Idaho Falls Zoo, Riley and Earth Day

Saturday was a very busy day. We started to do a little yard work but then decided it was too cold. Tyler and Riley were here so we decided to attend the big earth day celebration at the zoo. They were recycling just about anything that you can image, but to get into the zoo for free we had to bring something recyclable - so I took a bunch of old printer cartridges from home. We visited the zoo for awhile and then went to the earth day events. They had opportunities to plant seeds, make frame pictures out of old glass, and they even had ballarina dancers dancing (Riley's favorite event) She got to sit on the fire truck and go inside the new "touring" INL Bus. Here are a few pictures of our day.

Birthday Party's Galore

We have been enjoying attending birthday party's for Aftyn Loftus and Blake Wilson. It is hard to believe that they are growing up so fast. It seems like they were just barely born yesterday. Boy, how fast the time flies when you are having fun. It was great fun watching Aftyn learn how to roller skate for the first time - I hope that she will keep trying because she will have lots of fun with her friends when they go to the rink for school functions like Alyssa does now. (I know that I fell down at least 100 times before I could finally stand up and then I still held onto the rail for security) I hope that Aftyn will remember to just have fun and enjoy learning new things.











Tenille and Grant celebrated Blake's birthday on Saturday night at their house. The kids all enjoyed playing tag on the trampoline for hours. Blake had lots of fun opening his birthday presents especially from his mom and dad who gave him this incredible bicycle or maybe it was a motorcycle???





This is me doing what I love best - holding those babies - Hunter and Abby!

Visit to Salt Lake City

Well, it has been awhile since I posted anything on my blog, so I am going to try and catch up. Dennis and I decided that it had been a very long winter and so we decided to take a little trip (vacation) to SLC. Dennis took a Friday off and off we went. We stayed in the Crystal Inn Hotel in SLC which just happen to have a hot tub in the room. It was very relaxing! We did a little shopping while there, but didn't really buy anything. We took Henry and Ravenna out to lunch and stopped at their house for a little while. It was good to catch up on everything happening in their lives. Ravenna is very busy working 7 days a week so she did not have much time to visit - she works at the school during the week and does CNA work on the weekends. After visiting with them I wanted to visit Thanksgiving Point which I have heard has an incredible tulip display this time of year. Well, we headed that direction, about 10 minutes from Henry's house, but found out if you turn left you ended up at Cabela's Sport Store or if you turn right at Thanksgiving Point, well guest what we ended up at Cabela's! We stayed too long and it was too cold and rainy when we got out to visit Thanksgiving Point. However, we did go in a look around a little bit and they let us out on the deck to see the view. It was wonderful - 55 acres of trees, tulips, flowers, roses and pathways over acres of land. I have heard that at the bottom they have a hugh rose garden. This property is owner by the creator of "WORD PERFECT". It also has hotels, a dinosaur museum and a working farm. Hopefully we can go back and take the kids and grandkids sometime. I didn't have my camera so I don't have any pictures to share, but you can go online and see how beautiful it is. On the way back from SLC we decided to go over the canyon and through the Bear Lake area. We stopped and took a few pictures of the countryside - it was really pretty with all of the snow still on it.

Idaho Falls Temple

Well it's Sunday and we just finished watching the LDS General Conference. One of the speakers talked about visiting the temple with your children so I thought I would post the pictures of Aftyn and Kaylee visiting the Idaho Falls Temple. Aftyn is always saying that she is going to be married there. We also visited the visitor center and saw all of the book of mormons being displayed in all of the different languages.
I just have to add this funny thing that happened at work yesterday. I received an email from KPVI about a "staff" infection that they had at the Bingham County Jail and how they were having the "staff" clean up and disinfect the jail. I can't believe that the writer spelled it like that - I guess spell checker doesn't catch everything?????

Bear Cubs March 30, 2009

On Monday, March 30th, Travis and Ryann came up to take pictures of the family at J. C. Penny's which turned into a diaster, see Ryan's blog. However, afterwards Dennis and I took the girls to a grand opening of a carpet store by his work. Bear World brought the tiny, newborn baby bear cubs to the store. The girls could pet the bears, but not hold them. They wanted to stay forever and see the bears. They actually had 9 bear cubs for the kids to see. I took a picture of the sign so you can read about the adorably, cute bears.

Hunter's blessing

Dennis and I attended Hunter Loftus' blessing on March 29, 2009. He was so cute in his blessing outfit. I guess I have become the family event photographer so I have posted a few of the photo's that I took after the blessing at Travis and Ryann's house. Hunter is such a cute little boy with a lot of family to love him. I am not sure how he slept through all the kids trying to hug him, but he seemed to accomplish just that. I am so glad that Dennis and I can be a part of their lives. We enjoy seeing them change and grow up and enjoy watching their parents become so involved in their lives.




Hunter sleeping through the entire ordeal.



Hunter's Aunt Veronica.

Hunter's sister Kaylee and cousin Matthew.

Abby Butikofer, another of Hunter's cousins.

Grandpa showing how to hide your tie so it doesn't get sticky with food - what a lot of love in that picture.

Sarah showing off her beautiful smile.

Tanner Loftus, Dad Travis, Tyler Butikofer eating as usual.

Proud Grandpa Dennis.

Uncle Jeff - always in the kitchen eating dessert.

Hunter's big sister Aftyn

And of course, Mom and Aunt Chelsey.