South Bend

 Mark and a couple of guys from our ward spent the weekend in South Bend.  They went to the BYU vs Notre Dame game and walked around campus.  Mark said it was "AMAZING!"  He loves the architecture there and he said that all of the Notre Dame fans were so welcoming and nice.  He said it was well worth the drive for the short time they had there.  (It was about a 9 hour drive one way)   

Our Trip

We stopped at Wall, SD on our drive out to let the kids get out for an hour or so.

We camped overnight on our 2 day drive.  The kids LOVED it!  Grace and Cooper had a hard time going to sleep but other than that it was fine.  It was pretty cold so I didn't sleep very good worrying about Cooper who kept crawling out of his sleeping bag. 

Swimming at Grandma and Grandpa Valentine's house

Grace and Cooper play so well together.  I caught them downstairs together reading books and singing together.

This pictures is taken at Kelsey and Matts wedding dinner.  I'm not sure what Mark and I are laughing at but I really like our faces!  (These last pictures are taken by my sister Jami.  Hope you don't mind I post some Jami.)

Zach and my brother Luke wrestling at the Temple

My Sister Kelsey and her husband, Matt, and my family (excluding Joe who is on a mission)

Wild

Here is  a funny story about Zach.  The other afternoon all the kids were being extremely wild.  You can imagine 3 kids running, pushing, jumping, climbing, laughing, yelling, ... you get the picture.  We got in the car and were going somewhere and the shouting (happy but very loud shouts) and laughing continued.  Out of the blue Zach started saying a prayer and said "... help us to be MORE wild."  I immediately said my own prayer to "Please disregard that prayer."

chequamegon 40

 Mark had 40 mile off road bike race on Saturday.   

Playing at the playground while waiting for Mark to finish

At the end of the race they had a helicopter.  The kids were fascinated!  Cooper especially loved the helicopter.

I had to get a picture of Marks dirt covered face.

School Starts

First Day of Kindergarten!!  Is Zach really old enough? Am I really really that old???

 

What the kids have been up to

Painting rocks

washing the van

Here is a cute little conversation I had with Grace today.

Grace:  Mom do you love my shoes?
Me: Yes, I love you shoes.
Grace:  Okay, than you can have them when you get little like me....(and then with a very excited voice) and then we can be BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!


Very sweet, since usually she tells me that she just likes her dad, she even once told me that she has a problem with me when I'm home with her.  She is definitely a Dad's girl so I cherish any words of love from her.

recent pictures

Grace decided to put some shorts on for a shirt on day.  She new she was doing something silly but was totally serious about it.  She wore her shorts like that for a couple of hours until I made her change when we went outside!  (As you can see she has her head and arm through one leg hole and the other arm through the other leg hole)  Grace also decided one day to wear a mitten on her foot for a sock.  We went to the gym and the ladies that watch her thought that was hilarious!  The kids have to wear either shoes or socks while we are at the gym and grace just had one mitten so she had one mitten on her foot and a shoe on the other!

Zach and Grace love coloring cutting and taping! 

Cooper Riding his bike.

Valentines visit

The kids loved the lake and boating.  Grace and Zach were fearless on the tube.

Mom and Grace fell in the lake after doing the paddle boat!

Cooper trying on Grandpa's reading glasses

Zach would do tricks on the tube.  Handsfree, one leg over the side, bouncing, etc

Cooper didn't like tubing but loved being dipped in the water