Catching up...

I didn't get a chance to post these videos at the time they were taken, but now that school has started I have more time to catch up on my blogging.

Celebrating Tucker's birthday with the 'Burt' cousins

A baby and some bikes

All in All

Yesterday, we went up to Bridal Veil Falls with some friends to enjoy some cooler weather. It is one of our favorite places to go together because it has a paved hiking trail and the kids can climb up the rocks and play in the water. Hayden and Gabe were the only ones that hiked up to the base of the falls, I prefer to keep my feet on solid (non-slimy and mossy) ground. I would have enjoyed dangling my feet in the water, but Mason was up to his usual antics, i.e. trying to escape down the steep and rocky mountain side to throw rocks into the fast and dangerous river; lying tummy down in the middle of the path to the inconvenience of joggers, bikers and skate boarders; and attempting to take a running leap off of the roof of a cement bunker which overlooked the Provo river. Thankfully my friend Shauna noticed his plight and sprinted in time to grab him. I didn't realize what was happening until I saw her abandoned jogger stroller rolling backwards down the path towards me. Luckily none of her kids were in the stroller, so despite nearly having a heart attack, no one was harmed.

All in all it was a fun excursion, even when a few of the kids lost their balance and fell in the water getting entirely wet. Their despair was quickly eased when I told them that whoever got completely wet won a prize. Brianna was quick to ask what the prize was, I could tell she was deliberating whether it would be worth jumping all the way in. I reassured her that she could have a prize too without drenching herself in the icy cold water.

Thunder Storm
August 18 2010

Burt Sibling Reunion 2010

My kids had a blast visiting with their cousins for a whole week. Even the grownups managed to have a little fun : ) David and Nathaniel's families arrived on Sunday evening, August 1st and Sara and Allie's families joined us on Wednesday. It was a little crowded with 27 people in the house, but everyone was a good sport. We went to a lot of parks, ate a lot of food and changed a lot of diapers. Mason still asks every day to play with his "dozins" (cousins).

Gage (5 1/2 months) and Kaitlyn (4 months) enjoying some tummy time

Joshua, Jonas, Cody, Brianna and Hayden on the couch watching the Backyardagains

Mason and Gage hanging with Mommy while the older kids jump and play at "Jumping Jacks"

Gabe making the grownups smores with his blowtorch while we played cards at the table.
No matter what their age, boys will always be fascinated with fire.

Playing at the Library park, which is also close to a shave ice shack, so we brought all of our quarters from our yard sale jar and enjoyed a cool treat.

(Mason, Cody and Jesse)
The boys had a lot of fun getting their feet wet, trying to feed the the over stuffed ducks and geese bread, fishing, and rafting at the Salem Duck Pond.

(Mason, Cody and Joshua)

Mason finally got a turn in the raft with Uncle Nathaniel and Jesse, but that still didn't stop him from dragging the raft down the hill by himself and trying to go again. Luckily there was a barrier post he couldn't get past before his attempts were successful.

Logan and Gage got to spend most of their time in the stroller at the Duck Pond.

The Mom's enjoyed some "down time" while the kids stayed occupied eating pizza and playing on the wooden structures at the Discovery Park in Pleasant Grove.

Mason's 3rd birthday

Mason's birthday was on July 23rd, but of course it has taken me nearly a month to post evidence of that fact. Mason really enjoyed being the center of attention and didn't mind that his cake was just cupcakes in the shape of a three. Watching him blow out his candles was a riot, I'm just disappointed the lighting was really poor because it was a hoot to watch. I made him a reversible "super cape" superman/batman, but I replaced the "S" for an "M". To my surprise he really like it.

I might just use cupcakes all the time now when designing my kids birthday cakes, they're so versatile. Versatile is code for: I had no time to be creative and make a "cool" cake, but I really do love you and since you're only 3 you hear the words 'cake' and 'ice cream' and you think you have it made.

The "Super Mason" cape

He's so happy he's getting his very own pirate ship, now he can play along with his older brothers and not be stuck with the little dingy.

All the kids had fun playing with his activity bus

So happy to be in the middle of everything


Super Mason!!! Everyone get out of his way

How many puffs does it take to blow out 3 candles?

Gage enjoyed some fun daddy time during the party

Mason

Elizabeth Gosney took this picture of Mason, she did a really good job of capturing his sweet disposition which is often overpowered by his mischievous counterpart

Yes, I'm still here

It's been over two months since I last blogged and I really don't know where to start. It's 11:15 pm right now, so I can spend 10 minutes updating everyone on our lives...
Last week we hosted a Burt sibling reunion and had all of my siblings and their families staying at our house for a week. It was crazy, fun, tiring, worthwhile and chaotic. I will hopefully get some pictures and videos posted soon.
This summer has been quite the learning lesson for me, trying to find a balance between having a routine and summer jobs for the kids and letting them, and me, just kick back and focus on doing fun activities together despite the fact that my counters are covered in clutter, the carpet no longer remembers the feel of a vacuum and dinner is once again a "Hot and ready pizza" from Little Caesars because I haven't been able to make it to the grocery store for over a week.
I am looking forward to the start of a new school year, and perhaps this Fall I will be able to "get things together" with 3 kids in school full time, providing I do get a wall harness for Mason as he is still proficient in escaping. Well, I have used up my 10 minutes and am going to let the 3 loads of dirty laundry wait yet another day because I would rather sleep.