June 23 - 26, 2011
Paul and I were able to get away to New York City for a few days. It was so nice to get away with my honey who has been traveling pratically every week since Feb.
We love this city and enjoy being here. Finding new places to eat and visiting old favorites.
This year we did something we've never done in our many trips to NYC. We went to a broadway show, in fact we went to two shows. There is a discount ticket booth in Time Square that you have to wait hours in line for and we've never wanted to buy at full price. Well, we found out from Paul's cousin who is living there right now that the discount ticket booth has opened up another location, so we went to that one and I think the whole wait and buying tickets took us all of 30 minutes!
We went to Memphis Friday night and then Mama Mia Saturday afternoon. We really liked Memphis!!!!!





The Mormon Ad in Time Square.

The new tower at ground zero, you can also see a bit (slanted roof) of the memorial building. One of the reflection pools and grounds are supposed to be opened for the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

Central Park

Central Park

Sunday I got on a plane back to Utah and Paul stayed for the next 5 days for meetings in New Jersey, Philly, etc.

We had a wonderful time, thank you so much Paul. And a big thanks to Grandma Marshall watching the kids.

Camping

Disclaimer - Grandma Meanea, you may not want to read this post!
June 11, 2011
After Trey's friend party we headed up the canyon with some friends to go camping. We had a wonderful time, except for one mishap, I'll explain that later.

Team work!

We fit the motor home and their trailer and truck in a double site. It was a tight fit but it worked.

My handsome boy loving being out in the fresh air and trees in the mountains.

Did someone put you in TimeOut?

Me and my girl!

So here is the mishap, Brett cut his head open here is the story.

"Dad, can I go ride bikes with Trevan and Gabby?"

"yes, but do not ride through the water."

"OK Dad"

Two minutes later Paul gets the distinct feeling that he should walk a few camp sites down and check on Brett. Drew, our friend, heads down with him. Paul is pushing Trey's wheelchair.

Sure enough Brett is riding his bike through the water that is running across the road.
When I took this picture above it was the following day and the water had actually gone down a little from the previous day.

Brett gets half way across and decides he will turn back. Paul can see what is going to happen so he puts Trey's wheelchair break on, (thank goodness because he said he didn't remember putting the break on) Paul starts running towards Brett.

As Brett is making the turn he turns right off the edge of the bridge, he didn't make the turn sharp enough and the water didn't help as it was pushing him.

Off he goes! Brett manages to hang on to a branch but the water is cold and pushing him down. Paul jumps down into the water fall and gets to Brett just as Brett lets go of the branch, there is probably still 6 feet below of the water fall.

The water is coming fast and Brett and Paul are probably about 4 feet from the top and good thing our friend Drew was there, Paul was able to lift Brett up to him at the top but he wouldn't have been able to do it alone.

Paul grabs the bike and they head back toward camp. Mean while, Trevan, Drew's son that is Trey's age comes riding his bike back to camp and tells me that Brett just got hurt real bad. I make sure Ellie is with Drew's wife and girls and start running down to where they were.

Their on their way up so I didn't even see the water or the water fall until the next day.

Brett was soaking wet and bloody but once we got him in the motor home and out of the cold wet clothes and some of the blood cleaned up we could tell he would not need stitches.

Brett was very shaken up over the whole thing and was so greatful to his daddy for saving his life and he was very aware of his angels watching over him. In fact, Paul and Brett borrowed Drew's truck to come back to the house (we were only 20 minutes away camping) and took showers and got clean dry clothes. Brett said to him while they were here at the house, "Daddy I think we should say a prayer and say thanks for the angels watching over me."

Good idea buddy!

I'm so grateful for my husband and him listening and acting upon the prompting that he felt. This could have turned out so badly. I'm grateful for all of Brett's angels and Heavenly Father watching over him. He learned a big lesson and so did the rest of us.

Paul thinking about what happened and what could've happened. He had nightmares and sleepwalking episodes over this the next few nights.

We've been up to this camp ground for 8 years now and we've never seen the river like this, normally it is bone dry. Even during spring run off there is only a trickle in the river bed. Obviously this year in Utah we had a different spring!

The kids making gardens.

Happy 9th Birthday Trey

June 10th was Trey's 9th Birthday. We celebrated by giving him his first ever friend party on Saturday the 11th.

We invited a few kids we know and a few kids from his class at school and then his best friend, Easton.

I wanted to make it fun but low key enough that the kids wouldn't have problems. You learn real quick with kids with special needs you need to role with the punches and be ready for anything without being stressed.

The theme was "Super Heros".

I made red capes for everyone to decorate how they wanted. Bubbles were blown. We ate cake and ice cream and then played a few games. We played pin the "S" on Superman, had a pinata, and then silly stringed a villan. I think the silly string was everyone's favorite. Paul was a great sport to play the villan.
Here are some pictures from the fun day.

A new wind chime for Trey's garden from Paul and I.

This is a big present!

Easton working on his cape.

"Super Trey"

Grant with his cape.

Batman and the Joker! :)

The cake I made Trey.

Jacob and his friend working on their capes.

Trey with his cake.

Eating time!

Kyle pinning his "S" on.

Jacob's turn.

Here goes Grants.

Trey's going to get him good!

Give a good whack, Trey.

Easton the baseball player.

Nice hit, Kyle.

Go get him, Jacob.

Go Grant!

Here's Brett's turn.

Girls and hit too!

Oh NO! The villan is coming.

Get Him!

Get him some more!!!!

I don't think that villan will be back any time soon!

Opening presents - what kid doesn't like that.

Dream Night @ the Zoo

On June 3, 2011 we went to an event call "Dream Night". It is a special event put on for families with a special needs child(ren). We went a couple of years ago and decided to go this year and I'm so glad we did.
So the zoo closes at 5:30 to regular visitors then reopens for these families. It is a great enviroment and the kids loved it. They had characters walking around this year doing pictures and talking to the kids. They also have furs of animals that the kids can touch and some animals out to see close up and/or touch. And to be around other families similar to us was truely a good thing.


That spider doesn't stand a chance.

Chillin' with Cosmo.

I couldn't tell you if that was Mario or Lugie'.

Not sure what princess this is but she still doesn't hold a candle to my princess!

Who, Who

So if this video works then you will love it. The tiger is looking to get a bed time snack!

The tigers were having a good time and I have never seen them so active. It was a cool night and it was hunting time. This tiger pawed the glass a couple different times, it was so awesome to see the tiger like this.

A bit later we were on the walking path up on the back side of the tiger exhibit and there was a tiger up there just walking the fence. So we stopped and watched for a bit. He sure was eyeing my kids! Probably Paul and I too!

We had a wonderful night! Made even better by the fact that Paul was able to join us because his flight got into SLC on time and he drove right over to meet us.