Hogman's Latest

I always mean to blog more often then I do! But like everyone else life just gets super busy and I don't have the time to sit down and write it out and wait for my computer to upload the pictures! So because of this, here are a lot of pictures and a lot of updates! Sorry for the overload! But I hope that you enjoy.

First for your viewing pleasure, the newest member of the family: Blue Teff Ful (named by Kyler). . .a parakeet that the boys love! I know, I know it's a bird and all my boys want a dog. Well I am scared of animals- there I said it! So we are working our way up to a dog. I am sure a whole post dedicated to this bird will be shortly featured. Next we got to go to Idaho last weekend. I had the great pleasure of being in a major at BYU-Idaho that was brand new so we were kind of like the gineau pigs. Because of that we became a tight group. So we had a little reunion! It was great- no pictures I didn't take my camera but here are the rest of the events of that trip. We got to stay with Travis' sister Tavia and her family. David works at the fire station so we got to have some adventures with some fire trucks.

Like using the water hose!

I know that this isn't the best picture but I love how it shows all of their personalities: Isaac- Happy, Eldon- Scowling, and Kyler-contemplating the next move after the pictures are done.

David let us ride on the ladder truck (pics of the ride a little farther down) but he put the ladder all the way up to show us. Here are Junior and Eldon watching it go up!

Travis climbed all the way to to the top!
I climbed to here.

On the ride we took around the block, I got to ride shot-gun. I was very excited!!

Our kids in the back ready to ride!

Brennan, Junior, and Kyler climbing up to ride.

We also went to the sand dunes. It was very windy so we didn't stay for very long.

David and Travis had a contest to see who could jump farthest. I think they tied. Here is Travis trying. David trying.

Eldon with Aunt Tavia.

Travis attempting to push the stroller in the sand . . . didn't work out.

And the boys just basically had a great time just playing together!

Brennan and Junior

Back home we are enjoying swimming lessons. Kyler is finally old enough to take them and he loves them!

Isaac is not crawling yet but he's really close! It is fun to watch him try.

And Eldon for the first time drew on himself.

And tried to get some of the frosting for the cinnamon rolls, when my back was turned!

So now that you've seen all the pictures and read little blips of what our family is up to- here is my turn to just talk I guess. I am actually coming to enlist your aid. I've been thinking a lot about self-esteem and self-worth. I'm the assistant camp director in our ward and I've been thinking a lot about how I am going to be dealing with young women- something I've never had to do since I was one. But self-esteem is something that I've always struggled with so I was wondering what your views are in how to obtain a self-esteem. The youth are constantly told to get a self-esteem but we seldom tell them how to do it. Soooo, I was wondering what your views were on the matter. Thanks in advance!!

Ode to Celia

In addition to the last post I wrote I wanted to add this one. See this is my dear friend Celia. When I moved up here it was extremely hard. I didn't know anyone, we had no family, I was pregnant with Eldon, and I felt very lonely. It wasn't long until Celia and Kent and their children welcomed us as part of their family. And we feel that way, they are our family up here. I am sure that you have already gathered that from past posts, how often we are with them. But Celia has become my friend, a very dear friend. Her presence came into my life when it was needed the most. She answered many desperate prayers of friendship and acceptance in this new city. Anyways, she lost her father this past week. They knew his health was failing but this came very suddenly. But as always I was amazed at her strength and how she handled this situation with grace. Celia is one of my heros and I hope that some day I can be like her. She probably will never read this and she doesn't have to, but

Thank You Celia. I love you

Memorial Day Weekend of Goodness

We had a great Memorial Weekend. I hope that everyone else did too! It started off with Matt William's graduation. He and two of his friends threw a party and since they are all dirt bikers- they themed it as such. The pig even arrived dressed for the occasion!

Kyler is a little unsure about it.

Kent attempting to cut the pig.

Travis is such a great Dad! The boys adore him!
Close up!
"Piggin" out on the great food that was there!

I love this pic of Isaac and Jami!

Then after Church on Sunday we went camping. It was wonderful! The boys love, love, loved it! Especially Travis. It was so beautiful where we camped!

Eldon having the time of his life on a four-wheeler!
I love having great friends close. It is so wonderful how we have friends that my children are so comfortable with that they can easily just climb up on their laps. I don't know if that makes sense but it means so much especially to see my shy crazy Eldon, feel comfortable enough to just go over there and raise his arms to someone besides me or Travis. It just makes me so happy that we are surrounded by great people that are so great to my children!

This was Isaac's first time camping . . . I think he loved it!

Have we told you how much we love our Bishop? We love him!! He and Kyler took some time to go fishing and it just makes me smile to see them together like this.

Kyler and Hannah forming their "Hat Club"

Then of course no camping is complete then finding a lizard on a hike and putting him on your head . . . And Papa's head . . . Oh heck, why not on every member of the family's head?