Popsicle

The other day Annika and Adalyn had Popsicles. Ady had a go-gurt, and started crying because her hand was cold.
Annika: Mom, Ady is crying because her hand is cold. But my hand isn't cold because my popsicle is on a tongue depressor.
Me: A what?
Annika: A tongue depressor. Like the dr. uses.

What a funny girl! :)

PreSchool

On Tuesday Annika had her first day of Preschool. She was so excited. We had been counting down for days. I was nervous because Annika has been going through a phase where she doesn't want me to leave the room. I wondered how leaving her at preschool for 2 hours was going to go.

We woke up bright and early. She got dressed and did her hair. We took some pictures and then headed down the street to preschool.

We got there and she saw her friend Morgan. They started doing puzzles, and I told her I was going to go home. She gave me a big smile and said ok bye. Definitely easier than I thought it was going to be.

(Ady had to get in the pictures too. Don't you love her cheesing face?)

On the way home I think that Ady was already enjoying the alone time with mom. We walked all around the neighborhood and I just followed her. She kept looking back and smiling at me. We came home and I wondered how ady would enjoy her mom time. We played for a minute, then she went and got her blanket so we cuddled and she fell asleep.

(Ady on her first day of being home alone with mom for 2 hours)

While Ady was sleeping I took advantage of the time and did the dishes. It was really weird having the house quiet. And It made me realize how much I talk to Annika or how much she talks to me. It was kind of lonely I am not going to lie. But the time flew by and before I knew it, it was time to pick her up. She had so much fun and is looking forward to going back.

Annika is growing up so fast, she is such a cute little girl and makes me happy.

Annika riding

Tonight Brian went out to put the chain back on Annika's bike. After a few minutes Annika came running into the house and said mom I am riding my bike all over and guess what I am riding without my training wheels on, with only 2 wheels. I totally missed her first try but Brian said he followed her down the road and she didn't even need his help. I would say she is doing great! Especially for only having the training wheels off for a few minutes! Here are some videos of her first rides!

7*1*2011

On Thursday night as soon as Brian got done with Pack Meeting we were on the road to Portland. It worked out really well I thought, because we were supposed to meet up with Brian's family on Friday morning sometime at the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center. We were the very last ones to leave. But Heidi, Jeremy, Eric, and Dom were only a couple hours ahead of us, and they were driving through the night to get there as well. I think that Both girls were awake until about 9 and then they were out. I stayed awake talking to Brian and then took the wheel in Twin Falls. As we were pulling into the gas station Annika shot awake and said "I was just going to tell you we are almost to Abe and Henry's house" (Can you tell she was excited to get there) Earlier in the day I was packing and she was sitting on my bed, and she said "This is the best day ever, I can't wait to see Abe and Henry!" Well Annika stayed awake through Boise, and was saying look at that pretty purple star mom, oh you missed it. I guess it was good, laughing at her kept me awake. I drove until about 4:00 and then I made Brian take the wheel again. We made it through the night and we were not to far outside of Portland, which can I just say if you have never driven to Portland, it was beautiful. You drive along the Columbia River, and it is so pretty. Then we got a phone call from Heidi saying that they ran out of gas and were along the side of the road. So we stopped and got them some gas, went to their rescue and then followed them to breakfast.


This is my happy girls after our long drive all night.


(Scott, Allison, Brian, and the kids looking at what we have to climb the next day!)

After breakfast we headed up to the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center. It was interesting listening to them talk about it blowing up. We met up with the whole family and enjoyed some lunch. After lunch we headed farther up the canyon to a lookout. You could look up into the crater. It is just amazing to see all the ash and dirt, and the huge trees that were knocked over. Any picture that I had ever seen did not do it justice. It was huge and amazing and so pretty!
(Ady and me in front of the Mt.)
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(Ady loved to kick her leg up, and she was incredibly happy for almost all of the drive.)

Annika enjoying dinner with her favorite cousins Abe and Henry!

After we headed to the lodge that we had rented for the night. Seriously the lodge that Allison reserved us for the night could have slept probably 50 people. We only had 14. So we all had our own room. The room that Brian and our family slept in had at least 12 beds in it. Needless to say there was more than enough room for all of us. Allison had made us a wonderful dinner, and we hung out for a while and then we all headed to bed after setting our alarms for 3:30 am.

Fathers Day

Fathers Day weekend was a busy one.
We headed up to Logan on Friday night. We didn't get to my parents house until about 10:00, just in time for the girls to be past ready for bed. We stayed up and talked for a little while and then went to sleep.
Saturday morning we woke up and my dad made us a great breakfast! The girls got to see the new lambs that Austin gets to raise and show in the fair. And they spent quite a bit of time jumping on the trampoline. Jen and Mike came up and after they got there Austin, Mike, Brian and I went over to the church and played some basketball. After Basketball everyone got ready and we went fishing. It was a good fishing trip. I am pretty sure that everyone caught a fish. Seriously mine was the biggest.

It was 25" long and guessing it weighed about 5 1/2 lbs. I was sweating when I got it in. I think I was just nervous it was going to get away! We went back to my parents house and grilled up my fish (yes that is right it was so big that it fed all 10 of us! ).

After dinner was over we hopped in the car and headed down to South Jordan. Brian's family had a BBQ to celebrate. We hung out and played some Volleyball. It was a lot of fun. At the end of the night South Jordan even did some fireworks! It was a fun and busy weekend.

On Sunday FATHERS DAY we were pretty relaxed. We went to Church where I got put in as the new Primary President for our ward! let's just say that is all still just sinking in. I am excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. Annika didn't want to go up with the Primary kids and sing the songs to the dad's. So Brian missed out on that. (sorry Brian).

We came home and opened up some presents. Brian got a new golf shirt, and a very cool marble track thing. Which took a long time to put together. But it was a fun activity for the night after dinner. For dinner, we had some steak and lobster tails. It was so good. Have I ever mentioned that Brian is the best cook? (I know kinda sad, he cooked his own father's day meal.... but he did a great job!) It was actually a really fun relaxed night hanging out at home.

While Brian and Annika were putting together the marble track that was his father's day present she was talking to Brian and telling him what she wanted for Big Sisters Day. She asked when it was. Pretty funny. Maybe we will have to invent a holiday at our house for Annika called Big Sister's day!

Memorial Day

For Memorial Day weekend we went camping with my family! It was a lot of fun. Even though it rained most of the weekend, and even snowed on us Saturday night, it was a fun trip. We went camping at a place up by Coalville. Even though it snowed and rained we still had fun. The girls slept out in the tent with us both nights, and even though it was freezing cold, I think they slept better there than they do at home. On Saturday night when it was snowing, we brought Annika into the tent and got her in her sleeping bag, and all of the sudden she was silent. Brian said "I think someone is finally warm" she looked at him and said "who?" he pointed his finger at her, and she got a big smile on her face and nodded. She looked so comfy all cuddled up in her sleeping bag. Both girls were amazingly happy for how cold and rainy it was. But when there were bits of sunshine we did some really fun stuff.

We went fishing. Then the boys played some Basketball. Then we went swimming. We got a couple games of horse shoes in there, and built a couple of fires. and we sat around and talked and ate a lot of good food! It was such a fun trip.