Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Stern and Lucille Willard Family Reunion

The Family Reunion was at Leeds, Utah near St. George. In other words...it was HOT!! We spent the first day setting up camp and playing some fun family games. 
On friday morning, we went on a hike in the Red Cliff Area (called the mini-narrows). We hiked up to the first pool of water stopping along the way to check out caverns and crevices. 
This is the first part of the hike...just sage brush until you got into the Red Cliff's. We even took Brooklyn with us in a baby sling with a hat on. She did REALLY well on the hike and slept most of the way enjoying being attatched to mom for a few hours.
The kids were really adventurous and had a great time exploring. 
This was the first pool of water. It looks small and shallow but, it is deep enough for people to jump off the cliff into. 
The kids were catching tad poles and bugs. 

The kids were playing around the water then Abbie got too close and fell in. She hasn't had formal swimming lessons and all I could do(with the baby strapped to me) was scream for Reed to get her. She was fine and informed us that she didn't even swallow any water. We will be signing them up for swim lessons SOON!! 
After that, someone (an adult) stayed in the water while the kids were playing on the edges. 
The kids had fun swimming. 
A few groups of boys came along and showed us how they jumped off the cliff. 
Chris got brave enough and jumped too. 

Dad even went down the waterfall. 

Isaac and Reed went up the top to play in the pool above the other pool. 
Chris jumped again. Nobody else jumped...it looked pretty difficult to hit the exact spot where it was deep enough to jump. 
Isaac with my cousin Kraig and his boy JD 
Three of Allisha's kids came with grandma and granpa Millett to enjoy the reunion. They had a ton of fun catching tad poles and swimming. 
Isaac was brave enough to jump in the pool to Reed. 
Isaac was brave and wanted to swim. We will be getting him in swimming lesson also soon. He's a little braver than I was comfortable with. 
Abbie and Reed went to the upper pool to catch tad pools. 
The kids took turns jumping in the pool to Chris and Grandpa. 
Then we hiked farther up the trail to another pool where the red rock slides were better for the kids. We still stationed an adult at the bottom of the slide because it got deep really quickly. Isaac found out the hard way how deep it got when he kept slipping and kept falling until he couldn't reach any more and had to be saved by grandpa. 
Kaden and Dad sliding down the red rocks. 
This is looking UP the trail. We didn't go farther than this because you had to use foot holds scraped into the red rocks and a rope to go farther up....NOT FOR US. We had seen and had enough fun for us. The trail goes up another few miles but, this was as far as we went and it was the perfect amount of hike for all us with the kids. 
It was BEAUTIFUL!! 
The kids had a blast! 


Some stayed at the bottom of the pool while other went up to the top of the red rock slide. We all had a good time.
It's crazy how there could be so much water in the dessert. 
We stayed for quite a while and enjoyed the beautiful red rock scenery and water pools.
It was such a fun hike! 
Once we went back to camp we stayed in the shade and the kids made a "treasure" lunch box. Each kid made it their own with fun stickers. 
We played games and did fun craft projects. 
It was a little windy that afternoon so I spent most of the afternoon with brooklyn under my nursing cover out of the wind. She was really good camping. 
We played games and enjoyed being together.
The next morning as we were taking down camp. Brooklyn stayed out of the heat and slept in the trailer as we took down camp.
The kids played the rung, tennis ball game that morning and spent a lot of time on the trampoline.
Brooklyn did really good in the heat and loved sleeping without any blankets.

It was a really fun reunion!! It was so much fun seeing everyone and spending time with you all!
Can't wait to see you all next year!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

JUNE 21st

Our day started out early at Weber State for dress rehearsal. Having four kids, one in full costume and make-up, somewhere with a twenty-five drive by 9:15 in the moring is a busy morning. We made it on time and Abbie practiced both numbers she would be performing. One class routine and one combined Jazz Comp routine. This is them practicing with the older girls in their class outfits. They would be wearing their jazz comp outfit that evening when they performed. 
Figuring out where on this stage they would be....finding their marks. 
Putting last minute prep into their routine. 
Practicing 
Then we hurried home, after stopping for kiddie kids meals. Then we had Kaden open most of his presents...saving some for him to open when Dad got home from work. 
He opened up a slip-n-slide and a pool.....JUST PERFECT for an afternoon swim party!!! 
He loved the gifts! 

He was the first one to try out his "cars" slip-n-slide. It was a HIT!! 

We set the pool up on the flattest part of the driveway on some quilts. It was a huge success! 
Kaden, you are such a fun, happy boy!! I am sad you are growing up so fast and will be going to Kindergarten soon. My blonde, blue-eyed boy is growing up much too fast for me!! Love you, tater bug!!
All of the neighborhood kids were invited over for the party! 
We swam and had a HUGE water fight. The mom's ended up getting involved and we were all soaked by the end of the party. 
The kids had a great time!! 


Then it was time for cake!! A lighting Mcqueen and Mater cake was the perfect icing to this party! 
Kaden blew out his candles....after he finished chewing his tootsie roll. There almost wasn't any candles left before he was ready to blow out his candles....too funny! 
Eating his cake and ice cream!! 
Kiddo's finding some shade to sit in to eat their cake. It was a HOT day!! 
Yummy chocolate cake!
Once we were done eating cake, we hurried inside...showered, ate pizza(request of the birthday boy) and headed off to the dance recital. 
Abbie told Kaden that her present was to him that he got to go to her show. So sweet!! 
Abbie's class performing "It's raining Men!!" They performed with cute pink umbrella's. 

Jazz Comp taking the stage to perform. 
This was the number that they had competed with at all their competitions. This was their best performance....you did a great job girls!! 
Such a fun number to watch!! 

End pose 
Then the grand finale with everyone from the dance academy. 

When we went outside, it was still light even though it was after 9 p.m. I took a picture of Reed with the kids and then we went to a near-by place and had italian ice's to celebrate a great dance recital AND Kaden turning five!! A busy day but, a really fun one!! 
Congrats Abigail for a job well done. It was a fun year full of dancing!!
Happy Birthday Kaden!! I can't believe you are already five and ready to start Kindergarten! Thanks for being such a wonderful, fun and happy little young man!! Love you!!

Cassy Final
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