Blissful Happiness

After 6 years of being a mom, I finally figured it out! To keep little boys happy just let them be boys! Guns,hunting,dirt,coyotes and lizards - it all leads to one thing....

True happiness!



After 10 1/2 years of marriage...I finally figured it out! Just have cute little boys and dad will be happy for ever... he has little hunting, fishing and golfing buddies for life!


Where does this leave me???
I figured me out a long time ago....
Just give me chocolate and I will say yes to almost anything.

Anyone interested in a time share?

Long ago there was a young man who married a slightly older young woman and they lived in a little town in Southern Utah. This lovely little couple was happy as can be, in fact, the only thing that could make them more happy was a little money for entertainment. You see, this young man was attending school and the young woman had just graduated college and was using her hard earned Bachelor's Degree to work for 7.00/hr at an eye doctors office. With such a meager income money was tight and entertainment happened to be a low priority on their list. This was until the "phone call". It was just an ordinary night.. the young man was studying dilligently and the young woman sat pondering over her days events (wondering why she worked for an eye doctor, her poor patients would come in for a glaucoma test and would sit so long just to get that little puff of air in their eye that they were more damaged when they left then when they came in). Memory lane! Back to the phone call, the gentleman on the other line offered this lovely couple the opportunity of visiting a resort and listening to a presentation. In return the couple would receive $50.00 to spend at a restaurant. The young couple was naive and jumped at the chance to listen to the presentation.... 50 bucks up for grabs was unrelenting pressure.

This little story is how it all began....Time Share Presentations! Over the years Rand and I have received free vacations, free food, free entertainment and lots of stories to tell just by attending Time Share Presentations. This was very fun when we were dirt poor and we made up stories of Rand being a big wig business man or doctor and then we would simply say, "not interested" and walk down the street to where our old clunker was hidden. Now here in lies the moral dilemma...this was all in fun but I reckon a little dishonest. We all live and learn right?

I thought our days of time share were done but I was wrong! A couple of weeks ago we headed up to Park City just for some fun cool weather when what in the world happened but a "time share"opportunity. We were invited to come and stay 2 nights in a 5 star resort with 50 bucks to use at a restaurant. We laughed as we thought about old memories and then thought, "what the hec", let's do it! So in the last couple of weeks I have had my fill of Park City with our second trip being almost free! This time we were much more honest and just simply said no thank you! It feels good to know we have learned from the past and continue to progress forward or at least a little kitty corner!

We love vacation because....

Strawberry milk and Reeses Puffs Cereal for breakfast - in the living room I might add!

Hot tub in the morning!

Swimming with dad all afternoon!

Alpine Slides....For those of you who have not been to Park City for a while they now have ziplines, Alpine Coasters (Colton and Jake rode this 7 times), Slides and more! Super FUN!



We love cousin Colton and we are so glad he got to come!

Parks of all different sorts of musical instrumnets, Mical and Rand thought they were the band, I personally thought Jake was the muscian to beat.


Hanging out in the beautiful mountains makes any vacation great!

When you're almost two........

Lagoon takes on a whole new meaning.

It's all about relaxing.... don't I looked relaxed????

Well at least Jakey does!

It's about riding trains with my cousins! They think they are much to old for the "choo choo"!

It's marvelling about trains because that's what I think about all day long! (He was awe-struck).

It's about searching for height when my legs seem a little short!

It's knowing that one day my dream of going on the roller coaster will become reality.

When your two...you just don't know why people get on scary rides and then put their arms in the air, when all you can think is, "daddy out"!

Lagoons about people watching and taking a minute just to rest my legs and think about how many snow cones I can eat in one day!

But most of all.. Lagoon is about the rides! The freedom of a drive through the park with just my big brother.

Alone is not too bad either.... A hand on the wheel and one on the bell, what a great life.....what a great day at Lagoon.

Another perfect day!

While growing up my dad told me a million stories about hunting in Diamond Fork. I remember going hunting there every year for such a long time! When I turned about 12 years old my family starting hunting in Monticello UT and I had not been back to Diamond Fork in about 20 years. I just realized that I said "20 years ago" don't old people say things like that? AHH! Let me just pull this sword out of my ribs and carry on.

Well, who knew that a trip back to an old stomping ground could set the stage for another "perfect day"? How you might ask......like this!

First, it started out with a friendly BB Gun competition with Jake while dad and grandpa were out catching helpless little fish! I am sure these little fish would rather just "swim away" than to be hooked in the mouth by two burly men but whatever makes the guy happy, right? Anyhow back to the competition...If you look closely I am holding a leaf with a perfect hole in it. Let me explain what a shot this was for all those who ever doubted my BB gun skills.
I had to shoot through the leaf over the rock and hit the can! I might try and go on "Americas Got Talent" with a shot like that. You might think that as a mom I would allow my son to beat me....well you thought wrong! I am under a lot of pressure to make my boys still believe that I have super powers and thus I will still continue to beat them in a healthy sportsmen like kind of way.

Next, four very handsome men really upped my chances of having an "ok" day to a really "great" day!


Lastly, the day ended with a lovely 4wheeler ride up to the highest height and I got to enjoy the scenery from the very tip-top. I really feel fortunate that I get to spend so much time in the mountains, it's the place I really feel at home!

Oops, this is really the last thing... I got to hold and kiss the gorgeous little guy on my lap who can't seem to stay awake on a 4 wheeler to save his life. I do declare a perfect day indeed!

I can spell Timp-an -o-goes Cave!

Timp-an-o-goes Cave! Maybe, if I split that word up I will not forget how to spell it any more and either will you! Isn't crazy that with computers and modern technology it actually perpetuates stupidity. Let me give you an example.... in my elementary years I could spell quite well. I even came in 2nd or 3rd a few times in the school Spelling Bee. I now find myself not even trying to spell a word right, isn't that what spell check is for? This has nothing to do with Timpanogoes(I will have you know I just spelled that word without looking)Cave so, on to the pictures.

I love this hike up to the cave and I always start feeling so happy and excited and I easily forget that.......


1/4 of the way up I am so happy not to be carrying an extra 40lbs.


I love posing my children and cousins on scary cliffs watching other mothers passing me by. I smile as they give me dirty looks and verbally express their disgust at the terrible danger I have put my children in.


I love learning about Stalagtites and Stalagmites (I am not even looking to see if these are spelled correctly). I forget every year which ones come from the top and which ones are on the bottom and Braden is trying to point out that he knows more about this cave then I do. My little nephew Jaidon just thinks I am weird.


Has anyone in the history of snapshot ever liked a family picture? I am so busy sucking in my gut and making sure my arm isn't smashed against my ribs(I heard that makes you look fat) that I can't even pay attention to my 6 yr old who is pulling a face and closing his eyes on purpose just to make sure we don't send out a Christmas Card again this year.


We hiked, we enjoyed, we came down with a bad knee and we celebrated Nanna's birthday with some yummy Twinkies. Happy Birthday Nanna we think you are great!


When all is said and done, the only thing left to say is next time I hike Timpanogoes(had to look that time) I want to be carried in a backpack and sleep on the way down.


By the way next year we are spelunking, anyone want to join in?????

When lightning strikes.......

Run!

Another outing another story! This is what happened according to Jake... "we parked the 4 wheelers in a patch of trees and we parked the rhino with Colten and Megan too, under the trees. We were all under the trees then Mikey said "what was those two loud KABOOMS?" Then Ian said, "I am going to drive my 4 wheeler out there and see what happened"! So Ian drove the 4 wheeler up and said, "everyone, there is a fire out there in the trees and it got struck by lightning"". That is exactly word for word what Jake said happened!

This is how I think it went down....

1.A couple of crazy fathers taking their sons on 4 wheeler rides in a torrential down pour.

2.Crazy group hid under trees for cover while watching the other trees start on fire! (Thank heavens it was the other trees).


3. Excitement built as the group hiked up to the flaming tree with my 6 yr old. Six year old joined in putting out the fire (in the only way gross boys do) and then six year old chalked it up to another one of his favorite days!


P.S. We just returned from two weeks of fun in the sun, you might be bombarded with blog posts this week.

It's a Great day to celebrate.....

The 24th of July! On the 24th we head in a Northeastern direction to the land of Pioneer Ancestors. It's time to celebrate great, great grandmas and great, great grandpas who crossed the plains as pioneers. Someday I hope to do some family history and find out if I have any noble heritage, any pioneers! My luck I would start digging and find out that my noble heritage were very famous on WANTED Posters!
Enterprise is such an exciting place this time of year! Here is the run-down....three nights of rodeo (YEE HAW), Parades, Programs, Town Races and many other activities the Bracken/McOmie/Hirschi Boys come up with! We must not forget the 5k /10k Run on the morning of the 24th. The boys and Ali ran the 10K and Lara, Megan and I did the 5K!

With so much fun to be had... I have narrowed it down to a few of my favorite things. A bit cheesy I know!

Raindrops on children and pineapple showing up in watermelon.




Bright colored skies and Bishops being pulled by tractors!


Grandmas and Grandpas and snapped green beans by Braden.


Wild Men that fly with the wind on their feet, these are a few of my favorite things.


Girls in pretty dresses with fake waves and smiling.


Gatorade and water that replenishes my sweating.

Super great sisters who urge me to run! These are a few of my favorite things.



When the snake bites,

When our legs sting.....When I'm feeling dead,


I simply remember that I can still breathe, And then I don't feel so bad!