Dirty Dash 2011

Okay...so you can hate me now...but I'm warning you there are a lot of pics for this post. But seriously, one of the most memorable for our family....my kids are still talking about it, and planning for next year. On September 24th, our family ran in a muddy, muddy race. And we had a ball...mud and all! The weather was perfect and we had awesome helpers (Grammee and Grandma Bug), and we are now officially clean. (Believe me it took a more than one shower to find all the mud in hidden places.) The race was held up at Soilder Hollow. Nate and I ran in the 10K race with the Muddy Buddies. And our kids ran in the 1 Mile Piglet Plunge. Next year though, I think the older boys want to run the 10K with us. I'll never forget Grandma Bug's comment when we first got there and saw all the muddy people..."You paid to do this?" And now she's singing a different toon of...next year when I run it ;-) There were hay bales to jump, walls to climb over/under, pipes to crawl through, and fire hoses to dodge. We laughed and joked the entire time, and had a ball with our running team mates. But the end was a blast going down the HUGE slide and playing in the pit with our kids! We can't wait for next year!





Almost done...almost done!

Nate running to the slide.


Cowa-Bunga!

Once a kid....always a kid!


Seth looking at us trying to figure out who we were...he was not ammused!

Momma and Daddy trying to get Sethers to smile and recognize us...I guess we were entertaining!

Me, Annie, Michelle, and Kameo....running buddies!

It's gotta be love!

Annie and I doing a back-stroke to the finish.

Hannah was still pretty clean when we came across the finish...it didn't last long though.

Ahhh....he finally decided to love me as long as he didn't have to look at me.

Brady...looking good!

Zack loved getting down and dirty!

A face only a mother could love.

Brady and Jace....enjoying the mud pit.

Martina and Michelle waiting to surprise Angie.

Zack wading through the mud pit.

See...she was not happy that I gave her a hug and got her dirty....oh how that changed!

Cute family shot...maybe our Christmas card? (Rachel took off with her friend Suzy, so I don't have any real muddy pics of her ;-(

Our Team Photo...the Muddy Buddies!

Brady and Hannah playing in the mud

We told her that it was okay to get dirty...and that's all it took.

Annie Clayson...she organized our team.

Jace and Hannah...not big fans of the cold showers.

See what I mean...she just needed the green light to get dirty.

Boy Jace...this is fun!

Nate didn't care about the cold water...he was gonna get clean!

Mostly clean...and ready to head home.

Priesthood Session

Nate had a once in a lifetime opportunity this past General Conference weekend. For the Priesthood session, there was a combined Pleasant Grove Stake mens choir, He was lucky enough to be selected from our ward to sing with 360 other men. Every Sunday night, since the end of August, they practiced for 2 hours at our stake center. They were very specific on what the men could wear, how they should style/cut their hair, and other little details. But Nate said the whole process was amazing and would do it again in a heart beat. And thanks to technology, I was able to view the songs online that night and see how well they did. I don't have any pictures from that night...they are still on Nate's phone...so he'll have to upload them.


The Wednesday night before, they had a dress rehearsal, and we decided to take just the oldest 3 kids. (PS...thanks again mom for watching the other 3.)

The kids and I went to the Church History Museum before and had a great time. Highly recommend that place!

It was breathtaking walking in a seeing them up there singing away.

Jace's 6th Birthday

6 years ago, I remember going into the hospital in the early evening on a Friday...wondering what little bundle would make his/her way into this world. I loved sitting in that hospital bed all weekend watching conference, holding my sweet little baby, and being waited on by the awesome nurses. But boy oh boy...what a ride it has already been with that little fireball. I have always joked that we should have named him 'Race' instead of Jace, because he NEVER STOPS! If it's wrestling, running, soccer, T-ball or anything else....he always gives it his all! He taught himself to ride a 2-wheeler when he was only 4 1/2, he'll climb to the top of ANYTHING, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't wish that I had a 1/10 of the energy he does. (But in retro-spec...when he is tired, he does crash...just like his dad.) We sure love you buddy! Hope you had a wonderful day!


Such a little charmer!

He had a camping birthday party with all his friends.

Ready to blow out the fire ;-)

Clock wise from left to right: Jake Clayson, Jens Hansen, Liam Scheuber, Gavin Asbell, Jace, Mitchell Evans, Dallin Butler, Robert Lane, Reagan Lindal....roasting hot dogs and smores for dinner.


Campfire cupcakes for our friends.

The campfire cake...3 different kinds of cake, and 2 different types of frosting, plus fruit rolls ups for flames....can you say sugar OVERLOAD?

Happy Birthday sweet boy!

A tradition to have breakfast in bed...with whatever you want for breakfast. Notice my phone on the tray, Hannah wanted it to be playing his favorite song (at least the one that he knows most the words to)....it's Allstar by Smashmouth.

First Day of School

Oops....of course I knew that I hadn't ever posted about our first day of school. So I decided to scan in their class pictures along with first day pictures (although somehow Brady's class picture is nowhere to be found, so we'll have to scan it in later.)


For some reason, they all ended up wearing gray and black the first day...I guess we had a color theme!

Waiting for the bus! (So glad the bus stop is right in front of our house!)

Always ready to model for the camera. Rachel is in the 2nd grade this year

Mr. Zack, excited to start the 4th grade.

"B"...now he's king of the school in the 6th grade...(at least he thinks so!)



Zack has Miss Wright, who was Brady's 4th grade teacher...she still calls him Brady from time to time...even though they don't look anything alike...but I guess they act alike in class!

Rachel's teacher is from Austraila...and is expecting a baby in June!

Jace with his class and Miss Emily and Miss Robin. He's lucky to have his cousin Chloe in his preschool class with him. He'll always say to me..."Mom, I'm older than Chloe, but she is taller." (I'm thinking he likes to know he's one up on her still.)