We went up to American Fork Canyon with the Boyles this fall and did a cook out. The weather was gorgeous and just as we left it started to rain and there was an amazing rainbow.
Aunt Shana holding Piper
Jada being cute
Mac eating some marshmallow
Greysen loving some marshmallow
Here is the double rainbow on our drive home.
Look at those golden beauties. YUM YUM.
Mac and Zane fire up the grill
Rainbow at our house.
Greysen started music school a few weeks ago. It is a class that teaches music theory and rhythm. They get to play lots of instruments and he loves the drums the best. While we were in Canada Greysen was with Mac in the sand trap on the golf course and drew a circle and said, "Daddy that's a whole note." He is at a fun age. He runs around and tells me, "I have energy." He is always jumping, running, falling and getting into stuff. Such a boy. Everyday he wants to make something in the mixer. I told him the name of the mixer "kitchenAid" and he now calls it the Kitchen Egg.
Greysen always wants a Mohawk but his hair was just too long so he got a Fauxhawk.
He likes getting his haircut from the professionals because he gets to sit on a motorcycle and watch TV and after they give him a balloon and lollipop. Mom doesn't like shelling out $16.
It was strange seeing him with his new look. I'm so used to the long hair but I think he is a cutie.
Our sweet little gal is already 4 months old. Here are the stats:
Here is the beautiful sunrise on Friday morning. This was the perfect family vacation to have 2 other families come with us. We got 2 condo's at Bear Lake and it was a blast. There were 3 couples and 7 kids: Max (5), Greysen, Elle, Hannah (3), King (11 mos), Dakota (5 mos), and Piper (4 mos) It was great to have the kids entertain each other and the grown up to have game time in the evening.
Friday we packed up our cars and headed to North Beach. We set up camp there and MacKinlay met us a little while later with the rental boat, and we all took turns going out on the the lake in the boat. We were lounging on the beach, playing in the sand, swimming in the beautiful blue water, enjoying the scenery, going out on the boat, etc. Around 2:30 MacKinlay and Greysen started to head back to return the boat, and when he was about 200 yards out from the shoreline the boat stopped and we could see him kind of freaking out, but we didn't know what was going on. Adam called him and we found out that the key had snapped in the ignition! Leave it to MacKinlay to break something. Fortunately the guys were able to find pliers and take them to Mac and the boat started. During that drama, we got hit with some serious wind out of nowhere and the Madsens canopy uprooted and started flying and we had kids screaming because the sand was lashing against their legs and backs and flying in their eyes, we were freaking out because we just barely saved the three babies from getting smashed by the canopy, the wind finally let down and we were able to get the kids and babies in the car. We had dinner, went swimming at the resort pool, got some raspberry shakes, put the kids to bed and had some adult time.
The Girls on the trip. Hannah, Kate, Piper, Kristin, Elle and Cara.
The kids playing before we went to the pool. Greysen, Hannah, Elle and Max.
Mommy with Piper at the pool. Her first time in a bathing suit.
Max climbing up the tennis court. This was on Saturday when Greysen decided to throw up all day. Poor little guy it was so sad and I was worried about Piper getting sick so Mac and I took turns taking care of Greysen. I thought I was home free when I didn't get sick after several days until Wed night I started throwing up :(
Our little family. It sure is hard to have everyone look good in a picture.
We went to Grandville Island in Vancouver and there were some street performers.
Ice-Cream at Grandville Island. Leigha, Diana, Elizabeth and Greysen.
Piper in the stroller at Grandville Island. She is honestly such an easy going gal. She only cries when she is hungry, poopie, or sleepy. So chill compared to her older brother.
This is on the sea taxi that we took downtown Vancouver. Greysen and Elizabeth got along so well this last trip. They played for 3 hours without any problems. Elizabeth is a sweet older cousin to Greysen. She would make up rules and he would follow them. They were playing a game and one stipulation was he had to show his belly every time he went from the table to the couch. It was really funny.
Greysen loves to splash in Grandpa's waterfall.
MacKinlay got to go drive exotic cars with his dad and two brothers. He is the SLC Maclaren that is a $500,000 car and Mac managed to break it and it was left on the side of the road.
He had an amazing day and surprisingly the favorite car was the Ferrari.
We always fly into Seattle and drive up to Canada. My long lost friend Brianne moved back to Seattle from Boston and I was able to visit with her and meet her 3 kids. It was so much fun.
Piper's first time trying solids. She has been so hungry all the time that I thought I would start some cereal. Not sure how much she actually swallows because it appears more gets spat out then is originally on the spoon.
She is still a little tipsy.
Testing it out at 4 months old.
Here is is smiling nice for the camera. Then he threw his truck.
This was the result of him throwing his truck. He is happy one minute and crying the next. Typical 3 year old. At least he is normal. Yesterday he was in the car with MacKinlay and saw a mini van with a roof rack and said, "look daddy that van has two mohawks." He always wants his hair in a mohawk. A couple of weeks ago daddy did it in a mohawk for church and he went up to everyone and said, "look at my hohawk." He now says it correctly, but I prefer Hohawk. His new favorite movie is Rango which is getting really old. Gotta love it!
3 and a half months now. I just can't believe how fast my little girl is growing up.
I think she looks like a little doll. She is my little doll and I just love dressing her up.
Piper is just such a sweetie. We all love having her in our home. It is so fun to see her smile and now she has the cutest little giggle. Greysen is so sweet with her and entertains her.
Piper is not the little stinker. She is a sweetie pie and here she chillin' at the swim party. Her friend Kota is only 5 weeks older but they don't play much yet.
Here is the little stinker about the jump.
So on Friday we did a pool party over at Kate's house with Greysen's little friend Hannah and Piper's friend Kota. We had fun playing and eating lunch. Greysen and I walked home around 1p so he could take a nap. We get home, I take the swim stuff inside and go out into the garage to get Piper out of the stroller and I hear a loud CLICK. Yes, Greysen decided to lock the garage door with the deadbolt...I was furious. I pounded on the door but he wouldn't come. Then I checked the back door and front door...both locked. I am ringing the door bell and pounding on the door all while holding Piper in 99 degree weather and I have to pee. I was fuming mad and Greysen wouldn't answer the door. I took the screen of the front window but it was locked. I called MacKinlay at work and said he needed to call me a lock smith. He said he was on his way to my rescue. I didn't know how he was going to rescue me since he doesn't carry a house key. I hung up and decided to check the kitchen window over the sink. I am standing on a wobbly chair and finally get the screen off and the window slides open. Hallelujah...I can get in. The window is 7 feet off the ground so I go get a ladder and climb through rather than stand on the wobbly chair and break something. I get inside and I hear Greysen screaming bloody murder. I grab Piper from outside run upstairs and find him in Piper's room behind the crib with his head and arm pinned between the crib and the wall...Pull the crib out from the wall and free him. At this point spanking him was out the question. He was scared and I was holding him as MacKinlay came in the room. Mac admits to me that he came home so that I didn't kill Greysen and I admit to him that I was trying to get inside fast so he didn't come home and kill Greysen. Oh the joys of parenthood. Lesson learned....always have a spare key somewhere.
Greysen with his class. The two boys that were in his swim class will also be in his pre-school class come fall.
Greysen would be cold everytime he got out of the pool. He liked to lay in the sun to warm up.
They would play red light, green light but Greysen would say red light, freeze and throw his arms out to the side. The other boys would say you're supposed to say red but the teacher let him do his own version.
Problem is Greysen thinks he can swim and tries but it's an accident waiting to happen. You hae to be right next to him at all times. When we go in the lazy river he makes me count to 3 let go and he tries to swim and I grab him. He sure makes me feel worn out but I love his energy.
Greysen doing his "ice-cream" scoops with his teacher.
Greysen is a natural in the water. He just is a fish out of water like his mama. Greysen loved swimming lessons and adored his teacher. His poor teacher had his hands full with Greysen always 10-15 feet away from the class. The first day one of the boys was crying for his mom and Greysen said, "my mom's over there" very matter of fact. He was not phased by leaving me. He really is growing up.
