Happy Birthday to my baby boy!

EASTON

My baby boy turns 5 today! How is that possible?

2 Canyons, 1 Great Weekend

Our little family had an amazing trip to The Grand Canyon, Jacob Lake and Bryce Canyon this past weekend! Here are some memories captured (in no particular order)...

Hiking the Navajo Loop in Bryce Canyon

Easton and Cole looking out over Bryce Canyon

On the Navajo Loop at Bryce Canyon

A wildlife museum that we happened upon right before Bryce Canyon. I love random finds like this!! The place was pretty amazing.

Shyler running down the trail from Jacob Lake after Cole just hid behind a tree and scared the crap out of her.

Easton trying to catch up to Dad on the hike to Jacob Lake

Sign says it all...

Shyler and Easton at Bryce Canyon

Cole and I held this kiss for like a whole minute because Shyler wouldn't tell us when she had taken the picture...I guess we enjoyed it a little too ;)

Bright Angel Point- North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Hiking out to Bright Angel Point

Taken just below the North Rim Lodge of the Grand Canyon

This mini-vacation was seriously one of the best ones we've had!

Happy Girl

Shyler has begged for almost 2 years to learn to play the guitar. We told her she had to take piano first. So for over a year and a half I fought with her to practice her piano each week... it was a nightmare most of the time. Finally I decided to let her give guitar a shot, since she still hadn't let up on the desire to learn that. So yesterday was her first lesson (she's taking from my uncle's mother in law). She LOVED it!! And she practiced ALL night! I had to make her put the guitar away for bed. It was pretty cute!

Mothers Day Weekend

Saturday before Mothers Day, Shyler and I went to the Carl Bloch exhibit at BYU Museum of Art. The kids and I had gone earlier in the week, but this time Shyler and I had the iPad tours and Easton wasn't whining that he was hungry and trying to drag me out of there... The second time through was just amazing as the first. The talent that this man was given is so incredible. Every single picture (even the non-religious) stirred something inside me.

After the museum we headed to Olive Garden and had a nice lunch together; chatting and eating great food. Shyler was the only "kid" with us and I think she really had a good time being with the women, and feeling a bit grown up.

We quickly finished our lunch and headed to the Hale Center Theater to see Seussical the Musical with my friend and neighbor Andrea and her daughter Zoie. I've never been to Hale Center Theater before, it's a tiny little theater with a center stage. We bought some snacks, took our seats, and soon after- the magic began. The show was SO good. I loved every minute of it, and so did Shyler. In fact, I still keep catching myself singing the songs! I used to be involved in plays all through elementary school through high school (I was even James in James and the Giant Peach...maybe someday i'll post a clip), and watching this production really made me crave the theater again. How fun would it be for Shyler and I to be in something together!? Going to rehearsals together, practicing lines/songs.... But then I'm pulled back a little to reality and I think- when am I going to have time for that!? One more thing that sucks about being a working mom...

On to better thoughts... Sunday morning I was awoken to Shyler whispering in my ear. She had made me breakfast in bed all by herself; scrambled eggs and two pieces of jellied toast. It was SO cute. And even though there was an egg shell in the eggs and I had to scrape some of the jelly off, I thought it was the cutest thing.

Shyler also made me a book at school of sayings like "Don't count your chickens..." But all the sayings were just the beginnings of the sayings and she had to put in the rest... So her's were "Don't count your chickens, because they stink" accompanied by an illustration. They were so funny! I'll take pictures tonight and do a post with them.

I'm grateful to be a mother to 2 beautiful children who I love more than anything in this world.