One down…

Sept. 3-

Eli is truly growing up.

He lost his first tooth.

About a week ago he was trying to open a plastic package with his teeth. He bit it weird and yanked the tooth loose. He continued to wiggle and play with it. Finally, Ryan just pulled it out one morning.

The first two nights he forgot to put it under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy. I told him he better not forget again, becasue the tooth fairy only gives you 5 days. If after 5 days of losing your tooth you don’t put it under your pillow then she doesn’t come.

The third night he put it under his pillow, but the Tooth Fairy forgot to come. Eli was pretty bummed when he woke up and his tooth was still there. I told him it was a holiday (Labor Day), so she probably took the day off. He was cool with that. But then he said, “Mom, I really hope she comes tonite.” I said, “why?” He said, “because I only have 5 days and tomorrow is day 5.” He always takes everything so seriously and literally.

The tooth fairy did come that night, and left a dollar. He was happy.

But my little guy truly is growing up. sniff. sniff.

Sleepover, candy, cousins,mountains, and fun

Aug. 30-

My nieces and nephew  were able to spend the night with us one night while their parents were out of town.

We decided to make it extra fun.

We started out by going to the Sweet’s Factory up in Salt Lake where we were able to take a tour. All the kid’s had to wear little hats while on the tour. Throughout the tour we got to sample some of the candy.

When we were all done I let them all buy their own box of Taffy. It was a neat little tour.

After the tour we came back to the house and the kids watched a movie and played “theater” with their taffy.

When Ryan got home from work we headed up the canyon. It was kind of chilly, but the kids insisted that they wanted to roast hot dogs and marshmallows.

 

They were even able to find a little mouse that they would feed. The mouse would come get food and then run back into the bushes, and then come back and get more. The kids thought that was so funny.

The Farm again

Aug. 27-

Since we have a membership to Thanksgiving Point we tend to go there often. The kids love to feed the animals adn ride the Ponies or go on the Hay ride.

This time we were able to go with Ryan’s cousin, Cheri, and her kids.

Cheri’s kids are so cute, and they are so wild, and fun to be around.

 

Park time with cousins

Aug. 25-

We were able to spend some time up in Kaysville at a park playing, eating lunch, and sweating, sweating, sweating with all the cousins on my side of the family.

It was soo hot that we didn’t stay long and play. We decided to hit the McDonald’s were we could get ice cream and play in a nice air conditioned place.

Of course, right before we leave Hallie did decide she needed to leave her mark…she peed in the play place. Disgusting!! Thanks Hallie for totally humiliating your mother!

 

It is always so fun to be able to play with ALL the cousins.

Tying shoes-conquered!

Aug 18- Eli learned to tie his own shoes.

He asked Ryan to teach him how, and within 30 minutes Eli was a pro. He is such a smart kid, and catches on to some things so easily. I was super proud of him.

Goodbye boot, hello freedom!

The boot came off, a whole 10 days after being put on. (Aug. 18)

I am thankful it was only 10 days because any more and me and Eli may have possibly gone crazy. Foot restrictions in the summer are killer! I am also thankful it was only a boot, and not a real cast. That really may have sent us over the edge. Being a boot it was removable and made some situations a little more bearable, which leads me to be thankful that it did actually heal. I may or may not have taken the boot off a few times to let him do things that he wouldn’t have been able to do with his boot. (Swim lessons, the end of the water fight, swimming at grandma’s pool,etc.) Again, I do not claim to ever win the “Mom of the Year” award.

We are happy to say goodbye to the boot.

Water Fight!!

On Aug. 14, I was watching my nieces, Lexi and Oakley and nephew, Crew all day. We had lots of fun, but the highlight was the big water fight. The kids found some water balloons and asked if I would fill them up. They were just going to throw them at each other, but then I told them they should all gang up on Ryan. Of course, they all thought that was the best idea ever!

We filled a bucket full of balloons and they got their ammo ready. I then went inside and told Ryan to come outside with us for a minute. When he walked out, they ambushed him, or at least attempted. I don’t think one balloon hit him, but it got the party started.

These next few pictures are my favorite..If you notice in the first picture Eli has the hose and is trying to get Ryan…

Notice Ryan, he is pointing behind them, they both turn to see what he is pointing at….

He comes in behind them and steals the hose while they are distracted…

Those suckers!

These two spent most the time just hoarding their balloons.

So Fun!!!

A County Fair champ-Aug. 11

My mom owns a ceramic shop, and she is always encouraging the grandkids to paint things, and to do their best, so that she can enter their work in to the county and state fairs.

This year Eli picked to paint a  little hedgehog, and my mom put it in the fair.

He did awesome on his painting and his hard work paid off.

He won a 1st place blue ribbon, a high blue ribbon, and a big Sweepstakes ribbon. I don’t know exactly what all those mean, but from what I understand his was the best piece entered in his age and category.

He was so excited when we explained that he got three ribbons.

Eli loves to paint, color, draw, or do any type of art project, and he likes to spend a lot of time and add lots of color.

I was so proud of him and his accomplishment. But I especially loved seeing his reserved  look of excitement on his face. (He never really shows much emotion).

Good Job Eli! You have lots of talents, and we are proud of you!

Spontaneous camping trip

On Aug. 6, we decided to take the kids on a little camping trip. The kids love camping, and so we try to go a few times a summer.

We started driving up Provo canyon up around Squaw Peak looking for a little camping spot. We ended up driving for about an hour, but we did find a small little camp spot.

It was a little overcast I was afraid it would rain, so we quickly set up our tent, just in case we needed to take cover quickly.

It had rained the day before so all the wood up the canyon was pretty wet, so it took us a little while to make a fire. Ryan did get it going and we were able to roast hot dogs and mallows.

Hallie loves sugar and sweets, and we learned she has a pretty big mouth to hold all her sweets. She was able to fit 3 large marshmallows in her mouth. It was funny and unbelievable. She cracks me up!

After dinner and marshmallows we climbed in our tent and told “scary” stories and talked. I have to admit that that is one of my favorite parts of camping. The time that our little family lays in our sleeping bags, snuggled up, out in the quiet of the mountains and the dark, talking and telling stories. Those kids come up with the funniest things.

Riding in style

On Aug. 4, 2010  my brother, Shawn and his Wife, Denell celebrated their 10th wedding Anniversary. My brother rented a limo and they went to dinner downtown.

They asked if I would watch their kids for them while they went out. I said sure. But I said I would watch them up at my parents house in Salt Lake because I was already going to be up in Salt Lake, plus I had to pick Ryan up from the airport that night, and my brother was going to dinner downtown so it all just seemed to make sense.

After my brother and his wife had been gone for a couple hours, and about 30 minutes before I had to pick up Ryan, my brother called and said that they were done for the night and so they would be to my parent’s house shortly to pick up his kids.

He then asked me when I had to pick up Ryan. I told him in about 30 minutes. He said, “Do you want to pick him up in our limo?”

We all thought that would be so funny, so we loaded up his family, me, my kids, and my parents and we headed to the airport in the limo.

The kids thought they were high society! Drinking water out of wine glasses and being able to walk around in the car.

Although, our plan didn’t go exactly as we planned (the limo driver went down the drop off lane instead of the pick up lane, so we couldn’t roll up next to Ryan and surprise him. Instead I had to call him and walk to where he was and walk him back to the limo. A little anti climatic) it was still fun and Ryan was surprised.

It was something a little out of the ordinary and fun for everyone!

The foot saga continues-Aug. 4

Remember Eli’s injured foot??

Well, unfortunately things didn’t go as planned..

The week we were in Idaho he was limping on it, but didn’t say it hurt that bad, so we decided to wait until we got home to get it checked.

We got home Friday night and went to a neighborhood party where he was running around and hardly limping at all. I thought we were in the clear.

Saturday and Sunday hardly saw him limp and he said it felt fine. The swelling was basically gone.

Monday no limping and he told me it didn’t hurt. Yay! No Dr. visit. Or at least I thought.

Tuesday as he was helping me by standing on some paper for me he started to complain that his foot hurt again. I thought he was just trying to get out of standing around helping me, because as soon as I let him go he jumped on his bike and rode around on it and his scooter for a good hour without once complaining about his foot. I brushed it off.

Wednesday as we were on our way to Herriman Lake he starts complaining that his foot hurt. I was so confused does it hut, doesn’t it? Is it broken, or isn’t it? Is it healed or isn’t it?  Do I spend the money and take him to the Insta care or save myself the money and the time and wait it out? These are the times as a mom I wish I just had a crystal ball to tell me EXACTLY what to do.

I decided we would go to the Lake and if he complained I would swing by the Insta Care that is near there and have him checked.

He complained!

To the Insta Care we went.

I check us in and they call us back. The floor at the insta care has darker tiles on the floor randomly placed. As we walk back to the room Eli is jumping from dark tile to dark tile. I am thinking to myself. This is a waste of $35. The kid is jumping around, there is no way his foot is broke. And I think the nurse was thinking the same thing. She would look at him and look at me, and give me a look like, “you just wasted your money. The kid is fine”.

We go back to the room, and talk to the Doctor. He asks me, “When did he injure his foot?” I sheepishly reply, “um…ten days ago.” He says, “Ten days??” Um..yeah. I know steller mom, huh?. I didn’t want to waste my $35.

He says, “Well, there is no major swelling and he doesn’t flinch when I touch him, it’s been ten days, and he doesn’t limp when he walks. I don’t think it is broken.” He says this all like I am dumb, and that he is thinking why did you wait so long and why the heck are you here? He then says, “You really want me to x-ray it?”

Uhh.. yeah that is why I am here, genious!

They take him to be x-rayed, and what does he do when they are finished. He JUMPS of the table and lands right on his foot without even flinching. The nurse looks at me again and this time she says, “That would have really hurt if his foot was broken.” Now I knew she thought I was a crazy mom.

The x-rays come back and both the Doctor and the nurse start laughing and shaking their heads in disbelief!! The doctor says, “His foot has a small break on the side.” And the nurse says, “NO WAY!! He jumped off the table!” I wanted to say, “See I am not so stupid, may be a little slow in getting care, but the x-ray was necessary”.

The doctor showed me the x-ray, and sure enough a little break. But he said it should heal quickly because it was so small. He did say that it needed to be put in a boot. He then looked at me like I was the worst mom and very condonscendingly said, “He probably won’t need it very long since you waited 10 DAYS to bring him in!” Yeah well, you were the dumb doctor that wasn’t even go to xray it. You said yourself that the way he was acting he seemed fine!

As they were putting the boot on Eli started crying. I think he was embarrassed, and kind of scared. But within about 30 minutes he thought it was pretty cool and couldn’t wait to show everyone.

We did have to go to a specialist to make sure it didn’t need a true cast and to see how long he would need to wear the boot.

The results from the specialist…no cast and wear the boot for 10 days. Whew! It could have been so much worse.

 

This is just another prime example of why I will never earn the “Mom of the year award!”

Swimmers!

*I know this are really late, but I need it for my records and so I am going to finish up the happenings of our summer. The next few posts will be way old.

My kids are not real brave. Just stating the facts!

They love to go to the pool, but they always have to have their floaties or noodle to float with. They don’t usually jump in the pool and if they do someone has to be right there to catch them. Eli just started putting his face under water last summer.

I finally decided this year that I needed to toughen them up in the water and give myself some piece of mind, and them some confidence in the water, so I put them in swimming lessons.

I heard about this great lady named Pam Young who did private lessons. I looked into it, and decided it would be a good fit for my kids.

I am so glad I did it. I could not believe the difference in their water skills in such a short time. Eli was swimming across the pool and jumping in without any fear or plugging his nose.

Hallie was also jumping in and swimming short distances. Not to mention she looked absolutely adorable in her goggles and swim cap. Loved it!

Every lesson I just sat and grinned, I was so proud of my little swimmers.

Eli now swims like crazy. He can swim longer distances and when he gets tired he knows to flip over to his back and float. I no longer feel like I have to watch him CONSTANTLY or be in the pool right next to him every second he is in the pool.

Hallie still needs some help. But she can swim when she wants to, and she also knows how to flip on her back and float if she needs to.

I am glad I signed them up, and have been impressed with the confidence and skills they have learned.