Huntington Beach California 2016

I don't think people realize how hard a trip to Disneyland is to plan for a mom.  Especially a mom of 5 kids.  I worry and plan and write lists of things I need for WEEKS! And being a crazy photographer I look up ideas and tips on taking pictures at the beach and in disneyland.  I plan and buy everything way in advance. We decided to drive to my parents house the night before our trip just so we could be a couple of hours closer to California and also celebrate Blakes birthday! Packing and loading the car on Blake's birthday almost gave me a nervous breakdown I hate to admit it.  I tried my very best to make his birthday be a huge deal but it was hard when I was so busy! (More on his birthday in another post). We woke up at 4 am Sunday morning and put the tired kids in the car and off we went. Are plan worked perfect because we were in Nevada before my kids really started to wake up. After a little car mishap at the McDonalds were we stopped to go to the bathroom we were back on the road and making awesome time.  Then we hit Vegas and a horrible car accident... so we were stopped again! All and all it took us almost as long to drive from my parents hours as it usually does from our house.  We made it to Disneyland at about 2 pm.  Once we got lunch and into our hotel room we set off for the beach! Nothing feels better after being in the car for hours and hours then to play at the beach! Of course my boys were in heaven with all of the sand and water.  Easton really loved splashing in the water and playing in the sand. 

Not only was it the first official evening of our trip but it was my nephews Jett's 1st birthday! Sierra bought a cake before our trip and had it all ready to do his cake smash at the ocean.  What a lucky little guy! I honestly love the ocean.  I love looking for sea shells and watching my kids play in the water.  It's always a highlight of the trip for me. 

Now you may or may not notice my photos being a little off- blurry- just not sharp! Well the night before our trip I dropped my camera out of my car.  I know! And it seemed totally fine! I didn't test any photos on my computer so when I felt like my camera wasn't working right I couldn't tell on my screen.  But it is what it is and I'm not about to toss my photos over a little softness in them.  I do want to cry every time I see them though.  That's a heavy camera to hall around to get ok pictures! 

My mom took this of our family selfie on the beach.  It's our tradition.  It's blurry but I think it's funny 

September 2016- 365

We started September by going camping just outside of Jackson Hole Wyoming up Granite canyon with my brother in law and his family.  They boys went bear hunting and the little ones and i stayed at the camp trying to keep Easton busy.  All Easton wanted to do was throw dirt all over himself. The next weekend we headed back to Wyoming for the boys to go on their annual antelope hunt. The next week Bryan left for Wyoming AGAIN to go deer hunting.  So when my husband tells you I never let him hunt tell him he is full of crap. =) 

The hardest part of the month was the passing of my sweet Granda Bonna lue Pack. She was 96 years old.  She has always been around so it's just seems so strange to have her gone.  The best part of all of that was 60 of her 68 grandkids were all in attendance at her funeral. I really love my Pack cousins and so it was so wonderful to get to see them all.  

The boys are doing awesome in school and Stockton loves kindergarten. Between Brett who also started preschool this month and Stockton who goes to school at 12:30 I feel like I'm in the car taking kids to and from school all day long. 

August 2016- 365

August always feels super rushed to me. I always feel like I need to hurry and get everything in before school starts.  August is especially crazy because it's the cache county fair. The fair was kind of hard this year.  Ty worked SO SO hard with his sheep and we really got her to gain weight for being born in April. (most are born in February). I think it actually hurt us this year because he was with some older sheep that had filled out better so he got last place in his showing.  The good news is they give the lower half of the kids all a 2nd place ribbon so he thought he got 2nd place. Shhh don't tell him otherwise.  no need to hurt his feelings where it isn't anything he could have done different.  The bad news is that placed him about 8th kid to LAST to sale his sleep on Saturday which meant we had to wait all day.  He still sold his sheep for about the same as the rest of the kids who sold- so he was thrilled to have $400 bucks for it.  It was completely heartbreaking to see him say goodbye to Oreo Saturday night.  He did ok the year before but this year this was his sheep and he loved her.  He just cried and kept hugging her.  It totally broke my heart.  It's so hard to sale sheep because you know where they are going! Ty and I like to think they kept her to have more babies- because they do that sometimes.  It's at least a happier thought. 

During the fair we also had Eastons birthday. Bryan's best friend growing up got married in the middle of the month so we go invited to that.  It's not often Bryan and I spend time together without kids.  We need to do that more often. We also had back to school. Stockton was so excited.  Like beyond excited. What a fun month we had. 

365-July

I have always loved the month of July.  To my it's by far the quickest month of the year.  July is always busy with fun things to do! We started the month by spending time with our Palmer family with fireworks and waterslides.  Then we turned around and went to bear lake with my side of the family for a few days.  We bought my boys some kid kayaks and had fun taking them around to use them as well.  We had swimming lessons and lots of swim nights at the aquatics center as well. We also did a lot with our sheep to get them ready to sale at the fair.  I love July.  I wish the whole year was full of Julys.  

 On the anniversary of my Grandpa's passing Bryan came with me to the cemetery to honor him.  I miss him so much.

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Back to school 2016

BACK TO SCHOOL! 

My kids know my now they don't have a choice but to get back to school photos.  I always feel like life is out of control right before school starts so super last minute I hurried and grabbed my 4 older boys and drove up to USU campus to this sweet ivy wall and took these photos of my boys.  We found a snake scales and Ty almost peed his pants but we got them done. 

Back to school night I took the older three boys and we headed out.  Here is Blake in his class. 

We did visit Tyson's class but it was so full of people I didn't want to embarrass him by taking his picture. Stockton didn't care. This is the boys outside the school.

Before school started in the morning I got a couple of photos of the boys and Ty and Blake were teasing poor Stockton about being excited for school and made him cry.  So he looks upset
about going to school but honest to goodness he was so excited!

I can't believe I have three kids in school. Watching Stockton walk into the school makes me feel so sad! He seems so little!