Swing Set

All summer long we have been promising the kids a swing set but things kept coming up to where we couldn't get it.  Well, finally it is here and the kids love it!!!  Their favorite thing to do is swing!

They love the glider because they can swing together.  They get going really high on it too!

And what would a swing set be without a slide.  In this picture it looks like Kyle got a little help down the slide from his big sis.  They also both love the rock wall and even Kyle can climb up it.

At the top is a little playhouse and underneath that is a little bar where they can play restaurant.  Next year we are going to fill the area with sand which will make the kids even happier.  Overall we love the swing set.  Our favorite thing to do in the evenings is go out and push the kids on the swings or watch them slide.

FIRST GRADE!!!

The weekend before school started this year Makayla and I went on our annual girls' day out school shopping trip.  We went up to Reno and literally shopped until we dropped. The next day Makayla put on her fashion show for daddy and Kyle.

Last Wednesday morning Makayla was so excited to start first grade.  This year she doesn't start school as early as last year so she gets to sleep in a little bit.  We had a great morning. 

She put on her favorite outfit, got her new backpack and was ready to leave for school.  All of us decided to take Makayla to her first day.

In the car on the way to school Makayla asked, "Mom, is it okay to dance down the halls at school because I am so excited!!!"  And that is exactly what she did!

Before the bell rang they all lined up.  Makayla was a little embarrassed that we were still there and wanted us to leave!  How Rude!!!

Kyle really missed his sister that day.  He isn't used to having his best friend gone.  But we had fun just the two of us.  

Finally the time arrived.  Kyle and mommy got in the car and went to pick up daddy.  He said he wouldn't miss Makayla's first day for anything in the world.  When she came out we all ran up to her and gave her a big hug.  We were all dying to hear about her first day, what she did, what she ate for lunch, who she played with at recess and all the wonderful things that happened.  But Makayla was so exhausted that she couldn't even talk.  We went home and she watched a movie to rest for a little bit.  Finally, that night we were able to hear all about her wonderful day.  She is such a sweet girl and we are so proud of her!!!

Ben's Birthday and Camping with Daddy!!!

This year for Ben's birthday Makayla decided she wanted to do all the decorating by herself.  She did an amazing job and Ben loved it!!!  

Ben decided that for his birthday dinner he wanted crab, homemade macaroni and cheese and Creme' Brulee for dessert.

The food was awesome but the crab was really stinky!!!

Ben got a cool R/C helicopter from the kids and me.  He loved it!

That weekend Ben decided to take the kids camping in the backyard.  They were so excited.  Here they are getting ready for the night.

Now it is time for the movie.  Yay!!!  Where is mommy you ask?  Well, mommy doesn't do camping so she was nice and cozy in her bed in the house.  Side note: after the movie Kyle decided he wanted his own bed too so he slept inside also.

This was a cute little visitor that wanted to join the party!

And I just couldn't finish this post without another cool hairstyle.  We tried this one the other day and loved it!!!  It looked so cool and stayed in really well.  We call it the worm bun.  Kyle was so cute, when we were calling it worms he said, "No not worm, ssssssnake!"  

Hair Ideas

It has been a while since I have posted some fancy hair dos that we tried on Makayla so I thought it was about time.  We still love trying out ideas from the internet and even coming up with a few on our own.  Makayla is so awesome and sits very still sometimes for a long time to get cute hair.  Now that school is starting next week we won't be able to do things that are too fancy but no worries... she will still have cute hair!!!

I love this one.  You can't see the top but there are braids on both sides of the bang area.

Cute headband that didn't cost us anything!!!

Extra fancy Barbie bun.

Makayla's Belle hair.  This hair style made Makayla decide she wants to be Belle for Halloween.

This is called a waterfall braid.  Doesn't it totally look like a waterfall???

I love anything with a messy bun!

Another headband with a flower at the end.

From the front it looks like she has tiny pigtails.  It reminds me when she was a little girl and all we could do were tiny piggies.

I absolutely loves this hairstyle but it took FOREVER!!!

And last but not least...HAIR BOWS!!!

Harward Family Reunion

This year we were so excited to have a Harward Family Reunion (my side.)  Makayla could hardly wait to see her cousins that she hadn't seen in 7 months and Kyle is old enough now to enjoy cousins too.  Finally the day arrived to leave for Utah...

We decided that we wanted to spend a little time with Ben's family too so we went to Utah a few days early.  It was so much fun seeing everyone!!!  On our first day we took the kids to the Bean Museum at BYU.  They loved seeing the animals and spending time with grandma, Nate and Matt.

That night we went to Thanksgiving Point and the kids had a blast riding the ponies and feeding the animals.  Makayla was a natural cowgirl.

Kyle kept this smile on his face the whole time!!!

The next day we all took a hike up to Timpanogos Cave.  It was straight up the mountain for a mile and a half and then straight back down for a mile and a half.  We were all hurting by the time it was done except for...

KYLE!!!  He had a nice easy ride the entire time!!!  Poor Ben!!!

Everyone was really happy when we finally made it to the top.  The cave was amazing.  It had been so long since Ben and I had been there that we had forgotten how cool it was.  Makayla loved it but Kyle was terrified and wouldn't let us set him down the entire time.  Makayla was amazing and walked up the mountain and back down all by herself.  We were so proud of her!

That night we had a hot dog roast at grandma and grandpa's.  It was fun for Kyle and Makayla to play with all their cousins.  Being so far from our family really makes us all appreciate the times we have together.

The next morning it was off to grandma and grandpa Harward's house for our family reunion.  When we got there we just all hung out together and played and talked.  We had a great lunch and then it was off to the Temple for the adults while grandma and grandpa watched the kids.  We had a wonderful session at the temple and it was so much fun being with all my brothers and sister and their spouses.  When we got home Makayla came running up to me saying, "Mommy, mommy something terrible happened!!!"  Come to find out they were all playing on the slip and slide and the bees decided to join them.  In the end three kids got stung by bees including Makayla.  I felt bad for the kids and my parents but you have to admit that was kind of funny.  That night all the guys went camping and my sister and sisters-in-law all went to the Olive Garden.  It was so yummy!!!

The next morning it was off the the swimming pool.  Those of you who are not from Utah have to understand that in Utah they don't just have boring swimming pools they are all mini water parks.  The kids had a blast.  Here is Makayla showing off her water ballet as she glides gracefully down the slide.

One of all of our favorite parts of the pool is the lazy river.

That night it was firework time.  Since fireworks are illegal in Fallon we have to go to Utah to get our fix.  Kyle especially loved them.  He couldn't keep his eyes off a firework every time it was lighted and as soon as it was done he would yell, "More, more, more!!!"

Makayla loved watching everything with her cousin Cambrie.  At first they just watched but after a while they stood up and started dancing while they made up songs about the colors in the fireworks.  It was really cute.

On Sunday after church we went to Bridal Veil Falls.  It is so pretty there!!!  The kids as well as the adults loved playing in the freezing water.  A few of them even fell in the water including Makayla but it didn't even phase them.  They just kept playing and having fun.  Afterward, we had a picnic.  Everything was so good!  Why is it that food always tastes better in the mountains???

For each of the nights Kyle was sleeping in a crib (thanks Brighton!!!) and Makayla was sleeping in the same room on a mattress on the floor.  This night we were really having a hard time getting Kyle to bed.  We couldn't just let him cry because then he'd wake up all the other kids.  He kept saying he wanted to sleep on the bed with Kayla so we finally relented.  We put him down and told him not to get out and that lasted 1 minute.  We put him down again and told him not to get out and that lasted 2 minutes.  Finally he stayed in there.  I went to check on them and while Makayla was fast asleep Kyle was just playing on the floor.  That was it.  We took him upstairs to cuddle for a couple minutes and then he went back into the crib and finally fell asleep.

The next day everyone went to the Kangaroo Zoo and then out to lunch.  After naps it was off to another water park that was free!!!!  Oh I wish some of these things would come to Fallon!  Kyle had a good time with Hunter.  They are the only boys on my side.  

And it looks like Cambrie and Makayla are at their water dancing again!!!  Overall it was a wonderful trip.  We had so much fun with both sides of the family.  It was great letting the kids get to know each other better. We can't wait until Christmas to see everyone again!!!!

(I have more pictures to post but I am waiting for my sister-in-law to send them to me. (thanks Jenny!)  Stay tuned...