Kendall - Utah, Part 4

I was so happy to have Kendall experience Utah (or "Ooo-tah" in her words) at this age.  She is such a delightful little thing and her smile is infectious.  She warmed up to Grandma & Nana really quickly, then slowly Grandpy and Papa won her over (but they had to work hard!).  

During our first week there, she slipped and fell funny at a splash pad and injured her leg.  She was on/off weigh bearing for 24 hours, and so I took her to the urgent care and then she ended up getting x-rays a few days later, but there weren't any fractures.  The sports medicine doctor told us to give it a few weeks and to let it heal on it's own.  If she was having any more problems when we got back to Arizona that we should see an orthopedic pediatric doctor.  It took so long to heal and she was limping pretty much the entire Utah trip.  She wanted to be carried often and avoided the stairs or strenuous activity.  One night, Andrew was being lazy and had an accident on the laundry room floor right outside the bathroom.  I was helping Andrew, and Kendall came running after us and she slipped right in the pee and landed in it.  What could have been a hilarious situation quickly became a serious situation when I realized that she had reinjured the same leg and we were set back about a week on her healing.  So frustrating.  I would just hate for her to have reoccurring knee injuries for her life, so we are going to see a specialist and see what they recommend.  

During our trip, she always seemed to be playing with Anna & Elsa from Frozen, but to her, they are "Anna" & "Anna" - she calls them both Anna on purpose, and when you ask her to say "Elsa", she says "Anna" and smiles because she knows it's funny.  One night, I put her to bed with "Anna" and she talked and played in her crib for an hour and a half.  I finally pulled her out and it was 10:15p!  I learned my lesson and haven't put her to bed with these dolls since.  

She is my pickiest eater, so that made traveling around a little more difficult, but overall, she did pretty good.  She slept fantastically - she's our only kid who knows how to catch up on missed sleep.  And I love her for it.  

Not bad for a post-water fight picture - she was a trooper!

Love how close she's sitting to her older brother!

Finally took her out of bed after playing in her crib for and hour and a half playing with "Anna"

Curiosity Museum at Thanksgiving Point

Great Grandparents - Utah, Part 3

Our kids are lucky to have so many loving great-grandparents!

Val's parents passed away more than 10 years ago, but we love hearing stories about them and going to their home in Orem every 4th of July for the annual candy drop.  Brandon's aunt Rachel lives there now.

Nancy's parents are Wallace & Bonnie Allred, better know as Papa & Pookie.  They are turning 83 this year and they have been married for more than 60 years.  They have fun tire swings in their backyard that the kids absolutely love, and they always give the kids soda and treats.  

Elaine's parents are Albert & Faye Thompson (78 & nearly 75 years old).  They are very active and spend the winters in St. George and cruising around down south in their motorhome.  Last Christmas, they stayed down in St. George, but they learned their lesson and will spend the holidays in Orem from now on.  

Dave's mom is Louise Parker, and my dad's sister, Julye and her husband live with Grandma to help with her care.  She is battling various health-related issues, but she is so cheery whenever we go to visit or give her a phone call.  On our last visit, the kids tried on all Grandma's jewelry and took rides on her walker and wheelchair around the house.  Grandma is turning 83 next month.  Grandpa Parker passed away five years ago - Rachel had just turned one when he passed away.  

Look at the sweet way that she is looking at him!  So cute!

My mom's parents - Albert & Faye Thompson

Papa & Pookie's swing - a favorite

Brandon's mom's parents, Wallace & Bonnie Allred

My dad's mom - Louise Parker

Cousins - Utah, Part 2

My kids were so happy to be around their cousins!!  And we seriously missed Mason, Brynn, Miles & Ellie who just moved to Omaha in June.  We are going to have to make sure our next trips coincide!  I felt a void because they weren't there - we have always been lucky enough that all our family lives in Utah so we usually get to see everyone when we go.  So for the first time, I experienced what everyone else probably experiences with us living in Arizona.  I tried not to think about it for too long because it made me a little sad that our loved ones feel that way about us when we're not there (at least I think they miss us).  There aren't very many cons about living in Arizona (we are really loving it here!!), but this is one of the cons.

Rachel really looks up to her cousin, Kennedy (1 year older), and they play so well together.  Kennedy isn't quite used to all of Rachel's singing, dancing, etc.  And at their cousin sleepover, Kennedy finally had enough and said to Rachel, "Can we please stop singing now?"  Too funny!  Whenever these two were together, we didn't hear a peep out of them, they played and played and played.

Andrew & Chase played well together too, but Chase is so fast that Andrew has a hard time keeping up with him!  Cole & Kendall are the same ages as well.  Cole has the cutest little man-voice & laugh.

Logan & Andrew hit it off right from the start!  They got matching transformer shirts, talked Rescue Bots and played non-stop.  Rachel liked to boss those two around a little too much, so it was easier for me when it was just the two boys.  Kendall and Hailey played good too, but I think as they get older they will really enjoy each other even more!

We got to meet baby Luke, who was just a month old, and he was as sweet as can be.  If I didn't have three little mess-makers to look after, I would have held him the whole time.  When Luke was born, his parents (Chad & Cindy) were surprised to find out that he didn't have fingers on his left hand.  I have been so proud of the way they have handled everything.  Luke won't know anything different and they don't plan on making any excuses for him.  It will be inspirational to watch him grow up and we are so happy to have another cousin!

Rachel & Kennedy

Kennedy age 7, Rachel age 6 and something about a turtle being 1 :)

Chase & Andrew showing their muscles

At a pond in Pleasant Grove

Cole:  "I didn't do anything!"

Highland splash pad

Sweet baby Luke

Rachel, Logan & Andrew in Papa's cobra

 

 

Here's one I got with Hailey in it (at the aquarium in Draper)

Watching fireworks with their special firework glasses on

Summer Trip to Utah

We spent 3.5 weeks in Utah this summer!!  Brandon came for all but 10 days in the middle.  We were seriously soaking up all the awesome weather, and taking advantage of all the family nearby.

During our last week there, when Rachel was going to bed, she was crying crocodile tears.  When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "If I go to sleep, then when I wake up tomorrow, we will only have 5 days left in Utah!"  That pretty much sums up how my kids felt about the trip - they had the best summer ever!  

Get ready for 75 posts about Utah…

Canyon Glen family home evening

June phone pics

I was totally gearing up myself for June because school would be out and it's super hot, so I had lots of things planned for the kids to do.  I made chore charts, and we had all sorts of "summer fun" outings planned.  We also signed up Rachel for swim team at 5p - practice on M, T, W, F & meets on Thursday.  Gratefully, the pool has open swim at that time, so I could swim with the little kids at the same time rather than wait in the heat.  The kids will have dinner next month, I guess!

All month, the high has been over 100 degrees, but most of the time it has been over 105.  And shockingly, this has been the sickest month of our year!!  What?!  It started with Rachel having a nasty cold with ear infections, then Andrew, then Kendall, then Kendall and Andrew got pink eye, Rachel got sick again and this time it was strep (right before her friend party, but thankfully she had been on the meds for more than 24 hours), then Rachel had the barfies, which thankfully did not get passed around.  I also got a brutal sinus infection that lasted for 2 weeks (I get a horrible night-time cough just like Rachel).  Needless to say, our summer fun outings were far and few between and we barely made it to all the swim team practices and meets that we needed to be at.  We swam a lot, but that's about it.  I also had made big goals for myself in going to the gym this month, but when the kids are sick, I can't take them to the kid care unless all three of them are totally well, which was like - twice.  That is why I have a hard time paying for a gym membership, because I don't want to get disappointed if I can't go because the kids are sick (which the gym may even be the root of the sick problem in the first place).  :)  

OH WELL!  We are so excited for July and our trip to Utah!!  Goodbye June!

p.s.  Rachel really did not like swim team, but she stuck it out!  She was one of the youngest swimmers, and practicing for an hour a day was hard work, but she did it.  She competed in one freestyle race, one backstroke race & one relay.  She got last place in all of her heats, but that meant she got a pink ribbon! :)  There was no urgency to her swimming, but she did enjoy the meets and didn't ever give up.  I am very proud of her.

Andrew waiting "patiently" for his blankies to get dry.  He waited for them for 15 minutes in the laundry room.

Organ Stop Pizza - I can't believe this was the first time we have been here.  It is THE most random old-school Mesa restaurant, but we love it.  There is an lively organ player who plays well-known songs, and the kids loved it.  

More chalkboard art for me - I'm getting recruited to make some chalkboards for baby showers :)

This is the chalkboard in our house that I change seasonally

We were too sick to go to the pool, so we blew up the backyard pool

Our family went to the Diamondbacks game - and this is what I did - I just followed Kendall around and she wanted to climb to the very top of the stadium and then walk around on top.

More climbing.  Go D-backs!

Those play glasses are too cute on her!

Swimming Ribbons!

Father's Day

We have a pretty awesome dad at our house!  And he actually got to celebrate Father's Day this year ... usually it is the weekend of mine and Rachel's double birthday and it's hard to squeeze everything in.  But this year, it came before the birthdays, so he got treated like the King he is. The kids gave him something similar to a coupon book of sorts where he was able to pick items that he wanted the kids to complete.  Rachel came up with the ideas and daddy picked 1. clean out his car  2. watch sports with him  3. put on a party for him  4. snowcone of your choice  5.  draw a picture for him  ... so the kids and I had a busy day.  The funniest part, was the "party" they put on for him.  They got out the birthday decorations box and decorated with all sorts of pinwheels, flamingos, mustaches, signs, etc. and then we had ice cream and then they knew how much dad would want to watch a kid's movie with them for his party.  :)

Brandon is still enjoying his job at Osborn Maledon, and when he isn't working, he is playing with the kids.  When he tuckers them out, then he is in his wood shop in the garage.  He has been working hard on lots of wood projects for the house.  He is building plantations shutters for the inside windows (which is such a long process, but they are looking nice), garage storage that keeps the sawdust off the holiday boxes and other garage storage, a wood banister for a more finished look, and seriously built a shed in one day - he's still working on the finishing touches, but it's looking great.

Andrew took all these pictures of Brandon at a swim meet - it's what dad looks like from his perspective.  :)  

Just a few wood projects Brandon has been working on - garage storage with doors and a wood banister

Happy Father's Day!!

Impromtu Father's Day party :)

Father's Day party contributors

Happy Father's Day (Kendall's face!)