The Whitakers got together in Heber, UT and we had so much fun all together!! It was such a fun time and I was amazed at how well all the kids got along and played together!!

Day 1 was Thursday. We packed up in the morning and then headed to Lagoon for LanDesk's annual Lagoon Day. Ryan was able to get tickets for most of the family so we all went and had a blast! I think this event will just keep getting more and more fun as our kids get older. Emry wanted to go on all the big rides. She went on every ride she was big enough to go on and loved it (including some pretty fast roller coasters). Wesley loved the Carousel the most but also enjoyed going on everything we let him go on. Even though it was a long day, the kids did great and were happy most of the day. That night we headed to the cabin to spend our first night at the cabin. All the big cousins slept in the same room that had like 4 bunk beds. If you ask Emry, that was the best part of the vacation! She LOVES sleepovers!



Day 2 was the day we had planned to just hang out at the house and play. The house we rented was supposed to have a pool but it ended up not being finished by the time we got there. However, it still had a hot tub so the kids went "swimming" in the hot tub and we played baseball on the lawn. It was a nice relaxing day at the cabin where we all just got to be together. Scott rented a car and it ended up being a Mustang Convertible so we took it up the canyon for a beautiful drive. We ended the day with a delicious BBQ.




Day 3 started off with everyone getting in their "Whitaker" shirts. Then we headed off to do our morning hike. We went to Cascade Springs which was the perfect hike for our crew. Pretty easy, lots of shade, pretty water. What more could you ask for? Then we headed back to hang out at the cabin for the rest of the day. The kids swam in the hot tub again and then we finished the day off playing baseball and painting rocks (WHAT?! More on this later). The kids had a blast just playing and being together.




Day 4 was Sunday so we all got up and got ready for 9 AM church and headed out the door. Only to realize that it was Stake Conference so there wasn't any 9 AM wards. We finally found a different Stake that had 9 am church and attended that all together. The kids went up to sing for Father's Day even though they had no idea what they were singing. They still did awesome! We came home after church, ate lunch, and then had our Father's Day program. All the kids learned 2 songs to sing to their dads and it was so adorable! After singing, we headed out to Fairy Land, a place up Mirror Lake Road that people bring little Fairy houses and painted rocks and such. We brought our rocks to add to the collection too. Emry loved to see all the cute fairies and fun rocks. Even Wesley loved it. We came home for our Father's Day dinner of steaks and salmon. Yum! Then we finished off the day with popsicles and croquet.



Day 5 was Lake Day!! We rented a boat and a jet ski on Deer Creek lake and it was a blast. Emry and Wesley (especially Wesley) loved riding the jet ski and riding on the boat. They both went on the tube and had so much fun! Ryan did the tube and unfortunately got thrown off super hard and hurt his ear (possibly burst his ear drum...eeek!). I tubed and tried skiing (which I haven't done since I was like 12!). I got up but decided my muscles couldn't take it and I was going to tear something so I decided to make that a short lived ski session to stay on the safe side! The kids had so much fun playing in the sand and just hanging out. It was a fun afternoon on the lake. We went home that night and Ryan's ear was hurting so badly he fell right to sleep at like 6 pm. The rest of us had dinner and then had a little video for Grandma and Grandpa of all the grandkids answering questions about Grandma and Grandpa. It was sweet and a fun way to say thank you for all they do for us!



Day 6 was our last day. We packed up the house in the morning and then  headed to "hike" Bridal Veil falls. We did the little nature hike and then headed to Provo to BYU. On the way there, Ryan and I took a little stroll down memory lane as we showed Emry where we lived when we met and our first apartment when we got married. It made me feel all sorts of nostalgic. We at lunch at the Creamery-I just love that place! It's so delicious. We walked around and shopped at the BYU Bookstore and then said goodbye to our cousins and headed home. We had such a fun time with all our family and just wish we could all be together all the time. But it's weeks like this that the cousins' bonds are strengthened and friendships are made! Here's to Christmas when we all get to see each other again!!

Happy 3 Months to little Miss Norah!!



*She is such a smiley baby!! If you ever make eye contact with her, she lights up and has the biggest smile!! She just can't contain her smiles!!
*Started laughing. She is ticklish so every time you tickle her it's the cutest laughter ever!! I just love her! She's adorable!
*Wearing 3-6 months clothes and size 2 diapers
*Still sleeping and eating great
*Started to really like her binky. She has it whenever she goes down to sleep and then if she wakes up in the middle of the night, she gets the binky and she goes back to sleep. Love her
*Loves her older siblings. Happy baby when she sees them she just lights up!!
*Everyone always comments that she has a "different" look. She isn't a clone like my other kids :D They also comment on how big and blue her eyes are. She rocks those baby blues!! :D
*Found her hands. She is constantly chewing on her hands.

It's her birthday and she's SOOO excited about it!! She told me that it's ok for her to be 4 year old Emry because she is still my Emry. It's a good thing too because we just love that little Emry girl.

Emry is such a light in our life. She is so smart and funny. Everyone who meets her comments on how smart, articulate, polite, and cute she is. And she really is. She has the cutest little voice and happiest little face. She loves to say, "Guess what" and I say, "What?" and she says, "Can I tell you something?" and I say, "Yes." and she says, "Let me tell you something." and I say, "OK" She will then actually tell you what she wants to. She thinks through things and takes her time to do things. She loves to do "projects" which is to cut, color, and glue paper together to make cards or a pair of fake binoculars or whatever else she comes up with. She loves to sing and has an amazing memory. Today Wesley wanted me to read "Goodnight Moon" to him while I was driving. I told him I couldn't read it while I was driving. Then Emry says, I'll read it mom and starts to say all the words to the book. I've read that book a million times but couldn't remember any of it and that girl had the whole thing memorized. She amazes me. She loves anything princess and girly. She is the best big sister-always taking care of Wesley and whenever she gets hurt she wants Wesley to give her a love better. They have the best relationship. She is obedient by nature and always wants to follow the rules. She cares about others and always wants to help them. One time a girl in her primary class was sad because she couldn't go to class with her brother. Emry went and sat by her and said, "It's ok Carly, I'll sit by you." I can tell she is close to the spirit because every once in a while she will be more serious and tell me that she misses her sister Olivia because she didn't get to see her but that it's ok because she will see her after she is resurrected. She always wants to bear her testimony and say her prayers. I'm so proud of this little girl and the big girl she is becoming. We love you 4 year old Emry!!