June

 Before we moved I wanted to get family pictures once more at the famous MV picture spot.  It was windy as usual.

 James turned 8 in the end of June.  We moved in the middle of June so this is in the new house.

 Devon had a conference in Provo in June so we tagged along for the free hotel room.  It was relaxing and fun- which usually isn't true of 4 kids in a hotel room but they were really good.  We went to the Bean Museum, always a favorite.

 Also the Cougar bookstore

 And ate ice cream at the Cougar Eat.  Leah LOVES ice cream, I don't know why she is making this face!

 We took all the kids to a place where they cook in front of you for their birthdays.  It was pricey but I think they enjoyed it.

   Spencer Singer giving Carrie a ride. 

 This makes me miss MV.  I miss the rainbows.

 Last trip to the close little sand dune.

 Oh my aching back!  The girls had to be like daddy with back braces one day while I was a work and Devon was home.

 James still loves to climb the walls

 Leah loves peanut butte, and Carrie refuses to sit next to her when she is eating peanut butter.  Carrie is allergic to peanuts so she hates the smell.

 Carrie with our first apricot- maybe the best part of our new house.

 James building the muscles.  The carpet in our new house is the same as the carpet in our old house, so it's hard to tell but I think these are from the new house.

 Leah on the old doorbell phone.

 James loves to dance, he always asks for dance parties.

A praying mantis.  Lots of bugs here.  The earwigs are horrible, we caught a whole tuna can full (just put a little oil in the bottom, they crawl right in).  Apparently we need more praying mantises to eat the bad bugs.

May

 May was crazy too because I started working, but here were some things on our bucket list that we really wanted to do before leaving Monument Valley.  One was the Betatikin Ruin.  You can only do it about 3 moths of the year because it is a ranger led hike.  It was a beast of a hike but really amazing and our guide was awesome.  She inspired Spencer to be a herbalist for a while and look for healing plants.  I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know even after living on the rez for 9 years.

 The hike was like a mile of stairs straight down.  No eating after this door!

 The Ruin was huge and amzing

 The scouts asked to borrow our ladder to do Corckscrew, I don't think they know the ladder included the family, but I didn't know when we would get another chance so we tagged along.

 A huge rockslide had really changed the canyon

 Spencer has really enjoyed cub scouts this year with Elder and Sister Johnson.  They had a Cub Carnival and each boy made up a game for people to play, it was a lot of fun!

 Devon's cousin Noah came so Devon took the morning off and did Fat Man Squeeze again, much better weather this time!

 This is where I jumped in, see how there is no water there now?   I have to try this hike again in good weather.

 Another bucket list item Piute Farms where the SAn Juan goes into Lake Powell.  The road was crazy and we really didn't see another car so we were at least 10 miles out of civilization praying that we din't get a flat tire, but it was seriously amazing.  The water was so high this year the waterfall was like a big rapid.

 We tried to have a picnic but the grass was not too nice.
We did get a flat the next day, and we learned that somehow we bought a car that didn't have a spare tire, so yet another instance of the Lord looking out for us!

 We went to the Idaho Falls temple open house which was really fun for me  to show my kids the temple I grew up by.

 Also we got to go to Ruby's baptism. This is the only picture of it, how sad, but it was great to be there for her special day.

 Spencer turned 10 and got a lava lamp.

 There was a suit and dress sale at the high school, and we just couldn't resist buying this suit.  We took pictures with it and then sent it along to Benton for more pictures an fun!

Spencer drew this picture, and I was very impressed!
I can't believe how much we fit into May with me traveling to Blanding twice a week to work and Devon still doing school- I'm glad we made it through- and made some great memories!

April

 We usually don't do matching Easter outfits, but as James told someone at church "My mom 's favorite color is yellow so we all had to wear yellow today!"

 We went on an Egg Hunt with our ward and then again in Blanding so plenty of candy and prizes!

 Dying Easter eggs

 Finding the baskets

 We took some people who had never been to Split Level Ruin, this is one of our favorites, beautiful short hike and amazing ruin.

 So Devon was carrying Leah and stumbled over a branch and got cut on his neck bu another branch sticking up.  We were very blessed that it didn't go deep or a little bit closer to his ear and pierce a major artery.  We were so far in a dirt road, anyway, I am glad we said a prayer before we left.

 We also went to Natural Bridges sometime in April- another favorite place.

 Too cute to pass up- I love it when they are friends!

 Leah has quite a personality

So in March Devon took a job in Blanding as the middle school vice principal.  We were sad to leave Monument Valley but it was time to move on, although Blanding was really not my first choice.  I really do love it now though.  So in April we looked for a house, made an offer on one and backed out when we saw some red flags in the inspection.  We found another, I applied for a job, pulled my name off the list then they called me back and said they would work more with my schedule so I took a part time job at the college here in Blanding.  So all of that change and craziness is why our blog is 9 months behind!