A very fun weekend

Friday we went to Logan to see my cousin Jessica (the baby whisperer) cheer for her last football game at the Logan high Homecoming game. She graduated last year but the Seniors come back for the homecoming game. Emma loved seeing her cheer and just wanted to be down there with her.

We left Emma Friday night to have a weekend party with the Jensens and Lee and I joke that I traded her my oldest daughter for her oldest daughter for the weekend. So Kylee and Brody came back with us and we packed in a lot of activities.

Saturday we got up relatively early and checked off one of my goals for the year and hiked on Ben Lomond. The colors were sooo beautiful and the weather was pretty perfect.

We hustled down from the mountain to hurry and make a temple session, only to get to the temple and find it closed at noon for the Relief Society Broadcast. So the boys went one way and went to Avon to go shooting while Kylee and I shopped on 25th street and went to the Relief Society dinner and broadcast.

After the broadcast we went to the mall and then met the boys at the movie theater to see Eagle Eye. It was sooo good! We definitely recommend it. I would love to see it again in theaters and hope I do. It's pretty intensely packed with action, so beware :)

Sunday we went up to Logan to trade back our daughters. Ryan and I were very ready to see Emma and tend to miss her much more than usual lately, she's just so sweet and fun to be around. For dinner the Jensens had us go up to Logan canyon for a dutch oven cook out. We had a great spot by this beautiful river. Brody and Bundy felt it necessary to cross this freezing cold river. Bundy was the only one that made it. I laughed when I asked Brody why he was crossing and he very simply said "To get to the other side." Oh, duh, why didn't I think of that? Boys are just wired so differently that it makes me laugh.

There was lots of tree climbing, rock throwing, and a great game of sardines. The dinner was delicious and it was such a fun fall activity to do.

Thanks again Jensens for always caring for Emma and taking such an interest in her life. Every Mother knows how much it means to have someone love and care about your child. Words cannot express my gratitude.

Kylee and Brody we had so much fun with you guys and just love your company. Glenn Beck is a sure fire way to make friends with Bundy and I love that the four of us always have interesting conversations about important things in life. Can't wait for next weekend!

Emma, we're so glad you're home. Although I would take you with me everywhere I go, I do leave you with friends and family to help you grow and develop a tiny bit of independence. I just want to make you as strong as possible to face this world and times you have ahead of you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to us and we're very aware of our blessing to have you be ours for the time being.

P.S.

I won't do updates EVERY time I post something new on my photo blog, but I did just post some easy tips of how to take good pictures. So if you haven't seen it already then check it out and hopefully it will help you.

In the blink of an eye

So I have decided to start a blog for the sole purpose of displaying my photography. I take sooo many pictures of Emma that I don't like to display all of them on my blog because I scrapbook them as well. So I've started a blog of pictures I take of Emma and also friends and family. I hope to have great tips on there because I think picture taking is a great hobby that everybody should take an interest in. I have a very simple digital camera and a free editing program. I just want to inspire my friends and family and let everyone know that it doesn't have to cost a lot of money to capture a great picture. I hope you enjoy!

www.rlebundy.blogspot.com

Bear Lake

Last weekend we went to Bear Lake with my family. We spent two nights there and had so much fun. It was nice to have something to look forward to after summer ended.

Emma had so much fun with her cousins jumping off the top bunk over and over again.

Bundy was so happy to have people stay up well past midnight with him to play his favorite game, Settlers of Zerahemla. Thanks guys for humoring him :)

In true Skeen style we of course had an athletic event at some point. We put a race together for the kids and were delighted in the children's endurance. Jaken may not have won for speed but he definitely took first place in stamina. The kids loved it!

On the beach my dad put together another competition for families. There were items out in the water that one member of the team had to swim out and retrieve. Then we had certain structure requirements we had to maintain and then we would be scored on who had the highest sand castle. It was a very clever and fun activity.

Before leaving the beach we were able to get in a great game of Ultimate Frisbee. Sara/Rosalie Cullen was my defender and she is something fierce to compete with. Even though she used some of her vampire skills I was pleased with myself for still being able to score points for our team. Better luck next time Roaslie :)

We took the kids to the pool a few times and that really added to the whole experience. It was nice when we put all the kids to bed and then went down for the adult swim. Emma is such a brave little water girl, it's a good thing, but also a dangerous thing. Definitely first priority is to get her some swim lessons next summer.

This was the sunset as we were packing up, just beautiful! We couldn't have asked for nicer weather this time of year. I so badly wish Stacey and her family would have been there with us, but I think that's in the plans for next year. Thanks so much mom and dad for making this happen. We really did have so much fun!

Peach Days

We went for a long over due date night with the Stowers last weekend to Brigham City's Peach Days. We've never been and thought it would be such a fun family activity. We really did enjoy ourselves, but it wasn't so family oriented as it was shady people oriented. It made for great "people watching" though.



















Lily and Emma get along swimmingly and have so much fun together. I love how big they are and that now we can have the evening be about them but still enjoy ourselves as adults.



























Cody and Bundy were in the MTC together and made a fast friendship that has lasted all these years. Holly and I may not have the same connection as they do but we definitely have just as much fun together and love each other like they do.

Afterwards we drove to Logan to eat at Firehouse. My Aunt Carol and cousin Taylor offered to keep the little girls at their house while we went to dinner. That really made such a difference in our dinner conversation and being able to enjoy our adult time together.

Making the last day count

On our last day in Oregon we really went all out. We started by taking Emma to the Oregon Zoo which is a VERY nice zoo. All of the exhibits are so neat because they are set in the lush forest, so it looks about as natural and cozy as a zoo is capable of looking.












Ryan had us look at EVERY animal there. Here he and Emma are feeding the birds and he even got Emma to feed the bird while it walked on his arm.



























The Polar bears really put on a good show and we got a kick out of seeing them up close and watching them play. No joke, their paw was the size of a nine month pregnant belly.







































After the zoo we went to Washington Square, one of my favorite malls and did some shopping while we waiting for our reservations at Cheesecake Factory. Margo, Clay, Julie and Chad met us for dinner and I was such a happy girl.
















My sister Stacey got me onto the Luau Salad and it is perhaps my most favorite dish in the whole wide world, or at least in the whole wide world of salads.





After dinner I went down to Janie and Jack's, my favorite clothing store and bought Emma this little outfit below, except instead of the sweater I bought her a sweater dress. The whole store reminds me of a miniature Audrey Hepburn, it is just too sweet. Of coarse we don't have any magical stores like this in Utah, and it was tax free, so I couldn't resist.








This was a great last adventure for our last day in Oregon. We had the best time and are already looking forward to next year.