Celebrate

This week we had many reasons to celebrate. We spent most of the week at Lake Powell. Friday Eva turned two! Saturday we celebrated Grandma Grimshaw's 85th Birthday. And of course we celebrated Independence Day.

 

JJ and Eva on the drive to Lake Powell, we stopped and got donuts for breakfast, I loved their chocolate faces!

 

This is what we woke up to!

 

Eva didn't like the sand much, she is sitting in a chair playing. She loves to play in the dirt at home, but doesn't like the sand, silly girl!

 

All four of us slept on a king size air mattress, there was a lot of snuggling going on.

 

Spencer helped JJ catch lizards, I wish I had a picture of JJ when they caught the first one, pure delight! We brought two home. They are JJ's first pets. This one's name is Crawly. The smaller one hides a lot, I couldn't get a picture, and it's name has changed a few times, we'll see what sticks.

 

Waiting for fireworks with cousins

The weekend was so busy we really didn't get a chance to celebrate Eva's birthday. Sunday I made cupcakes.

Growing Up

 

This week started out with a cousin's trip to the zoo.

 

Star Wars mania is in full force. This week we made an awesome Space Ship, complete with controls, wind shield, and artillery. 

 

This picture was taken August of 2008, I remembered how big the difference in their size was. Eva might pass up her brother some day.?

 

Eva uses the potty quite often, she's not officially potty trained, but she's on her way. She started telling me this week, "I don't want to wear diapers no more." She will wear the Princess Pull Ups.

 

Spencer and I went on a date Friday night, when we pulled in to Grandma's house the kids were extremely disappointed. JJ was climbing the tree and Eva was walking around with the stroller. They were having so much fun they didn't want to leave. Spencer saved the day by climbing in the tree with JJ!!!

 

My little Fish!!! Eva LOVES swimming!

 

Eva will turn 2 this coming Friday. Thanks to Jason and Kris for the fun gifts! She wont set the baby down.

Snuggling. JJ told me I needed to take a picture. :)

Making a Splash

Everyday last week JJ had swim lessons. He loved, loved, loved it! On Friday I told him it was his last day, he cried. :( I am going to sign him up for another week. Friday after swim lessons we went to the Draper Pool, so the kids could practice. It was a little cool that day, but we had fun. It was the first chance Eva has had in the pool this summer, she loved it! She is a little fish, she did not want to leave, luckily I came prepared with food, that was the only distraction that could get her out of the pool. We are all looking forward to our next pool day.

May the force be with you! 

Many of you know that we can not watch tv at our house. That doesn't me we are without entertainment, we have to be a little more creative about it. Since JJ has been obsessed with Star Wars, Spencer and I decided to watch all the episodes. We have watched 1-4, it had been a really long time since I've seen the originals, it's been fun to see them again.

 

Many thanks to our neighbors who gave us this slide. The first thing Eva says every morning is, "I wanna slide". It sounds a little like I want to go outside, it took me a few times to realize what she was talking about.

 

We like to ride our bikes to the flight park.

 

JJ has gotten so good at holding his breath under water, I was taking pictures during his lesson, and he actually requested that I take one of him holding his breath.

 

We look forward to our bike rides, we try and do it every weekend. All week JJ looked forward to Saturday because Dad promised to help JJ ride without his training wheels. JJ got his chance when we got home from our family ride. He did really good, but it's going to take some practice. 

 

Happy Father's Day Spencer!!! Your an amazing Dad!!!

 

The adventures of Bat girl and Robin!

Summer?

The weather has been a little wild here in Utah. One days it's 90 degrees, then it's rainy and 60. Today JJ started swim lessons, I was a little worried about the temp, but the pool was nice and warm, he had a great time!!!

 

Cooler rides!

 

Sidewalk Chalk! JJ is getting so good at his letters.

  

Thanks to Grandmas and Grandpa who came to lots of T-Ball games!

 

JJ and his cousin playing Santa & his reindeer, the couch was the sleigh, they had so much fun, but wow what a mess!

 

We didn't know Draper had so many trails when we moved here, we've really enjoyed the recreation available in our "back yard"

 

Eva can be a little crazy. She was dragging this dog around crying. Helping her usually escalates the problem, somehow Grandma made it all better.

Summer Time

Looking over the pictures from last week reminds me how much fun we had. After sticking around the house for a few days I had to get out. JJ's always wanting to play Star Wars, Superheros, Police, ect. I can only follow him around and copy what he is doing for 30 min., so what do we do the rest of the day? Good Question. That's why we go to different parks all the time, and sometimes more than one park in a day. JJ enjoys playing outside with the neighbors, but I'm paranoid and have to be out there with him every second. I remember spending every waking hour outside in the summer, maybe I'll be more comfortable letting him go outside as he gets older.?

With June came the warm weather. Spencer and I always talk about how Utah pretty much has two seasons Winter and Summer, as much as I love Spring and Fall we just don't get much of either. It seems like summer came over night, and with that came the summer pjs. JJ was so excited to finally wear the Spider Man jammies that have been in his closet for months. When he put them on it seems as though they posses super powers, he was jumping all over the place.

 

Eva always has to sleep with her two doggies, the pink one and the Dalmatian. Lately she'll carry around her dogs, dolls, and any other animals she can get her hands on.

 

This day a couple characters showed up for a snack. Eva pretty much wore this safety gear for two days. She would get so mad if you tried to take it off. Miss Independent!!!

 

This was my plate, it looked so pretty I took a picture. It tasted good too!

  

Here's Eva putting her dogs and dolls to sleep. She spent a long time covering them and trying to get the blanket just right. I was making dinner at the time, and I was enjoying the fact that she wasn't hovering!

 

SUPER PAJAMAS!!!

 

At the zoo with some neighbor friends.

 

Our stake put on a neighborhood fare, there was lots of food, bounce houses, a train ride, and more. JJ got Darth Vader painted on his cheek, he thought that was super cool! 

Just hanging out before church.

 

This is what I like to call the "I'm not cooperating anymore face."

Remember

Happy Memorial Day! Yesterday my family met at my Dad's grave, it makes me think a lot about my life, and the absence of my Dad. I hate to say it but, I have very few memories from my childhood, very few pictures. That is one of the reasons I chose to take a picture a day. That was I pull out my camera for all occasions, not just special ones. Anyhow, I hope to fill my kids lives with great memories. I think we had a great time this week, see for yourselves...

 

Grandma Julia found these light sabers for .50, for that price she can't resist spoiling her Grand kids, as far as JJ is concerned it cost a million dollars.

 

The kids love running around the skate park

 

That's my little lefty, he'd probably rather just play catch with Dad then actually play a game. I think we're going to do soccer in the fall, and take a break from T-ball, he gets bored.

 

Weeeeeeeeee!!!

 

The kiddos dragging their dogs around on "leashes"

  

JJ has gotten really good at staying in the lines!

 

Grandpa James grave

 

Today we went on a hike with Grandma and Grandpa, Jason and Kris, Lily and Avery. Thanks! We had a great time!!!

Coming to an end...

Things are wrapping up before Summer begins. JJ had his last Tumbling class, and his last preschool class this week. T-ball will be over in a couple weeks. I always do my cleaning while JJ's at preschool, so my house might be a disaster for the next couple months. JJ is not the kind of kid who enjoys playing by himself, so when he's home I don't get a lot done. We'll see how it goes.

Eva throwing a temper tantrum, I thought it was hilarious so I took pictures, eventually she started smiling and forgot that she was mad.

 

JJ really loves to climb trees

 

Wheeler Farm with the cousins, it was a beautiful day!

  

JJ and Miss Nicole after his Preschool Program, he still has one more year of preschool, but it was sad to see this year coming to an end.

 

 Being Silly!

 

JJ loves to wrestle with Spencer. One time he told me I needed to watch them wrestle so I could learn. How do I explain I'm just not a wrestler?

  

Mmmm, Hot Chocolate! That's what you get on a snowy morning. Woke up to snow this morning. Blah! Hopefully that will be coming to an end too!