Family pictures

 Some Sundays when the kids look really cute, I decide that I want to try to take some family pictures.  While my parent were here it was easier than normal (since I didn't have to use the timer), so we all piled onto the benches on the deck and took some!

 I love that if you look at these pictures of the kids, you can see how Emery went from happily taking pictures to not so happily taking pictures.  ha ha

 Happy

 Losing it...

 Is there something in my nose?  Zac looks pretty done here too.

 Rob photo bombed this one...his face is just too good not to share.  ha ha

By the time it was the grandparent's turn, this was the best we got because the kids were done.  I think it turned out pretty cute still though. 

Sidewalk chalk paint

 The kids LOVE it when I make sidewalk chalk paint.  I don't know why I don't do it more often.  

 Zac enjoyed making designs until he figured out you could swing the paintbrush and make cool splatters.  Then he did that for the rest of the time.  

 Emery just worked on this puddle for a good while.  She is so cute!

 Sadie ended up painting a rocket ship, and all kinds of planets.  I am kicking myself that I didn't take a picture of the driveway before it rained a couple days after this.  It looked pretty cool with a rocket ship, planets, and splatters (from Zac) all over it.  

Emery found some sunglasses and put them on all by herself.  ha ha

I'll have to make this again soon.  It kept them occupied for a good hour or so. 

Sandy Waterfall

 On Memorial Day, we decided to take the kids on a hike.  We went to the Sandy Waterfall again because we know it is short and the kids can easily make it to the end.  Also, I'm hugely pregnant, so I didn't want to be doing any crazy long hikes or anything.  So we found our way to the trail and started walking.  Rob is so great with the kids.  He will walk slow with them if they want to walk themselves or he will give them a ride on his shoulders.  They love it!

 Before we even got to the real trail, Emery got a ride.  :)

 By the time we got to the trail, Zac was on his shoulders.  ha ha.  Once we started to hike though, the kids mostly made it all by themselves.

 Here is one of the caves.  The kids don't like to go all the way in this one. 

 Here is the other cave.  The went all the way to the back of this one.  But they don't really like being in there.  ha ha

 Rob and Sadie walked right up next to the falls.  The other kids and I stayed back and threw rocks in the water.  They had to walk through a little bit of water so Rob carried her back.  But the last time we went on this hike, the waterfall was barely dripping, so we could climb up on that ledge in the picture right behind Rob.  This time there was a lot more water coming down.  It was cool.

 A bystander offered to take out picture for us.  So I strategically placed the kids in front of my belly this time.  :)

 This was Zac and Emery's favorite part.  Throwing rocks into the water over and over again.

 The falls.

 You can't tell from this angle, but the kids actually climbed pretty high on these rocks to eat their snacks.  It made me nervous, but they were fine.  

On the way back down.  Zac liked the slide on your bum method of making it down the steeper parts.  ha ha.  All in all, it was a great hike. 

Train ride to Salt Lake

 Right near our house we have train tracks for the trax trains that run through the cities.  Whenever we walk to the park we see at least one train pass by usually two.  But we had never brought the kids on the trains before.  So when my parents came to town we decided to go on a train adventure.  And the kids were in heaven!  Zac kept saying "I just love this so much" while we were on the train.  ha ha.  And they loved watching out the windows especially when we were passing another train.  We rode up to Temple square and walked around a bit.  It was such a fun day.

 Sadie and Zac ran ahead with grandpa to get the train tickets out of the machine.

 Waiting for the first train.  

 This train was the only one where we all got to sit together.  There were more people on the trains later in the day.  But do you see how Sadie and Zac are sitting...that is pretty much how they sat for the first 30 minutes or so.  Holding on.  ha ha

 Grandpa helping Emery walk on the edge of the raised garden bed.  

 We visited the Christ Statue....There were hardly any people that day at temple square.  There were a few weddings going on, but I was surprised.  It has never been that empty when I have gone there.  So we got a few minutes to take some pictures without feeling like we were holding up a line of other people waiting to take pictures.

 My cuties!

 Family picture, minus dad. 

 Grandma with the kids.  Looking right into the sun.  ha ha

 Another family shot.  The weather was beautiful - cloudy, not hot and no rain.  That afternoon I think it started to rain.  It may have been the next day.  I can't remember.  

 We tried to get some jumping shots.  Sadie was the only one that got the timing right.  Zac and Emery were just a half second behind. 

 Love her hair in this one!

 Ha ha.

 Grandma. 

 Zac.  

Sadie was Elsa in this shot.  Lifting that water up.  :)

We had a great day and I think it will be something we will do more often now that we know the kids love it.  The whole time we were walking around temple square Emery and Zac kept asking when we got to get back on the train.  :) 

Emery

 Emery is so funny.  She is constantly making us laugh...she is also very feisty.  She can scream and throw tantrums unlike any our other kids threw.  But we still love her.  The other day at the park, she got bonked.  I love asking her what happened and listening to her explain it in her own words.  :)

Her-  Mommy...I got a bonk!!  Me- Emery...I can't see you, your hair is in your face.

 Me- Ok...now I can see you...what happened.  Where did you get bonked?

 Her- Over there... Me- No, I mean where on your body?

Her- right here.  

Then I give her a kiss and she is all better and runs off to play again.  Ha ha.

Zac's Birthday

 Zachary turned four years old on April 26th!  I can't believe he is 4 already!  He really is growing up.  We had a somewhat busy day on his birthday with family in town and a church meeting (for me) and a baby shower for Taylor that evening.  So we decided to invite family over for a BBQ lunch.  Of course, it was raining ALL DAY that day.  Ha ha.  Rob just pulled the grill on the deck and made the best of it.  The chicken was really yummy too.  :)  So Zac got to open his presents while we waited for the food to cook.  He got some good stuff!  He got the board game Operation, he got a nifty truck with a screwdriver type thing that you can put it together and take it apart with, he got some duplo trains and a backpack.  Perhaps his most favorite and played with gift so far is that Magformers we got for him.  I had seen that Ben and Lindsy's kids had gotten some for Christmas and they have loved them.  And they have not disappointed us (even though they are slightly expensive!).  We only got one set, but we are already wanting a few more because all of the kids love them. 

Anyway, onto some pictures!

 Here is his cake.  Rob frosted it and I put the sprinkles on, and Zac put the candles in.  :)

 And Emery took the opportunity while we were distracted with the candles to eat the sprinkles that had spilled on the table.  ha ha

 Presents!  He had some helpers.  He was very patient with them. There were people telling Emery and Sadie to let him do it himself, but he didn't mind the extra help one bit!

 Operation!  The kids love this game.  They have pretty much gotten over their fear of the buzzing sound by now.  ha ha

 Silly Zac.

 He almost blew out the candles before we sang to him!  

 But he waited patiently until we were done singing.  ha ha

And he blew them all out in one breath!  

Zac is such a cute little boy.  He has days where he whines a LOT, but that is how he has been since he was little.  He is growing out of it more and more the older he gets.  :)  He loves to play with his sisters and his friends.  He sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and calls me into his room.  When I get there he just says "Mommy....I just really love you".  ha ha.  He LOVES going fishing and camping with his dad.  Hopefully Rob can take him out a few times this summer.  His favorite thing to do is play games.  Specifically board games.  He calls the lawn mower the "mawn lower" every time.  We sure love him and we are glad he is part of our family!