Dinosaur Museum

Now that the weather is cold again, we are back to spending lots of time at the Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum. There is an exhibit there now called "Notions of Motion" that is really fun. My kids can play in there for hours. This week we met up with some friends and had a great time. 

Hema and Luke pedaling to make the lights turn on. 

Cora wishing he could just reach those balls!

Vela holding still just long enough for me to snap a picture.

Hema with the fossil puzzle he put together. 

Cora loving the sand. 

We sure do love Thanksgiving Point! 

Cornbelly's

We went to Cornbelly's yesterday and had so much fun! 

Cora wasn't thrilled about putting her face in this. 

Hema and Vela loved the Corn Maze this year. 

Cora wanted to sit on every bench. So cute!

This big bouncing pillows are so cool!

Hema thunks we should invest in one of these HUGE rocking chairs. 

We love this big creepy haunted dino beast. The kids were pretty brave going through it this year. 

Cora recently decided she LOVES slides!

Vela with the Pumpkin Princess.

Shooting Paintball guns. 

And finally a pretty picture I took as we rode along on the tractor ride. I thought the "silver lining'  along the top of this cloud was amazing. 

6 Years old!!

Our sweet Hema turned six last Friday (August 12th). It was a week of celebrations and partying. He is so happy to be 6 and going int o first grade next week.

Hema with his sisters after his scrimmage on Saturday.

Here are some of the highlights of the festivities...

Thursday we had a party at Monkey Island. Lots of cousins and friends came out to celebrate with us. 

Hema with his monkey cake! 

Singing Happy Birthday!

Lots of great presents!

Plenty of pizza!

The kids bounced, climbed, played, ate and had so much fun until they were all sweaty and tired! Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with Hema!

Friday Tyra and her kids were still in town from New Jersey so we headed to the Dino Museum.  

Grandpa and Grandma Hawkins and Tyra and her kids joined us. They new Motion room is super cool! 

The boys made a lake and big dam in the sand. They could have played there all day. 

You have to take a shark picture.
Abe, Tyra, Grandma, JJ, Abby, Hema, Leah, Isaac, Becky and Vela.

Seeing how they stack up to a dinosaur's weight.

Goofing around.

After the museum we headed over to get some ice cream cones.

Friday night Hema had football practice so instead of cake he wanted to take donuts to his team. I was busy chasing kids and handing out donuts and forgot to take pictures... oops!

Sunday Hema's sweet birth mom Katie came down to visit. 

Hema and Katie.

Katie taught Hema (and me) how to throw a Frisbee! It's so much more fun to play when it actually goes where you want it to! 

Hema, Katie and Katie's dad.

It was extra special because Katie's dad, step mom and sisters came down too. Little Hema hasn't seen her parents since he was 6 months old. He was so excited to meet them!  They even brought us tomatoes and flowers from their garden, supplies to do this fun project from the Children's Friend (which we did on Monday for FHE), freshly made salsa and presents for Hema. 

Kaite, Julie, MaryAnn, Nicole, Hema and Brian. 

Katie's 2 younger sisters are also adopted. Pretty cool huh! 

Katie reading a bedtime story to Hema and Vela. 

Hema had a great birthday filled with friends, family, food, fun and presents. He is growing up to be such a good boy and the best big brother ever. We are grateful every single day that he is part of our family!! 

4th of July Weekend

What a fun weekend! I loved how the 4th fell on a Monday, but some of the places did their fireworks on Saturday. It just made the weekend last longer! 

On Saturday evening we headed over to Provo to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks on my aunt's lawn. It is the best view of the fireworks and is always nice to catch up with the extended Hawkins family.

 Waiting for the fireworks to start.

 Vela

 Cora with fireworks.  

Vela LOVES fireworks...and glowsticks! 

 Hema and Halle

Vela watching the show. 

 Some of the family.

 Check out Vela's bracelets! 

Tonight we had most of Hema's family over for a BBQ and then watched the fireworks at Thanksgiving Point from out front lawn. However I got busy and didn't get many pictures taken once everyone got here! 

 My girls all ready to party! 

 Yummy flag cheesecake I made.

Grandpa and Grandma Hawkins with my girls. 

Our family.  

Hanging out waiting for the fireworks. 

 Vela and Cora LOVED baby Pita. They kept trying to hold, hug and kiss him! Everyone thought Cora would be jealous when I held him, but she was so excited and kept kissing him. It was so cute.

We had a great weekend and are ever so grateful for the freedoms we have in this blessed land. We are grateful to all who sacrifice to keep us free! May God continue to bless America!!! 

Princess Festival

We went to the Princess Festival at Thanksgiving Point on Thursday. It was so much fun! Vela has been dying in anticipation for the last month. Here are my 2 little princesses all dressed up and ready to go. 

 We went with Kim, Krychele and Desi. Here are just a few of the photos I took. 

 Cora, Vela and Desi in the Carriage.

 With the Princess and the Frog.

 Such sweet girls. 

 With Sleeping Beauty.

 Vela with the Princess and the Pea.

 Desi with her favorite princess Cinderella.

 Vela with Cinderella.

 Cora with her favorite princess - Krychele!

Cora thrilled that she finally for her pony tail out and crown off. 

 With Tinkerbell. 

 Vela's all time favorite princess Ariel. 

Right after we took this picture Captain Hook came and took Ariel. Vela has been really sad about it ever since. She keeps saying, "The pirate took Ariel mommy." 

Afterwards we went for some yummy JCW's food!

Thanks so much Kim and Krychele for taking us! We had a blast! `