Jun 12 2012

Another Birthday

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Karin

geek cake

A couple of days ago Corey turned…. sorry don’t think I should tell you. If you don’t already know then you can ask him. I’m sure he is fine divulging that information but it’s really not my place. Anyway he had a birthday and he is getting old. I asked him what kind of cake he wanted meaning along the lines of flavor and frosting. He started spouting off geeky things he wanted me to shape his cake as. So I compromised and made him a cake with a few of his favorite geeky things. I’m not a professional cake maker and I’m sorry if it doesn’t look up to scale. Corey is also a very hard person to shop for. He wanted some very specific things and after going to 6 different stores lugging around 3 kids I decided to order online. One of the specific things was a certain chef knife. I think you will all appreciate the picture with his precious.

making a wish

Blowing out the candles

Crazy Corey

Jun 12 2012

Camping

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Karin

Mike Harris Campground

Yay!! School is out. We have been out about a week but I’m slow at posting. On the day that school ended we celebrated by going out on our first family camp trip for the year. We packed up and went to Mike Harris Campground in the Grand Targhee National Forest. This is a place we have been before and like to go to for our first campouts of the season. Despite forecast for rain we decided to tough it out. The weather actually turned out perfect and it only rained for a couple of hours on Saturday. We got there pretty late on Friday and discovered that we forgot many things including bug spray. We didn’t want to be bug dinner so we had to go into to town and buy some. The other stuff we did without. That’s what the first campout is about right?! In the morning we warmed our breakfast up on the fire (breakfast burritos I learned from pintrest). The kids really liked it. They were easy too. It rained for about and hour and we just read and played games in the trailer. After the rain let up we went for a hike. There is a really neat trail near the entrance to the campground. It leads up to some peaks. We didn’t go that far. We only went as far as Sophia’s little legs could take her. It ended up being about 2 miles round trip. It was a beautiful hike. On the way back it started to rain again. By the time we got back to camp we were all pretty wet. It rained for about another hour. After that it was beautiful. There was one other family camping in the campground. We introduced ourselves. Their kids are the same age as ours and they hit it off really well. The kids went and played hide and seek. After talking with them a little we discovered that they live just on the other side of the airport from us (small world). We also found out that although they wear red and we wear blue we can still get along (those of you who are cougar and ute fans know how hard that is). We exchanged phone numbers and the kids have future plans to hang with them sometime. We packed up and left Sunday morning. On the way home we stopped one more time for a short hike. Not as great as the first one but still fun. This outing was a great start to our season. I love being out in the woods. It really helps me appreciate all that Heavenly father has created for us. I can’t wait to go again.

Cooking breakfast on the fire

Beautiful Hiking trail

Sophia and her hiking stick

All of us on the hike

The kids getting warm after the hike

Gorgeous sky as the sun was setting

Almost full moon

Our little home away from home

Jun 11 2012

Menan Butte

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Karin

Our family likes to go on a small hike to kick off the camping/hiking season. In May we decided to hike the North Menan Butte. It’s about a mile up the butte. Over all we hiked about 3 miles. Sophia made it to the top and then Corey had to pack her around the rest of the way. She did pretty well for her first hike on foot. I have to say it was a little challenging, although it doesn’t look it, most times it felt like we were hiking straight up. It was a beautiful day to hike and once we reached the top we loved the view. At the top there are many different rock formations that the kids (and Corey) loved to climb around in and on.

The boys starting out up the butte

A nice little critter we saw along the trail

taking a rest

Beautiful spring flowers

Taking another rest

One of the many caves up the butte

Cute little hiker with her cute little backpack

Lunch time

The view from the rim

Corey climbing around on the rock formations. "I'm king of the Mountain"

Hiking back out of the caldera and then on down the butte

May 17 2012

Biking fun

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Karin

Corey and I recently celebrated our 13th anniversary. Corey told me he had a plan and it turns out it was a good one. We dropped Sophia off at a friends and during the middle of the day, while the boys were at school, we went on a bike ride. We biked from our home the short distance to the green belt. Then we took our time riding along the green belt. After about an hour we went to out to lunch to Pachangas a little Mexican restaurant in downtown Idaho Falls. After lunch we took our time making our way back around the green belt and then home again. I forgot that we had a hill to climb to get back to our neighbourhood. I’m sure I was a sight fighting with all my might to make it up the hill without stopping. We did it though and we have the sore bums to prove it. I can’t believe it’s been 13 years but it is also hard to believe that it’s been 17 years since our first date. Corey said something sweet the other day. He said “You were my girlfriend way before you ever knew it.” I sure do love that man of mine.

May 16 2012

Happy Birthday Sophia

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Karin

Today is my youngest 4th birthday. We had a small party in our backyard with a couple of her friends. It was so fun to listen to these kids. Half the time Corey and I were trying to understand their conversations and other times they were cracking us up. Oaklen couldn’t believe that my husband likes to melt marshmallows and put them on rice krispys. He just kept saying “Seriously”. I couldn’t stop laughing. Sophia had fun playing around with her friends and not having to share things with her older brothers. Tonight when the boys get home we will open family gifts so they can also join in the celebration. Sophia wanted a flower cake so I opted to go the cupcake route. I found a great idea with marshmallows on pintrest and the cupcakes turned out really cute.

Sophia and her goofy smile

Sweet Candice

Oaklen "seriously?!"

Oaklen's favorite thing to do

Candice on her way to the swings

Opening Presents

Flower cupcakes

Better light

When Sophia came into our lives she was three weeks early. She was the hardest pregnancy but the easiest to have. Once I got to the hospital she was here in a little less than an hour. Her and I have had a special bond ever since. I was worried about having a girl but I’m so thankful I have her in my life. She is such a sweetheart and I couldn’t imagine life with out her.

Me and my sweet baby girl. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIA!

May 13 2012

I love my Mom

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Karin

A couple of weeks ago my mom came for a visit. She was here for about 7 days. While she was here we really kept busy. I dragged her everywhere. Of course I always forget to bring my camera with me to anything. I was hoping I would get a picture with just me and my mom but somehow that eluded us. One of the days she was here we took a trip to Rexburg. She went to school at Ricks College when my dad and her were first married. I knew she would want to see how much it changed. I also asked her to bring all of her genealogy with her. I love learning about my ancestors and her dad was raised in Salem Idaho. There are a lot of ancestors buried in the Rexburg cemetery. I had asked my mom to take me there and show me where their resting spot are. We made an afternoon of it and stopped by a local park and ate lunch with the kids. Then we headed over to the cemetery. My mom got her genealogy book out and handed me the life story of William Alva Judy( my Great Great Great Grandpa). We sat down by his grave and read his story to the kids. I find it is so interesting to hear about his life. I also feel it is so important for us to remember those who have gone on before us.

Whenever my mom comes here I try and take her to the Idaho Falls Temple. This is where her and my dad were married 38 years ago. I love to go here and experience the peace I feel here. I also love to share this experience with my mom. When I lived in Grants Pass, my mom and I used to spend almost every day together. We became really close. When she was visiting it reminded me of that time we had together. I miss it. I wished we still lived close. I love my mom and I hope she knows how much she means to me. I love you mom!

Eating lunch at a park

Reading William Alva Judy's life story

May 11 2012

Yellowstone

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Karin

Well we finally did it. It only took us 8 years but we did it. We have lived here in Idaho Falls for 8 years and as most of you know it’s really close to Yellowstone. I’ve been there with my family a number of times but Corey had never been. We would always get this appalling look from people when we told them that Corey had never been. Our number one reason for not going was because of a certain little boy of ours who, you could say, is a runner. Levi is and has always been fearless. On the other hand I was full of fear. I was fearful that if we took him to Yellowstone he would take off and get lost. I was fearful that he would run off and jump into a hot pot or get eaten by a bear. We finally felt he was old enough not to run off and jump into the scalding water.

This particular week that we went was free national park week. So we didn’t even have to pay an entrance fee. We also heard that because it was spring we would probably get to see the bears out. We unfortunately didn’t see any bears but we did get to see plenty of buffalo and elk. We didn’t go to Lamar valley which is where the bears were being seen. Since this was Corey and the kid’s first time we ended up doing the hot pot loop. We saw Old Faithful and really cool mud pots and geysers. I love being in Nature and this was actually a nice and relaxing trip. It was a little chilly and it did snow on us some. Because it was chilly there really wasn’t a lot of people there. Now that we have gone I think there are more plans in the future for us to return. There is a lot to explore and we only touched the surface. I can’t wait to go again.

Buffalo

hot pot walk

hot pot

The family by Old Faithful

Old Faithful

kids participated in the wildlife Olympics and received a junior ranger badge

Sophia got too tired to walk. Poor Corey had to carry her everywhere.

Sophia and I having fun while it snows

Apr 16 2012

Easter

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Karin

Family picture after church

Okay, I know Easter was over a week ago, but I’m finally getting caught up on blogging. Next week is Preston’s birthday and I have to get caught up before then, right?!

I’m always forgetting to snap pictures so I only have a few of Easter. On Saturday we colored eggs and had them for breakfast on Easter morning. We have early church (9:00am) so after breakfast it was straight to church. After church we took a little family photo of us all pretty. Then we did our traditional Easter egg hunt in the back yard. Corey always does such a good job of hiding all the eggs. The kids were still finding some the next day. In the picture with the three kids Levi doesn’t look very happy. That’s because he thought his brother was finding all the eggs and he wasn’t getting any. Next year I think we’ll have to make up some rules so the boys don’t fight over the eggs.

Sophia finding eggs

The kids with their baskets

Sophia being silly

I love this time of year. It’s a great time to reflect on the Savior’s love for us. He sacrificed so much for each one of us. I’m so grateful for his atoning sacrifice. I love the Savior Jesus Christ with all my heart. I know it was for us that he suffered. I know that he did suffer for us so that we may someday return to him and be like him. What a great blessing to have him in our lives today.

Apr 16 2012

Colorado Day 4

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Karin

Cool park we went to

Day 4 was technically the last day of our vacation. Day 5 was spent all day in the car on the way home and nothing exciting to write about. On this day we decided to take it easier than the others. We had a slow morning where the kids just played with old toys and us adults recouped from the previous day. After lunch we went to a park. You can see from the pictures that the play set was shaped as a barn. The kids liked that. We took some good pictures of the kids playing. We spent at least an hour there if not more.

This was Sophia's favorite. A rocking chicken.

All of the kids loved this. They called it the twirling toilet.

I think he is getting a little big for this

Corey even got in on the action

Corey and his cool ride

Kids just hanging on

After the park Corey’s parents took us to the local dairy for some ice cream. So good after a couple of hours in the sun. While at the dairy we got to go into a viewing room and see some cows get milked. We also got to see some little baby calfs on our way out. We went back to grandma and grandpa’s house where the kids colored with grandma. We had such a fun vacation. We wish our family lived closer so we could see them more often. All of the kids were crying as we were leaving for home. They really had a great time with nammi and nampa.

Mmmm... ice cream

Sophia enjoying her cone

Coloring with Nammi

Apr 11 2012

Colorado Day 3: Part 2

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Karin

Things have been really busy and I’ve gotten so behind on blogging. Well the second part of day three for our spring break in Colorado started with lunch. There is a park between the museum and the zoo. We had packed a lunch and decided to eat at the park. It’s still early in the season so there were no picnic benches. Preston wasn’t keen about sitting on the ground. He had determined that the ground was covered in goose poo. Luckily Nammi had brought a table cloth and had the kids sit on that. There was a sprinkler on next to us that sometimes seemed to creep up on us. We ended up moving a few feet so we wouldn’t end up with a shower. There were, however, some kids playing in the sprinkler. I was proud my kids resisted the urge to run through it.

After Lunch we walked over to the Denver Zoo. It’s a lot bigger then our own zoo here in Idaho Falls. There are so many pictures but I think I’ll have to cut it down to just a few to show you. We got there around 1:00 in the afternoon. Just in time for it to really heat up. I was really thankful I brought the kids some water. Corey carried Sophia just about the whole time. When there was a big crowd Levi had the best seat in the house on top of Nampa’s head. We spent about 5 1/2 hours at the zoo. By the end we were all tuckered out. We ended our day with a dinner out at some fancy Italian restaurant. Needless to say on our way home we had 3 sleeping kids.