Best Mother's Day Gift

For Mother's Day I told Sam that I wanted to go camping. I know that may sound strange for some women but that was what I wanted. I wanted to get away with my little family and enjoy some time just the four of us. We decided since the weather was still quite cool that we would head south. We decided on Goblin Valley. We then had to explain to Sarah that they weren't real goblins and showed her some pictures of what it looked like. After that she was very excited. This would be Lily's first camping trip and I couldn't wait to see what her reaction would be. We loaded up the car and headed out Saturday after Bountiful Baskets. I apologize this is quite long and has a lot of pictures but it we packed a lot of fun into the weekend.



Lily spilled all over herself in the car and ended up stripped down to her diaper. Eventually both girls fell asleep and it was a very peaceful drive the rest of the way.



We camped in Green River at the Green River State Park. It was a nice campground with large trees that shaded our campsite almost the whole time and the ground was grassy.

Sarah helped Sam set up the tent.


She got thirsty so she put on one of our camelbacks and worked while she got a drink. How very efficient of her.



Lily had the right idea. While everyone else worked to set up camp, she kicked back with a can of Pringles.



The next day we drove down to Goblin Valley. It was fun exploring the valley but it was really windy so we didn't stay very long.


We drove just outside of Goblin Valley State Park and found the Little Wildhorse slot canyon that we had been told about. We decided to go for it and I strapped Lily on and away we went. It was a tough hike but very amazing. The worst part again was the wind and let me tell you, that wind gets flying through that canyon. On the way back out, we strapped Lily on my back with the baby wrap and tucked her head under it and she fell fast asleep. Sarah was a little trooper and hiked for most of the way then Sam carried her on his shoulders.



After our hike, we headed back to camp and a cooler environment. While dinner was cooking, Sam tied a rope he had brought along into a ball and swung the rest over a tree branch and the girls used it as a swing. They had so much fun.



Lily sure enjoyed the corn on the cob we had for dinner that night.




When it was time to go home the next day, Sarah fell apart and started sobbing that she didn't want to go home. She was upset because we had brought gear to go fishing and stopped on the way out and got licenses so she was adamant that we had to go fishing before we went home. So we ended up stopping in North Salt Lake and going fishing at a little pond out there. She loved it and Sam even caught a fish!


I love how she's holding the pole between her feet.

Not a bad sized fish for a little pond. Everyone around us had been there for hours and had caught nothing. We were there for maybe an hour. Awesome!


Lily checking out Dad's fish.

It was a wonderful weekend and the best Mother's Day I have had so far.

Antelope Island

One day in April I was feeling the need to get out of the house. I felt like all I had done with my camera for awhile was take pictures of my kids, which is great, but I was needing to stretch my photographic muscles a little. We packed up a lunch and piled into the car and headed out to Antelope Island. It was the middle of the afternoon so the light was pretty bright but we had a great time exploring the Garr Ranch some more and I got to get a few pictures. And of course, a lot of the pictures were of my kids. I guess I just can't help it. It still felt really good to get out and have some fun just the girls and I. We also went to the zoo the same week and had a great there as well. For some of you who follow both of my blogs there may be some duplicate pictures so I apologize. Here are some of my favorites.







Sarah had a great time roping these sawhorses with bull's heads on them. She got to be pretty good.



Saying goodbye to the chickens.




At the zoo. Sarah has to have a map every time we go.



There was this nice family there that had some older kids who blew bubbles for my kids to play with. Lily had a ball.


We saw this cute little family of baby goslings. I was so involved with taking pictures of them that I didn't notice Lily trying to climb the little fence surrounding the pond. She took a tumble head over heels and landed on her back in the grass. She scared me half to death because of the way she landed. There were gasps all around us from other people and I felt like the worst mother in the world.


I keep trying to get Lily to sit on the trunk of this elephant but she won't do it.

Happy Easter!

Just trying to get caught up on some things. We had a wonderful Easter this year. The Saturday before Easter, Sam took the girls to the Davis County employee egg hunt and Lily won a little basket. I was busy doing Bountiful Baskets but more on that in a later post. The girls had a great time going to both their grandparents houses for Easter egg hunts and spending time with cousins. It was so much fun watching the girls look for eggs in our house Easter morning. Lily was so excited. We didn't actually decorate any eggs of our own until the next day. I was just going to let it go but Sarah never forgets anything. Oh well, better late than never. They still had a great time.




Easter egg hunt at Grandma Shauna and Grandpa John's

I wonder if it's possible to fit anymore candy in her mouth.
Coloring Easter eggs.



My little goofball.

Grandpa Stoker

The week before Easter my grandfather, William Sterling Stoker, passed away peacefully in his sleep at my parents home. I will miss him but I know that he is happy now with my grandma and is finally free of pain. He was always so patient and loving to me and I have wonderful memories of spending time with him and Grandma. I will always love the times Cindy and I got to stay at their house and play cards. I remember one time the power went out and we played UNO by candlelight.

They always supported us and came to concerts and events that we were involved in. When I had my final concert for choir as a senior in high school, it was a morning concert, and we had invited almost the whole choir over to our house for breakfast afterward. Grandma and Grandma pitched in and helped flip pancakes for all my friends. That always meant a lot to me.

When Grandpa started living with my parents, it was nice to be able to go in his room and visit with him. Sam would sometimes disappear from family gatherings and I would find him hanging out with Grandpa watching a game on tv.

Grandpa was an honest, sweet, gentle man and I will miss him. I love you Grandpa.


Grandpa at Sarah's blessing.


Grandpa's 80th birthday party.


These last two were taken at the Salt Lake Temple at Kevin's wedding.

I love this picture of Grandpa and Bing. Two classy gentlemen.

Visiting Grandma Spady

After nearly eight months of being unemployed, Sam got a new job and starts on Monday! We are very excited to be getting a paycheck again. We wanted to make the most of his last few days of freedom and had decided to go see his grandmother in Oregon. The day before we were going to leave we found out that she had fainted at a Relief Society meeting and they had to call an ambulance. She was dehydrated and had a minor infection but was okay. We were glad that we were able to go out and make sure that she was taken care of for a few days. We left on Friday after Sarah got out of preschool and drove straight through. We arrived in Cottage Grove about 2:00 in the morning Pacific time. The girls handled the drive very well. We spent the weekend visiting and going on walks along this wonderful paved trail that the city has put in. It was a wonderful weekend and we were sad to see it end. We left early Tuesday morning and drove all the way home that day. Again, the girls did wonderful on the drive. We did have one minor meltdown from Sarah. She had been playing with a balloon all weekend that she had named Balloonie, of course. Before we left she asked Grandma Spady to draw a face on her balloon. While we were driving we heard a loud pop from the back seat followed by a wailing cry from Sarah. "My best friend popped!" She was so upset that Lily started to cry. I couldn't help it, I started to laugh so hard I had tears in my eyes. She eventually got over it.

Here are a few highlights from the trip.


We went to church with Grandma Spady on Valentines Day. Sarah went into primary and she got this huge heart shaped sugar cookie from the teachers. She also got a bunch of Valentine cards from the other kids in her class. When we got home from church, Lily climbed up on the table and she and Sarah started eating the little candy hearts off of the cookie.


Later that day we went for a walk along these great exercise trails that they have in Cottage Grove. It had been raining all day and the smell was wonderful. It was a mix of rain, earth and wood smoke from the surrounding houses. It was just what I needed.




The next day we went and got some KFC and went to Dorena Lake. It's kind of a tradition that Sam's mom and her family used to do when she was growing up. There were also walking trails along the lake and after we ate we explored for a little while. It turned into a beautiful day.


Lily really enjoyed the corn on the cob. Sam found some deer tracks and was showing Sarah.


Lily discovered pussy willows for the first time.


We found some violets, one of my favorite flowers.

We met this sweet German lady in the parking lot as we were leaving. She let the girls pet her dogs and Lily took right to them. Sarah needed a little coaxing but she warmed up after awhile.


It was such a nice trip and I'm very glad that we went.