The Las Vegas Apartment Party

Kylee and Lacey after swimming

Cody at his favorite water park on his favorite frog with two of his favorite aunts

Steve is ironing his shirt for church on a tiny stool. Eight people in a one bedroom apartment getting ready for church is pretty CrAzY. But we were on time!

swimming at the apartment pool

Our wonderful family photo at Mary Jane Falls. Look how cooperative our children are!

Mary Jane Falls courtesy of Steven Cramer Photography

Kylee and Steve hiking up to the falls.

Cody is a happy hiker. He's just a chatter box the whole time.

Grandpa and Cody hiking

Kylee is a great hiker too. Especially when Grandpa carries her all the way down the mountain while she sleeps.

Cody and Grandpa with their homemade masks. Cody was busy with a lot of "projects" while we were there. There were little bits of paper taped up everywhere.

Last time we came to Las Vegas Grandma and Cody made Rice Crispy Treats. This time the special treat was donuts!

Cody and Grandpa wrestling on the only bed in the apartment which is lovingly called "The Picnic Table" because its so comfy :)

These kids love the waterpark! They were there for hours. I've heard there are water parks in Pittsburgh so we will definitely be checking those out.

They had these cool water guns!

Kylee liked being in the stroller and playing with the water more than being on the ground.

Wrestling with dad in their sleepover shirts.

This is Cody's "Grandpa Dance" imitating Steve's dad. I love how his shorts are pulled up. HiLaRiOuS!

Zions National Park

DAY ONE

Family picture in Kolob Canyon on the Taylor Creek Trail. Kylee is in there. She's snoozing in the pack on Steve's back.

Cody climbing rocks

Cody and I hiking on the Taylor Creek Trail. It was SO hot.

Kylee taking a little break from the kid pack.

We stayed at a house in Springdale (right outside the park) that is owned by my parents' friends. This is the view from their back porch. Amazing, huh?

DAY TWO

The Middle Emerald Pool on the Emerald Pools hike

Steve & Tif at the Upper Emerald Pool

Cody & Aunt Brooke at the Upper Pool

Cody and Tif on the trail from Emerald Pools to the Grotto

Looking down on the Angel's Landing trail

Steve almost to the top of Angel's Landing

DAY THREE

This is a little waterfall just below Weeping Rock.

On the Riverwalk Trail. Steve made us hike primitive trails so that he could get some good pictures.

Cody catching tadpoles

Kylee zonked in her pack. Our kids are such good sports when it comes to hiking

On the Canyon Overlook hike

Our kids are amazing hikers. We saw everything we wanted to see and they hung in there with good attitudes the whole time. We drove home late Friday night after 3 days of hiking. When Cody woke up the next morning he wanted to go hiking. I think we have found something that our family likes to do together.

Timp Cave

Cody and Grandma Tammy: hiking buddies

Inside Timp Cave

Kodachrome rock

On our way up to the cave

We had so much fun hiking with Tammy and our family. Tammy used to hike up to the cave every day for exercise so she was the best tour guide. Cody was a little worried about going into the cave but once he saw how cool it was he had the time of his life. Now he talks about all of his favorite formations: popcorn, bacon, and carmel topping.

Hike Around Silver Lake

Last Monday we hiked around Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Cody loved the birds and squirrels.

Cody was so excited to hike. He was running around with his "ones up."

hiking Mt. Olympus

Yesterday we went hiking as a family up Mt. Olympus. The hike was steep and the kids did awesome. We didn't see any other kids on the hike and many hikers were impressed that we brought them with us. We just can't help being so fun.

Towards the end Kylee conked out. This is her last yawn before a nap.

The flowers were beautiful this time of year.

a week long birthday...

I had a great birthday week this year. Even though my birthday is Saturday the festivities started on Thursday. Steve's mom was in town and took the kids for a fun sleepover so Steve and I went on a date. We went to Texas Roadhouse and then shopping at the mall with my birthday money. Everything was perfect about it: no wait at the restaurant, found cute things at the mall in my size that I could afford (wow!), and used all of my money just in time for the mall to close. Does that even happen? Then, the next morning we went to pick up the kids and hung out with Steve's fam while we helped pack up their Utah house. The next day was my birthday and we hung out with my fam all day and then had Sunday dinner the next day after that. I think four days of celebrating is the minimum amount of celebrating.

Steve's new computer came Thursday (nice glasses!)

We went through all of Steve's stuff at his parents house and found this lasso which entertained us for a while.

My turn with the glasses.

The traditional sleepover shirts and fun Aunt Lacey

Cody got to take home some of Steve's old toys we found.

Steve's cowboy hat.

Kylee the cowgirl

Soccer glasses modeled by Kylee.

Aunt Raquel and Kylee and Cody

Birthday cake compliments of Lacey! The best cake ever: Reeses pb cups, pb m&m's, and ice cream. Mmmmmm. Thank you, Lace!

After our yummy birthday cake.

Playing croquet with Grandpa Duncan

After a yummy Sunday dinner with my family.

curl up with a good book...

...and a cute little boy.

Cody is in love with books! His number one favorite thing to do is have someone read to him for as long as possible.

One day we were reading books and after an hour or two my eyes started slamming shut. Finally I asked Cody if I could close my eyes for a minute and then I could read some more. When I woke up 15 or 20 minutes later Cody was still sitting next to me with his head against my arm and a book on his lap. As soon as he noticed that I was awake he scooted the book over to my lap and said, "read."

If my kids only knew how much I loved it when they cuddle with me.

Cody's new version of Wheels on the Bus

I was trying to pack the kids some food on our way out the door and Kylee wasn't being very patient. She was crying and Cody and I were trying to make her happy so we started singing The Wheels on the Bus song...

The wheels on the bus go

round and round

round and round

round and round

the wheels on the bus go

round and round

all through the town

(Kylee is still crying)

The horn on the bus goes

beep beep beep

beep beep beep

beep beep beep

the horn on the bus goes

beep beep beep

all through the town

(Kylee is still crying) We sing a few more verses and then we got to the baby verse.

The babies on the bus go

waa waa waa

waa waa...

Then Cody stops. "Mom, we don't need to sing 'waa, waa, waa' because Kylee is already doing that part." So we started over. And Kylee is still crying, of course.

The babies on the bus go

(Kylee crying)

(Kylee crying)

(Kylee crying)

the babies on the bus go

(Kylee crying)

all through the town