Bear World

We have had it with this long long winter and decided to go up to Idaho for a change of scenery. Not that it is any warmer up there but Bryan's brother Cory and his wife Katie live there. We were really close to them while they live here and I still talk to Katie like once a week for a hour on the phone so we were really excited to see them. They have kids our kids ages too so my boys had a blast. They didn't want to leave there house to come home.

I'm going to have to do this in a few posts so here is our first day:

Bear world! So by Rexburg there is this place off the freeway called bear world where you can drive around real bears and see them.

It is VERY expensive for what it is but Cory had half off coupons so it wasn't as bad. It's like 15 bucks a adult. Really? Come on. But I guess people pay it. The bears were cool but they had a great petting zoo the boys loved. There were deer, goats and a pot belly pig walking around.

Weird to be petting a deer though. My nephew Luke was with us and he went nuts over the deer.

It kept licking his hand and stuff. Stockton liked the animals too. They have a few dumb carnival like rides for the kids as well that Ty and Blake could have rode all day. After a couple of hours total at Bear world we were done. I'm sure the kids will be asking to go back but I'm sure Bryan and I won't be too excited about it. Like it said- worth going once especially with a discount.

Not worth going again and paying full price.

Petting a deer.

The deer whipped his tale in Stocks face. He didn't even cry though. He really liked the animals.

You have to click on this picture above and look at Stockton's face. I should have made this one bigger on here.

Blake, Luke and Ty

10 years

10 years ago today I graduated from high school- I have a hard time imagining more happening in my life then it has in the last 10 years. I got married- graduated from college, taught school for a year, bought two homes, built one of those, developed our sub division- and had three kids. I've been very blessed!

Stockton at 6 months

My little guy isn't so little anymore! At his dr. appointment he weighted 19 lb 7 oz and was 27 inches. He had to have his third round of shots poor guy but he did pretty good.

He is really coming alive lately- he loves when his brothers talk and try to play with him.

He just started to roll over from his back to his belly (I know he is a little old for to be starting that) but he can't do anything from there. He loves to roll though.

The poor little guy is always backed up though so I have been trying to give him apple juice and other things to get him working good again.

He smiles and giggles all the time and still is a daddy's boy.

He still wakes up at least 2-3 times (on a good night) but we are working on that.

What a wonderful addition he has been to our family.

Nate's wedding

I will have a lot more pictures and stuff to say later but I wanted to post a few favorite pictures from my brothers wedding today. I only have one sibling so his wedding was a big deal to me. I love weddings anyway but this one was extra special. My Grandpa that just had a stroke before Stockton was born was able to be there which made it even more special. It was fun to see so much of my family today too. My boys were really well behaved too! Thanks to Bryan for watching them while I was taking pictures today. We really lucked out and it only sprinkled a little bit of rain while we took pictures. Later it was a down pour so I'm grateful it was nice. We have the reception Saturday and I'll take a bunch more pictures. Thanks to Sierra and the Flanarys for the clothes they bought us for the wedding. I LOVED my dress and how it looked.

They had to use their camo umbrella. Ty was "sneaking" around under it so no one would see him.

Just out of the temple- with the perma grin.

With one Aunt that is going through chemo from Breast cancer and my Grandpa recovering from a stroke this picture is special. This is my Mom's whole family. My Grandma was so happy to have all her kids in the temple with us today. She told my Grandpa "isn't this a really happy day?"

Ok you have to click on this picture and look for my husband. He couldn't stand by me because of his height- look at his face though. He cracks me up! I hope Sierra doesn't care. It's just the way he is.

I really like this picture- totally natural. Those are Sierras parents and my parents.

I need to blow this picture up big and hang it in my house. I LOVE this.

They got their pictures of them taken on Monday and I was lucky enough to get to follow them around and help her with her dress. I took a few pictures for myself- so they aren't as good as their photographers for sure. Especially because I didn't want to get in her way. But here are a couple of pictures I like.

I haven't had a family picture taken for months until last weekend so I was glad to get a really good one today. I hope to get a better one this weekend when I don't forget the cute vests that go with my boys outfits. I only had to bribe them with a toy from the dollar store to smile for these pictures.

Nate's Graduation

My brother finally graduated from Utah State. I really shouldn't say finally but between him and Bryan it seems like they have been in school forever. Bryan just ended spring semester Friday and started summer semester today. It really is depressing. I feel like I never get my husband because between work and school we have a lot of evenings where he isn't around. It's not abnormal to go a few days with my boys really not seeing him at all. It wares on me and them (and him I'm sure). In the end we will all be better off (I hope) with him being done with school. In 2002 a semester of 15 credits cost me $1500- For 9 credits today it cost us over $3,000. UNBELIEVABLE. My kids aren't going to be able to afford college.

Nate graduated in Engineering which is a 5 year program. He is getting married a week from today so what good timing to be done with school! I took Ty and Stockton with me to watch him graduated and Bryan had Blake at home because Blake didn't want to come. I came in late (on purpose) and sat down and not a minute later they called his name. I am glad I got to go and I'm really glad that Tyson got to see it. We talked a lot about what was going on. I always knew my whole life that after high school I was going to go to college. I hope I can instill that in my boys as well.

Nate and Sierra

So proud of my brother!

Future college graduate

Mothers Day

I had the best Mothers day EVER! My hubby really spoiled me this year. I got a nice hanging plant but mostly he helped a ton around here. I got to stay in bed while he got all the kids ready and fed then brought me breakfast in bed. I never thought I would really like that but I loved it. Then I got up and took a bath (I never get to do that) and relaxed. That felt really good on my back! He then had the whole house clean and was helping me finish the laundry. At church he took the baby as much as he could so I actually got to sit though a lot of sacrament mtg. He does help on a normal Sunday but I usually try to swap him out more. He took Stockton a lot of the day so I could rest my back too. It was a nice break and very needed. Now if I could just keep the house this clean all week....

Sunday morning Ty went up to Bryan and asked "does mothers day mean that mom doesn't do ANYTHING?" My boys learn quick.

Yes, I did chop my hair again too. I used to have this long, beautiful hair and then I had kids and it went really wavy in places. Stockton is pulling it so much I decided to chop it again. It's a nice change!

Oops I did it again-

So a year and a half ago I sprained my lower back putting some books away in my sons room and it was one of the most painful things that has ever happened to me. If not the most painful. Well I have been having on and off back pain for a few weeks and the other day I was staining our swing set and it went totally out again. I might try to get a picture later but it honestly looks like someone took my upper half of my body and moved it over a inch and didn't move my legs. I look crooked! It is SOOO painful. My nerve is pinched and it shoots pain up and down my body when I move and holding my baby makes it worse. I'm doing ok and feeling a tiny bit better every day but I still hurt just sitting here at the computer. So note to self Heather- do your lower back exercises!!!!!!

Finally! Some sun!

What a rotton winter. It's just lasted way too long! We finally got some sunshine last week. Good for me- bad for the people who are now being flooded by the river. Stockton even liked riding around in the stroller. I finally got to watch Ty's soccer games on the sidelines instead of the van too since it was nice.

Stocktons first time in the grass.

We had a bridal shower for my soon to be sister in law Sierra at my house so Bryan took my boys on a hike. They loved it! So glad to have such a good dad for my boys. Ty really did have fun even though he doesn't show it in the picture.

Love this picture! Notice all the toys? My attempt to keep him happy outside.

My 6 month old!

Stockton is now officially 6 months old. This is by far my favorite baby age! He is super smily and happy (most of the time) and he can't crawl and get into things.

He can hold toys in his hands and likes to put EVERYTHING in his mouth. Especially my hair lately. I think I'm going to have to cut it again. He has quite the grip on him. I have to pry his hands off my hair all the time.

He lights up when dad comes home or his brothers talk to him.

He loves peek-a-boo! I put his feet over my eyes and play peek a boo and he goes nuts.

I LOVE how when I go get him in the morning he is smiling and so happy. He kids and coos when he sees me come into his room.

He like my other two kids is a horrible sleeper. I have worked a lot more with him to help him sleep too. Last night he only woke up twice but for the last few weeks he has been getting him 4-5 times a night. I don't always have to feed him but a lot of the time he wants me too.

He is eating solids pretty good. He loves pears and bananas baby food. Sadly they are blocking him up and he just cries when he needs to go. I have been giving him some apple juice to try to help that but he won't really take it.

He is growing up so fast. I need to take a step back and just enjoy this time I have with my kids. I'm so grateful that I can be home with them all day. My kids are only this small once and I would be so sad if I had to miss it!

Handsome boys

My boys just out of the tub-

Stockton wants to sit up in the tub (with help) and he splashes and splashes! He gets us both soaking wet!

It is REALLY hard to get all three boys to look at me for a picture. I had to bribe them for this one.

Floods

I WISH WISH WISH I had a really fancy camera or this picture would have been WAY better-

Lucky for us we live on a rock bed at my house and far from a river but Cache Valley is going to see a lot of water this week. A couple of weeks ago we got a heavy rain and it caused the blacksmith fork river to exceed it's banks about 1/2 miles from my house. Of course we had to go see! There was even a part of the road where you had to drive in water. The bigger problem is that we keep adding snow to the mountains and it's not melted off yet. I think it's like 185% of normal of something. So get your swimming suit on- were in for some flooding!