Las Vegas

We got home yesterday from spending a few days in Las Vegas. We had so much fun. It was so nice to just be together and not have anything to worry about or any place to be. Cooper came up with a big list of things he wanted to do down there. We were really successful except for going to a baseball game and golfing. We thought the 108 degree temperatures were a little excessive to be outside for very long. They said on the news that when you stood in the sun, it felt like 120 degrees. We believed them. It was VERY hot!

The excitement of getting to watch a movie in the car!

About an hour into the drive...

Cooper loved having his own GIANT bed to sleep on.


We stayed at the Monte Carlo hotel on the strip. We had a perfect view of the Roller Coaster for Cooper. He would watch it go and yell with excitement every time it went down the big hill.

Chillin' at the Rainforest Cafe (notice the big snake above their heads)

Caesar's Palace Mall

Cooper LOVED the M&M World!

I should have taken a picture of the score. Cooper beat me by 5 points. Seriously... I was beat by a 3 year old! They wouldn't let me have bumpers so I knew I was in trouble! Luckily Derek didn't take and pictures of all my gutter balls.

Cooper is NOT camera shy.

We went to the Silverton Casino to see a large aquarium and ended up having just as much fun at the Bass Pro Shop. It was a very cool store.... Even better than Cabela's.

Cooper and his pet shark.

Cooper had a great time on the rides at Circus Circus. He was only big enough to go on 4 rides, but it didn't seem to bother him. He just went on each ride 4 or 5 times. Not so fun for his mom and dad, but he loved it!

Jordan & Cohen

My brother Richie and his wife Cindy adopted 2 little boys from Morocco last summer. We were so lucky to be able to attend the temple last weekend so see their family be sealed together. I really can't imagine our family without Jordan and Cohen. We are thankful for everything Richie and Cindy have done to get these boys here. We have so many wonderful nieces and nephews and are so happy that we now can have Jordan and Cohen with us forever!

(Jordan)

Saturday Afternoon at the Park

Chef Cooper

Cooper and I decided to make cookies together. Just like his mom, he likes making cookies just to eat the cookie dough! Yummmmmy! He called this his "Cookie Dough Popsicle".

(Yeah, yeah... I know you aren't supposed to eat the dough, but seriously, it is SO much better than the cookies!)

Sunday Afternoon

My cute boys were enjoying a Popsicle after church and they looked so handsome so I couldn't help but take their picture.

Cooper sure has some strange smiles!

Ephraim Parade 2009

Our parade season kicked off this year in Ephraim for the Scandinavian Days parade. We had a great time and Cooper LOVED throwing taffy from the Jeep. Dad, Katie, Luke, and the girls all came down and we all had a lot of fun in the parade. Luckily we only have a few parades this summer so hopefully we will get to relax and enjoy a few of them.

Our News...

Farewell Good TV

So it is that time of year again....

when all of my favorite shows go away and we are left with absolutely NOTHING to watch on TV. Thanks to my DVR, I am able to stay on top of the latest person voted off of American Idol (even though they were all terrible this season) and can hope that Jim and Pam really get married, I can weep for the poor girls who get their heart broken on the bachelor, I can be so angry when the "Dragon Slayer" still hasn't been voted off the island, be furious when Joan Rivers (GAG!) wins the apprentice, plug my ears when Adam sings on Idol, and feel proud of Margie and Luke on the Amazing Race. I'm the first to admit that I'm addicted to my shows and the disfunction that comes along with them. Thankfully, there are only a few of them, but for now, I say farewell until next season.

But not all is lost...

At least I'll always have my FOX News...

COUSINS!

Here are all the grandkids on the Smith side. Getting a picture with them all together does not happen very often! I love the chocolate all over Cooper's face. His mom should really pay more attention! : )

Our Little Golfer

If it is a sunny Friday afternoon, chances are my 2 boys are out golfing. They LOVE it! Cooper prays for the sun to come out so he and his dad can go golfing together. He has his own clubs and says that sometimes he is "pretty good" and sometimes he is "terrible". I think he is pretty darn good for a 3 year old. He certainly has a better golf swing than me!

Cooper & Abbey

One of Cooper's best friends is his cousin Abbey. The Nelson girls went out for lunch over spring break so Derek watched both of them. They have such a fun time together and it is nice that he has such a great cousin to play with! She is so cute and calls him Coopie... Coop thinks she is so funny!

Easter Egg Hunt 2009

This Easter, we took Cooper to the Easter Egg Hunt in Salem. It was really cold and raining, but we had a great time.

Cooper Cooper Cooper

These are all just random pictures of Cooper. Since we bought a new camera, he is always wanting his picture taken.

Disneyland Spring Break 2009

Well I have definitely been the worlds worst blogger lately. There are a few reason and excuses that I could tell you, but the bottom line is I have been lazy, busy, and had a broken camera. So I am going to try to be better from now on.

Back in March we went with my sister Katie and her family to Disneyland. Cooper, my mom and I drove down together. We had a great time, but I don't think we will be going back during the busy season anytime soon. Thank goodness for Fast Passes! Because of some hiking boots stuffed with socks, Coop was able to go on most of the "big kid" rides. He would usually cry the first time and then beg to go back on them. He says his favorite rides were Tower of Terror and Space Mountain. I didn't realize he was such a dare devil, but he loved all of them (except getting wet on Splash Mountain). Anyone who has been around him since we got home will hear him talk about Disneyland. He is a little obsessed, but it is cute. It is too bad for him that it will be quite a while before we will go back. He also LOVES to watch the rides on YouTube.

Because my camera was broken, I don't have any pictures. If I ever learn how to get pictures off my phone, I have a few that I will post.