Conserving water!

So this past weekend, my whole family went down to Salt Lake to see a Job that my dad recently finished. It's called West Jordan Water Conservation Park, I think. My dad builds water treatment plants for those of you who don't know, but this particular job was all about conserving water. My dad did most of the cement work, as well as many other things for this job. This park was built for the education in conserving water, they showed many different ways you could landscape your yard, as well as many other ways. We walked around the whole thing, and it was so interesting! Casey got alot of ideas on how we want our future yard to look. I'm so proud of my daddy! He works so hard! Here are some pictures of his hard work!

Different kinds of dirt

Me and Casey enjoying the day
All the people who came to learn about conserving water.

Mom and Dad standing next to the Nelson Brothers sign

All in all it was a great day, and it was so fun to have the whole family there! Good work dad!

RRRRRRRRRR MATEY!!

Last night, the Child and Family Support Center held it's annual Blue Ribbon Bennifet Dinner and Auction. And my family has gone every year for 3 years because my mom is Chairman of the Volunteer services. We love going to this event because we love to help out and it is also alot of fun! This year's Theme was Pirates of the Carribean! It was alot of fun, and it was awesome to see all the people willing to donate and support the CFSC. Here are a few facts about Child Abuse, and the things we don't know that are really happening. Especially in Cache Valley.

• Utah is the 8th highest state in substantiated cases of child abuse, with 18.3 per 1,000 children, compared to the national average of 11.9 children per 1,000.
  
• Each day in the U.S., more than 4 children die as a result of child abuse in the home.
  
• More than three-quarters (78.7 per cent) of the children who die are younger than four years of age.


• Of these fatalities, 89 percent were under the age of eight; 43.6 percent were under the age of one.


• The rate of infant homicide reached a 30-year high in 2000.
  
• Research studies of infant death data drawn from multiple agency records (e.g. police or social services) indicate that the actual rate of infant deaths attributed to substantiated abuse or neglect of infants and children up to four years of age is more than twice as high as the official rates reported in death certificate data.


• Homicide is the leading cause of injury deaths among infants under one year of age in the U.S. Nearly one-half of substantiated cases of child neglect and abuse are associated with parental alcohol or drug use.


• It is estimated that one in every four children in the United States (28 million) are living in a household with an alcoholic adult.
  
• Convicted rape and sexual assault offenders serving time in state prisons report that two-thirds of their victims were under the age of 18.


• One of every seven victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement agencies were under the age of six.
  
• Among rape victims less than 12 years of age, 90% of the children knew the offender, according to police-recorded incident data.
  
• Frequently, the person who sexually molests a child is also a child.
  The actual incidence of abuse and neglect is estimated to be three times greater than the number reported to authorities.
• Child abuse is reported approximately every 10 seconds.
  

This information is off the the Child and Family Support Center's Web page. For more information, the website is http://www.cachecfsc.org/.

Now here are some fun pictures of the dinner and auction!

Easter!

Well for Easter I had alot of fun, although my honey wasn't here to share it with me. He had to go up to Montana to play Baseball Games. They won 2 out of 3 which made me happy! I spent Easter having a fun sleepover with my nieces doing fun girl stuff, and dinner with my parents the next night. Easter Sunday my whole family went over to my parent's house and we watched all the kids have a Easter Egg Hunt, and then an Adult easter egg hunt, which was a ton of fun! I got about nine dollars haha. We then had dinner outside in the warm sun! It was so nice to sit out in the sun for a change! I'm so grateful for my family and that i got to share easter with them. And I am also grateful for a fun loving husband who takes care of me! Here are some fun pictures!

The kids gettin ready for their hunt!

Baby Tate is always smiling!

Me and Jaydale

Fun girls picture! Jenny, Amanda, Me and Jaydale

All the Grandkids, Kylee holding Tate, Kassie, Maverick, Porter, Wyatt, and Dax

Everyone checkin out their treats!

Baby Tate swingin for the first time!

Wyatt having fun swingin too!

Swing life away

Wyatt and I gettin ready for a Ranger ride.

I finally got Wyatt to come over and hold the lizard I was babysitting. Looks like he isn't scared of lizards! His mom might have to get him one!

Easter Eggs, a fun night with my frinds and a........ Lizard!!

Well as some of you may already know, every thursday I get together with my sisters (Jaydale, Amanda, and Jenni) my mom and Grandma, and we all do something that we like to call girls night! My Grandma Sharon usually makes a scrum-diddley-umtiouse dinner, and we hang out talk, and usually we like to find different crafts to do on these nights. 2 weeks ago we made easter basket center pieces, last week we helped my grandma do some scrapbooking, becuase she is about 60 years behind, it was very interesting too, becuase she had all my grandpa's old army pictures out, and alot of old pictures of my mom and aunts and uncles. And tonight, we had some fun with the kids, Kylee Wyatt Tate and Daxton and dyed easter eggs! It was so much fun watching the kids becuase they were getting so creative, and it was fun to make a few of my own. I'm so lucky to have such fun sisters and a wonderful mom and grandmother. These nights really mean so much to me, I feel like it really makes us bond, and stay close to eachother. I hope that we continue to do these thursday nights once a week for years and years! I love you all! Here are some fun pictures of our fun night together!

Kylee and Wyatt

Cute Baby Tate!

Darling little Dax!

Wyatt and Kylee coloring their eggs!

Jaydale and Dax

Jenni, Wyatt, Mom and Kylee

Me, Amanda and Baby Tate

Grandma Sharon, baby Tate, Amanda and Mom

Me, Grandma and Tate

Some of the Eggs we colored! My Hello Kitty one to the left!

And for a yummy dessert, Amanda, who now works at Chillies, brought us all a girls real best friend, no not diamonds, CHOCOLATE! It was sure good!

A few nights ago, I got together for dinner at Olive Garden with 3 of my best friends, because Chelsie is going to Texas for the summer, and we all don't get to get together very often, so we thought we would before she left. It was so much fun and good to see my friends!! Here are a few pics!

Chelsie and Becca

Kacee and I

And last but not least, you all know that work as a special Ed. Aide, so I got volunteered for Spring Break to babysit on of our student's pets. And he is a Lizard named Joe. Luckily I was a bit of a tomboy when I was younger so he doesn't freak me out, but Casey, whos is a boy, absolutely refuses to touch him! It's been fun though, Because all the nieces and nephews like him! Here's a pic of the little guy!

Snowshoes and Disney on Ice!!

A couple of weeks ago, around spring break, Casey and I got the chance to go up to Bear Lake and stay in a friend's Cabin. It was so nice to go up there and be alone together. We relaxed, played games, watched movies and even when snowshoeing up above the cabin. It was alot of fun and here are a few pictures!

The very lovely Cabin we got to stay in all by our selves!

I couldn't get my dang snowshoes on.

Takin a rest!!

A lovely little family picture haha, casey made us do it.

About 2 weeks ago I got the chance to go to Disney on Ice with all the kids and aides that I work with. It was so much fun because alot of the kids had never been to anything like that, so it was alot of fun to see their faces light up to see and hear songs that they recognized off of movies. One of our peer tutor's dad donated all the tickets to us, such gerorosity! I love the kids that I get to work with, they certainly teach me patience, and joy at the little things! I know it will be a big help for when Casey and I have kids one day. Here are a few fun pictures!

At the top, that is Sydney (Student) and Beth (one of the Sped. Teachers)
and at the bottom is Cody(Peer tutor) Gaspar (Student) and Jane (Sped. Teacher and my Boss)

Lilo and Stitch!

Peter Pan Wendy and the Lost boys!

Tick Toc Tick Toc!!! Watch out hook!

All the Characters

Me and Kenzie, one of the peer tutors

Me and Gaspar after the show with his cool new flounder hat!!