Family Pics

My sister (Marci Dawn Photography) took these beautiful photos for us. I absolutely LOVE them! I especially love the ones of Taj and Haiven together because they show how absolutely protective he is of her. She is one lucky little sister to have a big brother who loves her and cares for her so much and we are VERY lucky parents to be blessed with such adorable kids. Our world really does revolve around these two and we are so thankful EVERY day for them. There is not one SINGLE day that goes by where both Brannon and I don't look at each other amazed and comment on how much we love these two and how it is possible that WE get to be THEIR parents. We are so blessed and we are so thankful for temples and the covenants that allow us to be with our babies after this life too. Check out mormon.org if you want to know more about what temples can do for you.

Temple Fork Sawmill Trail

 I felt so ripped off when we got there! I was expecting to see a big sawmill that we could walk into. The only thing still standing on the site is what is seen pictured behind me and Taj and a few other odds and ends strewn across the ground. That hike was not easy and I have no idea how those people hauled lumber in and out of there, ESPECIALLY in the winter time! I told Brannon, "I'm pioneer stock in spirit, but definitely NOT in body!" The lumber was for the Logan Temple. We read that the hike we did took pioneer women one full day in the winter time to go see their husbands. Yikes! I'm so thankful for modern conveniences!

 Good thing the scenery was pretty while we hike or I really would have been a big whiner.

 This was taken on our way back out. As you can tell, Haivi was SO done with hiking!

You see the mileage for the sawmill site on the sign? That is ONE way. That is ONE way in 93 degree weather carrying either a 32 lb toddler or a 20 lb baby and/or a backpack FULL of water bottles, Sobe Life Water, Vitamin Water, diapers, wipees, and a camera. We faced obstacles such as large, feathery, buggy bushes taller than me covering the trail (the sign should have said "Whatever you do, take a machete!). We we didn't have a machete and as I was hacking my way through the bushes not only did I have all sorts of bugs jumping on me, but I froze mid-step when I heard a loud whirring sound. It sounded like a hovercraft coming in for a landing and not until it got even louder, did I see it, a great BIG BIG BIG flying black beetle thing with a wingspan the size of my head coming in for a landing right on my forehead. Well it landed. A loud scream, scuffle, and much flying of dust and dirt later, I emerged victorious from those overgrown, bug-infested bushes. Who knew flying beetles could be such great motivation? We also faced hundreds and hundreds of "scawwy gwasshoppuhs" Those things kept both Taj and I skipping and jigging the two step down the trail. I think there must be some kind of signal I give off that only bugs can read that tells them I don't like them, so why not gang up on me? Those grasshoppers followed us the whole way in and the whole  way back. We hiked almost 6 1/2 miles and it took us FOREVER! It took us almost three hours! Taj enjoyed it for about the first 10 minutes and then he wanted to be carried the rest of the way. Haivi lasted on the way in and the whole way back she cried. I wanted to cry too. It took everything in me to shuffle one dusty foot in front of the other and move my out of shape self down the trail. When the truck finally came back into view, it was all I could do to not cry out for joy, for civilization! Brannon rewarded our efforts with Mexican food for dinner. Well, I should say he rewarded me. I'm the Mexican food lover in our family. Brannon likes it too, but I could eat it every day, no problem. Love those rice and beans! Anyway, even though it was a super hot and super hard hike, I bet it will be one of those memories that we think back fondly on someday. We will not however be frequenting that trail anytime soon, at least not until the kids are old enough and strong enough to walk on their own!

The Naked Cowboy

Isn't there one of these in New York? I never saw the naked cowboy while I was there, but I've got one right in my backyard. Man I wish I had his confidence! This picture will be added to Taj's growing collection of blackmail photos that I will make sure to have handy as soon as that teenage attitude starts to kick in! This boy continues to have the energy of (what's something that NEVER stops running?)...our central air in the summertime! That thing runs nonstop pretty much every day and Taj does the same. It really helps if we can get outside at least once a day and let him burn that energy off. This age is so so hard to manage, but I know that I will definitely miss little moments like the one pictured above-running through the sprinklers sporting only his hat and boots:)

What we do on a hot day

Taj snuck this pool into my cart at Target. I was going to put this back, but I'm glad I didn't. These two love it and it's perfect for little ones like Haivi. It spouts a little water and it's shallow and small. Taj would not get out of it even though he practically filled up the whole dang thing. It only took me 25 minutes and one million brain cells to blow it up. It was worth it for them though!

THE HAIRCUT

 Does anyone else's little kids' haircut sessions look like this?

 The i-pad was not working.

 One second before before the mega meltdown.

 Mega meltdown

 Who knew he wanted his shirt off? Made things better for about two seconds until the hair started sticking to his sweaty little body and then I had to keep towling him off just so we could make it through the haircut.

 He looked like such a stud afterwards, but WOW what fight that kid puts up! Makes me want to just let him grow it long, but you can see below what his hair does when it grows long. As you can see, it takes an army to give him a haircut! I hope someday he grows out of it!

 Pre-haircut

 He had this weird peacock fan thing going on.

 Haivi was a poised princess. She went first because we thought that would help Taj see that it wasn't going to be scary or hurt. She didn't make a peep. She just kept turning her head to see what the heck we were trying to do to her hair.

We gave her a cute little bob. It was her second haircut. Her first was at two months. We just love our chunky monkey!

Americana in Monticello

 My two baby sisters holding my baby. I love these girls!

 Aren't they cute?

 Brian and Marci obviously had no problem with the heat in Monticello. They are used to that hellish heat in Arizona. There is no doubt if I lived where they did I would be in a half-crazed, irritable frenzy for at least 8 months out of the year! Aren't they the epitome of "hipster?"

 My brother Matt and his wife Ali are hopefuls for one of these of their own. Brannon and I are STILL the only ones with kids, so obviously people in my family have some catching up to do!

 My kids are pretty spoiled aren't they? Taj just loves his great grandma Martha!

 Taj STILL gets held. Look at him, he is pretty much as tall as my grandma!

 Taj was pretty much in heaven. Small towns parade rock! We have never seen so much candy thrown out. Taj sat down to his candy buffet after a little while and let us gather the candy for him.

 Of course we had to go check this out after the parade.

 Haivi does NOT like sirens one bit. She cried for about 20 minutes after the sirens stopped just to make sure we all knew how upset she was over it.

 I've probably written this in another post, but my best friend Sinamin and I used to play on this tractor when we were kids and it sat stationary at the park. We'd play in those huge wheel spokes and then we'd climb up inside and pretend to drive it. Not until a few years ago, did I find out that there are only four of these tractors left in the world.

 The haul. We only got two crummy salt water taffies at the Kaysville parade. We will never go to that parade again. Worst parade ever!

He rode the train twice and he did NOT want his picture taken. He is really weird about that still. He's okay with people looking at him, but not camera lenses.

This post is super late AGAIN, but like I said these pictures will come in handy someday:) These are all from the 24th of July parade in Monticello. We and by "we" I mean all of my siblings came home for the 24th and we had a mini family reunion. I don't believe we will all see each other again until Christmas, so each of us usually jumps at the chance to go home when everyone is going to be there. Anyway, it was good to spend time with family!