2 yr old boys are so smart!

I was putting the kids to bed tonight and McKinley was being a mite sassy. I firmly informed her that she is not the boss around here. Gavin then informed me that she is the boss. I told him that she was not and said, "are you the boss?".
Wait for it!!!

"No, mommy, boys are not the boss!"


Awesome!! So smart at age 2! His wife will love him someday!

Thank goodness for camera phones!

You know, when you purchase a new phone, its no longer just a device for talking to others. I was reading the reviews on new phones and was laughing at people who were all upset because their phone didn't have a flash or more zoom on the camera, and it couldn't play music the way they wanted, or it didn't have a big enough screen to watch movies, etc.......
Anyway, I really do like the camera. It works great for capturing cute pictures of Jamison. That is the real reason I posted tonight. Here he is, 6.5 months old, in all his awesome hat glory!

Say what?!

Not to be outdone by Gavin's "Hippomuspotamus", McKinley was talking about our pregnant neighbor who shall not be named (this is to protect your identity Tanis!). McKinley asked us "Did you see the fatness of her?"

Uh......

There is no response to that. It was really funny. Kids say the darndest things!

Love my kids!!

Gavin is so funny! I have to post this now before I forget.
Our neighbor's son has the hungry, hungry hippo game. Gavin was over playing it and thought it was so much fun! He wanted Matthew to go play with him, but settled for borrowing the game and playing here at home. It is one of the sweet joys of life, playing silly kid games with our kids! All four of us were playing!
Anyway, we were driving home from Sunday dinner at my in laws and Gavin asks, "Can we play the hippomuspotamus game?" That is right! As if hippopotamus wasn't already a difficult word for a child to say! I love it-hippomuspotamus! He says it like that everytime too!
Our other favorite part, albeit difficult, of playing games with our children is listening to them get so sad when they lose. What a hard thing in life; to teach your children that they won't always win, and that it will be okay.
McKinley's birthday is Thursday. She is turning 5. She's super excited! Wants to have a water balloon fight. Such an easy kid to please!

Caution: Rattlesnakes

I forgot to post this picture. This one will go down in the family history books. What more can be said?

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I suppose that I should also post the good one. What cute children we have! Who would have though that they could be so happy about looking for rattlesnakes?

Cress Creek Trail

I figured that while I've got some time I just as well get caught up on our adventures. I love adventures. Erica would rather stay home sometimes, but once we get everything rounded up and the kids loaded in the car and get there, she always enjoys herself. Cress Creek Trail is on the way up to Kelly Canyon Ski Resort where we work in the winter. It is not too long, maybe 2 miles total if you do the upper loop too. Its pretty easy for kids and there is lots of stuff to look for. Rattlesnakes, poison ivy, stinging nettle, bees, rattlesnakes, and other fun stuff too. We didn't see any of that stuff but we saw lots of flowers, some moss, a chipmunk, and some trees were in bloom (no idea what kind, but they sure smelled good).

A little history about this place is related to my family. My dad told me that when the Hills first settled this area in the late 1800s, they used to go up in the winter to pick water cress to have some fresh greens to eat so they didn't get scurvy. The creek is heated enough by geothermal heat that it doesn't freeze in the winter. Neat huh!

Here is a couple pictures from our adventure. Hope you don't get pictured out. I love taking pictures and sharing them.

Perdy, ain't it.

Jamison ready to go!

Only you can prevent erosion!

McKinley was messing around and tipped over in the backpack. Gavin was helping her get out by dropping rocks on her head.

This moss/lichens were cool. They were tiny. The 'sticks' are needles from a spruce tree.

This flower picture turned out good.

Happy hiker!

McKinley wanted to pick all of the pretty flowers she saw. We told her to leave the flowers so other people could enjoy them, but we figured it would be okay if she picked this monster dandelion.

This is Cress Creek with a dry McKinley before she fell in while messing around.

Memorial Weekend = Fishing

So far in my life, Memorial Day means fishing. I kind of know what it is really for, but I've never had someone really close to me die. And if they did, what better way to celebrate their life than to go fishing! But seriously, I have known all eight of my great-grandparents and all four of my grandparents are still alive. I don't get to see my grandparents in Alaska very often, but I love them too. I will miss them when they are gone. Somehow we need to develop some sort of Memorial Day tradition to remember and celebrate those who have gone on.

I really admire and respect those serving in the armed forces. It is something that I would gladly do if it ever became required, but I don't think that I will ever enlist. There is a guy in my office at work who is in the Air Force Reserves whose unit got called up. He is going to Afghanistan in July. There was a guy in our ward who was in the elders quorum presidency with me who just quit his job and enlisted in the Army Reserves. I really respect them and wish them the best. They both have families. Here's a shout out and thanks to all those serving in the armed forces. May you be watched over as you do what is right.

Wow, that got a lot bigger than I thought it was. It kind of makes our fishing trip not seem so important, but it is tradition and a lot of fun. We've been going up to what we will forever call Cottonwood Boat Landing (even though the name has been changed) ever since I can remember. I don't know of any picture of me as a baby fishing up there, but there are several of me at 4 or 5. It is so beautiful up on that part of the South Fork of the Snake River. It is down in a canyon with high walls and lots of trees. It is tough to always get there but it is one of my favorite places in the world. Some years the weather is not very nice, it rains almost every year, but we have adapted. We take a big tarp to cover the fire and some chairs and where we cook. It was great! I love taking my kids. Here are some photos to enjoy! My awesome sister-in-law Sophie took some of them. Thanks for sharing.

Here is some of the family. McKinley was off running around and someone has to take the picture!

Cutest baby in the world? We sure think so!

Strong contender for cutest 2 1/2 year old. He's all ready for the rain which had already started falling Saturday morning. He was ready to go for a ride in the boat and start fishing on Tuesday when we told him we were going.

We are just proud of McKinley for not making too funny of a face. She is a beautiful little girl when she is being cute.

Jamison loves riding in the Snugli.

He can even help Erica fish!

I stood here for hours holding the boat under the cave so we didn't get rained. Okay, just long enough to take a picture and tie the rope up.

Gavin lassoed this fish with Grandpa!

Sometimes we wonder what planet our children come from. Gavin in this case.

This is a morel mushroom. They grow wild along the river. They are delicious. When fishing is slow, we find mushrooms to cook with dinner. They cost about $35 per pound. We eat them by the grocery bag full when we can find them. Delicious!