MOAB - SUMMER STYLE

We purchased discount tickets to take the family on a river rafting adventure in Moab this summer. I knew taking them to Moab would be more like a float trip, but with small children, I thought this would be the best way to introduce them to the river.

The Galloway's and Sanford's also purchased tickets, so we all went together - it is more fun to have a big group to go river rafting with anyway, so this worked out really well for all of us.

Lucky for us, our cousins own a condo in Moab and allowed us to rent it out for the weekend. We had a hard time finding a date during the summer that would work and ended up going in mid August (really hot time to be in Moab).

We celebrated Madi's birthday while we were in Moab, she was supposed to bring a friend; however she got sick right before the trip and she couldn't find anyone else to come with her, with such short notice. She was disappointed, bu I think overall had a good time anyway. She received a iphone for her birthday which she was not expecting and ended up being extremely happy about this gift) We also took her out to dinner on her birthday that night and had leftover cupcakes from her party that night.

While in Moab we hiked through Arches National Park, we spent most of the day at Sand Dune Arch, playing with the kids. The entire party dug into the sand and buried the kids in the sand. They loved it! We also started carving sandstone, it was so funny to see everyone sitting there trying to carve sandstone pieces, while sitting in the sand. We also climbed the arch and explored all around the arch too. Jaxson and Jade and little climbers and scared us a little because they have no fear! The weather was actually manageable because we spent the afternoon in the shade of the Sand Dune Arch.

Later that evening we all got flashlights and hiked to Delicate Arch, he were told that seeing the arch at sunset was breathtaking and we knew hiking the arch a night would be less hot and easier for the family. Unfortunately we got a late start and we were hiking in the dark (good thing we brought flashlights). When we got to the arch the only way to see it was to shine the flashlights all around it. We got some pretty cool pictures, but I don't think the kids really realize how beautiful this arch is! While handing out at the arch, there were mice running around everywhere, you would see them when you would shine the lights around (A little creepy, I must say). My favorite part of the hike was walking with Reagan (she was amazing and hiked the entire way and never asked to be picked up - what a trooper) She talked our ears off, saying the funniest things. Madi and I just laughed and laughed all the way back down. She talked about how she didn't want to break her elbow and why she didn't want to break it, then she would completely change he subject and talk about something else.

We spent Saturday on the river and had the best river guide! She was very experiences and was so good with all of the kids. He let the kids play in the water, swim the rapids and threw most of them in the water at one point or another. Reagan loved every minute of it - especially swimming in the water. Madi was a little nervous at first; however I think her nerves subsided the longer we were on the river. Jaxson loved it as much as I thought he would. The one comment Reagan made that cracked us up, was when I asked her if she was having a good time and she responded with "No, I want bigger water!"

On the way home we stopped at Dead Horse Point, the kids tried catching a lizard and we took some amazing pictures.

TEENAGE SURPRISE

Madi is turning 13 this week; however we will be spending her birthday in Moab. (she wasn't very happy about this at first; however we told her she could invite a friend to come along) Because our plan was to be in Moab for her birthday, I told her we could plan her party after we got back. Little did she know I had a big surprise for her before Moab.

I had been planning a surprise party for her for months and going to Moab created the perfect opportunity for the surprise. Melissa had Madi babysit for her the day of the party, so I could get everything prepared. I spent the day making black and white cupcakes with purple sprinkles and Hershey's candy bars on top - Madi's favorite candy bar. I also decorated the back yard with exterior lighting and purple Chinese paper lanterns. We rented a large blowup movie screen so the girls could watch a late night movie in the back yard.

The theme of the party was black/white and purple - Justin Bieber colors of course. The invitations were sent to her friends by stealing Madi's phone at night and grabbing all of her contacts. I had to text all of her friends outside of the neighborhood and ask them to forward me their addresses. What made it difficult, is Madi has code names for all of her friends, so I had to ask her questions and find out who was who without giving away my plan.

I told Madi we were going to have taco's for dinner, she was so excited, so when Melissa dropped her off - I broke the news to her and told her that I invited Grammie and Papa over for dinner, so there was a change of plans on the menu. She was so disappointed. I told her to come into the backyard and this is when her friends all yelled Happy Birthday! (She had no idea - the funny thing is, she heard the music playing in the backyard when Melissa dropped her off, she started to go to the back and Melissa told her to go into the house.)

We had a BBQ and a chocolate fountain, then girls all made locker magnets out of bottle caps. We played some games including the spoon on a string game, which was a big hit. After which the girls all watched You Again. We brought the popcorn machine out and served popcorn to all the girls. They all had big pillows and air mattresses on the ground to sit on while they enjoyed the movie.

I sent all the girls home with a berry lotion from bath and Body works and thanked them for "Berry" much for celebrating Madi's birthday!

It was so much fun planning this surprise for Madi - her friends are all so sweet and fun!

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF REAGAN...

We are always laughing at Reagan and the things that come out of her mouth. Here are a couple of funny moments that have happened over the past month...

Reagan had one of her good friends Kate Bentley over to play one afternoon. Dan and I both happened to be home working, when Kate started to cry. Dan was the first one on the scene and Kate proceeded to tell Dan that Reagan hit her. Dan asked Reagan if she hit Kate and her reply was no. He then said, "Why would Kate tell me you hit her, if you didn't?" I was coming up the stairs as this conversation was in progress. Dan then said "Reagan, you need to tell me the truth, did you hit Kate?" Reagan's reply was something I will never forget. "Well, the truth is, sometimes bad things happen!" I looked at Dan and our eyes met, as if to say, did she really just say that. It was hard not to bust up laughing. I pulled her into her room in private and repeated Dan's question. She then looked at me again and said "The truth is, sometimes bad things happen." At this point I was a little angry and said "I know bad things happen, because you make then happen. Now tell me the truth." She shrugged her shoulders and said "OK, I hit her." I asked her why and she told me "Kate said Ariel's dress was pink!"

Reagan is a little story teller, she loves to tell you princess stories and the inflection in her voice is hilarious. Her reenactments of the stories are very precise and they can go on and on and on. She specially loves to tell you stories at night before she goes to bed. Her stories often go like this... Once there was a beautiful princess and she had not awful parents. But there was a mean witch who told her that she would die before her seventeenth birthday when she pricked her finger on a spinning wheel. But the blue fairy saved her and said you will not die, but you will be asleep until true loves kiss! I am going to have to record her one of these days, because she continues to crack us up.

We were driving home from Costco one Saturday afternoon and Reagan asked where we were going. We told her we had to go to the grocery store. She didn't want to go, so she matter of factly stated "How about you just drop me off." I find it funny that our four year old thinks she is old enough to stay home by herself and didn't think it was out of the ordinary to asked to be dropped off at home.

Last night we went to a magic show at the Sandy amphitheater, the show was a little lackluster; however Reagan kept everyone in stitches with her commentary. During one trick, they uncovered a picture and Reagan immediately said "It's Jesus!" Dan told her it wasn't Jesus and that it was an angel. She replied back "But her hair looks like Jesus." Then she put the two together and said "Jesus is a fairy!"