First dentist visit

Alyeska did great at her first dentist appointment. She wore cute little sunglasses and they were able to brush her teeth. She got a token to get a prize. Downfall is we payed $25 copay for her to get comfortable at the dentist...hmmm oh well 

Elias's first hike

We went up North Ogden Divide for Elias first official hike and he went on my back with the Ergo carrier for the first time as well. He fell asleep in about 5 minutes. Its always sad to see how out of shape I am after not hiking for so long but I just love the feeling of being tired after a beautiful hike. One of my favorite types of exercise.

Union Station

Ramp puts on free things for every Saturday in the summer. I went to the Nature Center one day and we saw some birds and birdhouses and last Saturday we went to all of the Museums at the Union Station. It was a great Saturday out with the family, we went early before everyone and their grandma got there. Andy hasn't ever been to the museums and thought they were great.

I really like the following blogs because they give great ideas of what to do in Ogden and Utah. The blogs have been wonderful especially since we stayed home this summer.

Indie Ogden

Enjoy Utah

Bowling and girls nights

Yay $1 dollar bowling at Fat Cats. Alyeska had so much fun and actually didn't get bored until about frame eight. She beat my score but that doesn't take much when Im really bad and she gets bumpers and a bowling track. :)

 I also got to do a couple of girls nights this summer. One bowling/bubble tea and another sushi night/bubble tea. Love my girlfriends and girl nights.. it does a mommy good, thats for sure.

4th of July

This year we went to the North Ogden Parade/Carnival and we also went to Clearfield fireworks with a ton of Genesis Project friends. The kids loved watching both the parade and fireworks. We also went to the Pioneer Day parade with Kira.

Zoo Babies

At the very beginning of the end of spring we went to the Hogle Zoo for Lego days. The zoo has recently updated some exhibits and they are doing so much more this summer. It should be fun to see all the new stuff next summer. I had a great time hanging out with Autumn and Chelsea. Chelsea hooked us up by getting us in for free with her family pass.  Its so fun to see the kids faces light up when they see God's amazing animal creations.

Chelsea's bday at Savers

I took Chelsea to Savers for her birthday. I wanted a special day together. We chose clothes for each other to try on and the kids did great playing in the shopping cart which was great because we were probably there for almost 3 hours, Elias slept the whole time. It was so much fun! We picked some fun colors and Chelsea left with quite a bit for only $20.

Tony Grove Lake

Andy is always searching for new places to explore and our area has a lot to offer. I love the Logan area. It is gorgeous! I wouldn't mind if one of our kids decides to go to Utah State. We of course stopped at Cafe Ibis for some Highlander Grogg coffee beans for Andy which made the 4Runner smell delicious and then we headed up the mountain for a relaxing day at Tony Grove Lake (which was more like a very large pond). It was so beautiful surrounded by mountains. It was a perfect day in the mid 60s, the water was cold but it wasn't like we were jumping in to swim. We had a picnic lunch and did a walk around the lake. Andy and his parents attempted to go hike Naomi Peak but found out that it still had lots of snow and was a little further than they wanted to go for that day. Andy may go back this summer to hike the peak.  We also want to go back to see the Wind Caves which are only a mile and a half off the road but both babies were already asleep and we were all ready to go home. If our day wasn't already amazing we also got to see a cow moose take a dip in the lake and on our way home we saw a Bull Moose off the road. What a wonderful day with the family!

Dedicating our son Elias

Wow what a commitment to dedicate our son to the Lord. What does dedicating mean anyways? From what I have come to know,  a Baby Dedication is a ceremony in which believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God's will and to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways. 

I feel like in some ways I fail at this with our first child, and I know I will fail at this with our next, over and over again. I wish I would pray for my babies and not just a quick two minute prayer but deep meditating prayers that comes from my heart and soul. I pray God will guide me and help me to take this parenting seriously. My hopes is to pray for my kids on a daily basis and I pray that I will continue to have a healthy marriage and family life for years to come because of my willingness to follow God's Will for my own life.  

What do I want for my son?

I want him to know God as his personal Lord and Savior but I also want him to see God as his best friend, his everything, his number 1. I want him to serve and know God more than he serves and knows anyone or anything. I want him to fear God. I want him to be a man of God. I want him to strive to do God's will. 

"As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there. 1 Samuel 1:26-28

Utah Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway

In the 21 years I have lived in Utah I had never been to the Utah Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway (but I did go to Wendover, Nevada which is literally right next door). I remember watching a great movie years ago called "The World's Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins which was very well done. I found it on Netflixs, so to get us in the mood to go and also to show Andy's parents what goes on at the Salt Flats we watched the movie the night before our trip. We all enjoyed the movie.

I had been to the Salt Lake when I was little. Once was enough to tell you the truth because its just nasty salty water, no fun to swim in and really not that pretty. I was surprised that the Salt Lake was only half way to the Salt Flats. It took 2 1/2 hours to get there from our house. It was so worth the trip!! It was amazing how glittery, flat and vast the flats were. We were surprised and a little disappointed that the Salt Flats were all wet. However besides all of us getting salt on our shoes and clothes the water puddles made the salt look AMAZING because of the reflection from the sun. We had fun taking some forced perspective pictures and as many family pictures Alyeska allowed us to do. Alyeska kept saying my hands hurt because the salt was getting in her dried skin. We were able to take forced perspective pictures because there is absolutely nothing to compare size to, not even power lines. It was great!

We stopped for lunch at the Rainbow Casino in Wendover, Nevada and of course took a picture by the cowboy. We stopped at the Salt Lake Marina to look at the boats and we also checked out the Salttair. The Salttair looks like a fun place to go to a concert which I believe is what they use that building for. We drove by this huge man made tree sculpture called the Tree Of Life, we found out that a lady had her twins right by the sculpture yesterday. As anyone knows near that whole area there is a whole lot of nothing and no hospital insight. The news said they helicoptered her to the Salt Lake City Hospital. I guess they have a new movie with Brad Pitt called the Tree of Life which was partly filmed at the Salt Flats.  It was fun to check out one of Utah's jewels and oddities.