A little boy and his ball . . .

Drew was a little slow at rolling (about 4 month behind),

a little late as a crawler

and then he was our latest walker . . .

He started walking July 22 finally (14 months)!

But now he's a running maniac IF he's behind a ball. 

I hadn't noticed a HUGE difference between boys and girls until recently.  Sure there were some slight differences, but now it's so obvious with the throwing and the balls. 

The throwing EVERYTHING I can't handle, but the part where all I EVER need to entertain this kid is a ball (or a ball with a string on it so we don't loose it).  This week he spent 40 minutes kicking a ball around the waiting room at the dentist office and never became a slight bit bored - it's just so easy (and then it's not).

 
And a bat/stick/fly swatter just makes it all the better!  We LOVE our BOY!





Sans Helpers . . .

Remember decorationg for Christmas as a kid?  Remember how exciting it was to rip through every box and pull every trinket out to just excitedly look at it, discard it and then move on to the next thing?

Remember how sometimes when you came home from school, Mom had finished most of the decorating without you?  Do you ever remember wondering why she started without you?  You could have been such a help. 

As a mother I know it's a strategic plan to do most things sans helpers and I know why . . .

(Warning:  not the BEST pictures)

Drew walked around trying to drink out of the cup for at least a solid 10 minutes.  It's one of those ones with the water and the floating things in the sides of the cup . . . I can see how it was a little deceiving.

Notice Drew has on one of his favorite shoes . . . it just latches through his foot so easy, but it's a little difficult to manage two at a time. 

This was only Halloween stuff . . . but they had all the Halloween cups, bibs, paper plates, costume make-up, hair glitter, trick or treat bags, candy bowl and on and on out for the big puppet show starring the scary skeleton man and the stuffed witch.  Luckily the costume boxes are still in the garage. 

Summer Bucket List 2010 Wrap Up

And how did we do . . . not too shabby. 

1. See Toy Story 3 in the theaters
2. Have a backyard camp out
3. Teach Addison 3 new jobs for the school year
4. Go to an outdoor movie
5. Read Harry Potter 7 with Addison (in preparation for the movie)
6. Go to the Rodeo
7. Teach Olivia 3 new jobs for the school year
8. Organize the garage (WAS 80% until all the swim stuff just got dropped all summer long)
9. Play croquet
10. Go on a walk and get a snow cone
11. Teach Addison to make cookies all by herself
12. Have a water slide/pool party
13. Clean out Mom and Dad's closet (50%)
14. Re-build the back deck stairs (0%)
15. Go to a Bee's baseball game
16. Go 4-wheeling (only around the neighborhood though, but we did it alot, so we'll count it)
17. Make a 1-year blog book (10%)
18. Go swimming at Scera Pool
19. Finish the girls' room (98%)
20. Go to Logan
21. Fishing with Dad
22. Treats to new neighbors
23. Go to 7-Peaks
24. Go boating with Banna and Branda
25. Go to Coldstone to see Jeff
26. Sew a quilt top
27. Paint the dollhouse sitting in the garage
28. Go to the zoo

Notice that mostly only the FUN got done, but seriously if I just had about 2 more weeks of summer I could have finished a couple more "work" items (some of them are even done now that I'm finally getting around to posting this).

We pulled up behind this car . . .

and Ansen said, "Me and this guy would definitely not be friends."

Cougars, Boston AND Idaho . . . kidding.

The 4th . . . late!

Catch up . . .

On the 3rd of July we decided to go "big" and go over to the neighbor's house that has the perfect view of Thanksgiving Point.  Luckily we got there 10 minutes early because the fireworks started 3 minutes early and then ended in 3 minutes.  It was the saddest, little firework show I think I've ever seen.  So we packed up and went home . . . wow, what fun (heavy, heavy sarcasm)!

Then nothing big for the actual 4th, but on the 5th (Utah style) we went to the Provo parade - like always.  Ansen "sacrificed" this year and went early to save a place.  We always have Einstein bagels, cream cheese and OJ, this year courtesy of Lisa and Banna. 

I'm trying to remember since it's been so long, but I'm pretty sure the parade did not disappoint this year and hey, I managed NO sunburn this year. 

And here's the proof that I was actually there.  See me behind that cute, crying baby, packing up the stroller in the background there . . . So, yes I was there. 

Then BBQ and a professional game of croquet.  Apparently I've just made up my own rules to croquet my whole life.  We used to play at my Grandma's all the time. 

I've always known I was married the Farmington, ME croquet champion (we still have the croquet set he won), but I did not realize the extent to which this should have impressed me. 

So, we played croquet with the right rules and it turned out to be a little long.  Ansen won of course . . . he's a champion, afterall. 

And this year, rather than going with my usual efforts to ruin holidays (family joke) I made a great contribution of fruit pizza.  And John Watkins: Gelato Maker made us some great gelato!

Matt was really impressed with my fruit pizza and rightfully he should have been!  There it is in all its beauty on that small, pretty tablecloth, I mean plastic bag.

Bear Lake

Our one and only "vacation" this year - a weekend at Bear Lake at the Robbin's cabin.  We had an absolute blast doing nothing!  I came home convinced we should do whatever it takes to get a cabin in Bear Lake . . . one day, right?

Even though Drew barely tolerates grass under his feet, he loved the sand and went right to "work."

And my favorite was when he kept trying to drink the water.  I didn't get any pics, but he did finally make a really great face plant right into the sand. 

The Robbins were our favorite backdoor neighbors until they moved 2 months ago.  The kids were all thrilled to be re-united and kept themselves completely entertained.  This was the best picture we could do with all of them.

Remember when you were a kid?!  There really is NOTHING like a beach.  Unless you're a red head and you get burned like no ones business, then it looses a little bit of its luster.  I managed just fine, but Olivia, poor Olivia, got FRIED.  I know, seriously, where was her mom with some sunscreen?!

And it was perfect timing for Raspberry Days!  I know that it makes little Bear Lake a little crazy and really busy, but it reminds Ansen and I have the college days when we used to come.   So, we couldn't go without shakes and Rasbberry Days fireworks . . . no matter how long the lines were at EVERY place. 

I'm sure our new neighbors are nice.  Actually I know the new neighbors nice, but the Robbins are so, so missed!  They'll never be replaced in our book!  Thanks for the fun!

Fabulous Firsts

Olivia's first time with gum in her hair! 

When Addison was a little younger than Liv is now, I outlawed gum until she was 12 since I kept finding in the carpet, stuck to her clothes, and in her bed, but never her hair.  I've gotten a little lax about the 12 years old rule and I did prefer Olivia chewing gum rather than Ansen's good earphones (and literally whatever else is just sitting around). 

Even though this could have been way worse, I think we're going back to the 12 years old rule. 

Drew's first (and unfortunately not last) time playing in the toilet!

I was unloading the groceries and talking on the phone.  Then I heard Ollie asking Drew how he got so wet. 

He wasn't just wet, he was drenched from head to toe. 

I realized pretty quick that it HAD to be toilet water and I was just hoping against all odds the toilet had been flushed.  I don't know what the deal is, but it's really, really hard to remember to flush the toilet (when you're a girl who is less than 8 years old) around here.

It wasn't flushed and he was soaked but really thrilled with himself.  Of course he did this little ditty the day I was taking dinner to 2 families, I was already running behind schedule and had definitely not planned on a bath at 4:30 in the afternoon.

I had hoped the this would really hit home for the girls about the importance of flushing the toilet, then this might have been all worth it in the end.  But sadly it didn't and sadly Drew thinks this is the best new thing in the world to play with . . . just a toilet and its brush. 

Kids' Projects

My girls (like every other child alive) love their art materpieces, their doodles, their primary colorings, their school projects, their preschool art,  . . . the piece of scratch paper they wrote their name on, the page they ripped out of the coloring book and it's only half colored, the treat bag with princesses on it they got from a birthday party, the paper umbrella they got in a sandwhich on our last vacation . . . you know - all those little "special" things. 

I try to remember that to them, these pieces of paper are like my wallet, my good make-up brushes, and my cell phone are to me.  Important, precious, and valuable.  However, even with that being said we still cannot keep it all.   

I have a system though, that helps us cope with the loss of such dear items and my girls get to make the decisions on what stays (for now) and what goes. 

Each girl has their own magnet board in their room.  If it's important then they can hang it up on the magnet board.  If it doesn't make the cut for the magnet board, then we all take one last admiring look and it's gone.  If it somehow doesn't make it all the way to their magnet board, then I take one last admiring look and it's gone. 

As the magnet boards get full, then it's one thing up and one old thing down.  Some projects have lasted over a year because they're still very, very cherished.  Others only last a week.  When they come down, we take a picture of the project, take one last long look and it's gone. 

Each girl has their own project picture book.  So I print the picture, we slip it in their book and then are able to preserve the memory of our beloved projects forever. 

I think Addison gets the sytem and realizes we just can't keep everything.  Olivia still needs a little coaxing, but it's only a matter of time now.  And since the magnet boards are hung at just the perfect height, Drew has been helping my cause along.  He makes his way in, pulls everything off and initates an immediate paper evaluation which ends with a few pictures and a cleaner magnet board.  

It's here - finally here!

First Day of School!

Addison:

Here she is . . . bright and early since we're still on the painfully early, early bird schedule!  It's still killing us, but I do LOVE the extra time in the afternoon with her.  And let's face it, our mornings would just go to waste if we didn't have school to get us going.   Plus we still have Drew which ruins all chances of sleeping in anyway.

This year her teacher is Miss Chappell.  She's still excited about school, but she did run into her first homework struggle that took us 25 minutes to get through, but we did it!

She's a pro at lunch now and even managed to meet up with Kate at recess and lunch (actually a huge accomplishment - the playground must feel like Disneyland to them). 

The special lunch note, after school cookies and chat and this year's craze . . . silly bands. They remind me of friendship bracelets from the late 80's. 

Olivia:

 She's been looking forward to her new pre-school since we signed her up in April.  She was dying to play in the built-in playhouse all summer. 

Her teacher is Miss Shannon and she has 5 other little friends from the neighborhood in class with her.  For now, Drew is napping EXACTLY when Olivia leaves and it's working out just PERFECT for me!

Of course I love my time to work, do my mom stuff or clean, but I sure do miss my girls!

IT'S OVER! It's all over!

Well, we really did our best to have fun this summer and we just stuck around here to do it. 

Shots .  .  .  Olivia (with a little encouragement and support from Addison) chose to knock out her kindergarten shots this year.  She did great with a little incentive of an ice-cream cone and now she won't have to worry about it next year for kindergarten! . . . Just the Flu shot I haven't mentioned yet. 

Boondocks . . . Ansen's company summer party is always a family party and this year we went to Boondocks for the day.  It was the perfect, not-too-hot day and we had a great time.  Addison was such a girl driving the cars.  While all the little boys were concentrating on passing each other and going fast, Addie was concentrating on one-handed driving so she could get a little wave in every time she passed us.  Liv loved the bumper boats and the chance to soak Addison and Dad, however was mad about the retaliation.

Thanksgiving Point . . . We absolutely LOVE Mondays nights at Thanksgiving point.  One of our favorites is the giant slip and slide.  This year we met Brenda, her boys and Kim there for water fun and a picnic.

This was Harry Potter night (another favorite!) with Banna . . . and Popsicles. 

Snow cones . . . Since it is started to cool off and the evenings weren't so bad anymore we started walking (or sauntering) over to the snow cone shack for an evening treat.  We decided to finish the summer off strong by going a couple of times.

Another Outdoor Movie: Girls Night . . . They were playing Princess & the Frog, so it seemed like the perfect girls night out, that went late, late into the night.  It was the perfect weather and so pretty to be laying there under the stars. 

Backyard Campout and a movie.  It's so simple yet it's SOOO exciting!  It was our Summer Scripture Reading reward.  Liv didn't even make it 15 minutes into the movie, but talked about it the whole next day like she'd seen the whole thing.  We kept the popcorn in the bowl for the most part and the drinks stayed under control . . . Ahh success!

The Zoo again . . . with my 2 cousins, Lyndsey and Justin.  Lyndsey and I are 2 days apart and Justin is 3 months younger than us.  He was in Utah for the summer doing an internship, so we took the kiddos to the zoo together.  The cute bunch with Lyndsey's 5 (less Annie), my 3 (less Drew) and Justin's 1 - Crazy.  

Banna and Branda took the kids to Bridal Veil Falls for some fun and a picnic.  The girls had some great fun playing in the water. 

And always a summer favorite . . . a Bee's Game with Fireworks!  We took a couple of families from the ward and had some fun with lots of kids, lots of treats, tons of sugar and lots of crazy!

Some of the kids -

We got to go down to the field for the fireworks -

Olivia kept herself busy getting a few pics.  She did a big, whole hearted giggle every time she got a picture of one . . . whatever keeps her happy. 

And then they ran the bases -

So long Summer . . . until next year!

And as a side note, tomorrow afternoon it's going to feel so worth it to have stayed up until 2:00 doing this post (and working) especially since we all have to be out the door by 8:15 and it's shower day!