Our New Pet

My friends were leaving the house yesterday when they noticed something strange hanging in the corner of our porch. We have a bat!!!

Baby Allie

I finally found the CD's of some of my early digital pictures (yes they were lost). They were hiding in a box with prints from my nondigital days. I guess I thought it best to keep everything together. Unfortunately all that stuff will have to remain boxed up until we get some rooms finished downstairs.
It has been lots of fun to see so many of the old pictures. It is so sad we didn't have a digital camera when Kayla was a baby. I really wish all those pictures were digital as well.... Anyway, it was quite the trip down memory lane. I just thought I'd share a few of the fun pictures when Allie was just tiny.

What a difference 3 months makes!!! Tyler was born September 22 and Allie was born December 12. It is crazy the size difference between these two.
Our little dolls. Kayla, Allie in an outfit an outfit the dolls now where, and Kayla's baby in an outfit Allie wore in the hospital.

Sisters!

I think I need to get scrapbooking...

Homemade Ice Cream

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears...

Or maybe it's frog and monkey. Thanks to Grandma, Kayla and Allie got to make these cute puppets the other day during a moment of not feeling too ill.

Kayla made this fun frog-Dog.
Allie made this monkey-Ooh Ooh Ahhh Ahhh.

The puppets are Martha Stewart kits. I was impressed with the quality. The monkey's paper bag is really out of fabric. All the pieces were self stick and are from felt. I think the girls will be able to use these for quite a while.

Here they are making friends.

Help! They're eating our noses!!!

I immediately got to watch a puppet show as the girls ducked beneath the counter. These are going to be a lot of fun.

Jessica's Bridal Shower

Saturday July 18th, we had a fun bridal shower in celebration of Jessica's upcoming nuptuals. Terra was nice enough to host the party in her home. Thank you! We didn't have the best turnout, but it was lots of fun getting to visit with those that came.

Valyn was in charge of food, and she made this beautiful fruit bouquet. It looks almost too good to eat.

After much searching, I managed to find towels in Jessica's colors for not only her wedding but also one of her bathrooms.

Kayla and I had a good time. I forgot to take very many pictures, but thanks for the memories.

Pocatello's 24th Parade

The girls and I went to Poky to spend a few days with family last weekend. Pocatello always has it's 24th celebration the weekend before the big event, so we got to participate. Kayla and Allie were so excited to go to the parade. I warned them there probably wouldn't be any candy thrown since two kids got hit last year. Immediately I was assaulted with a barrage of questions demanding to know everything about the incidents. I regretably informed them I didn't know who was hit or the circumstances surrounding the said events. Allie, not really believing me, insisted, "Mom, just tell us the story."

My warning was for naught though because there was tons of candy thrown. The girls ended up with more than at Tooele 4th of July parade. Unfortunately this time I didn't have Morgan and Jordyn to send it home with. Tyler had his own stash, so we brought it home. Why is it that we collect the candy? My kids only like the Tootsie Rolls (only the chocolate ones), smarties, and maybe a few select taffies. The rest Nate and I will usually munch on during a movie once, and then it sits around like clutter in my house-cuz I feel guilty throwing it away while fresh-until it is stale and I can properly dispose of it.

Anyway, that was a little off the point. We went to the parade with my parents, Cory, Angie, Tyler, and Jason. The kids had a blast hanging out together, and I got some of those famous Jason hugs.

Here we are waiting in our nice shady albeit oil smelling spot.

Hands on hearts watching the scouts carrying the flags. Tyler, Allie, Kayla, Jason, Grandma, Papa, Angela, and Cory.
I love parades!

I think Allie waved to every single float/car/truck/person that went by, except BJ, For him she jumped up and down.

She's awestruck by some wonderful, amazing float that I am sure was coming next. Too bad I have no idea what it was.

Kayla took a little more subdued approach to the parade. She enjoyed the floats and definitely grabbed the candy, but once she found the one and only chocolate Tootsie pop she spent the rest of the parade working on figuring out how many licks it takes to find the center.

Sick Kids

This morning Allie woke up with a few small bumps on her foot. I was on the lookout for the dreaded hand, foot, and mouth disease; so I canceled visiting teaching (my partner has a new baby and both sisters have lots of kids). Then I canceled Kayla's playdate just in case. Allie was extra cuddly and feverish.

I finally talked her into soaking in the bathtub. When I washed her 20 minutes later she was covered in spots, from her toes to her tummy and back. The worst spots though are in the palms of her hands. She hates dirty hands and feeling the bumps is really bothering her.

Kayla was spot free when she woke up, but after cleaning the tub and giving her a turn, we found them on her legs and tummy. Kayla had a fever too before she made it out of the tub.

We are now a quarantined household. And I just thought I'd share some of the positive and negative things Kayla has decided come with being sick.

Positive-Mom let's sick kids watch extra tv.
Negative-Mom won't let sick kids play with friends.
Positive-I can't clean my room-I'm sick.
Negative-I don't feel so good.
Positive-I don't have to listen-I'm sick.
Negative-Mom and Dad still think I have to listen.
Positive-Mom and I can get lots of extra reading time in.
Negative-from Mom-My babies don't' feel very well.
Positive-from Mom-My kids are extra cuddly.
Negative-from Mom-MOM, MOMMY, MOOOOOOMMMM-need I say more.

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

Fourth of July BBQ and Fireworks

After swimming it was time to eat and play with fire. We had quite the assortment of food: hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, pork, every kind of salad, beans, chips, and fruit. Camryn and Allie enjoying their dinner.
Kayla, Jordyn, Ethan, Morgan, and Jonas eating on the swing.

The kids bounced around a bit during dinner, here's a group with Travis.

Terra found some girls to eat with.

Hanging out with Grandpa and all the fireworks.

Getting cozy for the show. Terra, Katie, Allie, Melissa, Valyn, Nicholas, and Josh

Our neighbors had fun lighting off 25 of these big fireworks. Tony picked them up in Wyoming a few years ago on a B1G1 sale. Since then they've lived too close to police to dare use them. He pulled them out this year and we enjoyed quite the show. I guess he's got a few left for the 24th since he had to put them away when a cop parked on Village.

We could see the fireworks in Tooele and at the Deseret Peak Complex, but they were pretty small in the sky. It just wasn't the same without the boom. We had plenty of our own

and in our neighborhood to keep us entertained. Dancing in the light of the fireworks.

Sparklers! I hate these. I loved them as a kid, but now I cringe every time they are pulled out. This year Camryn grabbed the end and burned her fingers and Kayla accidentally poked Jordyn in the back of the head and sizzled some hair and skin.

It was a great weekend. We had fun getting to see everybody.

Pool Time

The kids had been anxiously waiting for the chance to swim all weekend. They were so happy to get to dive in after getting back from the mine. Originally we'd planned to go to a local pool, but honestly the adults were tired and we were running out of time.

Travis got in and joined the fun with Kaden.
Grandma and Grandpa even went swimming with the kids.

I can hardly believe it but that splash and head underwater is Makayla.

Bathing beauty.

They definitely look like they are enjoying themselves to me.

On the Side of the Road

For the weekend, Nate and I had Kayla, Allie, Morgan, and Jordyn in the van with us. It was great fun for them. Sadly after leaving the mine, they got a little upset. I had taken all food in the house so it wouldn't melt, and they were STARVING. We pulled over at the McDonalds in Magna to get some food from the other cars and the restaurant. While relaxing on the grass in the shade, Darla thought to get a picture of all the guys and their matching hats. Tony had 6 hats in his truck and gave them to Nate to hand out. Since Nate already has a few-including the one he was wearing, it worked out just perfect.

Komatsu Nate and his gang.

Kennecott Copper Mine

Saturday afternoon Nate took us all up to Kennecott to show us what he does for a living. Unfortunately the trucks that have been working by the road for a month or more moved maybe an hour before we arrived. It was still cool to see the HUGE trucks working down below.

Nate's playground.
Some very old mining equipment.

Terra and Josh.

Inside the visitor's center looking at how the mine has grown.

Nate got a text from Tony when we were just getting to the mine. Since Tony was incredibly bored-for once, Nate invited him to meet us.

The kids really liked looking at all the precious stones through the microscope.

A family photo. Nicholas, Grandma, Grandpa, Camryn, Travis, Josh, Terra, VaLyn, Matt, Jonas, Ethan, Morgan, Katie, Jordyn, Kaden, Chuck, Allie, Kayla, Melissa, and Nate.

Daddies showing things to their girls.

I'm sure Nate gets sick of the drive, but we appreciate him showing us what he does. We especially appreciate him doing what he does so we can do what we do.

Next Stop-Walmart

After the parade, Grandpa decided he needed some good treats, ie. chocolate, as well as milk, fireworks, watermelon. You know, the basics. We all piled out of the cars and well, onto a shopping cart. The kids all wanted to "help" Grandpa with his shopping.