Our trip to Montana!

We left bright and early Friday morning for our 2 day trip to Eastern Montana. The first day we stopped in Idaho Falls to eat a picnic lunch at a park right across the road from the Idaho Falls Temple. After the kids ate they got to play on the playground for a while, while I fed Brynley.

She was so happy to be out of her car seat.

Our final destination for the day was Bozeman, MT. We pulled into town at about 6pm. So we went to dinner first then checked into our hotel. This was Madison's 2nd time in a hotel and Zachary and Brynn's first!

Relaxing after a long day in the car!

The next day we had about 5 hours in the car. We stopped in Billings and Miles City for little breaks before heading into Glendive, Montana, the sight for this years McDowell Reunion 2011.

The reunion was up at Makoshika State Park in a lodge. It was really hot but really fun. We played lots of games, and caught up on everyone's lives.

Most of the day it was so hot, it was torture to hold Brynley. We were sweating just sitting there. So when she fell asleep we put her in the travel bed!

Brynley and her cousin Bailey had matching beds! Most of the time it was slightly cooler outside so this is where the girls slept!

Madison and Ashlyn became good friends by the end of the week. She is actually 1 month and one day older that Zach, she preferred to play princesses over cars!!

Just hanging out on the deck in the early evening!




It's a tradition at the reunions to take a family picture! The only one not there was our brother in law Rick. Isn't the view amazing?

I just love this picture of Ryleigh! Her hair was so wild because of the humidity!

Well that ends the first few days of Montana. More to come including Bison!

Zachary turns 5!!

I can't believe that Zachary is 5! His birthday this year was during swim lessons and the day before we left for Montana for the family reunion.

Zachary Ray McDowell was born at 7:27pm on July 14, 2006. He weighed 7lb 6oz and was 22 inches long. It was fun to have a boy, and was a big change from Having Madison who was 2 at the time and just getting into Princesses!

Zach is an absolute joy to have around. He often provides us with comic relief. He loves CARS (as in the movies.) anything with wheels and the occasional stuffed animal.
He will be starting kindergarten in a few weeks and he is very excited to meet his teacher and ride the bus!

Ready for the last day of swim lessons!

He loves diving board day!

Right after his jump!

Madison's turn on the board. Earlier that day she told me and I quote, "Mom, my nervous cup is getting full. You know that spot right here (pointing to her chest) that's my nervous cup and it's almost full." I asked her why and she said she was nervous about going off the diving board! After she went off 2 times she said that her nervous cup was empty!!! What a nut!

After her first jump!

Later that same day!

For his birthday dinner he chose pizza. Which was fine by me because that were no dishes and very little mess!
We had Shannon, Devin and the girls over for dinner and then we had cupcakes and homemade ice cream! Zachary also invited our neighbors Amy and Eli.

Before he opened his presents!

After!! He got a lot of the CARS 2 cars!! And Lego Batman for the DS!

Madison also got to open an early present. Aunt Nicole sent each of them a DS game. It was nice having them for the 2 day trip to Montana!

After dinner we had cupcakes and ice cream!

The end! It was a fun day and I think Zachary is glad to be 5!!!

Wahooz!

This past weekend we went as a family to Wahooz Family Fun Zone. Travis's older sister Nicole and her family got us a gift card for Christmas. We finally had a free weekend and nice weather. So we loaded up and spent a good part of the day playing mini golf, go carts and arcade games!

It was only 85 that day. So we started off with mini golf. Zachary is pretty good and even got a hole in one! We have decided that Madison does not have an athletic bone in her body. You wouldn't think that you needed much for mini golf but you do. We all had a good laugh, and cheered her when she got it in the hole.


We didn't know if the course was stroller accessible so Travis strapped on Brynley while we played. There was lots of shade to keep Brynn cool, we played 18 holes and it was pretty fun. After golf we went and cooled down inside and played some arcade games.
(yes that it I-84 that runs right by Wahooz!)


There were a ton of games to play. We tried to play the ones that gave you the most tickets.


After we cooled off we went back outside to ride go carts. Madison and Zachary were just a few inches short of driving by themselves. So we each got to drive with them.

Travis and Zachary getting ready to ride!

Travis is strapping Zachary into his seat.


Here they come around the corner!


Me and Madison getting ready for our turn. She was so nervous that we were going to go too fast! She called me a crazy driver!

And here we come! It may look like we were in first. And we were for a little while then we came in last. A couple of guys bumped us and pushed us out of the way which is strictly against the rules. We saw the guys get pulled over and given a warning by the track workers!

After the go carts we went back inside for more games and too cool off with every ones favorite! Dip N Dots!!!!

Thanks Aunt Nicole, Uncle Rick, Blake and Ashlyn for a great Christmas in July!!

Summer Vacation part 2

On Monday (while camping) we headed to the lake! That day happened to be over 90 degrees so we thought it would be fun to take the kids for a ride. We didn't get in the water, there was an algee bloom warning and if we had gotten in we all would have gone home with with a horrible rash! So my dad just drove us around. Each of the kids had a turn at driving the boat with Papi.

Doesn't she look like she is having a tin of fun?


It was really sunny and warm that day and Zachary forgot his sunglasses!! And since my dad was driving pretty fast his hat wouldn't stay on!

Even Brynn got to drive the boat for the first time.



This was Madison's favorite part because she had full control of the wheel!


My dad's parents aka my Grandma and Grandpa aka Great Grandma and Grandpa were able to come with us. It is so cool that my kids have the opportunity to know their great grandparents! Great Grandpa Chris shares a birthday with Zachary. They are exactly 70 years apart!!

My dad and step mom when and bought Brynn a life jacket so she could join us on the boat. She cried when we first zipped it up. Then after a while she gave up and took a nap. Her little cheeks were so squished!

Summer Vacation Part 1

We are finally home after a week away in Oregon! We left Saturday(18th) morning at 8am. Which was about 30 minutes later than what we wanted! Anyway the trip across thanks to a 1 hour time difference took us 10 hours!! We stop in Burns and Bend, for lunch and to stretch our legs. Brynley is a great traveler!! She was so good! Madison and Zach were good as well. Thanks to a new DVD player and the Nintendo DS!!

Starting our trip up I-84!!

We got to my dad's house by dinner time. We were all exhausted! The next day was Father's day so we went to Church with my dad and then road Lucky when we got home. Madison was looking forward to this all day!

Doesn't she look so natural! My dad also let her ride bare back a few times and she loved every minute of it! Most of the day she was over at his coral feeding him watermelon!!

Zachary took a few turns as well. He didn't have as much fun as Madison did.

Here he is by himself.

Monday morning we loaded up and went camping just 9 miles up the road at Stewart State Park at Lost Creek Lake. The weather was perfect for Brynley's first camping trip. My dad has a 40ft toy hauler that we slept in. He also put up his hammock that we all enjoyed!! There was a playground for the kids as well as a water fountain sprinkler to play in.

The rig!

The campsite! We were in the shade 95% of the time! Travis is enjoying his peanut butter M&M's!

The happy baby's first camping trip!! She was held a lot so that made her happy!

Madison taking advantage of the hammock!! She was in it more than anyone!

Madison and my dad loved to relax in the hammock!

This was the only way that Brynn would sleep! Travis didn't mind that he too got a nap!

This pretty much sums up Zachary! He wouldn't let anyone take his picture.

Well this end the first day of camping. And since this post has already gotten to long I will post the boat ride picture tomorrow.

It's good to be home!

5 months!

I can't believe that Brynley is already 5 months old! She has grown so fast I can hardly keep her in clothes! She isn't rolling over yet. I can't remember when Madison and Zachary did. She likes to play on the floor, just not on her belly! She has quite possibly the most beautiful eyes of the 3. As you can see in the pictures she does not lack in the chub department!!! She is so squishy and cuddly!! We just love her to bits!!

June Already?!?!?!

I can't believe that it is June!! Madison has been out of school for almost 2 weeks, and so far so good. We go to the park almost every day. Except for the days that it's too cold or windy for Brynley.

Travis's parents came to town for Memorial Day weekend and stayed here at the house. My mother in law loves to give babies a bath! Lucky for her Brynley needed 2 while they were here. Brynn, usually hates the tub. She does not like to be cold and especially hates lotion. So I warned my mother in law of this and Brynn was a dream! She didn't make a peep at all. She loved every minute of it. She even let Grandma put lotion on her!

Here she is getting her backside washed! Thanks Grandma for the bath!!

This morning I put Brynley in the swing so I could take a shower. I half expected her to fall asleep. I came out to find her asleep with her thumb in her mouth!!

She will usually only do this when she wakes up and I am not there to put the pacifier back in.

When we came home from running a few errands and before her nap I took a few pictures! She just looked so cute I couldn't pass it up. Travis HATES when she has a headband on. He always pulls it off and says that "She sneezed and it just came off!" Yeah right! So when we go out I always put one on her!!

Her tongue is always out!

We always get comments that her eyes are so big brown and beautiful! I see her all the time so maybe I don't notice it as much! Then I take a picture and see what everyone else sees!!!

We borrowed a Bumbo chair from our friend Michele, and Brynley loves it. It gives her a new perspective!! She is starting to grab at toys and becoming more fun to play with. She still hates tummy time, but we do it anyway. We have also started baby food. So far she likes carrots, squash, bananas and applesauce. She hates green beans! She just spit them out and refused to open her mouth!


This post was mostly for my mom who commented that I needed to post some new pictures!! So here you go mom!! See you in a few weeks!