Another day of fishing!

Today we went to Lone Pine Nursery for free fishing day! They had prizes, food, music and of course fishing! They stocked their pond with 1,000 fish.

Mason and Taylor were the first ones to reel in their fish.

I actually caught a fish, which Alyssa helped me reel in.

Alyssa and daddy. Look at his shirt, that is fish blood all over it!

We caught a total of 6 fish. The limit was two fish per kid.

Mom and the kids with our fish!

They had a grand prize for whoever could catch the biggest fish. Taylor caught this 19 inch fish just five minutes too late, he would have got 2nd place, but they gave him a prize worth $50 anyways so he was really excited! Mason and Alyssa also won prizes, Mason won a fishing pole and a pizza and Alyssa won some free ice cream and Craigo's food. It was such a fun day, we will have to do this again next year!

Little League Night

We took the kids and Dylan to the Chukars baseball game. We got there and there were so many people there we didn't sit in the stands. We ended up sitting at the tables by first base, which ended up being the best seats for the kids. The first thing we saw when we got there was a foul ball smashing in a car's back window!




The kids would lean over the fence and when the players were going to warm up they would give the kids high fives! They thought that was the best thing ever!


They brought their mitts to catch foul balls and they ended up having the mascot and some of the players sign them. Dylan didn't have his mitt so they just signed his arm instead, I don't think he has washed his arm since then!

At the end of the game they let the kids run around the bases. The kids had so much fun at this game, it was a little league night so tons of kids were there and they had a blast!

A Sunday evening at the Greenbelt

We decided to go feed the ducks by the river, it was nice to get out and walk around for a while. We made it all the way around before it started to rain!




Taylor feeding the ducks.


Notice the guy with the big camera lens to the side of us!


Lysa and Tay, being cute as always!

Mason did his best to try to stay out all of the pictures, so we had to trick him to actually get him in a few of them. Lance hiked down to the bottom where the rocks were to get this picture with him in it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANCE!

Lance had his 37th Birthday today, but we celebrated on Saturday with family and friends as the boys had their baseball tournament today. Lance has been carrying around a blue backpack full of tapes that he has had forever and we didn't have a tape player so for his birthday the kids and I found a tape player after much searching. The Moffat's even gave him some 80's tape holders for all of his tapes so he wouldn't have to use his backpack any more!

Okay, so this cake was supposed to be more like an 80's type theme cake, but instead it looked like a little girls cake so I had to "man it up" with some fish!

Wow, you get the full effect when the lights are off! Yes, there are 37 candles on that cake!

With that many candles (that kept relighting by themselves) there is sure to be a lot of smoke! I didn't think that part through when I thought I was being funny with the trick candles! We are surprised the smoke alarm didn't go off.

Apparently Lance's friends think that he stinks or that he is very girly and needs some body wash and a lot of loofah's!

This present is from Doug and Katie, which Lance loved by the way! This is all that he has on his mind lately, SHEEP. He drew for the big horn sheep hunt in October. Every day all I hear is sheep this and sheep that. He even has his signature on his phone as "sheep boy." He is very excited for the upcoming hunt!

This is my favorite part of the shirt!

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

What a busy and fun weekend. We drove to Island Park to go fishing and camping, went to West Yellowstone to go through the park, and did a little four-wheeling on our new four-wheeler. We set up camp (with a waterproof tarp after our last Memorial Day experience) and took off to go fishing at Henry's Lake. This was the first time in about 10 years that I got my fishing license so I thought I would put it to good use. Mason and Taylor are pretty good little fishermen! Alyssa just liked to help Lance and I fish.


This was our campsite at Island Park. We bought a huge tent this year so we wouldn't be smashed all together and have some room to spread out, but when we woke up in the morning we were all smashed together anyway. We camped by a busy road and that kept us awake all night, especially the ambulance driving by (twice)! Once we finally got to sleep one of the kids would either wake up and be cold, or be sleeping on a rock, or on a hill, or just want to sleep closer to Lance and I. Needless to say we didn't get much sleep.


The boys putting out the fire the way their dad taught them. We didn't camp by any restrooms so I had the opportunity to show Alyssa how to use the "outdoor bathroom". Some things you will never forget teaching!!


We went through Yellowstone Park with some friends, Jeff and Emilee, and their kids. This is us taking a hike around Biscuit Basin, we had to just because of the name!


Waiting for Old Faithful to "blow up" as Alyssa called it. We had some time to spare before it was time for Old Faithful to erupt so we had lunch and the kids went around the parking lot looking at all of the different license plates, they found one from Hawaii.

Abbi, Hannah, Alyssa, Tay, Mace, Conner, and Caleb. They did such a good job hiking and riding in the car!

One of the many Buffalo we saw in Yellowstone Park. There were even three of them running on the road right by us. The kids thought that was the funniest thing ever! I was just glad that they didn't decide to turn and run right into the side of the Tahoe.

We also went fishing at the Ririe Dam. Alyssa and Daddy hanging out on the boat. At first Alyssa was kind of scared that the boat was going to tip over, but she got used to it pretty fast.

Tay and Mace loved being on the boat. They did a lot of fishing this weekend.

When we were driving to Ririe Dam we drove by a cemetery so we took the time to explain to the kids why so many people were there visiting and what Memorial Day was really about. This gave us the chance to tell them a little more about their family history, especially about their grandfather's who fought for our country. Holidays like this are a good time for reflecting about what is really important.

We had such a fun weekend being together as a family. Lance and I were talking and we decided that if everything that we planned went perfect than we wouldn't remember those adventures as much as the rest. When things go wrong, or just not the way you intended, you tend to remember those experiences the most!

ISU

I am so excited that this semester is over! I only have 2 1/2 semesters more to go until I graduate and move on to my Masters program. I took 14 credits this semester, which I have never taken that many before while working part-time and trying to be a good mom. Something has to give somewhere and most of the time it is studying. I am usually up the night before trying to cram or that morning of a test. This semester I got five A's and one B+. I was hoping for straight A's, but my test that I took all drugged up on narcotics (from my tonsillectomy) took my grade down quite a bit!!

Next semester is going to be my hardest one yet. I have to go to Pocatello Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Alyssa starts kindergarten next year and this makes me stressed out that I won't be there to get her off the bus on those three days. I am glad I have great friends and Lance willing to help me out with this!

I am looking forward to reading a ton of books that I have saved up for the summer and just sun tanning on the deck while the kids play in the pool. I love the summertime!!!

FOR FUN!

Aren't they cute when they are sleeping!


Alyssa never sleeps with the covers on! When she sneaks in bed with us that is all I do all night is cover her up so she won't get cold. She also loves to sleep all sprawled out and kick whoever is close by!


Mason was so tired one evening that he came inside, put his big heavy winter coat on (because he said he was cold) and passed out on Alyssa's floor in her bedroom.


We have a closet in our hallway that we put all of the blankets in and the kids really like to turn it into a fort. One night when I got home from class I walked by it and saw feet sticking out and I looked inside and saw these two sleeping in the hallway closet.



I just got home from softball practice and noticed Alyssa sleeping in her fort under the table. My parents said they used to find me in strange places at night, so I guess Lysa gets this from me!!