Jeff's birthday

In case you can't tell we had a mustache theme for Jeff's birthday. I figured since he can't grow a moustache, I'd make him one :)  I made a moustache cake and bought these mustaches for us to wear. Even Macie wore a moustache. The kids loved it! They helped me bake the cake too.

 In the morning we made Jeff breakfast in bed and the kids had picked out presents for him. Levi got him a new soccer ball, Jordyn picked out ASU b-ball shorts, and Sydney picked out car air fresheners and they drew him pictures.

The night before when he was at scouts we wrote him notes and decorated the inside of his car with these notes and streamers. We all love Jeff and were so blessed to have him as our dad, friend, care taker, provider, and lover.

3 Months

Macie had many "firsts" during her second month of life including: first road trip (9.5 hours long), visiting her first state, Utah. She also went to Nevada. This month she'll visit California too. She went on her first flight in an airplane (Vegas to Mesa, AZ) on Father's day. She went to her first Circus and Rodeo. She had her first laugh on June 21. I was making some up some fake words in probably a really dumb voice....but it made her laugh nonetheless.

 At the Vegas airport. Yes, I traveled with 4 kids by myself. Unfortunately Allegiant Air wouldn't let my parents help me to the gate. An older, sweet lady helped me put and tie my shoes after going through security because macie was in a baby carrier so I couldn't bend over.

 This is Macie on the flight. She slept the whole way, well it was only an hour. The problem with a sleeping child on you is that it's difficult regulating the older two sitting in the row in front of you. They started arguing (big surprise right? Siblings at each other) towards the end of the flight. Everyone was still pretty good though considering. We were so happy to finally see Jeff after 2 weeks.

Macie relaxing on our couch after the flight.

 So now this little one is 3 months. Seriously, I'm not sure how time goes by so quickly. She is such a joy. A happy baby that talks a lot! She also started cooing this month. She weighs 13 lbs 7oz. Still sporting cradle cap. Going into the pool now. Still sleeping through the night!! Sleeping in her own crib in her room now. Life is good with 4.

Rocks

 This summer I have some plans for learning. We had a United States week-long theme a few weeks ago. We learned some patriotic songs, had a huge floor puzzle of all the states to put together and a smaller one. Levi still does both of these puzzles multiple times everyday--he loves puzzles. We started collecting quarters of each state, we used a fun travel game, looking for license plates of each state, and used an educational app that the kids play every day too. Let's just say a few weeks ago, my kids didn't know any states and now Sydney knows all the states and where they are located. We're just getting into capitals now. It's funny too, Sydney had a great idea. Instead of playing the game "colors" in the pool, we play "states." It makes me laugh to hear Levi mention random states here and there throughout the day.

 The last few weeks we learned about rocks: sedimentary, igneous, and magma. We read several books about rocks, made rock candy, observed rocks and made a chart about the shape, color, size, and drew a picture of it, and did this fun activity. We, yes me included, excavated rocks. There were 11 rocks for the kids to chip away at this block of clay. It took several days because it required some patience to get all the rocks.

All the kids working together and getting along. Another reason it was a good activity.

Safety First! 

 Next up--VOLCANOS and a weather unit.

Sydney

Sydney is trying a few new things: Violin and Horseback riding. For the past two years Sydney has been interested in the violin. I kept putting it off because I wanted to make sure she really wanted to do it. We finally started her with lessons. The teacher thinks she will do well. Our ward has an orchestra and she will participate in that. That will be so fun to see her perform and put her lessons to good use.

 For Christmas my parents got Sydney a few horse lessons and were just now getting around to it. I wanted to do it in the January when it was cool but they were booked until now. Wednesday was her first lesson at 5pm and it was 110 degrees. yuck!

 Sydney does not like jeans and she had to wear pants even though it was super hot so she's sporting her favorite bright pink pants.

 No surprise to us, Sydney was trying to get the horse to trot, which she successfully accomplished, even though the teacher advised the kids not to do.

She's asking for cowboy boots now.

Utah

The day after Macie's blessing we drove to Utah with my parents. Jeff stayed behind because he had to fly to Texas for work and then to Catalina for a week with Scout Camp. This was Macie's first road trip. She did amazing on the 9 1/2 hour drive. Unfortunately Levi and Jordyn did not. They both threw up 3 times each and I can't tell you how many times we heard, "how much longer." I had stuff for them to do, but pinterest doesn't have ideas on how you eliminate that question from kids :)

In Cedar City we went to a circus, celebrated my parents anniversary by making them dinner, serving it to them and providing entertainment (the kids got very passionate about their assignments--it was cute), went to the reservoir, park, aquatic center, rode horses, their 4 wheelers, played "AGGRAVATION", made rock candy, Sydney learned how to play Sudoku. played with cousins, and went to our first rodeo.

When we got to Cedar City my sister was there with her 5 kids and her newest baby, Finn. Finn is 6 weeks younger than Macie and is the cutest thing ever. The cousins had fun together. It's always fun to see them together since it doesn't happen all that often. I made a last minute decision to drive to my sister's house in Highland once they left to show my kids BYU and temple square. You guessed it...another road trip, another puking in the car. My mom and I drove by my the apt I use to live in and we walked around campus for a bit. Sydney was very interested in my apt and the college. The next day we went to temple square with my sister's kids. We toured the conference center, walked around temple square and visited the church history museum, which has a neat, kids-friendly second story full of entertaining things.

 At the rodeo. We loved it and Sydney participated in the "cash cow" too.

 At temple square in the Church history museum

 On top of the Conference center with everyone.

 Jordyn is a great big sis! She wants to take care of Macie the most out of all the kids.

 For some reason the kids accepted the umbrellas that were offered to them at the Conf. Ctr. Random thing, but Parker had brought a turkey baster in his pocket (for some reason) and was playing with it in the water features on top of the bldg. It made me laugh.

 Girl Cousins

 Postpartum big mommies and cute little babes

 I love this picture of Sydney and my dad riding horses in a field.

 One afternoon was spent at the reservoir playing in the water and sand.

 At the circus in Cedar City

Another great picture I had to add.

Making the game in Grandpa's workshop.

macie's blessing

On June 2 Jeff blessed Macie in our ward at church. In our church we bless babies and give them a name. They don't get "baptized" like most other churches at infancy. They get baptized when they are 8 years old, the age of accountability. For Macie's blessing my parents came and Jeff's grandparents, parents, and Chris and Tyler. My mom bought Macie's dress. My sister took some pictures of Macie when we visited her but I don't have those yet. Here are some pictures we took with the family.

 This is as good as we're gonna get with our family. Sydney hates taking pictures. Jordyn wanted to wear her Christmas dress in June and Levi wanted to wear his camouflaged army shoes instead of his church shoes and his shirt already came out of his pants. With a house full of people for the weekend, I wasn't in the mood to fight battles.

 I'm hope my kids will be good friends when they are older.

 Grandma Karen

 Great Grandma Marianne and Grandpa Gordon

 Uncle Chris

Gammie and Grandpa Koehler

I'm not sure why I don't have a picture of Grandpa Tim and Uncle Tyler.

The men in the circle were: Dad, Great Grandpa Gordon, Grandpa Koehler, Grandpa Tim, Uncle Chris, Mike Huss, and Zane Overly (one of dad's deacons) who held the mic. It was a heartfelt blessing and Macie was awake during it, apparently staring at Jeff the whole time and was calm and quiet.

That night we sat and each of us shared our testimony with one another in our living room.