Story Time

Our little nephew was born October 2nd in the late afternoon.  It allowed so all the cousins had time together prior.  Papa is pulling them around the house and they were LOVING it!  Jack at some points was only holding on the tail end being dragged on his belly.  He was giggling to kingdom come.  These kids are so cute.

Now...story time.  We all piled in and went to visit the new little guy.  These kids are very curious.  They checked out the plastic bassinet and Naomi asks.  "Did Owen come from there?"  Nana corrected her and said, "no he came out of your mommy's belly."  Naomi then turns to me quietly and asks if her mommy hurts.  Well, apparently I'm not a very good at coming up with anything good to let it go.  So, I say, "Yeah, she has a little owie."  I didn't know what to say from there.  Naomi turns to her mommy and of course asks, "where's your owie?"  Katie looks at me with the death stare, "Really?  You had to tell her that?"  Naomi does not let this one go.  Katie just tells her, "You don't need to worry about it."  The questions ensue....Nana to the rescue!  Nana then explains, "Mommy's belly was SO big and now it's not, so her belly has an ouchie."  Haha...oh kids.  

Then...if all the silliness does not end there.  Jimmy, Logan, Nana, Papa and I leave to head home.  While out in the parking lot, Logan turns to Jimmy and I, "Can I have a little brother....PWEAAASE?"  It was super cute you wanted to snap shot that moment.  Haha...if only it were that easy.  Logan seemed to think babies were something you just pick up at the hospital.  So, we ended with "I hope someday" and the child somehow seemed content with that.

Wedding in Philly

This trip.  Hmmm...how do I start?  It was the most fun, downright exciting, most wonderful wedding I have ever been to (aside from my own, of course).  I've been anticipating it for months and it surpassed my expectations.  There is a small pinch that being over tired contributed to my love affair with this wedding, but I loved it.  My parents watched our little toot while I got to spend time with the hubby out in Philly for the time of our lives.  

I always worry every time getting together with Tayler. Is she going to get all weird on me?  By weird...I mean...she is always weird.  You know...weird in a bad way, hah!  I have not laughed this hard in a long time.  It was like we never missed a beat.  Sitting around that table being foolish daring each other to eat the flower petals, then getting Tayler to ask a dumb question to Karen to see what reaction we'd get, pose laughing for the photographer, making weird noises (we're quite talented you should know)...it was perfect.  Then the dancing...oh man.  I could not have asked for more.  I'm usually the timid, get me out of here dancer.   But the band was amazing and with this goofy girl rubbing off on me and did I mention lack of sleep...it was the perfect combination.  Even the hubby was out of the dance floor like we didn't have a care in the world. 

Dress bustling time!

End of the night and still looking good!

Jimmy lost his mind and got some sort of shredded chicken in Philly.  Seriously...we're in Philly silly man...the Philly Cheesesteak I had was out of this world.  Can't get that in Portland...or at least not anywhere we've found.

And to end...oh the lack of sleep.  Jimmy and I each got our turn taking pictures of our photogenic selves attempting to sleep on the air plane.  

Yes...I'm the fly catcher.

And there's my stud!

He's 3...can it be!!

This boy is growing up fast!  It's crazy how Logan coming into our lives felt like it happened yesterday.  It feels like every detail is memorized for those first weeks.  People don't kid when they say "it felt like yesterday."  Logan had to have a dinosaur birthday.  It's all he could talk about in the grocery store, family, the neighbor we recently met, missionaries, EVERYONE!!  It has continued even until now and it's been 2 months since we had our little shin dig.  Brownie points for me in nailing the theme, haha!

I didn't get photos because I was helping the kids "pin the head on the fossil".  Naomi was the brave one to start us of.  She wore the mask like a champ.  Multiple adults watched and somehow she got that sticker EXACTLY where it needed to be.  We were super impressed (and missed her sneaky act).  After everyone had their chance it was time...time to prove something was askew.  It was...that girl somehow sneaked a good peak.  Thought that girl had some magic behind her, but she is a cheater like everyone else :)  It was a good time...the missionaries even pitched in!

Mt Hood Camping

We camped at Mt Hood Village Resort and it was AMAZING!  I thought we were crazy for camping in September and was sure the weather was going to be something special.  It was as perfect as September camping can be.  The resort had these great trails to hike in that we didn't get to take full advantage of.  There was an indoor pool we loved and would have loved to go again.  Fishing however was the highlight...fish farm fishing that is.

Initially the kids were thrilled to be catching fish...as you can see.

And then the fish moved...

Logan was too much to handle, he was just hilarious.  I got Naomi's catch all video taped.  So...I'll have to find a way to share it sometime.  In the video...as my parents were trying to get the classic shot of Naomi holding up the fish...the fish got free from the hook and it started flopping around on the ground.  Naomi is starting to jump around is sharing her discontent...but Logan (who is 3 feet away) is YELLING out "OOoooo, it's icky, it's ICKY!!"  Then running away and yelling some more.  Toddlers really make a boring experience just an absolute highlight of a trip.  It was so fun...and really it was an all around delicious experience!

The faces are after me telling them to hold a pose for too long.  Let it be known Naomi was requesting this camera shot of them together.  Trouble is cameras have trouble getting focused shots on wiggly children!

August

I've been cram packing many summer activities this August.  An early anniversary gift to us was going and seeing Wicked together.  This is sitting just before it started.  Super awesome show...grateful my parents watched our little guy in order for us to get away together!

The Children's Museum is always an option we hit up if I have nothing planned with Logan.  He LOVES it.  We just bounce from activity to activity and occasional make a few new friends along the way.  It's great for both of us to get out of the house!

Pretending to be a sick patient in the ambulance.  He had to be sick over and over and I had to pretend to save him over and over.  The other kids were just watching us...haha.

We went with the Keeley's (my sister's family) to Seaside to get another beach trip in on one of my only Saturday's off.  Naturally we had to on the carousel.

Ahh..yes.  I went to the zoo and peach picking with baby Paige and Logan.  I LOVE watching this little girl.  Recently a friend offered me the opportunity to watch her and I look forward to it every week.  It seems to alleviate my baby hunger some...granted only some ;) She's is simply darling and Logan seems to love the time together too...well, up until he finds out there are moments that slow us down.  Which is kind of the point for him to realize he is not always the center of the universe!  If only we could watch her more...

Baby Paige below...you wouldn't know but it's her in the carrier braving the zoo.

Peach picking, granted there are no peaches in this photo (peach trees in the distance).  It is probably my favorite thing to u-pick (Grossen Peach Farm, highly recommend it)...super easy and quick and the fruit is not like anything you get in the grocery store.  This pond was super blue...Logan of course had to start chucking dirt clods into it and run after some frogs.

A Naughty Day

I felt like I have been playing house today and failing.  The latest phrase out of my mouth to Logan, "please hammer something other than my leg."  I mean, really...did I want to get pregnant.  I think I need to reconsider...I still have a chance to, hah!

Before that he was naked and I didn't bat much of an eyelash as he was being funny playing dress up with dad's clothes.  I should know better....the next moment he was coming up all proud-like.  "I peed on the cow pants."  Somewhere deep down I was hoping it was a joke, but I knew it wasn't.  The responsible person I am (because I JUST finished all our laundry) was throw it outside hoping that peed on stuff will solve it's own problem!

It always happens the moment I brag about how great he is doing.  I've been biting my tongue until today.  I just told my mom..."can you believe it, it's been a whole week and no peed on clothes!"  Ugh!

As for being naked...my new rule (I make a lot of them).  If you're going to be naked...you need privacy.  I guess you'll have to stay in your room until you choose to wear clothes.  It worked!  Well...at least for now.

Splash Pad & Dinosaurs

It has been crazy hot here in the NW.  The local splash pad was a must.  A few people joined us as well which was a treat.  Logan talks about Hannah in his prayers which caught me off guard as he was a bit bashful (as was she- another 2 year old), interesting how certain people stick out in his mind.  It's just fun to get out.  

This child...the first thing he does when we get there.  Mind you, he was dressed already in his swimsuit with a swim top.  He was pulling at ALL of his clothes to take them off.  He may just be a little too used to going in the nude at our little pool at home, hah (yeah, that's ending)!  Our compromise was losing the shirt only.

Then as the stinker he is, wanted to check out the potty.  This time it was a port-a-potty.  Seriously it was like 5 times into that potty.  Initially starting with just needing to go...the next moment it was needing to poop.  So...each time I took him seriously...eventually I caught on that it was all about just exploring this new different (albeit stinky) potty.  Love this child...

Oh, dinosaurs!  I am seriously seeing kids into them at age 4 and let's face it quite a bit older.  This seems to be the LONGEST phase.  He IS a dinosaur.  We ARE dinosaurs.  This house eats, breathes and yes sleeps with dinosaurs.  He knows all their names, how many horns they have.  So...it's been the easiest birthday party concept to plan for.  Dinosaur themed coming up.  He's going to be 3...it's insane!

Can you handle how this child "snuggles" up with his dinosaurs?  I took the photo on the right after getting up in the morning to check in on him.  So, cute!  We got these guys at the Children's Museum with our last visit and he LOVES them.  It's his early birthday present.  Taking advantage of his young age not caring how many presents he gets the day of his party, yes!

Children's Museum and some yummy food

I caved!  The heat was/is getting to me.  I witnessed the car read 103 degrees outside, seriously insane.  Still I'd take this over winter.  I digressed...back to "I caved," I finally got season passes to the Children's Museum.  That place is such a treat!  It seemed we hardly saw 25% of the museum in the few hours we were there.  I think if Logan could shack up in a sleeping bag there, he would.

The shopping for food and scanning it himself...did that until bombarding kids took over.  Then he went to the kitchen where no one was at and really got into serving me all sorts of food.

  Oh, yes and ordering food on the phone.  It's funny how much he gets into it.  I just wonder what he is saying or thinking half of the time.

Clearly the child's look of disgust (sarcasm...)  Yeah, digging in fake dirt and wearing a real construction worker's hat.  He meant business!  Really I could see his wheels spinning on what cool thing he should do next.  It felt like running around in circles...too excited to stop.

Finally we went out with dad to Red Robin.  Had to celebrate his internship and how well that man is rocking it!  This little man is a crazy child in the restaurant...once our check was delivered we had to leave, he was swinging that balloon into the people behind us.  Panting and licking our faces like a dog.  It's the usual...if you're going to behave like a crazy animal, then crazy animals belong outside.  He didn't seem to mind...

BBQ

Father's Day Jimmy got a new Weber Charcoal Grill...after a major fail last week for Sunday dinner's chicken.  Having no time constraints, we made some pretty amazing Test Kitchen BBQ Ribs.  SOOOO delicious.  We are addicted to Test Kitchen's Cookbooks...and without fail almost every recipe is perfect for us.  It was a fairly spicey rub, but Logan took it with no trouble at all.  These two guys are proving how much alike they are...taste buds and all!