New Blog!

I randomly decided to start a new blog that is separate from this family blog.  It's called "My Quest for Balance" and it's going to involve some of the thoughts and feelings that have come up for me lately in my life, as well as some other topics that I find interesting related to counseling, parenting, and just life in general.  I hope you'll stop by and check it out sometime!  I am by no means a professional writer/blogger but I do have thoughts about certain things sometimes that I felt would be better suited for a separate blog from my family one. :)

Here's the address: http://kenziesquestforbalance.blogspot.com/ 

I hope you'll come check it out! :)

Independence Day

This year for the 4th we went to Carterville Park in Provo to have a BBQ with our friends Bob & Paz (and their cute baby) and Kenny & Julianna, and then to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks.  It was a lot of fun!  We spent the morning cooking and getting ready and then headed out there around 5:30pm to get a spot.  

Getting festive for the celebration :)

  

Silly goose :)

Cute picture of Malea and Daddy

Malea helping me make our traditional American flag cake.  She did a good job!

Finished product :) 

Little cuties!

Luckily we got the last open picnic table at the park.  We had lots of yummy food!  (Carne asada, baked beans, watermelon, chips, drinks, cake, etc.)  

Showing off my cool new shades ;) 

Love how this pic of Isaac turned out :) 

This one is good too, I caught a pic right as he biffed it! lol!  

(Don't worry, he wasn't hurt...I'm not that mean!)

Malea and Isaac lovin' on baby Alex...he's so cute! 

To pass the time after eating and before fireworks we played games, the kids did bubbles, played on the play ground, etc.  It's a pretty big park and there were a lot of people, which is a bad combination with our Isaac.  He is quite the little wanderer and we were always having to stop and check where he was.  At one point after it started getting dark we couldn't find him for a few minutes, it was pretty scary!  Luckily there were some little girls who had seen him and pointed us in the right direction.  He also got too close to some fireworks people were doing themselves a few times and almost got burned.  That boy gives me gray hairs!

All of us playing games

Sparklers!

Waiting for the fireworks to start! 

And here's some pictures of Malea and Isaac fighting over glow sticks while I am trying to get a picture....lol

Finally got the picture and Bob photo bombed it!

Cute pic of Isaac and me 

(I'm smiling freakishly big, I think someone said something funny right then)

 I think going to Carterville Park is going to be our new tradition.  Last year we watched the fireworks from the MTC field and it took us TWO HOURS to get home in traffic (to south Provo).  This year it only took a half hour to get home to Springville!  Yay!

I'm so grateful to live in a free country, and especially grateful to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country!  Special shout-out to my two brothers Sam and Dan who are in the Navy!  God Bless America!

Happy 4th of July!

Big Boy Bed

Today we switched Isaac to a big boy bed!  Yes I know he's a little old (almost 3, lol) but we were trying to milk the crib for as long as possible.  He's been climbing out of it since about 19 months anyway so probably not a whole lot will change!  Of course I got sentimental (I always do about things like this)....I just can't believe how much my baby is growing up!  I remember getting sentimental when Malea switched to a bed too but I was pregnant with Isaac at the time so it was kind of out of necessity (and no, I'm not pregnant, lol).  Just seems weird that my little boy isn't so little anymore.  And if we really want to get me emotional let's talk about the fact that Malea starts Kindergarten in a couple of months!  Time just needs to SLOW DOWN!!!

Love his smile!!