Mother's Day Weekend Hike in New Canyon

These pictures go from the end of the trip to the beginning so this is at the end when we were almost back at the cars.  We're throwing rocks into the stream below.  We could've done it for hours, but we (the adults consciously so) were really hungry for lunch.

Caleb found that when he scraped the little rocks on the big rock it "wrote" in white.  Annika saw and so wanted to be apart of it.  Caleb was quite the cute big brother and helped her and together they wrote with their rocks.  I can't remember who came up with some fun activity to top this, but somehow we were able to keep walking.

She loved the mountains.

We got Caleb to come down the road pretty well by having him run to "get us" at intervals.  He ran most of the way down either by "getting us" or tag, or races.  

Annika also loved it when I'd run along with Caleb.

I love this picture.
Notice Annika's smile at getting kissed by the dog.  I guess she belongs to both sides of the extended family.  I would've been grossed out by a dog kiss, but not my little animal lover.

I laid down and Annika started putting dirt and rocks on me.  My dad thought it was hilarious and took a picture.

I forgot my sunglasses or a hat and it was really bright so my mom loaned me hers.  I feel like a dork in this picture, but the point of the picture was to capture how Annika looks like a rag doll and I don't have a descent photo shop (or the skills or desire) to crop the picture.

My dad let Caleb carry around his $700 pair of binoculars to look at birds.  True love--and a true desire to make naturalists out of his postarity.  Caleb loved it!  He was so excited and knew it was a big deal to carry Grandad's binoculars.  My dad got a bunch of pictures of him pointing the binoculars at different things.  He'd shout, "I see a bird!" and sometimes even throw out names.  My dad has successfully taught him the names of many birds.

These pictures start from around last June.  So it's been a long time but I thought I'd post them.  One day I was getting ready, taking care of Annika, or something.  Anyway, Caleb got into my makeup.  I used to let him play with it because he didn't really do anything, just pulled it out of the bag and pretended to paint with the brushes.  Only this time he did.  He had seen me putting on eye make up and did his own.  Despite the washing, he looked like he had a black eye for about two days.We took a little day trip last June (also still in Boise) to cook tinfoil dinners, roast marshmallows, and hike around.  Caleb loved it.

This is when Uncle Daniel came to visit around the 4th of July, 2009.  We were still in Boise and Daniel took Caleb swimming.  Caleb still remembers this.  We moved down to Ephraim the next day or so.
Christmas at Grandma Hyer's and Aunt Janell's.

Caleb used to spin in this chair all the time.  When we visited at Christmas they spun in it together.
Over Christmas break we went to the Discovery Museum in Salt Lake with Grandma Evie and Grandpa Mike.  The kids had a lot of fun, but I think I had the most fun!  I loved all the cool things and I loved watching the kids explore.  It was so much fun!!  

Annika loves balls.  (It's one of the words she can now say, although at Christmas she just made really happy noises when she saw all the balls.)

I know Andy looks a little bored but I posted this one because of the intent look on her face.  She loved playing this and listening to the sounds.

Of course, Caleb loved the construction site.  We spent a long time here and came back a few times.




Caleb playing fireman with Daddy in Park City over Christmas break.

Annika with Caleb's work hat and goggles on.

Caleb and I built a cool tower.

We got a package in the mail (my Christmas present to my mom) and Caleb and Annika made quick work of all of the packaging.  I didn't think it was a big deal but we had a discussion after that about how Caleb and Annika can help open packages only if the packages are addressed to a Hyer.

Annika playing dress-up.

Caleb and Grandad reading bedtime stories.

Caleb has the cutest Sunday outfit that Grandma Hyer and Aunt Janell bought him, but he wouldn't let me take his picture all spiffed up for church.

Grammy usually reads to Caleb while I teach classes in the afternoon and Annika sleeps.  One time I came home to this since Annika had either woken up or hadn't gone to sleep.

Don't you love that face?  What a pretty girl!

We go through lots of these and find many uses for them.

Does this really need explaining?  Well, I do need to say that I think this was Caleb's first beater that he's had all to himself.  He's licked spoons, helped lick bowls and gotten bites of things, but this might have been his first beater.

I posted this picture because it is so typical of Caleb.  And he loves those tongs.  

This was a typical picture this past January and February.  The lone worker in the backyard.

Caleb painting some wooden cars we bought at the craft section.  He mostly likes to mix up the different colors of paint.

I think this is a sweet picture of Daddy and daughter.

Playing on a neighbors swing set.  Caleb likes this one because he can make it go himself.  Annika also loves it, but not if Caleb's the one making it go...

We took this picture when I went up to Boise for Spring Break (March 20th or so was when this was taken) and Andy did Caleb's hair with gel and he looks so handsome!

These are my wonderful grandparents and their dog Toke.  Toke is the only Ephraim pet who lets Annika pet her.

Annika loves to pull the books off the bookshelf.  And she loves her belly button.  She's been able to point to it when you ask her where her belly button is for quite some time.

I just liked Caleb's face in this one.

Annika in her leggings from Aunt Janell.

Are these cute kids or what?!

Annika now loves to help with the dishes.  This is a picture of her first time.  You can see her smile a bit in her profile.  In fact the other day my mom was doing the dishes and Annika was crying beside this little green stool which usually sits over on the wall.  I came in and  asked what the matter was and my mom said she was trying to move the stool over because she wanted to help with the dishes.  (My mom was just putting things away and getting ready to do the dishes and let her help as soon as she was ready. :))

We met up in Park City for Caleb's birthday this year and celebrated it all weekend long.  We had a really good time and I think Caleb had a good birthday.  When I asked Caleb what he wanted his birthday cake to be a few weeks ago, the Easter Bunny was still fresh on his mind.  He asked for a strawberry bunny cake.  Andy obliged and made him the bunny cake.  Caleb really liked it.  Since there was leftover pieces of cake Andy and Caleb made bike cakes together.  Well, actually Andy made them while Caleb ate pieces of cake.   We were invited over for dinner by some of our friends from when we lived in Park City when Caleb was just a newborn.  They have a son that is 3 as well and Caleb and Will played like crazy together!  They had so much fun!  Then they both helped blow out the candles.  I have more videos of that, but will have to wait.  

One day I was changing the sheets on the crib and had leaned the side against the dresser and Caleb started climbing it and calling it his ladder.  It seemed worth the fun to let him do it, so I let him but told him to be careful.  He'd tell me he was being careful as he climbed it.  Then low and behold, Annika started climbing the "ladder."  Thankfully, Caleb told me, "Annika's climbing the ladder!"  I don't know that he was watching out for her safety, but I was relieved.  I called my mom in so I could video it and she could stand right behind Annika while I did.  I have a cute video but I can't get videos to download on this computer yet, so you'll have to wait.  However, today we took off the side of the crib again and this time she climbed all the way to the top.  She is quite the climber.  (Don't worry--I had my hand on her the whole time!)

 
This is my Grandad walking with Annika.  She led him around the house.  So cute!

The kids love to play with the burned pieces of wood or whatever left in the fire pit in the back yard.  I let them.  My mom doesn't like it.  They love it!  The draw all over the place.  The first picture was actually taken by Caleb.