At It Again...

It seems like it's been a very long week for all of us. Steven has been working a lot this week going in around 7:30 in the morning and not getting home till 10 or later. We barely get to see him at breakfast before he's gone and we've really missed spending time with him. I only ended up working one day this week in the PACU, but it seems like everyday we've been busy with stuff to do or errands to run. Even when we are at home just playing outside the kids always end up getting filthy, playing in the sprinklers, the mud, or just getting so sweaty that when it's time to come in we have to go straight to the tub. It's been a blast to be home with them so much this week, but I feel like we are just always on the go. Today was no different. Our morning started out rushing to set up our stuff outside for the Rose Hill yard sale that started at 8 am. We didn't have a ton of stuff to put out, nor were there a ton of people that came out, but I did sell a few things. Then later this afternoon after Emma had her nap I took the kids to get smoothies from McDonalds before going to see Steven at work. He took us into the Eccles where they were rehearsing Otello. The kids actually did really well for the 5 minutes we sat in the audience to watch. We didn't stay long, but the kids really miss seeing their daddy and I know it brightened their day to see him. When we left we made a quick trip to the DI to drop off a box of leftover stuff from this mornings yard sale before heading home. I got the kids dinner and while I was cleaning up Emma was being so funny.

 She was spinning herself around in the kitchen and kept falling down. I'm sure she learned that from Mason, but I hadn't seen her do it before. Then when I was done cleaning up I talked Mason into letting his grasshopper go because I wasn't sure how much longer the poor little guy would live in that jar. Of course we weren't outside for more than 5 seconds and Emma had already found the pile of muddy water. Then both kids were stomping around in the water and getting filthy. They are so funny and I love watching them enjoy life and not be afraid of getting dirty. Again it was straight to the tub before putting them to bed.

MUD!

Love this picture because it's totally and completely her!

The kids were outside with me today as I was trying to go through things in our garage for the Rose Hill yard sale this Saturday, but I saw our neighbor come home and thought we'd go over to say hi. Then our other neighbor across the street came out with her kids and before I knew it we were busy talking, the kids were playing between our houses, and Emma was busy getting dirty! At first she was just playing in the dry dirt, but then our sprinklers came on and turned it all to mud. Of course she then had to run straight into the sprinklers and the mud. I tried to make her come back and get out of the water and mud, but she wasn't having it. I finally got a hold of her and decided to just strip her down to her diaper and let her go for it. She was in heaven stopping and splashing around in the mud! 

We were all enjoying watching Emma play in the mud, but I don't think it even phased her that she was the center of attention. 

Our neighbor across the street Amber Nickols with baby Bridger. 

Our next door neighbor Mandy Woeller and her little girl Shaylee (16 mo), she's also expecting a little boy due in September. 

One thing is for sure, she's no prissy girl that's afraid to get dirty! When the sprinklers turned off I scooped her up kicking and screaming and it was straight to the tub! Mason was also unhappy to have to come in and take a bath. He wasn't muddy like Emma was, but he had run through the sprinklers and was still dirty.

Grasshopper

While I was at work today Mason and Julia caught a little grasshopper in a water bottle. I tried to talk Mason into letting it go, but he insisted on keeping it. Thus, we had to give him some type of habitat more suitable than a water bottle which means he got a pickle jar, some grass and air holes! 

Mason is so proud of his grasshopper and checks on him multiple times during the day. I'm sure this is the first of many creatures he will want to keep.

Sherbet Cones

The kids enjoying sherbet cones in the front yard. They loved them and by the end Emma was a huge, sticky mess, but she surprisingly ate the entire cone!

We are definitely trying to make the most of these warm summer days!

Whittier Park

Play group was at Whittier Park today and I'd made sure not to work today so that I could take the kids there. We had not been to this park before, but had heard awesome things about it. We definitely weren't disappointed. There were lots of things for the kids to run around on, climb, play on, and they had lots of swings. Mason was in heaven and just ran from thing to thing. Emma also enjoyed herself and as soon as I would put her down she would take off to climb something. There were quite a few people there, but only a couple of us there from our play group. We had a great time and I had to pry both kids off the playground to go home.

Mason came jumping on to this bridge and caused Emma to lose her balance, she was not happy about it! 

Mason would not stand still for a picture so I had to settle for just taking some of him running around. 

Emma loved the swings when we first got there, but I tried putting her in them later before we left and she kicked and screamed. I guess by then she knew how much fun it was climbing on the play ground. 

Absolutely LOVE her big smile!

Mason really liked this big chair swing. 

Playing in the tires. 

There she goes again, crawling away from me!

Emma also got lots of compliments on her outfit today and how cute she is. Of course I'd have to agree that she's a cutie, after all she does take after me ;)

Last Night of Dirt!

This morning the landscapers came to do the final grade on our yard because the sod will be laid tomorrow. The backyard still has some areas that we would like evened out more so Steven went out there this evening to see what he could do. Steven and I both work tomorrow, but I'm hoping one of us will be able to talk to the workers before they start laying the sod and show them what we'd like done. Of course since Steven was outside the kids insisted on being out there playing in the dirt too. I am so excited to finally have grass and cover up all this dirt. I might actually be able to stay up on the dust in our house then. I'm sure the kids will miss playing in it though. They love the dirt. 

Sunday Morning

We live for our Sundays when we get to have Steven home for the day. Since our church isn't until 1:00 we have plenty of time in the morning to play and be lazy in our PJ's.

While the boys were playing Emma was having a morning snack of yogurt and insisted on feeding herself. I think this may have been the first time she has tried eating with a utensil and she actually didn't do to bad. 

Trying to use her spoon like a straw!

When I wasn't taking pictures I would hold the yogurt cup so that she could get the spoon inside. I tried putting the yogurt in a bowl that would be easier for her to get it out of, but she flipped out and wanted the yogurt container. She would also have a fit if it appeared that I was trying to take her spoon away. She's a determined little girl!