HOO's The Cutest!!!

Without a doubt I think that award goes to these 3!!




We braved the Harvest Moon Festival on Saturday. The kids had a good time playing games, decorating pumpkins,



and making owl headbands. Of course I made them pose for pictures in the cutouts!! Karden wasn't too impressed with my idea.

But he was a good sport!!


Ryan wasn't too impressed either- he only got the participation medal! :)

Class of 2025!!

Whitley Started School on Tuesday this week!! To say she was excited is an on understatement!! The night before we had to try on ALL her new school clothes, including, shoes to find the "perfect" outfit!! It was fun to see her excited over school clothes unlike Karden who would wear the same clothes all week if I would let him :)

She also informed me that on the first day of school you are supposed to have curly hair so we had to put her hair in curlers the night before. She got up and got dressed in lightning speed and looked so cute!!

I tried to get some good pictures, but for each one she insisted on doing a pose!!

We got to school really early because she was worried we were going to be late of course we had to take pictures at the school as well!!

I really think she is going to love her teacher! Miss Mellor seems very sweet!

The teachers had a few little activities to help your kids with what they need to do in the mornings, We found her coat hook in the coatroom and her cubby. We also handed in her homework and did a birthday candle to put on the birthday boards. We measured her and she drew a picture of herself! We found her desk and she colored a picture and then it was moms time to leave.

I have to say it was ALOT easier leaving your second kid at school than your first!! I didn't even cry!! Actually I kinda felt like skipping to my car :) Not that I don't love her but she is SOOO ready for school!!!


She had a great day at school and came home starving!! Today she ran in to the school with Karden who was going to drop her off at her class, She didn't even look back as she raced into the school! I am having a hard time with her being gone today...I think I realized she is going to be gone every day now for the next 12 years!!!

But she is loving school and before you know it she will be graduating as the Class of 2025!!

A Run For Her Money!

We used to laugh and say that Whitley was a "Dirt Magnet" She can go outside and just being sitting there and the dirt is attracted to her. She is ALWAYS the dirtiest kid when we go camping- There is no use trying to keep her clean. Dirt and Whitley just go together!!

Well after going camping this weekend... Berkley has decided to give Whitley a run for her money- Berkley officially was dirtier than Whitley... Shock Shock- We had taken a kid corral to keep her entertained (and Clean) and she would have Nothing to do with it. She wanted to be down in the dirt!!

That Night when I was changing her clothes and trying to wipe the 1252158135 layers of dirt of her. I just about died when I took off her bottoms and could see the color her shirt was supposed to be~ YUCK!!!

But we still love her, dirty kid and all!

M.I.A.

I've been missing in action for the last two months- but it has been summer and we have been busy- Ok ok enough excuses! Now on to what we have been doing since July!

July seems like it is a month long celebration. We went to my moms house for Goshen Days and ended up doing a couple different floats for the Goshen Days parade! The first one was and Indian theme and we had all the little "Braves" on the float!

. Our sign said " Home of the free, land of the Braves!"

The second one we did was Me, My Mom, Dena and the girl grand kids all wore big Plastic Depends and dressed up as ants!

Our sign said " Happy IN-Depend-Ants Day!!" Pretty dang funny!!

We would stop along the parade route and the little girls and my mom would shake there booties!

Only in Goshen would this happen.

Spanish fork Fiesta days came and with that we took the older kids to the Flag retirement ceremony!

I had never seen one before and it was neat, but I have to admit the first time the flag started to burn it was almost like you wanted to yell at them to stop. It was against everything you had been taught to not burn flags. It was really neat to watch them destroy all the flags with dignity.

They also had a section were the boy scouts could take a flag to a army guy and he would throw it in the fire. Darn!!

We didn't realize that part so Karden couldn't participate because he wasn't in uniform. Well I guess we will go next year.


August started with some camping as well as Berkley Turning one on August 18th. We had a party at the Splash pad with all the family. It was really fun, the older kids were entertained by the water

and it didn't take long before the adults joined in the action too! Karden hasn't yet realized you don't pick on the biggest kid on the playground!! Because they always get even!!

Berkley thought it was super fun too!

Berkley was super spoiled and got lots of fun toys, cute outfits, and my favorite diapers!!! Aunt Becky Made her a cute cupcake cake!

She wanted to tear into that thing so bad but being the mean mom I had I only let her eat her cupcakes!! ( yes she had 2)

A few things I want to remember about Berkley right now. She puts everything in her mouth. I have to go digging in her chubby cheeks a few times a day to fish out whatever she has found on the floor. She also loves to empty my bottom drawer in the kitchen and pull every magnet off my fridge. She has mastered going up and down the stairs in our house and I have even put all our baby gates outside in the garage. He is fast and can get were she wants to go when she wants to which leads me to my next gross habit of Berkleys. She LOVES to play in the toilet water!! I have to keep my bathroom door shut! She loves to take baths and throws a hissy fit when you take her out of the tub. She can say Dad, mom, UH-Oh and every once in a while you can get her to say HI, usually if you put a phone to her ear. She has 4 teeth on the bottom and 2 on the top, she can pull herself up and walk along furniture but doesn't really want ( or need) to walk! oh and one more thing she is Cute, Cute, Cute!!! We love her to pieces, she gets mauled on a daily basis by Whitley and Karden and everyone that meets her loves her! We are so glad she's ours!

After the birthday party we all headed down to the Fairgrounds to get our White Trash on!! Yup you guessed it Demolition Derby Time!!! I have never been to one before but it was really fun!! Crashing cars,

rollovers,

fires,

What more could you ask for in a fun filled night? Karden and Alex thought it was really neat as well!!

As on today I officially have a Third Grader!!

Yikes!!! Karden is getting so big- I did walk him in to his class today, under protest as soon as he saw some friends, I'm afraid next year it will be a NO Way!!! He has a male teacher for the first time this year and I have to admit I am a little nervous about it. I just think boys aren't as nurturing and loving as the girls, but that's maybe what Karden needs is someone that is coddling him! He was excited so I think it will be a great year.

This morning he wanted to have a picture with Berkley because he was going to miss her so much,

I think she misses him too................... well maybe not! :)

Whitley was so mad that Karden got to go to school today and she didn't. She doesn't start for another week and she was not impressed that karden got dropped and she had gets to stay home with me. It may be a LONG week for her(and Me).


Now I think I am caught up. I love school for the routine, bedtime and new stuff the kids learn, not so much for the homework but what do you do! Hopefully I can get in a good routine with blogging as well!

A Rocky Trip...

Last week we took a trip up to the zoo to see the new Rocky Shores exhibits!!



It was really neat. The kids loved seeing the seals and sealions swimming around

and loved the underwater viewing.







They also thought it was fun to get there pictures taken in the Eagles Nest

and by the new statues!

We also thought the polar bear was really fun to see too!

Karden, Whitley, Bryce an Gavin loved the fact that they got there faces painted. We had a scary snake, a butterfly, an elephant and a giraffe!!

Berkley, well she enjoyed her licorice!

There was a slight problem that Ryan pointed out. Berkley is only 10 months old and this is her 3rd trip to the zoo! But I countered that it was her first time we took her on the merry go round! ( Berkley was not impressed!)

Ryan says that doesnt count and thinks I may have a slight addiction.

There was another slight problem= I think it is some unwritten rule that you shouldnt wear snake skin shoes to the zoo?



Tara did not get the memo.


We had a great time,
and the new exhibit was really fun to see, it made for a nice summer night!!

A case of the Spots!

This past week we have had a very Unwelcome visitor in our House....Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease!!

Let me tell you it is NO FUN!! It is crazy how three little words can honestly give you the shudders!

Berkley had a fever and a few little spots on her on Sunday night, Monday Morning she was a little grumpy and my Monday night, she looked like this...




Her little feet and hands were so sore and cracking from all the sores and the swelling! Poor baby!




She was so sick and didnt sleep for 2 days!! Which made Berkley and mom Miserable!!




A few days later Whitley got the spots and I almost cried when Karden started getting them too- but thankfully the older kids have not been bothered my them very much!
We did have to cancel swimming lessons and a trip to park city and the zoo because not only was it contagious it looked like my kids were lepers! It has about kiled me to have to entertain three sick kids all day for a week without being able to take them anywere!

As of now we are all getting better and hopefully soon we can be well enough to play with our friends and get on with our summer!!

Thomas Family- Party of 17!!

Last year we were all sitting in Ambers backyard and somehow we started talking about a vacation. We started off with thinking of going somewhere close to home for a 3 day weekend and then we got sidetracked and ended up planning a 8 day trip to South Dakota!





I'm so glad we did!! It was a FUN trip!! I am surprised that we all got from place to place without losing someone or something- I can't even imagine what the people were thinking when the whole "Thomas Tribe" showed up. The servers all gave us the "oh crap! don't seat them in my section look!" when we walked into a restaurant- I don't blame them there were 10 adults and 7 kids in our group!

One of my kids favorite things on this trip was "meeting" My mom would call all the kids into her room and basically do a sharing time about what we were going to see and learn the next day-


The kids learned a lot and were more interested in the places we went.


Day 1- Driving to Casper Wyoming and Swimming-starting out as the best vacation ever if you ask my kids!

Day 2- We woke up early and made out way to South Dakota- On the way there we stopped at the famous landmark- Mount Rushmore!!
The kids Thought it was neat that they had learned about the presidents on the mountain (Thanks Grandma!!!) My brother in laws also thought they were hilarious and gave me a themed shirt to wear-


They said they wanted me to know how my kids feel every place we go-


It was neat to think that something that impressive was carved in the 1920's- When we seen what they were lowered over the side of the mountain on it made it even more amazing!


Karden loved looking through the binoculars and had been looking through them for a good 5 minutes before he all the sudden turned around and screamed- "I can see the presidents through these!" Don't ask me what he had been looking at before he realized there purpose.


Day 3- The boys decided they had already had enough family fun and went golfing-


The girls loaded all the kiddos and went to Storybook Island-


It is the cutest little park that has fun status of kids stories to play on and look at- the best part is it is free!!

We spent the whole morning there and the kids had a great time!!



I think the grandma did too-



We of course had to have a family picture by the Wizard of oz!



But we realized 7 kids is ALOT of kids to wrangle-

Later that evening we went to the Circle B Ranch for a chuck wagon dinner- Before the dinner could begin- there was a problem, the biscuit bandit stole all the biscuits and the kids had to help find him for the sheriff-



This was the extremely mean biscuit bandit-





They also had fun panning for gold,


and practicing roping the calves...... or there cousins... whatever works! :)


The entertainment after dinner was well... pretty dang boring, so my mom had to entertain kids while teaching them to clap in fancy ways!



But in the end we all had fun-




Day 4- Bear Country USA!


This would be Ryans Favorite day!! We drove though a park were animals were just roaming around- We seen elk, big horn sheep, and of course the main attraction....BEARS!!!




They were all just walking around, at certain points we would half to stop for a bear crossing- IT was crazy!!

We could of rolled down the window and touched them- if we were brave-

but around here we do like all our fingers! After the drive through park we walked around baby land- yup you guessed it baby bears! They were soooo cute!!


Oh yeah the baby bears were cute too!



The baby bears were really fun to watch but I don't think they hold a candle to our "cub"



Who invited these two?




after bear country the girls went shopping and the dads had the kids- were did they end up... The watiki water park-


Let me tell you my kids ran there guts out for 4 hours and we still had to drag them off the slides- They were alot braver than I thought they would be love the water slides-Ryan not so much, he learned how to go down the tube slide, minus the tube-

Later that night I got roped into having ALL the boys for a sleepover so a few couples could go to a casino- Bad deal for me I think- but the kids were so tired them went to sleep within minutes!! 4 boys in a bed in a few too many, 2 ended up on the floor by morning but they had fun!

Day 5- Reptile Gardens!


What else needs to be said- snakes, turtle, and alligators all in one place. Just for the occasion we needed to have alligator hats-


Our first stop was the dome which in all over the place were snakes,



lizards



and other creepy things are loose and able to roam free! The kids had a fun time trying to spot animals and my dad ... well, he stayed up top!



We also met a employee named Berkley- We were talking to her and she had never met another Berkley until that day- We had to get a picture with both Berkleys!
Karden loved the snake show because they had a cobra and a huge nasty giant snake- which all the kids wanted to touch after.



The alligator show was really neat too-

But there is no way I would get in a pen with all those alligators- They were kinda boring until he brought out the chicken to feed them and they it got a little crazy-



The bird show was a bird show but the kids liked giving the bird money for conservation efforts-





Karden and Whitley really liked the HUGE turtles





Berkley, well she liked the stick she found-


We then headed to Custer to visit Flintstones town and see the magic show- on the drive there we got caught in a freak thunderstorm with hail the size of quarters- I have never seen anything like it- The ground when we had to pull over because of the zero visibility


Five minutes later...


I honestly thought the windows were going to shatter in the car- Whitley was crying, Berkley didn't really know what to do and Karden spent the whole time covering his ears! Within a matter of minutes the road looked like it had just got a winter snowstorm - When we got into town the roads were all flooded and Flintstones land had closed due to Weather- Just our luck-


We wasted a few hours in town we shopped a little, discovered different buffalo,


found a very "handy" chair

and of course posed for pictures



That night we went to see the Grand Magic show-


Duane the magician and I are Best buddies, I think since I have made the reservations in April, he has emailed me once a week to just make sure we are still coming- so while waiting for the show to start and being the only car in the parking lot, you can imagine the teasing I was getting- but after the magic show everyone had to eat there words- It was really really good- like Vegas good!! We got pictures with the magician and assistants after the show- everyone was impressed,

except berkley, she must of known all the secrets to his tricks!

Day 6- On our way out of South Dakota we finally had the chance to stop at Bedrock- and take a tour of Flintstones Land-


The kids thought it was fun to see inside Fred and Wilma's House and take pictures with all the characters-




Our attempt at a cousin picture- Looking good except for Kardens ornery face, He was having attitude and we teased him all day that the souvenir he needed was a shirt that said "I went to Bedrock city and all I got was my butt kicked behind the Flintstones house"



They also loved the playground and riding in a Real Flintstones car-



We then headed back to Wyoming for More Swimming!!

Day 7- Some of the boys went golfing again and the rest of us headed to the Science Center in downtown Casper- The kids had fun playing with the kids size science experiments




and flight simulator and Ryan was mesmerized by the bubbles-


Karden and Whitley thought they were pretty neat too!


It was a fun little 2 hours activity but I'm glad it was free!

That night we went to dinner at a fun little pub and grub and of course had to take picutes with the giant shark,


and dinosaur

and car full of alligators-


Of Course Grandpa had to show it how it was done!



a little random but fun!

Day 8- Driving, driving and more Driving. We decided to make a pit stop at Martins Cove on the way through Wyoming-

It was cold, and Windy and we through any jacket we could find on the kids to try to keep them warm.





Needless to say it was a very fast pit stop!
I have decided Wyoming is not for me- There is a whole lotta nothing to look at and a whole lotta wind! If I ever decide to move there remind me that I hate it! We of course had to stop in Evanston for Fireworks and finally made it home that night-

It was a super fun trip- lots of memories were made, 6 GPS were cussed, one truck was towed home,


But the most amazing part is that we all are still talking to each other- :) Love my Family!!