Happy Birthday Doug

Happy Birthday Doug! I am a lucky woman to have a married a guy like you!

Discovery Green Park

The Beach

One last hurrah before school starts...

Porter is trying his hand at surfing

Check out the bucket on Preston's head

The game Preston invented.

Building tributaries

Preston thought he could pull daddy

the little mermaid

Preston was cautious at first, but by the end he was lying on his back giggling each time the water washed up onto him

check out those muscles!

Flickins

Preston's name for sprinklers...

He loves them!
He loves to play in them...
He loves to adjust them...

Doug was busy while we were in Utah, not only did he paint the master bathroom, he also installed a sprinkler system in our front yard... he's amazing!

Hungin...

Preston says I'm hungry by saying simply... "Hungin."

It's the first thing I hear when he gets up in the morning,

and the last things I hear when I put him down at night.

He's even woken up a few times in the night screaming "hungin, hungin." He hasn't settled down until I've given in, taken him downstairs, and given him a bowl of cereal. The first time it happened, I laid down on the couch and rested while he ate. The second time, upon receiving his cereal, he told me to "go upstairs." When he realized I wasn't going to leave him alone, he told me to "stand up." Meaning, sit down, I assumed he meant on the couch, and readily followed his command.

I guess he's a growing boy!

Fun in the Boat

Preston saw me some pictures of Uncle Adam, and started talking about fun in duh boat...

We went to the ocean and Preston was looking for his boat ride...

That boat made an impression on him...

He's also looking for an opportunity to go on another plane ride...

Preston's 2 year stats

28.8 lbs ...50th percentile

33 inches... 5oth percentile

Sophia's Five Year old stats

39 inches tall ~~almost 10th percentile

36 lbs~~ 25th percentile

the writing on the wall

I wonder if Porter thought we'd never guess who drew on the book shelf?

I guess Sophia just thought we needed a window on the wall... this picture is about 2 inches, by 1 inches, right by the garage door... I just laughed when I saw it...

Do you believe in magic?

Sleep Over...

The first cousin sleep over at Granny's House.
My mom has a room, which she calls the grand-daughter's room.
Sophia slept there every night, even though it meant she was upstairs and I was down stairs.
She went to bed like a perfect angel, every night.
It was so sweet to look in on her peaceful rest.

Waterparks

My kids never ceased to amaze me this summer with their bravery...
Porter went down the tall, fast straight slide at the Logan Rec center multiple times...
Sophia and Porter both went off the high dive (there was no parental pressure at all)...
Sophia went down the curly slide by herself again and again...
Preston cried the whole walk up to the slide, then begged for the rest of the day... "again... again.."

Picking Raspberries

One of my kids favorite things to do at Granny and Gramps' house!

24th of July

I love being in Utah for the 24th of July. It's nice to be able to remember the pioneers and their sacrifices and to celebrate their achievements by participating in the local festivities.

I ran a 5K in the morning, then watched the parade with my kids, my mom, and my sil and niece. We had a family BBQ and watched the fireworks.

Another day on the Lake

Uncle Steve was our go to uncle for the tube this trip. He took both his daughter Savannah, and my Sophia on several rides, each one ending in a huge crash. Savannah, age 3, set the example of no fear by wanting to go again after her big crash. Sophia followed her example, by coming up from the back flip she and Steve took over the back of the tube with a smile.

This is Sophia's tubing position, it cracks me up, lifeless... but she claims to be loving it!

Gramps and Sophia

Steve and Savannah

checking out the beautiful reservoir

cousins



Preston enjoyed this boat ride even more than the first. He wasn't nearly so clingy, in fact he complained when I held onto his life jacket. He sat in the bow, holding onto the side, the wind whipping through his hair, with a great big smile on his face... a 'this is the life' smile...

that's me... yes I got up on one ski!!!

And yes, I am holding on for dear life.

Adam is the one who keeps these boat trips together. I wish I would have gotten a photo of him skiing. He is amazing. Just imagine a great big rooster tail, over and over again as he cuts across the water, even rough water doesn't slow him down.

My little guy finally crashed while I was skiing. He just snuggled up to Uncle Steve, and was out.

Porter kneeboarded! I don't know how much he loves it. Adam and I both agree that a kneeboard is an instrument of torture. When Porter was done , he let go, but couldn't get the strap off. He was barely keeping his head above the water. Adam dove in to help him out. I think next year I'm going to encourage him to go straight to the skis... so this is a note to self...

again, the shore is just as much, if not more fun than the boat!