Summer 5 years ago . . .

I got to spend every day, all day with this sweet face. We usually went to the store with her dressed in her Belle dress, her princess shoes or a tiara. She had an imagination to beat all imaginations and often needed the car window down so she could hold Steady's leash while he ran beside the car. Luckily, Max, Mushu and Raja could fit in the car - unless I shut the door on one of them - it was hard to know. This was the beginning of the daily fashion show of 10+ different outfits per day. We still took naps every day, took leisurely walks around the condos, stayed up late and slept in late, loved The Wiggles, ate oatmeal every morning, watched Nemo every day, had a clean house, and started our very first play group.

Here's what else we got to do . . .

Addison played outside our condo . . . by herself . . . with her toys and her imaginary friends - Mushu (Mulan), Steady (the horse), Max (the dog) and Raja (Aladin).  I was just starting my venture with little girls' hair.  I had more time in those days for intricate designs. 

We went to Lake Powell with little Addison . . . and Ryan, Kendall, Jeff, Banna and Branda.  Kendall had the "bathroom incident", Dad went hiking to no where, Jeff got the "side" of refried beans, Ryan wore his underwear swimsuit, Ansen ordered a "small" pizza for himself, and I bought Ansen a delicious meatball sandwich.

Addison continued her love affair with Rowdy.  Her first sentence was "it's my buddy, Rowdy."

We took Addison camping with Consuela and Spencer to almost literally the middle of no-where :)!  It poured rain right as we got the tent up so Addison and I hung in the tent and read People magazine on the air mattress while we waited for the rain to stop.  It was fun in the end and the dutch oven food was fabulous . . . I still remember that!

This was the Memorial Day of this family favorite picture.  After grave site-ing we usually stopped by this park for a picnic lunch including apples and sweetened condensed milk carmel.  One year we spent some quality time on the swings and one year we figured out the hard way that the the jungle gym had just been painted . . . no, no signs. 

Our cute little niece Diane was born! 

Addison and I made our second of three trips to Oregon for the year!  This was the beginning of the take over of the the next generation of cousins.  Addison and I made 7 trips to Oregon in 2 years and that was some valuable time with my grandparents I will never forget!  I'm so glad we took the opportunity when it was there because heaven knows that would never be possible now!

Grandma Carol came to visit and Chris was still living here going to BYU!  I think this was the summer that Chris babysat for us for almost a whole day and even braved a stinky diaper.  He said he realized he still had hours before we were home so he was going to have to do it.   

Grandma Carol started sending a letter to Addison EVERY week with $1 and stickers.  We'd always stop by the mailbox on our way out of the condos, I'd read her the letter, hand her the letter and the stickers and she'd spend the next little while excitedly putting her stickers all over her letter.  And we still do the same thing now . . . just with 2 letters to 2 girls. 

Ansen was traveling a lot more in those days.  He went to NY this summer and brought me back my fake Kate Spade bag.  I think I spent one whole 4 day trip cleaning the house from top to bottom to surprise him and I don't even think he really noticed.  Those were the days . . . I actually had 4 whole days to clean the baseboards, the window tracks, organize the closets, clean inside every kitchen cupboard, re-bleach the tile grout and sweep and mop the garage (we painted the floor).  Seriously?!

I miss those days!