Birthday Visit

My birthday was over the weekend.

I couldn't think of anything more I wanted to do but go visit Miles at his special place.

We were so blessed with beautiful weather, and no wind.

That's a big deal in Idaho this time of year!

Miles' half birthday is just two days before mine.

Not to mention his half birthday and my birthday fall on the anniversary date of his accident and passing.

So needless to say I don't get too excited about my birthday anymore.

But who really does when you are my age anyway?

We bought this BYU sign for his grave.

I couldn't wait to take it out there.

It looks even better than I pictured.

He would love this so much!

He loved anything BYU.

Next up....a BYU sign for my grandparents just there behind him to the right.

They would love it too! 

Since the weather was so nice we got to spend some relaxing time at the cemetery.

It was so nice letting Vivian and her cousin just run around and explore.

We cleaned up other's graves and visited other friends and family buried there.

I have wanted to take some pictures with this old International Truck for sometime now.

The colors on it are amazing.

The truck just speaks stories as it has seen many things in it's years.

I sort of think of it as the guardian of the cemetery.

It's so big and protective looking.

I have so many memories with this truck and the cemetery Miles is resting at.

When I was a little girl my parents were the Sextons (the care takers) of this cemetery.

I remember always running around chasing the chickens off the graves with my little brother.

We spent a lot of wonderful summertime nights at that cemetery.

I remember riding in this exact truck with my dad.

I love that it's still there and that I could get a picture of my daughter with him in it.

Even though it is hard having Miles so far from us (4 hours total), Mark and I always feel so much peace there at the cemetery. 

We both know without a shadow of a doubt that Miles is exactly where he needs to be....his body resting until we loving embrace him again in that quiet and peaceful cemetery surrounded by God's beauty all around.

It was a great weekend!

Oh Peas

Remember this last year?

click here

Well she found my parent's garden again.

More specifically the peas!

She loves them!

I think she ate all the ripe ones {and maybe a few not quite ready} she could find.

Consider the garden officially raided.

Man I wish we had a garden!!

But she worked off the debt to Papa by helping him trim the trees.

I think she got the better deal though, as she got to ride in the wheelbarrow.

I remember doing this exact thing as a kid, in that same wheelbarrow.

I wish he would give me a ride, but I'm afraid I'm a bit too heavy to wheel around these days.

And what's a visit to Nana and Papa's without some trampoline time?

Oh the life of a child, it's magical!

Here is one of sweet Clara.

We can't leave her out.

Magical, that's what I want my children to remember their childhood as.

Every kid should.

Love these kids!

Catching Frogs

While visiting Idaho we decided to go to the river bottoms to try catching some frogs.

Mark and my brother were like little kids again.

They had so much fun.

\

Vivian of course adored it. 

She loves slimy, creepy and unusual animals. 

Vivian even kissed the frog.

Nope...no prince.

Yuck!

We caught a bunch, including this huge one.

Way to go Mark on getting the big one.

We released them all back into the pond.

I mean really, what would we do with frogs? 

Vivian and Amy found a caterpillar.

Vivi let the thing crawl all over her.

She truly has no fear of animals. 

Vivian also feel in love with the four wheeler this weekend!

We could not get her off it!

She was even a sport wearing these safety glasses 

to keep the bugs out of her eyes on longer rides.

We had so much fun over the weekend.

I kept thinking the whole time how much Miles would have loved it.

At times I felt him close, as though he was laughing along side us.

I love those moments!

farmers

 one evening we went out to visit some family and check out the farm

Grandpa took us for a tractor ride in Uncle Dallas' tractor

 Miles loved it, and so did Grandpa

 Miles even wore his tractor hat

 Vivian fell asleep

my dad called the tractor "the big babysitter"

 thank you Uncle Dallas

we enjoyed not only your tractors but also your company

 thank you Tammy (aka, the cat lady) for all the kitty fun

I had no idea that she loved cats so much

she currently has 11 total right now

(it's a good thing you are married Tammy, or people might think things)

 aren't they a cute couple?

this picture cracks me up!

(I hope you don't hate me for posting this.)

while there we enjoyed this handsome man's company

needless to say it was a wonderful evening!
(thanks for the lemon crunch yogurt too, it was delicious!)

pioneer day 2012

The kids and I spent pioneer day in Idaho with my parents.

We had a blast.

My parent's ward puts on a great pioneer day celebration at a cute little pioneer park by the river.

 Miles got a bear.

Doesn't he look so cute?!

 We all streched to look as western as we could with what we had.

Miles looked the best!
(Those are my little brother Kurtis' old chaps.)

We ate watermelon, scones, and corn on the cob. 

 The kids loved it.

We rode a horse.

(A tire swing one and little carriages pulled by small horses. Sorry no picture of that one.)

 We roped some critters.

Miles is quite the ropper.

 Raced in a stick pony race at the rodeo.

 Vivian didn't race, she did the dirt crawl/swim.

 Not sure why, but she loved it and kept doing it for almost 5 minutes straight.

Needless to say she was a dirty mess at the end of the night.

We watched the horse tricks with Papa.

Vivian is absolutely in love with him!

Enjoyed a great Idaho evening. 

Miles tried to catch a chicken.

He almost did too.

As he said "I was super duper close to one. Maybe next time." 

All in all it was a wonderful night!

We missed you  Mark.

Next year let's do it as a family!