Memorial Day Trip to Silver Falls in Oregon

On Memorial Day we went for a hike to Silver Falls. It was a lot of fun and very beautiful. Sorry in advance for a lot of nature shots but I wanted to give you an idea of what it looked like on this hike. It is extremely different from the dry, desert climate in Utah.
At the end of the hike we had lunch. The ground was very wet but it wasn't raining so it was a fun little picnic.

Jonathan wanted to give a big smile for the camera and show off the peanut butter and jelly that is all over his face. What a cute face though!

Lindsay, her Aunt Michelle, and cousin Gavin. Towards the end of the hike they were quite a bit farther along the trail than Michael, Jonathan, and I. The hills at the end of the trail were a little rough for the pregnant lady and the 4-year-old.

Jonathan though that the moss growing on the tree limbs looked a lot like worms.

Laurel, her siblings, and her cousins had a great time getting really muddy on the trail.

These are some lower falls that are not as big, but still really pretty.

Jonathan takes a rest near an old tree trunk. This must have been a really big tree.

While we were in Oregon it never ceased to amaze me how green it was and how dense the trees were everywhere you looked.

The water in the river was beautiful, but very cold. A few of my nephews and my niece went for a swim at the end of the hike, but they were really cold when they got out.

This was the second set of falls that we walked behind. Not as powerful as the first but still very beautiful.

A shot of the cousins climbing up the hill. It was very wet here because we were just to the side of the biggest waterfall. There was a lot of spray coming off of the waterfall.

The power of this waterfall as it fell into the pool below was unbelievable. It created a lot of spray and was very loud.

This is a view of the biggest waterfall on our hike. It was really neat to be able to walk right behind the waterfall on the trail. It was really wet but very worth it.

Our family as we started the hike. It was raining that day when we started but soon stopped. We learned quickly that in Oregon you can't let the rain stop you or you will never get out!

This is just a random waterfall on the side of the hill. They spring up all over the place.

Trip to Oregon-Day 1

After a long drive, we arrived in at the Williams' home in Portland and went to a Tree Farm for a little hike and a picnic.

This is where Michael(nephew) did his Eagle project earlier that morning. They built several of these wood benches and added some drainage gutters to another of the overhangs.

Jonathan and his cousins had a good time looking at all of the worms, slugs, and centipedes that were on the ground during our hike.

After the hike and picnic we went to the Williams' farm. Michael helped out with the grass. when they were finished Michael took the kids on the tractor/lawn mower for a little ride.

More pictures from our Sacramento Trip

Auntie, Evan, and Laurel pose in front of my Grandma's neighbor's house. The neighbors were so nice to let us stay in their home while they were gone. It was great to be close together over the weekend instead of farther away in a hotel.

These are a few of my favorite guys. They are sweet and good looking-a great combination.

Two little monkeys swinging in the trees.

The Patton's backyard has always been a fun place to play. It was wonderful to watch the great-grandkids play there just like we did when we were little. It brought back a lot of fun memories of running around, playing croquet, and lots of other fun times.

I remember when this tree was planted and my siblings climbed in it. It was awesome to see my kids enjoying this tree as well.

It was also fun to eat and relax on the patio. Lindsay was enjoying a chair and little table all to herself.

Michael got a shot of Megan, Jason, Josh, and Jane at the church before the funeral service. It turned out to be a beautiful day with lots of sunshine. Lots of people attended the service and it made my heart glad that so many people came to remember my Grandpa.

I really like this picture of Evan with Jane coming up behind him. They are both such sweet children. Jane looked beautiful in her blue and white dress. I still haven't figured out a trick to keep my boys' white shirts tucked in.

Trip to Sacramento

Although it was a sad occasion to attend Grandpa Patton's funeral, we enjoyed spending time with family. This was a trip to California Pizza Kitchen to celebrate Chelsea's birthday.
Brandon poses with Ella. She is such a sweet little girl!

The kids enjoyed coloring while waiting for their food. Restaurants are so smart to do this. It definitely helps to keep the kids from getting as restless. Ella with her Grams. She is a really fun baby. She has such a fun laugh.

This is everybody walking into the restaurant. The kids were so excited to be spending time with cousins.

Sweet little Jane. She has such a sweet little voice and pretty smile.

These are pictures from our flight out. The kids love to fly and were very excited that night.

Playtime in the Backyard

Lindsay loves to play in the mud. We have gotten so much rain this year that there has been a lot of mud to play in.
The cleaning-up process is not as much fun. I need her to use the clothes she has already ruined rather than new clothes each time she gets muddy.

The kids put in their own garden this year. Some of the seeds they planted have sprouted with all of the rain we have been receiving.

I wonder if they will be such hard workers when they are teenagers.

Jonathan had a really fun time on the slide. He was sliding things down and making inventions with cement blocks, walnuts, rocks, etc.

Hiking Y mountain

On Saturday Michael and the kids hiked Y mountain with some of their Higbee grandparents, some cousins, and aunts and uncles. My stomach is still a little woozy from the morning sickness so I stayed behind to rest and take a much flatter walk.
Her is Jonathan with his cousin. They took a break from hiking by climbing on some rocks.

The kids loved spending some quality time with Dad.

Here is the family at the top of the Y. It is not a really long hike, but it is very steep so I was proud of the kids for doing a good job. Michael even reported that there was no whining or complaining on the way up or down. The boys even hiked or jogged down without any rides from Dad or anyone else.

The grand kids posed for a picture with their grandparents after getting to the top of the Y. Michael's family is really good about making sure that pictures are taken of every event so we can have the memories to look at later.

Spring in Utah

Michael's parents came into town on Friday. They spent some time with us this past weekend. Luckily my father-in-law had a card reader and took some pictures with his camera that we were able to download onto the computer. These were taken Sunday morning and I wanted to get them posted so my parents could see the kids in their new church clothes. I think they look fantastic, but I am only a little biased.
Spring in Utah has been very slow to arrive. Sunday was in the 60s, but still cloudy. Tonight it is pouring rain and chilly. I am really looking forward to some warm sunny days and I think the kids are too.

I love each of these children and am so grateful for all they are teaching me. I have so much to learn and improve upon and they don't seem to be staying small while I try and figure it out.