By request

We have been getting ready to potty-train as they both are fascinated by the potty chair in the bathroom and they both have used it successfully several times.  We're just trying to make sure we're ready!  

Ethan wanted to wear Sydney's Hello Kitty underwear instead of his Cars underwear and we obliged.  They had no idea that it was funny.

Church rules

We took Ethan and Sydney off of the raw goat milk they've been drinking for about 18-months and put them on rice milk--at their request.  I was told that the milk gives them antibodies (as it is raw) and I didn't really believe it.  Well, now they've been sick every weekend (at least one of them) and we've kept them home for about 4 weeks no, I think.  They are devastated every time we tell them and we anticipate this response...

It works!

All the effort to feed these two kids healthy foods pays off when Sydney takes baby carrots and places them in their toy grocery cart.  It's rubbing off!  

Dancing dresses

Ethan loves to dance. all. day. long.  He has found that Sydney's dresses just sway so nicely and add to his fantastic dance moves.  He begs to wear her dresses several times each week--especially when Sydney has a dress on (like before church!).  He was dancing when grandma was over and I couldn't help but take a photo of my little soon-to-be ballerina?

Grandma Marchant said she would be willing to sew a Samoan skirt for Ethan so he could even wear it to church!  Now to find the fabric and the pattern.  If I cannot do that, I suppose a kilt will do.  Love this boy.

Open House

I have worked at NetWorth Real Estate Group for over 5 years and found it strange that I have no photos with my coworkers.  We held an Open House when we just recently relocated offices.  We snapped a few shots.  This isn't the whole team, but a good portion.  

Glenda (whom I now call G'linda after seeing Wicked a few weeks ago) is always smiling...always.  She finds a way to look at everything from a positive perspective.  

Me, Bill, Aaron, and G'linda--shot taken just as the Open House was scheduled to begin.  All of this planning and advertising only to realize that we should have held it in the evening, when people could actually come.

Pioneer Day

Last year's 24th of July parade was not a huge thrill for us and E&S, but we had a feeling this year would be different.  All we had to do was tell Ethan he was going to see a "show" and he was SOLD.  We first starting calling any type of entertainment a show when we lived in Hawaii and took the kids to the evening show at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  They have been hooked on shows ever since.

We were fortunate enough to have grandma join us on this hot, hot morning in the sun.

A cute girl (in the background) came up and gave Ethan and Sydney some streamers that were thrown from a float.  Ethan soon put them to good work in one of his dancing routines...

We love this lady, grandma and mom.  We had a great time!

Give, said the little stream

After church today, we thought we'd put our 4-day canyon pass from camping to use again.  We headed up for a little picnic.  There is nothing like cool mountain air in the hot summer.  The canyons in Utah and beautiful.  A trip up there wouldn't be complete without stopping to throw some rocks, sticks, (and anything else we can find) in the water.

Man, I love these little people--and my handsome husband.  Life is bliss...if I just sit back and enjoy it.  :-)

Happy campers

Our good friends Blake and Tiffany wanted to go camping, but after one failed attempt and Tiffany getting very pregnant, we opted to have a dads and kids campout while the moms camped out at home. We went to dinner and just chatted while the dad's hauled 3 toddlers up the canyon.  They couldn't have been happier.  They had been excited all week.  Too bad Sydney's smile looks like she is in pain.

The had a campsite next to the river that wasn't moving as fast this year--thank heavens.

I know this photo is extremely blurry--but I love it, for some reason.

We missed the kids, but they walked in the door Saturday morning to eat breakfast we had prepared (waffles, sausage, and strawberries) with a little, "hey mom" like they just left us a few minutes ago.  They had a fantastic time and I didn't have to do the prep or clean-up.  I love camping, but I hate those two parts.

Thursdays with mom

Doug works all day Thursday on campus and volunteering at different clinics for his clerkship hours (in order words, he works for free for 120 hours to graduate).  This is one reason I am working now.  Working for free doesn't pay the bills.

I look forward to a day for me with my babies.  I do have to admit that work calls still come, so it is stressful to handle emergencies and be available to them.  I usually find distractions for them so I can catch a few minutes to send an email or make a phone call.  My favorite distractions, to name a few:

Snacks
Playing YouTube videos on my computer while I work in another side-by-side window
Turning on a movie such as Chicken Run, Bee Movie, or Harry and the Hendersons (a.k.a "Harry")
Dance parties when I dance for a few minutes and then discreetly excuse myself to the kitchen
Them drawing a picture for someone

Today, I distracted them with these running headbands Doug got me for my birthday a few years ago.

 Ethan came in my room while I was folding laundry and grabbed his lion backpack and said he was putting him to bed.  He found a blanket in his bed, his binki, and even sang him a verse of "Edelweiss", one of his favorite bedtime songs.  Really?  They are so sweet (okay, most of the time...they are TWO) and growing up so fast.

Mom works, we have picnic

It's been so hard to keep working away from home this summer.  I've missed my babies!  Doug is getting tired, I am sure, of wiping my tears and of me asking if our kids will be okay.  He keeps assuring me that this is his profession and that our kids are fine.  :-)  Glad to be married to a therapist!

They came up to my work today to meet me for dinner at a park when I had to work late.

Summer and watermelon

Nikki and Eric were in the play "Annie" at the community theater and Doug and I were excited to go watch.  Due to Ethan getting a little sick, we opted to go Monday night instead of Friday.  We did stop by for a little family party in the afternoon on Saturday to celebrate anyway!

Our kids love watermelon, but be hereditary. 

July 4th fun

These kids are my favorite. Well, that's obvious, but it's a phrase I say often.  Fourth of July was relaxed at our house packing and preparing for a family reunion to Bear Lake with my family early the next morning.  We got them in their "fourth of July" outfits for the fun of it.  I pulled out twister and ended up video-taping them taking turns spinning the 'spinner' and giving directions where to put hands and feet.  I love watching them play together.

They found their new beanies in their closet that we bought off-season and thought they were awesome.  I had convince them to take them off when we left the house later.  It was adorable.

 We bought a slip-n-slide at the grocery store for $5 and set it up and invited cousins over.  Too bad I didn't get any photos when the Keller kids were over.  Sydney didn't know what to make of running and sitting/sliding for a while.  Ethan helped ease her into it by walking up and down the 'slide.

 I caught a glimpse of the the Alpine fire (called the Quail Canyon fire) from our yard while the kids played.  It is sobering to watch and I felt glad that my parents don't live in Alpine anymore.  They would have possibly been evacuated, the fire was that close to their old house.  We need rain!

Zoo bunch!

With my sister, Sarah in town, we planned a fun trip to the Hogle Zoo with Sarah, Tiff, and I.  We packed a herd of children with us and had a fantastic time.  I had to leave early to get our kids down for a nap, but it was still worth it!

Ethan stops to dance any time music starts to play.  He makes me smile.

 Love that my kids have the best cousins in the world.  Tiff holding Avery, Levi, Sydney, Macey, Grace, Cameron, Ellie, Isaac, Ethan, Caleb (cut off--sorry man!)

Can't wait for Sarah to move closer. We'll be doing stuff like this all the time. I love having Tiffany just 4 minutes down the road.  Too bad her lease is up in November.  We're hoping to move close to each other.