December Happenings

The Festival of Trees was so much fun. It's not easy to keep the kids from grabbing all the presents under the trees. So instead I just give them candy to keep them still but then they are all hyped up on sugar and can't sit still... I think next year I should get a baby-sitter.
 

Gk and Bentley have been growing up so fast!
 

Temple square is a must!! It was freezing and we rode trax. I know I have more pictures, I need to post them. The kids loved it! I think they all last longer than Patrick!
 

Gardner Village is just a must all year round. They have elves in December and they are so cute and mischevious!
 

Jenn's Birhday party!

Brandon planned the cutest birthday party for Jenn. We played games and had a pinata.

 

I think for Jenn's birthday we went to Discovery Gateway.  That place is pretty fun. Gk likes it more and more each time we go.
 

Happy Halloween!!

We had SO much fun this Halloween! Gk Loved the whole costume idea (where last year it was no fun at all!). Gk got a Spiderman costume that he still wears all the time (Yeah like 9 months later, the think is in tatters but he LOVES it!)  Bentley and I were witches and Patrick was a Scout Master. On Halloween night we had Bentley wear a cuddley bear costume we got from Juli to keep her warm.  She looked so cute! We had so much fun. We went to Gardner Village to see the witches, we had our annual Lowder Halloween party, we went to my Mom's work for trick or treating, and we went trick or  treating with the Aunt Lyndsey and Uncle Adam and with Aunt Michelle and her kids. I know I enjoy it more than the kids!
 

 

November Fun!

I know we did more in November.. right, I'm just sure we had a Thanksgiving feast but I sure can't find many pictures... Stupid school. Wait! We don't say Stupid!

We tried the Planet Play and the kids LOVED it!! The food was okay but the games were a blast!!
We may go back for a birthday soon. We'll have to see

 

We also got to do some sledding which we loved!!
 

Grandma Pat

Patricia Lily Searle Lowder 1925 ~ 2011 After 86 years filled with love and beauty, Grandma Pat slipped peacefully from this earthly existence on October 29, 2011. Patricia Lily Searle Lowder was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 28, 1925, the youngest of the six children of Keros H. and Lily Watkins Searle. She was hardy pioneer stock; her grandfather, John Watkins, barely surviving the trek to Utah with the Willie/Martin Handcart Company. Pat graduated from South High School in 1942, and was a proud "Cub" throughout her life. She was also a University of Utah grad. Pat's marriage to Dee H. Lowder on October 3, 1945 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple began a family that has since grown to a huge and loving legacy. Pat is survived by children Jeff (Nancy), Scott (Vickie), Chrisie and Walter Bascom, Jodi and Reed Hamblin, Brad (Sally), and Nancy and Donald Barker, 31 grandchildren and 58 great-grandchildren. Her beloved Dee preceded her in death September 3, 1992. She was also preceded by her parents, son Dan (Pat), grandson Michael Lowder, and siblings Mary Searle Schriever, Allen Searle, Phyllis Searle White, Beverly Searle Spencer, and Ruby Searle Brown. While she preferred the title "Mom," Pat also spent many years as a committed elementary school teacher as well as part-time model and actress. But her greatest love (after her family) was creating and sharing beauty. Mom blossomed later in life as a gifted artist, creating amazing paintings ranging from landscapes of beautiful Sonoma County where she spent much of her adult life, to striking portraits of her family and her Savior. Friends and family are invited to a viewing Friday, November 4 from 7 - 9 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East 10600 South, Sandy. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 5 at the Murray Utah North LDS Stake Center, 5200 South 700 West at 1:00 PM with a viewing prior to services, 11:30-12:45. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn, 3401 South Highland Drive. Online condolences may be shared at Larkin.

Grandma Pat passed away the end of October. We were able to see her a few times before. She was ready to go and it was a new experience for me. She said she hadn't given up she had just done everything she was meant to do and it was her time. She was such a classy and elegant woman. We miss her like crazy. She could always say what was on her mind. She loved movies and flowers and she especially loved her family. Miss you Grandma Pat!

We didn't get many pictures, we went to the viewing but Gk was sick and threw up all over the babysitter. We had my parents watch the kids during the funeral service. We know Grandma would like them there but I think it was better for us to be a part of the funeral services rather than out it the hall with  resltless sick kids.

Patrick's family has a tradition of doing service for each other when people pass away. Everyone paints their toe nails but you can't paint your own. Each family did it and it's fun to have everyone take off their shoes and socks and show off their toes.

Goblins!

We had planned a trip to Goblin Valley last year and it didn't happen so we made it happen this year and it was SO MUCH FIN!!

There were so many places to explore and it seemed like you could just go anywhere without all the restrictions that you usually run into.

Gk had so much fun crawling through the caves and tunnels. and I think everyone really had a good time. It was a great place!  You should go!

Jennah's Big Day

I can't believe that Jennah is already 1! (Still and it's really December!) She is such a joy to all of us! Jenn worked so hard to have her party be just right and it seemed so effortless and was all cute! Seriously I don't know how she does it all!

There were trailer rides and a pinata and the kids played in the bouncy house. It was so fun to hang out with so many people that we love. Jenn, Brandon, and Jennah are just like family to us and theyreally have some amazing families. We are blessed to know them!

More hikes and some Fishing!!

Oh this hike was not very easy.. Gk had only gone about 10 feet and decided he didn't want to be in the mountains.. Possibly my fault for going so much but it is therapeutic for me! So I had to carry him most of the way up and down. 3/4 of a mile isn't very far, but it is when you carry a 3 and 1 year old!

Patrick and Brandon finally got a chance to go fishing up at Teapot lake.. We took the kayak so they didn't have to fish off the shore. I don't think the fishing was very good. It was probably perfect right as we were leaving! But we had lots of fun getting all messy and eating lots of treats!

Gk found an old fireman costume that he lOvEs!! It was pretty cute how he wanted to wear it ALL the time.

We got a wagon! It is so much fun for the kids to have a ride on the back of the lawnmower!

To the Mountains!

The water level was really high all spring and the first part of summer. So when it started ti not be quite so dangerous we went up hiking. The boys were always too busy so Jenn and I would just take the kids. This was a really short fun hike right off of Wasatch Blvd. seriously only 10 minutes. Someday I want to repel down the waterfall... but not with kids!

Patrick and I took the kids on a drive over the guardsman pass again! It was really fun to get out and play! We stopped in Midway or Heber (I really don't know the difference :) for a fun picnic!

Gk did really good on this hike! It was really fun~

Jenn brought some yummy cookies and we had to hurry home because it looked really stormy!

Summer Fun!

Gk LOVES the slip and slide!  It was really a big hit!
Patrick taught him that you slide the best when there isn't any resistance of a swimming suit...
So beware!

We met up with Lyndsey, Benton, and Cooper, and Jenn and Jennah to check out the animals at the Wheeler Farm! I love that place but it was blazing HoT!! We didn't last too long but it was long enough!

And Gk learned hot to make himself a peanut butter and Jelly sandwich! 

Now, I still usually make them for him because he just eats the jam out of the jar. But he can do it!

County Fair, Town days, & The Zoo

We went to the County Fair and Brandon and Jenn weren't planning on going but when their car broke in almost the parking lot we told them they should just come and go with us. I LOVE the fair! The people watching is the best! They had some fun kid games. Gk got to play a few but his favorite was the pony ride!  We didn't stay long, the kids were getting restless and if I remember right we were all starving.  But it was a lot of fun!

Next to the Lewiston parade, Bluffdale Town days is my favorite! It may be because of the tanks they have in the parade. There is a lot of candy in this one too! They have some really fun games and activities for kids after too so it's a tradition!

I think I really like the zoo more than the kids do...

Vin Hagen

Patrick's work has a cabin in Idaho called Vin Hagen. The place is super old, has bats and mice, and is like a 4-5 hour drive away... But the place is a blast!! We weren't able to go there last year (new baby & new house) so we were really excited when we were given an opportunity to go there this year.

We spent the first morning with just our family but it was a lot more fun when Patrick's family came... (we really missed Adam & Lyndsey's family)! 

We spent a lot of time in the lake. I don't think the canoe was to shore for more than 5 minutes the whole time we were there.  We ran up to "town" and got some inner tubes to float on the lake and spent some time in the hot tub!

We have a couple heroes!! Gk fell in the lake and Bradon and Paxton saw him. Paxton pulled him out of the water. Gk still talks about it sometimes!  So grateful to these two guys!



We had SO much good food. I think we were all worried there wouldn't be enough and I don't think I've eaten that much in a long time. Unfortunately/fortunatley it was mostly made up of s'mores.

Grandpa got all the kids making bow and arrows. Some were pretty impressive! 

We had contests on which set would shoot furthest, straight, and stick. 

I don't remember who won what but it was really a lot of fun!

We really had a great time and hope we can go next year too!