Frost Family Faces

We had the annual Lane Reunion over Labor Day weekend. (Charles' mom's side) It was very enjoyable, if a little crowded with aprox. 50 people all sharing a cabin and two bathrooms. But, still very fun. Here are a few pictures of the fun the kids had! (well, Charles and I had fun too, we just didn't have any pictures of us)

The kids had a bunch of activities planned for them on Saturday, among them a treasure hunt, games and face painting! I think I figured out what Ella will be for Halloween!


Gotta love the love!


Ella has been sleeping with her doll over her face lately. We didn't have the space to bring up a pack 'n play, so we got an extra air mattress for Ella to sleep on and she actually did really well on it. (Possible hope for the future!?)


There are always ATV's at the cabin. Ella climbed onto Uncle Leo's and I couldn't resist taking a picture, then Uncle Leo took Ella and Ethan on a ride. They loved it!


This is how Ethan and Ella spent most of their time up there, playing in the dirt, the rocks and with sticks, and really anything else they could find that would get them dirty!


See...a stick! Ethan's in heaven!

My cute kids on Uncle Leo's ATV. So cute!

Ethan and Ella had their 4yr. and 2 year pictures done recently and I'm so excited to show them here. They were So cute!! But, I only chose one pose of each, even though every pose was so adorable, but, there was this issue with $$$!

So, here are the most updated pictures of my cutest of all kids!

I still can't believe my baby is in preschool!! He was so excited to go. He get's to ride the bus that comes and picks him up in front of his house. We've been counting down the days for about a month now and has been so cute as the time get's closer.

So, to have a play-by-play of what happened this morning:

Ethan woke ME up at 7:10, and came running in the the room. He was dry (excellent!!) and then I told him we needed to get him dressed because he was going to preschool today and the bus would be coming to get him. (TEARS out of the room to his bedroom to get some clothes)

He then eats breakfast with daddy and Ella.

Then Daddy gave him a before school blessing. Very, very special. He also gave me one, and then, because Ella said it was her turn, one for Ella too. What a wonderful way to begin a day, let alone a school year!

Insisted on putting papers in his backpack, so we put in a few pieces of lined paper and pencils.

Went outside to wait for the bus at 8:00. Waited a half an hour.
The bus for the elementary school came during that time and I had to keep reminding Ethan that that was not the bus he was supposed to get on.

Bus came! He was all smiles as he booked it to the bus door. Ella freaked out when I wouldn't let her get on.
Saw him through the window as he got strapped in. ALL SMILES. He was so excited!

So, now my baby is at school and Ella is contentedly playing with her toys without any intervention from brother. I miss him, but I'm glad he's having this experience!

Ella has to get in on the first day of school picture too!

Waiting for the bus!

Woo hoo! Bus is here. Have a good first day of school Ethan!

And here he is getting off after a fun first day of pre-school!

Charles' Grandpa passed away at the beginning of August. He had had a long and painful 3 years suffering from shingles all up and down his left arm that had gone down to the nerves, plus numerous other things so when we got the news, the thoughts that came were 'he's finally out of pain!'. Grandpa lane was an amazing man and as I sat in his funeral and heard all of the extraordinary things he did in his life, (there was an emeritus general authority there on assignment from Pres. Monson, who said he wished he could have been there) I wish I could have known him longer to hear some of the stories he had to tell. They would have been amazing!

Just as a side note, the first time I met Grandpa Lane was a big shock. I had gone up to see Charles at his family reunion when we were first 'interested' in each other. While we were up there, we officially decided to start dating, so when I actually met Grandpa, we had been officially dating for all of 2 hours. When he got there, he got out of his car, walked over to me, grabbed my hand and said, "I new it, the moment I saw you. You're going to be the one Charles is going to marry". Seriously, how do you respond to that! He wouldn't be deterred either! Charles, Anita (Charles' sister) and Dave (his brother-in-law) all tried to get his attention away from me and on a different subject but he wouldn't have it. He sat there chatting with me for a bout 5 min. and I don't even remember the conversation. But, his words proved prophetic. I did marry Charles, and it's the best decision I've ever made in my life! Thanks for giving us a nudge in the right direction Grandpa!

Ethan and Ella did surprisingly well the day of the funeral. There were a few little outbursts during the funeral, but other than that, they did really well.



The family at the viewing before the funeral

Grandma Lane. She has a lot of support from her neighborhood



Charles was one of the Pallbearers...








It was a wonderful funeral for a man that had a wonderful family, a wonderful wife and a full and productive life. We'll miss you Grandpa!


Random picture...This Grandpa and Grandma Lane when Ethan was about 2, so about 2 years ago.

Charles has been applying at various jobs around the state. He has always wanted to work at church headquarters so when some job openings came available in his field he started applying. Well, he got an interview, and because they are very kind, it was a phone interview and they talked to him for about an hour. Later that day, they called back wanting a second interview on Thursday. Well, as luck would have it, we would be passing through Salt Lake on Thursday afternoon, on our way to a reunion. So they set it up and we left early Thursday morning to make sure we made it on time. While Charles was in his interview, the kids and I wandered around Temple Square. For the kids, it was a 'tour of the water'. They weren't really interested in anything else. Lots of pictures, enjoy!

1st stop, the Conference Center...yeah for BIG water! We went in the conference center, and all they wanted to do was ride the escalators. We did, but then made a quick exit. It wasn't something I wanted to do all day.


We didn't spend much time inside any of the visitor's centers, but I did want them to see the Christus... (notice how impressed they are. Maybe in a few more years ;)


And...more water! Gotta love the reflection pool. I wish we all could have just jumped in...


Cute kids!

We ended up looking for shade (it wasn't really hot, but being in the sun a long time made me start to get sick) and went to sit next to the fountain by the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The kids just ran back and forth watching the water, climbing the benches and basically running amok.

Ella's balancing act.

Ethan, and Ella's balancing act.



Cute kids!

Playing Peek-a-boo...


Big Cheeeeese!

Charles thought the interview went well, although he realized that there's a lot he's forgotten since he's been out of college. About 10 days later, he got an e-mail thanking him for his application, but he didn't get the job. We were sad, but we'll chalk it up for experience. He's realized he needs to brush up on some of those skills he's lost and so hopefully the next time a position opens, he'll be more prepared.

Ahhh...Bear Lake. How do I love thee...How many fond memories do we have of thy shores...

Very poetic but very true. I love Bear Lake.

We had the Arnell reunion in Bear Lake. (My mom's side) It's kind of THE place to have it because that's where my Grandpa was born and grew up, that's where mom's family always went on summer vacations when they were young, and where my mom worked during the summers (picking raspberries) and where we've had tons of reunions. So it was very nice to go back up there and just enjoy the memories. We spent 4 days, 3 nights up there camping, and two full days at the lake. This is a very kids friendly lake too. You could walk in 100 yards, and only be up to your thighs, so the kids can play in the water and you don't really have to worry. The sand is perfect, so you don't even have to wear shoes becuase there aren't any rocks on the beach.
So, enjoy the pictures, they'll tell the story much better than I could.



These are pictures of the kids when we first got out the the car. (You actually drive on the beach until you find a place you like then set up...no hauling from parking lot to site here!) Ella got out an immediately started playing in the dirt. Ethan went straight for the water and started throwing whatever he could find. (which ended up being big clumps of sand)







The water was perfect near the shore, a little cooler as you got farther out, and by the time you got to where you actually had to swim, it was slightly colder than the comfort level (which I just basked in! I relished every chill I got!)


Here are the boys getting ready to race into the water. Whoever is the last standing wins. I forget who the winner was...

I didn't use video on this for a reason... ;)


Ella's trying to catch up with daddy.


This is as far out as Ella got by herself. She preferred to stay on the shore and play in the sand.


Daddy (and Uncle Charles) helping the kids build a sand castle.


Ethan and Emma playing in the sand


Adults and kids playing in the sand!





I love these pictures because it shows what the kids did for two whole days...play in the dirt! It was the easiest parenting job ever!

Our village of shade...


Ahhhh, the Arnell tradition. It isn't an Arnell reunion or get-together unless there's a volleyball game going (or horseshoes)



Ella came to me about 4:00 needing a diaper change. She refused to got back out to the sand, but sat on Charles lap and had a good two hour nap. We packed up, and got back to camp around 5:30 or 6 and she didn't wake up until then. Same thing happened the next day, but she came to me around 2 and slept for an hour and a half, then got up and played again.


Ethan loves the dirt!

The sand castle the big boys built. We wanted to come back and finish it the next day, but we didn't get up early enough and someone else got this spot. We were about 50 yards down shore the next day.


Some of the kids at the campsite. Sadly, this is the only picture I got of the actual 'camping'. The last night we were there we had a good thunderstorm complete with downpour. It was so wonderful lying in the tent and hearing this weather all around you. Ahhhhh I love camping!


We had a layover at Grandma Frost's Sunday on our way back down to St. George. We weren't going to try and make an 7 1/2 hour trip in one day again. Ella has gotten to be quite the little climber.

The reunion was a blast! I wish I could go back up and just lay in the lake again. Ethan asks to go camping and to the lake almost every day. Poor kid. But we are finally healing from sunburns (the kids didn't get touched, thank goodness) and things are getting back to normal, but we still think of Bear Lake often, especially when it get's hot!