Wednesday, September 12, 2012

South Dakota

We had such a fun trip to South Dakota with the Merritt's!! I have been wanting to go for such a long time and was so excited that the time was finally here!! Jake had to work a ton on the trip so we decided to go with him and hang out in the hotel while he worked.  First we went to Sheridan and played around there for a couple of days and then we headed to Rapid city! When we first got there the kids and I quickly went to the reptile gardens to meet up with the Merritt's!
The kids loved it there.  We went to a snake show an alligator show and a bird show. There have the worlds biggest venomous snake collection!  Tagg was in seventh heaven! The kids loved seeing all the birds and flowers and snakes and creepy crawly things they had! It was alot of fun there!
After that we went back to the hotel and the kids swam for a bit and then we got ready and went to see Mt. Rushmore! On the way to Rushmore we decided to head up to crazy horse first.  The story goes that the carver for Mt. Rushmore got mad and left the project and came up there to start his own sculpture of an Indian. When it is completed it will be a few feet taller than the Washington monument. It was cool to see. Then we headed up to Mt. Rushmore but it was a little bit to dark to see it well.
The next day we got up and headed to bear world.  The kids loved this place too. They had almost every animal that lives in the mountains that you could think of. They were right next to your car...the kids thought a couple of times that we were going to feed them to the bears! Seeing the animals up close gives you more appreciation on just how massive these creatures really are!
After bear world we went back to Mt. Rushmore....I really loved this place...for so long i have wanted to see it! It just amazes me how they could do that...i cant even draw a stick figure with out messing it up! I absolutely loved it there and could have spent way more time there.
The kids were so good on this trip and it was so fun.  I am just so grateful to Jake that he works so hard so I can enjoy staying home with my kids and that i can have so much fun with them on such an amazing family vacation! (I'm not telling Jake but I might make him do this every year!)

Katie, Brystol, Tagg at Reptile Gardens
Kori Merritt, Kash Merritt, Kali Merritt, Katie, Tagg, Brystol. Our beautiful bunch and Reptile Gardens
Kash Merritt and Katie
The Alligator show
Our cute family at Crazy horse....fitting name for my bunch!!
SHHHHH don't wake the bears
Tagg, Katie with the red fox
My amazing family.....Tagg, Jake, Brystol, Kaite
The girls...Linds, Brystol, Katie
Brystol and Katie with the presidents!
My busy Brystol thinking she has fooled us all and is off on her way....doing whatever she wants!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Jakes new horse...Dash

Jake got an awesome new horse!!  His name is a Dash of Evil!!  Hopefully he doesn't take after his name!!  Ha! Jake loves this horse!! We went to a neighbors house to work Dash out and see how he does.  He did great.  He is a sweet spirited horse that has such a calm personality! He comes up to me and will put his nose on my hip and just keep it there.  He is huge!! We have a small two horse trailer and he barley fits....but he does fit so we don't have to get a new trailer!! The kids can't ride him quite yet...he is only 4 years old and still young! But I think he will be a great horse for them next year!

Kate and Tagg on Snickers

Brystol

Brystol loves the horse


Jake and Dash

Man doesn't he look HOT on that horse!!!

Dash my boy!!  Such a beautiful horse!!

The weather has finally been so good so we went outside to play with the horses!!  Brystol had so much fun playing in the sand box getting so dirty and eating a little too!!  I love that my family loves to be outside!!  We have so much fun together when we play with the horses!!  Jake does such a good job showing our kids how to be safe around the animals and how to act around them.
I love watching him teach them about something he loves so much!!  I have such a wonderful family and they are the light of my life!!

Brystol

Tagg

Look at this awesome dirt mom!

Its good too!!

Sweet little feet that I love so much!

Tagg leading his sister on kwapi

Sister...cute

Tagg learning to ride by himself

Such sweet kids

Kates Basketball

Kate had so much fun playing basketball!!  And I absolutely loved watching her!!!  As you know I played basketball in High school and most of my childhood!! I loved the game and was so proud to see my daughter playing it!!  She was very shy at first but then she really got into and wanted the ball and made some baskets and was awesome!!  I always wondered why my dad had to yell on the sidelines....I would be a little embarrassed that he was so loud...well dad now you can be embarrassed by me instead!!  Kate already has told me to stop being so loud!!  I am a yeller...just like my favorite dad!!  Now I know why he did it!!  And sorry to tell you Kate....I probably wont stop!! Ha!! Love you Kate..Good job playing! I hope you love it as much as I do!!



Utah!!!!

We went to Utah to visit Grandma and Grandpa Leavitt before they went back to Logandale!!  We always love going there!! The only downfall this year was that Grandma and Papa Leetham were at Kelseys volleyball tournament so we only got to say hi for a min before they left!!  But we had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa Stephens and all the cousins!!
The kids helped rake leaves in the back yard..of course the saw all the animals and grandpa even let them gather some eggs!!  They love tagging along with Grandpa when he takes care of the animals and is out in the back yard.  He can never go down there with out at least one of my kids right on his heels!!
While we were down there Grey Celebrated his Birthday!!!  It was so fun...Aunt Cally did an awesome job with pinatas for each kids...cake...food...and tons of fun!!  Grey was even nice enough to let all the kids blow out his birthday candles!!

Tagg

Kate being a stinker and not letting me take a picture of her...but I was sneaky and got one!

Tagg...Grey....Kate

Brystol....I just love her rosie cheeks and blue eyes

Such a happy girl

Monday, January 30, 2012

Great Grandma Stephens Dresses

Great Grandma Stephens made these beautiful dresses for Brystol to wear!!  She looks so cute in them and we just love that she made them for us!!  Grandma is so talented when it comes to sewing. It means so much to me that she takes the time to make things for my kids!!  Thankyou Grandma for making us look so beautiful!!
Brystol has the biggest smiles and just loves to pose for the camera!  She is such a special addition to our family and we are very lucky to have her sweet personality about us!!









Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Kids Playing soccer

The kids got a soccer ball and some cones for Christmas so they wanted to play a little!! They just love to be outside!!





Rams

These rams were on the side of the road up North Fork.  They were really fun to see.  So close to the road.  There were about 50 of them. The kids really like to see animals!!