4 Wheeler Fever & Silver City

We've had a lot of fun lately since Brian picked up a 4 wheeler! He first went to Moab Utah with his brother Todd for a few days & since then he was hooked! I'll have to download those pics- beautiful area! Next, Brian & Aundrea took a day trip to Silver City, ID. They parked the truck & took the 4 wheeler up the curvy, dirt road to the old ghost town. Some people still live up there maintaining the buildings. There are camp spots & a very old hotel, so people camp & basically 4 wheel all over the mountain. The next weekend Brian & I went with Dustin & Rachel Aldrich on a double 4 wheeling date. We had so much fun! We brought up hotdogs etc & roasted them over a fire up on a peak. The weather was great & the scenery was beautiful! We had a blast hanging out & riding! Brian & Gabe went a couple of weeks later! Aundrea giggled all the way up, I shrieked & held on most of the time, & Gabe well he was in heaven! That was the coolest thing ever for him!

This church overlooks alot of the city- I couldn't believe how difficult it must have been to build!

Brian overlooking the city at the church

They have a few cemetaries up in Silver City for all the miners & their families that lived there. I can't imagine how hard it must have been living there! The saddest were the graves of all the babies- there were so many & they died so young.

Going up to Silver City we ran into a little bit of snow- this is where they actually plowed the road. Talk about a lot of snow remember this is the end of May!

The snow got too deep to go through but we found a great spot to hang out & eat our campfire dinner overlooking the valley! Dustin & Brian of course had to climb the highest rock for the best view!

Me, Dustin, & Rachel on the safer part of the peak! I can't remember what we were laughing about but we sure did alot of it!

Brian & Aundrea the week before hit alot of snow!

I think Aundrea was telling Brian she was hungry! I just thought it was a funny picture!

Summer's Here!

Brian brought home a fun blow-up pool with a slide. Memorial Day it was sunny & hot so we got the summer started with a fun day of swimming! They played all day in it! Even Zander loved the cold water & never wanted to get out!

Aundrea, Zander, Elena, & Gabe- a little cold but happy!

The sad thing is the next day Gabe & Elena started playing in the pool & the slide popped! Come to find out the pool had pretty bad reviews already.

A couple of days later I went to drain it so we could take it back to the store. When I lifted it up Elena found a mouse! It was dazed so we hurried & put a bucket over it, Gabe handed me the baseball bat & I bopped it on the head! It only took one hit then we threw it over into the field to warn his friends that were thinking about coming into our yard! I thought Gabe & Elena would be traumatized but it didn't even phase them. Elena did keep saying she wanted it as pet though- maybe another time & species! This is coming from a girl who at the age of 3 already understands where her food comes from... "Grandpa Hill bought more cows then he'll kill them so we can eat them!"

That's my girl!

Food & Fun!

On Mothers Day we went to my parents house for dinner! For dessert we had cherry pie & pink cake made by Cassie! Yummy!! :)

Elena & Rachel (cousin) loved the dessert! Here comes the vacume, moocher, cleaning crew, whatever you call a child who will eat anything anytime, crawled up for the leftovers!
Zander begins with the spoon to show even though he's on top of the table, at least he has some manners!
The spoon was too hard & slow though...
"I can't believe my mom is letting me do this"

This is how it went!

Luckily Zander is happy in the swing too so he stays out of trouble! In fact he's pretty much happy no matter where he is- except sitting in church!

Rejuvenating Mothers Day Weekend!

Motherhood is great & has many rewards! Motherhood is also very difficult & tiring! Cassie, my wonderful Sister-in-law & I decided it was time for us to have a couple nights away to rejuvenate ourselves! We found an inexpesive hotel with great amenities- full breakfast, pool, hottub, comfortable beds, quiet, no children or husbands... Sorry guys but we all need vacations!We were pretty giddy even though we were only 15 minutes away from home, but having a hotel room to ourselves, yummy food to eat & chick flicks...Who wouldn't be excited!

After sleeping in till 9:30 we ate a free waffle & sausage breakfast, we went swimming then casually got ourselves ready for the day. We then went & helped Megan pack & organize for her move to Alaska in 3 weeks. After that hard work we plus Megan & her friend Carri, who also needed a night off went to Tuscanos. It's a fun & tasty Brazillian style restaraunt!

We also celebrated Megan's birthday-the waiter announced to the whole restaraunt how old she was then had her stand on a chair & shake a tamborine- she obviously didn't mind!The fun didn't stop there! We went to the movie "17 Again" but before we ran into some die hard "Trekies". The movie was pretty funny & had a good theme but did have a couple parts at the beginning that didn't need to be in there.

After the movie & being gone from our families for 1-1/2 days it was time to go home. Or was it?... After dropping Megan & Carri off, Cassie & I grabbed a steamed milk then went back to her house & watched one more chick flick! (Mike had to go somewhere & fix something and the kids were in bed so it was still a girls night!)

We had a great time & felt ready to be happy moms & wives again!

Thanks Cassie & Meg for partying with me & being such great friends/sisters!

Trip to the ZOO!

Gabe's kindergarten class all did reports on animals in the Boise Zoo! Gabe did the Amur Tiger- which was definately the coolest! He can tell you all about it. We looked up all the information then printed away. Gabe told me what to say, then he cut, colored, & glued! His teacher hung all the posters on the wall for everyone to see!

Then his class had a field trip to the zoo so Elena, Zander, Katie (cousin), & I went along for the ride!
They loved playing on the animal statues!

Zander wasn't allowed out of his stroller-poor kid- he still had fun though at least he didn't fuss or anything! The penguins were so fun to watch

We all took a ride on the carousel to finish the fun day!

Got Sleep?

What a sweet baby! I love his chubby lips!

Elena sat up on the stool to pout because I wouldn't give her candy...next thing I know she was sound asleep!
This was Sunday about an hour before bedtime!

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY AUNDREA!!

Aundrea Melanie Evans was born April 17th, 1997! She weighed 8 lbs even & 21-1/2" long. She had big brown eyes & looked just like my baby pictures- she was beautiful! This was her 1st Christmas

Aundrea wanted a Hawaiian birthday Party so we went all out! I made a beach cake- notice the girl surfing on jello...well waiting for her wave, unless the shark eats her! :)We had Hawaiian Haystacks- I couldn't believe how much those girls ate!Girls from school, church & cousins struggled doing the Limbo on full stomachs After it got dark they came in & played Rock Band! The 18 girls partied for 4 hours! Elena stayed up with them all! It was really fun but I'm glad we only do big parties every couple of years!

Happy Birthday Aundrea! We love you!

Happy Easter!

Zander, Brian, Elena, Gabe, & Aundrea were still smiling after church!
The night before the kids enjoyed dying their hands as well as the eggs!

Patiently waiting for the ward Easter Egg Hunt!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY ZANDER!!

Zander Lee turned 1, April 9th!Weighing in at 8lbs 2oz, 21-1/2" long Katie, Zander, Natalie (2mo older), & Elena

Now weighing 21 lbs 6 oz, 29" long



Z loved his 1st big truck from Grandma & Grandpa Hill
We had a fun "Bear" party! Z loves to growl!

The cousins ate Bear Paw cupcakes which had peppermint patties & chocolate chips!

After being mesmerized by the flame on the candle, then burning his finger... The cake was history!

Notice the piece of cake flying in the air by the garbage can!