These are the famous stairs at the back of the temple where they have the Manti pageant each year. The wall to the right is the same wall that Samuel the Lamanite stands on in that production. This is Jaden at the top of those stairs waiting for me.
We drove on to St. George where we stayed the night before traveling on. Kris and his family met up with us there and we all went to the Broadway Musical, Tarzan, at the Tuacahn Outdoor Amphitheater. It was absolutely amazing!
I have always wanted to have a four generation picture to honor the women in my life who have influenced me to be the person that I am today. I love you Mom, Grandma Helen, and sweet little Jacque!
This is Grandma Helen talking to Jacque and getting her to coo and smile. So much fun!!!
This picture was taken by my brother-in-law, Justin. For some reason, it struck me as an appropriate picture of "family". Playing together, talking, laughing, and gathered together to share and create memories.
One of Rohan's favorite things to play with is a calculator. I know... weird kid. So after carrying Grandpa's calculator around for an entire day, Daddy decided to buy him one of his own. So this is Rohan's new "toy".
So Budge had a burst of nostalgia while we were in Utah. He decided he wanted us to take the kids up in the mountains for a picnic. This was the view from our picnic table. The small hill on the left is where Budge and I kissed for the first time. He pointed it out to the kids and asked them if they thought mommy would kiss him again on that hill. So cute!
We went for a little family hike and not far down the trail found these stepping logs across the small stream. They played there for hours! 
I love this picture! Look at that stride! Rohan and his long skinny legs.
Budge looking ever so cool in his shades. Baby carrier, baby and all!
This was the end of one of the trails that we followed in the mountains that day. It was so beautiful and peaceful there. And it felt like home! I spent many days in those mountains and I still miss them. It was one of those days that I will cherish forever!
The next day, we went to Thanksgiving Point to see the gardens and the dinosaur museum. I love the gardens! So beautiful. I wish I could get my yard to look like this!
One of the highlights for us is the waterfall. This is an almost family picture... Jacque was asleep in the stroller.
All the kids wanted to line up on the bridge for a picture. I love their little faces barely peeking over the railing!
Sweet baby Lucy! I love her chubby cheeks! I just want to squeeze them all the time.
The koi pond was amazing. I have never seen so many in one place before. The kids loved to feed them by dropping a handful of food in one place and watch them all dive after it.
Here are the kids outside of the dinosaur museum waiting so patiently in the shade for all of the adults to get there. 
This is the favorite place for my boys, playing in the sand and water and burying the little toy dinosaurs. 
Oh, no! The killer shark that is about to get Grandma and the kids! Why are they all smiling? Still, it is a little creepy...
Cheesy smiles all around. Poor little dinosaur. I hope you have a strong back to carry all of those kids!
Rohan and Halley are just relaxing after a long walk in the gardens. It made me want to lay down and take a nap. Oh, to be a kid again. What a fun day!
This is the other five kids. Can you tell how excited they are to be together? Pure joy!
The girls were so excited to play house because then there were boys who could be daddy. So cute! One day we were sitting in the front room and Rohan walked down the stairs holding the "baby" and had his finger stuck in her mouth. To everyone who doesn't understand why this is so funny, our baby Jacque will not take a pacifier. But she loves to suck on Daddy's finger. So at our house, this is a common sight. Love it!
This is baby Lucy with Grandpa. I caught her when the sun was in her eyes but she just kicked back, crossed her little legs, and fell asleep in the sun. What a cutie!
Grandpa and Rohan playing together in the pool.
The daddy's of the group got in the pool with the kids while all of the mom's sat pool side and talked. I think the "big" boys had just as much fun playing around as the kids did.
Rohan with his goggles diving for toys, and Xander sporting a festive floatie!
By the time we made it to the bowling alley, Jacque was crashed. It's a good thing that girl can sleep with a lot of noise!
Budge had fun helping to teach the boys how to hold the ball correctly. Xander also learned how to score a game old school. They even dug up a long forgotten score card and pencil for us at the front desk. 
Jaden reading a birthday card and opening presents. He was so excited to have his cousins there to help him celebrate!
We took all of the kids to an indoor play area where they have several different jump houses. While we were there, all of the cousins wanted to take turns holding Jacque. This is one of my favorites because they both have the same look of panic on their faces! So cute!
After the cousins went home, we met some friends at the park to play. This is Jaden and his best friend Nate.
We also often see them hopping around in our garden gathering food as well as twigs and grass and things to line their nest with.
It's funny to watch Jacque when Budge is holding her and talking on the phone at the same time. She thinks that he is talking to her and she will jabber back at him. I think that she will be a great conversationalist when we start to understand her.
Xander also had his last baseball game of the season this week. Jaden decided that he needed to show his support by wearing a blue hat to match the team colors.
Jaden and Rohan standing by Daddy as he multi-tasks by holding Jacque and helping with the team at the same time.
Xander is playing in the outfield and pulling sunflower seeds out of his back pocket and eating them. It was cracking me up to watch him!
Ok. I know what you are thinking. How mean to post a picture of Jacque during one of her fits. All I can say is, it's part of who she is. Besides, I need something to embarrass her with when she starts dating, right? 
So this picture is a little bit out of order. Rohan and Jaden were playing in the drinking fountain at Xander's game. It was very hot and humid that night and all of the kids were doing everything they could to cool off.
I was standing by my kitchen sink one morning when the biggest butterfly I have ever seen flew by the window. I grabbed my camera and went outside hoping to find it and there it was, flying from flower to flower. Just as a reference, these are Agapanthus blooms and are quite large.
Xander's baseball team had their end of the year swim party. They were the Dodgers so this is the Dodger cake that they had after eating pizza.
I love this picture of all four kids gathered around Daddy. Jacque always looks so tiny in his arms! Xander is also checking out his baseball trophy.
We had quite the zoo at our house this weekend. Grandma Janell brought the four grandkids that were staying at her house to come and play with our kids. 
We all went out to dinner to celebrate Jaden's birthday. We went to the Elephant Bar and they brought him a special dessert! It was a little crazy because of the kid to adult ratio but for the most part, it wasn't too bad. Our waitress even commented to us how well behaved the kids were. 
