The 4th of July

What a great weekend having the Simmons clan and Mackenzie with us on the 4th. Here's a few photos of the weekend. Miss and Love you all Traci

Desert Snow

"There is something about this country that is deeper than just being here. There is a spiritual quality about it too, that is as deep as life itself" Pearl Baker

Some of you may not know that we get snow. Lately, A LOT of it. This photo is from the first storm. We have had a couple more storms since. I am so glad we get a white Christmas. The white snow on the red rocks with the green trees and blue sky is so beautiful. We are so fortunate to live here. In more ways than one.

Twelve year old Tess

Happy Birthday Tess! Every birthday I tell the kids the story about the day they were born. This year I got all choked up. Where does the time go? TWELVE. Wow! We are so blessed to have Tess in our lives. I would post her favorites, but I am certain Tess would want to be a part of that post, so I will wait till we are together.

Who had a Birthday? Shout Horay!

Sometimes life gives you a big bonus when you least expect it. For us it's our Mallory. Happy Birthday little girl. We love you.

Erin is Nine

On October 16th Erin had a birthday. She got her ears pierced and got to be with lots of extended family. Some of Erin's favorites:

Favorite Food: Lasagna

Favorite Treat: String Cheese

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Movie: Bridge of Terabithia

Favorite Vacation: Disneyland and camping

Favorite Subject in School: Reading

Favorite Book: Aunt Isabella Tells a Good One

Favorite Place to Eat: Golden Corral

Favorite Joke: Knock Knock, Who's there? Olive, Olive who? Olive You.

Erin is such a unique, smart, fun, beautiful girl inside and out (most of the time) that was from tess ;)

We are so blessed to have you in our family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN! We love you....

Erin shares a birthday with her aunt Mackenzie. Happy Birthday Kenz. We love you.

Mossy Cave

Who put that baby in ice cold, rocky water?

Unknown Paradise

Erin's legs are not really that beautiful tan color. She played "mud spa" and it is "Fnar" the secret to beautiful soft skin.

Summer went by way to fast. I started the summer wanting to take a new hike a week. As you can tell from my gut and hips that didn't happen. I took the kids and a couple friends to our FAVORITE HIKE, Mossy Cave. We hiked further than usual finding a lot of other water falls and natural water slides. I told Erin it was like an unknown paradise. She asked if I thought we were the only ones that knew about the spot. That was funny when we ran into the 50 Japanese tourists. The older girls jumped in the falls. The tourists watched and wanted to, but they were too afraid. A tourist family from England asked if they could take a picture of Mallory. I said sure. I wonder why? Will he tell the chaps back home how one crazy mom took her child and sat her in freezing cold, rocky water? "That's how those Americans are." Maybe he just thought she was so dang CUTE! We had a great day and of course I couldn't take a picture of me hiking back with Mallory in my arms fast a sleep. The tourists loved that. My thoughts were, "I must be burning a lot of calories hauling Mallory, especially since she is dead weight, and it would be ok to eat an extra ice cream sandwich at the end." So I did. Ta Ta.

First Day of School

Tess starts the 6th grade
Erin starts the 3rd grade