Pirating and fort making, on a snowy day

Last week we got some snow here in Northern Utah. So the kids and I had a cozy day playing pirates and making forts.

Also I can't believe how big my Max is getting! He is turning into a little boy. He is such a sweetheart.

 
I built a quick fort for the kids so they would stop playing in the curtains :).
As you can see below Jack thought it was pretty awesome.

 

Cali-forn-i-a

Last Thursday we took off in the motor home with Mason's family, we drove all day and arrived in southern California to spend the weekend. We spent some time with Mason's Grandparents who live out in Moreno Valley. Then it was off to camp in the RV at The Dunes in Newport Beach.

The quick trip was for a reception for Mason's sister who got married back here. So Friday evening we got to The Dunes. My two sisters and my nephews and niece also came down from Northern California to see us and also give us my brothers computer to take back. It was so fun to spend all of Saturday with them. Since we didn't have a car and my sisters car only fit her family, we just hung around our camp area We played on the beach, played arcade games, and had a very adventurous ride on a bike car. It was so short but I am so glad we got to see them.
Saturday night was the reception on the beach. It turned out so nice, I wish we would have stayed longer but Max was tired and so were we so we headed back to the motor home early. But we heard that it was an awesome party and everyone danced till the very end.

So yes a very short trip (I wanted to see you JO!).
On our drive home it got pretty crazy, kids ready to not be stuck in a car and over tired. But we stopped at a Casino Buffet in Mesquite, the food was good and we ran into a famous clown also enjoying the buffet. The kids thought it was so cool and he gave Max and Savannah a postcard of him when they went and said hi(he was a non talking clown also). Max was so overtired and was being so funny, running over to the clown with his postcard pointing out and saying "this is you!" it was pretty cute.
So till next time California (and I will see you Jo...and Disneyland).

Jonah pushing Jack, they are so cute with Jack

Me and my Analynn, I miss her already!

 

Max's two sides of cousins

 

 

Me sisteer Emily!

Jumping Jonah Jahosafat 

Jumping Isaiah

Jumping Analynn the ninja

 

On our way home stopping for a break

 

Halloween movie cousin time, with cookies

We invited Mason's sister's girls over for a little Halloween party. I made cookies and we got some Halloween decor, including cute pumpkin straw cups for the kids to keep.
Poor Seinna couldn't come because she was feeling sick, but Tresa and Savannah came and it turned out pretty fun. We watched Wallace and Gromit:Curse of the Ware Rabbit.
 It will be fun to do this again next year.

^frames Max picked out from the $1 section at Target 

 

a cowboy, a top hat, and a tea party

Having Mason's sister Tresa back from Afghanistan has been so great. We missed her a lot and it's fun to have someone else to hang out with.

The other day Tresa planned an awesome tea party for the kids. The day before we went to the DI and got hats and dresses for the girls and a tie for Max.
I found cute cowboy hats so I had Jack wear one.
Max and the girls took the tea party pretty seriously, pinky's up and all. It was awesome.
Tresa did such a good job keeping up the illusion of the fancy tea party and her playlist of Disney songs playing in the background made it fun. 

Moving

We moved from our cute little yellow condo^

To our Beautiful new blue HOUSE!

It was crazy and we had more stuff then I realized, but we had so much help that we got it done in 2 trips in one day.
The Sunday after we moved was my Birthday. I turned...wait for it...26!
And my sweet mother brought me a Birthday cake.

The morning of my Birthday Mason usually makes me breakfast in bed, but since we were in a moving mess we went out to breakfast at Village Inn and it was so fun. Max thought the "Funny Faced Pancakes" were so cool.

We have slowly been getting everything unpacked and put in its new place.
The kids have been enjoying a little to much Curious George, it is my babysitter while I try to get the house put together.
The kids love the bigger areas to run around and they love having a porch to draw chalk on.

I will do a post of pictures when our house is a little more ready. We are almost there just some last boxes to sort through and pictures to hang.

 

Lake Powell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  We finally made it back to Lake Powell this year, Mason had not been for 6 years and I went to Lake Powell for the first time 7 years ago when Mason and I first dated and I had not been back since.

So we packed up his parents motor home with everyone and drove down to Lake Powell. Even though I had only been once I remembered how awesome it was and I was so excited to finally be back in that beautiful place. And it did not disappoint. Also while we were there Jack pretty much started walking.

We stayed for a whole week and Max LOVED it. He loved the water, loved the sand, and loved being around family. He would call the water noodles his "rocket ship". Jack loved being around everyone and the sand, but the water he was not so sure about. He was content just staying on the beach.
 Mason went water skiing, we had root-beer floats, we made smores, we found treasure on "Pirate Island" (we hid seashell necklaces and a map on a little beach Mason's dad found, for the kids), we took the boat and explored Annie's Canyon, we watched Winnie the Pooh way to much(we forgot any other kids movies), the kids ate way to much candy, we had dance party's, we built a sand castle, we went hiking, we ate a lot, we swam a lot, and it was awesome.

I Can't wait till we go back next year.