First day @ Sunshine

Brooklin was super excited to start school today! She's been begging me each day for kindergarten to start... it's going to be a long year if she keeps asking that! She had a blast with Miss Janeece :)

Saturday FuN

We headed to Quail Lake for the day - we had a fun day with the Laub's, Memmott's, Ludvigson's and Bohne's. It was pretty rough on the water for most of the day so we stuck with the tube! We went cliff jumping and came back to camp and we had 3 canopy's tipped over and one had completely blown on the other side of the hill. We had a great time and Brooklin's favorite part was catching all the lobsters (little crawdad's, i think)!

*mason painting a picture on the rocks*

*miss crabby pants today*


*look what i found mom*

Short Hair...

Brooklin has been begging to get her hair cut short, like Ashlyn's. She got a much needed trim today but it was more like a cut rather than trim! She loves it and as we were walking out she said, "Mom, I just love my new hair. Grandma and papa are going to freak out!" She looks cute and maybe next time we'll go a little shorter and stack it in the back???? I think I had a harder time than she did! You look super cute B :)

bbq + smores= good times

Saturday night we had a bbq/birthday party for Becky. It was great to get together again and visit with family, although it was strange not having grandpa there to give us a hard time!
Jim (Becky's boyfriend) was the grill master and we had a ton of good food - the winters know how to eat!! Dessert was by far the best... carrot cake, lemon bars (from scratch) and smores!


*brooklin & cole were hooked at the hip all week long*

Dinosaur Museum...

On Saturday we decided to have a little fun and venture out of the house. We went to Thanksgiving Point to the Dinosaur Museum. We met Shane, Kathleen, Skylee and her friend Hanna. The kiddos had a blast looking at the dinosaurs, playing in the water and digging in the sand.

Grandpa's Funeral

We held a viewing Thursday evening and it was perfect. Grandpa looked so peaceful and so much better than I remember him the previous weekend. He looked so happy and had a little smile on his face. It was nice to see so many friends and family come through the line!
Friday morning grandma wanted to raise grandpa's flag in the yard and fly it in his behalf. Afterwards we headed to the church for the funeral and it was beautiful! Everyone who spoke did a wonderful job (Mike: family prayer and a talk, prayer: Holly, family history: Susan & Julie, talk: Arnie, prayer: Bruce, dedication of grave: Todd). The musical numbers were amazing, great job to Whitney and Jake on the piano.
The cemetary was awesome, the military gave a salute that was perfect. It was a nice, sunny day... just what grandpa wanted.
We'll miss you grandpa :)

Alden Winters

Alden Q. Winters 1930 ~ 2009 Alden Quinton Winters, 79, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday, August 16, 2009, after a courageous battle with renal cancer.

Alden was born on January 17, 1930, in Pleasant Grove, Utah, to Arthur Ray and Norma Sundberg Winters, the fifth of 10 children. He attended Pleasant Grove High school and later received an associates degree from Stevens Henager College. He also served honorably in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He married his eternal sweetheart, Geraldine Golden on September 10, 1953, in the Salt Lake Temple. They made their home in South Jordan where they were blessed with seven children. Throughout his life he worked as a heavy equipment operator for the BLM, as an accountant for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as Public Works Director for South Jordan City until he retired in 1995. He loved working with his hands, building things and took great pride in his yard and garden. He was a master craftsman, there was nothing he could not build or repair. He had a passion for new trucks and enjoyed golfing with his sons and good friends. Alden was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served many years as the financial clerk for his ward and stake.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, seven children; Michael (Kaye), Susan (Robert) Crandall, Julie (Todd) Hammond, Mark (Jody), Jon (Jolene), Rebecca Brown, Holly (Bruce) Saunders, 22 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; brother, Gaylon; sisters, Mary Brower, Norma Freeman. Preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, four sisters, one grandson.

Special thanks to Michelle and the staff of CNS Home Health and Hospice for their support and tender care of our dear husband and father.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 21st at the Jordan River Ridge 1st Ward Chapel, 10200 S. 1300 W., South Jordan. Friends may call at the same location Thursday, August 20th from 6-8 p.m. and Friday from 10-10:45 prior to the services on Friday. Interment South Jordan City Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared at www.jenkins-soffe.com

~Returned Home~

My Grandpa Winters lost his battle with cancer this past Saturday. I'm so happy we were able to be up north and see him one last time. When we stopped by to see him on Friday he was able to talk with us but I'm not sure he knew who we were but he tried carrying on a small conversation with us. On Saturday he took a turn for the worst and didn't really come to at all during the day. Around 1 am my dad had called his brothers and sisters and told them grandpa was close and should come to the house. It was a very special, somber experience.. all the kids were at the house when he took his last breath and passed away in his sweethearts arms. It's always hard to say goodbye even when you're expecting it but I know that he's in a better place now and not suffering anymore.I'm so blessed to come from such a wonderful family. I'm glad I was able to be there with my dad and see grandpa one last time.

As I told Brooklin what happened the next morning the conversation went like this...
me: Brooklin, grandpa winters was really sick and he went to heaven last night.
b: I know
me: Next time we go to grandma's house, grandpa won't be there - you won't see him anymore when we come to visit.
b: What's my grandma going to do without a grandpa?
me: She's going to be sad but we need to come visit her so she won't be sad.
b: ok
It was so sweet and innocent. Later on she mentioned that he was in heaven with Charmaine (my mom's dog), we can't forget about Charmaine!!!

I'm going to miss you grandpa! You were such a wonderful example to me in so many things. I love you!


*fathers day 2008*

*thanksgiving 2008*

*thanksgiving november 2008*

*meeting brooklin for the first time - feb 2005*

*march 2005 (brooklin's blessing)*

*mason's blessing - may 2007*

~Maria's Wedding~

Nick's cousin got married Saturday night up at Red Butte Gardens. It was a beautiful wedding and she looked like a princess! It was fun to see family and visit with them all. The kids were little dance machines during the reception, I was laughing at all of B's dance moves! Mason was getting a bit impatient during the ceremony and part of the reception so he watched Madagascar 2 on my ipod (the best thing I ever did was download a movie on there)!


*nick's uncles and cousins*

*mason entertaining himself*

*my 2 cute kiddos*

*peace*


*brooklin and maria*

*SeVeN pEaKs*

On Thursday (8/13) night we headed north and stayed in Provo for the night. Brooklin was so excited to stay in a room, she kept asking when we'd be there the entire way up there. Friday morning (8/14) we ate breakfast and stopped at Sportsman Warehouse and then went to Seven Peaks for the day. We had a blast and the kids loved it, they did great! We lounged in the lazy river, played in the wave pool, went down slides and played in the kiddie pool. It started raining in the late afternoon so we decided to pack up and head for grandma's house!

*2 little fishies*

*brooklin*

*b & dad*

*mom going down the crazy slide*

*mason & mom*

..Primary Activity..

Today we had a primary activity at the St. George Temple and visitor center. The kids watched a couple movies and had a tour of the center and then walked the temple grounds. Brooklin loved the "big" Jesus statue and my kids actually cooperated for a picture!!!
Afterwards we went to Pizza Factory with Robin and her kids. I ran a few errands and then we met them at the Washington City Rec and went swimming. The kids loved it - the first time Brooklin went down the hydrotube slide she said, "That was so AwEsOmE mom!" They loved floating in the lazy river and playing with their friends. Thanks for a fun day :)


*my 2 greatest blessings*

*all the primary kids*

*brooklin * dez * rylan*

*mason loved these swings although he was a little big*

*Camping @ EnTerPriSe*

My parents took the kids to Enterprise on Thursday afternoon and the rest of us headed up on Friday evening. The weather was great and we had a nice weekend! Friday night we had drama with sleeping but we survived and made it to the morning... We went for a 4 wheeler ride on Saturday and I got a little wheezy but after some drugs and not riding backwards in the ranger, I was good! It was great that everyone could be there.. the kids loved playing with Jackson and I think we had the 3 dirtiest kiddos around! The boys went out shooting rabbits Saturday night while the girls and kids stayed back and enjoyed the BeSt smores ever.. great job Kirst!!!

*my mad man on his 4 wheeler*

*nick * mason * brooklin*

*the cutest grandkids around*

*the crew*

*at the watering trough*

*brooklin * momma*

*tough guy*

*jackson * brooklin * mason*

*jackson enjoying his smore*

*the best part of camping*