4th of July & Nesting

 

 We had a fun 4th of July weekend! Before it started we brought a picnic lunch downtown to eat with Dave. We went to the mall, ate our lunch and the boys played in the splash pad. They had a blast! We really should do that more often, but it's a lot of work for me (prepping everything, catching the train, and making sure we make it home by nap time). Then everyone at Dave's office left early, so he got to too! It was a nice surprise to start the weekend a few hours early.

We did a hike to and around a lake on the 4th of July and the boys had the best time! They saw ducks with their babies, tons of electric blue dragon flies, chipmunks and squirrels, and tons of birds. The boys were enamored with all the animals and Dustin kept trying to catch them so he could "snuggle them". We tried real hard to explain the animals were wild and would probably bite him if he picked them up, but I don't think it sunk in.

Saturday night we brought a picnic blanket to the Beez baseball field, parked outside, and enjoyed their firework show. I highly recommend this for anyone with little kids. The show started "right after the game" which ended up being 9:30, and was over by 10. So instead of fighting crowds, insane traffic, and the show not ending until 11, the boys were asleep by 10:30. They really enjoyed the show, although complained that it was too loud. Logan loved pointing out every time his favorite color was featured.

On the actual night of the 4th of July we went over to my brother Mike's house for a BBQ and fireworks. The kids had a fun time playing and enjoying each other's company. Dustin got a little nervous with the louder fire works, but over all it was a good time.

Dave was at Scout Camp starting Thursday of this week. We missed him like crazy, but were able to get a lot of cleaning, cooking and some sewing done while he was gone. The boys would come into our room each morning looking for Dave, and sadly ask "when will Daddy be back?" so we were happy when he arrived early Saturday morning.

I was able to get the office/sewing room re-organized and start working on a few baby projects. My friend Tenille gave me several white onesies, so I decorated them. I also made a new changing pad for the baby's room (it's far more girly than the last one and will match the quilt my Mom is making for the baby). Other than that I sewed a few squares for the quilt I started at the Yoder quilting retreat. I'm trying to get it done by Christmas... but we'll see how that goes with the baby coming soon. I cut out and started to sew a blessing dress for Brooklyn. I really hope it turns out. We'll see soon!

For the 24th of July weekend we got to see most of Dave's family Saturday night. Jon had a BBQ and fireworks. So we chatted and the boys played until about 9:30. Sunday was just a typical day, but Monday Dave had off work. So Sunday night Dave and the boys had a campout in the living room. Dave was back in bed with me by 12:30 and Dustin joined us around 6. Logan woke up at 7:30 very disappointed that he was the only one left in the Living Room. Monday morning was really casual. The boys played outside and I got some cleaning done.

enjoying the cooler weather in the morning outside

Now that it's July I've had the need to clean and cook like crazy! Just 2 to 4 weeks until the baby is born (technically she could come any time now). I've organized and stocked the pantry, snack cabinet, medicine closet/bathroom, and freezers. Last week I finished cooking freezer meals. It's funny, I like to have enough food in the pantries to be able to eat from for at least a month, but we probably have enough basics to feed us in there for 3 months right now.

the frogs the boys made at the Lego store build

So this week I've been working on deep cleaning (and with all the cooking and freezing I've been doing, cleaning has been seriously neglected). The kitchen is almost done (I just need to reorganize the freezer and wipe down the inside of the fridge). The master bedroom has been re-organized and cleaned out (I will just need to put away maternity and get out nursing clothes once the baby is born). The upstairs bathroom has been deep cleaned (the grout is a shiny white... we'll see how long it lasts).

a boat Logan made for Grandma Sheila

The baby room is almost done (I need to put away my latest project clothes and gifts people have given us, all stacked on the changing table). Also I need to make one more girly decoration for the wall above the crib. But my Mom is making a baby blanket, and she is sending me the scraps from that which I'll probably make a wall hanging out of. So the basement and the boys room are left to clean. Oh, and I guess I need to vacuum out the car and re-organize the shed. So that's why I haven't posted in a month... blogging hasn't been on my list of to do's, but the cooking and cleaning details are just boring!

Grandma's House & No Parents Aloud!

Last week I played catchup from our Girls Weekend. Laundry, house work, and sewing 200 bags. And of course we had a few trips to the Splash Pad. Logan and Dustin always loves when we go to the lazy river behind the West Valley Library. 

Last Wednesday we also hit up the Willow Lake splash pad and lazy river. The boys didn't love it as much as the one by the library, but we invited friends, so they had fun too. After that we rushed home to pack for a weekend at Grandma Sheila & Papa Mike's house! The boys were excited for a "kids only, no parents aloud" weekend and the parents were super excited for a weekend off.

Thursday I drove the boys up and met my Mom at McDonalds half way to the Grandparent's house. All weekend long we got texts of what fun activities the boys and the Grandparents were doing.

I'm pretty sure the boys didn't eat much healthy food the entire weekend. They had pizza, s'mores, ice cream, slushies, cookies, and candy. I'm told they had some healthy food too, but I don't have any evidence of it ;)

They also got to go to an art fair/festival. They loved getting their faces painted and balloon animals, although if you ask Dustin about it he will tell you he's sad the paint washed off.

I think their favorite part of the trip was going fishing with Papa Mike! When I told the boys they were going to get to visit the Grandparents, I asked what they wanted to do and Dustin exclaimed "I want to go fishing with Papa like at the beach!" They had so much fun, it's almost all I hear about. Logan caught 4 fish and Dustin got 3. They are so proud of catching them, and Logan will tell me all about the different kinds "The sunfish was pretty, but it wasn't as heavy as the trout".

They also got to build and paint bird houses. They brought them home and tonight we're going to hang them up outside for our FHE activity. We also made some lemon lime popsicles for our treat tonight and Logan has told me he is going to pick out a church movie for our lesson (so I guess I'm off the hook for a lesson).

Every time we called the boys to check up on them they were having such a fun time! Logan even told me we should probably move into Grandma & Papa's basement so we could have this kind of fun all the time.

Dave and I had such a nice break too! He took off work Friday, and we spent almost the entire time together. Thursday night Dave took me out to sushi. We found a place close by, Ichiban, that always has half off rolls. So we're able to do sushi for $25 plus tip. It was fabulous! And so nice to not have to put together dinner after spending 6 hours in the car. 

Friday we woke up late, saw Xmen and did some food/Costco/library/JoAnns shopping. It was so nice to not have to shopping. It was a nice relaxing day. 

Saturday Dave woke up early, and had me drop him off at the top of Emigration Canyon so he could run down. He has been training for a full marathon, and did 15 miles to get ramped up for it. We dropped water bottles off along the trail for him, and left his car at the bottom so he could drive himself back after. He said the run went great, and I was able to get a ton done while he was running.

I canned 2 dozen jars of Apricot jelly (which turned out a little runny, but is still useable). The flavor is fabulous, and it didn't get up past 80 degrees, so it was a great day for canning. I also baked two batches of breakfast bars to put in the freezer for Dave, and two batches of Granola (one batch for Dave to take to work, and one for the boys and I). I also was able to take in 6 pairs of pants for the boys (what can I say, they're so skinny!), and when Dave got home I gave him a haircut. It was a productive morning!

Saturday night we got to go to the temple in Bountiful and did some family names. Our temple is closed for a year and a hlaf, so we've been hitting up some of the other temples in the area (this one is only a 20 min drive, but it's schedule fit into our schedule best). When the session started there were only 20 patrons total! I was so glad we picked that temple, because most of the time when we go they are packed. This time I really felt needed. And it was a great experience for us as well. We grilled some fabulous Bacon Cheeseburgers and curly fries for dinner, and called it a night.

Sunday we woke up late again and made a big breakfast! Bacon, eggs, hash browns, and toast with apricot jelly (I had to try it out). We had a casual morning before driving to pick up the boys. They were happy to see us, and we were glad to get them home. There was a lot of snuggling and storytelling. 

Monday it was back to business. The house was a mess (I don't know how it can be such a mess when the boys were only home for two hours on Sunday)! So we woke up, ate breakfast, and cleaned up the kitchen. Then it was time to go to Soccer Camp. Logan and a few friends from church all signed up for a soccer camp at the Lutheran Church beside our church. Dustin isn't old enough to attend this year, but he insisted on watching Logan play. Logan had fun, but it was so hot he was done playing 15 minutes before it was over. Hopefully he stays the whole time tomorrow (it's a 4 day camp).

They also did a snack and Bible story half way through the camp. So Logan and Dustin got to hear the story about Moses holding up his hands to win the battle for the Israelites. The soccer camp is called Victory, and all their lessons are about how people from the bible trusted in God or Jesus to succeed. It's good for the boys to get to see other churches and realize you don't have to be Mormon to believe in Jesus or be a good person. They had a good time, and everyone was very friendly.

While watching Logan play soccer, I got a text telling me this will be my last week sewing bags! I was glad, because I just told Dave last night I was ready to be done. I want some time to get the house cleaned up and get some meals in the freezer before the baby is born in August. It's been a great opportunity to make a little extra money, but I'm glad it's going to be done. It was supposed to be done in July, so I knew the end was coming soon, this just worked out great. Now I have 6 weeks of a little extra time on my hands.

Girls Weekend!

This weekend my Mom, Grandma Yoder, Aunt Nikki and I all headed down for the Panguitch Quilt Walk! Mom drove down from Casper on Wednesday and spent the night at our house, and we got up early in the morning to drop the boys off at Dave's Mom's and head out.

Thursday we went to the Quilt Show & Vendor exhibits at the High School. We got to see all the quilts on display and voted on which one we thought was the best. There were some really interesting ones that gave me ideas of future projects. There were also a few cool things on sale, but I didn't actually end up buying anything. We browsed until 6 when it closed, and walked Main street for an hour.

That night we went to the Quilt Walk Dinner Theater. The food was fabulous and the play was interesting. I loved hearing the story about the pioneers using quilts to help them cross the snow and get wheat to save their families. There were some really good actors, but the show was a little rough.

What I got done! The whites are more white... but the flash yellowed them out

Friday we had a sewing day. My mom and I worked on the same pattern, Chic Country By Sew Kind of Wonderful. We had all our cutting done in advance, so I thought we would get the top done over the day... little did I know! It was a pretty hard pattern, since I've never sewn curves before. So I only got 8 squares done. But I have the hang of it, and hope to get it done by Christmas. We'll see how it goes. There are 36 squares in the entire quilt and I was thinking about making the quilt longer, depending on how it turns out... We'll see.

The pattern we are making

It was so much fun to spend all day chatting, sewing, and eating! We had a great time. Friday night we watched a chick flick and ate some more. We were all so worn out (sewing and snacking is hard work) that we went to bed at 9:30. Saturday we just got up early and headed home. It was such a nice break! The boys can be rough some time, and it was such a nice break to not have to worry about them for a few days.

When I got home I could tell the boys had missed me like crazy! They required extra snuggles and books all weekend. And the house required extra cleaning when I got back. But it was totally worth the break. Dave has also told me many times since how much he appreciates all I do, especially after being a single Dad for a few days. It's nice to feel loved. So the last week was all about me, which is good every once in a while.

Monday we did a lot of cleaning up and snuggling. Tuesday we met a few friend families at the lazy river behind the West Valley Library. It was tons of fun for the boys and the perfect temperature! They played and picnicked for two and a half hours while I chased them around and chatted with the other moms. It was tons of fun! We'll need to do it again soon.

Memorial Weekend & Graduation

Last week was Logan's preschool graduation! He really enjoyed his year. Change is really hard for Logan, which is why we thought preschool would be a good transition for him (get him used to school before he had to go to Kindergarden). He stuck close to his friend Briggs all year, and I worry that next year when Briggs isn't in his class he's going to have a hard time until he makes a friend or two.

But we are prepping Logan for next year! We've been walking over to the school almost every day to play on the playground with other kids, reading books about Kindergarden, and talking about it a lot. So hopefully by mid August he will be ready.

The graduation program was long, but afterwards they got to play at the facility play center. They played for about an hour. Although it was really hard when Dustin would get stuck in one of the tunnels (a pregnant lady should not be crawling a 3 story maize of tunnels), they had a good time. We went out and got ice cream after to celebrate too.

I don't know why, but this summer is shaping up to be a busy one! I looked on the calendar the other day and realized we have something planned every weekend in June! July is a little slower, but not much (I think we have one weekend off).

Last week was really busy. I swear, Dave had a Young Men's meeting every night of the week! It was rough on the boys and I, but we made it through. Hopefully this means he's done with meetings for a while now.

For Memorial weekend Dave took off Friday and we got Monday off as well. It was great! Friday we decided to make a fun day. Everyone got to pick a fun activity for the day. We started with Dave's choice of going out to breakfast. We went to Village Inn and everyone enjoyed their time. Next we headed out to enjoy my activity of a trip to the park. We played for about an hour and a half before heading home for lunch. During Dustin's nap Logan did his activity of playing video games with Dave. And that night Dustin got his activity in "Eat popcorn. Oh, and watch a movie." It was an extremely fun and relaxing day.

Saturday we did a lot of work out in the yard. Nothing fun or exciting, but things that needed to get done. Sunday was casual with church and a walk. Monday we hiked up to Doughnut Falls. The river was pretty high, but it was a good hike. The weather was perfect for it. It was a little too long of a hike for the boys, but we survived.

The rest of this week has gone by pretty fast. Tuesday Dave had Scouts and the boys and I had a reading night. Wednesday I had a night Relief Society meeting where we made cards. I made two Father's Day cards and one Just Because card. It was fun to create and spend some time with the ladies. When I got home, the boys were in bed, still awake. So I went in to kiss them goodnight. Logan had (in bed with him) a Birthday card he had made for me. So I had to open it up right then. Also when I went into the kitchen, there were cupcakes and a dozen roses picked from the yard for me. With my Birthday being Friday, I was surprised to have so many early gifts! My boys know how to spoil me!

 
I had a follow up ultrasound for Brooklyn this week. The first time around her kidneys had a tiny extra fluid in them, which could indicate problems. But it wasn't in the alarming range, and it's gone down enough that they're no longer worried (this is really common and about 90% of the time nothing is wrong, like in our case).

So on the positive, we got to see more pictures of our baby! She looks more like a baby this time around. She's around 3 lbs right now and is in the 43rd percentile. This is pretty big for us since Logan was in the 10th and Dustin in the 20th. They confirmed she is a girl too, which was nice to hear (you always hear about those surprise at birth gender changes). Anyway, we're just glad she's healthy!

Owls & Chickens

Man! We've been enjoying the beautiful weather lately. 70-80 degrees is my favorite temperature, and it's been the perfect May in that aspect. I always try to hold out on the AC until June, and I don't think this year will be a problem at all.

Dustin has gotten back into the potty training groove over the past week. Since we went out of town camping he has had a hard time, so we have been bribing him hardcore. First if he had 5 days of no accidents he got an ice cream party. He got to pick the flavor and toppings from the grocery store. This week if he went all week without accidents we had a pizza party with whatever toppings he wanted. 

Friday we had our pizza party! I made everyone individual pizza crusts and we decorated our own with whatever we wanted. Dustin had an entire can of olives (he shared a little with Dave, but he really ate most of them). Logan had just pepperoni. I had hawaiian and Dave had half cowboy, half bbq chicken. It was fun! We'll probably do it again just because. So we've stopped the bribing and hopefully he will stay on track with the potty training (at least until we have a baby).

Saturday we worked in the yard all morning! Our garden is planted, the drip lines are laid down, the hammock is on the gazebo and the weeds have been pulled from the flower beds. So we're off to a good start. I've been spraying dandelions this year, and we have almost all of them eradicated (much to the boy's sorrow). Now all we have to do is clean off the gazebo and we'll be ready for summer! 

That night we also had a family dinner with Dave's side of the family. The boys had fun playing with cousins and the weather was perfect to just hang out outside.

Monday we had a fun day! My friend RiKelle moved a few months ago, so the boys and I took the day off to go visit her. She now lives in the country so the first hour and a half or so we spent outside in their yard chasing around their chickens! The boys had a blast. They had three different color chickens (brown, black and white) and each boy, along with RiKelle's boy Edison claimed a color to chase.

After lunch we headed over to the local ice cream store for cones, followed by the park where the boys chased ducks and canadian geese around until it was time to head home. We got a lot of talking in while the boys were playing and chasing, and it was fun! The whole ride home both boys were so worn out they just slept. They woke up as soon as we pulled into the driveway! Perfect for me.

That night for FHE we went to the library for an owl exhibit. It was pretty cool, they had 3 experts come in and give lecture (but kid level) on owls. They even brought in a horned owl and a screech owl for us to see. Logan was enthralled! He kept waving at the owls and telling us things that pertained to the lecture and would raise his hand to share his ideas with the group. After we picked out a few books and movies and headed home. We don't often make it to the library's events, but when we do we love them!