Summer 2011

I finally downloaded all the pictures from this summer. Sad to say, I didn't take very many. I am at this point in life where I am always chasing after a toddler or just too exhausted to move much.


To kick off the warm weather and before we planted a bigger garden in our normal gardening spot, I let Mack make mud pits frequently and play in them to his heart's desire. Isn't that something every kids dreams of doing, but rarely gets the chance to??? Well, Lydia joined in. I believe I had just changed her diaper and hadn't had the chance to wrestled with her to get dressed, again, because I was tossing her other clothes in the wash, picking out clean ones, and washing my hands. And then I noticed she had gone outside...

Here's a closer look at the damages.

At the same moment, around the corner, was Addie playing nicely. Such different personalities!
However, a few weeks later as we were digging up a bigger garden plot and letting the girls dry off a bit from playing in the kiddie pool, I found them doing this...




Lydia has a small sprinkler pipe in her hand that was full of fresh mud. I think she was trying to convince Addie to live a little.

Here are the kids a bit more cleaned up... with the snacks we had currently been eating on their little faces...

My mom made the girls' little rompers and I couldn't make them wear those outfits enough! I love them!

Mack's "Batman" face... as always for pictures. I am nervous to get his school photos back.
Mack and Chad went on a really cool adventure this summer. My brother, RyLee and his amazing wife, Sara (she is one of my favorite people in the whole world, btw) moved to Ogden. RyLee asked if we could meet him up there so he could take Mack to the train station. Well, our train adventure turned into a full adventure. Chad got off work early and he and Mack walked to the bus stop about 1/4 mile away and caught a bus to UVU. From there, it headed up to Sandy, where they hopped onto TRAX up to downtown Salt Lake. From there, they took the Front Runner up to the Ogden train station. So, they took public transportation the whole way up there. Mack was in HEAVEN! The girls and I met them up in Ogden and couldn't have timed it better. We pulled into the parking stall as the boys were walking out of the train station.


Walking along the trail to the first stop.

At the first bus stop.
At UVU.

On the Front Runner.
Once at the Ogden train station, we had a great time with RyLee, Sara, and KayLee. One funny thing that happened... RyLee was on top of a big, black, Polar Express type engine and pretended to fall off. He actually just laid down, but Mack couldn't see him. Then, while Mack ran around to the other side of the engine, RyLee climbed down the ladder and laid in the gravel. Mack was really concerned and trying to be so helpful. It was really cute to see him trying to handle the situation. He very shortly realized what RyLee really had done and laughed quite hard about it. What a good sport.

The girls have a love for dolls and when I showed them their clothes can be changed, both Addie and Lydia were so excited. They love when their dolls match their jammies... Speaking of jammies, they also love their Elmo jammies!


We celebrated Mack's 5th birthday in June. I am not a good cake decorator, but my friend, Angela, is a professional, so she cut some fondant for his cake. Mack chose the color of frosting...


On his birthday, we went to 7 Peaks (we went there often during the summer) for the day. When Chad was done with work, Mack chose to go to Jasmine (formerly known as Thai Chili Garden) and then we went to Trafalga and played mini-golf in the black lights. After we came home and did the present/cake thing, we had a slumber party in the living room and watched a movie. So, the next morning, the kids took the new kiddie pool and "rowed the boat" on my bed.

Other activities, besides going to 7 Peaks... We went to Lowe's Xtreme Airsports a couple of times. It is a huge warehouse with trampolines and foam pits! The kids all loved jumping into the foam. We also went to the Zoo and up to Salt Lake to visit Shaurie. The kids and I stayed pretty busy with different activities and Chad was busy cutting down the trees in the back yard... and playing with a new toy... He only paid $200 for it and I can honestly say, it's the best $200 spent. Such an amazing deal!



We got a lot of rain this summer (perfect for a pregnant lady!) and this is what happens to our yard when the rain falls!
This neighbor bravely came around the corner and got in the water to see how deep it was. Can you believe how much water collects there?!? She is about my height... she's not short.
This is sweet KayLee at the Zoo...

and sweet Jax.
Every black person, baby or not, Lydia exclaims, "Jack!" when she sees them. He is my sister, Shaurie's baby.

Since the trees are gone, we purchased a used swing set for the kids. It has been a life saver for me this year! Mack has learned to pump in the swing and hand upside-down on any bar. Lydia hangs from any bar and even brought the skill inside to the counter tops, table, and chairs. She also climbs the ladder to the slide and goes down it in various ways... head first, laying down, crawling, she tried walking and failed... Addie likes to swing on her tummy like a superhero. They are funny to watch.

We had some close friends visit for a couple of days at the end of July. It's kind of hard to explain the relationship, but fun. Chellie and I used to be step-cousins... my mom was married to her step-mom's brother... if that makes any sense. Anyway, Chellie and I have kept in touch through the years. She and her family live in Logan, so we went and stayed with them last summer and they came down this summer. I LOVE their family! Chellie's little girl Maddie is one of the greatest kids. She is so polite, kind, cute, and funny. Her little boy, Max, is the same. He is so polite, sweet, and happy. I love spending time with them. They also have a baby named Connor and I couldn't get enough of him. Chellie is such an amazing mom. What a great example to me.

This is Mack and Maddie playing "Batman Special," as Mack calls it. Basically it's Batman and any other character that his friend wants to be. He plays it almost everyday at school. In this case, Maddie is a cowgirl.


Speaking of good friends, our friends, the Kruegars, lived back in Utah for a few months. I can't believe we didn't get any pictures. Mack and Leyna have played together since they were 1. It was so great being around them, again, especially Trine... and Larry. :)

We spent a good amount of August in Washington. Chad's grandma (Addie "Bernice" Weber) passed away in AZ, and Chad was able to spend time with her the day before she died. Her funeral was in Washington while we were there. I was able to spend time with my dad and Mary, the whole Weber family and many friends, my Chlarson Grandparents, the Hesselroth's and a few other close friends. It was so refreshing to get away. My amazing neice, Lindsay, came with me to help with the kids. She is only 13 and as responsible with my kids as an adult! And she has such a fun personality! Chad met up with us twice while we were up there. What a trip!

Shortly after we got home, Mack started kindergarten. I can't explain how great school has been for him. As his pediatrician said, Mack has been waiting his whole life to start school, he just didn't know it. He'll take off, now. Dr. Cornish was spot on. His teachers love him and have shared a couple of cute stories about him.

The backpack... Are you surprised?

His first project. He had to dress this cutout like himself. So Batman shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots it is... wait, cowboy boots? Yep. They are his favorite shoes.
And last, but most definitely not least, MIA. Yes, things are still going strong between them. They aren't in the same class, but he has to wait for her to come out of the classroom everyday after school. He won't let us leave until he has talked to her and makes sure her mom is there to pick her up. At least he knows how to take care of his woman! He's gotten defensive a couple of times when other boys have tried talking to her, though... we'll be working on that one.


It's getting late, I'll have to do another post about Addie and Lydia next week... sigh...