Five and Alive

September 2011

Back to School

Matt heads back to biking and school for 2nd year of MBA Program at BYU

First Day of School for Natalie

Rebecca so proud of her girl going to school

Natalie with her new purple backpack ready to go

Natalie with neighbor and friend Jasmine also going to Kindergarten (little sisters there to support the big sisters)

Natalie and other BFFs from Kindergarten year- Makayla Grossarth and Ryan Wilson

Our little Kindergartner

Mrs. Jepson and Kindergarten Class at Springcreek Elementary, Provo, Utah

Matt's Mission Reunion

Missionaries from the Porto Alegre North Mission, Brasil

President and Sister Turner

Camille Erickson's Wedding

Camille, my dear BFF, looking beautiful on her wedding day. I can't find my other pictures from this day. Urgh.

Family Hike on Labor Day to Stewart Falls

Girls on top of the big water tank along Stewart Falls Trail

Perfect fall day for a hike and happy to have Candice Bellows (niece) join us

Natalie at the falls

Matt, Rebecca and back of Amelia at Stewart Falls

Favorite boy to carry on my back

Sam zonks out, cutest sleep face!

Amelia enjoying some backpack time as well

Amelia's MBASA Soccer Fun

Hanging Around

Eric and Beth Alleman with Natalie and Amelia. We had the best neighbors at our townhouse in South Provo. So much outdoor and indoor fun.

Sam pushing his truck out front. He got the truck for his 1st birthday to help him learn to walk.

See the little toothies inside.

GNO at RS General Women's Meeting in SLC

Mom Sandberg, Rebecca, Candice Bellows (niece), and Stephanie Sandberg (sister-in-law)

Raspberry Picking in Spanish Fork


Amelia demonstrating how the bucket belt works

Just drop the raspberries into the bucket. (Unless you pop them in your mouth instead).

Matt, Sam, and Natalie in the beautiful rows of raspberries

Grandma Walsman, Davina, Amelia, Sam, Matt, Rebecca, and Natalie at Raspberry Farm

Perfect Raspberries. We froze them and made lots of homemade raspberry jam too.

A little plug for McBride's Brier Patch raspberry farm- a great Family Night, beautiful setting, TONS of raspberries, and friendly service

End of Summer 2011- Back in Utah

Random Shots to End the Summer

Triple Bath time after a sweaty summer day of fun

Natalie and Amelia with neighbor friends Jasmine, Kayla, and Jade hanging out. Natalie has a long red soccer sock on her leg. She went through a phase of pretending to break her leg or arm and loved to wear slings or "casts" like this.

Amelia enjoying some swing time at the park

Met up with Wendy Shumway and son Van for some park time.


Blue eyed Sammy

Rebecca and Wendy. Friends since 5 years old....now mommies together.


Sam turns 1 year old on August 22!!

Part 7: Summer in Hawaii 2011, PCC and BYU-H Animal Museum

Polynesian Cultural Center- One More Time

This has nothing to do with the PCC. As we drove home one night, we were cracking up when we saw this. A semi parked in someone's driveway.

Cutest baby boy ever!! Sam is excited to go to the PCC one more time.

All kids pose by entrance to Tahiti village.

I loved all the hands on activities for kids. Here Amelia is learning to make a fish out of weaving leaves.

Natalie learns too.

We happened to see the Uchtdorf family at the PCC that day. They did a special ceremony and gift for President and Sister Uchtdorf. They had some, maybe all, of their children and grandchildren there. One of their sons volunteered to dance for one of the audience participation parts and it was hilarious. Fun to see an apostle having good family time.

Natalie learning how about spear throwing.

Need to try baking this! Super yummy.

BYU-H Animal Museum

This was a really small museum...one room in fact, but my kids loved it so we were frequent visitors, stopping in to say hi to animals if we were on campus.

*So that concludes my blogging of our Summer in Hawaii. It was an amazing and bonding experience for our family. I'd love to go back someday when our kids are older too. A beautiful part of our world!!