Cookies for Sale!

For the past couple of weeks, Mark and I have been mulling over the idea of taking the kids on a cruise for their Christmas presents this year. Our Friends, the Albrechts, approached us and invited us to go with them and their family because they had found a great deal through the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. The deal they found was that kids sail free. We decided we should jump at the chance, especially since it was a great deal. Neither Mark nor I have been on a cruise before and we thought it would be fun to not only go with another family but go with them since they could show us the ropes since they had been on this particular cruise before. We surprised the kids and since then the kids have been chomping at the bit to earn money for souvenirs. 

The kids have been begging me to let them have a lemonade stand since school let out, but I wasn't too excited about it. I told them that very few people ever stop and it ends up being a sticky mess for everyone involved. I told them that we needed to get creative and we did just that! I had the thought come to me that most people like homemade cookies and so I presented that Idea to the kids. They were on board and they jumped at the chance.

We made a deal that I would make the cookie dough and bake the cookies, while they set up the chairs outside,decorate signs and make thank you notes to staple to some brown paper bags (that i had on hand) to help put their customers cookies in. The kids worked so hard! The three of us decided to sell Chocolate Chip cookies and White Cranberry chip cookies on this afternoon. 

The Cookie stand was a huge success and the kids ended up making a whopping $42! It was so funny to watch the kids in the neighborhood, as well as, some of the adults in the neighborhood stop by and buy warm cookies. We got several requests from neighbors to do our cookie stand more often. Funny things is, is that I have earned a good reputation with sharing my home baked goodies with the neighbors so it was fun to have the neighbors come running for my baked goods! The kids were so giddy helping their customers and with the amount of money they made! 

 In the end it was a lot of work for me but It was worth every bit to see Kaleb and Karmindy so excited. It was also a good lesson on hard work. Unfortunately, now Kaleb and Karmindy think they should do a cookie stand every week now since they earned big bucks the first time around! I think I only have one cookie stand in me each summer! Until next year....

Mother/Daughter Lunch Date

I really enjoy spending time with both of my kids. I also love being able to spend some quality "Girl Time" with my little girl. I have enjoyed that Karmindy is getting a little older, and that I can take her and we can go and spend some time together as a mom and daughter. I love being with her and I hope she enjoys our time together as well.

One of my favorite things to do with Karmindy, is to go to lunch and visit and then occasionally treat her to a manicure and pedicure. Mani/Pedi's are expensive but I found a little nail salon near our home here in Riverton, that only charges 10 to 15 dollars for Karmindy to get her nails done. Karmindy has grown to love Mani/Pedis and it is a fun thing for us to splurge on together from time to time. On this particular day, Karmindy and I went and got our nails done and then Karmindy chose to eat at Zupas (a soup and salad cafe) for lunch. We both love Zupas so it is an easy compromise for me. As long as she doesn't choose McDonalds than I am good. I would take her to McDonalds if she asked but I am grateful she has a more refined palette for her age. Karmindy loves Zupas chicken nuggets, their fruit cup with assorted fruits and the special treat that is included with her meal, a chocolate dipped strawberry. I am sure this is the reason why she chooses Zupas!

I truly enjoy spending time with my baby girl and enjoy our girls afternoons out

!

Swimming Lessons

This Summer, I was able to sign the kids up for two weeks of swimming lessons. I had the kids repeat the level they left off with last year for a refresher course this summer and then the following week they both moved up a level. I have seen a huge improvement this summer in my kids swimming abilities and it is so fun to watch. 

 Kaleb is a little behind for his age group but I blame that on me not getting him into lessons right away but for being a little delayed he is doing really well and is becoming more comfortable in the water. I think he takes after me. I hate water in my face and going under the water. However, He has improved by leaps and bounds. He is doing well with his stream line and is actually diving for objects under the water. He also can streamline and then rotate from his tummy to his back and from his back to his tummy. Kaleb is doing awesome!!

Karmindy is also doing amazing. She tends to not be as timid as Kaleb is in the water, so she has really progressed a ton. In fact, she is almost caught up to Kaleb Level wise. Nevertheless, I am proud of both of them and what they have been able to accomplish this summer. I am hoping to be able to get them into some private lessons in October and just reinforce what they have been learning. With the progress they are making, they may be ready for the kids swim team in a few years and take after their Dad and swim competitively!

Good Job Karmindy and Kaleb! We are so Proud of you Both!

Summer Food, Family and Fun!

While the kids have been out of school, we have had so much fun making yummy things to eat, having play dates with friends, heading to the near by splash pads, sleeping in, and participating in two weeks of Swimming Lessons. We have been busy!! Sadly, our summer vacations are winding down and we are running out of time to go and do fun things. It makes me so sad because I really enjoy having my kids home with me and spending time with them. I miss when they are away and this school year will be especially hard since both Kaleb and Karmindy will be gone to school. It makes me sad to think they are growing up. I try not to dwell on this fact of life because I love being a mom and spending time with them. Life goes by too quickly.  However, for now, we will live in the moment and enjoy these memorable moments of life: Food, Family and Fun!

Kid Day!

Several little gals in our neighborhood have  formed a little play group or as they like to call it, "KID'S GROUP!"  Layni McDonald, McKenna Rowe and Taryn Smart are such cute girls and have taken turns inviting my kids and several other kids on our street to their homes over the course of the past few weeks. Since all of them, including my kids are on A Track Year Round School it has been fun for everyone involved to have something to look forward to doing. The girls are the cutest and plan activities for the kids to come and do at their houses for one hour on Saturday Mornings or Afternoons. I foresee some great babysitters in the future!! They are the most creative little girls and have really planned some fun activities. I really love my neighborhood and the street  we live on for this very reason. We really live in such a wonderful neighborhood.

Some of the fun days that they have planned over the past 4 weeks have included: Water/Sprinkler day where the kids played water games and ate Popsicles, a carnival day where they painted the kids faces and played carnival games and had popcorn and suckers, a camping day where they have made leather bracelets and  boon-dogles and played in a tent. The girls have really put some thought and effort into these days and it has been so fun for Kaleb and Karmindy to participate in.

A couple weeks ago, me and Karmindy went shopping and made these little bins filled with fingernail polish, clippers, finger nail files, drinks and other fun girl things that we thought they would enjoy to thank them for all they have done for my kids this summer. I wish I would have taken a picture of them because they turned out so cute! The girls, have put such a huge amount of effort into these fun kid days without any pay or expectation of anything and we wanted to say thanks for all their efforts!

My kids have thoroughly enjoyed Kid Days and are always looking forward to the next one!!

Happy Independence Day!!

Several days before the 4th, I got a call from one of my favorite people in the whole world, my cousin Roxanne Frisbey Ball. She is actually Mark's first cousin but we have adopted each other as sister's and cousins. She invited us to spend some time with her family, my cousin Christine Gunderson's Family (Roxanne's sister) and my Uncle Gordon, Auntie Wanda and Roxanne's Mom, Sharon and Step Dad, Leon. Dave & Roxanne, and Uncle Gordon recently bought some land in Ogden and it is nestled right in the heart of Ogden but you would know about it because it is literally hidden from view. It is such a fun place with several ponds, places to four-wheel, BBQ, fish, jet ski and just hang out as a family. When I got the call from Roxanne to join their family, Mark and I jumped at the chance. We love spending time with Mark's Uncle Gordon extended family. They are such good and kind hearted, down-to-earth people and we just love being with them!

On the morning of the 4th we headed up to Ogden and we arrived around 10:30 am. We spent the day four-wheeling, jet skiing, fishing, and four-wheeling. For lunch we BBQ'd hot dogs, and roasted smore's for dessert. It was such a very fun day and it will be a Fourth of July that we won't forget! I am so grateful for our family and extended family and I am so thankful we could spend the day together.

 Karmindy loved riding the four-wheelers with me and riding the jet ski's with Roxanne. She is quite the dare devil in our family and loves to experience life with out any fear or hesitation. Love this little dare-devil of mine!

Kaleb loves anything to do with camping and being outdoors. He enjoyed whittling a stick for roasting smores. He is getting to be such a cute boy scout!

 Karmindy was obsessed with the jet-ski's. She loved having Roxanne and Mark (didn't get a picture of the two of them together) take her for rides!

Roxanne, myself and Christine spending some time together. I am so thankful that they have adopted me into their family. I love them both and I am so grateful to call them family even though they are Mark's cousins. We have become so close over the passed few years and I just love having them in my life and appreciate their support and love.

After a day of play, we headed home to spend some time with our neighborhood friends. We got ready and headed down to the Matt and Misty Pidcocks home for an awesome firework display. Each year Matt heads to Evanston, Wyoming and buys quite a few "BIG Fireworks." He really puts on a show for the whole neighborhood. We had such a wonderful 4th of July! I am so grateful for my family, extended family and living in America. I am so grateful for all the service men and women who dedicate their lives to making America a wonderful place to live. So Blessed to live in this great Nation!

Happy 4th of July!!

Riverton Rodeo

 For the past two years, our family has attended the Riverton City Days Rodeo here in town. My kids look forward to it and so do I. I have always loved going to Rodeo's and have fond memories of going with my family as a child. So going to our city rodeo has become a fun family tradition for our family. It is also fun  because we have met up with my second cousin Amber Odekirk and her cute little family for the past two years. Each family brings their own dinner and we sit and eat while we wait for the Rodeo to start. The gates open early and to get a good seat you have to arrive promptly.

 This year, it was a sweltering 100+ degrees and we were dying!! Reaching over 100+ degrees is typically not normal for Northern Utah this time of year. We tend to stay in the mid to high 90's. This summer has been especially warm for some reason! You would think that this born and raised Southern Utah girl could handle the heat but I think I have acclimated to the more mild Northern Utah summer weather. Luckily, we came prepared and we had plenty of water to keep us hydrated and treats to eat while we passed the time waiting for the show to start. 

At 7:45 pm, the skydivers jumped from the airplanes and landed around 8 pm. Just in time for the show to start. My kids always look forward to watching the skydivers! Another favorite is all the kids ages 7 to 11 are called down from out of the stands and they get to head out onto the field.The authorities then release several cows that have dollar bills duct taped to them. The kids then run after the cows and try and get the money. It is pretty funny to watch and quite entertaining. Kaleb has enjoyed participating for the past two years. Last year he didn't get any money and was quite disappointed but we reminded him that there are over 100+ kids out on the field and very little money to go around. This year he was determined to get some money and he did!! Kaleb is getting quite a quick little sprinter. He did an awesome job and we were so proud of him and his efforts. After it was all over, he said he wished he would have used both of his hands to grab the money off the cow. You live and learn!

Karmindy was a little sad she wasn't old enough to run for the money and I was a little glad. It makes me nervous watching those baby cows run around. She seems so little and it worries me that she will get trampled. She is on tap for next year though to participate and when we told her she could do it next year she didn't to be so disappointed. She was so funny to watch during the whole night though, she loved watching all the bull riding and bronco busting. She got really into it! Also, she enjoyed dancing to all the music they would play in between the riders riding the bulls and bronco's. She is such a funny and silly little girl. I love her zest for life!!

Even though it was so hot and we were melting it was a fun night to spend as a family at the Rodeo. You can see in the pictures how hot it was. My hair was wet from sweat and all of our family's cheeks are pink from it being so warm.

We look forward to going next year!!

Boredom Buckets

To kick off Summer Vacation this year, I decided that Mark and I would get the kids their own boredom buckets. I have seen a similar idea/tradition that a friend of mine that does this with her family each Summer. I thought it was a cute idea and wanted to do our own. For the kids Boredom Bucket, I filled them with treats, water toys, new beach towels and Workbooks to keep the kids on track still for school this next year. Kaleb and Karmindy were thrilled with their buckets and have used them quite a bit this summer already. We also got the kids a new sprinkler that they could run through. They have used the sprinkler a lot and have enjoyed having the new things to look forward too. It has definitely helped me out this summer. Whenever I hear they are bored, I just refer them to their buckets and tell them to go and play with something out of their bucket. It has been a huge life-saver and has cut down on the "I'm Bored's!"

Bear Lake: Beach Time

 One of my kids favorite things to do, besides being out on the Boat is head to the beach and look for Sea Shells and play on the Playground that is located on the Beach at the Resort we stay at. Truly what kids doesn't love digging in the dirt and sliding down slides and swinging? Another fun feature that you don't find on to many playgrounds anymore is the fun Merry Go Round they have. My kids could sit on this and let all the other kids at the resort push them. I can't watch because it makes me sit to think about going around and around in circles but they can't get enough of it! Here are a few memory making photographs of our time on the Beach.

Bear Lake 2012

For the past two years, we have looked forward to heading to Bear Lake to join Mark's Uncle Gordon Frisbey and his family for a Family Reunion with the Frisbey side (Christine & Casey Gunderson/Dave & Roxanne Ball). It has been so fun to get to know Mark's side of the family better, especially since he didn't attend this family reunion much while growing up.

Uncle Gordon has been very gracious to let us stay with his family in their condo and our kids absolutely love going to Bear Lake to see their Cousins and to See Uncle Gordon & Wanda. We usually leave on a Friday afternoon right after Kaleb gets out of School and we stay until Monday. This year the kids were a lot more brave and really enjoyed riding the hydroslides and the tube with their cousins: Chandler, Sawyer and Savannah Ball.

On Saturday we spent the whole day out on the Lake and then that night we had a cookout. 

On Sunday, we decided we didn't want to really to take the kids "Boating" on Sunday. So we drove into town and rented a Surrey and took the kids for a nice bike ride. It was so fun and HOT!! After our bike ride we got Snow Cones to cool off at a local Snow Cone Shack and the kids loved it! That afternoon we went to have a cookout at Uncle Mike and Aunt Jan's Cabin that they built there in Garden City Area.

We are so thankful for the opportunity that we have had the past two summers to join Uncle Gordon and his family and make such fun Memories!

Summer Reading Program

This Summer, I thought it would be good to keep the kids entertained by taking them to the library each Monday to pick out new books for the upcoming week. It was something Kaleb and Karmindy really looked forward to! The Herriman Library which is just minutes from our home was putting on a Summer Reading Program. They asked the kids to set a goal and read that many minutes a day. We set the goal of 15 minutes a day and the kids followed through and really enjoyed looking forward to sitting down and reading their library books. There reward for completing the goal was that they got to pick out a Book of there very own to keep. Kaleb and Karmindy were pretty thrilled with their Awards. Kaleb picked out a Bernstein Bears Book and Karmindy picked out a Clifford book.We will look forward to doing the Summer Reading Program next Summer!

What Do you do in the Summer Time?

Since Kaleb started school in July, it was quite the challenge to keep Little Miss occupied during the day since her built -in -playmate was away during the most part of the day.  To livin' things up we invited 3 of Karmindy's Neighborhood Gal Pals to come play, eat Chocolate Creamies and jump on the tramp with the Sprinkler spraying underneath it. Watching these girls interact is quite entertaining for me. There is enough sass, giggles and craziness to keep anyone on their toes.

LtR: Emilia Pidcock, Karmindy, Madison Jackman, Avery Hawkins.

Striking a Pose!

 I told them to "Shake it!" Seriously so much Personality!! We are so glad to live in a neighborhood with so many fun friends!