Update!

So it has been along time since I updated our lives. Not that alot of you read this but I want to get caught up. So in the next couple of days I will be updating my blog. There have been lots of changes at our house and things going on.

Rodeo Time again.

Thursday night the boys and I went to the rodeo with Mr. Prince it was also his 50th birthday so that was fun. We had a blast Travis couldn’t gohe had baseball and we missed him. Jayson is still determined to rope and bull ride so we will see.

On Saturday we went with Travis and my parents and Brent’s sister it was fun again no kids except Jayson . Brent came over and washed the horses and then him and Jayson went to the Sunbowl . Brent was giving rides on his horses that night to his students.. But when Travis and I got to the Sunbowl we got a surprise. Jayson was riding with Brent in the Sunbowl it was something to see. Jayson and Brent looked like they were having a great time and what a fun memory for them both. Jayson said it was awesome.

Justin in the parade

We have had a fun week Justin got to be in the rodeo parade with my dad’s bank Town and Country. He loved it so fun but long walk. He looked so cute in his hat and boots.

Kailee started Preschool!

Kailee started preschool and LOVES it! She is so cute every day. Her teacher Miss Mary is wonderful and has such a fun class with only 12 kids. She goes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday mornings. So on Mondays and Wednesdays I have NO children at home I am not sure I like that feeling or and ready to not have anyone home.

To Honor a Friend.

I would like to take a moment and honor a really good friend of our family. Brent Prince has been teaching school for 25 years. He teaches the kids the Code of the West and what it really means to… Live Each Day with Courage, Take Pride in Your Work, Always Finish What You Start, When You Make a Promise Keep It and many others. These are all great things for our young youth to learn.

How many of us really know how to live each day with courage. Brent does he watched his beautiful New Harmony burn, his dad become ill. His life has had a lot of changes and when most of us would crumble he is facing it all with courage. Brent always finishes what he starts and when he starts something he finishes it no matter what.He always gives his best effort, nothing is ever done half way. And there is no doubt if you saw his class room he takes a great deal of pride in his work, both in the class room and with his awesome metal sculptures.

Brent on his Birthday in 1960!

He has a love for his heritage and we could all take a lesson from him on that. He turned his blog in to history of the town he loves and the people who made it what it is today. He has made the Cemetery in New Harmony a beautiful place. I know if his mother were here she would be so proud of the kind of man he is today. Every night since the fire in New Harmony Justin prays for his friend Mr. Prince and for New Harmony.


Brent has had a huge impact on our family. When Jayson was in his class he got very sick. One day after being in the ER Jayson insisted that he had to see his horses, no we do not own any but he wanted to see Rookie and Shorty. I was not sure that was such a good idea I knew Jayson would want to ride and I knew he could not climb on. I will always remember that moment when I watched Brent and JD pick him up and put him on that horse and walk him around, it brought life back to a sick boy. He called me all the time wanting to know how Jayson was and giving his class mates updates. Justin has gotten to ride with Brent on many occasions he loves it. Justin’s neck muscles are not as strong as I would like and horseback riding is so good for that. Justin also got to pick apples at Brent’s apple orchard and cannot wait to do that this year. Riding horses has given my boys such confidence. The lessons they learned from picking apples is priceless.


Those of us that have gotten the chance to know Brent are better people. Our youth are better youth and our young kids who see his example are better kids.

I would like to thank him for his kindness, compassion, friendship listening ear, Since of Humor, Courage, positive outlook on life and for caring enough to teach our children what matters most.
A year ago at this time we were getting ready to honor him as our Rodeo’s Grand Marshall.

This Thursday Brent will be celebrating a birthday and to honor him on that day. Ask yourself this question… What have I done to better the people around me? How have I served my neighbor, friend or family? What legacy am I leaving? I hope today you will make a decision to do something for someone without asking what’s in it for me?

Because this is how we can honor a man who has done that for us.

Brent and Jayson

Happy Birthday Cowboy & We Wish you MANY Happy Trails!

Sad Days!

It has been a couple sad days here for us. On July 25, 2009 lightning struck a tree above New Harmony. And the Forest service would not go put it out. What was a tree burning that could be put out by one person is now a huge fire being fought by over 350 firefighters. It has burned more than 10,000 acres of land taking everything in its way. Several homes and structures have been burned to the ground. Our good friend Brent Prince lives there, and this has been devastating to him and all that live there.

This is a picture of Brents Brother Vernile watching the fire get close to his home.

You might be wondering how this affects us well the last 4 years we have gone to New Harmony either picking apples or riding horses. Jayson loves to ride in the mountains with Brent there and they have had some really great rides. It is like losing a good friend and we will miss seeing the mountains and hills and fields green and beautiful.

Now these once beautiful green mountains and hills are black and the tall trees are dead. And the pioneer heritage that was there is gone. We send our love and prayers to all the New Harmony community for the huge loss they have and hope that the land will someday come back green and beautiful again.

It is truly sad that a fire that could have been put out was left to burn like this. Why do we have the Forest Service if they do nothing to protect the land or the people?

These pictures are taken from Little Mountain , it is now a watching point to see the fire how sad.

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Back to school they all go. Our school started on Aug 13th. Jayson is in 7th grade oh how I feel old. Justin is starting kindergarten. Kailee starts Preschool in 2 weeks and cannot wait. Jayson loves his classes and Justin loves Mrs. Snow. We are looking forward to a great year. I am already filling up my little bit of free time with PTA. I am over the Walk A Thon on October 8th it is the schools fundraiser. So I am really excited about that.

Jayson at 6:45 am

Kailee had to have a picture with Justin.

Justin's big day!!

Fort Building!!!

Fort building is my kid’s favorite thing to do.at home they use every blanket and any space to make forts so it was no suprise when we got to Island Park that is what they wanted to do. Justin was moving logs before Travis got there so he was so excited to have his dad help him finish his fort and teepee. There is something about a dad and not just mom helping. It turned out great. Justin was so sure he and Jayson would sleep in it but Jayson would not.

I look forward every year to Island Park for a lot of reasons but the main reason is this… there is NO TV,NO Radio ,NO DS. Just my kids and a huge forest full of possibilities. How great is that. I know a lot of people who would be so bored with out their electronics and TV not my kids they love this. It always brings lots of fun memories for years to come.

How cute is she?

Our family Fort with a sign on top that says " The Hill Family Gang" Believe it or not the sign has been up there for years.

AND THE WINNER IS....

My dad taught Jayson how to play rummy when he was about 6. They play every chance they get. So when Travis and dad got up to Island Park on Saturday the first question asked was "want to play cards?" So dad won a few then Jayson won a few. It went back and forth and after 3 days my dad said no more. He was tired of losing.

Jayson had beat him so many times that he did not want to play any more. Maybe next summer dad but then Justin will be playing watch out!!

Check out those serious faces!!!

The strategy to playing, taking a moment to move your hand around.

He may have beat Grandpa but he has not beat me.....yet!

THE BIG JUDD!

It is true that there is a hamburger the size of a dinner plate. We went and ate there. Justin thought it was great he loves lots of onions and pickles and tomato and lettuce so this was just the place to take the kids to fill them up. We had along day of Huckleberry picking, playing in the water and building forts.

Justin working on building a fort out of trees and logs. I had a really hard time getting him to come and eat because all he wanted to do was work on his fort.

At the end of a long day this is the veiw I love the most.

Moose anyone?

So when we were in Island Park the kids and I and my sister Katie and her son Gage went to play in the water and we wadded around for along time and as we were coming back towards the car we looked up and saw this great site. Yes you guessed it right we got out of the water pretty fast. We did stick around to watch this mom and her baby.

Our summer fun of Geocaching!

If you have never been Geocaching you have got to try it out it is so much fun. Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure. A geocacher can place a geocache in the world, pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then share the geocache’s existence and location online. Anyone with a GPS unit can then try to locate the geocache.

Our Cache full of good treasures.

We have hidden two in Island Park one at Big Springs and one at Howard Springs. We have had people log in our note book from all over the world, China, Germany, England, Canada.

Our family Geocaching.

We have also started many traveling bugs that we can track where they are. Jayson is turning 13 we started one on his 6th birthday that is in Iran right now. We started one for my Grandma’s 80th birthday and it is in France. We really have a lot of fun it is a fun treasure hunt.

Grandma's Travel bug in France

Time for Crafts and Recipes!

Summer is a fun time and my kids love to make crafts.

Justin loves Duck Tape, glue any paper plates and cups and makes some really neat things. So this last week we made banks and the kids painted wood art. Jayson was gone to scout camp so he was not here to make things. Justin thought the week was great we went to Pirate Pizza and he LOVED that. We have been to the park and the kid’s favorite thing the splash pad. Here are their creations.

Justin is very talented he is my chef he makes the best soup by him self if any one wants to try it he has said I could share only one recipe so here you go I guard it well. 1Tomato, a pinch Parmesan cheese, 3 peas, a dash of salt, t tree of Broccoli blend in a hand chopper till puree then use a spoon. Great on hot days. Yummy

Bear Lake 2009!

Our summer has been really busy with our favorite thing camping. We just got home from Bear Lake with Travis’s family. Shar and Dave were in charge and so the theme was Bear Lake Survivor. They put in a lot of time into planning we were the TRAPIL tribe and were Green. It was a lot of fun the kids LOVED the water. The guys had a Mustache contest and I was so glad when Travis finally shaved. Jayson had fun riding the tube with Caden and Travis. Kailee & Justin had fun with the cousins and making crafts. We stopped to take pictures of the beautiful

blue flowers it was a great view of the Lake.