Bear Lake with friends

 

Every September we meet up with our good friends the Stevenson, Archibalds and Siebenbergs and their families.

 
Siebenbergs got there just after us and Sam wasted NO time finding the most coveted seat in the house...the small wooden Bear Chair.  Jaden was happy on his turtle stool and the two watched a movie...really close up!  :)

The next day was a BEAUTIFUL day and the kids took full advantage.  Sam and Kenna found the airplane teeder totter.

Then Jadesy and Nelson took a turn.

Corb and Kenna took time for a little R&R on the raft. (Later I found out that they took a shower together....Corb was a gentleman and kept his swimsuit ON during the shower)  Thank goodness because we want to KEEP the Seibenbergs as our friends!  :)

 
Jadesy and Nelson anxiously waited for all the dads to get back from Golfing.

Nelson loved playing with the trains that poor Bettie must have set up about a billion times - Thanks Jadesy for continuously knocking them down!  :)

In between knocking train tracks over, Jaden found us some crowns and we danced like princesses!  :)

Here we are hamming it up!

Seibs were GREAT at playing games and Sam ROCKED at Sequence Jr.

They played Monopoly.

Brett worked on his swing

"FOOOOOUUUUURRRR......"

Don't mess with Lance or he'll shoot ya!  And it turned out to be the case with Jaden.  Jaden was standing behind him as he was golfing into the lake.  The ball ricocheted off a tree and came back and hit Jaden right in the neck.  We were pretty lucky it didn't hit his trachea.  Lance felt pretty bad!

He was a sad little duck for a minute...but after some "high coco" he was a happy camper!  And other than a red neck...there was no permanent damage done.

The kids loved just sitting and playing in the sand.

ALL the kids!! By the end of the day, Pup was one worn out girl!

Coby was able to grab a shot of the beautiful sunset. 

After dinner, we decided to go and grab Raspberry Shakes.  Jaden is patiently waiting for his and saving us a table too.

I'm sure the Seibs will LOVE us capturing this little candid beauty!

Lance had to get Cookie Dough AND Hot Chocolate!

There was this cute little elevated area behind the tables that all the kids snuggled together and enjoyed their ice cream.

By this point, Corb was SICK of the picture taking!

And even though none of us were camera ready...we had to take advantage of getting all of us together in the same picture!

Here's a shot of all of us after we'd eaten our share of ice cream.
The next morning was a beauty and we were sad that we had to leave and head back home to Salt Lake.

Seibenberg Family

Our little family

It's always so nice to head up to Bear Lake for one last hurrah with some of our best friends.  We treasure every single chance that we're able to get together and catch up, laugh...eat way too much and make enough memories to hold us over til the next time!

Golfing in the front yard

Ever since Corb starting collecting golf balls at Bear Lake....he's picked up the "golfing" bug.

So, obviously....Jaden did too!

He's been saving his money to buy his own set of clubs so he could golf with Coby and his Poochie (my dad).  After school he comes home, puts on his "golfing" attire (plaid shorts, a golf shirt and his trusty white nikes) and heads straight for the front yard to practice his "swing."

 

And I have to admit...he's actually pretty good!  He's better than me, that's for sure!

And as usual, Jaden's not too far behind wanting to do everything his big brother does!  He's a golfer too...even if the club is a little too big....and he's still in his jams....as long as his tongue is out...he's concentrating so WATCH OUT!

Jack's 4th Angelversary

Today marks 4 years that we've been away from our sweet and perfect little Jack.  We miss him more than words could ever say.  Today was also the Brigham City Temple Dedication and we technically didn't have church.  I was secretly...well, I guess it wasn't a secret that I was happy to stay in my jams and reflect on the last 4 years without our little angel.

I feel like we were doing as well as could have been expected until I noticed a cute little blond frantically trying to flee the "scene of the crime." with about a billion little treasures from "Jack".  I didn't want to miss a single bit of all of her efforts to make this day so special for us, so I tried to capture every bit I could.

Here's a framed picture of Christ walking with a blond haired little boy along with a message directly from Jack telling us how he walks daily with Christ.  It was extremely heart felt and geniune and I still can't get through it without crying.  

 

A letter to the whole family (above)

The boys couldn't wait to bust open the silly string and start spraying each other.

Here is Jack's letter to Corbin.  (above)

 

We are planning to paint the picture frames from FHE one night soon and are hoping that Jack graces us with his presence.

I like to think that maybe the veil isn't completely sealed from Jaden and maybe, just maybe Jadesy is giving Jack a GOOD silly string spray down in this picture.

Here's Jaden's letter from Jack. (above)

Even this new soon-to-be little bundle of boy joy got a letter and a little stuffed lamb.  My cup runneth over.

 I LOVE this flower pot and gorgeous blue and white pansies.  I can't see those flowers and not stop to admire their beauty because of this Angel I'm so blessed to know and have in my life.

"There's the smile I can't wait to see....Just to know I'll hold you again is the gift I'll hold until then..."

Jesse Clark Funk

Thank you SO much to the cute little blond that is so humble and modest that I know she's die if I put her name here.  I know who she is.  She knows who she is.  Jack certainly knows who she is.  And most importantly the Lord and our Savior are certainly aware of all of her many efforts she continuously makes to help us feel loved and to remind us that even though Jack may be gone, he's certainly not forgotten.  Thank you M.  You are my little ray of sunshine and I absolutely adore you!

Special thanks to EVERYONE that remembered today for us and left us messages, notes, cards, flowers and treats.  We want you to know just how much we appreciate EVERY SINGLE EFFORT.  It never goes unnoticed and is certainly never taken for granted.  Thank you.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

It's been a hard 4 years without our little Jack.  A lot has happened and our family will have grown by almost 2 more boys, but there will always be a void in our hearts with him here.  I try to imagine what it would be like with one more crazy boy running around this house.  I look at other families who have boys Jack's age and can't help but feel a little sad that our little boy was taken so soon.  We put on a happy face and a face that tells the world that we are fine...but underneath it all, we're still broken.  We've applied all the glue we can find to put the pieces back together, but they just don't all seem to fit like they used to before Jack left us that early fall day in September 4 years ago.  Not a minute goes by that I don't wish more than anything that he were still here.  I wish I could hear his laugh or have him tell me he loved me in a cute little 5 year old voice.  I know he's close at times, but lately he seems to be really busy "doing a great work" as he likes to tell me.  And I'm happy he's busy so that he doesn't have to hurt and long to be with us like we are for him.  I'm sure it's a completely different prospective for him to look in on us and know that time isn't too far off until we're all together again.  I wish I could have that same prospective sometimes.  I wish that I could peek in on him sometimes.

Bottom line is this:  Jack is gone.  He visits fairly often (I feel) and I know he's mostly proud of the way we've handled things.  While it's hard every single day to be without him, I know he's close and for now, that's got to be good enough.  At least Coby and I have an eternal marriage and an eternal family to go along with it.  We're doing our part to ensure that we'll always be together.  We're trying to find the light and seek out the good that has come from this tragedy.  A LOT of good has come as a result of losing our sweet toe head little angel so soon.  We are blessed.  We are OH so blessed.  I thank Him for good family and friends that have held our hands and haven't forgotten that we are still weak and need their shoulders to cry on and their strong backs to lift us when we can't stand.  Jack is helping others on that side and I like to think that maybe we're helping others because of him on this side.

I miss you Jack!  I hope that you are prepping your little brother with all kinds of good things...and maybe even a few pranks too.  I hope that you will tell your little sister that she had better start thinking about joining our family in the next few years because she only has one more opportunity after your brother gets here.   And I MEAN IT!  I love you baby!  Daddy, Corb, Jadesy, all our grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins love and miss you too!  Check in on us every now and then.  We still need you.  Put in a good word for Poppy and Aunt Linda, they're sick you know.  Give Grandma Burton a big hug and tell her we think about her often and that Jaden still loves the blue blanket she made for him.  Love you Lammy Lou!

Love, Mom and Dad and Corb and Jadesy

Piglet Plunge 2012

Today was Corbin AND Jaden's first EVER Mud Run.  Coby ran the earlier and then met up with us so the boys could do the piglet run.

I love the look on Jaden's face as his dirty, muddy daddy is touching him.  He wasn't so sure...but Corb couldn't wait to get dirty!

Jaden was a stinker and made Coby carry him on his shoulders for most of the 1 mile run.  Their daddy was a TROOPER!

After sliding down the muddy water slide (that didn't have much water on it) I think Coby's shoulders had had it and down Jaden went...to brave the dirt on his own.

Being the great big brother that he is...Corb was showing Jaden just how fun JUMPING into the mud with BOTH feet could be....

And down the hill they went a sloshin'...

 

Here's what he looked like by the end....that's ONE DIRTY little boy! 

And there are my boys in all their "dirty" glory!  They finished the race!

I'm so proud of them!  I'm so blessed to have such an amazing husband that adores his children and takes them on little adventures with him.  Thanks to my mom for helping me today...there is NO way I could have done it without you either!  :)  LOVE my family!