Corb

It is so hard to believe that this kid is turning 4 today! I look at pictures of him when he was his little brother's age, and it seems not so long ago.
He always makes me laugh- and is the best at smiling for the camera.
In fact- when he was little he used to pick up anything he thought could possibly be a camera. Corb would then hand it to the nearest person and say "CHEESE!"
How do you not love that?
This was his first year in the mutten bust at the Cedar Fort rodeo. Although it may not have gone exactly as planed- he did a good job.
He adores his older brother, and follows Hunter around all the time.
I am so excited to see him pay t-ball this year, and to see what the next year holds for him!!!
Happy Birthday Corbin!!! Love you!

Payton Drew Allen

It's Payton's birthday today! She is such a fun girl who brings smiles and laughter into our family! We are SO lucky to have you!
I remember the first day I met this cute girl. She was only about 5, and we all went to the pumpkin patch/corn maze in Lake Shore for our fall party.
She got out of the car and held her arms out. "You can hold me." :) I loved it! Between Denise, Stacey, and I- I'm pretty sure she didn't walk much of that maze at all! ;) She was so much fun to be around, and her smile was contageous.

Happy birthday Payton! You are such a belssing for our family. You have a kind heart that is open and warm. You make everyone feel included, and comfortable. You have the cutest laugh and such an easy going way about you!
love you!
-Aunt Dawney

Destination: Yellowstone

My parents were kind enough to take us all to Yellowstone this past weekend- thanks Parentals!! :)
We have learned that with this group- a casual, go at your own pace- is the best way to go. So- We started the trip off with one simple instruction:
Meet at the Three Bears Lodge Sunday.
That's it.
No time.
No plan to leave with everyone.
No thoughts on meeting anywhere along the way.
No meeting place for dinner that night.
Boy..do our parents know us! :)
It works out so well this way. With cell phones, we pretty much know where everyone is, if we are close, where people are stopping along the way... etc.
Nice.

Sunday afternoon was all about getting settled in, shopping, and chit-chattin it up.
Monday morning we were off to the park.
We started off at some of the hot springs, and made our way up to Old Faithful.
(who isn't so much faithful, as hopeful these days)
On our way to the big ol water spout we meet Ranger Rick. Let me tell you-- this man takes his job VERY seriously.
us-"I see that it just went off. When will the next time be?"
Ranger Rick-"It will spout again at 3:10 give or take 10 minutes."
If you could see his face and hear his tone...LOL.
Dude- you're a park ranger. Maybe you could chill it a bit. It's a national park, not national security.

Now if you know us, you know that we are directly related to Brother Noah. We could have made a lot of money as Rain Makers back in the day... It didn't just sprinkle- it was a deluge.

But everyone manged not to melt :) Unfortunately it was raining so hard that we had to leave the park early.
We picked up where we left off the next day though- don't worry.

What an amazing place Yellowstone is! I have been there once before when I was about 10, and I have to say that my perspective is so much different this time around.

Then: I remember feeding the squirrels nuts out of my hand, and how much I NEEDED that stuffed black bear from the gift shop.

Now: I am so amazed at nature. How beautiful and powerful it can be. We live in such an amazingly beautiful world. The water falls that made me dizzy to look down on, the buffalo that seemed they couldn't care less that they stopped traffic for at least a mile in both directions, the hot springs made beautiful(and stinky) by the minerals , and the stupid bears that didn't want to come out of hiding for me to see. (the stuffed bears were still at the gift shop btw!)

Tuesday we all meet again in Pocatello. The kids swam and swam and swam (in fact Drew had the great idea of next time just getting a hotel room in Lehi and letting the kids swim the whole time :) )... and then Wednesday morning it was breakfast before we all headed for home.

I had such a great time. I love my family, and although I didn't get to spend as much time with everyone as I would have liked (I wasn't feeling well most of the trip:/ ) it was nice to get together.

I can't wait to go on our next trip! :)

"Camping"

The fam when to Diamond Fork to spend a lil quality time bonding with nature, each other, and the various spiders, rocks, bats, snakes, voles, and mice...wait...that's only ME that isn't a fan...
Okay...let's try that again....
So, the REST of the fam took their tents, their 5th wheels, bikes, etc. up Diamond Fork Campground.
(Yours truly chose to go up and spend the day pretending she was a camper, and then snuck off with all the stealth of an inept ninja under the cover of night-and a little firelight- to head down the canyon to her NON-rock infested bed, and then snuck back up in the morning in time for breakfast... which is always yummy when "camping" by the way!)

There were stories told.
There were items broken.
A few things that are placed with positive accuracy in their proper
"will burn"
or
"will NOT burn"
categories.
There were new spaces explored.
There were old embarrassments re-lived
and new embarrassing moments created.
Some new games learned,
and LOTS of laughing!

I have to say- I love this clan! :)






LOL! (apparently I really like the shot with solar flare!)

"ME!"

Okay, so just a little somthin' for y'all while I'm processing pictures from Diamond Fork and the Cedar Fort Rodeo....




Coop is a funny little man...
His newest thing when he sees something he wants is
to yell "ME! ME!" until you give it to him.
I realize this isn't so cute as one gets older,
but for now...
well- just LOOK at that face and tell me you wouldn't be
willing to give him whatever he wanted! :)

Bring this monkey a banana the next time you see him and you've just made a new best friend! :)

Happy 14th Birthday Brooklyn!!

14 years ago today our family grew +1! Amanda Brooklyn Frisby was born...and we have not been the same sense. :)
My Favorite stories of her growing up are:

1) when she was about 3 and potty training, she DID NOT want to wash her hands. Not sure why, but there you go. She walked out of the bathroom, and Grandma Kay asked, "Did you wash your hands?"
"Yes.."
Now, grandma Kay was not born yesterday, and knew she had not heard the water running. "You know, Jesus sees everything you do."
Booklyn stopped back into the bathroom mumbling..."That Jesus isn't a very nice man."

2) I took her to lunch once. She wanted McDonalds- I said no. We tried Barry's. She pulled her food out looked at the patty and informed me that her's was burnt. I told her that no, they are just the grill marks.. it makes them good, try it.
I then hear a little mumble from the back seat (not intended to reach my ears) "McDonalds makes a perfect cheeseburger."

3)From a very early age, B has been artistic. In fact people used to tell her this and she would go crying to Denise because she thought they were meaning she was AUtistic.

4)When she was in about 3rd grade her school sent home an invitation for her to join PALS... Brooklyn cried because she thought that she was not doing well in school, but actually she was so smart that they were inviting her to join an advanced group!

5)The day she got to announce that she was officially a published author!

B-
I LOVE that you are so creative, artistic, and amazingly kind hearted. You are going to change the world someday and I feel so blessed that for some unknown reason I have been given a front row seat in your life to watch it!
Never change, never give up, and never never forget how much you are loved!
-Aunt Dawney

Mother's Day

Mother's day was day full of fun this year! It began at Kim's house where we had a breakfast with my mom and Drew's breakfast burritos...YUMMM!

Next up was our Mother's day feast at Guackie's. It was a good time filled with a fun family and great food (thanks).
I really tried to get a family photo, but there just wasn't enough light...I gotta get some lighting set ups!

Then it was off to the movies with the ones who could make it to see Date Night (funny).

I love all the mom's in my life- they are amazing, beautiful, and wonderful! Thank you for everything you did for me as a kid, and still do for me now. I would be lost without you!





























....oh! and here is a random HDR picture I took of the Krishna Temple across the street while we were eating...