Labor Day Weekend

Our weekend started perfectly with a fun although brief visit from our friends the Ogdens.  Jenn was one of my BYU roommates, and luckily still a friend despite an almost complete lack of keeping in touch.  I'm so lucky to have some of those kind of friends!  Here is her cute Cade... if it is any indication of how long its been since we were together, he couldn't even roll over last time I saw them :o)  Now there is another cute kid and I have 1 more and 1 almost here.  Wow.  Time flies!

Saturday morning we joined what appears to be every other resident of the city of Boise and headed to Ann Morrison park for the Annual Spirit of Boise Hot Air Balloon Celebration.  It would seem I am teasing Boise because everyone goes, but it is legitimately cool.  Hot air balloons are just amusing.  We didn't make it in time for the morning take off, but we enjoyed seeing them in the distance and also the couple that were still at the park for show.

We also played at the park while there...

We headed back to the park early for good seats on the lawn for the evening "Glow".  Our pictures are all pretty terrible (can't find my real camera so I was using a 9+ year old one-- not that they would have been any better with the real camera and my skills :o)  Here we are early in the evening just after Mickey was inflated... the kids really liked him, this is just the enthusuastic look you get when you tell them to look away from the the thing that is so cool... funny how we think they'll still smile when it is behind them.

Shayne is learning/practicing his photo bombing skills young.  I didn't even see he jumped into the picture until I downloaded the pictures :o)

Here's the glow... bad representation, but it really was beautiful.

We had a great time.  Had a picnic, play football and Uno on the lawn and got to see amazing Hot Air Balloons.  Gotta admit... Boise is a pretty all right place :o)  Any place would be with the amazing fun family I have, but Boise is definately near the top of the list.

We're having fun.  I think that was the point of this post.  Oh, I guess I left out the rest of the weekend.  We had the flu.  fun.  Maybe not.  But overall, the weekend review is positive. 

And thank you to every one who joined us in fasting on Sunday.  We feel your love and support and faith.  We are so thankful to have such a wonderful circle of friends we can call on.  We love you.

Fasting this Sunday

I don't know if any of you are blog followers and not facebook friends, but I thought I would extend the same invitation here as I did to facebook friends:

Dear Friends and Family,

On Sunday September 2 my family will be fasting for the health and well being of our growing baby girl. To us, fasting is an opportunity to show our faith and ask for special blessings that we are in need of. By abstaining from food we show the Lord that our spiritual desires are stronger than our physical desire for food. We welcome anyone who would like to join us to do so, or to join us with your positive thoughts and prayers that day. Our baby is in an important period of development right now and also can use extra protection so we know she would benefit from the combined faith of many.

When we fast, we start with a prayer expressing our desires and the needs that we have and ask for the Lord's protection or guidance. We then abstain from food and water (my fast will be modified due to pregnancy) for the desired period of time (we have chosen breakfast and lunch, you are welcome to do it your own way). During that time we do our best to focus on more spiritual and faith promoting things and reflect on the things we have asked for. At the conclusion of our fast we end with a prayer.

Thank you to all of you who already have us in your thoughts and prayers. We feel sustained and our faith is strong. Our baby is doing well and we pray that will continue and no further complications will arise. She'll be here within four weeks so we hope these will be weeks of great lung development and intestine safety so that she is ready to thrive independently. Thank you so much for your concern, love and support.

Love, the Miller family

 

As a side note, I have so many fun things to post about but can't find my camera... I promise a post soon!

California Part 3

Come back for part 2, it is waiting for pictures on the other computer.

Part 3 is Beach Day!
I'm tired of writing so I'll let pictures speak for themselves.


 

 

 

 

 

 

After all that sand and salty water we had to rinse off in the pool at Uncle Tom and Aunt Christina's house.  Madi went off the diving board for the first time... not at anyone else's suggestion, she just hopped up and said "Watch."  Way to go Madi!  Extra fun about this tid bit is that this is the same pool where I went off the diving board for the first time. Uncle Tommy and Aunt Christina live in the house where my mom and her family grew up... this was a nostalgic return to Grandma's house for me.

And did you catch the sneaky beach picture I threw in there.  The highly unattractive side shot of me?  Yeah, that's me and my little belly I have been meaning to announce.  I'm so excited to tell everyone that we are expecting another baby girl!  I am 20 weeks now and due November 3rd.  We're all really excited and Madi especially couldn't be happier.  We hope she is just like her wonderful sister, with a good healthy mix of her entertaining and highly lovable brother.  We can't wait to welcome her to the family!  (And sorry for the slow announcement.)

California Part 1

Our kids love a lot of things, but near the top of their shared list is dolphins and penguins.  So guess what we did... We went to Sea World!!! Okay, it was as much for me as for anyone, but we all LOVED it!   

We had sooooo much fun.  The kids loved trying to touch the dolphins at the "Interaction" pool and we were amazed as one dolphin came right in front of us and made his dolphin noises, he was close enough to touch but we couldn't touch him because you aren't supposed to when their mouths are open.  So cool though! 

 

We spent most of the day going from show to show and exhibit to exhibit learning and watching and enjoying and then about an hour before the park closed I realized we hadn't done any of the "amusement park" stuff.  Trust me, we were amused and would have gone home happy and satisfied without any of the rides we did, but it was a perfect way to cap off an amazing day.  We laughed and laughed on the kiddie rides and especially got a kick out of the kids on the spinning sea star (tea cups) ride.

 

 

Those genuine smiles are my favorite. It makes all the exhaustion, napless days and late, late nights disappear.  Oh, and it makes 2 years of spending no money on entertainment so very worth it!  You don't have to have fun experiences like this to make you love your family more, but it sure is a fun way to remind yourself how very lucky you are.

Grand Canyon (May)

We're too close to this wonder to not make a trip... 

so we headed to the Grand Canyon for a little hiking and camping

 

(Yep, that's the best picture we got :o)

As soon as we pulled in we went straight to the Visitor's Center to see what we could fit in before dark and then headed out on a hike.

The idea was that the kids would walk the down portion and we would carry them up.  Day one they were pretty good and would go with the plan except when it got to windy or they were tired.  Our hikes were definitely shorter than we expected (the kids are better hikers when we are close to home) but it was still beautiful and we were so glad we made the effort to come.

 

 

 

  

 

 

Day 2 of hiking was not as well received by the kids as day 1... They both wanted Dad and refused to take a step until he picked them up.  Unfortunately this one on the the way up not down, so Kevin got one amazing workout.  (Okay, it wasn't very long that he carried them but in the heat and with both of them... I wouldn't last 100 yards)

Finally Shayne gave in and let me put him on my back and within about 45 seconds fell asleep.  I just had to include this picture so everyone knew I actually went :o)

 

After day 1 I couldn't figure out why I was so  unsatisfied, I didn't feel like we had really seen the Grand Canyon yet.  Turns out I needed to see the river to feel like we had seen it... Well, day 2, river, check.  Time to get in the car and let the kids get some sleep ;o)  They were SOOO tired the whole trip because of the driving and lack of naps, but considering those things they were really good travellers.

Side note:  There was a fire near Vegas shortly before our trip so everything was hazy, but we still got to see the "crack God put in the earth" (according to Madi).  It was magnificent.

 

 In case you are wondering logistic because you are planning on going, we went to the South Rim and stayed at Mather campground.  2 great choices.  The campground was great, well kept and quiet and very close to the visitors center where you go to catch the shuttles (you can even catch the shuttle from the camp entrance.)  We had a great time... and hopefully we can come back when the kids are bigger and we can hike farther and longer.  Fun trip, inexpensive, I highly recommend it.