Scarecrow Festival

It's that time of year again for the annual Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point. We have gone the last 3 years and our boys love it! The first thing they wanted to do was go on the shark slide.

Carter was happy as a clam--doesn't he look adorable in this picture? Ok, I'm biased.

Carter was so proud of Presto for going down the slide, he waited for him to come down and greeted him with a big hug and a good job! So cute.

They also love the free games for the kids to play. Preston mostly liked to pick up all the rings to see how many he could gather. The other children waiting in line behind him were not so pleased. But, that is kindof how Preston is-he is a free spirit. I love that about him!

They got to choose between face painting or a treat. Carter no question wanted his face painted. Preston wanted a treat, fried donuts. He seriously ate the entire bag himself minus maybe 1 or 2 he shared with Carter.

We also went on the wagon ride. This time was extra fun with the headless horseman riding behind us. The boys thought it was so cool. There he is!
Me and Carter with the headless horseman
After the wagon ride we walked over to the Petting Zoo and had a great time looking at the animals. Not sure why we took a picture by the chicken coop, but whatever. It was nice this year to feel like the boys were old enough to climb up the slides by themselves and truly enjoy it together. Another successful year the scarecrow festival!

Stephenson Girls Trip '09

Year 4 of the annual girls trip and once again it was such a blast. We went back to St. George this year after going to Park City the 2 previous years. It was good because my Aunt Jean and cousin Jamie could make a quick trip up from Vegas to be with us. So fun!

Eating lunch before going shopping

L to R Heather, Jacque, Cathy, Amy, Shauna, Bethany, Tamera

Shannon, Melanie, Jamie, and Sarah

This was after shopping and we were starving! They just opened up Brick Oven in St. George so we had to go. We just parked it curbside while we waited. We had 4 pregnant girls this trip (including me) and poor Sarah-in purple was due in 3 weeks. She shopped all day with us and never complained. She is a die hard shopper!

Here is all the shopping bags all gathered together before we did show and tell.

Shauna, Mom, Aunt Sharon, Aunt Mary

The Tenney Girls

me, Amy, Shannon, Melanie

Cathy, Jacque, Aunt Chris, Aunt Jean, Tamera

Tamera (my cousin's wife) was nice enough to ask her mom who lives in St. George if we could all stay at her house. There were 20 of us! She agreed and we couldn't believe the amazing home we were about to stay in! We all had the most comfortable beds ever-nobody slept on the floor. It was 5 times better than a 5 star hotel. We had a pool, waterslide, hot tub, amazing view of the red rocks, shuffleboard table, movie room, pool table, the list goes on and on. You would have to see it to believe it. SO awesome! We all want to go back next year! This picture is of my mom with the leopard blankets for each recliner in the movie room. We watched "New in Town" and felt like we were at the movies.

another shot of the comfy recliners

This was the family room where we hung out alot. It had a kitchen to the left with some funky zebra barstools.

My sister took more pictures of the house, but just let me say it was incredible. We ended up playing a "white elephant" game with Ginny, Tamera's mom trying to get rid of some of the stuff she has in her house. She basically gave us all presents that were darling and also had a fun little Halloween craft for us to do. Talk about great hostess!! It felt like Christmas! We had a great time and always look forward to spending time with my great family laughing, talking, and eating. Can't wait for next year girls!

End of summer activities

We had a great summer and kept ourselves really busy playing outside and getting dirty.
Here is a whole bunch of pictures I have been meaning to upload but haven't gotten around to it, enjoy!

Preston found a small mud puddle at the park and enjoyed every inch of it. In case you weren't sure, his shirt is plaid. The mud puddle was a little distance away from where I was sitting so I when he came back to eat lunch, he just casually tells me that he pooped on the grass by the mud puddle. Carter confirms this and so I had to run over there and sure enough he did! I have a dog on my hands! He was so proud of himself, I couldn't help but laugh. (Just fyi, I picked it up and threw it away and washed my hands and his shortly after!)
There is also a really fun splash park in Highland about 10 min. from us that we went to and had a great time! I didn't discover it until around Labor Day, so hopefully next year we can go again and it will still be exciting for the boys.

We went with some friends from the neighborhood and Preston and Lucy Milne were by each others sides the whole day. Here is Preston giving her a smooch. Me and her mom Marcella were joking about marrying them off one day. Too cute!

Someone must have been thirsty!

We promised the boys we could camp in the backyard once this summer. We had so much fun watching a movie in the tent, making smores in the microwave, and me and Presto sleeping in our own beds when it got late. Carter and James were troopers and stayed in the tent all night.

Aren't they the cutest boys in the world? They have so much fun together.

Watching Horton Hears A Who in the tent

We love Stewart Falls and thought this year would be a good year to take the boys. We picked the wrong day on Labor Day weekend when a huge bike race was going on. We almost hit about 5 bikers and found out later that one biker was in critical condition from someone else hitting them. Why would they not close off the road? Not sure... anyway we finally got there and were on our way.

Carter did a great job hiking and didn't complain the whole way to the falls. The way back was a different story, but he did hike 2 miles great. I was proud of him.

Amazing scenery

Eating some snacks at the falls. Preston loves almonds!

Carter found a great hiking stick

Stewart Falls

I am so sad that summer is over but I am looking forward to all of the fun fall things we do as a family!

Bun in the Oven

So yes, for those who haven't heard yet, I am pregnant with baby #3!! We are so excited to welcome this new little one in May. That seems so far away--which it is-- and I am the worst secret keeper there is. For all you women that can keep it a secret until you are 20 weeks, how do you do it?? I guess I just want to have a reason to look fat! haha
Sorry there have not been any updates, our computer is on the fritz and so I just use James' laptop in the evenings, so therefore no pictures or blogging. Hopefully we can get it back up and running soon so I can post pictures of my girls retreat and preschool pictures of Carter. Until then...

What we have been up to...

So the summer is pretty much gone and I haven't blogged about anything! I have just done about 5 posts with lots of pictures to keep everyone updated on what has been going on with us. You can start from the bottom to go in chronological order.
As for the most recent happenings, Preston is really keeping life interesting for us. This is what I walked into after going to get Preston up from his nap. Yes, he is naked, and no, his room normally doesn't look like that. He has learned to climb out of his crib recently and now has this new fascination with pulling every toy, shoe, article of clothing, and trash out and put it in a big pile in the middle of his room. This day he wanted to try on some different outfits but got too tired in the process. We have decided to keep his toys in the hallway when he goes to bed so he won't be tempted to climb out. He doesn't seem to share the same ideas as us and for the last 2 nights has been waking up in the middle of the night and opening his door and playing with his toys out in the hall. Thus I have ordered a crib tent off of ebay that I am hoping will save my life! Preston is so hard to discipline because he just simply doesn't care. Punishment doesn't bother him so it's hard to know what to do. If I punish him he will get right back out and do the same thing again and not even think twice. Anyone else have a kid like this? Any ideas for me??

This was my pantry yesterday. A DISASTER. I was so tired of it and decided today was the day to organize it and throw out all the junk. I took this picture after I had already taken the cereal down but didn't want to put it back up for pictures sake, but you get the idea.

This chicken helper won the award for oldest thing in the pantry. 9 years old!! I think my mom gave it to me from her food storage in her house in Orem. Not sure how it got moved to my house, but there it is. Yikes.

Speaking of Preston being into everything, he walked into the kitchen during this whole process with these bright red hands. Carter had given him a box of Jello and a packet of Pectin. He had a party in the living room and left a nice stain on the carpet.

This should go well with the Nyquil bottle he spilled when I was cleaning out my medicine cabinet a few months ago. Time for new carpet? I think so!

The finished pantry!! It feels so nice to have it organized! I can also cross one more thing off of my new years resolutions list. Wahoo!

This Ice cream maker didn't make the cut of staying in the bottom of the pantry. It went in the garbage. It was old and rusted and we NEVER used it. I remember registering for it for our wedding and that was the only thing I really wanted to get. I look back and laugh at how ridiculous that is!! We honestly used it maybe twice. Oh to be a newlywed again...time just keeps flying by.

Denver Anniversary Trip

August 10, 2009 made it 8 years James and I have been married! Man how time flies when you are having fun! A few weeks before the anniversary date, he surprised me and told me he had booked tickets to Denver for a fun weekend away. I know most of you wouldn't be too excited to go to Denver, but I love it! I have family and friends who live there and I just think the city is so fun and diverse. Lots of great people watching!

We stayed at the Hyatt in downtown, it was really nice. This was our view of the city from our window.
We got in late Friday night after it took over an hour to rent our car. Grrr. So we basically just walked around and I was starving and wanted pizza. There were no Italian places very close so we finally settled on Pizza hut/ Taco bell. It was disgusting and I really regret eating it. But, the crazy people in there were awesome! The next day we met up with my BFF Kate and her husband Chris. The boys went golfing and kate was in charge of a baby shower so I just tagged along with her even though I didn't know the girl. I knew most of the other people there so it wasn't too awkward. That night James and I went to a yummy Italian restaurant in downtown called Venice. It was delish. I was WAY underdressed but they took my money, so oh well!

James' halibut

My pamesan chicken...we also got some yummy nutella crepes for dessert. YUM!

Here is me waiting for our car in the lobby of our hotel. Pretty nice huh?

My cousin April lives in Denver so on Sunday we went to go see her right after she got out of the hospital after having her twin boys Lincoln and Ian. I love just chatting and spending time with April, she is one of my favorite people!

For lunch we met Kate and Chris at this yummy burger place downtown called the Cherry Cricket. If you ever get a chance, go there-it was super yummy. It is kind of a hole in the wall but the burger was so good. Onions rings, fried macaroni and cheese...yeah I wasn't on the diet plan for the weekend!! haha

After lunch we went to Washington Park a really cool park in Denver. Chris grew up in Denver so he knows all the fun places to go and still has a lot to show us. I can't wait! It was sad to say goodbye but the weekend flew by! I am laughing because it was supposed to be our anniversary trip and I have not one picture of James and I together! Oh well, we do love each other I promise!! Thanks for the great trip babe, can't wait for the next 8 years.

Uncle Dan's viewing and funeral

Since I didn't get any pictures of the family at the reunion two weeks before I figured I would get some shots of them at the family dinner we had at Brick Oven after Uncle Dan's viewing. Reynolds said he wanted to go there because it was his dad's favorite place. Funerals are so hard and sad, but it is such a wonderful feeling to have all of your family around you to lift each other. I have the best family in the whole world.


Melanie, Shauna, Ashley, Aunt Vickie, Uncle Scott, Uncle Doug, me, Shannon, Tim, and Reynolds

Sarah and Cody

Greg, Mike, Cathy, Aunt Carol, Uncle Andy, Jason, Andrea, Bethany, mom, and Dad

Mom, Dad, John, Mitchell, and Jacque