Ranch...Amish style...

I have always been fascinated with the Amish communities, and now that we are living in Ohio we took a trip out to Amish country to explore. We went to a little ranch, and learned how much fun we can have with people who don't worry about liability!

Here's Hadley getting mauled at the petting zoo. It reminded her of when Katie got her hair eaten by a goat in St. Louis!




Hyrum got to hold the new little ducklings...they were so yellow!


After we looked around the petting zoo for awhile they called us to the safari...a horse drawn cart with a bucket of feed for each of us. We rode through the countryside and when we saw an animal we wanted to see the driver would stop and we would shake our buckets and the animals would come running.

Here's Hyrum petting a Brahma bull's hump.


Buffalo...


We all loved the zebras...


Although this one stone Hadley's bucket!























Hadley driving the cart...Hyrum refused until he got big.




















This reindeer climbed right up the back of the cart! His horns felt like velvet...I think even Jacob was having a good time.


Hyrum leaned over and said, "Mom, we have a VERY important job, feeding the animals!" He kept loading and unloading his bucket so he had just the right amount of food for each animal. He took his job very seriously!!
















After we left the ranch, we stopped in at the second annual cheese festival for Amish pina coladas...





Ice cream...
















And had a buggy ride...I've always wondered what the inside is like!




The countryside is so beautiful. I wish I had some pictures to do it justice. We had such a good time being outside and being together.

Cedar Point...

My sister Kristina and her two kids came from Washington, DC to visit our family while my Mom and Jacob are here. We decided to check out Cedar Point, one of the largest amusement parks in the US and right here in our backyard (Sandusky). The kids had fun on the rides (Hadley giving Hyrum a little mothering...)















They even had a little petting zoo that Hyrum enjoyed.















Classic amusement park....



The old fogies riding the railroad...while Hadley and Uncle Jacob braved the 400 foot drops...


And to top it all off we got rained out in a big way. BUCKETS of water falling from the sky. We kept the baby dry but everyone else was soaked! Oh-well...the best part was just being together!! :)

A day to remember...

Letter boxing with Aunt Heather at the beach on Saturday. Hadley really caught the fire, and wants to go again!

Hyrum, in the action, as usual!

Whoaaaa!

Hanging out with the naked man at the beach!

At the Kirtland temple, looking like ants.























Hadley and Annie's big day. Hadley had 2 friends from school (both named Maya) come to her baptism. She was so excited! I love this picture because it captures how happy Hadley was all day.

Hadley and Annie laughing at themselves in the funny jumpsuits!

Jeff, Angie, Hadley, Annie, Lisa and Chris

Rounding up for a picture at the end of the day, there were lots of funny ones to choose from...like this one....



A little celebration for mom at the end of the day...happy birthday! Thanks for sharing your birthday with Hadley's baptism. I should have made a vegetable bouquet in the shape of a cake so you would actually eat your birthday treat. I guess there's always next year. :)

Hadley's Getting Baptized!

Hadley is like Jeff in so many ways. She always wants to do what's right, no matter how hard it might be. She is just genuinely good and innocent. I can't believe this day is here! I am so proud of her. She has resolved to be perfect from her baptism on (0kay, maybe she's got a little bit of a problem with perfectionism from my side of the family).

The protective side of me wants to warn her that it's impossible to be perfect, and that she will make mistakes and she needs to be prepared and not too disappointed when she can't keep her goal. But the believer in me is so proud of her for the sheer DESIRE that she has to be her best. Am I old enough to have a kid getting baptized? When did this happen?!?

An angel...

This angel showed up at our house this week. She has been loving my kids, doing my dishes, making me laugh, getting my family out of the house to have some fun, and generally being a lifesaver. I'm so glad she's here and planning to stay for awhile. Makes me want to sing, "I'm SO Glad When Grammy Comes Home!!"


WE LOVE YOU GRAMMY! We're so glad Heaven has loaned her to us for awhile!