VERNAL!

Yes, Vernal.  See, here's the funny thing about Vernal, Utah.  Almost everyone has heard of it but few folks really know where it is, let alone have visited.  But we did!

Vernal is home to a good sized collection of one of our favorite things.  Cousins!  Bet you thought I was going to say dinos, right?  Well, they were an added bonus.  So too was the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo!  I'm not sure who labeled Vernal as a small town.  Small town= sleepy, boring town.  Not so.  We saw enough cowboy boots, mullets, high kicking bulls and cotton candy to keep us very much entertained.

First up, dino land.  Unfortunately a lot of the park/trail/museum was under construction so we didn't get to see the whole shebang but we did see some cool fossils, some extra cool (hot really) sand-- that was Bree's favorite thing, and a few lizards.

Next, the rodeo.  This was my first experience, the girls too.  Personally, I preferred the events that did not involve any bucking animals.  Especially after I learned how they were made to buck.

 BJ and I have learned that we simply cannot take any sort of road trip without one or both girls getting carsick.  This time it happened in Provo canyon and luckily, we had BJ's little hospital puke tray to minimize the mess.  Nevertheless, we decided to stop and get some air at Bridal Veil Falls.  It was very crowded but beautiful.

This is on the way to the falls.  They were tired.  Then Cambree decided to "do some exercise."

New Additions

By the way, if any of you have missed our news, let me fill you in:

We bought a minivan.  Actually, not really a minivan.  It's a bus.  A VW.  A Routan.  We really didn't want a minivan so it's just more fun for us to call it something other than what most people think to call it.  After all, it is one of a kind in our church parking lot and that says something.

We bought a minivan because we hated our Taurus.  And because we couldn't fit 3 car seats in our other car.  Get it, 3 car seats?  We only have 2 kids.

So things are a little bit tight in our garage.  Know what else is a bit tight?  My clothes.

We are excited to announce that we will be adding a baby boy to our family.  

Well, most of us are excited.  Cambree really wanted either a baby sister or a baby monkey.  So she's warming up to the whole idea still.

He's due November 23. 

I will not be having Thanksgiving dinner at my house this  year.

YOU ARE....AN IRONMAN

I hesitate to include this post.  Why?  Well because many of you may automatically assume that BJ or perhaps I am the Ironman.  But no, at least not this time.  This time it was our dear brother-in-law, Mr. David Q. Hatt.  We are so proud of him.  The full Ironman race is an absoulutely amazing feat.  Amazing.  2 1/2 mile swim, 50 mile bike ride and finally a full marathon (26.2 miles).  Is that not amazing?  All done in about 9-10 hours.  Wow.  Oh, and did I mention it was in the 90s?  It was soooo hot!

BJ caught the fever, the Ironman fever.  He wants to do one.  I didn't catch that kind of fever, mine was closer to a nice sweaty case of heat stroke.  But it was very fun.  There were several professional Ironman-ers and Ironwoman-ers and we watch them in transition and finish.  Very exciting.  And hot.

This was St. George by the way.  Early May too.  This year.  Just a bit behind on my blogging.  Just a bit.

A visit to the temple with cousins.

I regret to say that this is the only picture I have of our very own Ironman.  

Below are my favorite pictures from the trip.  Absolutely nothing to do with the Ironman race.  Nope.  Just a too big skirt and an infectious little redhead.

Poor Haylee was sick for the first half of our 5 day racecation.  But she pushed through it enough to complete her own little race.  Bree too.  And extra patient Daddy.

6 Years!

You'll never believe what happened to us in only 6 years...our little baby girl with the gigantic eyes grew up!

We had a friend party with 6 lively girls and it was wonderfully lively and wonderfully exhausting.  But hey, it was a great opportunity to meet all our neighbors! 

A butterfly craft...

The group.  I like the bottom one better.  More smiles.

Popping the balloon butterfly to find the secret message...

We learned that butterflies taste with their feet and since I didn't think it would be a good idea to do the same with our own feet, the girls are trying to write their names with their feet instead.  This was funny.

Bored little sister wondering when it's her turn...

Butterfly cupcakes!!!

Butterfly cake pops!  Did I mention this was a butterfly themed party?  As if you couldn't tell...

"Happy Birthday Dear Haylee..."

The cake for the family party...not very exciting because the cupcakes took all my creative energy but at least there were leftover butterflies for the cake!

And another shot of the birthday girl...just for good measure.