The Utley Bunch

Aloha Oe

2009-10-28T21:19:00.004-10:00

I love this song! Aloha!

Blue Cave

2009-08-29T05:37:00.001-10:00

We had so much fun with Sasha and Shaylei. One of the many fun things we did was go to Blue Cave, a sea cave formed by thousands of years of ocean waves pounding against the lava and eventually etching out a cavern. The water inside this wet cave is fed by springs seeping through the pourous lava and is extremely cold. There are a couple of wet caves on Kauai's north shore. Legend states that these caves were built by Pele, the volcano goddess, for her lover, but when they filled with water, she abandoned them.

To get there you have to take a quick hike...

This is the entrance.

Once you hike down inside, you see the water.

Looking back out from the bottom of the cave.

This is just outside the cave...

Erick thought he was Indiana Jones...( :

Ethan wanted to join in the fun

Sasha & Izzie

Banyan trees have to be the coolest!

Aloha!

Ke'e

2009-08-28T06:54:00.000-10:00

I love Ke'e beach. It is so beautiful, especially at sunset! It is at the end of the road on the north shore, before you get to the magnificent Na Pali Coast.

Na Pali means "the cliffs," aren't they gorgeous! And pictures just don't do them justice!

Thanks for the great pictures Shaylei.

Aloha!

Poipu

2009-08-27T06:15:00.001-10:00

Poipu Beach is on the south side of the island. It is a real "tourisy" beach, but it is fun for the kids. It is protected by the reef so the waves are not very big, and there is a "kiddie pool." Erick and Ethan went snorkeling while Izzie and I built sand castles.

Isn't he the cutest boy!

After fun in the sun, we went to Koloa Town, an old sugar plantation town.

Aloha!

Let's Go Surfing Now....

2009-08-26T17:01:00.001-10:00

everybody's learning how....

In the summer, the river comes through Grandpa's Beach on Hanalei Bay and it was so much fun for the kids to have it right there.

Izzie has strong little arms!

Look at that paddling, she was fast!

I love this one

Ethan has become quite the surfer. The boy loooooves the water!

I love the sailboats in the background in this one

While Ethan surfs, Izzie does this...

and this....

and this is what we have to wash out of her hair...

Aloha!

Birthday Fun!

2009-08-14T06:25:00.000-10:00

I am finally catching up with posting pictures...it has been over a month since Izzie's birthday. Where did the time go?

Birthday morning, finding her presents

So excited to open them

Izzie's first Barbie

Party at Grandpa's Beach

It isn't a party without a cake...all the hands are trying to block the wind.

We decided to forgo the candles and just sing

"The frosting is my favorite part!"

Aloha!

3rd Grade!

2009-08-13T06:18:00.000-10:00

I can't believe we have a 3rd grader!

Ethan is such a great student. He has always been very inquisitive and loves learning. We are excited about this school year, Ethan knows most of the kids in his class, as they were in his 2nd grade class. We love Hanalei School!

Aloha!

"Can We Go To the Pool?"

2009-08-12T21:07:00.001-10:00

That is the question I get many times a day! We love going to the pool.

It is a daily event here in the Utley home.

Izzie loves the water, she is very brave and jumps off the side and goes under. Scares me, she just looks like she is flailing. I bought her one of those swimsuits that has the floaties built into it, makes me feel better.

Ethan has become a great swimmer. I think he is part dolphin!

Most days when we go it is just us there.

It takes us about 1 minute to get there. It really is like our own private pool! ( :

Aloha!

Moving

2009-07-22T15:40:00.001-10:00

We are moving tomorrow. I have been looking forward to this move for a while now and it is finally here! This is the new place...

Master bedroom

Kids' bedroom

Aloha!

The Faces of Africa

2009-07-15T15:43:00.004-10:00

A friend of ours, Sue Krupa, is involved with the charity "Africa is Life Changing." They are trying to get some extra exposure for this great charity and I wanted to help. Sue wrote and sings this beautiful song. I love it and I hope you do too. If you want to learn more about Africa is Life Changing you can go to their website here. Enjoy the video.

Izzie Magoo...

2009-07-03T05:01:00.002-10:00

is three!!! Time goes by so fast! It seems like just yesterday that we were bringing her home! We are so grateful to have Izzie in our family! She makes us laugh with the funny things she says and does. She loves candies and chocolate, especially macadamia "nut nuts." She adores her brother, wants to be just like him. She loves to sing, and she is really good! I love listening to her. Izzie loves going to the beach and jumping waves. And she has Daddy wrapped around her finger!

Isn't she cute?! I love that dimple! ( :

"Shaka"

We love you Izzie! Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

Aloha!

Last Day of 2nd Grade

2009-06-07T14:04:00.000-10:00

Friday was Ethan's last day of 2nd grade. Oh my goodness, we have a 3rd grader! He has had a great year, well, half a year at Hanalei School. His teacher, Mrs. Deblin, is a wonderful teacher and we feel so lucky that Ethan was able to be in her class.

Aloha!

A First

2009-06-06T16:00:00.000-10:00

We all got our hair cut this morning. Ethan went first, then Erick, then me, and then Izzie. She has been talking about haircuts since the Ethan & Daddy had theirs done several weeks ago....our friend Jackie was kind enough to do all the cutting.

Izzie got to stand up on the chair, something she always wants to do,

but isn't supposed to.

I love this smile!

Checking out the new do in the mirror and not sure what she thinks.

What a cute girl you are Izzie!

Aloha!

May Day Celebration

2009-05-31T16:38:00.002-10:00

May Day is a big thing in Hawaii! All the schools put on a huge program. They have all the Hawaiian "Royalty" there representing all the islands, and all the classes perform some kind of Hawaiian dance/music. It really is a great celebration! All the schools on Kauai had their May Day Celebration last Friday, May 22nd. I am sure Hanalei School's was the best!

This is the whole second grade.

Izzie patiently waiting for the program to start.

A boy and girl from each grade were chosen to be the royalty.

Here is the 2nd grade doing their performance.

Ethan is playing the pu'ili, and he did an awesome job!

After the program, we checked Ethan out of school, (which is the tradition) and we ate at the school, Kalua pork with cabbage. It was a great day!

We are so grateful to be here on Kauai.

Aloha!

Hillbilly Izzie

2009-05-20T07:51:00.000-10:00

I was making our bed and Izzie came in quietly, like this:

She is always making us laugh! She is a character!

Aloha!

Body Surfing, Kid Style

2009-05-16T07:56:00.000-10:00

Getting used to the water....

Wait for it....

Now, jump!

Aloha!

Ethan's Birthday Part 3

2009-05-15T06:27:00.001-10:00

Ethan's party was a lot of fun. He invited his entire school class...not everyone came, but we had a good group of kids. We played games, decorated t-shirts, and played/ swam in the water. After all of those festivities, Ethan opened presents...

And of course, there was cake!

We tried to light the candle, but the wind did not cooperate,

so we just sang to the birthday boy.

I think this was Izzie's favorite part of the party!

And of course, there was some bubble blowing!

Aloha!

Ethan's Birthday Part 2

2009-05-14T06:10:00.001-10:00

In preparation for Ethan's birthday party Izzie and Daddy filled up some water balloons. Izzie is really good at filling them up...she has a system.

She is very methodical.

She loves filling them up...

and up, and up...

Aloha!

Ethan's Birthday Part 1

2009-05-13T06:57:00.001-10:00

I know, I have been a "slacka" in getting these posted! I am so grateful that Ethan is in our family. He has brought soooo much joy and laughter into our lives! Here he is at 1! Isn't he cute?

I can't believe it has been eight years since we brought him home! My, how time flies! Here he is opening his presents.

Here he is enjoying his new scooter...with Izzie totally enamoured with him!

Ethan opened his presents first thing, then got to go to the Salt Ponds for the 2nd grade field trip, and after school had his birthday party at the beach. It is great to be 8!

Aloha!

Mother's Day

2009-05-12T08:11:00.003-10:00

We had a great Mother's Day weekend! It started Friday morning at Ethan's school. Each of the kids made a placemat, gift and a lei for their Mom. The 2nd graders put on a wonderful program and pot luck.

This was the finale of the program. Enjoy.

Over the years, Mother's Day has always been kind of a sad day for me....I have a GREAT Mom, but I have always been a bit selfish about this day, since we struggled for so many years with trying to have babies...This year, it hit me, we celebrate Mother's Day to honor our mothers, not because we are mothers! Duh! I know, I am a little slow. (Although, the fact that I have children helps too). The talks in church were good, and it was just a nice day. After church there was a pot luck put on by the men. And yes, pot lucks are BIG in Hawaii! Hope you all had a nice weekend and Mother's Day too.

Aloha!

Baptism Day

2009-04-29T16:30:00.000-10:00

Last Saturday Ethan got baptized. What a great day we had. We are so proud of Ethan and his decision to get baptized! Erick and Ethan went over to the church right after lunch to clean and fill the font. I think that was really good for Ethan, because he was able to see it and know a little of what to expect.

We had a short program in the chapel and then headed outside to the font.

After Ethan was baptized, I walked into the bathroom with him and he was giddy with delight.

When they walked back into the chapel all the young women and kids came up to Ethan and each gave him a candy lei. You should have seen the look on Ethan's face! He felt the love that the members of our Hanalei branch have for him, and that was priceless!

Then, when it was time to get confirmed and Ethan went up front, guess who was right there next to him...Izzie! Brother Colburn, who was conducting said, "Ethan, that is what it is like to have the Holy Ghost... a constant companion." ( :

Here is the newest member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Hanalei Branch and his sister! We are all so proud of you Ethan. We love you!

Aloha!

Our Cub Scout

2009-04-22T16:37:00.003-10:00

Ethan is an official Cub Scout! He is really looking forward to all the fun things his troop will get to do. The Pinewood Derby is on Wednesday, and he is so excited!

Look how handsome he is in his uniform!

Izzie thinks she is a Cub Scout too.

Aloha!

Need I Say More?

2009-04-22T12:12:00.006-10:00

Ethan is getting baptized!

We are so proud of Ethan and his decision to get baptized! We wish you all could be here with us on his special day, but we know you will be here in spirit!

Aloha!

Aloha Friday

2009-04-17T00:01:00.003-10:00

I love this fence!

Walking on the beach the other day, we met the guy who owns this house. He is responsible for some of those great British 80's bands to have a record label! Yep, he signed The Cure, Radio Head, A Flock of Seagulls, Bananarama....the list goes on.

Here is our belated Easter picture...notice the chocolate cupcake all over both of them...Auntie Diana gave an Easter treat after church. (It was even in Izzie's nose).

Have a great weekend everyone!

The question is always...When are you coming??? ( :

Aloha!

"Lizard Pizard"

2009-04-14T19:16:00.005-10:00

That is what Izzie calls our new friend. He has been hanging out at our house and loves our front porch area! He is our green anole! Isn't he cute?

They do this when they are wanting to mate. What he is displaying is called a dewlap.

It has been really fun to watch him.

Aloha!

Aloha Friday

2009-04-10T07:45:00.001-10:00

We went to the Hanalei Easter Egg Hunt last Saturday...they started with a program...that lasted an hour. Izzie was interested since the Easter Bunny and the Big Bad Wolf were there...

Ethan wasn't so interested, he just wanted to get to the beach.

All we had to tell her was there is candy in the eggs!

The girl has a bigger sweet tooth than I do.

Showing her bounty...this is the first Easter that Izzie "gets it."

don't know what's up with this smile...( : Grrr

"Look Mom!"

Happy Easter.

Aloha!

Spouting Horn

2009-04-04T13:29:00.007-10:00

We went down to Poipu last week and saw Spouting Horn. It is a cool lava shelf and it sounds like there is a dragon living in there!

Spouting Horn frequently spurts salt water 50 feet into the air. This particular blow hole is different from others around Hawaii as there is another hole nearby that only blows air, making the loud groaning sound.

As with most things in Hawaii, there is a legend.

This coast was guarded by a large mo'o (lizard) who ate everyone who tried to fish or swim there. One day, a man named Liko entered the water. When the mo'o went to attack him, he swam under the lava shelf and escaped through the hole. The mo'o became stuck and was never able to get out. The groaning is the cry of hunger and pain from the lizard still trapped under the rocks.

I don't know if you can see it, but there are a couple of turtles

swimming in between the lava rock.

Poipu is on the south shore, which is the dryer, or leeward side of the island.

Aloha!

Opaekaa Falls

2009-04-02T07:23:00.000-10:00

We went into town the other day and on the way home we stopped here.

The kids loved this tree.

"Cheeeese"

On to another topic...aren't these "keiki" (kids) cute!

Aloha!

Kalihiwai Beach

2009-03-31T08:27:00.000-10:00

Many of the beaches here on Kauai have rivers flowing to the ocean. Kalihiwai is one of them. And we found some of our treasured "Indian Burners." We normally go to Grandpa's beach to find them, so it was a bonus to find them at Kalihiwai.

After some boogie boarding and taking a nose dive in the sand, Ethan got in the river (fresh water) to rinse off. Sand was EVERYWHERE! Now you see him...

Now you don't. He really is a fish!

Kalihiwai has a cool rope swing.

Ethan didn't want to let go.

Aloha!

Wailua Falls

2009-03-30T06:11:00.000-10:00

Ethan is on Spring Break for two weeks, so we have been doing some "touristy" things. Sasha, this may look familiar to you! ( :

This is Wailua Falls, the falls from the TV show Fantasy Island, I know, I am really dating myself...

Izzie is fascinated by waterfalls. And why wouldn't she be...

they are awesome!

This One's for You Aunt Heidi

2009-03-28T21:57:00.000-10:00

We watched Mamma Mia! the other night and this is what happened with EVERY song...

Enjoy.

Aloha!

House Guests

2009-03-28T08:17:00.001-10:00

About once a week we find a new house guest...some of them are welcome, like this little guy...

We have found several of these geckos, I think they are really cute. This one jumped from my hand onto Izzie's tummy right before their picture was taken..totally freaked her out, but it had to be one of the funniest things I had seen in a loooong time! ( :

And some of them are NOT so welcome...like goko buties...cock roaches. Pest control is a good business to be in here. We really don't see them that often, but we still keep those traps around and that seems to keep them at bay! (Not trying to scare any of you from coming). It is just part of the island life. I have yet to see a big centipede though, we have been warned they hang out in the coconut trees...

Aloha!

Our House

2009-03-27T15:26:00.000-10:00

This is where we live...(minus the BMW)

This is the view of our back yard from the lanai.

This is our family room, no we have not taken up the Harp...(these picutres are actually the ones our landlord sent us when we were thinking about renting the house).

The dining area. I really love this house, you can see Bali Hai, and I feel like we are in a tree house...the trade winds are awesome, they really keep it cool!

The kitchen

The master bedroom

The kids bedroom

And for all you mainlanders that come to visit...this is YOUR bedroom!

Aloha!

Aloha Friday

2009-03-27T06:23:00.001-10:00

We have a new hobby! Collecting these little guys..."Indian Burners."

I don't know what their proper name is, but looking online I think they might be "Sea Beans." They are so cool. Every time we find one it makes me happy, it is like finding a little treasure on the beach. My friend Caradyn introduced me to this fun pastime. It is becoming an obsession...I even have the kids looking for them! ( :

Aloha!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T07:18:00.003-10:00

This little guy came to our house this morning...mayhem...and fun for the kids. Hope you all have the luck of the Irish!

Just a side note: Candi, I need your email address! ( :

Aloha!

A Day at Church

2009-03-15T22:30:00.005-10:00

I taught my first Gospel Doctrine class in Hanalei Branch today. I found out Friday night that we would be having a "visitor."

Yep, Gene R. Cook was in our class. I was so nervous, but as he made comments, I thought, "How cool is this, to have one of the Quorum of the 70 (emeritus) sharing his knowledge. After the class he came up and thanked me. It was really nice to meet him and his wife. They will be speaking in our Sacrament Meeting next Sunday. I am really looking forward to hearing them.

I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! What a blessing it is in my life! I love our Hanalei Branch and the spirit that is here!

Aloha!

The Luau Show

2009-03-15T22:10:00.000-10:00

Let me introduce you to the Colburn family. What a great family! They are the example of the Aloha Spirit! They have really made us feel like Ohana here in Kauai. All of the families in our Hanalei Branch are just awesome. We are so happy to be able to get to know the members here.

In Hawaii, the kids call everyone Auntie and Uncle. I love how everyone is family. Ethan's primary teacher is Auntie Diana. My visiting teaching partner is 85 and everyone calls her Grandma Koga. Oh, how I love her. She is a sharp little Japanese lady. She brings tootsie roll pops every Sunday for the kids. And she still works in the taro fields with her son. She truly is an amazing woman.

But back to my original thoughts...The Colburns perform Luau shows as a family. Uncle Coppin sings and plays the guitar, the girls dance (Hula and Tahitian) and Auntie Caradyn plays amazing drums! Oh, and Coppin also does The Fire Dance. They were performing at the Hanalei Colony Resort (the place we stayed on vacation 2 years ago). They invited us to come watch and what a great show it was!

This was pre show

The girls did such a great job.

The girls came out in several different costumes.

The Tahitian Dance costume was my favorite.

Here is Caradyn playing the drums.

The girls chose people from the audience to learn the Tahitian dance techniques...Here's Erick moving his hips in a figure 8. hehehe. He wasn't as graceful as the girls, but he did great.

Coppin's Fire Dance was amazing!

Watching their show was a great way to end our day!

Aloha!

Nene

2009-03-10T11:47:00.006-10:00

The Hawaiian "Nene" Goose is found on Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. It is the most isolated, sedentary, and threatened of all waterfowl. It is the sixth most endangered waterfowl species worldwide. There is an estimated 885 wild or free-ranging Nene in the Hawaiian Islands. They eat leaves, seeds, berries, and flowers of grasses, herbs and shrubs.

We live right off of the Princeville Golf Course and there are a few of these Nene geese that live there. I hear them honking in the mornings and I saw one flying on my run the other day. They are Hawaii's state bird. Unlike most other geese, Nene are non-migratory, in that generally only island wide movement is known to occur.

Aloha!

Rainy Day=No School Day

2009-03-09T07:33:00.006-10:00

The Hanalei Bridge was closed this morning due to the river flooding. Lucky us, no school!

The bridge is open now, but there is still no school. We knew this could and would happen, but this is our first time experiencing it. Sometimes the bridge will close during the school day. If that happens, I would have to race to school to pick Ethan up, if it is an emergency, the school would just have Ethan get on the bus and I would have to pick him up at the bus stop. If the bridge closes and the kids don't get out of school on time, the teachers stay there with the kids. Who knew? We are used to snow days, not flood days. ( : I guess it really doesn't take too long for the flooding to go away. The river runs into the ocean so when the tide is high, the river doesn't have as much area to drain, and backs up, thus the flooding. And with all the rain we have been getting, (March gets a lot of rain) the river overflows. Needless to say, Ethan was excited this morning!

The Drive to School

2009-03-09T03:06:00.000-10:00

I absolutely love the drive into Hanalei, it's so beautiful.

The Hanalei Valley is gorgeous!

I love the roosters and chickens, they really are everywhere. They don't wake me up at 3:45 AM anymore, guess I'm used to their cock-a-doodlings.

The Hanalei Bridge, this one lane bridge just makes me happy.

The Taro fields.

The Wai'oli Mission Church. I think they actually used this in Lilo & Stitch. ( :

Aloha!

A Trip to Town

2009-03-07T17:03:00.017-10:00

I wanted to show you where we are.

We live on the north shore in Princeville. If we need to go to town for anything, Costco, Home Depot, the DMV/Gov. offices, the airport, we have to drive down to Lihue. Going to town is an all day event. You have to plan...especially on a school day! Notice the section where there is no road...the beautiful Na Pali Coast...if only there was a tunnel through that mountain range...( :

It is a beautiful drive and the time goes by quick.

These are some of the beautiful sites to see on a trip to town.

Kilauea Town

Then you hit the metropolis of Kappa'a. This town reminds me of Lilo & Stitch.

We love this mural painted on one of the buildings.

This is part of the Royal Coconut Coast. In this field of coconut trees is a donkey that we always try to spot. "Where's Waldo?" Daddy always says.

This is the Nounou Mountain Ridge or "Sleeping Giant"

And of course, we see lots of these guys!

Aloha!

Aloha Friday

2009-03-06T09:59:00.000-10:00

We have had a great week here on the Garden Island! As you can see by the fleece sweaters, it has been a little cold. Winter finally reached us...but NO complaints from me, it is still in the 60's.

The cold weather doesn't stop "Dolphin Boy!" He is a die hard boogie boarder!

Ethan is happiest when he is in the water!

That is the look of pure joy on his face!

Aloha!

You Know You're in Hawaii...

2009-03-01T20:33:00.002-10:00

when you see this:

Aloha!

A Day At the Beach

2009-02-25T09:57:00.010-10:00

Last Saturday afternoon we went to Waioli Beach or "Grandpa's Beach" (that's what we locals call it). ( :

Erick and Ethan spent lots of time on the boogie board...

While Izzie and I spent time on the sand.

That is one happy boy...He is in heaven!

Check This Out

2009-02-18T22:33:00.002-10:00

This video is amazing! You can visit the website here.

Daddy's 37th Birthday

2009-02-17T19:20:00.003-10:00

We celebrated Erick's 37th on Sunday. We had a great day. Church was at 9, Erick and I got to bear our testimonies. I love our little branch! Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. We feel needed. (Haven't got any callings yet, but we KNOW they are coming; at least one for me and two for Erick). After church we relaxed for a bit, had some lunch and then set out on our adventure to Queen's Bath. This is part of the path to get there.

Yes, there is a waterfall along the trail, two in fact!

Queen's Bath is one of the most unique swimming areas on the island. The "pool" is carved into a lava shelf and is the size of several large swimming pools. When the surf is cooperating, usually in the summer months, the water is calm and crystal clear. But if the surf is pounding you can't even find the pool.

This was our view from Queen's Bath. I love Hanalei Bay.

There was no school yesterday so Erick and Ethan went back to explore and had a great time walking up the creek to the waterfalls.

Aloha!

First Day of School

2009-02-17T18:11:00.000-10:00

Ethan started at Hanalei School last week. What a GREAT school! Everyday his class does something extracurricular. Monday is Ukulele, Tuesday is Yoga, Wednesday is Spanish, Thursday is P.E and Friday is Hawaiiana (language) and art. Ethan loves his teacher and he is being challenged. He is no longer bored at school! I love driving him to school in the mornings..as we drive down the main road there is a spot where you can see the Hanalei Bay through the trees...it is breathtaking...Every time.

This is Mt Wai'ale'ale, the tallest mountain on Kauai and also the wettest place on earth. It gets about 460 inches of rainfall every year, thus the waterfall. Can you imagine going to school with that view? They don't call Kauai "The Garden Island" for nothing!

Aloha!

Adventures in Hanalei

2009-02-17T07:58:00.011-10:00

We made it to Kauai! We have already been here for 2 weeks! What a beautiful island this is! Look at these views of Hanalei Bay.

One of our favorite places is the Hanalei Pier. The stand up paddlers are always out there on the water.

Ethan LOVES the water and playing in the surf! (The wetter he can get the better!)

Izzie is content just playing in the sand!

I love this picture. They were both tired after a long day.

This picture was taken one day while we were waiting for our lunch...Mermaid Izzie

This guy was our lunch date. He ate french fries. I wonder if he would've eaten chicken?

Whale watching. This lookout is about a half a mile from our house.

I run by this lookout on most days. I still stop and watch each time. They are amazing creatures! I wish we could've got the pictures when they were out of the water. (Next time)

This is where one of the rivers flows into the ocean. There is always something to explore here.

Lydgate Park has the coolest play ground! It is huge! On the other side of the road is the ocean. There is a lava rock wall that shelters from the big waves and creates a "kiddie pool" area. Great place to get used to the ocean.

I am so grateful to be here. It is nice to be in the "mission field" again! Hanalei branch has about 75 active members. Last week coming home from church Ethan said, "There are only 9 kids in the WHOLE primary!" We were able to have the missionaries over for dinner last night, in Utah, we rarely even saw the missionaries. Having them here reminded me of the members on my mission and the experiences and good times I had as a missionary. I am so glad our kids will be able to make great memories here!

Aloha!

Milestones & Other Miscellany

2008-11-22T17:06:00.004-10:00

We reached a HUGE milestone this past week with Isabelle.

She gave all her bottles and "baby stuff" to Baby Katie. We have been bottle free for three whole days. It has been hard for her at bedtime, but she has been brave and she is so big!

We went to Wheeler Farm this past week with my friend Ali and her little boy. Ali took all these pictures of the kids. They turned out great! You can go to her website here to see the other photos she took. If you need to get your holiday pictures done, give her a call.

The weather has been so great this past week, in the high 60's and sunny. I hope it lasts a bit longer! I can't believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner! I do love this time of year! We have so many blessing to be thankful for in our lives! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Belated Halloween...

2008-11-13T10:45:00.007-10:00

We had a great Halloween week. Sorry it has taken so long for me to post these pictures. My Friend Heidi threw a Halloween Party for the kids. They had a great time digging for buried "treasure,"

Painting pumpkins,

and eating donuts. But the biggest hit at the party was the smoking witch's brew. Ethan thought that was awesome!

And Izzie thought it was tasty!

The kids always look forward to carving pumpkins! Here is Ethan with his creation.

At the school Halloween Parade...

Izzie eating choc-o-lates. We have to thank Heavenly Father for chocolates and candies in EVERY prayer...She is definitely my daughter. I too have a sweet tooth!

Trick or Treating...

Ethan & Zach

Izzie was so excited to get so many suckers in her pumpkin.

And this is what I woke up to in the middle of the night wanting a kiss....scared the crap out of me. That crazy monkey got a punch in the nose instead of a kiss! hehehe. Erick thought he was sooo funny.

November is National Adoption Month

2008-11-05T07:36:00.005-10:00

Most of you know adoption has a very special place in our hearts! The blessing of adoption has made it possible for Erick & I to be parents! I LOVE both of our Birth Moms so very much! I am so grateful for their unconditional love and their courage!

I wanted to share a post from a blog I follow. Here is Katie's story. I was in tears as I read it.

For those of you in the Salt Lake area, the 3rd Annual Adoption Walk With Me 5K will be held on Saturday morning at 9:30 at Liberty Park. If you have any questions you can email them at adoption walk (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Pumpkin Patch Palooza

2008-10-25T05:29:00.008-10:00

Every year we take the kids to the local pumpkin patch. Normally, we get a wheel barrow and big clippers and walk through the patch and cut our own pumpkins off the vines. This year the pumpkins were already cut and lined up in rows, ready to be chosen. We still had a great time!

The kids both enjoyed the corn maze. (Ethan did it several times!)

The farm had a row of old & newer tractors lined up, the kids had to try them all out.

I love this time of year! It makes me want Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Here is our favorite recipe for them:

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 eggs

4 cups flour

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

2 cups chocolate chips

*Sift dry ingredients together. Blend in butter with fork until mixture is broken down into small lumps. Add eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and chocolate chips. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Ethan

2008-10-22T07:54:00.006-10:00

Ethan is such a great kid! We are really lucky to have him in our family! I love that he asks lots of questions. He has always been a very inquisitive boy! He loves sharks, dinosaurs and anything that is scientific. He likes to know how things work (like his Dad) and has been known to take things apart or poke holes in bouncy houses to see if that hole will make the whole thing drop. : ) He loves playing games and is the champion UNO player. He loves being in the 2nd grade. His favorite subject is math! He is an excellent reader and speller, I love how he can just rattle off the letters. (I always had to write the words down). He is the best big brother EVER! I love that half toothless grin of his! I am so grateful to be your Mom! I love you Ethan!

Izzie

2008-10-15T08:28:00.003-10:00

Our little Izzie is getting so big. She can sing all the words to songs and she is on key! Some of her favorites are:

I Am a Child of God

Frere Jacque

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

In the Leafy Tree Tops

The ABC Song

These are just a handful. I love to hear her sing when she plays. She is such a girl, she loves lotion, "lip stuff" and painting her finger nails.

We have been dog sitting Simon today and Izzie keeps saying, "Simon, my big puppy?" She adores him and loves to lay on top of him. It's a good thing he is so big...and tolerant! She loves all animals and wants to kiss them.

Our family plays a game in the car: "I see the temple." Pretty self explanitory. (We can actually see three temples from the main road into our subdivision). It is always a race to see who sees it first. Ethan & Izzie both love to play, Izzie, still isn't sure where to look for them, but she is always right there with her brother, yelling, "I see temple too!"

I feel so grateful to have the kids we do. They are both so funny and keep us laughing. They complete our family. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for blessing us with such great kids!

The Splash Park

2008-10-10T08:29:00.001-10:00

We were in St. George all last week and one of the highlights for the kids was going to the splash park. The ones by our house are already turned off for the winter. We enjoyed really nice weather all week until Saturday, when it rained all day for the marathon!

There weren't very many people there that day, but it was sure fun to play in the water! Ethan loved watching the leaves and sticks he'd gathered travel down the current. Izzie just wanted to get her hands, feet and bum wet!

We had a great week in St. George! We feel so grateful to Heavenly Father for the blessings he has given our family. We are so grateful my Mom came through her surgery well and that she won't have to have chemo! We love you Mom/Grandma!

Fall Fun

2008-10-08T13:17:00.004-10:00

I love this time of year. The cooler weather and the beautiful changing leaves. This is what we saw one afternoon when we took the kids on a hike up Provo Canyon.

The kids had a great time walking on the path and looking for "treasures." Izzie found a stick that looked like a sling shot and she just didn't want to put it down. Oh, to be a kid again!

I love this picture. They really are the best of friends!

They loved looking through the bridge at the river below.

I love my family!

Tagged

2008-09-24T10:11:00.021-10:00

My friend Becky tagged all her running friends with this the other day. Enjoy.

First Name: Stacey

Obviously not the same Stacey, she is what? 20 years younger than me? I do wish I was in Hawaii doing the Hula right now, though.

Middle Name: Ann

Last Name: Utley

Age: 37

Place I want to visit (again): London

Favorite Vacation Spot: Disneyland

Everyone knows it is the "Happiest Place On Earth"

College Major: I have an AA Degree

Grew Up: St. George

Past Pet: Alex our Siberian Husky

Oh, how I miss him! Those eyes!

Favorite Treat: Anything Chocolate

Bad Habit: Procrastination

Mood Right Now: Anxious

The Velveteen Rabbit is my favorite childhood story.

Now, I will tag my sisters and anyone else who would like to join in.

These are the rules:

Just search Google Images for your answers, and pick something on the first 3 pages. Some match, some are a little random. Just a note of caution: Be sure you have a good filter on your computer beforehand. Searching images on the Internet can pop up unwanted material.

Tom is Back!

2008-09-18T13:20:00.002-10:00

This is a new book just out, I kid you not! For only $9.95 it can be yours!

In our office here at home we have a wall of... stuff. There is and old hat, a Little Caesars Employee of the Month Plaque dated 1989, an old dart board, just cool stuff. But the best piece on the wall is the autographed photo of Tom Selleck as Magnum PI! It really is our prized piece, so when I saw this book, I knew we would have to have one. Honey, it's in the cart!

What's For Dinner????

2008-09-15T05:03:00.009-10:00

Everyday around 3:30 I think, Oh crap, what am I going to fix for dinner? I am tired of all of our regulars (and I am pretty positive my family is too)! So, my question to all of you is what's for dinner? What are your family's favorite meals? I can follow a recipe, but I am not very good at looking at one and knowing that the combination of ingredients work well together. This is not my talent. My poor family has suffered enough. Please, send me a recipe or three...

Casting Off the Cast

2008-09-03T13:20:00.008-10:00

Ethan was so excited to get his cast off! Three weeks and the thing was pretty flimsy..the part that went around his thumb hadn't even been on for about five days. So the other night Erick got out the tin snips and some scissors and started cutting. Izzie was fascinated by the entire process!

Just like new!

Now that is a happy boy.

The Olympics

2008-08-14T11:55:00.005-10:00

We love the Summer Olympics! Especially this year's since Ethan & Izzie won the GOLD in Rhythmics! Enjoy!

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

2008-08-08T07:45:00.008-10:00

Ethan was playing on the monkey bars, actually, the twisty bars at school yesterday and jumped from the bridge to the second twisty bar and was ricocheted off. He fell on his left arm and we found out this morning at Instacare that he has a buckle fracture. I just love those twisty bars. You would think that as many broken arms that kids get at school they would just take them off the playground all together! Hmm...well, chalk it up to the first broken bone in our family. Pretty good for 7 years, I would say. Ethan gets to wear a splint and sling until Tuesday when he gets his cast. Before we went to get the X-rays this morning I think Ethan was pretty excited of the possibility of a cast. After we were done with the Dr. and driving back to school, Ethan realized that having a broken arm limits him with his recess activities, and he was no longer excited... If you are going to play hard, the consequences are going to be hard. He will have to wear that cast for 3 or 4 weeks, and most of that will be off track time, which is good. The crazy part of all of this is he really didn't complain much about pain and he had a great range of motion. The nurse said that this is the best kind of break to have, easy to fix. So that must be the silver lining in this adventure!

First Day of School

2008-08-01T07:24:00.005-10:00

Ethan started his first day of 2nd grade on Monday. We have a 2nd Grader! Crazy! I actually can't believe that our summer break is over, but is it nice to be getting back into a routine again! Ethan is loving school. He has made some new friends, which is always fun. His teacher this year is Mrs. Beckstead. She is new to Foothills, but has been teaching for a few years. She is really cute and creative! We are excited she is our teacher!

Ethan V, Ethan U. & Izzie

Grandma Irlene's Family Reunion

2008-07-16T15:33:00.009-10:00

Nearly all of Erick's family made it for "The Grandma Irlene Family Reunion." We really missed Tracy and her family. We had a lot of fun being together and spending time in the mountains of Heber. Timber Lakes to be exact. The cabin was very spacious and rustic. Thank you Sally and Heidi for making the arrangements and planning a great retreat.

We drove down to Park City to go down the Alpine Slide,

which Ethan loved.

Here they are on the tram ride to the top.

Then there was the family dance. We all danced an had a great time. Uncle Kelly had to show the younger crowd what NOT to do at a dance...

Here is Ethan and the whole family dancing to YMCA

It was so much fun spending time as a family and especially

being able to see the Jacksons again.

It has been a couple of years since we were all together.

Aren't these two just the cutest!

Izzie giving love to Simon.

We love Simon! He is so tolerant and patient.

Thanks for teaching him so well

Uncle Joe and Aunt Eleni.

Izzie needs a dog!

Isabelle's Birthday Party

2008-07-16T11:29:00.008-10:00

Isabelle had a great birthday! We had been talking about birthdays and cake and candles since April (Ethan's birthday). I made a lady bug cake since Izzie is fascinated by bugs.

Ethan and Zack showing off their big muscles.

Grandma Irlene, Izzie and Elsie.

Izzie adores Elsie...She followed Elsie around the entire time

they were at our house and wanted to do whatever Elsie was doing.

I'm pretty sure Elsie enjoyed being with Izzie too.

Izzie and Elsie on the trampoline as

Zack and Gabe have a gun fight.

The cousins getting ready for presents and cake...

Izzie got a kitchen, among other things,

look at that smile...

She is one happy girl!

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-04T05:43:00.006-10:00

Izzie Magoo is 2!

2008-07-02T20:44:00.009-10:00

I can't believe it has been two years since Isabelle was born. We were all so excited to have a little sister! She weighed in at a mere 6 lbs 4 oz and was just a tiny little baby. These are some of her very first pictures:

Seeing each other for the first time..

Izzie had Dad wrapped around her finger from day 1

Happy Birthday Isabelle Rose!

We are so lucky to have you in our family. We love you sweet

"girl dragon!"

CPR

2008-06-26T03:14:00.004-10:00

I taught my first official CPR class on Tuesday. Well, with my friend Heidi's help and encouragement. Can I just tell you how great Heidi is. She always goes above and beyond to help a friend. She has walked me through the whole process of becoming an AHA certified instructor, down to the ordering of supplies that I will need for my classes. I appreciate her friendship so much! You know the old saying, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Heidi is teaching me how to fish and for that I am grateful! Thanks Heidi, for everything!

Bugs & Birds

2008-06-26T03:10:00.006-10:00

Izzie is not scared to get down and dirty with the neighborhood girls. They were collecting "Roley Poly" bugs and baby snails the other day. Izzie was right there with them wanting to hold the bugs and give them kisses. (FYI: She didn't actually touch them with her mouth!)

She is completely fascinated by "bugga buggas" The only one she has been afraid of so far is a cricket. And why wouldn't she be? Ugly little bugs that they are!

A few weeks ago we discovered a Robin's nest in one of the trees in our front yard. We had been watching as the Mama Robin so patiently sat on the eggs. Papa Robin was always on the lookout on our roof. The babies must have hatched about a week and a half ago. It has been fun to watch as the Mama & Papa have been busy, busy, busy and very cautiously entering the nest with their mouths full of worms...

You can see one of them poking his head up ready for his yummy meal....

Izzie enjoying another Popsicle...Isn't summertime fun!!

What We've Been Up To...

2008-06-25T04:49:00.023-10:00

We have been having a great summer! The kids have been staying up way to late every night which Ethan really enjoys.We like to go out in our back yard in the evenings when it cools down a bit to swing and jump on the trampoline. It is just fun to hang out together.

We have also been eating lots and lots of Popsicles....

Ethan lost his tooth (the one that has been hanging on for weeks) this morning. Doesn't he look like a 7 year old?

He was really brave and let Erick pull it. I told him the Tooth Fairy would probably be coming tonight to get his tooth. Shortly after that Ethan said, "I think I am going to be rich tonight." I know inflation has made teeth worth much more than they were when I was a kid, 25 cents just does not go as far as it used to!

We have made a trip to Wheeler Farm. I love it there. It was fun to watch Izzie with all the animals, she doesn't remember going, so it was all new to her.

I could not get Izzie to look at the camera for the life of me. She was so excited to be there!

Ethan was great to show her everything, since he is so experienced in going there. When he was younger, we used to live close to the farm and would go at least once a week. It is a great, free place to spend a summer morning or afternoon or day....

We spent Tuesday afternoon/evening at Boondocks. Ethan has been asking us to go and we had a great time! Ethan rode the Go Carts and is a fabulous driver! He was in car #3 and the kid in car #6 would not let Ethan pass him. Well, when the kids were driving back into the parking lot, Ethan snaked in front of the kid and I was so proud of him. He has been paying attention to Erick's driving!

Erick had a blast getting everyone soaking wet in the Bumper Boats!

He is just a big kid...

After they were done with the ride, Erick was pointing out all the grown ups he had soaked, and snickered as he was telling me. What a funny guy, know wonder I love him so much!

Miniature Golf was fun!

Each of us got a hole in one, some of us got 3, but I'm not naming names...(:

Izzie liked holding her ball and club and she made a few good puts of her own.

It is fun to watch kids learn and progress and feel good about themselves. Erick, Ethan & I all made the final Tiki hole shoot out fire, we must all be great golfers.

After we had all the fun we could have, we headed home with some Little Caesars Pizza and Crazy Bread. A dinner made for champions.

A Wolf in the Chicken Coop

2008-06-13T10:39:00.007-10:00

We have been feeding our neighbors goats and chickens this week while they have been out of town. My kids love this job. Ethan likes getting the eggs and Izzie wants to go feed them several times a day. I don't know if it is because she wants to see the animals or if the neighbors toys are fun...Well, our neighbors left Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning we went to feed them and Ethan said, "Mom, this chicken is dead." I looked up and sure enough. I looked up past the coop and saw these blue eyes looking back at me.

My first thought was "Alex?" I know, silly. But this dog looked a lot like our pupper, only he was black and white. Izzie was excited and even called him Alex. Well, he killed 13 or 14 chickens, all but 3. Oh, the carnage in that coop. There are not many things worse than having to pick up dead stuff. I just felt so bad, for the chickens as well as for our neighbors. Luckily enough, Animal Control just happened to be patrolling our circle. So, she came and picked up the dog. Another traumatic thing for Izzie. She started crying, almost hysterically when the lady put the dog on a leash to take him away. She thought the lady was taking Alex. So sad.

Interestingly, if an animal kills another animal or even bites a person, they are not automatically put down, like I thought. There has to be a civil judgement taken out against the owners of the "naughty" animal. Hmmm.

School's Out For Summer...

2008-06-09T12:57:00.006-10:00

Whenever I hear that phrase I think of the old Alice Cooper song. Deep down I am a "rocker."

Well, Ethan's last day of school was Friday. I can't believe the school year is over. When he goes back July 28th he will be a 2nd grader. CRAZY! We got C track for next year and Mrs. Beckstead. I don't know anything about her, I hear she is brand new.

We have about 7 weeks before we go back to school. Keeping a 7 year old occupied and busy will be challenging. Luckily, we live in a kid-friendly neighborhood with several splash parks and fun things to do. I always like taking my kids to Wheeler Farm. It's just a nice, quiet, relaxing place in the middle of the city. They love feeding the ducks and geese.

But for me, summertime means lots of Popsicles and watermelon, yum. I love summer!

A Bicycle Built For...One

2008-06-03T09:35:00.006-10:00

For the past several months we have been trying to get Ethan to ride his bike, but he kept telling us that he didn't know how....a few weeks ago Erick went out with him to see if he could help, and to Ethan's surprise, he CAN ride his bike.

He was so excited, and now all he wants to do is ride his bike. He feels totally empowered by achieving this milestone in his life!

He only had one mishap, and as you can see, not a big deal.

Izzie is so proud of her brother!

Happy Birthday

2008-06-02T01:54:00.006-10:00

Isn't this a great cake? It reminds me a bit of Dr. Seuss!

Well, I turned 37 today and have had a fabulous day! I was watching a TV show and they were talking about women in their 40's. They say, life begins at 40. Well, my life is pretty darn good right now! I can't imagine it being better! I have the most wonderful husband in the world who I am still in love with (after 13 years). And I have the best kids in the world as well! How did I get so lucky?

I woke up early and had some quiet time to myself and then finished my workout before anyone woke up. It was a perfect morning!

Aren't these two cute!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-30T14:40:00.000-10:00

For the Memorial Day weekend we went down to Fish Lake to camp. Let me just tell you right now that camping in a tent is NOT my idea of fun. But I do think it is important for families to do outdoorsy things together. (Next time~ WE WILL BE IN A CABIN!!)

We arrived early afternoon, set up camp, gathered firewood and then went to Bowery Haven for dinner.

After we were full of fattening food and cherry pie with ice-cream, we headed back to our camp to build a fire and have...more food. It just isn't a camping trip without roasted marshmallows and S'mores.

It was finally time for Izzie to go to bed, so Erick and Ethan went for a nature walk and I laid down with the munchkin. She had a hard time settling down, with it being so exciting and new in a tent...

I never sleep very well when I'm camping.. especially with a "wiggly Magoo" at my side, or should I say IN my side...when I finally started dozing off, I heard the thunder and rain, no, it was snow. I had visions of waking up to a foot of snow, after all, it was Fish Lake. But it was my lucky day, there was only a skiff. But boy, was it cold! All morning long it snowed off and on, so we packed up our camp and headed for home.

Before we went home we had to stop at Twin Creeks to play on the cool tree roots and look for the spawning fish.

I love spending time with my cute family!