea party on Nov 19. Elsie and Kaylix had so much fun! Oh who am I kidding I had so much fun with them. We first set the table, then got dressed up with featherboas and all, then put make up on. We went over our Tea Party manners which was cute. I didn't mean to but I kept talking in a Southern accent. The girls kept acting out The Island Barbie tea scene, over and over and over. It was cute Elsie was Lucianna and Kay was Rocella and I was the mom.







We made hot chocolate and dipped strips of toast in it and orange slices and cheese and goldfish crackers. A very fun Tea Party!

Into the river we go!

On Sat Nov 14 we decided to go up Logan Canyon to get Vern and Elsie's ski rentals for the year. We only made it about half way to Beaver when we hit a patch of ice, lost control and slid off the road and into the river. Luckily, no one was hurt, in fact, when we came to a stop Elsie said "that was fun." It was pretty scary, but we were very fortunate to have walked away without a scratch. I am grateful that Vern was driving, I would have tried to avoid the river and over corrected and probably flipped the van. We were very blessed!
Here are some pics of the van sitting in the river waiting to be towed.



and the van being towed. I think it looks like a toy car that broke.

Zion's National Park

We went down to southern Utah for a small family trip and we had a blast. I recommend everyone going down there. We stayed our first night in Panguitch were we stayed in a hotel. Elsie runs in, very excited and asks "is this our new home? Where is the kitchen?" 10 minutes later she finds the phone books and says "this is what we will read for a good night story." She is so funny!

The next morning we went into the park, which is truly awe-inspiring! It was just so beautiful. We did a couple of hikes and visited the visitors center. Then we set up camp, which was at a camping resort. It was very cool. They had a big swimming pool and rock wall and zip line and Frisbee golf and pool and ping pong and a buffet...you name it they had it. We loved it and would go there again. Elsie loved the swimming pool.

We went on a couple of hikes. It was so beautiful. Elsie did really well. Some hikes were paved and we could take the double stroller but we needed to take the baby backpack on others hikes. We saw a lot of wildlife right along the path. The closest I have ever been to a deer family, wild turkeys, tarantula, desert lizards and a lot of little squirrels. We will have to go for longer next time. We are definitely going back.

Elsie was such a cute pirate.

Labor Day's Pirate Party

I don't know how to blog!!