New bike + warmer weather =

While in Wally World Ethan saw a boy riding a bike around the store and decided he wanted a bike too. This was a wonderful surprise to us considering last year it was everything we could do to get him on one. He had no desire what-so-ever.

When we went down a couple weeks ago, Ethan and I met up with Bill and Jameson in the bike area of Wally. Bill had put two bikes down on the ground to see if Ethan would want one.
We didn't even have to ask him. As soon as he saw them he went right over, climbed on and started pedaling. He rode it all around the store, out to the car and all over the parking lot.

Since then, if it is warm enough outside, he asks to go out on his bike. He is doing great. Learning that you can't go down a hill and put your feet down to stop you. Learning if you turn too sharp the bike will tip over. Learning when you ride in the dirt with training wheels you will eventually get high centered. Learning all the fun (and sometimes painful) new tricks that go along with owning a bike.

Loading the bikes

Ethan was out while Bill and Dad were loading up the bikes and wanted to try loading his 4 wheeler so they let him.

Riding part 3

Here are some more riding pics:

Riding part 2 Teaching 'em young

Ethan rode the 4 wheeler by himself for a good portion of the morning. He does really well as long as he doesn't get going too fast. You see, he can't reach any of the brakes so all he can do is let go of the throttle and let it stop on its own. He had a blast and will get better and better the more he rides.

Riding part 1

Let me just start off by saying we didn't ride as much this year as we normally do. Several factors contributed to this:

It was COLD!



Bill's bike wasn't working.


(note the rope in between the 4wheeler and Bill's bike)

Brian wasn't able to make it out (congrats on the baby!)
Dallin left for his mission 10 days prior.
And I'm in no kind of shape to head out for a good ride.

Ethan however got some good riding time in. Of course he doesn't seem to care if it is freezing outside.
We were the first to arrive in camp, so after we got everything situated and the trailer all set up Bill got Ethan's 4 Wheeler out. First he had him follow him around showing him where not to ride (into the tall sage, across the cow poop as examples).







After dinner Bill and Ethan played follow the leader up the hill.

2 month check up

Yesterday was Jameson's 2 month check up.

He measured 12.2 lbs and 23.25 inches

He is so adorable and fun. He has started smiling and talking to anyone that is around him.

Here are some pics from this morning.







This picture made me laugh so I thought I would share it..

Pennies on the track

With this long standing tradition of going out to the desert to spend our Easter holiday we also put pennies on the track.

For those who have never heard of this before it is very self explanatory. We all walk/ride down to the railroad tracks and lay out pennies.



Why do we do this?

You see out there when a train comes barreling down the tracks it likes to blow its horn several times (even in the middle of the night). What they don't know is they are actually smashing the pennies flat.




Now we have been doing this for some time now so the elders (Yup Maddi that is you!) try to be creative in how we set up the pennies to be smashed. We don't want the mundane single smashed penny, what fun is that?

The Wildlife

Well not actually wild.

Every so often we get visitors of the four legged kind into our camp coming to see what we are all about.

The Desert

Makes me smile just looking at this picture.

Bill's family has an Easter tradition from before he was born, camping out on the west desert of Utah.




It is one of my favorite places to be. So many things I love:

You can do everything and nothing all at the same time.


The smell of the sage brush, dirt, tumble weeds, and cactus blooming in the spring.


Family all together playing games, watching movies or just hanging out.

Cheeto's, sandwiches and hot chocolate (desert staples).



Pennies on the track. (post to come)


Our version of the Easter Egg hunt. (Post to come) We, Mom and us sisters, take bags of candy and eggs filled with candy and throw them around. Then we let the littles go and get a good start on picking up the candy before we let the olders.


Coloring eggs.


Oh and did I mention the riding?? Nothing like feeling the air flowing past you at a million miles an hour, listening to the music in your head and just flying across the desert, while dodging a coyote holes, ravines and hill sides filled with tumble weeds, and big sage brush bushes. Oh and making sure your not running into anyone else flying past you at the speed of light, flipping dirt clods and making a dust clouds so you have to duck and hold your breath until it clears. You know who you are! cough.. cough. (more posting on this later)