Pirates, Carnivals, Cakes & the great outdoors

Well, what happens when I don't post for a while is I combine.. so here goes.

The trampoline is a wonderful fun tool at our house. Every day either Dave or I (or both of us) get coerced into jumping w/ one or both big kids. Our biggest bribe with Derek lately is if he is obedient during the day, Dave will jump with him on the tramp, and play pirates -- swords and all. So - Here we are - ALL enjoying the tramp (I'm sure we exceeded the weight limit, but it was worth it!!)

Here's Hailey - sporting her new summer doo -- braids. We both love the freedom of NOT having to do her hair!!

Me & the bug

My favorite Pirate & his shipmates, Hailey & Derek. Notice Dave's the only one w/ the sword?? Are you wondering about the orange bird?? It's called "Wild crazy orange ducky bird". Hailey got it several years ago & it has a squeaker in the beak, which makes it all the more fun. Derek recruited that recently to be part of the sword fighting action.

NEXT UP: THE CARNIVAL -- okay, not a full on one, but it was Pony Express days out in Eagle Mountain, so we went to the festivities which included treats & games for kids, and a performance from Jason Hewlett - an impersonator/comedian.

Here's Hailey - workin' her magic on a gnarly curve ball -- she knocked down all the pins down! Woohoo! (Derek cheated & only got two)

Here is SAD DEREK, not to be confused with his happy counterpart. He got a prize that was a balloon with a rubber band on it, that you blow up & can bang back & forth. Anyway - his popped about 3 minutes after I blew it up for him (and 30 seconds after Hailey's popped). When he gets sad, he gets this frown, and then the tears start. I could almost hear his heart breaking. It was sad...
Me & Dave, hanging out watching the show - it was fun, we just threw down a blanket on the hill, had some dinner & relaxed.

This video is hillarious to me, because most men I know don't LOVE dancing, whereas most women I know seceretly (or openly) WISH they could be on So you think you can dance. So - this video shows that this whole concept begins at a young age. Here you'll hear music in the background & Cambrie dancing to it -- meanwhile, Derek is trying to get Cambrie to come throw frisbees with him. Derek - Get used to it, it won't change... :)

The kids, enjoying their shaved ice

Yesterday Hailey called me upstairs and this is what I saw.... I think Jenna would LOVE having all these friends in her crib with her... doesn't she look thrilled?!?

My dear friend Natalie had a baby shower, and I volunteered to make the cake for it (WITH HELP!). So I spent Monday making cakes, and with the help of my sweet friend Lora (& her dad), they helped me craft this masterpiece. I LOVED how the fondant looked, and it TASTED SO GOOD! Chocolate w/ chocolate marshmallow filling, and Yellow cake w/ raspberry white chocolate. Divine, simply divine...
This summer a bunch of ladies I live near decided we should get whoever wants to go should get together once a week and hit up different parks for lunch with the kids. This week we went to South Fork, up Provo canyon. It was a total HIT. There was a little stream there for the kids to splash around in, and a great grassy picnic area, trails, trees, sticks, dirt -- you know, the stuff kids eat up!

Here Derek got to hold a REAL inch worm. He thought it was SO cool!

While we were up there, we got to celebrate our friend Julie's birthday - HAPPY BDAY JULIE!!

Derek & his friend Karson, playing on the truck by the water

The kiddos playing in the water

Hailey & my friend Melanie's son Austin ended up getting DRENCHED in FREEZING COLD mountain water, but when you're 10, it doesn't phase you for too long :)

We've had a pretty busy, but great start to summer -- More to come :)