Misc

So, along with all the scheduled parts of the month we had some fun unscheduled parts as well.  One was that Margaret was going through baby clothes in the storage room and found Jim's artwork that no one believed existed anymore.  We decided to take pictures of them and recorded Jim talking about them.  It was so fun to see.  He is very talented.  There were enough prints that each of the 9 kids would get at least 2-3 original pieces.  Jer also took the time to have a game night with two of our nephews and my brother... and to build a catapult... yes.  You heard that right.  Some of the fun scheduled things that I did.... .. We went to a very rainy dinner for Jer's side of the family.  Not his brothers and sisters, but his Grandpa Robertson's brothers and sisters.  It was fun to meet everyone and I got to record some people telling stories about when Jer's Grandpa was growing up. And my nieces and nephews came to be part of my fencing class. That was both fun and a little chaotic.  Usually I have a couple of people who know the routine so everyone else just kind of follows them... but Ada and Sam... my regulars... decided that it was too exciting to have cousins there and didn't really listen like they usually do.  Oh well, it worked out pretty well and was fun for everyone I think.I got a visit by one of my favorite out of staters... Jenny.  Jenny, Jed, Jer and I met in our Ward about 7 years ago.  We taught their 3 year old daughter's Nursery class.  We had regular dinner nights as well as movies and LOTS of games.  They had to move for school, but luckily their families still live out here so they come to visit.  We had fun filling up water balloons and just talking each others ears off.  Thanks for coming!  Like Jenny said, we're just geeky enough to get along with each other.

Hiking

This is a little out of order, but we got the chance to go hiking this last Saturday with Jer's family.  We went up the back of Timp.  Jer went over the saddle to do the whole 16 miles, but the kids and I just went up to first falls and down.  The hike up to the falls is usually the same for me each time... I enjoy it except the last 1/4 mile that is basically all steep uphill.  I think Sammy felt the same.  He was fine until then.  But after playing at the waterfall for a little while we went back the way we came.  Ada was sad that she didn't get to go with Daddy and Grandpa, but I'm pretty sure that she would only have lasted another mile or two... not the whole 16.  Evelyn loved getting out of the hiking backpack and playing in the dirt.  She tried hiking up a little hill by herself, and it was funny to see how this little 1 year old "struggled" up this little tiny hill.  Going back on my own wasn't bad.  Sammy complained for about 1/4 mile, until I told him that we were going to the car and if he wanted to get there then he'd better keep walking.  From then on he ran up ahead of me and I had to keep calling for him to wait.  Ada ran down most of it, but we got to where the stream crossed the path and she could have played there all day.  There were butterflies galoore and what's better than getting wet when it's hot and you're sweaty?  After that we went to visit Becca's camp before we went home.  I had fun talking and the kids definitely had fun playing with cousins. I felt bad that we didn't have better timing though... we got there as they were trying to take naps.  Sorry Bec! And great job Aubrey!  The 9? year old that hiked all the way up!

Colonial times

So our city does this Colonial thing on the 4th.  Including having a school your kids can go to, a potter, woodworker, calligrapher, forge, seamstress, and kids chores and games.  It was fun.  We got to go with Diane and her kids.  It was a blast!  The kids thought it was fun to see, and I was interested in a lot of the misc details of it.

Irrigation and cousins

Nothing is better than that combination right?

 

  

As you may know

I've been a non-existent blogger except for a few picture overloads.  I also have the last 4 weeks to upload.  I don't want to bore anyone with details, but I do want to know what we've been doing when I look back on this year.  Like everyone else in the US, July is a busy month full of bbques, fireworks and outdoors.  We added a wedding reception, 4 family reunions, a new niece, met two new nephews, played with cousins galore, and tried to ignore the fact that we should be sleeping a little more than we have been.  Here are a few pictures of our family visits leading up to the 4th.  We were lucky enough to get to visit with Jer's sister Margaret and her 4 kids.  Diane was able to come down too with her 8 (now 9 as of three days ago!  Yay!), which I'm grateful for.  A little later we got to visit with Jer's sister Mary and her 7 kids. And Amy with her 4.  Becca also came up when work would let her with her 2.  I got to hold and get peed and pooped on several occasions by my cute little nephew Cyrus. And we very much enjoyed Jim and Judy's pool in this really hot summer time.

Isn't this little Maisy absolutely gorgeous!  (And Emily, I think she looks a little like your Sophie too, don't you?)

Making Mickey Mouse cookies with Grandpa

Very helpful tips from a 4 year old

Yes, I'm crazy.  It's only the end of July and I'm already talking to my kids about Halloween costumes.  I wanted to get a head start in case I'd be sewing any of them.  And it's probably good that I did, because Ada has decided to be Rainbow Brite, Sammy wanted to be Super Mario, and we're going to make Evelyn Twink to go with Ada's costume.  I found a costume for Ada on Amazon for $20, Sam already has overalls and a red shirt... so we got him a red hat for $5, and I'm going to have to make Evelyn's from scratch following this blog's instructions.  The best was watching how excited my kids are to dress up.  We were trying to figure out a mustache for Sammy and Ada just lit up.  "I know Mommy!  I know what to make it with!"  She ran outside and in a few minutes comes to me with handfuls of something that very well could be a Mario mustache.  Turns out that the dog is shedding.  I tried to be nice about telling her that we couldn't use it, but in all reality... I'm pretty impressed.  I never would have thought about the dog's hair.  And it did look like a mustache already.

A Sammy first

Well, it's official... we've got 4 going to the dentist instead of 3.  Sammy had his first check up this morning.  He was REALLY REALLY good.  He took some talking into to get xrays, but he did it without too much fuss.  And he sat really still for everything else... no cavities either.  Ada had a small one and Jer has a cracked filling, but honestly... compared to the time that it cost $500 to get my cap replaced... all this is going to cost under $100 for all four of us total.  I love good insurance.  After the dentist I took the kids to Toys R Us so Sam could get a "no cavities" toy.  He really fell in love with an Angry Birds tossing game... but I didn't really want to spend $23 for that.  So we got the next best thing.  A $3.50 Mario Kinex.  He's had it in his pocket all day and LOVES to take it apart and put it back together.

Ada was too cute as well.  We've been talking about birthday presents.  I made her something, I got her something from her siblings, and Jer picked her something.  And now she fell in love with this purple Barbie Unicorn.  Oh well, I think she's going to love her presents anyways!

Latest sayings

So our latest funny sayings:

Ada said, "Do you see his smile?  That means he's a good guy."

Sammy said, " Wow mom, you're a really good opener. Good job."

And Ada had a small slip up.  She was trying to show me how to not pee her pants...instead of saying that she's going to hold her pee, she said, "I'm going to hold my penis."  Good thing she didn't quite catch onto that one.

Seeing spots

Last Sunday was an accidental Polka Dot ("if you insist"... name that show) day.  I wore my new dress, Ada wanted to wear the new one that I had made for her, and Eveln got herself messy and was changed into the nearest outfit.  The result was this... all three of us girls in different colored polka dots.  What do you think?

The last week in pictures

We've had a blast this last week... the two most bloggable ones are the day we spent at "grandma's splash pad" with our neighbor friend, Jason... and the day that Ada and I spent with Diane, Rachel, Anya and Joey at Lagoon.  We have been having so much!  It was really nice to have a day to reconnect with Ada as well.  Ada tends to be a little stand offish with me (probably because we're so alike) unless she is hurt.  But when we get to do things together she's really talkative and loves to say, "Remember that thing at that place and with those people?!"

Ada especially loved anything to do with the water and rides that went really fast.  I really liked the train/zoo and the ferris wheel.  Thanks Diane!  I hope it was fun for you!

7 years good luck

Just so you know.  Yesterday Jer and I celebrated our 7th anniversary.  We met one year before that, so we've known each other for about 8 years.  It's strange to think of all the things that have happened in the last 7 years.  Here are just a few...

• 27 of our 37 nieces and nephews have been born
• We've had 3 of our own kids
• We've owned 2 houses
• We've owned 1 washer/dryer set
• We've owned 2 cars and 1 van
• I've gone through 4 cameras
• Jer's gone through 4 phones
• Jer's had 3 different jobs
• I've had 4 different jobs, taught piano lessons, done day care, provided photoshoots, and done a sculpture internship  (Yeah, Jer's more stable than I am.  It's a good thing he's such a great bread winner!)
• Held over 10 church callings between the two of us
• We've had 2 college graduations
• We've had 1 dog and 3 cats
• We've had 2 of our surviving grandparents pass away
• We've been to 11 different states together
• And... we've been through at least 15 computers (can't tell what Jer does for a living?)

I love you Jer and I'm so glad that I have you now and forever!