Adventures in Idaho!

I Kissed A Bear, And I Liked It!

My Mom and I at the world's largest captive geyser in Soda Springs, Idaho! Soda Springs is about 11 miles NE of Grace, Idaho.

Me and the 100 foot geyser in Soda Springs!

This is what happens when my family goes on vacation together! My sis, MacKenzie, step-dad, George and I attacking each other with ice sickles!

One of the things I miss about living in Idaho/Utah is the FRY SAUCE (catchup and mayonnaise), lime rickeys, burgers and shakes from Artic Circle! Article Circle claims to have invented the "fry sauce" and I'm forever grateful to them for creating such yumminess to go with my fries!

Out on Grandpa's farm checking out the cattle and the new little calves! The farm has around 350 Hereford/Angus cattle! Now that is a lot of beef:-)

The Gilbert clan (minus 26 family members) family photo during my Grandpa's 80th Birthday Celebration at the White Wolf Restaurant- Lava Hot Springs, Idaho!

The birthday boy and I! Watch out for that darn cane of Grandpas!

My darling Grandma Gilbert and I! Oh, for fun!

My beautiful mother and her handsome dad!

We all got our very own copy of this photo Grandpa is holding up of himself! Love it.

The misspelled birthday cake! LOL!

My three sisters and I holding up our party favors! My Mom had candy bar wrappers made with Grandpa's picture on it (so cute)!

One crazy family! Even my mom is super fun and silly!

After Grandpa's party, we headed over to Lava's hot pools! These pools get their mineral water from a natural underground spring! It was so cool to have it snowing down on us while relaxing outside in the 100 plus degree water! Sorry, but I will not be posting any steamy swimsuit shots of myself!

IDAHO?

Ha ha! Just something silly that I had to get off my mind! I'm thinking of getting my mom a shirt like this for Mother's Day:-) Okay, here are some highlights from day one of my trip to Idaho:

Carson trying to pack himself into my suitcase and sneak onto my flight to Utah!

Getting ready to ride the bull at Capital Hill (Utah State Capital)! Get my 3 sisters and I together and we all get a little crazy!

Homemade rolls with raspberry butter and a glass of homemade Sasparilla! Just had to stop at Maddox in Perry, Utah on our way to Idaho!

Gossners Cheese Factory in Logan, Utah(my birth town)! It is a tradition to stop and sample all the cheese curds, milk and ice cream! I brought the kids home some cartons of root beer milk from this place! Yummy:-)

Driving down the road in what feels like the middle of nowhere!

We stopped in Preston, Idaho to see Aunt Phyllis! Right around the corner from her house is Pedro's house from the movie Napoleon Dynamite! Napoleon Dynamite was filmed in Preston, Idaho. Vote for Pedro! Love that movie:-)







My sis, Abby, trying to dig out our Grandparent's headstone at the cemetery in Preston, Idaho. Notice that Abby is wearing flip flops in the snow! She must be from Arizona!

After digging through the snow we found Grandma and Grandpa Goodsell's headstone!

I gave Keira the middle name, Lynn, after my Grandpa Lynn Goodsell! Miss you Grandma and Grandpa Goodsell.

Our final destination............. Grandma & Grandpa Gilbert's farm/ranch - Grace, Idaho (175 miles north of Salt Lake)! Can you guess what they grow? This is where my Mom was born and raised! My Dad was raised in the town of Grace as well. Simply beautiful place.

This poor fellow was shot by my Grandpa Gilbert back in the day and is now displayed in the basement of my grandparent's house! Growing up all of us grandkids were freaked out by this stuffed animal and would put a blanket over it during our stay! I'm still a little bothered by it, but left it uncovered during this trip! LOL!

Another wild animal that Grandpa Gilbert shot and has displayed in the basement! I'm sure PETA will be giving Gramps a call after this blog post!

This picture used to hang amongst the stuffed animals in my Grandparent's basement, but has been recently retired! I think Grandma took it down since so many of her grandkids (my siblings) and great grandchildren are freaked out by clowns. I call first dibs on this picture:-)

During Spring Break I had the opportunity to go to Utah/Idaho to spend time with my family and attend my Grandpa's 80th Birthday Party! Mark aka Mr. Mom stayed back at home with the kids. I hadn't been on a trip with just my sisters, brother, Mom and George since before I was married! Lets just say we had a very interesting trip! There is never a dull moment when we all get together. Ha ha! More pictures to come.

Little Soccer Star!

Another soccer season has come and gone for Carson!

Carson gave a 100% at every game!

Wherever the ball was, so was Carson!

Go, Carson, Go!

My handsome little soccer star!

And the award goes to..............................

Congratulations Carson on a great soccer season! Carson is lovin' his new soccer trophy!

Coach Jack(best coach ever) put on an awesome end of the season soccer party with awards, food, kickball, bounce house and a soccer pinata! This is Carson trying to take a whack at the pinata!

Coach Jack and the Jaguars. Such a cute group of kiddos! Go Jaguars!!

Keira wants to be like her big brother and play baseball and soccer. I told her this Fall she can start playing! From the looks of it, we just might have another sports star in the making! Don't you love the pink ball?! After all, she still is a little Princess:-)

Arizona Mud Pies!

Keira and Ava making Mud Pies bright and early in the morning while still in their pajamas! I was wondering where all my spoons went!




Keira back to making mud pies after her gymnastics class! Thank goodness she chose to use last years Harkins movie cup!


Mud, water, rocks, bugs and all equal the perfect Arizona Mud Pie!


Want some of this?

They aren't too tasty, but Mud Pies are a whole lot of fun to make! Just ask Yami and Keira:-)

With all the lovely rain that we have had over the past month, Keira has acquired the skill of making Arizona Mud Pie! Keira no longer has the desire to play with her Princess kitchen set since she now has an empty garden full of mud to play in! Hey, at least someone is getting good use of my garden space. Playing in the dirt and mud has been the thing to do when friends come over to play. So Sorry Moms that your kids come home a muddy mess. LOL! Keira is slowly learning to use her plastic Princess dishes and not my fine china out in the dirt! Occasionally, I still find a silver spoon or two lying in Keira's mud kitchen!

Rockin' R Ranch

Arizona's Wild West Town
Mesa, AZ.
Keira's Preschool Field Trip


Keira enjoying Big Jim & Sweet Mary's music!


Carson, Keira and I onstage showing off our roping skills!

My, what big teeth you have! Carson loves javelinas.

The young 'uns panning for gold!

Grinding corn on real Indian grinding stones.

Keira, Brooke and Nani roping like real cowgirls

Carson learning how to pump water.

Keira pumping away!

Saddle Up!

Don't shoot me, Carson!

Keira the Ghost Rider.

Keira and I! Yeehaw!

Kathrine (Sister Welker) and her preschool class!

Keira's preschool class went on an exciting field trip to the Rockin' R Ranch on February 26, 2010! Carson played hookie from his Kindergarten class and came with Keira and I to join in on all the fun of the old West. I had been to the Rockin' R Ranch with my parents, brother and sisters when I was younger. Our family got to know the owners Jim and Mary Robson and some of their children through our participation in Amway and Cinderella many years ago. My two kids, the other preschoolers and their families had such a Gall-Darn Good Time at the Ranch! Thank you to Keira's teacher, Kathrine, for the awesome boot shaped goody bag. For more information on the Rockin' R Ranch check out their website http://rockinr.net/ .