Summer isn't complete without CAMPING!!!!!

We had an overnight camping trip with Chad's brother Nick and family. The kids always play so nice together!!! I always wanted cousins my same age when I was growing up. I only had 2 cousins and when I was in elementary school they were in high school, so they didn't really want to play the same things I did :)

We went up American Fork Canyon, had tinfoil dinners and a yummy tinfoil breakfast, ate s'mores and some junk food...it was GREAT!!!
The kids got dirty, got to throw rocks in the river, burn sticks in the fire, Alyssa gathered all the wild flowers she could, and Austin got to chop down trees with his hatchet...he even got Seth in on the action :)

We had a lot of fun, but I think I am definitely only an overnight camping kind of girl. So it was so nice to get home and get in the shower!!!

Austin is S-I-X !!!!

Love you little man!!! Hope you have an awesome day!!!!

Happy 6th Birthday Austin!!!!

Austin had his 6th birthday party at Bouncin' off the Walls...our family loves this place!!! He wanted to do a batman themes party as well. And I was lucky enough to win a cake giveaway a few month earlier from Sprinklebelle Cakes So Austin got a very cool Batman Cake and cupcakes!! He had friends from school and his cousins at his party so he had a blast!!!

Things Austin Mastered Last Year
* can read simple books, and is an awesome speller
* can swim
* goes down waterslides by himself
* make his bed
* and what he most proud of is passing off levels on his own on this PS3 games

Happy Independence Day!!!

Take a look at my cute little fire crackers!!!


and here is some awesomeness (at least I think so)

Happy Mother's Day

my kids in their "My Mom Rocks!" and "Mommy's lil girl" shirts!!!


I am so thankful to all the women in my life that are such an amazing example of being a great Mother. I am lucky enough to have not only an amazing mother but a fabulous mother in law that raised an amazing son...my husband!!!

10 reasons why this Mother's Day was awesome

- I got to sleep in...YAY!!!!!
- I have 2 very special reasons that I get to celebrate mothers day as a mother
- I received a handmade card by my husband
- I received a handwritten card by my son (I cried reading it, I can't believe he is old enough to write his own letter)
- I was able to spend time with my mom and sisters and nieces today
- I got to eat a dinner prepared by my brother
- I received chocolates from my hubby and kids
- I got some yummy lotion and body wash
- I opened a hand painted bird from my son in a decorated gift bag from my son
- I got a picture and card made by my daughter and she wrote out and spelled "MOM" all by herself

the list could go on and on...I love my kids and everything about being a mom!!! My favorite quote for the day"

"one of the greatest things a father can do for his children, is love their mother ♥"

Alyssa is F-O-U-R-!!!!

I can't believe it!! She has grown up so much!!! She was so excited to have her four year old photo shoot with her mama!!! We went shopping and got the perfect outfit(s) and then we painted nails, and did her hair, pampered her from head to toe and she was ready to model!!! She is so smart and says the cutest things! We are almost through registering her to start pre school in the fall! She is excited to go to school like her big brother, we'll see how it goes though. I still have to sit in her sun beams class with her, however she was fine with me just dropping her off at her dance class....you never know with this little girl, she is definitely a DIVA!!!

She was so excited to have her birthday party at Bouncin off the Walls!! All her cousins and family came, and had a blast!!! I think Dad and her Uncles had the most fun though :) Chad and his brothers were making obstacle courses and timing each other and having a little competition!!! Alyssa also chose a tinkerbelle ice cream cake she thought it was the coolest thing, ice cream as cake...crazy!!! She was spoiled with presents and got the cutest dresses and summer clothes (thank you), and fun toys and cards!!! Oh and to top it all off, she wasn't grumpy once the whole day!!!

Alyssa's Dance Recital

"Me and My Teddy Bear" was the song that they danced to. It was so cute!!! Alyssa loves to dance and loves to perform on stage, she was so cute with her cousin Haylie all dolled up!!! Haylie was a bit confused when they forgot to give her, her TeddY Bear to dance with but she kept going right along, luckily they finally realized what happened and ran it out to her!!! I'm so glad Alyssa loves her dance class and teachers so much, we will definitely be signing up for the fall!!!

Something cute happened to me while at the dress rehearsal for her recital. I was walking through the hallway when I saw a cute little face smiling back at me and waving frantically!!! it was one of the little girls that I have taken pictures of several times, I heard her little friend say "is that your mom?" she said "No, that's my photographer" best part was she said it all proud and with a huge smile on her face...I felt like a mini celebrity!!!

Just a reminder...

Today (by 8pm MST.) is the last day to order your temple pictures in order to receive them BEFORE Christmas!

To order just send me an e-mail: kristenspencerphotography@yahoo.com

you can get them customized with your wedding date or favorite saying at no extra cost!

www.kristenspencerphotographytemples.blogspot.com

Cute Hats!!!

My sister in law is incredibly talented at whatever she does!!! I have to say I was thrilled when she picked up this new skill!!! She makes those cute hats that you see everywhere, but are way too expensive to buy, and she sells them at a price I can afford!!! You should check out her website, she can make them in any color, or size!!! I have one for me AND Alyssa and I have to say we are very cute in them!!! Her website is:

http://crochet-d.blogspot.com/

I am having a boutique at my house next week and she is going to be selling her hats there, you will have to stop by!!!!

I received this award from Becky. In order to receive this award I was asked to list 10 honest things about myself and then pass it on to 7 other bloggers.

1. I will sneak a lick of the frosting on cakes and blame it on the kids! I can't resist!!!!

2. I still feel like and act like I am 15 when I am around my friends and when I am alone with Chad. I am wild and crazy and say and do weird things, and I don't know if this is normal, or if I will ever grow up!

3. I absolutely hate snow in my front yard that has footprints in it! And absolutely LOVE seeing my kids footprints in the snow in the backyard!!! Oh this is only the tip of the iceberg of how weird I am!!!

4. I love to go to fancy restaurants, even though I know I won't like any of the food, just because it's fancy!!! And feel no shame when I have Chad stop at Taco Bell for a .79 cent taco on the way home!!!

5. I can't stand wet wood!!! It gives me the chills, this includes popsicle sticks!! I can't stand watching someone lick a the last little bit of their popsicle off the stick....I just got the chills thinking about it!!!

6. I love to have people brush or play with my hair and tickle my back! I selfishly play hairdresser with Alyssa so she will play with my hair, and let all the kids draw all over my back because it tickles!!!! See, getting a little more weird aren't I!!

7. I have feet issues! If I am asked to take off my shoes, I excuse myself to their bathroom and wash my feet in their sink to make sure they don't stink!!! You'll think twice about asking me won't you and somehow it got even more weird....

8. I absolutely love my job and would do it all if I was getting paid or not...BUT because we NEED the money, I won't turn it away :)

9. I love otterpops, slushies, snow cones, etc. I eat otterpops by the handful, slushies in the winter and wanted to buy a snow cone stand this summer!!! I would have saved money that way!!!

10. I am a quick learner! Show me how to do something once I can do it, BUT if I have to read how to do it, it will take twice as long, because I wont read the instructions all the way through, I will make my own attempt at how it "should" be done!!!

Now I am going to Challenge

Jessica

Keri

Jennifer

Nora

Nicole

Miranda

Shanon

to do this same thing on your blog!!!

H.A.L.L.O.W.E.E.N. 2.0.0.9.

Let the Halloween festivities begin!!!

The week of Halloween was full of different celebrations, I was so excited to be able to go to Austin's school and help out with his class Halloween party. They had a school assembly and they sang a little song to the school, such cuties!!! I was asked to help out by giving a group of nine kids their spelling test, and I am sure I wont be asked again!!! The kids were at 2 different tables and between me going back and forth and being confused myself, the kids words were all out of order and crazy SO I am sure I made it very hard to correct...sorry Mr. Matt!!!

Then we switched gears into something I am good at, and that is playing with the kids!!! I was in charge of pumpkin bowling!!! The kids were so cute some would just throw the pumpkin as hard as the could, I am surprised they didn't put a hole in the wall, and some just barely rolled it, but they all had fun!!! They also had a bean bag toss and fun edible craft snack, an oreo spider, and then they had their picture taken in their costume and they decorated a little coffin and their costume picture will go inside it!!! It was fun to put faces to names and to see how Austin interacts with his little buddies and teacher!

me "Doctor" Austin " Skeleton" Abby "Sherbet Fairy"

I don't look too tired do I??? I am so not a morning person!!!

No just the cute ones!!!

Miss Abby

Mr. Austin

Mr. Matt is Super Mario

Austin and Abby's Class

Their Halloween Song performance

Austin bowling

Abby with her stretchy skeleton

Austin getting ready to leave

Abby getting ready to go

Austin and his buddy Nicholas

Later that night we went to a Halloween party at Nick and Kim's house (Chads Brother) we were bringing a 7 layer dip, and I made ours to look like a spider web...

Chad was being a "scrooge" about dressing up...so he claimed to be a homicidal maniac, and also my patient....LAME!!!! Next year I am going to make him go all out!!!

we had a lot of fun seeing everyone in their costumes! The kids got to go on a little treasure hunt and the clues took them all over the house!!! Then Kim read us all a spooky story, told in the dark, and as she was telling the story she passed around a dead mans body party...GROSS!!

More pictures of this night coming soon (I didn't have my camera with me) !

TRICK or TREAT

Halloween day was spent with over excited kids!!! So I started getting them ready earlier than I should have and then that just made it worse. Finally the time came to go on the candy hunt!!! The kids were so cute running from door to door and racing to ring the bell first, I was so proud when they said thank you at each house!!! Luckily since they are still young they didn't want to stay out very long, they just wanted to get home and start eating their candy!!!

My mom made her homemade chili and cornbread...it was so yummy!!! I have hidden their trick or treat bags otherwise Alyssa would have had hers gone on night ONE!!!! I keep thinking she will forget, but the only thing that I think runs through her head is "get candy, get candy, get candy, get candy "

I'm glad they had such a fun night!!!

Austin

The whole gang

Austin and Alyssa