More Bugs

M&M gave us this fly swatter. It's no ordinary fly swatter. It electrocutes the poor defenseless creatures!

The best part is that you actually get to see sparks and then smoke!

Fathers and Sons

Taylor was the ultimate first born son. He loved sports. He did nothing other than play sports. He wasn't interested in playing with cars or action figures, it was pretty much Basketball and Coloring. Come on, the boy was practically conceived in a gym. So, then along comes Andrew. The brother Taylor always wanted and the other son we craved. All he wants to do is play with his cars. So Nathan decided that is was time for Andrew to play more sports!

The activity ended like this. Andrew pretending to be a dog! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Chocolate Covered What's?

This is pretty funny. M&M texted us while they were in Cali to let us know that they went to some kind of bug, insect, weird store and that they bought chocolate covered crickets for the kids. I told her that this might have to end our friendship if this was for real. So when they came over for dinner, sure enough, she brought candy covered Ants, cheddar cheese Larvets, cheddar and bacon crickets, chocolate covered surprise, and a candied cricket. For those of you that know Nathan well, the fact that they remained in the house for as long as they did was a surprise. I couldn't even look or go near them. M said that it's a cultural thing and that a students grandmother brought him in a bag of chocolate covered crickets once. They go out into the fields to collect bugs and then cook them up with all sorts of chocolates and flavors. This is what I don't understand. If they can afford to buy flavorings then why do they need to out and gather insects?! Why don't they just buy more edible foods. I am sure that God did not intend for us to eat the bugs. They are there for larger animals to eat, not humans. Back to my story. So M was set on the fact that our kids were going to try at least one thing. I told her that they were not going to do anything unless she tried something.

This is her trying a chocolate covered surprise. Does it look like she's having fun. It looks like she's not really trying to have it touch too much of her mouth and that she's trying to make it seem yummy:)
Here's Nathan restraining Taylor from trying to lick the candy covered ant farm.
Love this look!
And Andrew is fascinated with Buggies!

So after a while of taunting and playing with the bugs in their boxes, Nathan steps up and says something like "Oh sure kids go ahead, everyone's doing it. It's the cool thing to do. Right M like when they go out with their friends and everyone's drinking and sure it's okay to just take one sip." The light went off in M's head and she starts to cry. She would never do anything intentionally wrong and when she realized what was going on she got really upset and felt horrible. Way to go Nate. It was a good learning experience for the kids. They were able to experience a situation that will come later in their lives and they can look back to this moment and remember to make the right choice. So off to the trash went the buggies and it was never spoken of again:)

THE END

Forever Grateful

This is Coaches Family. Coach recruited Nathan to play up in Washington. He worked really really hard to do so. In retrospect, it was all in God's plan for us. 2 months after we moved, Nathan was finally baptized and then a year later I followed. They were so wonderful to us I can't express it enough. They were there for us in small ways like giving us a ride here or there when we didn't have a car and in huge ways like getting us the most wonderful scholarship in order for us to live and taking us in like family. We spend every Thanksgiving and Christmas with them and swapped babysitting. In the journey through life, they are one of the families that will have a huge lasting impression on us. Nathan even got Jen to call her husband 'Coach' and that's all she calls him now. She gets better results that way. Sad but true. I could go on with many stories but I know most of you don't really care. J/J

Maddie and Jalyne are only about a week apart. I have tons of pics of them when they were babies. Maddie was always chubbier (hope not to offend I just have really skinny kids) than Jalyne. I just don't feel like scanning and fussing like most bloggers do. Sorry for being lazy:)

Cafe Rio Anyone

The trip to Utah is just not complete unless we eat at Cafe Rio. I know Noel is rolling her eyes!!!! Yes, I know we have one just down the street but the first time we ever tried it was in Sandy. This has been the only thing that I have ever tried that someone hyped up so much and I was NOT disappointed. Noel thinks all the Utah people are addicted to Cafe Rio because of all the sugar they use so she protests it kind of like I protest Twilight and she prefers Bajio or another one that begins with a 'C' that I can't think of. So gues what. In the 5 days we were in Utah we ate there 5 times. And one of those days was Sunday. Ha! Ha! Ha! Sorry Noel:)

The Grahm Fam

Sorry for the corkiness Noel but I just couldn't resist the rhyme. This cute family moved out of your ward about 18 months ago. So sad to see them go. Ashyln and Alex were such cute friends and I miss hanging out with you Noel. But you may be back here soon right? Ha!

He's so cute I had to get a close up

From Play Pals to Pen Pals

Pioneer Day

I've never really grasped Pioneer Day. Here in Vegas they only really talk about it but I've never celebrated it. I was excited to be in Utah during this day to witness all the hype. We took the Trax downtown which was fun but I don't really care to do ever again.

Andrew was super excited to see the train tracks. See, I'm not lying when I say that he loves to pretend to be a dog.


Notice how I'm not in very many of the pictures:) Whenever we're out I hear 'Take A Picture of Us'! I need to start playing the game.
This is a picture of the Prophet and his wife. For me this was the most exciting part. To actually see their faces, you can check out the Church News for that week:) The kids loved the horses and cops on mototcycles. The Stake floats were Amazing. It really was a fun way to celebrate the Pioneers settling in the Salt Lake Valley.

Miller Classic

Each Summer the Bret Miller Fam is kind enough to let us crash for a couple days. The kids love playing with their cousins in this part of the family because they think they are soooo cool. The Miller Classic is a great excuse for everyone to get together.

Some of the boys playing football.

Here's a familiar scene. Hanging out on the front porch.
The girls. Can't wait to see how much you've all improved on your gymnastics!

Their favorite Brandon

The older boys

The July Birthdays

A Concert:)

The Millers went to Utah

The kids made up this song 'The Millers went to Utah' to the tune of Mary had a little lamb. I feel so Mormon when I say that I'm going to Utah. Like when I lived in Washington and told people I was going to Vegas. I was just going home, not to go and cruise the strip. Well, this trip opened my eyes. I have never realized how much shopping in Utah meant that I would be surrounded by people to had multiple children as well. Yesterday in the grocery store, this 50 year old man turned the isle where I was with my 5 kids and immediately said 'NO! Are all those yours! Well your gorgeous, beautiful' I took that last part as a compliment but was still creeped out and when Taylor gave me the look, I walked as fast as I could. In Utah you can hardly get through the isles because everyone shops with their kids. Dad carrying the baby in the front pack, the 2 yr. old in the stroller being pushed by the oldest child and the rest in the shopping cart. Okay, enjoy the pics!

Nathan had to stop by Navajo Lake to show me what he discovered on his trip with M&M



Then we stumbled upon Ceder Breaks

Nathan decided that we were going to take this trip without any form of video entertainment. I thought that I was going to strangle myself and widow Nathan with 5 small children. He thought that we should old school it and sing songs, and talk, and look out the window and the beautiful surroundings. Who even does that anymore?! I was shockingly surprised at how smoothly the drive went. Besides a few threats here and there the kids did great. I'm still waiting for my waitress tip. It's know wonder waitresses get so annoyed. You can only be so happy and patient for so many hours in a small van with 5 kids and a husband awake and constantly asking for a donut or their thirsty or what other snacks do we have? It was really my pleasure:)

The Home Teacher

This is what happens when the Home Teachers come over!:)