miss molly turns 4

Molly's Birthday this year was a fun one.  All she wanted to do was ride a purple horse.  I was able to arrange the ride a horse part, but not the purple part.  She was thrilled anyway!  It actually turned into a family affair, because everyone ended up riding it.  Molly was nervous at first, but by the end, she literally bawled her eyes out when it was time to go.

Look at how happy she is!

We actually did the horse ride the day before her Birthday, because her Birthday was on Sunday.

I decorated the house Saturday night, and Molly woke up excited and happy on her Birthday!  She opened her presents and insisted on decorating her own butterfly cake.  The primary sang to her at church, and she got her special treat from the Bishop.  She had a great day!

she decorated it with Mary



Her new princess dress and her new tent

I think the best part of the whole day was right before Molly blew out her candles.  We told her to make a wish, and she squoze her eyes shut, clenched her fist and wished outloud with all of her heart for a unicorn.  It was heart melting!

Molly is still a joy and a light in our lives.  She definitely gave us a run during her 3's.  She is her own person, with her own opinion, and she likes to rule the house.

Luckily, as with all of my children, things start to calm down when they turn 4.  I get my sweet buddy back.  Molly is absolutely hilarious.  She is very animated, she loves to tell stories, she LOVES to play.  She likes to play air hockey with Ben, stunts with Mary, coloring and horses with me, playdough with anyone, and her favorite thing is to play with Charlie (our dog).  She loves to be outside riding her bike, running around, swinging, and playing with friends.

She started preschool this year.  She cried every time I dropped her off for two weeks, and now she loves it!  She has a cute friend in her class named Charlie.  They have matching unicorn backpacks.  She also has a cute Hispanic friend named Ashley.  They don't speak the same language, so they made up their own. It is hilarious! 

She also begs to play with Beckham and Cruz every day.

Molly is in dance and gymnastics, and she loves them both.  She just started dance a few weeks ago.  She is very active and full of life and energy.  She is also extremely loving. She cuddles, hugs and kisses all the time.

They gave her "twinkle bear"  that she gets to keep and brings to every class.

We love her with all of our hearts.

Happy Birthday Molly Grace!

1st day of school 2018

The first day of school this year for the older 4 kids, was also the day that Ben and I flew out to Florida for Presidents Club.  I was basically sick with worry during the whole flight and the whole day.  I knew the kids were in great hands with my mom, but I was worried about Sam, and his first day of middle school.  We went the day before to the open house and tried to figure out his schedule and where all of his classes were.  It is a big school, and the schedule switches each day, so it can get extremely overwhelming.  Sam handled it really well, but I was still worried.  I was also worried about Luke.  He had a very difficult year last year, and I was flat out worried sick for my little Lukie.

Luckily, I was able to be there to spend the morning with them and get them out the door.  Ben was able to give them school blessings the night before as well.  I am glad I could send them out the door with a big hug from mom, but I was so sad to not be there at the door when they got home.

To my relief, the kids all had a good first day.  My mom was a superstar and made them all comfortable and happy when they got home.  It can be scary for this momma bear to send my precious babies out into the world sometimes. They sure are a cute bunch though! 

Sam school this year
Timpanogos Middle School

8th grade

6th grade

I loved that they chose to wear the same shirt
Daniels Canyon Elementry

1st grade
Mrs. Smith and Miestra Kiene

3rd Grade
Mrs. Rose and Miestra Arias

presidents club 2018

Presidents club this year was in Florida.  It was at the San Marco Island resort.  Ben worked so hard this year, and not only earned a place in President's club, but he made Diamond Level, so we got an extra day!!

It was an amazing trip! It was definitely our favorite Presidents club.  There is something about the ocean that is so awesome.  We ate delicious food, (shrimp tacos for days), we did a jet ski tour around the island, we walked along the beach and collected shells, we went to the fancy dinner where Ben was recognized for all of his hard work and dedication to his job, we slept in, we worked out, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  We also enjoyed all you can eat frozen yogurt with tons of toppings, whenever we wanted it!

The island was gorgeous!  The food was amazing!  The room we stayed in was awesome.  The whole thing was so great.  I am so grateful for how hard Ben works to provide for our family.  He is very talented with his job, and he is honest and good with all of his dealings with people.

 

reunions

This last week we had two reunions.  My family reunion...the S&S Reunion.  (Stan and Sylvia), and my extended family reunion....the K&K Reunion.  (Kay and Karma Belnap).

We drove to Pocatello Tuesday evening, after the dog's vet appointment, and after Mary participated in the 24th of July Parade in Spanish Fork for her cheer team.  Kelsey and Taylor and their baby, Emmett, also got there that night.  Unfortunately, the reunion was just us.  Tyler was going to come with his kids, but he was asked to participate in my cousin's wedding, so he was in Boise instead.  Devin is in New York, and Ryan is in Alaska.  Hopefully, we will all be together next year.  That is the plan anyway.

Even though it was only our two families, and my parents, we had a great time!!  We went boating the first day.  All of my kids love the tube, but Luke was crazy on it! He had no fear.  He went faster and higher than any of the other kids wanted to go.  He could not get enough of it.  It was hilarious!
 Taylor talked Mary and Sam in to jumping off of the bridge while we were there.  Mary did a back flip off of it!   Seriously, my kids have no fear.  It's amazing!  We were all able to get in some good ski runs as well.  Molly had a great time playing on beach and having boat rides.  It was a really fun day on the lake. 

 

After a full day on the lake, we came back, ate dinner,  had a bonfire, and watched a movie.  The boys loved snuggling with their little cousin Emmett.

Ben had to leave that night, because he had a work trip in Reno, but the kids and I stayed.

The next morning, after I got back from the gym, we all headed to Lava Hot Springs swimming pool.  This was the pool I went to growing up, and I couldn't believe my kids had never been there.  We all decided to make a day out of it.  It was so much fun!!!  The kids had an absolute blast!  Mary did a back flip off of the second platform, which is very, very high!  And Sam jumped off the third platform...which is 35 feet high!!  William and Luke loved the waterslides, and Molly swam and swam and swam in the toddler pool.  William also jumped off the diving board without a lifejacket for the first time.  It was a great day!

Sam and Taylor jumping off the third platform

We got back from the pool completely exhausted, but Taylor, who has never ending energy, wanted to take Mary and Sam rock climbing!  So, they went.  I stayed back with the littles, and baby Emmett and my parents, and we watched a movie.  Mary and Sam loved rock climbing.  This was a first for them.

Mary

Sam

The next morning, we basically packed up and headed home.  The drive home ended up being pretty terrible.
William got car sick, the dog got car sick, Molly threw up several times, we got stuck in a 40 minute long traffic jam when Molly had to pee, so she peed her pants and cried, and I backed into a car in the Wendy's parking lot, because the dog jumped in my lap while I was backing out, and I was focusing on William who was about to throw up.  I put a good size dent in our car as well as the other car.  The people weren't rude, but they weren't nice.  It really sucked.  The 3 hour drive home ended up being 5 1/2 hours, and I came home completely undone.  Ugh.  Thank goodness it was such a fun trip though, and Ben was home when I got back, so I could just crash.

We had a VERY busy next few days with piano lessons, soccer, football, gymnastics, cheer, babysitting, house cleaning, lawn mowing, scouts and mutual.  And then, on Friday we headed to Lagoon to start the K&K reunion!!!

Tyler and his kids, Kelsey and Taylor and Emmett, and my parents met us there.  There were also several members of my Belnap side of the family there.  It was crazy hot, but it was so much fun!  My kids are seriously fearless!  Mary and Sam and William just bounced from one big ride to the next with whoever would take them and wasn't motion sick at the moment, haha!  I stayed with the little kids and took them on one ride after the next.

Toward the end of the day, Molly and Luke started asking to do bigger rides.  I was nervous about it, but we let them....and they laughed their heads off!!!  Luke would laugh and yell and scream and beg for more.  Molly, who I thought would bawl her eyes out on the big rides, laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was amazing!  It was a very exhausting, but very fun day!  It was really fun for William to have his cousin Jack there to hang out with as well.

We all came back to our house that evening and crashed.  I got up early the next morning and decorated the house for my brother Tyler's Birthday.  We all ate breakfast and then we all headed to Orem for more of the reunion.  We did games, learned about ancestors, at yummy food, visited and had a talent show. 

Molly was thrilled to be able to perform her "hula dance" that she learned.  She is definitely not afraid to be in front of people.

Molly and her cousin Ivie

 

Our family left the reunion a little early, in order to drive back to Heber for the Rodeo.  I don't have any pictures, but it was great!  Molly LOVES the rodeo, and she was so excited to see the horses, and to see the pretty girls and the cowboys riding them.  The rodeo is quickly becoming a tradition with our family, and I love that we can do that together.

After the rodeo, we stayed up talking with my family for a while, then we all crashed once again. 
We got up early Sunday morning and headed down to Orem once more for the testimony meeting.  This is always my favorite part of the K&K reunion.  It is so special and it is such a very powerful experience for everyone who is there.  I love that my children are able to experience it.  We got the traditional number shirt picture, ate a yummy dinner, and I got my last few snuggles with Kelsey's baby Emmett.  I am totally addicted to that sweet, happy, baby.  He is so precious.  We could not get enough of him!

We all eventually said goodbye, and headed our separate ways.  It was pretty sad for me to say goodbye to my siblings.  We all live in a different state, and I don't see them much anymore.  There is such a comfortable, happy, fun feeling when we are all together, and I miss it more than I realize.  I am so glad that we have these reunions to help me remember how special and important family is, and to feel the love and the true goodness of family. 

derby time

Ben took the boys to the demolition derby a few weeks ago.  It is a HUGE deal here in Heber, and we have never been able to get tickets, because they sell out so fast.  I was finally able to snag tickets for the boys this year.

While the boys were at the derby, the girls rented a chick flick, got some yummy treats, and had a fun girls night here at home.  We made it a fun night for everyone.

The boys arrived home so full of testosterone, talking non stop about smashing, cars, noise, crashing, and so on.  Ben said it was quite the experience.  The LOVED it!  I can't quite explain it on here, but the boys could go on and on and on.  It is definitely something that has to be done if you live here. 

A few days later, we found Luke and his friend Tucker, outside doing this.

They had helmets on, and their power wheels out.  They were slamming and smashing and yelling and cheering.  In their world, they were totally in the derby!  hahahah!  It was so cute and hilarious all at once.

Oh, the life of a boy.