Adventures in Neverland . . .

For Cade's 5th birthday he decided that he wanted a Peter Pan Party! So, I looked around for Peter Pan decorations, etc. and couldn't find anythig except this cardboard stand up. So, I got it and then just did pirate and green decor with it. It worked out fine and Cade loved it! We had it at Craig's parents' home, since they have an ideal yard for Neverland. We had a yummy lunch with pizza, salad, and fruit before the party fun. All the girls got fairy wings, and the boys got pirate hats and swords (gotta love the dollar store)! Here are some of Cade's cousins that were there . . . oh, and his sister . . .

In the picture below: Ambree, Addie, Cade, Jacob, Aiden, and Samantha.

Other guests at the party: The Bird Family, Grandma Carol, Grandpa Bill, Uncle Dallin,Uncle Andrew, Uncle Bryon, Aunt Danielle, Aunt Amy, Uncle Tyler, Cousin Leila, Grandma and Grandpa Clegg, and mommy and daddy.

Here is Cade (since he and Ambree were Peter Pan and Tinkerbell for Halloween last year he just wore his costume to his party) trying to pose just like the Peter Pan figure!

The Peter Pan figure came in handy for tracing "shadows" of Peter Pan to put around the yard. . .

And for a game of "Pin the sword on Peter Pan". . .

Of course I had to make a Peter Pan themed cake! I really need to take a cake decorating class to learn all the tips and tricks, instead of trying to figure them out on my own and taking way longer than I should! In the end I was pretty happy with it though, and so was Cade!
Cade blowing out the candles/cannons . . .

The happy birthday boy enjoying his cake . . .

Ambree (aka Tinkerbell) enjoying her cake . . .

Opening presents . . .

I think he was pretty excited to get this one (even though it was a Peter Pan party, he still requested a Toy Story Toy)!

Other gifts he recieved: Disney Cars Glitter Glue Pens, Toy Story book for his leap pad, 2 Peter Pan books, Peter Pan figurines, Toy Pirate Ship, Toy Story Toy, books, swimsuit, spiderman toy, color explosion book, toy gun that shoots suction things, Toy Story Puzzle, Toy Story shirt and sweat shirt and Towel, a few other misc. toys, and lots of love! :) Thanks to everyone who came to the party and gave him gifts.

One of the most exciting events at the party was the treasure hunt . . . Here the kids are on the hunt for the treasure. . .

Searching for another clue . . .

Cade and Aiden running to find another one . . .

The treasure was being guarded by Captain Hook (Uncle Dallin). Peter Pan (Cade) had to fight him with his sword to get the treasure from him. Peter Pan won, of course, and all the fairies and pirates got their treasure (little bags with gold coins, ring pops, and Mardi Gras necklaces). Yay Peter!
Here is a little video clip of Peter Pan and Captain Hook fighting over the treasure . . . Enjoy!

Playing Dress Up . . .

My kids love to play dress up! I really don't know why I even bother having them put on normal clothes in the morning because by the time we are ready to go somewhere they are usually in a costume. Of course they don't want to take off their costume, so usually I just say whatever and take them as they are (If we are just running errands or something that doesn't really matter). It's funny because I usually don't really think about the fact that they are dressed up, because I am so used to it, and then I wonder why everyone is staring at us. Oh yeah, it's because my kids look like they are ready for Halloween and it's the middle of the summer! Should I be worried that my children always want to be someone different than themselves? Well, not always, bot very often! Hmmmmm. Here are a few Dress up Highlights from the week.

Ambree is usually a princess or something girly, so it was pretty funny to see her dressed like this. I am sure it was Cade's idea!
Here is a funny mix up that Ambree came up with all by herself!

Of course when Cade saw her and saw that I thought it was so cute and wanted to take a picture, he had to do a funny mix up too!

The other day, to kill some time before we had to leave for swim lessons, I put Toy Story on, and a little while later I saw them like this . . . wearing their Woody and Jessie hats/clothes with their swim suits . . . Silly kids!

I hope they grow out of this phase someday. I could just imagine the problems they would have in highschool if they went to school dressed up everyday! :)

Goodbye Summer . . .

I know, I know I have not blogged forever! I think it has been a month or so. We have just been having too much fun out in the warm sun this summer! I have been hearing so many people say how happy they are that the weather is cooling off and fall is around the corner. I don't feel that way at all. I would be perfectly fine with summer year round! :) I guess it's because I was raised in California, and really I never heard anyone say they love fall when I was growing up. . . funny how your upbringing really does influence your life! Here are some of the things we have been up to this summer . . .

Going to the Tracy Aviary.

Cade making a peacock out of his hands.

Playing at the "Beach" (It's a man made lake/beach that is about 5 min. from our house and it's free)!

Swimming Lessons at the South Jordan Rec. Center.

Lots of swimming at Uncle Mike's neighborhood pool (see pic. below), The Veteran's Pool in Provo (where my sis is a lifeguard and got us in free), my friend's neighborhood pool in Eagle Mountain, and various rec. centers around Utah.
Celebrating my nephew, Jacob's b-day at the Murray Rec. center.
Gong to the Hogle Zoo.

Ambree kissing a snake . . . Ewe!

Cade and Ambree showing some love to each other . . . this is a rare occasion. :)
Riding bikes and playing outside.
Look at that form!

Blowing Bubbles and playing dress up!

Family Reunion in Idaho where we camped, went boating, went in the canoes, went swimming, and just had a lot of fun with my dad's side of the family!

Little girl cousins sun bathing in the canoe!
Picked apples at Grandma and Grandpa Clegg's house.
Spending time with cousins.
Samantha (cousin) and Ambree playing on the slip and slide at Samantha's birthday party.

Cade getting sprayed in the face at Samantha's birthday party!
I hope everyone else had a great summer too!

When mom's away, the kids will . . .

Eat Frosting!!

Cade . . .

Ambree . . .

My kids probably love it when I am gone and daddy is watching them because they get to do fun things like this! I guess that's what daddy's are for . . . to let kids have a little messy fun once in a while! Oh, and daddy's are for a lot of other things too! :)

Kid Talk . . .

Like all kids, my kids say funny and cute things often. I have been writing some things down and decided to finally put it on my blog before the paper gets lost!

CADE

While I was reading Cade the scripture story about Joseph being sold into Egypt as a slave.

Cade: What is a slave?

Me: Someone who has to do whatever you tell them to do. Like cleaning, or getting you food, etc.

Cade: Oh, so you are my slave!

Me: Uhhh, not quite. . . although sometimes I feel like it. (I didn't say that last part to him though).

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Cade: Mom, when dad was out hunting for a wife, how did he find you if you were in California and he was in Utah? (Doesn't that make it sound like he was a vampire out hunting for me! I just had to laugh when he said that, and then explained how we met. . . Funny kid)!

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Cade: When I grow up I want to be Heavenly Father.

Me: Why is that?

Cade: Because he makes people feel better when they are sick. (I think this idea came to him because when my Aunt passed away we told him that she won't be sick anymore and will be happy living with Heavenly Father).

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Cade: Mom, who am I going to marry?

Me: I don't know, but it will be someone you will love very much.

Cade: Oh, like Ambree!

Me: Well, we don't marry our sisters.

Cade: Oh, then I will marry you.

Me: Well, we don't marry our moms either.

Cade: Oh, then I will marry daddy.

Me: Well, we don't marry our dads, and boys don't marry boys either. (I guess that's not really true now days, but . . . )

Cade: Well, those are all the people I really love!

Me: Someday you will find a girl that is not family, but is your friend, and you will really love her and want to marry her.

Cade: Oh.

AMBREE

Me: Ambree, you have a cut on your lip.

Ambree: I know, but I don't need medicine, I just need to dance! She then proceeds to stand up and dance around in circles.

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Ambree: Mommy, a rainbow doesn't have a bow in it!

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Ambree: Life is so hard! While Crying about her sore finger.

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Ambree: I want to go swimming at Aunt Kathy's pool today.

Cade: Aunt Kathy is dead Ambree.

Me: That's OK, we can still swim in her pool because Uncle Mike still lives there.

Ambree: Yeah, and Aunt Kathy will just come out of the pool and wont be died anymore!

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Ambree: Pointing to one of her books, I don't like that book!

Me: Why not?

Ambree: Because there are boys in it.

Me: You don't like boys?

Ambree: No!

Me: Cade is a boy.

Ambree: Yeah, but he is my brother.

Me: Daddy is a boy.

Ambree: Yeah, but he is my father . . . I just like boys in this house!

God Bless America, Land That I Love ...

I know this is pretty late, but I wanted to post some pictures from the Fourth of July. We went up to Midway, UT to celebrate the holiday at Grandma and Grandpa Clegg's house. They live right across the street from Memorial Hill, where they put on a great fireworks show every year. It is perfect because you don't have to drive in a bunch of traffic, and try to find parking, and then walk forever carrying all the chairs and blankets and then have tons of noisy people all around you to watch a firework show. This is the second year we have done this and I think it may be a tradition for us. . . It was a fun relaxing day to reflect upon all that we have been blessed with, especially being able to live here in America and have all the freedoms that we have.

Cade and Ambree sporting their red, white and blue...

Part of the group just hanging out . . .

Ambree giving kisses to her cousin, Leila . . .

Cade, Jacob (Cousin), and Ambree watching daddy do fireworks before the big show. Their expressions say it all . . .

Sparklers . . .

Ambree and mommy waiting for the big firework show to start . . .

Ambree, Grandpa Bill, Cade and Uncle Andrew in awe, while watching the fireworks . . .

I hope you all had a great Fourth of July!!

The Bike Ride

On Saturday, June 27 Craig participated in the Bike MS event, sponsored by Harmon's Grocery Store. The ride was a two-day event in which participants bike up to 175 miles in order to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. The Saturday part of the ride had courses of 40, 75, or 100 miles, and the Sunday part had courses of 40 and 75. I only rode on Saturday, so as to be able to spend Sunday with my family at church, but I was able to complete the 100 mile course . . . in 6 1/2 hours.




My Number:


The night before the ride:



At the starting point . . . with my boss, Dr. Sargent (who talked me into participating):




After the ride, enjoying a sno-cone:


Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures during to ride - I was concentrating too much on keeping up with the more experienced (in-shape) riders; not to mention the pain developing in the region of my body that was in contact with the bike saddle all day:)

I do want to express thanks to the following individuals, who donated money to the cause: Matthew Gunter, Martin & Suzanne Kempton, Ray & Barbara Hickman, Terry & Vicky Dickens, Bill & Carol Poulter, Cameron Poulter, Dustin Krassin, Bryon & Danielle Poulter, Marc & Tricia Crosby, Autumn Hickman, Cal & Calene Hall, Steve & Marcia Vreeken, Dennis & Georgia Dawn Clegg, Matthew & Marilyn Baumueller, Jeff Clark, Justin & Tara Williams, and Keith & Carol Clegg. The goal was to raise $250, but we actually raised $400: $340 on-line and $60 in cash & checks. Thank you to all who helped out!