First Half of July

I was able to get together with some really good friends from high school! When I moved here, we started having regular play-dates that really saved my sanity. Over the last little while, we haven't been as good about getting together, especially since one of our crew moved to Texas. Luckily, she was in the area at the beginning of July, so we all made it work and has so much fun talking with each other.



The stake put on a really cool Book of Mormon themed youth conference this year. The day before they let the youth go through, they had all the primary children in the stake go through. It was awesome!! The kids got to journey through The Book of Mormon in about an hour. So grateful for the time and effort people put into this so that my kids could have a testimony building experience.


Twice within the first part of this month, I have been completely surprised by sweet gifts from others. My sister Jenn sent me a box of sunshine full of yellow things to brighten our day. The kids were almost as thrilled as I was! They were grateful I decided to share the candy. :) Then a little while later, a friend of mine in the ward came by the house (Hi Tiffany! :) and brought my some chocolate, soda and lotion, just because. I felt so spoiled. Truly. I know how difficult it can be sometimes to look outside of yourself and just keeping your head above water as you try and take care of all your responsibilities. So when people put forth an extra effort to reach out to me, despite their busy schedules...I get a little choked up. I'm grateful to be surrounded by good people.


I found giant rocks in our yard, so obviously, it made "painting" hot rocks that much cooler!



Lindy and I went on a date! She felt SO special. We went to the new park down the street. It's been crazy busy every time I've driven past it, so it was nice to go in the evening when it was less busy, with only 1 child to keep track of. I could give her my full attention and actually play with her! Her favorite was the "yip-ine" (zipline) No fear for this little chica. I patted myself on the back a little every time Lindy saw garbage, ran to pick it up, and find a "gah-ya" (garbage) can. Then we went to Iceberg to get fries and a shake. She chose strawberry. :) We had such a fun time together, just my Lindy and me!


Second session of swimming lessons is already over and done! It went by so fast! The kids improved a bunch and they looked forward to it every time. Totally worth the money.


Picnic at a park with friends and ice cream sandwiches. Doesn't get much better, does it?


New Kit of bunnies ready to sell. :) The kids love this stage. Just from this last kit, they've made $60 toward their tree house fund!


And just to keep it real, here's *Bob (names have been changed to protect the innocent) cleaning off the patio after he wrote "Mom is so Mean" over and over again, complete with pictures, because he was upset at the consequences of his choices. It's tough being 8. It's becoming more and more uncharacteristic for *Bob to do things like this, so I guess I felt the need to document it here to show that we're all still a work in progress, right? :)

kid updates

Pictures are (mostly) compliments of the kid's selfies. :)

Miles

*You got to go to your first ever scout day camp. You were so excited, you started packing 2 weeks before. One of the leaders said your backpack was the 2nd heaviest after hers. :) You were in boy heaven all day Friday and Saturday.
*A bit ago, you wrote a letter to your new friend that moved in on our street. I had no idea what you wrote, I just remembered you running down the street to put it in his mailbox. Well, last week his Mom and I were talking at a RS activity I invited her to. She was mentioning to some other ladies that she was looking for ways to improve his attitude. Then she said, "You know that letter Miles wrote him?" I said I remembered the letter, but don't know what it said. Apparently, in it you told him that you liked playing with him, but weren't sure if you wanted to keep playing with him if he kept being so mean to his sisters. This boy can be kind of a pain to his sisters, and his mom was grateful you wrote that because she felt like it had an impact on him. I was both proud and shocked at your forwardness. I hope you can keep your strong convictions throughout life, but maybe we'll work on...tact.
*Your reading capabilities and love of reading are growing ever so slightly. The other day I was about to ask you to come set the table, but I saw you reading "The Friend" on the couch and just couldn't. Every time I catch you reading voluntarily I just want to do a little happy dance!
*I came up with these Summer Bingo charts to incentivize you guys to keep up on math, reading, and character building throughout the summer. You are super motivated by these! External rewards always prove to be very motivating to you. You have already plowed through 2 charts and have been begging me to make a new one.
*We started selling our latest kit of bunnies. I love how capable you are becoming. A lady came to buy one with her little boy. I was really busy with some other stuff going on and I couldn't go out with her immediately. You went out, and handled it better than I could. You were able to tell her all about what type of bunny they are, when they can have babies, if it was a boy or girl, how to take care of them, etc. You caught her the bunny they wanted, exchanged money, got her a box..everything!
*You are on kind of a sulking streak lately. And you are a really fantastic sulker. One of the best I've seen. :) I don't know where it's coming from. I feel like I'm walking a fine line between giving you the love and explanations you need, and telling you to toughen up and get over it. It's happened so much lately, I definitely do more of the latter. Now, most of the time, all it takes is me saying. "Miles, you are sulking right now. I need you to recognize that, take a deep breath, and change your attitude." It seems like once you realize what you're doing, you have the power to stop yourself.


Gwen

*You read a Fancy Nancy book about having a spa day, so one day you set up a spa on our front lawn just for me. You brought out all of your make up and nail polish, a bowl of warm water to soak my feet in, lotion and socks for my feet, and you even cut up a bunch of lavender and spread it over the lawn so it would smell nice. :)
*In the mornings, after I nurse Benson, you usually wander in my room. I can always count on you to watch Benson for me while I go to the bathroom and get breakfast started. You take such good care of him.
*You continue to be my bookworm. Today you came up to me and said, "Remember that book we haven't had a chance to read yet? Well, I read it last night and it was lovely." :) You usually read long after we put you in bed. One night, it was nearly 10, you came out and said, "Mom! I finally finished the first magic tree house book! (a semi hard (for her age) chapter book) We need to go to the library so I can't get the 2nd one! I can't wait!!" I haven't been making you guys read out loud to me as much since it's summer, so whenever you and Miles say you finished another book...I'm thrilled and also hoping you were actually able to read all the words.
*You love hunting for eggs in the morning. It's hard for you to even wait long enough to finish your breakfast before you rush out to search for any newly laid eggs. You get such a kick out of it if they are still warm.
*Sometimes you have a hard time going to bed. So a bit ago, you found songs in "The Friend" and taped them on your wall next to your bed. You said, "Mom! I try and sing these songs whenever I can't go to sleep, and it helps! I'm just like Great Grandma Hinckley!" (I told her a story about my grandma, about her finding comfort in the hymns during a hard time in her life. I was happy she made the connection)

Lindy

*My favorite Lindy-ism these days is "Heaven's Sakes!!" You say it when you're really frustrated, but even you can't say it without a smile.
*My not so favorite Lindy-ism these days is "Oh my *g word" You heard it on a kid's show and picked it right up. We've talked to you about it, and so now you say, "I'm not supposed to say 'oh my *g word', woopsie daisy, I said, *g word again. Sorry!"
*Some other things you say a lot lately are "I want friends to come over to my house. Lots and lots of friends." "I love you Mom. I love my whooooole family." And when you pray, you always pray that we won't get any sickness.
*Your speech is starting to concern me a little. It's still a struggle to understand you sometimes, and you've started stuttering. Not all the time, but when you do, it's major.
*I took you out for a date the other night. I think it was our first. I really need to do that more often with you. You are a different child when it's just you and Mom and Dad. You are a sweet girl most of the time, but when it's just you and Mom, you are an angel! I'm sure it's hard sharing Mom and Dad with 3 other siblings.
*You are turning into a major negotiator. If we say, "No more candy" or whatever, you'll say, "umm just 1 more? Like 1 and 2 and 18?" Or if we ask you to take 3 more sips of smoothie, you say, "How about 1 more?" Today at the library you were jumping on their couch thing, and I said, "Lindy, no more jumping!" You asked why, so I explained why, and you said, "But I like jumping!" I said no again, and you said, "Just ooooone more, ok?" I let you jump once more, but that was it. 5 minutes later I caught you falling on it. I said, LINDY! (in a whisper yell voice, cause we were at the library) and you said, "I not jump! I fall!"


Benson

*You love a good foot massage
*Your favorite trick these days is to let me put you down for a nap, and then poop. It always ruins your nap.
*You love making funny noises with your tongue, and you love it when other people do it too. You are really good at copying other people's noises!
*I have learned that you get constipated easily when you eat bananas, and when you're teething. You have 4 teeth- you have for a while. I keep waiting for more to pop through, a bunch seem really close.
*You can get really picky about the way food is presented to you. For instance, this morning, you wouldn't drink your smoothie from the cup with the straw. You preferred me to get some smoothie in the straw, and then drop it into your mouth. You don't like it when I cut bits of strawberry onto your tray for you to grab, you prefer it if I hold a whole strawberry and let you nibble at it.
*You continue to be such a relaxed baby. I'm not saying you're perfect and never cry...but I think you may be my most easy going baby thus far. As long as I keep an eye on you for safety's sake, I can put you on the floor with some toys and you can entertain yourself forever!
*We dropped another nursing, do you are down to 3 times a day. You handled the transition like a champ. Weaning is always both sad for me (because my baby is growing up) and such a relief (because nursing is a big job).
*The songs I sing most frequently to you are "Edelweiss" and "Let me Call you Sweetheart" You both love and hate it when I start singing them to you, because you know it usually means bedtime.
*You are a champion crawler these days, and can pull yourself up on anything!
*I haven't had you in for an official check up recently, but you feel SO big!! Everytime I hold you to nurse you, I just think, "He's too big for this!" If I ever have to hold you for extended periods of time, I have to keep switching arms back and forth cause you get so heavy!
*You are starting to wave! When I say "Night, night!" you wave back. :)
*You love it when I turn the blender on! I think the rest of the kids hated it, but every time I turn it on you get this big smile on your face.

4th of July

I love the 4th of July. I've decided it's because it's the most low stress, major holiday of the year. Not a lot of food prep, no presents to buy, no costumes to make. It's just 1 day of fun! This year, our neighborhood had our annual bike parade on the 1st. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's one of my favorite outings of the entire year. We introduced our new neighbors to the tradition, ate yummy breakfast and chatted with everyone in the neighborhood.




On the 3rd, Richie had work off, so in honor of the 4th, we took the kids to the curiosity museum. It's so much easier when Richie comes with me! I mostly hung out with Benson. He thought all the baby play areas were so great, especially now that he can crawl around them a bit. Gwen brought some of her money, specifically to use on one of those machines that stretches your penny and punches a new design in it. They want to do this machine every time we come and I always say no. She was thrilled she finally got to do it. Unfortunately, as we were leaving that section of the museum, she realized she had lost it somewhere. I was waiting for a big weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. But I was pleasantly surprised when she said, "Oh well! At least I got to do it at all!" It was all fun and games until we had to leave, and we had the audacity to not buy them any toys from the gift shop, or do the picture booth on the way out. How dare we take them on a fun outing and then come home, right? :) On the 3rd our neighbors also had their annual fireworks show and we were the grateful beneficiaries. We were nervous that because 1 set of neighbors that participates has moved away, they wouldn't be continuing. We told the kids that they had to go get in bed and then if we saw the neighbors getting ready to light fireworks, we would call them out. Miles and Gwen were like race horses at the starting gates in their rooms waiting for us to tell them we could go down and watch the show. People there gave the kids cookies and glow in the dark necklaces and we sat right underneath these HUGE magical fireworks. Lindy didn't like it and preferred to sit with dad on the couch at home and watch from there. Benson slept through it all. Gwen was in her element with friends all around her to play with. Miles was cautiously thrilled, and then completely crushed when it ended. Completely.


On the actual 4th, we had a "real, American breakfast", with eggs from our chickens and bacon from Shane's farm. Richie went to wash some windows, and I took the kids to get the oil changed in the car. But the place was closed. However, right next to the car place was Riverton park and the kids could see all sorts of hoopla happening and asked to go check it out. I told them we would check it out...and that's it. That things like this usually cost lots of money. That no whining would be tolerated. The kids all agreed, and I fell for it. Eventually I told them I would pay for one thing; either a bounce house ticket, or food of some sort. They chose food, and then chose the most expensive food there. So of course Lindy chose to whine about it and not eat any. Obviously. It ended up with me pushing Benson in the stroller with one hand, holding Lindy's un-eaten pizza in the other, and Lindy riding on my shoulders. Tricky stuff right there...


Later that day we let the kids run through sprinklers, ate lots of watermelon and corn on the cob, did water balloon tosses with Grandma, Grandpa and Tanner, roasted marshmallows and made smores, watched "The Sandlot", and then when it was dark enough we did pop-it's and sparklers outside. We had a fairly good view of other fireworks being lit in our neighborhood. I pulled weeds in the front lawn by the light of the street lamp while Miles complained about us not getting up on the roof to watch more fireworks, and we eventually called it a night around 1030. The only thing missing was having a good cry while singing a patriotic song, but I got that on Sunday at church. Ahhh, a complete 4th of July.

2nd half of June

A bowl full of partly eaten apple slices, and a full dustpan after 1 meal....signs of this stage of life.


New kit of baby bunnies! Just when the kids start thinking that taking care of the rabbits is too much, we have a new kit and they fall in love all over again.


We invited a bunch of neighbors over to our cul-de-sac to play kickball and pie face. It was a fun evening.


Kids bowl "free" at the bowling lanes here in Riverton. And free is in quotations because apparently free still means paying nearly 12 dollars for shoe rentals. I felt bad because I got a bunch of people in the neighborhood to come with us because I figured shoe rentals were only a buck or so. It was a really fun outing....till the kids realized there was an arcade there and I said no to playing any of the games.


Checked out another library! This time in South Jordan. It was instantly cooler than ours because they have ipads for the kids to play on.


Gwen made this paper version of her Dad for Father's Day. And this is a poem she wrote to give to her swimming teacher. It says, "Cake, Lake. Go swimming in a Cake. Dip your finger in. What a cake. What a Lake. Mmmmmmmm" I loved it so much, I was a little sad she wanted to give it to her swimming teacher.


Swimming lessons are in full swing! I felt lucky the same girls were teaching at the same pool this year. It's such a good set up, the kids learn so much, and it's a great price. Lindy even gets to get in on the action this year and is LOVING it! Last year, I was miserably pregnant, waiting out the lessons in the heat with Lindy. This year, I'm not pregnant, which is really nice. However, keeping Benson entertained for 2 hours in the heat is proving to be a bit of a challenge.


I don't know how my phone got switched to taking black and white pictures, but I couldn't figure out how to switch it. So here's some "artsy" pictures of the kids taking wagon rides, making watermelon/mint/lime "lemonade", and "painting" hot rocks with crayons. All in all, a fun, at-home day.



We spent a morning at Riverton park, and made a point to check out all of the play structures they have there. (About 3-4 separate park areas in one park!) On our way to one, the kids discovered the skate park. It was mostly younger kids riding around, so I guess Miles and Gwen felt comfortable enough to join in. Although they were very, very cautious. And I was ok with that. :)



Our first dozen!!! Wahoooooo!!!


Benson is officially crawling. Uh-oh! I know I should be grateful that he's waited 9 months to really start moving, but man, it's been bliss to not have to really keep an eye on him. Now it's back to that stage of needing to vacuum and sweep all the time, constantly watching to make sure he doesn't put bad stuff in his mouth, baby gates to block the stairs, constant messes from the things he pulls off shelves etc. Here we go again!



It should also be noted here that the kids and Richie had an awesome weekend with the Garner clan at a cabin up in Eden. I came down with a wicked cold of some sort and haven't felt that miserable in a long time. I stayed home with Benson, since he's still nursing and we survived the weekend. Survived being the key word. I was so happy to have my partner in crime back. He let me sit in the tub and watch Netflix FOREVER. They had an awesome time at the cabin, but because Richie went, and not me...there are no pictures to prove it happened. So you'll just have to believe me. :)