a day trip to Castle Dale, Utah

After I spent a short time in Castle Dale for my Grandpa's funeral, I decided that I really wanted to share my childhood memories with my little ones before it was too late. My sweet Aunt planned a fun day for us, and I will forever cherish the memories that we were able to make. 

We grabbed a quick bite to eat, and then we were off to find treasures in my Grandpa's house, and on his farm. I had spent the drive down telling the kids all the fun and quirky things about my Grandparents house, and I was so excited to show them.

We went down in the cellar, tried to catch a snake in the yard, went up the stairs that are just plain scary to come down. When we landed ourselves in the kitchen, I was just not prepared for the emotions that I had. All the same magnets that I remember playing with were still on the fridge, and I couldn't help but cry and then laugh at myself for crying. My Aunt had said we could pick a few things to remember him by, and you better believe those magnets came home with me. 

{The magnets found a new home on my fridge!}

It was interesting seeing what my kids found priceless, Devin found a touch lamp with horses on it. That lamp has been sitting next to my Grandpa's chair for about 25 years, my Aunt said. Savannah brought home the coolest vintage camera. I took a picture and a mirror off the wall that I thought I could find a spot for. Sabrina wanted the crazy tole painted cat that sat in the bay window.

We headed to the farm, and decided to go on a long walk. The kids loved exploring, and finding feathers. We had to stop for Drake multiple times, because he just wanted to sit in the dirt and play with bugs. He was totally in his element. Something about watching your kids be totally happy doing things you did as a child, made this Momma heart so very happy.

Of course a trip to Castle Dale is not complete unless you go to the cemetery. Auntie Joyce has that place memorized, and showed us all of our important people who are there. The kids were so thoughtful, and went and got all the feathers from the van they had collected and decorated their headstones.

We made new memories, and we won't ever forget this little slice of the past that we got to experience. We came home happy and exhausted, and the kids can't wait to go back soon. 

grandpa joe

My cute Grandpa in the Mountains passed away. It has been years since I had spent time with him, and wish that I could have introduced all of my kids to him. 

Jeff and Deanna invited me to ride down to his funeral with them. We spent the drive catching up on life, and talking about growing up. I was glad that I was able to go with them, and have a chance to spend some extra time together.

It was a short and sweet service. They opened it up to whoever wanted to share memories of Grandpa Joe, and it was so fun to hear all of them. 

Left me wishing my kids had gotten to make memories of their own with him. Made me realize how important the little things are in life. Life is so short. Relationships are what make this life more enjoyable. I came home wanting to give more of myself to those I love, and make memories with them.

Wardle Fields Regional Park

Now that we have been to the new Wardle Fields Regional Park + splash pad a few times, I feel like I can talk about it. I knew it was going to be busy, but nothing could prepare me for how busy it was the first day we went. So. Many. People. It really is amazing though, so I can see why everyone is going.

It is huge. It has everything that makes a splash pad fun. Waterfall, streams, lots of fountains! Lots of grass to put your shade that is close to the water. Major thumbs up!

The park is fantastic too! Except this Summer we are finding a shortage of swings, so it could use a few more of those in my kids humble opinions. I love that they have a good area for my little guy, but can keep the interest of the older kids too!

The biggest complaint is you can't see the park when you are at the splash pad. I wouldn't categorize myself as a helicopter Mom, but it is a prime location for losing children. 

Is it worth going?  You betcha. We have tried a few different times during the day, hoping to find a time that is not sooo overwhelming. It was definitely best later in the evening, but be warned the water shuts off at 7:00 PM. We were disappointed, because we still had at least an hour still in us to play.

If you want a splash pad that you can just sit and relax while the littles play nearby, I would not pick this one. This is definitely more of a get in and play with them type of splash pad/park! 

Name: Wardle Fields Regional Park
Address: 14148 S 2700 W Bluffdale, UT
Cost: FREE

Backyard Camp Out

It isn't a secret around these parts that we don't actually go camping. I don't mind being outside {obviously}, but Paul is anti dirt! This Summer I have really wanted to add new adventures to our list, and share with our kids what I loved doing as a kid.

One day we were talking to friends about Summer plans, and one thing lead to another...and we decided to camp out in our backyard together! It is one of my favorite childhood memories, except we slept on a trampoline.

Since my kids have never even experienced s'mores, tin foil dinners, or a campfire...gasp!...we went all out camping experience for them!

We started our night with our tin foil dinners, which were super yummy. Out of convenience, we used our oven, but still so delicious. We did the traditional tin foil dinner of hamburger/onion/potatoes, but then we did a chicken/salsa deliciousness that was a crowd pleaser as well.

We got the campfire raging, and started in on all the desserts. We tried a new to us thing, Woof'ems! You wrap crescent rolls around that neat little stick I linked, and then you can fill it with goodness. So, we put fruit in ours, and topped it with chocolate sauce and whip! It was a favorite. 

We looked up some camp stories, because Devin wanted those. The girls wanted to look at stars, and we found a few of the formations. 

Because we don't camp, we don't have sleeping bags or a tent. So, we went all redneck, and just gathered all of our blankets and made a big ol' bed on the grass. 

We did pretty well, minus the neighbors having a party that woke a few of us up. It got a lot colder than I expected, I would have been fine if I wouldn't have shared blankets with little people who kept moving. We made it until 5:00 AM before we came in, so I say for our first time sleeping under the stars, we get an A+. 

I think I could do this about once a Summer, because these old bones of mine don't do as well on hard ground sleeping anymore. 
It was definitely a night of fun memories, and I am glad we had friends who would do it with us!

SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium - Utah + coupon code

Let me start off by saying, it has become increasingly hard to entertain all of my children with the same activity. You know why? Drake is 1, and our Savannah is going to be 13 this year. It is difficult to find something all of them can enjoy at the same time. With that being said, SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium - Utah did that for us, and that completely sold me! Seaquest is located in the Layton Hills Mall, in Layton, Utah {more on this later}, and really isn't that close to our home...but it was worth the drive to see all of my kids entertained for a couple of hours!

We were invited for a tour of SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium a few weeks back. It was during school, so just Bina and Drake came along to explore with me. As soon as we started into the aquarium, I instantly was regretting not bringing the older kids too! I know people are skeptical when they hear it is inside of a mall. Your first thought is "uh, it must be tiny!". You have to think of a huge department store inside of a mall being filled with fish, instead of merchandise. It is a good size! 

My second regret, bringing a stroller! When they say it is interactive, they mean it. Of course Drake didn't want to sit in a stroller, he wanted to touch, feel, and feed all the things! Although the stroller is nice for cup holders, because they do have a FiiZ Drinks right inside the lobby {and yes you can take your drinks into the aquarium}!

We went back as a family over our Spring Break, and boy howdy did I have a happy bunch of kids. I asked Savannah if it was something she wanted to do again, and she excitedly said "Yes!".

Everyone had something different that they connected with. For Savannah it was the birds, and they flocked to her to take all of her food first. Drake liked "trying" to feed the shrimp to the stingrays, and following along the glass to point at fish. Bina is now really obsessed with mermaids, thanks to the real live mermaid you can have your picture taken with. Devin ran right up to the worker and asked if he could hold the boa, and the rest of us stayed as far away as possible. Of course I had to try the fish spa, and I can't say it was my favorite feeling in the world...but everyone needs to try it at least once, right? Savannah is begging to do it, next time!

So here is the nitty gritty, they have an entrance fee, and it doesn't include the fish spa or food for feeding the animals. You buy tokens for doing those things. If you don't want to spend any extra money, it doesn't take away from the experience of SeaQuest. You can still go into the iguana cage, or the bird cage...you just won't be given food without the token. 

It is sooooo much easier to take pictures of iguanas, they don't move like my kids do! 

SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium - Utah has given my readers a discount code to use on your next visit! Hooray! If you mention sellpartyday25, you will receive 25% off your daily admission price! I can't wait to hear what you guys think!

P to the S,...I will doing a fun giveaway on Instagram soon, watch my Insta feed. If you aren't following along, you might want to go follow me over there. 

Name: SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium
Address: 1201 N Hill Field Rd Layton, Utah
Admission Only: $9.95 - $14.95 {activity tokens are extra}

our love for baby magic + giveaway

The information, products, gift card, and giveaway have been provided to me by Baby Magic. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you were to ask me what my one true love in baby products would be, you know what I would say? Baby Magic. It is the one product that I have used since I became a Mom 12 years ago, and I haven't stopped. Even Paul and I use Baby Magic as our go-to lotion for ourselves! 

Besides Baby Magic being hypoallergenic, tear-free, and paraben-free...I am a fan of the smell! Nothing beats a baby fresh out of the bath that smells like Baby Magic! I have never had a baby that doesn't use it exclusively! I have even branched out from the iconic pink bottle and tried the Calming Baby Lotion {which comes in a purple bottle} for Drakey, because heaven knows he needs all the help with being calm he can get. 

Random tidbit about the Sell boys, we use Baby Magic lotion instead of gel. Even when the girls were little, the lotion was the perfect thing to pull all those baby hairs up into little ponies! It can hold a mohawk, and doesn't leave the flaky stuff when your baby messes it up! 

Baby Magic has been around since 1951, and have stayed dedicated to developing baby care products that do what they say they’re going to do- while cutting out the bad stuff. 

Have you ever tried Baby Magic? What is your go-to product? 

Enter to win some Baby Magic swag, so you can share with me in my love of it!


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Year End Review 2016

Well, let me see if I still have it. 

After reading all the past years, I realize why I still come back to this ol' blog and dust it off every once in awhile. It is good for my soul to hear the clicking of the keys, and highlight all the positive...because we all know that is the only stuff we want to remember anyway!

So 2016.

Drake {turned 1 in December}: We added him to our family right before the new year started. He managed to almost send me to the looney bin with his excessive crying, the amount of sleep we both didn't get, and his need to only be held by me. He survived his first year of life on one thing alone...cuteness. I survived his first year of life on massive amounts of Coke, and some serious antidepressants! 

Bina {4 years old}: Bina has mastered the art of going cross-eyed. This year she also learned the password to the iPad, how to operate the remote to the TV, and get her own breakfast! She has decided that washing her hair is overrated, and pants are too! Bina would prefer to stay home all day, eeeery day...but I make her be social at preschool twice a week. 

Devin {6 years old}: If there is anything that can be made into a collection, Devin wants to do it. He has a Shopkins collection, Tsum Tsum collection, rock collection, Pokemon card collection, and the list goes on. In 2016 he decided that being on the soccer field just wasn't enough, and he joined Junior Jazz...and taught himself how to beatbox. Still looking for a coach for beatboxing, any takers?

Savannah {12 years old}: Paul and I look at each other and say "Where did this kid come from?". She strives for perfection, which is annoyingly awesome! Savannah finally got contacts, and aged about 10 years by doing so. She has the biggest school supply collection one has ever seen. Pencil boxes, any and all writing utensils, and notebooks are the quickest way to her heart. She is our babysitter, our biggest helper, and quite the kid!

 Paul {32 forever}: Paul finally grew out of his 2 car garage, and we started shopping for a new house with more space for all those toys and machines! Paul's biggest accomplishments for 2016 were saying yes to a calling in our church, and finding friends! I mean really, the finding friends should get an entire post. Besides his good ol' bakery runs, and movie dates...he actually got adventurous! He went shooting, tried sushi, and even got a Jazz game in there!

Evonne {35 years old}: It is always much harder to talk about myself, let me see here. I took a calling in our church too, it has brought a lot friends, and taken me out of my comfort zone as far as church is concerned. I spoke in church for the first time in my life, that was a doozy. I finally learned to keep a house clean, and oddly enough it feels good. I still don't love to cook, but with a family of 6...I am always working on it. I started exercising, but it was short lived. Still love a gas station run after the kids go to bed, and running away with Paul every chance I get!

2016 can be summed up in a few words...friendships, family, and a whole lotta memories! We will be forever grateful for those people who made our 2016 one to remember. We could have never dreamed up the year we had, and all the new adventures we went on! We are a month into our new year, and can already tell this one could be a roller coaster!