GAPkids

Hi everyone! I'm just posting this short post because I just entered my cute kiddies in the GAP casting call. If you want to go vote for them, go here for Grace, here for Crede, and here for Gage. I'll have to enter Morgan next time 'round.

Here are the photo's that I entered:

Nichole Van

I have the best husband ever invented. This guy has been so great. Ever since buying a new "entry level" DSLR camera, I've re-discovered my love for photography. I can't believe I've gone 10 years being happy with point-and-shoot snapshots. I'm also so glad that I have the background in photography that I do so that I actually know what F-stops and Shutter Speeds have to do with exposure. I'm not going to lie though ~ it's taken me a while to get to the point where I don't have THINK so much during a photo shoot. It's so easy to forget things, and I'm grateful that this "hobby" has been found again.

I found this amazing photographer ~ Nichole Van ~ and she just happens to offer some AMAZING photography workshops. Whoda thought?! I asked Chance, he immediately said I could go, and VOILA! Here are my finished photo's. I had SO much fun, and met some pretty incredible ladies. Enjoy...

Our last day...Bear Lake Camping Trip

The morning before leaving for home we decided to go on an official, LONG, 4-wheeler ride. The kids all got geared up and we headed out. It was such a cool morning that we all had to wear our sweatshirts. It was NICE. We rode for awhile and then came back to camp to eat a quick lunch before leaving for home. Of course we had to set up the tripod to take some "group" photo's ~ and we had some fun doing that as well (as you can see.)

We're very lucky to have family that we are close to. Thanks Token and Corey for a fun trip. Here's our pic's from this last day. Enjoy!

Here's our little Gage all ready for his big ride. Cute little boy.

Oh Grace. Crede didn't look too thrilled....crazy kids.

Smile!!!

Aaaand here's our group pictures. Yep ~ we's crazy.

Day #2 ~ Bear Lake Camping Trip

We drove to Bear Lake today. I didn't bring my camera because #1...I didn't feel like it, and #2...I could just picture sand and more sand. 'nough said.

We spent the day there, had fun ~ UNTIL ~ Token's cornea got scratched somehow. It kept getting worse so we decided to pack up and drive back to camp. Token, on the other hand, drove to the Dr. We got back to camp and finally decided to OFFICIALLY sing to Gage for his first birthday. See what happens when you have 4 kids? This never would have happened with Child #1. We stripped him down and gave him pure sugar. I'm not sure that he liked it all that much though...oh well.

We let the kids play a little that evening, and then a HUGE thunderstorm rolled in. Thank HEAVENS for camper trailers. Needless to say, we spent the remainder of the evening watching movies and playing card games. Token got some eye drops that helped numb her eye, and she was good to go. Fun times.


Here's our Gage just before getting his sugar-fix.





Yeah, I guess it wasn't a big hit. Aw well.



Crede with Tatem and Hadlee playing.......who knows.

Yeah, for the record, I didn't think this was such a good idea. Grace and fire should never be in close proximity.

Day #1 ~ Bear Lake Camping Trip

Yep, it's our annual Bear Lake Camping Trip. We didn't arrive to camp until about 10:30 at night, so this was our first, REAL, day of camping. Corey and Chance had to drive into town for a part (for Tucker's dirt bike) so Token and I hung out at camp all....day....long. We sat, relaxed, and watched Morgan find a cow skull and the proceed to hammer the teeth out of it with another bone found nearby. We also got some fun photo's of the kids just sitting around too.


Here's Morgan practicing with a BB-gun...she had to sit down to keep herself steady. This was only allowed while DAD was in camp. I don't care for firearms. :)

Grace and either Tatem or Hadlee. I can never tell. Sorry Token.

Oh boy. Grace is crazy on this thing.

During the boy's absence ~ what else was there to do? Photo-shoot!! Here's Morgan...
Grace...


And token being the good Mom that she is, brought some fun coloring pages for the kids to play with in her camper. Crede loved it.

Yep, the skull....and the teeth. SICK.

Grace's feet after ONE day. Not even a full day really ~ just a 1/2 day.

Crede doing what he does best.

Aaaand my "photo-shoot" with Crede.

Token and Corey fixing our hobo-dinners for the night. Do you like Corey's wicked awesome "ove-glove"?

And Token, yet again, being the amazing Mom that she is ~ brought "Minute to Win It" games for the kids to play. Complete with prizes. here are Grace and Crede just before trying to jump the ping-pong balls out of their kleenex box. Cute kids.

Morgan really got into it.

Our last game of the evening ~ unwrapping a present while wearing gloves.

The prizes......

The kids couldn't wait to blow up those balloons. They were actually pretty fun!

Gage and Dad sittin' by the fire. Chance just has a knack with this kid. He loves his Dad SOOOOoooOO much.

Night little man. Little one-toothed hillbilly.....

Happy Birthday Little Man

We had so much going on this summer. I really felt bad, because Gage's birthday fell during our camping trip to Idaho. I was either busy packing or busy putting stuff away to stop and actually celebrate our little man's #1 birthday. As you can see, he got to open a small present from Grandpa Angell ~ and he loved it. I made a cake and brought it with us up camping the next week so that we could sing to him and actually CELEBRATE the fact that he's ONE. Happy Birthday Gagie Gage...we sure love you.

Gage is the funniest little boy. He's so different than Crede, it cracks me up. Crede's all serious and (for the most part) mellow. Gage has Grace's personality. Quirky, crazy, and BUSY. Gage is always looking for something to get into. He's swam in our toilet more than I can count and he finds any opportunity to go into a room he isn't suppose to go ~ just because the door has been left open. He's eaten lint, dirt, sand, stale food on the kitchen floor...you name it. He laughs ALL THE TIME and is always quick to smile. And unlike Crede, he is Dad's #1 fan. It's been that way ever since Gage was a little baby. If he was upset, I would hand him off to Chance ~ and voila! He'd calm right down. Gage LOVES his Dad.

As I'm writing this (in JANURAY 2011) Gage has learned how to say "yes", "Dad", "Mom", "Jesus", "car", "all done", "shoes", and he TRIES to say, "ouch" (it comes out as ow), "sock", "elk" (thanks Chance), and many others. He is always copying what his older siblings do, and he LOVES to give kisses. He'll pucker up and you'll know what he wants.

We love you little boy....and we love to watch you grow. I hope you had a fun first birthday (even though you won't remember any of it).

Happy Pioneer Day

For the 4th of July Chance mocked my sparklers that I bought. He remarked how "puny" they were.

Well.

I was shopping at our nearby Winco Foods and noticed THESE sparklers. Do you think Chance complained again?

Nope.

Of course he invented all kinds of ways to ENJOY these sparklers. Leave it to him to be creative like that. Oh, and yes, we're the lame parents who light their fireworks at 7pm so that our kids won't be up so late. Dang daylight savings! It doesn't get dark until 9:30! Perhaps when some of our sanity has returned we'll let the kids stay up late. I'm not making any promises. Don't judge.