Family Reunion Time!

Grandma Norviel put together a fabulous family reunion in Salt Lake City for us this summer and it was quite the party!  We started out on Friday, July 13th meeting at the Plaza hotel and walking over to the Church History Museum.

The kids had so much fun checking out the kids section.  Weston held the brass plates.

Wendy and the girls did a little Folklorico dancing

Hyrum and Bryson built a great and spacious building.

We saw the North visitor's center with the beautiful Christus statue.

We had breakfast at the pool the next morning, all in our matching yellow shirts.  This was the day the yellow submarine took over Temple square!

We hit the South Visitor's Center and were awed by the miniature replica of the temple.  Here's our lovely family by the mini Angel Moroni. 

                                     

Oh, Weston!

Here's the whole crew in front of Gringott's Wizarding Bank.  Sadly, you can't see the fire cauldrons in front of the doors and the massive stone pillars. Straight out of the books, I tell you!  Maybe the sign said something about Church offices, blah blah blah...

The cousins by the Lion House

 

We found the hidden grave site of Brigham Young- who knew it was up in the avenues in the middle of the apartments?  

Hyrum, Parker, Afton and Lydia snackin on Maama's crackers

More cousins by the statue of Brigham reading to his children.

Just the Yellow Sisters- you can almost see the outline of the Angel Moroni on our shirts!

This is the Catholic church down the street- I love the gargoyles peeking down off the edges!  

After our tour around town led by Robby, we walked down to the new City Creek Center and overwhelmed the food court with our yellow shirts- I must say, they came in quite handy for quickly finding our group, missing children or random strangers with yellow shirts.  We got a lot of questions "What's with the yellow shirts?" "Are you here for a convention?" "How do I get a yellow shirt?"

We even saw Thurl Bailey and his family at the mall, though he didn't seem to care about our yellowness.  So, thanks to Grandma for planning this fun trip and giving us the opportunity to see more and learn more about our own state capital and beautiful Temple square!

My Birthday Times!

This year, my boys went all out for my birthday.  They had all the secret planning meetings, secret shopping trips, whispers behind closed doors, etc and I had no idea what they were doing...

So, when I woke up birthday morning with Weston and Afton in my bed ready to read a new birthday book with me while Daddy and Hyrum finished making breakfast, I knew I was already in for something good.

A little later Daddy called for Weston, who ran out, and then ran back in and said "Come with me Madam." I followed him downstairs where the rest of the family was dancing and singing "Be Our Guest" along with the new Beauty and the Beast  DVD while a lovely breakfast was set up on the table. Love it!

Here's the breakfast table and the movie...

The night before, we had a get together with MY family who presented me with the most amazing present: a cello of my very own!

Even if I am getting older,

I still have the best family ever!

And Afton (finally) has a Room

Now that Afton has reached the ripe old age of TWO I decided maybe I should finally get something on her wall to make at least HER side of the room a girl room not a boyish car room...

This is what we came up with.

Not only that, but we also got a new bed, a BIG girl bed! 

$10 bucks on KSL and it's PINK.  Can't get much better than that.  I figure she'll only be in a toddler bed for a little while so this is the time to have a pink bed. Probably the only time. But she likes it!

In fact, she likes it so much, she sleeps in it with NO problems. Night time, nap time- I say good night and she goes to bed.  Isn't she a good little girl?  

She also likes to dress herself, ride scooters, try on shoes and go to lunch at the school.  Afton even went potty in the toilet TWICE today.  #2.  Like I said, she's a good little girl!

The 4th of July

The 4th of July was just one party after another, of course!  We started out by going to the parade in the morning and meeting Grandma Norviel and family in the park for a traditional picnic lunch.  The boys, including Zach, played some volleyball with Cindy and Hyrum and Weston started picking up some fancy moves.  Maybe they'll take after Grandpa Largey!

Later, the whole Largey family came over for a BBQ and fireworks in the cul-de-sac.  

 We tried a new drink this year- a tri colored science experiment.

 These are the two drink combos- how cool is that?

It works with sugar content- the highest sugar content on the bottom, the lowest on the top.  The ice helps them separate. 

Afton was just cute in her Patriotic outfit...and a little crazy. 

 Afton and I stayed home to get some rest after the crazy day and the boys went over to the Provo Temple ground to watch the fireworks.

 At least they brought me back some pictures to enjoy!

Friday of the same week, we got to spend another night barbecuing with more people we like- our married student ward bishopric, Bishop and Sister Bliss and Kevin and Rinna Harris

Here's the men looking good as ever...

Especially with their new True Value hats compliments of Bishop!

Somehow, I never remember to get pictures of the rest of us but it really was fun to get together and chat about the old times and catch up on the new ones.  Family and Friends- that's what holidays are good for, right?  Right.  Happy 4th!

The Walker Family Cup Cake Wars

Kristi and Cindy and I decided it would be great to have another cupcake war with our family including cousins and aunts and grandmas... So we did!

Macie and Eva, Em and her kids plus two friends, Grammie, Mom and Cindy, Kris and her kids plus me and my kids made for one great party time.  Being smart like I am, I scheduled the church building and we used the gym for event. Best idea ever.  No frosting on couches, space to run and play all the in the same room as the decorating. Perfect.

Afton really got into it- she was sticking her nose in every ones business- or maybe just in her frosting...

We all came with our own ideas of how to decorate- the funny thing is that we all over lapped ideas: Kristi and I both brought stuff for "Angry Birds". Em and Mom both brought stuff for Owls, Em and Macie both thought of Sunflowers... But we had enough variety and creativity that I think they turned out great!  Above are Macie's little lambies and some of Weston's Angry birds.

Below are Bryson and Lydia's creations. 

 Cindy made a great doggie

Afton worked and worked on the same two cupcakes- adding more sprinkles here and more frosting there, eating a couple marshmallows in between.

I let the kids do the Angry Birds and I did some Patriotic cupcakes with flags, stars and fireworks.

Em's Sunflower and Owl- cute, huh?

Kristi's professional looking Angry Birds

   

Hyrum's pigs and birds

Cindy's kitty- she's good, huh?

Um, this is the only picture of people I got- but at least it's a good one...right? :)

I believe good times were had by all and I think we'll have to do it again sometime!

And Hyrum is a Wolf!

After all the excitement at Day Camp, we realized Hyrum only had three things to do before he could earn his Wolf badge. So we got them done before the next pack meeting...

He got his badge

And I got my Mother's pin!

Good job Hyrum!

Hyrum's Cub Scout Day Camp

So, as the Primary Counselor over Cub Scouts, I got roped into going to Day Camp with the boys this year.  I wasn't too excited about it because Zach was still gone to Kentucky and it was really putting people out to have to get up at 5:30am to come watch the other two kiddos. But, luckily I have parents who love me and understand cub scouts so my Mom and Dad saved us all.

We headed up to Camp Jeramiah Johnson with five boys and another mom.  No one knew   how incredibly cold it would be so we were very ill prepared until the sun finally came up to warm our frozen bones. You will notice the gradual shedding of the blankets and jackets...

The boys throwing 'arrows' through a hoop.

In front of the Teepee

Making Teepees

Panning for Gold

One of the favorites (Archery and Shooting BB guns were the top two)

A mini trek up and down the hills

PUSH!