August 1st?

Seriously!? What happened to July? It's weird because the past 31 days seem to be both a LONG, distant memory and a flash of lightening at the same time. A lot happened in July. My little brother got married. My big brother moved away. Both events moved me to tears. But, those two major events were just the tip of the iceberg. Once I started thinking about everything we did during July, I was pretty amazed at how much we squeezed into those 31 days. We also blessed Luke and went on a family vacation to Yellowstone. Plus, there were all the other little "summer-time" activities: walks to the park, BBQs, Leatherby's, trips to the splash park, Tracy Aviary, baking yummy treats, play dates, a Bee's game, a bee sting, fireworks, a backyard camp-out, fishing, trips to the mountains, camp fires, the drive-in, and lots and lots of popsicles. We did not suffer from boredom! Here are a few highlighting photos:

During the loading of the Uhaul, my kids managed to take their shoes off and walk along the gravel/dirt driveway which happens to be loaded with those nasty/noxious stickers. Poor Trenters feet were covered! You want to feel bad for him, right? Well, you might not once you find out that he did not learn his lesson! Crazy kid took his shoes off at least four more times after the initial blow. To top things off, Ashlyn then got stung by a bee on her arm. I think my kids will always remember the awful day that Aaron, Monica, Ben, and Maggs moved - their awful will just be a little different than mine. In fact, the next day Ashlyn told me that uncle Aaron moved because they had, "a bee bush at their house."

To distract us from the terrible, awful move, Mindy and Marty graciously invited us to join them for a weekend in Yellowstone. It was a great little vacation and did do a good job at distracting us...for a few days.

While I do have a new found love of beach vacations, I will always have a very special place in my heart for the wonders of Yellowstone. Were else on earth can you see such impressive landscapes and wildlife in one setting? I can't even imagine what it was like for those who first came upon this great land.

Along with plenty of buffalo, we were lucky enough to see not just one, but a total of FIVE bears! One "black" black bear, one "cinnamon" black bear, and a grizzly with two cubs - AMAZING!

Notice the guy on the far left? Here is a word of advice, don't get out of your car when a mama bear is a mere 12 feet away. That was not smart. Not smart at all. Luckily nothing happened, but can you imagine? The only thing we didn't get to see was a moose.

There also seemed to be more wildflowers this year than normal, but maybe I just didn't notice them as much in the past. Needless to say, they were beautiful. Speaking of beautiful, just look at these three wonders -

This was Luke's first official vacation (outside of the womb), and the first of many trips to Yellowstone.

The only bad part of the vacation was the drive home, and it wasn't just all the darn road construction. Like I said, the vacation was a good distraction for a few days and then we had to go home knowing that not all of our family would be there and it just wouldn't be the same.

The 24th weekend started out with bang at the Bee's game. It was a fireworks night and to our utter surprise, Trent did not cry! He did cover his ears the entire time, but this was progress. He actually enjoyed himself!

When I asked the girls to give me a grumpy face, they this is what I got:

Nice try, but I'm not really getting "grumpy" - more of a gangsta vibe.

The next day, on the 24th, since we hadn't seemed to have enough of the Eyre's, we went on a little hike with them around Silver Lake. Our original destination had been Donut Falls. However, a supposed fire forced us further up Big Cottonwood Canyon. We never saw any smoke, but I'm quite sure it was meant to be because we found this:

Who knew? We certainly didn't, but with our new found knowledge, we decided to make it a yearly tradition.

I don't recall ever going to Silver Lake before this and I can't believe it was my first trip. It was so beautiful and I was once again reminded of how blessed I am to live in Utah with the mountains just minutes away. Just a short drive can lead you to beautiful pines, clear waters, fresh air, and more wildlife.

It was a perfect hike/walk for kids. They loved spotting the fish and ducks, and had a great time feeding pretzels to the chipmunks. Lucky for those little critters we didn't see the "do not feed" sign until they had been fed.

And since we weren't following the rules, Ashlyn also got a lecture from a park ranger, I mean forest ranger, on the importance of not picking the wild flowers. It's funny how obvious it can be when a person doesn't have any children of their own. And just to clarify, it was one flower, and no, I didn't see her pick it.

And since Trent can't go anywhere without a car or truck in hand, he found great entertainment in the form of a large boulder.

Remember how we didn't see a moose in Yellowstone? Well, the stars aligned my friend, because we saw this on our way down the canyon:

We ended the day with a BBQ to welcome home my parents from their long drive back from Misery, I mean Missouri.

And that concludes July. Before you know it we will be roasting chestnuts by an open fire. Really, who does that?

Old Habits Die Hard

Brian works with a lady who, went on a vacation, went into a gift shop, and unintentionally found a gift for Ashlyn that she couldn't pass up:

When Ashlyn found it on the counter this morning, she was delighted!

As I opened the gift for her, I explained that it wasn't real dog food but just cookies and candy that looked like dog food. She was a little disappointed.

But still, the prospect of candy before breakfast got the better of her and lead her to try the "non-dog-food" dog food.

First, the dog bone, which she found to be quite tasty.

And then the dog food, which had a lot to live up to.

And how did it compare to the real thing? Well, in Ashlyn's exact words, "It tastes a little teeny tiny bit gross."

So, I tasted one. I thought it was pretty good. Tasted like cinnamon. But just one piece was enough for her.

And the saga continues...

Saying Goodbye

I really am a lucky woman. I was raised by two incredible people, I have siblings and in-laws that I call my best friends, I have a very supportive and loyal husband, and I have three great kids. And I am surrounded by all these great people who bless and enrich my life on a daily and weekly basis. Unfortunately, I had two say goodbye to two of my best friends last night. It was the hardest thing I have had to do in a long, long time.

I have been dreading Aaron and Monica's moving day for months. I knew it would rock my world, and it did. No more stopping by their house on a whim, unannounced. No more yummy monthly cupcakes from Monica. No more weekly Sunday dinners with the whole family. No more play dates with Ben and Maggie. No more long talks with Aaron at his kitchen table.

But I am so proud of them. This move involves a lot of sacrifice and ambition for both of them, and don't think I could have done it. I have long-admired Aaron's love of learning. He is going to make a fine doctor. And I am going to hold Monica to her promise of returning to Utah one day. That will be a very, very happy day for me.

Charmer

When I found out I was pregnant with our third child, I wondered if three children would prove to be a crowd or a charm. Here is my answer: the third time is definitely a charm! Luke is such a sweet, good baby.

My favorite thing about this boy right now is that he is a cuddler. I just love to hold him. He conforms his tiny body next to mine, cuddles right up to me, and is as content as can be.

And even though they say it doesn't happen this early, I swear I have gotten some genuine smiles from him.

(I have to document how much hair he has now before it all falls out.)

One month has already passed since Luke entered this world. I am really trying to cherish this time while he is so small. Too soon he will be sitting up, crawling, walking, running, and getting into all sorts of mischief with his big brother.

And his big sister.

It is crazy how fast time goes by. It seems like just yesterday that it was Ashlyn who was cradled in my arms, and it was Ashlyn's tiny hand that was wrapped around my finger. Now Ashlyn cradles Luke in her arms and Luke wraps his tiny hand around Ashlyn's finger.

The only thing I can to to stop time is to document it as best I can, and to hold him as much as possible.

Water Fun

What is summer without water? Pretty dry. So, we have spent many hours getting soaked by hoses, pools, and other things that spray and squirt.

Brian was in the backyard water the plants one night and the kids just happened to get in the way, so the clothes came off...more came off for some than others.

It was actually a little chilly that night and the kids may have suffered from a little hypothermia, but they didn't seem to mind too much.

We have made several trips to the splash park, which is just a few minutes from our home. I have taken my camera each time, but never got it out until our last trip on Saturday. We went with the Lifferths and I just had to snap a few shots since it would be our last time going with them for awhile. I am sure going to miss seeing these cute faces on a regular basis.

Isn't she beautiful? -

And nothing beats a day in the water, then a nice cold popsicle and some cousins to share them with.

With more hot days ahead, I am sure that these activities will be repeated multiple times, so feel free to join us!