Slow week

Well, it seems like everyone I know is packing in the fun before summer is over. But not us. We've just been taking it easy and avoiding the sunburns. Still plenty of summer left to get some fun in before the snow takes over, right? I guess in Utah that means I have about 2 more weeks. Anyways, this is what happens in our house when we are too lazy to go do anything exciting.

One of these things is not like the others...

Jack likes to play hide-and-go-seek in his toy box lately. He throws out the extra toys until there is enough room for him in there. I guess he thinks I won't notice him. It's funny the way his little mind works.



What do you think of Eve's new hair?
OK, it's actually just the effects of the way my kids like to keep cool.
Summer is hot- but not in front of our swamp cooler. It is pretty powerful and makes for some nice hair for anyone who gets too close. It's set up behind our washing machine so the kids can just sit on the washer and enjoy the breeze. When we can't go swimming, this makes the heat bearable.

This is Eve's "I'm so cold!" face






Still trapped!

Unlike many of my friends who are moving their 18 month olds into big kid beds, I am not quite ready to give my little guy that much freedom. No one would be getting any sleep if I did that now. Either he would be constantly climbing into my bed at night or getting into trouble around the house. As long as he can't escape or doesn't get hurt trying to, he can just stay in a crib until he's 5... or it's time for another baby to take over.
Ya know, either/or.

What is that?!?!

Here are Kole (closer to the camera) and Landon goofing around on the diving boards. Kole has been bugging me for over a week to put up this video. He is so proud of this dive. See if you can figure out what they are imitating... if you figure it out I'm sure you will see they haven't emotionally matured one bit since high school.

Change is Good

Change is good- and hard- but still good.

First and foremost- Kole got a new job!!! He now works at Allstate Insurance. Yes, he sells insurance. OK, so it's not his dream job and it's not even close to what he went to school for but it just sort of fell into his lap. They needed someone who is bilingual and so some of Kole's Spanish speaking friends from his job at Sizzler recommended him and go figure, he got the job. It is good for now... more money, good benefits, weekends off, plus it is in town so we don't have to move. That makes my mom really happy. And hey, anything is better than Sizzler! We even found out we were paying too much with our insurance company so we are going switch which will save us a few hundred dollars a year. That's always good. The only down side, I feel like he is always gone! He doesn't get home from Allstate until close to 6 and he still has to do his landscaping job on the side- at least until Fall rolls around. I feel bad. He works hard so I can stay home with the kids. But that means that he doesn't get to see them very much before bedtime. I guess that is just what having a "real" job is like. He makes so many sacrifices for us. I am so thankful I have such a wonderful hubby.

The second big change: Kole's younger but much bigger brother Keaton left for Army boot camp on Sunday. It doesn't feel like he is gone yet because I am not always over at Kole's parent's house but I'm sure it will really feel like it once we have a Sunday dinner there without him. But hey, I bet Deb & Dave will be saving a bundle on groceries from now on. ;) I am excited for Keaton. It is such a big life decision and there is no way I could ever do something like that. I am way thankful that people like him are so willing to serve and sacrifice so much. I think the Army will be really good for Keaton. There is something about the military that can really make or break people. Sometimes when people get dropped into a really hard situation they meltdown and become victims of circumstance while others seem to develop an amazing attitude and character- They become people with greater direction and purpose as they gain a perspective that helps them to know what is really important in life. I hope to see Keaton grow and learn from everything he will experience. I know he can handle it and it will be something he is good at if he does what he knows he should. We love you Keaton and hope you are having fun- in between the torture at least.

Anyways, on Saturday before Keaton left, we had a family party at the Brigham City pool and spent some last minute time together. It was a perfect day for laying out but a little chilly for swimming. So our totally pale little clan wore our SPF 50 sunscreen and did a little of both. For some reason I can't get tan anymore so since I can only be two colors (red or white) I would rather be white. It is less painful. All the guys had lots of fun playing volleyball and being dorks on the diving boards. Playing on the boards with Kole and Landon reminds me of the good ol' days of high school when we were on the diving team together. Those guys have some pretty unique and funny dives which I had forgotten about over the last 10 years. I even did a little diving myself. Really, you should be impressed. But in the end we all had to admit we are not as young as we used to be. The kids had so much fun. It took Jack about 2 hours until he would get wet past his knees. Wimp. Eve made us go down the slide over and over. I thought she would be scared but she loved it. Most of the time I made Kole take her but I took my turns too. I thought Jack would like the slide but I don't think he was quite ready. Maybe next summer.
Whelp, here are some action pics...

Kole and Eve on the slide- for the umpteenth time that day.

Kole trying not to drown Jack

Oooo, Ahhhh

Fourth of July weekend in Cache Valley is always busy busy. Logan does its fireworks on the 3rd instead of the 4th so that's what we did on Friday night. We had a really good view! We watched them from my mom's work at the Children's House up at Utah State University. It is right next to the football stadium where they set the fireworks off from. We could even hear the music but we were just far enough away that it wasn't too loud or too quiet. The kids really loved the fireworks. Eve had a running commentary going which we would try to stop but couldn't seem to- "Oooo, there's a blue one... there's a red one... I like the purple ones..." And every time there was a lull in between sets she would yell "More fireworks!" But Jack was just mesmerized the whole time. He sat completely still on my mom's lap all the way through just staring. I don't know if I've ever seen him so still when he wasn't asleep.
Unfortunately, not a lot of pictures- it was too dark.

But here is Eve with a sparkler... trying not to light her hair on fire.


On the 4th was the Cache Valley Cruise-In. It's one of the country's largest classic car shows. But we actually didn't go. Been there done that before. Plus, it is very crowded and too hot to sit in the sun while cars I know nothing about drive by and blow exhaust in our faces. We decided to be lazy instead and ended up spending some time with my mom and dad. But Kole's younger bro Sam had his classic Mustang in the show. It is very cool. I think he's been working on that car for as long as we've been married- and it's still not completely done.

On Sunday the 5th Eve gave her very first talk in primary. She did really well. After church we had our usual Fast Sunday dinner at Kole's parent's house (always on the first Sunday of the month). Lots of good company. All of Kole's brothers were there. This will be one of the last times we are all together for a while. Kole's brother Damion is in town. He usually lives in Washington DC but has been around here quite a bit lately. Kole's younger brother Keaton won't be around here much longer. He is joining the army. He leaves for boot camp in Georgia on the 12th. Can you imagine doing boot camp in the middle of summer in Georgia?!! I feel bad for him already.

Anyways, here is a picture of the guys in Kole's family. Many of them are available... you can submit any dating applications, including a current photo, to me and I will pass them along.

From left to right: Kole's dad Dave, Kole's single and available brothers Sam, Keaton and Damion, then Kole, Kole's little bro Grayson, Kole's cousins Landon and Nick (who is also available).

Here are some other pics from that day:

Hopefully you know who all is in this picture.

Here is a picture for Damion to show his friends back in DC of "his two wives and kids he picked up while on vacation in Utah."

Jack and Kennady

Eve and Brooklyn

Jack practicing his pull-ups

Herding Cats at the Temple

Like I've said before, trying to get my kids to pose for pictures together is like herding cats. So of course that was exactly what it was like the other day when we went to have Family Home Evening at the Logan Temple. It didn't really help that about 2 minutes after we got there, Jack biffed it running full speed down the sidewalk and skidded on his chin. Most of the pictures are too far away to tell but it wasn't pretty. But anyways, sadly these are the best of what we got. The first picture up top is really the best picture of Eve and Jack together. They are both looking at the camera and smiling but you can't even see their faces to tell.


This is by the door to the baptism area. We kept having to tell Eve NOT to ring the doorbell.

Always such pretty flowers around the temple. They constantly dig up old and dying flowers and put new ones in so it always looks nice for the wedding pictures.

Daddy-daughter snuggles

Jack taking a little break.

Eve and Jack on their way home.

Pretty as a Princess

Princess Eve with Prince Daddy

Eve is fascinated with getting married lately even though I don't think she really understands what being married means. She is always telling us "I'm going to the temple tomorrow to get married." And over and over again we have to tell her that she will have to wait until she is bigger to get married. "But I am big" she insists and so we have to tell her she has to be as big as mommy and daddy. A look of utter disappointment crosses her face. We try to ease the pain by telling her she has to find her prince before she can get married. Her response: "Jack is my prince. We will get married tomorrow." Then I have to tell her that she can't marry her brother! "Then I'll marry daddy. Daddy is my prince," she says. She is so cute and innocent. Doesn't every little girl think it would be great to marry their daddy? But of course then I tell her that daddy is mine and that she has to find her own prince... someone not in her family. She always seems pretty sad when I tell her she can't marry Jack or daddy. I mean really, we are not "that" kind of family.

















However, last night the kids are playing a little too quietly in their room (which usually means they are up to no good) so I open the door to surprise them and see Jack sitting in his chair wearing the princess crown. Probably not a good sign but it was so cute I had to take a picture. I guess both my kids can be pretty as a princess.