Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is Darren's Birthday, I won't disclose how old he is... but is it 13 years more than I am! Darren and I spent the day together and it was great to be out together. I took him shopping for some summer shorts and new shoes. We then went to about 4 stores only to find out that everyone carries the same watches and at the same price. After that he ended up wanting to wait as he didn't find one that he really liked. We stopped and got a bit at the mall, not really a lunch made for a birthday but he didn't seem to mind.

Later that night we took Dad to dinner at Red Robin (had to be kid friendly), Preston wanted to take some pics on my cell phone so this is what we came up with!

Happy Birthday Darren, here are 10 things I love about you ...

1. You are an amazing Father to our three boys.

2. You're dedicated to everything you do.

3. You like to look nice, and stay in fashion!

4. You can fix anything!

5. You are there to support me in my decisions.

6. You honor your preisthood.

7. You love to camp and fish as a family, not just "guy" time.

8. You are not in love with sports more than me!

9. You are a perfectionist.

10. You are my best freind and amazing husband!

On to Coral Pink

After the King Creek camping we headed another 70 miles down to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes which is about 25 minutes outside Kanab. We would be here until Sunday. We hadn't been there before but it was a good half way point for Kevin and Lynda who live in Arizona. The weather was great, a thunder storms in the afternoon so we never had to deal with the heat!
The kids had a great time being around cousins and making their friendships better. We didn't have any fights - probably because they are all boys, which is kinda nice! The camp grounds are really nice, not very big and they have SHOWERS! Nothing is better after a day of 4-wheeling than a shower. They have really long quite hours so we didn't have the loud anoying bikers starting up at 6am like we do at Little Jerico. It was a nice change of pace from the normal sand dune trip, and it sounds that it will become a yearly tradition

The Sand Dunes view from the lookout deck

Preston on Alex's 4-Wheeler (battery opperated)

Bryson - confused.

Our Home Sweet Home!

Weston and his Cool Dude riding gear

Bryson riding his new 4-Wheeler

Daddy and Weston going for a pretend ride!

It isn't a Sand Dune trip if the Willis men aren't working on a broken machine. Look hard for Weston, he is helping to!

Kari, Adam (Kory's boy) and Preston

The Whole Fam Damily! - first family picture in 20 years, we aren't missing anyone! What a family Mom and Dad, a family of 7 has become a family of 23!

The trip was really fun, and it was great to be together as a family. But it was a long ride home and the boys were done around Payson... the last hour was long, but we made it through. Camping is so much fun with Darren, he makes it easy to get ready and clean up. I cannot wait to go out again, I have caught the camping fever.

Kings Creek - Camping

Last weekend (May 28-31st) we got a chance to go to some camping. Our entire Willis side was meeting at bit further down south so we decided to stop a day at this camp ground by Bryce Canyon. It is a wonderfully quite place, not busy and it has so much to do. As you can see it is very shady, you can fish and there are hundereds of miles to got 4-wheeling on. We were only there for a day, but will be going back very soon... I think this is our new favorite spot

The boys at Kings Creek

Brothers - excited to be camping

Darren content that camp is set up

Preston, trying not to look like I have posed him!

Bryson, my sweet tender heart

Weston is excited to be able to get into everything!

Huge, tall pine trees are everywhere in the campground

Darren and the boys down by the lake

The lake is pretty good size, and we were told it has excellent fishing

The Family - looking forward to an awesome weekend (no I am not taller than Darren, just standing on a log)

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

Our family got the chance to have a VIP tour to the Oquirrh Temple open house on Friday the 22nd. We were invited as a vendor to the LDS Church. It was a great experience. I love the Temples and the oppertunity that I have to attend them. These smaller Temples have a different feeling than the larger ones. You feel more a part of the Temple with the smaller rooms and area. The Temple was georgeous inside, clean bright colors. I cannot wait to attend once it has been dedicated. (I don't know why the pics are blue, I used my small camera)

Mandy, Kory, Dad, Mom, Kari, Me and Darren

This Temple will be our "home" Temple, or in other words the Temple that we will attend. With that being the case we have the chance to volunteer. Darren and I volunteered today, he was in parking and got burnt to a crisp. Meanwhile I was an Usher, who's wonderful job is to stand in the Temple and smile at those who come to tour. I got to stand for 4 hours in the sealing rooms of the Temple... it was an amazing experience.


The kids played at Grandma and Grandpa Steck's while we attended. After we picked them up we stopped at Artic Circle for a shake... I went in as Drive Through was backed up, This is what I found on my camera....

Never leave a bored Husband alone with kids and a Camera!

Mother's Day

My sweet husband isn't having good luck with "Kat Holiday's" this year. Mother's Day started off with great plans in his mind, but at 2:00am that all changed. Preston woke up and decided to throw up, luckily he went to Daddy and not Mommy (he must have known it was my day off). At 4:30 Weston woke up and was WIDE Awake, I tried for about 30 minutes and then laid him back in bed to put himself to sleep. Trying to be a Mother's Day Husband, Darren got up for an hour with Weston and no luck! At this point he was back in his bed crying, Bryson woke up for the morning! I got back out of bed - all this time laying their half asleep - picked up Weston and he finally went back to sleep. Preston then woke up around 6:30, I got him to come lay down with me and he and I, mainly I, slept for an hour. I woke up to the sound of the bath tub running, Preston had thrown up again and the pressure made other things happen (figure it out on your own) so he was in the tub. Once morning arrived we found the Preston had also had a night time accident. It was about 7:30 by now and Darren had breakfast all ready for me... but needless to say he was fried. He was tired and upset that this is how Mother's Day had started out. Did I mention he fixed French Toast... my favorite... and we were out of syrup!
Thanks to my sweet hubby for trying so hard to recover from a disastrous morning and give me a day to enjoy as a mom... Sometimes, All the times, you simply cannot control what is going to happen. I simply love being a mother to these 3 boys, they keep me on my toes and keep me laughing. And I love being able to parent them along side of my best friend!

These are my beautiful Flowers! I love how they brighten my room.

We ended the day with a wonderful dinner up with my Mom and sister, two women who I look up to and admire for their accomplishments. Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers!

Alex's Autism Walk - Go Speed Racers

Today was a great experience, so many people showed up to support Kari and Alex. HOWEVER the rain was not helping things, everyone was wet and a bit cold. But no one let that stop them. I loved watching all the groups that had matching t-shirts, all getting behind one kid to show their support to them. Most of these kids will never get the feeling of hitting a home run, making the winning touch down or that last minute basket that wins the game. But they got that feeling today of being the most important person to alot of people.
I love Alex, he is such a joy in our lives. Alex has taught me a lot about loving everyone and accepting people for who they are. My boys just love him... maybe too much! Alex is the greatest in their eyes... Cousin nights are as good as Lagoon to them. And then Kari... I love her even more! She has taken everything that has been given to her in life with such a great determination and attitude. She hasen't had an easy road, but she is an amazing mother to Alex and is so very patient to him
Thank you for sharing this amazing day with us!

Alex - The Man of the day!

The whole Speed Racer Clain

Kari and Alex

Alex, Bryson and Preston with their new umbrella's

Me and my hunny - he wouldn't smile seriously for nothing! (boy layers make you look skinny)

Weston and Daddy

Alex, Preston and Bryson

Our family with Guz Guz (our good friend's son is his high school's mascot and he came to the event for Alex... he was a hit!)

This is a slide show that goes through the entire day's events and pics...

Ausitm Speaks

Tomorrow I will be going my Nephew and Sister to walk with Alex's Speed Racers at the annual Autism Speaks Walk now for Autism. Alex was diagnosed with autism when he was 3, he currently attends the Carmen B Pingree school for Autism children. He has come leaps and bounds from his 3 year old state.

However excited we are about Alex's progress, it does not deminish the fact that every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed with Autism.

Please help my sister and I fight against Autism and find a cure. For every dollar donated Autism Speaks give $0.75 directly to the research of a cure. Please follow this link to both donate and find out more about Autism https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=294979&lis=1&kntae294979=0F2A9BB10187420DB92D4B356164F4A9&supId=248373123