Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts

12 December 2015

December 2014


Ever since Camille was an infant and had RSV she wheezes when she gets a bad cold.  By now she's an old pro at the nebulizer.  Unfortunately, Cecil is a wheezer too.  Good thing big sister can help him feel better about having to use the breathing machine. Same big ol' brown eyes and same wheezy lungs.
 


 
I really love all the festive, fun, and spiritual activities there are to do around this time of the year.  I took the kids to Burnet again this year for "A Walk Through Bethlehem".  Although super crowded, it is so amazing.  A church puts it on a couple weekends in December and basically acts as though its the time of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem.  There is candle making, weaving, soilders, a tavern, etc. etc.  At the very end, you follow a star and see the baby Jesus.  It's so cool and isn't lost on the girls.
 
 
This is how Cecil feels about three hour church.  I can't say I feel much better than him.
 
 
I was surprised to get all four of them in a picture with Santa at the ward party.  I can't imagine this happening every year.
 

 
The YMCA puts on a great Christmas party the Saturday before Christmas.  This is on the horse-drawn sleigh pulled by Clydesdale's.  It was really cool.

 
My two favorites Sunday's every year is Easter and Christmas. This year, the boys were under the weather, so me and the girls got prettied up and went alone.
 
 
It was a really special Christmas this year.  We traveled to Arizona to spend it at the Cabin with the Taylor's.  Here's all the cousins with Grandma Nettie and Papa.  I really miss being near all these people. The cabin is so special and I wish my children could have more experiences there.

 
On Christmas Eve we had a small nativity play, sang a few songs and enjoyed the company.
 
 
It was super cold outside and only flurried a little, but it didn't stop anyone from hiking around, playing on the rope swing,

 
or spending a lot of time in my favorite spot, the porch swing.

 
The day after Christmas we all hurried off the mountain to ready for Jillian's baptism that was to be held that weekend.  I really can't believe that she's at this point.  I feel so grateful to have been surrounded by the Taylor family and some Peterson's too. It was such a wonderful day.  She got baptized in a dress from our wonderful friends the Rattray's.  Their daughter Allie took her first communion in this dress.  I just really love it.
 

 
Here's the crowd that came.  The energy and spirit was so wonderful.  Jillian's dress after the water was my baptism dress from when I was 8.  I love seeing her in it and she really really loves it, especially the "poofy sleeves", which makes me smile.  I was trying to alter the dress and give it cap sleeves and no collar but she just really loved it as is, so I left it.  I'm happy I did.
 
I had everyone write a thought or testimony on index cards for Jillian to come back to and read throughout her life. They were all so wonderful and Jillian really treasures them. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful families.

 
Speaking of hand-me-downs, here's an outfit that Jeanette made for a 3 year old Jeffrey.  Now it fits my little Coco.  Isn't it so adorable?

 
One of the day's before we left, we hiked the 'Hole in the Mountain' in Phoenix.  It's a simple and short walk to the top, but has great views.  I don't really miss living in Arizona.  I just really miss the people there.

 
There's a pretty cool view of the city through the hole.

 
The day before New Years Eve we departed AZ and headed to Sonora TX to ring in the new year with some of Jeff's friends.  A huge snow/ice storm decided to follow us and the trip was treacherous and actually pretty scary.  When we made it to the ranch house all was froze over, even the animals.  We had a cold, but fun New Year's.  
 

13 April 2015

September 2014

Jeff's best friend Nate got married in Utah in September.  We decided to take the whole family. Traveling is super crazy with all the children but they did so well. 


The day before the wedding, we got to take the kids to the mountains for a family and friends luncheon.  They had all sorts of activities including human bumper soccer and lots of minute to win it games.  It was so wonderful to be in the mountains again. They call for me 


The next morning was the sealing in the Salt Lake Temple.  My parents had the kids so Jeff and I could attend.  Late the night before, Jeff realized that he had forgotten our recommends and after texting and calling our bishop with no response we headed up there in the morning on faith. By the time we arrived our bishop had spoken with the temple and we were in!  The sealing was perfect! 
After all the hoopla was done we snuck away to have lunch with Amy and George at the JS Memorial Building then back to the temple to do our first live session.  It was really interesting to do a live session. I mostly loved to see the temple and all the intricate carvings, paintings etc.  While in the Celestial Room we asked an usher to give us a little tour.  He showed us a room where Pres Hunter lived and then showed us the back of a stained-glass window into the Holy of Holys.  It was awesome. 



The reception was held that evening at Nate's uncle's home in Provo.  It was absolutely beautiful (pics lost).  There was a sweet video, good food, and dancing. To top off the night the wedding party jumped into the pool in their clothing while fireworks went off.  It was great!


The next day we got to go on a hike with my parents.  It was perfect weather and a perfect little hike for the kids. 






While in Utah we got in some good cousin time of-course.  I love that my kids are all pretty much the same ages as Brett's.  It's makes it more fun.


I also got to hang-out with Monica which is always a hi-light.  We tried to take several selfies and none of them were very flattering.  It was hilarious. 


Once we got back to Texas the party didn't end.  We went to an Express game and enjoyed the fireworks after the game. 


BYU came and played UT so naturally I had some brothers come into town and Zack Taylor came too.  Even though it was too hot, I think we all had a great time.  Jeff threw his first large tailgate before the game.  Not sure if he'll ever do it again. It was A LOT of work.  My brothers had to leave the very next day. I was bummed I couldn't show them around ATX.


As per usual, my milk supply is decreasing rapidly.  I have started supplementing at nights to help Cecil's tummy get full.  Also, he started really crawling and loving his new found freedom. 

15 August 2009

treaures of the crane cabin

we lock-up the cabin for a reason.
the treasures abound.
a few special findings include:
MJ records,

new families trying to make the cabin home
like these little birdies,

and these creepy crawlers.
the more we killed the more appeared.

candy is somehow sweeter on the steps of the cabin(just couldn't resist posting this face)

i'm thinking that fossil creek earned jeff a new nick-name
monkey-man.

of-course i had to do some jumping.
can't wait to visit again and find more surprises.

16 November 2007

you will never guess what happened!! and Veteran's Day fun

Yesterday the weather was awesome!! overcast and cool all day!! we've had record highs this month and it's really starting to wear on me. anyway, last night as we were watching the U of A and Oregon game the weather went nuts!! thunder and lighting and then this... little chunks of hail!! it was sweet!!! it reminded me of snow and made me long even more for cold weather.


As I mentioned, I'm hating the heat right now. Jeff and I decided to skip town last weekend for cooler weather. we headed up to jeff's cabin in strawberry az. it was so fun!! some of jeff's cousins and aunts were there. jill loved to follow Dayton (see picture below) around. we all had a bonfire on the last night with jeff organizing a survivor-like fire making game with the cousins. i loathed the thought of coming home. i relished in the big green trees of the mountains and the cool crisp air that has that smell. you know what i'm talking about. awww that morning smell of the air. i loved it!! the last night we were there our garbage even got ravished by a big javelina. it just looked like a huge nasty mean pig. it must of been a girl b/c we couldn't see tusks.
Dayton and Jill in the loft.

on saturday jeff and i went to the Natural Bridge of the Tonto Forest (i think it's tonto). it was amazing. this huge arch-way connected two mountains made two different types of rock. under the bridge was a fresh spring river. we got to hick all the way down and through the river under the bridge to the other side. it was really breath-taking. jill had a great time, laughing all the way down the mountain.
the top picture is right before we got to the bottom by the river.


this is the natural bridge.
here's me hiking on some of the rocks.


i couldn't have asked for a better weekend!





25 July 2007

road trip


jeff and jeanette after sweatin it up the moutian

on our way up to park city for jeff's family reunion we stopped in zions national park saturday and mom and dad pete's home sunday. on saturday we had all be awake since 4ish with little to no sleep so we decided to make the most of our road trip (queen creek to park city = 12 hours) and hike in zions :) we hiked to the three emerald pools. it was a pretty vigorous hike at times. i really enjoyed the air and the trees and the views. jill even made it all the way to the top.
jill is normally a really good traveler. this has been a hard vacation so far though. jill had a stomach bug for 7 days! it just ended yesterday. hopefully the rest of the vacation will be more enjoyable for her...
prom pose at the pool
this is a view from the hike to the third emerald pool. awesome huh?