The End of Summer Fun

 Summer exhausts this little one. She loves to play on the computer and will fall asleep if you leave her alone long enough!

 Maybe it's time to get her her own helmet?

To end the summer we decided to go to the Brigham City Temple open house. It was beautiful inside and the kids loved it. Drew kept looking around and pointing out things and saying how magnificent, amazing, gorgeous and just beautiful they were. We took six adults for five kids - better safe than sorry. This was the only picture that turned out though.

Summer Time Fun

 We seriously had so much fun in the pool. Mommy and Daddy enjoyed it more than the kids I bet!

We like to get outside and have fun during the summer - it doesn't last nearly long enough up here in the neverlands of freezing bitterness. Because I'm getting to updating the blog so late here are a few things that I want to add.

*Drew: Mom, there WERE rollie polies on the bench, have you seen them? (No, we never did find them.)

*I didn't get a picture but at the end of June Madison was attacked by wasps - sound fun huh? She got stung eight times! The only lasting side-effect is that every time she sees a bee/wasp she runs and screams.

Four Months and Counting

Jordan loves to play in his new toy. He's finally able to hold his head up and he can twist around to see everything. Jocelyn needed a pillow under her legs so she could reach the bottom and spin, nearly until she outgrew this. Jordan doesn't need a pillow at all. He's a big hunker chunker.

To Oregon we Will go!

 

Aug 4th - Steph's baby shower! It was lots of fun and the candy was amazing!

 

 August 6th we got to meet Brant and his girlfriend at famous Mo's restaurant in Oregon! John had a business trip to Oregon and so Jordan and I tagged along! It was fun - not long enough, but fun.

 

 It was freezing cold. The wind was blowing and the water was bitter cold. It was still amazing.

I found this while on a walk to find Powell's bookstore. Why can't Utah have an entire city block devoted to a bookstore? They color coded the sections and there were floors upon floors of books! I was in heaven. Jordan wasn't so much. Next time I ditch all the kids and go by myself for an entire day!

 Jordan and I went for a walk around Tualatin Hills Park. It was so green and gorgeous that I didn't want to leave. Jordan on the other hand decided that being pushed in a stroller was boring and he demanded to be carried while I pushed the stroller through turns and up and down hills. We left earlier than I would've liked needless to say.

People kept telling us that Multnomah Falls was amazing and we had to go. So off we went. Apparently Twilight filmed there although I wouldn't know where because there was nothing posted about it and I didn't see the movies. (They should've chosen cuter actors/actresses for the parts. I didn't think they resembled what the book had painted.) It was amazing and worth the drive.

 John decided to be brave and hike all the way to the top of the falls. I hiked to the bridge that crosses the falls but couldn't bring myself to walk onto the bridge. Yes, I'm still terrified of heights. Just looking at the pictures he took made me sick to my stomach. I'm glad he enjoyed it and that he was willing to hike to the top by himself!

 

 On the way back the clouds were a neon pink. I couldn't get a picture that did them justice no matter how hard I tried. So, this one will have to suffice.

This was the view across from our hotel room. We got to stay in the Marriott downtown. It was very nice even if it was missing a pool.

I got to walk around Nike campus a little. There were supposed to be tours of some sort but I never did figure out where. It was a huge campus and well taken care of, too bad I couldn't get inside to see more!

Meet our Newest Addition....

A pool. That's right people, we bought a pool. Those little tiny pools worried me because the kids could get into and out of them whenever they wanted without me knowing = scary. We opted for a big pool so that we  would always know when the kids were getting into it. The ladder is completely removable so that they can't just get in when they want. It is also nearly impossible for mom to take five kids swimming by herself and even when dad is around to help it is difficult. Some are more timid and want to stay in the shallow areas and others want to dive into the deep end for fun. So, a pool we bought so we could all have fun and keep an eye on our little munchkins. We all LOVE it. Mommy and Daddy like to sneak into the pool for stolen little mini-date nights. It is such fun, we highly recommend buying one.

While we filled the pool up Jordan slept. Looks super comfortable doesn't it?

Drew rode around for most of the summer in this lovely floaty. We finally conquered his fear and put his face under the water - 10 days before the pool had to come down. Drew's never been one to try something before he knows that he can do it. This was no different. He was very proud of himself for putting his face under the water for 10 seconds!

The girls on the other hand have no fear of trying new things - no matter how terrifying it is to their mother. By the end of the summer both girls had taught themselves to swim and they were doing front and backflips under water. I think their mother prefers how Drew does things, but I love to see them all happy so I hold my breath and hope for the best.

This is what happens when you get a pool - the kids get completely exhausted, Jocelyn specifically. Worth every dollar the pool costed!

Well Child Check-ups x3

The kids love to make pasta - another bonus of being GF! Our nice neighbor let us borrow it so we could try it out and we've all loved it.

Madison had her four year check-up at the same time that Jocelyn had her two year and Jordan had his four-month! Yes, four kids in one small doctors room makes for chaos!

Madison was on the other end of the charts from Jocelyn.

She was 38.4 lbs = 72% and 42 inches = 87%

Tall and skinny, just the way she's always been!

Madison is becoming less "naughty" the older she gets. She's still very inquisitive, but now she knows the parameters in which she should be inquisitive. That's not to say that she still doesn't get into all sorts of things, but she is most certainly getting growing up.

Jocelyn loves to play hide-and-seek inside the t.v. stand. When you can't find her, checking inside these little cupboards will usually reveal the little imp. She's getting better and better at talking and she's also getting better and better at whining. She loves to be cuddled and to tag along with all of the older kids. She also loves her babies and takes care of them just like a mommy should.

Jordan is only four months old here! Yes, he's that big! His legs barely fit inside the Bumbo. We literally have to pull them down while pulling apart the two pieces of the Bumbo to get them in. Jocelyn on the other hand can sit down and slide right into the Bumbo with no problems! They're nearly the same size.

At his four-month check-up Jordan's stats were:

15.94 lbs = 72% and 26.5 inches = 94%.

Another tall and skinny Wadley. What can we say - that's just how they come!

He finally learned how to hold his head up! The longest it has ever taken for one of our kids to hold their own head up. I was beginning to get worried, but he mastered it and moved right on to rolling over. It's a down-hill ride from here!

2nd Birthday Fireworks!

All Jocelyn wanted for her birthday cake was sprinkles and m&m's. Mom went for super easy and simple. Jocelyn loved it - GF and all!

At Jocelyn's two-year old visit came in almost off the charts!

She weighed 21.2 lbs = 1% and 32 inches = 9%

The doctor wanted to make sure that she wasn't a celiac so she was put on a strict GF diet. I took her off the diet a month later because it didn't increase her weight, her energy levels have always been good and she's an active, happy little munchkin. She just happens to be itsy-bitsy.

Jocelyn loved having fireworks for her birthday and having Anne and David and Aunt Carma come over to play. As long as we live in Utah, she'll always think that everyone lights off fireworks just for her special day - and we won't be correcting her!