A BIG BIG FAMILY

Camping at Bear Lake

We went camping up St. Charles canyon in Bear Lake with the Merrills. It was great, and everyone had a good time. We took our dog Kaycee with us and she had a good time too. The kids were alot of fun and we all LOVE camping. Cory, Marley and Boden to the Minnatonka cave and Marley was so proud that she climed all of the 444 stairs in and out. Boden climed a total of about 5 before he tired out and had to be carried. We hiked alot in the hillls and played down by the creek with Kaycee, she loved the water so much that one time she got a little too close to Bo while he was, (ahem) watering the weeds, and got a face full. She had to thrown in the creek to be cleaned. The lake is so beautiful this year and our annual golf game was was another record breaker.
Day 3 and everyone's still smiling ..... (weird)Who's mama's cutest little piggy...?

Grandpa Cliff and the kids hunting for a Sasquatch.
Bo and Piper on snack duty (again...)
Grandma Patti managed to wrangle ALL the grandkids into one picture frame.
Grandma with Lilly and Piper (Aaahhhh... with all that sass they could be sisters)

At The Beach

On Saturday after Golfing we all went to the Bear Lake beach. We had such a fun day. It was very relaxing and the kids had so much fun. Marley spent the entire time playing in the sand and making a castle, and tring to keep the little ones from helping too much. Piper loved the snacking and dipping her toes in the water. Boden like a boy, enjoyed everything, and Cory had fun dragging whoever he could into the water.

Piper
Grandpa and Pip
Boden & Parker
Lilly
Marley's Castle and Boden

The kids and Heath
Nice view Cory
Heath buried in the sand Cory and Nate helping Heath clean up.

The Willes's

We went last weekend to our friend Jen and Jeremys house. They live in Jerome over by Twin Falls. We had a good time with their little family. We went to see the falls and also some ice caves. It was so great. Our kids are all the same age, Trey and Marley are 8 months apart. Boden and Landon are two months apart. Cute little Kamryn and Piper are six months apart. They all had so much fun playing together. We for sure need to get together again soon. We are so blessed to have such good friends.

Fireworks

Boden and Marley with Sparklers















Marley, Piper, Boden and Parker watching fireworks

The 4th of July was a fun filled day. We went to the parade and I forgot my camera, but the kids loved the candy and horses. Then we went to a couple of barbeque's and both family's house and then it was time for fireworks. Aunt Stacy gave the kids sparklers and Boden forgot that it was hot when they went out and he burnt his finger. Grandma Patti saved the day with a bag of ice which he took to bed with him and could not go to sleep without it. Thank you. Then it was time for the big fireworks. I think it is more fun to watch the kids reaction to the fireworks than watching the fireworks. They loved it, especially Piper who this is her first time really watching them, was so excited and clapped and pointed and the big booms. Cousin Parker on the other had liked them too, but only with his blanket covering him except for his eyes. It was funny.

Heise Hot Springs

Boden and Cory going down the water slide














Piper and Marley










































Piper calls it a day.














This is the first morning at breakfast.














The Happy Campers














Piper and Cousin Tandi














Marley and Cousin Lilly














Gandma Patti and the LittleGirls















We went to Heise camping this weekend and had SO much fun. We went up on Thursday and stayed by ourselves. We had a quiet night with the kids and spent time just relaxing in quiet. The camp sight we were at was so peaceful and had lots of grass so the kids could just play and not get dirty, but knowing or kids they did manage to find dirt and go on a rock hunt. They had so much fun just looking for rocks to clean in the water. Anyway, our first night was so dark and clear that you could see all the stars and a huge full moon. Loved it.
The next day we got up and went swimming to the pool and found out how much Boden loved the water side. He had no fear, and loved going down it. Marley on the other hand, liked it also but would work her self up and get so scared. We had to bribe her with a milkshake just to go down the slide. The pool was fun to watch the kids swim and play.
When we got back from swimming the rest of the Merrills were there, even Stacy and Heath who decided to just get away from all the stress from moving.
Nate and Patti cooked up a very good Dutch oven dinner and then guess what we did, relaxed some more. We had another good night visiting and watching the stars. The next day we had to leave and we got ready to go, and then we went to the pool again with the whole family. It was fun to watch all the little kids and Grampa Cliff swimming and going down the water slide. This trip was Great.

Happy Birthday little Pip

Ever played with a wind up toy? You know the kind that goes and goes until it crashes into a wall and then turns around to go some more. Well that's my Piper, Isn't she so lovely, my little bruiser. I can't believe that my baby is one year old. This last year had just flown by..... She is such a sweet little girl, she loves to cuddle ( the only one of my kids that does) she loves her brother and sister, and now that she walks she thinks she can go everywhere that they go, and gets a bit unhappy when they leave her behind. Luckily they like to take her everywhere with them most of the time. She is always happy unless she needs a nap, and nap time makes her happy. She is a joy to have in our family and we love her
very much.













This is Piper in her new chair that Marley and Boden got her.














She loved her birthday cake and dug her fingers right in for a taste.

















This is Great Grandma Hartley and cousin Tandi



















It's so hard to be a Princess, I get so tired.

Camping

Last weekend we went with Leslies family to Sawtell to go camping. We all got our trailers together and went for a 4 day weekend. We had fun relaxing, playing games, riding 4 wheelers, swimming, and one day we went to West Yellowstone. When we were at Yellowstone we went to a Bear and Wolf museum. The kids loved seeing the live bears and watching them eat and roll around in a pond.