July 18 - Lost

Where's Haze?  (It's all fun & games until the blanket ghost runs smack in to the ottoman, falls down, and bonks his chin.)

Also today: After telling Andlie she needed a little timeout, she ran to her room, slammed the door, & informed me that this was "the worst day ever!!!!!"

It's a good thing they're cute.

July 17 - Love & Discoveries

Poor Nora.  No one gives her any love or attention.

Today, she discovered the A/C vents.  She kept touching them when the air would turn on and then look up at me so puzzled & concerned.

And, she had her very first bath in the big girl bath tonight!  She could barely hold still long enough for pictures because she was too busy splashing & laughing & discovering!

July 16 - Out of the House

Everyone was ready to get out of the house today, but it was so freaking hot that we didn't want to play outside!  So, to Riverwoods we went!  It cheered everyone right up!

And then we went to the mall this evening for some more out-of-house time!

July 15 - Outside

Little man is getting so big!  He almost has this whole potty training thing down!  But, he won't leave the house without his little toilet seat so it goes everywhere with us.  Dressed & ready to go to the splash pad.  Toilet in tow.

While we were at the splash pad, Andlie & Haze imagined the water spouts to be bad guys & turned ninja on them.  Haze was karate chopping the water in this one.

And Andlie was about to deliver a pretty mean kick.

And it was such a nice day today that we spent even more time outside this evening!  Nora got her first real ride in the swings and loved it!  Her feet were going crazy with delight & she was giggling!

July 14 - Teething

Poor thing hasn't been sleeping very well.  Teething is hard.

But eating lunch outside in swimming suits is not.

July 13 - Cute

Getting ready for church this morning.  I had to take a picture.  She was pretty much asking for it by looking this cute naked & wearing a cute headband.

July 12 - Stings & Sickies

Andlie got her very first bee sting today!  Our Mama & Papa Bear insticts kicked right in!  Bryan scraped the stinger out with his credit card & I went inside for some soda paste and Benadryl.  And of course, I was ready to pack everyone up in the car & head to the ER.  But after a while, she calmed down and was pretty much just pissed at the bee.

This is Andlie's interpretation of what happened.  She drew it all by herself with no guidance from us whatsoever!  The green thing on the left is the bush the bees were in.  She was happy when the drawing first started, but you'll notice that that smile turned to a frown as the drawing progressed.  The blob on her right arm is the bee sting covered in soda paste.

And poor No.  She wasn't feeling very good today, but that never stops her from smiling.

July 11 - Family

We have some pretty wonderful families!  Tonight, we spent some time with Bryan's uncle Rich & family from Kansas and his aunt Pier & family from St. George & Orem.  It was great to visit and laugh with family!  And we only had two events: Andlie dropped a plate of spaghetti and Haze peed his pants.  Pretty good for a two-hour dinner!

And when we got home, we had some fun with Grama & Grampa!  Grama taught Haze this fun trick!  He was in little boy heaven!

And Andlie joined in on the fun too!

See?  Wonderful families!

July 10 - Stuff

I got my hair done last week.  I love it.

Me & Nora spent a lot of time on the floor together.  Poor girl has had to deal with potty training boot camp & needed some Mommy time.  And I needed some Nora time.  So we had it.  And it was wonderful.

We all needed some time out of the house so we hit up the splash pad today!

And Nora needed to try her first rice rusk tonight!  She loved it.  Because she loves everything.  All the time.

July 9 - Tags & Muscles

Loves the bear, but loves the tags more.

She wanted her own "Standing on the Box with Muscles" picture.  Nailed it.

July 8 - Happy

This is how she wakes up.  Happy.  I should try to learn from her.

True boy.  Muscles, Batman shirt, standing on an open box, messy hair & face & feet, growling.  And happy.

July 7 - At Home

This started at our house today.  There was screaming & crying & gnashing of teeth.  Haze wasn't a fan.  I was pretty freaking proud of myself for not screaming & crying & gnashing my teeth back at him.  By the time Bryan got home, my blood pressure was probably sky high & my molars were practically dropping out of my mouth from having clench jaw all day.  When people go to Hell, they probably have to potty train people all day.  I hate potty training.  If it wasn't obvious from reading this post.

And this happened at our house today, too.  A quiet moment of gratitude & peace for me. 

 I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to stay at home and be a Mommy to my babies.  Potty training is not at the top of my list (or anywhere near it) of fun things to do as a Mom.  I still think I landed my dream job.

July 6 - Grassy Field

Haze fell asleep on our walk tonight.  And he didn't want to wake up.  Even when Daddy transferred him from the stroller to the grass.

Meanwhile, I told Andlie we should take a picture together since our shirts matched.  She would smile right up until Bryan took the picture.  I'm not sure where she gets her sassiness/goffiness from.

Nora sat on the grass too!

July 5 - Fireworks

We lit off our own fireworks that we bought yesterday tonight!  We got jammies on, brought our fishies & milk outside, and enjoyed a show put on by Daddy!

July 4 - 4th of July

5:50 am: Bryan & Chandi wake up & hear wind outside.

6:20 am: Decide that they probably won't light off the hot air balloons so we don't need to rush down to the parade.

7:00 am: Daddy wakes up Andlie & Haze.  As soon as he mentions the parade, they are quick to get out of bed & put clothes on.

7:10 am: Haze decides he hates waking up early & never wants to do it again & demonstrates his feelings with crying & kicking.

7:15 am: Wake Nora up to eat.

7:35 am: Everyone has clothes on & we head out the door.

7:45 am: See several hot air balloons in the air on the way there.  Blows Haze's mind.  Haze decides he's happy again.  Andlie's pretty thrilled too.

7:55 am: Park the car & get out to watch the balloons.  Haze mentions how huge they are about sixty times in two minutes.  He keeps calling them "his balloons."  Mommy & Daddy wish we would have gotten out of bed & here earlier.

8:10 am: Since we are an hour early for the parade, we stop & take pictures with a super awesome princess float.  Andlie is star-shocked.

8:20 am: Find some seats among all of the crazies who CAMPED OUT for the parade.  We get to be part of the pre-parade action which includes Mommy, Andlie, & Haze going out to the middle of street & performing several dances (including the Chicken Dance) with lots of other kids, Mommys, and crazy people.

8:40 am: Eat breakfast that we packed & apply sunglasses & tattoos.  Nora hates her glasses on, but loves to suck on them.  Haze doesn't want any glasses near his face.

9:00 am: Parade starts!  We see big balloons (like in the Macy's parade), dancers, floats, princesses (Haze the Pimp's favorite), bagpipes, horses, and bands.  Lots of bands.  Andlie counts them.  "Oh my gosh.  Mom, that's ten bands."

10:00 am: After a half hour nap, Nora poops out of her clothes and gets some on Daddy's shirt.  Mommy takes the opportunity to change her diaper & clothes on a six inch square plot of grass that is not taken by any crazies, but surrounded by such.  (Mommy feels like a magician for getting the changing done.)  Mommy & Daddy discuss how ironic it is that Nora pooped out of the same exact outfit that Andlie wore & pooped out of at the parade during her first 4th of July.

11:00 am: Parade ends.  We are proud that we made it through the entire parade!  Back to the car & drive home.  Kids are happy to have AC blowing full blast in their faces.  Mommy & Daddy are too.

12:00 pm: Eat lunch & drink lots of cold drinks.  Also eat popsicles.  Probably 4-5 each.  Mommy & Daddy lose count, but don't care.  It's effing hot.

1:00 pm: Go get fireworks from a fireworks stand!  Hazey falls asleep on the way home.

4:00 pm: Outside!  It's still so hot!  But we are done being inside & watching "Frozen" & napping.  Ride bikes, throw poppers, complain about the heat.  Nora looks cute in her sunglasses.  Take a picture.  Hurry!  Before she gets them off!

4:30 pm: Set up the Slip 'n Slide & our pool so we can play with water!  

5:00 pm: Zac, Kenzie, & Jerzi Engle show up for our night of fun!  Kids play in the water, Chandi & Kenz to Cafe Rio for food, boys & Nora visit.  Then we all eat, play & visit until it's time to head to fireworks.

7:00 pm: Head to the temple to watch Stadium of Fire fireworks.  Stop at the gas station to get some treats.  After we arrive, we play catch, put more tattoos on, get glow sticks ready, sneak away from the group where no one can see us (okay, that was only Haze, but it happened several times and each time we found him, he had a silly, sneaky smirk on his face), and finally, watch fireworks at around 10:00 pm!  Haze sees the ones that stay in the sky & sparkle out & calls them "dirty fireworks."  He is the entertainment during the show because he keeps saying, "WOW!!  LOOK AT THAT ONE!  EWE!  THAT'S A DIRTY ONE!"

11:00 pm: After a giant fireworks show, we head home.  All the kids fall asleep on the way home.  Mommy & Daddy head right to bed after we arrive home (and have a couple treats).

We had a wonderful 4th of July!

July 3 - End of Lessons & Duffs

Today was the last day of swimming lessons.  Andlie has totally loved them!  She has learned to do front floats & back floats all by herself and is even beginning to do the front stroke with no help!  She loves water & could swim all day if we'd just let her.

This is how Haze has spent 4/8 swimming lessons.  Outside the water with his toes in & sitting by Mom.  Every day before lessons, he says, "Mom, I'm sick a little.  I can't go to swimming lessons.  I just want to watch my kids.  (I love that he calls them "his" kids.)  I just wanna put my feet in, K?"  So, I am happy that he's even putting his feet in and not crying.  He gets in for the last 15 minutes when they are playing games & going down the slide.  I do love that he loves his Momma so much.

And, NoNo!  She wore one of her 4th of July outfits today!  Of course, she looked darling so I snapped a thousand couple pics.

Also worth noting today: the Duffs moved.  Jonah, Ty, and Mikelle don't live across the street from us any more.  Andlie finally realized it was happening this afternoon & burst in to big, fat alligator tears.  Then she calmed down so they could all play for a few more hours.  And then they left for good.  She gave them each good-bye hugs and each of them told her how much they'd miss her.  Her little chin was quivering the entire time and then when we got home, her & I shared a good cry.  We'll miss them.  They have become very good friends.

July 2 - Neighborhood Picnic

Fingerprints on the window.  Making lunch while the baby watches the leaves.  Life is good.

We had a neighborhood picnic tonight to send the Duffs off in style!  There were seven families there: Us, the Duffs, the Halls, the Larsons, the Dastrups, the Sorensons, and the Bakers.  It was a great night spend with wonderful people!

July 1 - Daisey, Piglet, & Sleeps

Daisey stopped in town today!  We got to play with her at the park for a few minutes!  The kids were so cute & happy together!

Nora acted like she never even had shots today.  No crying or wimpering or anything.  And Piglet is way smaller than her now.  He used to be bigger than her!  Time is mean.

Haze asked me to snuggle him with a blankie on the floor today.  And then he fell asleep in my arms.  Love.  There is nothing sweeter than a happy baby snug asleep in your arms.

June 30 - Friends & Doctor

We snapped a picture with the Duffs this morning because they're moving on Thursday!  They have become great friends and we are super sad to see them go.  (L to R: Haze, Andlie, Nora, Jonah, Kenzlee, Mikelle, Ty)

And then this afternoon, we did something not as fun.  Nora & Haze had well check doctor appointments.  Nora got 2 shots.  She was her usual happy self up until then.  And then she cried a cry I've only heard her cry two other times - when she got shots.  It's the saddest cry.  And then later today she was back to her normal self.  She's getting so big!  And I have to agree with the doctor because he told us, "She seems pretty perfect."  He has no idea.

Haze wasn't in love with the idea of it being his turn at the doctor.  He did okay.  Until the doctor walked in the room.  He is getting big!  We sure love having our little blonde-haired, blue-eyed, happy, michevious, funny, stubborn, sweet little boy in our home!

June 29 - 4th of July Sunday

We took some pics this morning in our 4th of July Sunday outfits this morning!