Little quotes from Heaven...

While camping, Chase decided that he needed a big stick like his cousins.  So rather than have him fight for the sticks that his cousins already had, we went on a stick hunt.
 
We ventured down the hill and I pointed out each stick along our way.  He would promptly say "No!!!"  if I suggested a certain one.

Then we came to the perfect one and a second quite similar.  I cleaned off the first and handed it to him, then we started back up the hill.
As I was cleaning off the second one, I heard a little giggle, followed by, "mom woot, I a Dramma!!!"  (Mom, look I'm a Grandma).

I turned around to see Chase using his stick as though it were a cane.  He giggled and gimped all the way back up the hill.

I love that kid!!!

Joe's

 

Last week we headed to Joe's Valley Reservoir for the annual Atherley Family VACA!!!  

(And really, Jed's entire family was there.  I just failed to capture them.  I think that the camera was only taken out about 5 times in a weeks time.)

I missed the trip last year due to baby on the way.  So this was my first visit.  Although, we have been to some of the surrounding area before when we stayed at Potter's Ponds.

We enjoyed fishing, four-wheeling, hiking, biking, running, swimming, pestering, eating, gaming, Jedi-Knight fighting, rock eating, quest finding, water gunning, hammock-ing, mosquito hiding, and a plethora of more activities that I am failing to remember.

Thanks family for a fun filled trip!

Everyone was super stoked to get their fish on.

Chase had some serious issues with mosquitos.  Let me just say DEET all the way for this little guy.  Also on a side note, Chase on Benadryl 24/7 is not a cool combination.  Seriously this kid and his sensitivities.  Not only did he look like a troll...well, you can finish the statement.

 Through it all he was a great sport.  And he wouldn't take no for an answer when he wanted to take a ride on the four wheeler.

 Of course he had to hold his first fish.

 Dad was definitely excited about the first fish. 

 And Bayli, well, she was always ready to do her signature pose.

 She absolutely loved fishing with daddy.

Chase had even more excitement with all of the fish to be caught up at Pete's Pond.

Poor Lily.  Worst age ever to take camping.  A crawler who loves to put everything in their mouth. She was stuck in something for the majority of the time.  It is great that she loves the backpack though.  And, although there isn't much documentation of it, she was on mom's back the majority of the time.

Bayli and Chase had a blast during a rainstorm playing monkeys in a tree.

 We had a fun time taking a little family hike up to Academy Mill.  Although the mosquitoes were even more ravenous in that area.  Jed and I were on a plant/tree identification quest.  We were only partly sure of one pine.

 Bayli was on a bird identification quest throughout the trip.  She packed that book everywhere.  And, she was pretty funny about posing with her favorite flowers.

 Of course, Chase was eager to thwart her efforts to pose with said flowers and would quickly remove them from the scene.  He is such a tease.

 We saw some spectacular views and made some lasting memories.  I just love Utah!!!

Boom, boom, boom...

When Bayli was finishing up dance lessons last month and prepping for her recital, we had a never ending ear-full of Katy Perry's Firework.  Needless to say, it hasn't stopped.  We get constant blurt outs of the song.  My favorite is when she sends out personal invitations to a premier viewing of her concert.  These usually take place in the living room where her stage is the fireplace hearth  (who remembers doing that as a kid?  I do, I do!!!  Only the songs that we would often lip-sink to were oldies like Wooly Bully, Runaround Sue, Leader of the Pack, Wild Thing, etc.  I must say that we were connoisseurs of old-time music back in our day.  That and Milli Vanilli (I about died from the news)).

Since we have been bombarded by so many fireworks (the real things not the song) of late, Bayli has upped the amp on her skills (singing the song) ten-fold.  I love how she twists the lyrics to songs.  Don't try and correct her, or you will get her wrath.

We had a fun time celebrating our countries Independence Day.  We attended a BBQ at my brother's mother-in-laws home (say that ten times fast).  She is such a neat person, it was great to catch up with her again.  Then we did some fireworks.  Seriously, even though aerials have been legalized through July in Utah, my mom still is able to find the pack that has the most fountains.  Hers alone had 65 people, let me say that again 65!!!  Not to mention the other 30 or so from the other contributions.  If anyone knows Jed, you know he despises fountains.  So you can imagine the words that went through his head when he layed eye on that ginormous box of FOUNTAINS.

These two, on the other-hand, were super excited.

Last year Chase was all about the pops.  This year sparklers were his thang.  We loved his posture as he stiffly held onto the little light sticks. He didn't budge from this position.

We weren't surprised that Lily sat quietly through her first firework show.  She loves loud noises.

Our nephew, Jaren, was given charge of the show.  Jed and my brother Rob kept coaxing him on to start the fireworks and keep them going even though it was still light outside.  While everyone else the other adults minus me kept saying to wait because it wasn't dark yet.  Of course he is going to listen to the blaring of the kiddos and the two men.

 Let me just say that my nephew can put on quite a show with around 90 fountains.  It was so entertaining watching him run frantically around to ignite each one.  At one point he had close to ten going at once.  It was seriously the best fountain show that I have ever seen.  Even Jed gave him compliments, that's saying a lot.  The aerials that followed after were nothing compared to his insane show.  He could seriously be a stunt man with the moves he was making.

And of course, in little spurts throughout the show, Bayli belted out her version of Firework.

Little quotes from Heaven...

Dad got some new shoes, well mom purchased some for him (it's about time-if anyone knows Jed, he HATES purchasing anything items that are not tools).

Jed was telling Bayli about when he was a kid.  And how, when he got a new pair of shoes he would always have to go take them for a run.  Because as all kids know, new shoes make you faster. 

So, she challenged him to go take a run in his new shoes.  Of course he had to oblige (really, I think that he still believes that new shoes make him faster).

After his jaunt around the backyard, Jed said to Bayli,  "are they magical shoes?"

Bayli promptly replied, "no, but they came with lots of love."

Little quotes from Heaven...

Chase randomly comes up to me,

gives me a hug,

and says 

"you bess mommy, you bess!!!"

Interpretation:  you're the best

no longer a kindergartner

Bayli had her end of the year Kindergarten program.  Chase and I had a fun time watching her sing her little heart out.

Giving me the thumbs up for a great year of school.

Bay and one of her cute little friends, Josie.  She is blessed to have so many wonderful friends.  It was fun having nearly half the kids her age from our neighborhood in her Kindergarten class.  I wish that I had gotten a group picture of all of them.

Bayli with her teacher Mrs. Venning.  She will miss her greatly.

EMHE

Jed's company was able to donate their talents and time to the building of a home for Extreme Makeover Home Edition.  We were able to visit the site as VIP guests.  We knew that Chase would be the most excited about the "extreme" building that was going on.  It was a construction site/carnival gone mad.  Bayli was more excited about the VIP tent with its free food and the special "tag" that she got to wear.

You can ask Jed his feelings about the experience if you really want to know.  Let's just say that he and "the talent" (aka Ty Pennington and his co-hosts)  would never get along.  Oh, and he thinks that ABC is kind of lame as well.

Dad and his boy taking in the beautiful views of a construction site.

We've never seen him so quiet when there is any type of big rig around.

He was in complete awe.

Bayli was content to eat the free food.  It was like being poked with a pin to have her picture taken.