Visiting Cousins!

Visiting Ausitn Texas....(the cousins)

Mason's sister was pretty much bedridden, recovering from surgery.

Emily and Clover....they do look like cousins.

Our gummy worms melted in the hot car, so we made a gummy log...it tasted good (if only we could cut the darn thing)

It was so very hot while we were in Texas...103 PLUS thick humidity. This cousins cooled off in the backyard with many water fights.

Andew...funny kid. Emily...not having fun in this shot apparently.

The cousins loved ending their evenings playing games.

Clover and cousin John are only 2 weeks apart. They had fun together.

Connor and Andrew...are 1 year apart in age. They became very close. Connor cried very hard on our way home, because he just really loved Andrew.

Just outside of Austin TX lives Mason's sister Marie and her family. We have never visited Texas before. Our kids don't really know their cousins that live in Texas, so finally we decided to make the 24 hour drive down. It was worth it!!! The kids loved LOVED LOVED, their cousins! We had so much fun.

Nature's Best Art Exibit

We visited the Arches National Park in Moab Utah

The most breathtaking scenery in the USA....I have yet to see anything more grand to even compare a little! If you have never been to Southern Utah to see the arches, it is a MUST! I'm sorry folks, but after visiting there... I have to say nothing even compares (not Michigan, California, Texas, the South....NOTHING COMPARES TO BEAUTIFUL UTAH)

Honoring My Heritage

It just so happened that while on vacation to Austin TX, that is where my Great Great Grandfather was buried. He was a Confederate soldier, buried in the civil war Confederate section in the cemetery. He served in the TEXAS HOOD'S BRIGADE...which surrendered at Gettysburg. He lived to be almost 100 years old.

We visited the Stated Capital, and on the grounds is erected a memorial to the Texas Hood's Brigade. It was a beautiful monument to those men. This was very interesting to learn about him. ( I have only known about the Lutz side of the family fighting for the UNION). This is my mom's side of the family.

I was NOT prepared to be so emotional at the grave. This was the first time I ever got to visit one of my ancestor's graves.

Black and White

Some creative shots...

Are You Kidding Me?

For a couple weeks I have been suffering from itchy (goopy in the morning) eyes. I thought I have a eye infection, because I have no other allergy symptoms (runny nose, and sneezing). So I went into the doctor today, positive I have a eye infection. The doctor was puzzled and said he thinks it could be allergies. He asked me if I would take a allergy prick test. I said sure.

They took this poking object and pricked my back 72 times, with 72 different allergy substances. Everything from foods, to animals, to weeds and trees, molds ect...

After they pricked my back they waited 10 minutes to read it. They measure any welts that have formed. The bigger the welt the worse the allergy. When they came back into the room, they said "WOW"!!!! "Your back is all lit up". The doctor said my results were really bad. The welt sizes ranged from 0-13. I had many 11-13 sizes. I am glad none were food.

Some of my 11-13 allergies:

13: Cultivated Wheat, Sycamore, Goldenrod, Sagebrush, Sunflower, Baccharis

11: Ash tree, Palm tree, Oak, English Plantain,

I had lots in the mid range (and even I had cat as a 4)...

I was shocked, I sat there in that doctor's office with my whole back welted up and itching. I am now on eye drops, pills, and flownase. They told me I can stop all these allergies but it takes 3 years to do it.

Today was a very intersting day for me.

Cute Photos Of The Week

Messing around with my blog...and decided to pop up a couple photos taken this week. Not much new with our family. Shelby went to BYU softball camp last week, and she is leaving tomorrow for YW Girls camp for a week. She will have to come back a day early, because we are off on our road trip to Texas. It's been HOT HOT HOT here in Utah!!!! FINALLY! I have longed for heat, and I mean I want our 100 degrees! Just give it to me...I can take it. I am so sick of spring weather. I know I should be grateful for all the rain, it's just getting old. So my heat has arrived...Clover has found her own way to beat the heat....GET INTO A PITCHER OF WATER!

Someone is into the chocolate that my visiting teachers brought over for me. (I'll take those chocolaty brown eyes any day).

Peony Joy

My tulips are the highlight of my spring...but my peony is the highlight of my summer! Like my tulips my peony blooms and with in a week, the blooms are gone. So like my tulips I also get a photo each year. The first year I got ONE bloom, the next year I got about 3 blooms...now it is such a beautiful plant in my backyard.

Utah Day

Connor had a very nice program day at school all about Utah. (connor in orange in the middle)

Connor then had to display his report on Kane County Utah. The interesting thing about Kane County Utah, is that it is called Little Hollywood. Hundreds of movies have been filmed in Kane County. Connor had to make a float (which you can see in front of his Tri-fold), it is of a movie projector.

Connor has been working very hard to improve his naughty behavior in class. He has done so well, and his teacher is very pleased with his progress. The principal came up to me today and told me how pleased he is with Connor. Connor was given a "Principal Pride Award" today in school.

Just something I thought was so cute, and I happened to have my camera in the room. The 3 of them hanging out on the bed watching a movie.

Death In A Dryer Vent

We found that our neighbors have a bird nest in their dryer vent. We have found 4 dead baby birds and then today we found one alive on the ground. Then we saw a 5th dead hanging out of the vent. There are more birds in the vent, because we can hear them. The neighbors have no idea they are there...I'm thinking I should tell them?

What's Up?

Summer is slowly, and I mean slowly, getting here. Shelby is now out of school, she has finished the 8th grade. Connor has a couple more weeks left of school, and will be done with the 4th grade. We are all looking forward to taking a road trip to Austin Texas. We leave July 1st. We will be staying with Mason's sister Marie and her family. Grandma Coltrin will be driving with us. One the way down and up we plan on camping. We have started a family tradition that Grandma Coltrin camps with us every year. We love having her along for the fun. On the way home we will camp at the Grand Canyon...which none of us has seen. Subway sandwich picnic in the park.

Clover has learned to ride her trike...and she is obsessed with rocks. The back container on the trike is filled with her rock treasures she has found along the way.

Beautiful UTAH!!!!! Look what we have right next to our house! This is about 50 feet from our front yard.

MY GIRLS

Shelby Laura....13

Clover Ann...2

SISTERS... they love each other so much.

Mama and Clover...it sure was a beautiful day outside today.