Happy 3rd Birthday Dayton!!

Dayton while we are singing his birthday song
Jace and his aunt Janell

Dayton opening presents from his Birthday party

Dayton showing off the only thing that he wanted from his parents on his birthday...

you guessed it a $7 motorcycle.

Daytons "Toothless" the Dragon birthday cake

Jason during his first run

Jason right after finding out he won first place!!

Our Family during the pulls

Jason signing autographs after the sled pulls (he signed tons!)

My littly boy today has turned 3 today. I was in labor with Dayton for 8 hours, and I pushed for 2 hours. 10 hours of trying to get that little man here was a lot of work. But so so so worth it! Dayton arrived at 6:12 pm and weighed 6 lbs and 13 oz. He was 19 1/2 inches long. He seemed soo little for so long at the time an now time has passed me right by. I cannot believe he is 3 today. We had a get together at our Tremonton Sled pull with family and friends on the 24th (yesterday). We treated the entire day as if it were Daytons day. I made Dayton a Toothless Dragon cake. He has requested that cake since May and he loved it. He was screaming and hollering out of excitement while I was making it. He had more frosting on him by the time the cake was finished than the cake did. He helped out a lot to say the least. He recieved sooo many gifts. He actually got to the point where he didn't want to open gifts anymore.

After we were done with Daytons Birthday party we headed over to watch the sled pulls. A sled pull with lots of family around is always soo awesome. A birthday and and a Sled Pull is even better! There were 5 trucks in Jasons class that night and Jason pulled first place!!! Better yet he didn't even break down!! We were all screaming and soo excited. After the pulls there was a fire works show the just summed the whole day up. It made Daytons Birthday soo perfect. I think all around it was such an awesome weekend. Happy birthday Dayton. You bring a special spirit into our home. You are so cute and happy all the time. You melt my heart every day. I love you always and forever.

Jace's New Chompers

Jace has been sick for one week today. He has been really fussy, High fevers (102ish), upset and he has been spitting up A LOT!! He has been to the doctor and the doctor couldn't find exactly what has been causing the high fevers so he just gave us an antibiotic that covers a range of things. This morning he woke up kinda fussy but had reasons for being that way. He had two brand new bottom chompers! Yeah!! I was worried the kid was never going to get any teeth. I was surprised to see that the bottom ones had came in at exactly the same time but it happens. I am now thinking maybe he is getting the top two teeth in now and that is causing the fussiness. For the record Jace is 8 Months 3 Weeks and 3 Days old.. I hope you get feeling better buddy! Here's to you and your brand new chompers!

Lagoon 2010

On Thursday night me and my two boys made the drive down to Utah so we could make it to the annual Strong Family Lagoon Day on Friday the 15th of July. It was hot that day to say the least. Especially when you are only used to the heat of Rock Springs.

Dayton enjoyed the rides a lot this year. It really helped that he had his bestest little cousin Macade to ride the rides with. Dayton's favorite rides included the car track, Bugley the whale, carousel, and the train. He was really good at going on any ride that we put him on including the tilt-o-whirl, the haunted house, and the adult bumper cars.

Jace was only able to ride the carousel and the train at Lagoon and he loved both of them. Jace had a fever that day but he was a champ and hardly cried or fussed.

I think boys favorite part about Lagoon was the open water area at the entrance of the park. It was so nice to get to cool down there. After Dayton got over his water nervousness he finally had some fun with the water and didn't want to leave at all.

Grandma Strong and my dad were nice enough to take my boys for me and Stacee so we were able to do some grown up only rides. We went on the Samurai and Wicked. Both were soo fun. This was my first year being able to ride them because last year I was prego with Jace, the year before that Dayton was too young for the trip so we didn't go, and the year before that I was prego with Dayton. The lines were crazy long and after being gone for more than an hour on just the 2 rides we decided that we better get back to our kids.

In total we were at Lagoon from 11am to 9:30pm. My boys were exhausted. They both slept the whole way back to my dads house in Saratoga Springs. It was a great day. I love it that my grandma Strong has so many family get together's. Its soo nice to be able to connect with family. I hope that when I grow up I can be a fun grandma and dedicate so much time to family fun. As always we will look forward to Lagoon again next year.

Montana Trip 2010

We went to Montana this year from the 8th of July to the 11th. It was wonderful. We started driving really late on the 7th for only 2 hours and then we did the rest of our driving starting out bright and early on the 8th. (My birthday) We drove till Idaho Falls where we met up with Jason's Dad, and sisters. We stopped for a little shopping and a lunch break at Subway. We drove and drove and it was long and even longer! Finally we entered the state and it was great. It was interesting to hear stories from Jason or even get to see things that I have never seen before like this picture below... You can find this Statue at the top of a mountain in Butte. The story behind it is there was a Irish man who was working on a mine and his wife had passed away and he made this statue as a tribute for her. Its huge!!! It wasn't built on top of the mtn it was flown there in 3 different pieces. It was pretty funny because Jason's nephews who drove with us (Ethan and Adren) claimed that the statue was Jesus. We kept on driving and the further that we drove the more beautiful it was.

I snapped this picture like 30 miles out of Butte. When we arrived in Montana City (the destination location) which is just 5 minutes out of Helena the boys were dying to get out and play. After all we had driven for over 10 hours that day.

Here is Dayton (in the Blue shirt) playing trucks with his two cousins Cael and Ashyr. They loved playing trucks and having races with the trucks down the hill.

The family all socialized on the house patio for a little while. From left to right it goes Cathy, Janell, Aunt Judy, Rick, Grandma Stott, Jace and Jason. Lots and lots of people showed up in the following days.

I snapped this picture as the boys were just finishing up playing with their trucks. Its crazy but this picture is actually a little after 10 pm. It stays lighter a lot longer there. The next morning the days plans were set. We would be going to Chateau MT. to visit Jason's Brothers Grave. It was an entertaining drive. Jason's dad Rick had a few stories to tell about things that we passed. I got to learn about hooterites, and nuclear missiles buried in bunkers all over the land. It was fun to get to learn about the land and things around us as well as a few of Ricks Memories.

Here we are at Jeremy's Grave. We brought him a little helicopter and we sat it next to the car right there in front of the grave. It was pretty quiet there as it should have been. After we were done, about 30 to 45 minutes later, we headed to the park where we ate lunch and let the kids play. We left the town around 3pm to arrive back to Montana City around 5 pm. We ate hamburgers there at Judy's house. After dinner there was more socializing and a fire to roast marshmallows around.

The next morning started around 8 or so and I took a walk with Jason's cousin Tracy and Janell to the top of the hill behind Judy's house and caught this great picture.

If you look closely at the top of the mountain from the right to the left (not left to right)you can see a forehead, eyes, a big nose, mouth then down his neck to a great big belly on down to his toes. This mountain formation is referred to the Sleeping Giant. We headed back down to the house after enjoying the views and we ate breakfast and we headed out to go on a tour of the Gates to the Mountains.

Gates to the Mountains is a River ride down the Missouri River and at the end of the tour looking back the mountains actually form an illusion where it looks like the mountain gates are opening or closing depending on which direction you go in. It was really fascinating.

This picture is looking up from the boat at one of the arches in the side walls.

Here is Dayton about 5 minutes into the tour with Cathy's awesome tourist hat covering his head and face.

Here is a picture of the gates. The opening looks like it gets bigger the closer you get to it and when you drive away from it it looks like it is slowing closing. I have a video of it so my boys could one day remember. Behind me in this picture is just flat boring ugly land and what is interesting is this is the start of the mountains from this area and its fun that it actually has an optical illusion of gates opening up to you.

This is just a random picture that I liked as we was on our way back to the dock.

Here is me and Jason like 20 minutes away from the dock. It looks like I am totally smashing my baby Jace but I really wasn't.

We went straight to Judy's house right after the tour. At Judy's house there was water fights and games. Then we had a spaghetti dinner with dessert. Again lots of socializing afterwards and then another camp fire with marshmallow roasting.

Here is Dayton and Jason. Notice the cute little chunk of Marshmallow stuck to Dayton's face below his lips.

Here is a picture of the group that wanted to roast mallows. From left to right going around the circle there is Keitley, Mika (Shankaras Daughter) Jason, Dayton, Adren, Ashyr, Kelly and Ethan. Those standing on the outskirts of the fire is Aunt Penny and Mika's dad Shane. We went to bed when it was dark after the kids were all bathed and cleaned up.

We got up early the next morning around 5:30 AM and hit the road and didn't arrive back home until 5 that evening. I loved Montana. Its hard not to love. I feel like going there has helped me get to know my husband and Rick better. Its great to see the state that has built the them both. Until we meet again Montana! It was fun while it lasted.

4th Of July Weekend 2010

This year for the 4Th my Dad and little Sister Shaelynn came up to spend the weekend with my little family. It was so much fun. They arrived on Friday night and we spent the evening socializing. Then Saturday we ate a yummy breakfast, followed by some working on the basement and planting some new flowers in my yard. In the Afternoon around 1 we went for a ride to the top of White Mtn. That evening we just hung out and we relaxed while Dad and Shae went to the movies. Sunday (the 4th) we went to church followed by a trip to the sand dunes. We laughed till our sides hurt while riding in the Ranger. It was a little cold and windy but not enough to dampen our spirits. We came home to eat ribs, corn on the Cobb, baked beans, and watermelon for dinner. Then we headed off to watch the Rock Springs fire works show. Dad and Shae loved seeing the whole sky lit up. It was SO great to have family close. Dad and Shae even requested to make coming up to Rock Springs a tradition. Monday, Dad and Shae helped me out around the house and then left around 1. I was so sad to see them go but I was so thankful that they came up to Rock Springs to be with me and my Family. I'm looking forward to next year and hopefully we can get a few more recruits.

Big Pimpin'

Dayton just all of a sudden decided that he wanted to start driving his power wheels that he had had for 11 months now. He is pretty good two. He kept on telling me "mom Jace wants a ride" and little Jace of course is squirming so I let him sit in for a ride or two. My boys make me soo happy. I am sure the scene of Dayton driving and Jace in the passenger seat will come up again in about 12 years or so.

Lehi Round up/Spanish Fork Sled Pull

It has worked out great for us that the Spanish Fork sled pull is the same weekend as Lehi Round-up. We are so close to both events that we get to do more than one thing in our weekend. On Friday we came early and we went to the Parade. Dayton and Jace loved it. After the parade we went to grandma Strong's for some food and small preparations to get ready for the rodeo. Mom watched Jace (Thanks so much mom!!!) while me and Jace took Dayton to the Rodeo. He loved it. He sits there sooo good. He especially loved Motorcycles jumping in the middle of the program. He was wide eyed and kept on saying "Mom he is going to crash and fall down!!!"

Friday night after the Rodeo we drove the motor home to the fair grounds in Spanish so we could stay the night there. I slept soooo good. The best that I have ever slept since I have been married. Saturday was busy busy busy. It was great though. I spent time with mom and mark, Dad and Shae, Megan Plus a bonus little time with Jason's Family. I also was able to see a few of my friends. We had a great turn out for the pull and there was a great turn out in the crowd. Jason pulled first in his class and he blew up his small turbo (no fire this time) and finished out in 3rd. Ed Boyles pulled 3rd and he got 2nd Place (he beat us by 2 feet). Ed's Rack in the Injection pump stuck. That evening after the pulls was full of family, friends and a bunch of chit chat. I love pulls and weekends when I get to see so many people that I love. I can't wait for the Spanish fork/Lehi Round-up weekend next year again!