August

Some things I love about August in Utah...

sunflowers that just pop up everywhere

farmer's markets

juicy blackberries
(at the farmer's market)

thunderstorms

Photography by Noelle

We snuck a family photo shoot in between all the wedding stuff! Noelle is so sweet, cool, and calm (even when kids are not!) and captures the prettiest pictures! I love the sunlight and green surroundings. I am so happy we preserved these lovely moments... kids grow up too fast!

To all you Utahn's

Does anyone know a doctor they just love? It's always hard to start from scratch! I need to find a pediatrician, obgyn, family doctor, and dentists in Utah county! I would love any suggestions.

Everyday love!

I have that country song in my head... "Can't get enough of this everyday love!" In between all our travels, here are some everyday things that have kept me smiling...

Tempting... but not quite enough.

This

+ this

= THIS! :)

Okay, here is the main event. Drumroll...

Maddie performing the Idaho Counties Song!

There is a story behind it... when we were first married, I debuted this song for Mike on a drive to Idaho (we had to learn it in 4th grade Idaho history). He has often made me sing it on the road since. When we were headed to my parents' house two weeks ago, we had to drive seperately so he could go home to work. As you can imagine, I was a little desperate to entertain two kids while driving for 3 hours, so I belted out the county song for Maddie. She loved it so much I sang it at least 10x in the car. Since then, it has become a favorite request at bedtime and naptime. Imagine my surprise when one day Maddie just started singing along! I decided to test her memory and see how far she could go, and she knew the whole song!!! Most impressive to me is that these are words she has never heard before (aside from Bear Lake and Madison :) and she memorized it! You Tube anyone?

Yee-Haw!

We went to the best birthday party a few weeks ago... a Wild Wild West shin-dig for two cute boys!

Maddie made a darling cow-girl.

There was gold panning, clothes-pin dropping, chair roping, and a delicious BBQ. Erin is the ultimate party planner.

I hog-tied me a buckin' bronco on the way to the saloon. We had lots of fun!

Wedding sneak peak

While I sort through pictures and beg for more from my family, here is a shot of the littlest flower girl. My youngest sister is married off, and while it was a whirlwind 10 days, we made so many memories!

Funny family contests

My family was together last weekend for the endowment of my lil' sister Emily, who is getting hitched on Thursday! It was a beautiful experience. Oddly, the only pictures and video we took of the weekend were the funny things we did to amuse ourselves! O'well, I figure we will have plenty of pretty poses at the wedding...

I was the cherry-pit-spitting winner until Dad came out and blew me out of the water!

The kids love playing outside all hours of the day.

The following videos are embarassing but hilarious! There's nothing better than making a fool of yourself to get you laughing.

It's a BOY!!!

I never thought those words would appear on my blog... although they are not for me. My twiner just found out she is having a BOY!

For any who know our family, you may appreciate that a BOY is a big deal! After 4 daughters and 3 grandaughters, my parents can add some more Y chromosomes to the family pool! Cole will be a little less out-numbered.

Secretly, this is one of the biggest reasons I was excited to move to Utah. It seems serendipitous that we live here to see Dana and Landon become parents. How fun will it be to share motherhood with my sister just down the road? It almost seems to good to be true--in more ways than one.

Welcome to the family, little BOY! We can't wait to meet you. XooOooXxXOOoxoX

(Go here to see his first photo!)

Through a child's eyes...

I love looking at things the way Maddie does. Life is pretty simple and sweet. This was our conversation after the blessing on breakfast:

Her: "Mommy, I was rev-er-rent!!!"
Me: "Good job! That makes Jesus so happy."
Her: "Mommy, where is Jesus at?"
Me: "He's in heaven."
Her: "Oh. Jesus loves me, and Mommy, and Ella, and Daddy... Jesus gives me hugs and I sit on his lap like the little girl." (Maybe she has seen a picture of this?)

I think she spent an hour sitting on this ball, slurping away at her blue popsicle. Ella loves popsicles too, but this wet ball kept her happy instead.

Another conversation, out of the blue...

Her: "Mommy, Grandma took me to the hospital in her red car. And you were there. Ella came out of your tummy."

Me: "Yep, that's when Ella was born."

Her: "Mommy, I came out of your tummy when I was a baby and I ate mommy milk."

Maddie and I played a game where I wrote some letters on the driveway and she sprayed them off when I named them. She took her job very seriously--you can see she even got out her froggy boots.

Maddie thinks Daddy should always take her on the bike trailer when he gets home from work. We tried putting Ella in for the first time and I think she liked it! Maddie doesn't mind sharing--she loves her little sister. This morning she told me, "Ella can't say my name. She can't talk cuz she's a baby. But she will talk soon."

Last night Maddie and Mike were snuggling on the bed while they watched a TV show. Mike said she was humming quietly and then out of nowhere, she said, "Daddy I love you biggety much."

We love our girls!

Whoopee!

Maddie won a whoopee cushion at the Boondocks family fun center (where we had Mike's annual work party). So stinkin' funny!!! :)