Camping.... In the frontroom!

Last weekend we had planned to go camping with a bunch of friends. We had told Jackson all about it, set up our tent in the frontroom to make sure we would all fit, cleaned, did laundry, went grocery shopping, packed and were ready to go. We knew it was going to be hot and were okay with leaving early if Cole was having a hard time. The night before we were to go our friends, who had gone up that day, called and said not to bring anything warm that it was pretty hot there and they were going to put their little boy in just his diaper to sleep with maybe a thin blanket. After that I was questioning it a little more but the plan was to still go. We finished some stuff up that night and I went to bed. As I was laying there I just kept having this feeling that we shouldn't go. So I went out and talked to Ross and we decided that we would stay home. BUMMER. We had hyped it up for Jackson and he was super excited to go. So we decided that we would still make it a fun weekend and we would go camping in our frontroom!

Our stuff all packed ready to go

We started off the weekend by going to the zoo on Friday morning. These are phone pictures so the quality isn't the best. 

The lion was super close and Jackson loved it.

 We then came back and had tinfoil dinners, caught fireflies, cooked s'mores over the oven and watched a movie in the tent.

Jackson loved the whole idea of the tent but when it came time to go to sleep we turned off the lights and told Jackson to lay down and go to sleep he looked at us and said "no, sleep in my bed" we tried to tell him that we were sleeping in the tent and it would be fun but he wasn't having any of it. He said again "no, sleep in my bed" and grabbed his blanket and walked out of the tent and into his room haha Smart boy. Why would you sleep on the ground when you have your soft bed ten steps away.

Happy Cole

I love baby feet

Making s'mores

It was perfect to have the ipad in the net at the top of the tent so everyone could lay and see it! 

The next day we went to the Redbirds baseball game and watched their fireworks after. Cole did so well with the fireworks. He just sat there and watched them. I had put stuff in his ears and was covering them with my hands so he couldn't hear a thing. I was trying to get him to sleep but he was having none of it and kept watching the fireworks

The night was perfect! You don't get those here in June. Cole was happy to be outside and not sweating to death

Love this picture

Jackson made friends with all the kids around no matter their age! He loved just running around

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A little family picture

Mr. Cole taking a nap during the game

Jackson was dancing with the music and I was taking picture of him when all of a sudden he was on the jumbotorn! I was glad I had my camera ready and got a picture of it

The firework show was awesome too!

Ross and I were talking on the way home from the game that we were glad that we didn't go camping and were able to do fun things as a family and not have to die in the heat. 

Father's Day

I feel like I'm always two weeks behind on my blog but I guess better late then never! I love Father's Day. I love thinking of fun things the boys can do for Ross and making it a fun day! This year didn't go as I had planned but you do what you can. Cole then night before decided that he didn't want to sleep and so I was up with him most the night. Ross came out around 7:00am just as I had got Cole to finally go to sleep. He told me to go to bed and I told him I just needed to rest for a little bit on the couch and then I heard Jackson come out of his room and I started crying cause I knew I couldn't sleep then! Ross again told me to go to sleep and he would wake me up in a half hour so we could eat and go to church. I figured that I probably should because I was crying over my son waking up. (Me and sleep deprived don't mix very well). I went to sleep and the next thing I knew I was waking up and it was 11!! I got mad at Ross but he said it was better for all of us for me to sleep haha So we had a nice brunch and just hung out until we went over to our friends the Butterfield's house to have a nice cafe' rio Father's Day dinner with them and the MacDonalds.

Ross and the boy's! I'm so thankful for this guy and what a amazing husband and Father he is. It takes a lot to put up with me.

There's a little story behind what Ross got for Father's Day.. I was planning on getting him a electric shaver because he's wanted one for awhile. So I asked around and did some research on them and had it down to a couple. Then we were driving home from a friends house a week or so before Father's Day and Ross got pulled over and got Another ticket. I say another because in just over a year this was his FOURTH ticket! Ross has now got a ticket in Alabama, Tennessee, and two in Mississippi. In total coasting us over $600. So I decided that the better gift would be a police scanner! Yeah not the most fun gift but I can't have him getting more tickets and losing his licence! He was still excited about it and trying it out. We had to go on a drive to test it out

I was tracing the boys hands on the wrapping paper and jackson traced his hand all by himself! I love it!

Forever

During Whitnie's sealing I was on the back row and couldn't see much. At first I was pretty bummed but as the sealing went on I was able to see everything I wanted and it gave me time to look in the mirrors and reflect on the meaning. When ever I have looked in the mirror I see myself go on and on but I'm usually in a hurry that I don't take the time to just sit there and think. Looking in the mirror during the wedding with a good 80-100 people there made it feel and look like there where thousands of people. The people seemed to never end. In every sealing I've been in the sealer will always mention that they are sure there are people there that have passed on. I've always believe this was true but this time looking in the mirror and seeing it go on forever with people it was almost like I could see them. Well, not see individual people but as the reflections went on you couldn't make out faces you just knew it was a person there and it could have been anyone living or passed on. It made me wonder who was there when Ross and I were married and how nice it would have been to see everyone for that few seconds the sealer had us look in the mirror and see that our marriage and family now went on forever. I was grateful to reflect on how grateful that I have an eternal family both with my parents and Ross and my kids. It was a testimony builder that this life is really not the end that we will be with our loved ones forever and even though they have passed on they are not far away. I don't think I will ever sit in a sealing again with out looking in the mirrors and thinking that sometimes the veil in thinner then we sometimes realized.

Cole's Blessing

While in Utah we were able to bless Cole. I was a little worried that the blessing outfit wasn't going to fit him. Cole is a little older and chubbier then Jackson was when we blessed him. Lucky we were in luck and it fit just right. Ross gave a wonderful blessing and Cole was good through all of it. I was grateful for all the family and friends that came to support Cole. That weekend worked out perfectly so that some of our best friends were able to come. After church we had a lunch back at my parents house for everyone to come back to. I loved being able to catch up with everyone and see Jackson have fun playing with the other kids.

The man of the day! I love him so much

Mom stop taking pictures of me

My little family before church

Jackson eating lunch with some friends

Miss Addi decided that she would join the table too

The longest hug I've ever seen kids give! Jackson and his wife to be Mahala.

The Reynolds! I so excited to move back and be able to hang out with them again. They just need to move from Cedar City so it will be easier to play. Our kids need to get to know each other

Another of picture of Cole. He was so good and just laid on the blanket with Aunt Caroline and looked at the trees

More of our awesome friends that came! Have I told you I'm excited to move home!

The Huston's and Fisher's

Jackson loving life playing with cousins and friends on the tramp

Whitnie and Trae's Wedding

We made a quick weekend trip to Utah for Ross' sister Whitnie's wedding and to bless Mr. Cole! The whole trip went by so fast it doesn't even feel like we went. Saying that the trip was so much fun and only made me want to move home sooner.
First up was Whitnie's wedding! I love wedding and its even better when its someone you really care about. I loved seeing Whitnie so happy! She look gorgeous in her dress and defiantly was the best looking one at the temple that day :) I know I was only married five years ago but whats up with the dresses these days?! There were so many crazy weird ones wondering around the temple. The sealing was very nice. The sealer talked about them having kids like five times so I guess they better be getting on that! There were close to 100 people in a 40 person room for the sealing.. It was pretty hot and crazy in there!
After the sealing we had my parents drop the kids off so they could be in pictures with us. As we were standing on the temple grounds Jackson kept looking at the temple and saying "temple, thats where Jesus lives" It was so cute. One of my favorite parts of the day was when Whitnie and Trae came out of the temple and we gave Jackson to Whitnie and he just hugged her and didn't want to let go. He loves his Aunt Whitnie and hopefully will warm up to his Uncle Trae :) Welcome to this crazy family Atrayu!

Love this pretty girl so much

Cole with Grandpa at the temple

 Jackson waiting at the temple

Jackson loved all the desserts at the reception 

Cole asleep on Aunt Heather

Jackson was a dancing king at the reception! He loves music so he would bust a move randomly

Bryan and Steph heading up the soda bar.  

I loved her cake

The reception

Ross being cool with Bryan 

Jackson loves his Uncle Tyler..

...Cole is still warming up to him lol

Reception

Mr. Cole with Uncle Tyler

I love this picture of Ross with two of his best friends and their kids! Sums up life with kids. Livy is my favorite, the little girl at the bottom of the picture.

The happy couple

Jackson dancing again for everyone as we wait for whit and trae to come out   

The car.. It was pretty lame. I totally forgot about it. Consider yourself lucky! I should have trashed it like Whitnie did our car!

Jackson and his buddy Lincoln! These two are going to be trouble when we move back to Utah. They were so cute to see play together.

A little BBQ

A couple weeks ago our friends had a BBQ with most our friends. It was so fun together and just hang out. I was a perfect night (you don't get to many of those here) to sit around and talk. We played pictionary, girls v boys and it was so much fun. They had made up saying/wards for us to draw like, big bird eating a subway sandwich, a gay pride parade in Germany, a Viking giggling (mine), Hanukkah being celebrated on the Eiffel tower (Ross')! Pretty random but it made the game fun not having normal one ward answers. My favorite drawing was drew by good ol Matt.. Look at the picture and see if you can guess what it is!! It was a tie after everyone had gone so they made Ross and I go up and draw the same picture at the same time to see who won! Don't worry the girls dominated! The winning picture was "Joseph Smith riding a ferris wheel"! I will be sad to leave all these fun people!

WHAT IS IT?????

You got it..... NOT haha the word was Koala! Yep thats his picture of a Koala bear! We love Matt 

We also went to the Zoo again and feed the birds. Jackson was being bad and Cole was fussy so I held Cole while Jackson was in timeout in the stroller! We got some weird looks and our friends kept laughing at us. 

Mothers Day

Mothers day was great! Well it started of rough.. Ross slept in while I got up with Cole. I was a little bugged to say the least. The only thing I really wanted was to sleep in. Having a new baby I don't get much sleep :) After me being bugged for a little while Ross made me pancakes from scratch and then made up a little for being a turd with his cute gifts.

He made a coupon book and helped Jackson make a book. 

Jackson proud of his artwork 

Some of the book

Ross' coupon book had some good stuff in it. Mostly time away from boy or dinner being cooked.










Is this one really a gift for me??? Its weird how all the other coupons have limits but this one is unlimited! "Homer gift"