A Few Random Things

The other day Emily cried and cried because she wanted to take my flip flop off of my foot. When I finally figured out what she wanted, I took it off and gave it to her. Then she cried and cried because she couldn't get it to stay on. Here she finally accomplished her feat (pun intended).



Megan cracks me up. Now that she can walk, she enjoys just carrying things around. Her current favorite is the "bottoms" to some canvas boxes we have that hold their toys. She folds them up and just walks around with them.



I just had to add this random thing because it really isn't all that random at all. It seems like I'm always misplacing things. I always say a little prayer for help in finding whatever it is, and without fail, I find it.

Well, for the past 4-5 days our mail key has been "misplaced." The girls love to carry it around so I figured I'd eventually find it as I cleaned up around the house. Well, I cleaned and looked and just couldn't find it anywhere. This morning I made a call to the post office to see what we need to do to get a replacement. The lady said we'd have to go down to the post office with proof that it was our mailbox and pay $40 to have someone come out and make a new key. (Oh lovely!)

I decided we'd try one more thing. I loaded the girls up in the wagon and Tyler grabbed his backpack and we retraced our steps. We sometimes return home from getting the mail by going the "long way" so we can drag our little walk out as long as possible. As we went searching for the key I said a little prayer to help us find the key, if there was any way possible.

We were almost done with our search when I saw it--our mail key--right there in the grass next to another mailbox. I don't know if someone had found our key along the way (the girls like to drop things over the side of the wagon) and decided it looked like a mail key and so they threw it in the grass by a random mailbox or if that is where our key fell 5 days ago and stayed. The key fob is a little weathered, but I don't mind one bit. It will be a constant reminder that prayers really are answered over and over again. (And, yeah, we'll be making a copy of the key soon.)

Fun in the Sun (Actually the Shade)

It has been so hot the last week (upper 90's is hot to me). On Saturday we got out the swimming pool that Darrell's parents bought while we were visiting them and then sent it with us. We put the pool in the shade to keep the kids out of the sun and out of the heat. It was still plenty hot, but the water was cold. Darrell enjoyed standing in it, but the kids kept getting in and out of the pool.

Before the water was put in:



Tyler's pointing at Emily who ran off.







Tyler thought the hose was pretty fun.

Sunday Walks

On Sunday evenings we like to go for a family walk.



Tyler and I used to go to the park all the time when we was the same age as the girls, but it's too hard for me to keep track of all 3 of them on the playground equipment, so it's only been recently that the girls have been able to get out or the stroller and play. It takes both Darrell and me to chase after the girls.











Emily loves to crawl in Tyler's stroller. He usually gets mad and throws a fit.



Megan trying to climb up

Bye Bye Bottles!

I was so "by the book" with Tyler. He NEVER went to bed with a bottle (heck, the kid never even learned to hold a bottle by himself) and we moved over to sippy cups soon after he turned 1 year old. Plus, he totally spoiled me by sleeping through the night at 3 months old.

Well, let's just say that it's been a different story with the girls. As soon as they could hold their bottles we put them to bed with their bottles and we had a "night station" in their room with formula and bottles of water ready so that we could hurry and shake up a bottle in the middle of the night any time they cried. The girls went back to sleep and so did we.

So when the girls turned 1 in June I was hoping to say adios to the bottles. (Especially at night time--because, really come on, what one year old still needs supplemental nutrition in the night? None!) But then we went to visit my parents and then the girls got sick and then we went to visit Darrell's parents and then the girls got sick and .... Well, you get the picture. It was just easier to give them a bottle to stop their crying.

In hindsight it was a blessing that 3 or 4 weeks ago Megan came down with the flu and then the next week both girls got colds. After being up with Megan from 3:30-5:00 a.m. one night and 2:30-5:00 a.m. the next night, I finally just had to let Megan cry it out. She had medicine, a clean, dry bum and she was full. (She just threw her bottle out of the crib). She just wanted me to hold her the whole night. (Ummm, sorry! Not gonna work.)

Now I feed them a snack before bed, brush their teeth, we say our family prayer and the girls get put in their cribs. They love "chatting" with each other and giggling until they get tired and then go to sleep. AND they now know how to get themselves back to sleep in the middle of the night.

And so, 2 weeks ago we said bye bye to the bottles. I gave the last of the formula to our neighbor whose daughter will drink it and FINALLY after 14 1/2 months all of us are sleeping through the night!!!!


(The bottles also came with blue rims, but I put them away to be "girly.")

Grandpa and Grandma's House

(I'm a little behind again in blogging.)

We were able to go visit Darrell's family in July. We had such a great time!

One night we went to a concert in the park. We took our dinner, listened to the band play and watched a guy make HUGE bubbles for the kids to play with.









When the guy saw me trying to get a picture of Tyler chasing after the bubbles, he "made" me get a picture of a bubble with the sun. It turned out pretty cool.



The kids had a blast in the little swimming pool.







We visited Darrell's grandma-Nellie-in the care center. She loved holding the girls and singing to them. I was grateful both girls let her hold them.





The girls loved playing in their car seats. (You don't travel light when you travel with kids, that's for sure.)



The stacking "bowls" were a big hit!







The girls in their chairs



Darrell and Tyler helping do the dishes.



I love these two pictures of the girls.





Brown-eyed cutie in Grandpa's chair.



It was so fun to be with Grandpa and Grandma! We love you!

Here She Comes!

Megan has been doing a lot of practicing the last week or so and is starting to feel a lot more confident walking. Here she is walking toward me (with 2 of my old toothbrush heads that they like to play with.)

You can also see Emily getting in on the action and see how fast she walks now. If you hear any screaming in the background it's because Tyler wanted the toothbrush heads that Megan had. When he couldn't have them, he decided to go throw a fit. (Yep, that's our life!)

Oh Boy!

I already knew that Emily could climb up on the table...



but, I was completely unprepared to see both girls up on the table. I was coming down the stairs with a change of clothes for Megan and there they were. Of course, the spilled glass of water was the highlight of the experience!

Mommy! Look at me!

I hear that phrase a lot lately...and I absolutely LOVE it!

I love that this little guy is happy, healthy and so full of life.

This is what I get to look at:

jumping, climbing, swinging, sliding, and hanging at the playground.

dancing (we may or may not still be watching Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concerts this summer, plus our favorite dance-to song on my MP3 player is Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, well--actually it's Glee's version of the song that I downloaded for free from freegal.)

singing (the ABC song, and his favorite songs from Popcorn Bopping-- "Pollow the Propet" (Follow the Prophet) and "Pillow! Pillow!" (Hello! Hello!)

talking (He's speaking so much now.)

reading (He loves his Clifford the Big Red Dog Dictionary and In a People House.)

hugging (He'll say, "Oh, give hugs" as he gives one of us a hug.)

I hope he wants me to look at him for a long time to come!

Coolin' Off

A couple weeks ago we went to a Splash Park with friends. I loved catching up with friends and the kids loved the water. (Tyler figured he'd crawl like Megan).

Some days...

are like this one (almost 2 months ago) where Tyler decided to empty his sippy cup of milk on the computer desk, the floor and the play kitchen. (Although I didn't discover the milk on the play kitchen until a few days later when I wondered what the dried glue-like stuff was all over everything.)





And some days are like this one where Emily pulled a bowl of yogurt off the table, got it all over herself, Megan, the floor and the books from the bookshelf.



And some days are like this where it SO fun to pull all the wipes out.



But some days are like this where Tyler discovers the fun of wearing Daddy's slippers.



Or when Emily gets stuck in the bar stool.



And Megan transports all of these items from the bottom of the stairs to the top--one stair at a time.



I sure do love these little ones--on both good days and "bad."