Weekend in Utah

Our family was able to go to Utah for the weekend -Justin and I were able to go to my cousin Eric's wedding at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  Eric and Shelby are a really cute couple and it was fun sharing this day with them.  The two of them are really happy and never stopped smiling.  We had a good time visiting family at the wedding, luncheon, and reception.

Eric and Shelby

We were able to visit with Grandpa Ralph and Grandma Glenda!  Grandpa Ralph was up from Manti, I am glad we were able to visit with him.  One thing all always remember about Grandpa Ralph is everytime I see him he is looking for McKenzie.  He says:  "Where is that cute little girl of yours?  She is so beautiful."  He has said that to me since Kenzie was a baby.  It was nice visiting with Grandpa, Susan, and Kate.  We were planning on driving to Manti so it was nice that they were up in Utah County.

Saturday afternoon we went and visited Grandma Glenda.  My Aunt Susan and my cousin Brandon and his daughter Addie were there also it was fun visiting with them.  Grandma Glenda is the Best!  She won't let anyone leave without some sort of a treat, usually a melt nickle (aka fudgesicle).  I love my grandparents and I am so glad my kids are able to know them and spend time with them.

Thanks for a fun weekend in Utah Grandma and Grandpa!  We love you!

Go Cheetahs!

Max decided to try soccer this year instead of playing T-Ball.  Max had a good coach and enjoyed playing with his best bud Diezel.  The Cheetahs were a good little team and won most of their games.  Most of the kids love playing forward, not Max he LOVES defending or goalie.  Max is a good little defender and also did a great job as goalie.  Max had a fun time and enjoyed learning to play soccer!

Swim Lessons 2011

Swimming Lessons is something we all look forward to all summer.  Brayden, Kenzie, and Max are becoming good swimmers and love the two weeks we spend at swim lessons.  Once again we enjoyed lessons with the Nelson family, our good friends The Fosters also joined us for lessons this year.  Our picnic everyday after lessons is something the kids really enjoy.  All three of our kids did a wonderful job and had a lot of fun swimming this year!

Brayden, Max, Jaime, Tyler and Kenzie

Max was in Level III he enjoyed learning new strokes.  He is becoming very confident in the water and loved swim lessons.  He can flip off the side but still needs to work on just diving off the side.  Max will work on his dives when we go swimming as a family and he'll move to Level IV next year.  Great Job Max!

Brayden has become a wonderful swimmer.  He works hard and was in really good shape this year he could lap the kids on most of his strokes.  Bray's teacher thought he was teaching Level VII instead of Level VI - so he taught them Level VII, they all worked so hard.  They would of all passed VII but he really wants to take lessons next year so we'll probably let him do Level VII again, then believe it or not he will be done with swim lessons unless he wants to move on to Lifeguarding.  If we lived closer to the Shelley Pool I would have Brayden teach lessons he would do a wonderful job.

Kenzie also did a wonderful job this year and has really improved!  Kenzie passed and will be moving on to Level V.  She enjoys swimming and has a lot of fun!  McKenzie is wonderful at the backstroke!  Good Job we are proud of you!



Go Red Racers!

Kenzie has really enjoyed another season of soccer.  This year she was on a team with two of her good friends Joy and Naomi, and her good friend Josh from her last team.  Kenzie had an amazing coach who really has helped Kenzie's love of soccer grow.  This summer Kenzie atteneded soccer camp and learned a lot.  After soccer season Coach had a pizza party at her house for the entire family, it was a lot of fun!  Kenzie had a wonderful season good job Kenz, we are proud of you!

Happy Birthday Justin!

We had a fun day celebrating Justin's Birthday.  The kids had swim lessons so Justin met us at swim lessons and had lunch with us after swim lessons - then along with the Nelsons and Fosters we went swimming.  We all wanted to make Justin's day special because he is such a wonderful Dad and husband.  We made his favorite carmel frosting/spice cake.  For dinner we had steak, new potatoes in cream sauce and peas.  After dinner we went and saw the movie "17 Miracles" which we all loved and ended the day with cake and ice cream.  Happy Birthday Justin!  You are the best and we are so blessed to have you in our lives!  WE LOVE YOU!!!

Our New Trampoline

We told the kids about a year ago if they earned half the money for a trampoline we would pay the other half and get one.  They had a trampoline fund jar and each had to earn a portion of their half.  The kids worked hard and were determined and earned their money.  Good Job Guys!  They are enoying spending time on their new tramp.

Camping @ AF Canyon - 4th of JULY

Our family had a blast camping at Granite Flats campground in American Fork Canyon!  The weather was great, the food was delicous, our family is the best, and the memories are priceless.  Thank you to everyone for making this week so much fun!

Murdoch Family

Our campsite

Grandma Kathy prepared lots of fun crafts/activities for the kids.  Grandma and the grandkids made water bottle holders & bug jars.  Grandma also got them bug nets and magnify glasses, glow sticks, and fun 4th of July lights.  Thank You Grandma Kathy for all of your hard work!

Horseshoe tournaments are always a big part of camping with the Murdoch Family.  In the above picture the kids are watching the adults play horseshoes.  I think Justin and I need to practice our horseshoe throwing skills a little in the camping off season.

Cool Jack and Macy

Macy enjoying some dirt!

Grandpa Murray spent the day giving all the kids time with him on the horses.  The kids always love going with Grandpa on the horses.  Brayden really enjoyed going this year and was able to go on a longer ride with Grandpa.

Macy celebrated her 3rd Birthday while we were camping, she is so cute!  She always has a smile on her face and she is our bi-langual cousin.  When Brayden was pushing her and Jack in the stroller she shouts out "Ayudame" which means Help Me! in Spanish.  All of us got a big kick out of that.  Happy Birthday Macy!

One morning we all decided to hike to Upper Silver Lake approximately 5 miles round trip.  This is a beautiful hike, it is a steep hike, but worth it at the top.  All of the hikers did a wonderful job, we were thankful we left early in the morning to beat most of the heat of the day.  It is so high up that at the top we were walking across snow (which is hard to do) and in places the water was running underneath the snow.  Upper Silver Lake was covered with ice and snow.  The kids did wonderful and we all had a great hike!

Max & Hunter flexing after the big hike.

Bug Nets & Jars



Max was so dirty one evening we decided to try our outdoor shower on him, Justin was able to remove at least one layer of dirt off Max.  Grandpa let him wear his hunting hat and he enjoyed wearing it around even pre-showering.

One evening we pulled out the little movie screens and had a movie night, fun to do while camping, this is also a great way to get all of the kids asleep.

Our three girls are quite the preformers.  They danced/sang and put on a show for the family.  We were even required to present tickets and they had a tip jar (smart kids).  Dave and Sharon drove up to say Hi! and they were lucky enough to watch their performance.  These three girls are always putting on shows for us-I don't know were they got this-I think from the genes from all of our spouses.

Wildlife is always so much fun to see.  This deer was something the kids always saw when they went to their "Terabithia".  One day they even saw a moose.  Every time we go camping the kids find a "Terabithia" where they explore and have fun.  Kate started this years ago with all the kids in Island Park -  it is from the show "Bridge to Terabithia".  They all have so much fun.  We now have a Girls Terabithia, Boys Terabithia, and Group Terabithia.  Now that the kids are older they go off for hours exploring and having fun.

Love Timp!

Cascade Springs is a refreshing oasis of lush vegetation, inviting pools, and cascading waterfalls located within the Uinta National Forest in the Wasatch Range, east of American Fork Canyon and west of Wasatch Mountain State Park.

Water from the springs flows over a series of travertine terraces and pools and eventually continues on its way to nearby Provo Deer Creek.   I've always enjoyed exploring these springs-we all had a good time.

The kids found a salamander in the pond by their Terabithia.  They ended up finding a few salamanders, they had them in a bucket of water and the next morning when we got up some animal had eaten them.  It was probably the raccoon that we saw wondering around camp, this raccoon was also able to open our cooler and completely clean out our watermelon.



What a wonderful camping trip-thank you everyone for making it so much fun!