Our FIRST trip to Utah this summer

The day school got out Mom, Amber, Megan and David took a drive to Utah. It took 20 hours and 3 days to get there. Here is our last rest stop before our destination.

We spent our first evening visiting with Maria's sister Andie and brother Bryce's families.

Aww cousins!

Monday was the first day of Especially for Youth. Amber and Megan went with their cousins and good friends. Pictured below are: Truett, Michael, Amber, Megan, Nicole, Marinda, Zachary and Loren. To see more EFY pictures, you will have to check out Amber and Megan's facebook pages.

After the kids got dropped off at EFY Maria took David and cousins to the Taylorsville community pool.

Tuesday, after visiting a couple temples (here is the Oquirrh Mountain temple) David and Maria drove to West Bountiful to visit Aunt Lori and more cousins.

Drew, David, Matt, Mandy, Tyler

Kids rule at Texas Roadhouse, especially when you get a free t-shirt for putting a handprint on a paper for a parade float. The food was awesome, too.

Before the buzz cut (David decided he wanted to have a haircut just like his cousins and Uncle Brad was willing)

During the buzz cut

After the buzz cut (are they cousins or what?!)

Wednesday we toured the Tracy Aviary in SLC and cousin William and David tried to sneak up on a peacock

We also spent an afternoon at the Discovery Gateway children's museum. Here are Jordan, Aunt Andie, Aunt Laura and Kaylee making music.

Kaylee enjoyed getting rid of, I mean, burying a couple cousins!

Friday we toured the Conference Center and Temple square.

Here are Joseph, William, David and Hyrum with the First Presidency

David used his water bending skills on the fountain

It was a great week. We will get to do it again in July!

Minnehaha Falls hike

We took Grandma on a hike around Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.

Checking out the Falls

Marissa and Amber with the Mask of Chief Little Crow

The Falls

The hike (why are they hiking barefoot?)

March update

I know it has been a while, so here is an update of what has been happening in Minnesota with the Stotts family.



Steven tried a new sport, swimming. He has never been on a swim team before. He enjoyed it and really improved and learned some new things.

Amber was honored as one of the top art students in the district. Her piece, Treasure Map, is now on display at the local community college. Way to go Amber!

Megan had another symphony concert. They played the theme from the 3rd "Pirates of the Carribbean" movie, and even sang a little.

Mom and David enjoyed a fun day at the zoo seeing the baby farm animals.

Steven and his fellow deacons Matt and Brigham made homemade pizza dinners for a service project.

December concerts

December is a time of concerts. David was a star in his preschool Christmas program. Steven played the trumpet in his band concert and Amber and Megan sang in their choir concert (Megan's picture didn't turn out).

Here is a video of Amber's choir singing 'Betelehemu', an African carol.

Family picture time

The kids and pets before heading off for family pictures!

Back to School

Summer is over and the kids have gone back to school. They leave at 4 different times: Amber and Megan at 7 am after seminary at our house, Steven at 7:20 am, Marissa at 9:00 and David at 12:30pm. Then I breathe a sigh of relief!

Megan is a Freshman and Amber is a Junior

Steven off to 7th Grade

Marissa in 4th grade

David didn't start school for one week after the kids, so he took advantage of the nice warm weather to play on the slip-n-slide one last time.

The warm driveway feels great after getting all wet!

Soak up all you can because we won't feel that warmth again for many months!

Crazy photos

The kids love our photo booth feature on our i-mac. They come up with some crazy photos. Here is just a sampling.

Marissa and her twin

Megan as a fish

Amber and Megan

Megan

Negative David 

5 Kids swirled (the Jumanji effect?)

Steven the alien