More Summer 2013

We finally have a good yard to play in, so we spent more time outside this summer. 

 

Probably still more time inside playing stupid Minecraft. 

 

Our van turned into a truck this summer.  It hauled many things including cinder blocks, railroad ties, and sod.   We feel pretty stupid pulling up to these places in a minivan, but we don't have a truck, so what you can do?  We did put our foot down with the manure.  We borrowed a truck for that one. 

When we turn on the sprinklers it makes a little river down the street, and Tyler loved to play in it.

Breakfast outside.

Getting his hopscotch on

Allie liked the sandbox we inherited with the house.  It tasted good. 

One day I saw Allie with this little plastic circle and chess piece.  She would put the chess piece on the circle, then on her cheeks;  she was putting on her make-up!  My boys never pretended to put on make-up.  I thought it was really great.

Amy has the best toy ever; Bentley the Chihuahua.  Allie calls him "Bunny."  His leash is almost as much fun.  She wanted it around her neck, and she was pretty disappointed when it wouldn't fit.  She settled for her wrist.  :)

4th of July Fireworks!

They were "wowd"

But they were pwitty like fwowers.

Summer 2013

Yes, I know summer is almost a distant memory, but this one was a good one that we shouldn't completely forget about. 

 

There was baseball.  This year we convinced Tyler to play with Jason because they could be on the same team; they play with kids their age, but at this stage Jason could play with older kids or younger, so it worked out for them to play together.  Jason had a blast, as usual, and Tyler tolerated it for the most part, and will probably never play again, except in our backyard. 

 

His hat went down so low he had to tilt his head back to see anything.

 

 

We worked on our house A LOT, but that is a post for a different day, if I can somehow start the habit of blogging again. 

We didn't work on our backyard very much, even though it desperately needs it, because for one thing it was just so dang hot, and also we decided to put all our energy into our house this year, and next year we'll do the yard.  But we cut down some old ugly trees, and wanted to get rid of the stump, so we burned it (ceaselessly for 3 days, it was obnoxious smelling like campfire all the time).  It was a good opportunity to roast some hot dogs and marshmallows, and to take a picture to show off all the great, fun things we do all the time (ha ha, jokes on you, we mostly watch TV and eat chips). 

 

Joey received the priesthood, and both Grandmas and Grandpas came, and cousin Emmett, and that really was a fun time.  We did giant bubbles, which were both exhilarating and disappointing.  You kind of want them to stick around longer than they do, but as soon as you marvel at how huge they are, they pop.  Still very cool though, worth it for sure.

The boys all slept in the tent in the back yard with Grandpa Moore.

Jason and Tyler got short hair cuts for the first time anyone can remember.  They were happy.  They also looked like Joey.

I deserved a prize for making the coolest piñata ever.  It's minecraft Steve!  They were not sad to beat him with a stick to get candy, but they did keep his body parts for quite some time in remembrance of his awesomeness.

That is some of our summer.  There will be future installments. 

If the stars align, ha ha. 

No.  Not really.  I'm really going to do this. 

I think I am, anyway.

 

Allie with the hose

This is something she loves to play with, but just for a little while.  She doesn't like being wet, so pretty soon she wants to go in and change.  But this day she really had a lot of fun, and I was glad I captured it on camera.

And finally . . . the amazing gravity-defying hose . . .

Allie is 2

Happy birthday to my little pipsqueak!  Her birthday was really low-key.  She doesn't get it, so why make a fuss? 

 We had cake.  I made the flowers out of marshmallow fondant, which everyone says tastes good, but it really doesn't. 

She was really nervous about the balloons. It took her a day before she relaxed and played with them.  I think she remembered Jason's birthday party when all those kids popped balloon piñatas. 

Much happier when they were moved.

She even opened her own present, which was sunglasses.

Which she loved.

One month

One year

Two years

 

This will be the last car seat picture, since she is obviously too big for it (she still uses it though).

2 year old Allie:

Loves to play outside

Favorite food is Ramen noodles. 

Also likes pizza, cereal, peanut butter sandwiches, and any kind of junk food. 

She hates getting her diaper changed, washing her hands, and going inside (always cries)

She loves movies, taking baths, and playing with tiny things like beads, dice, marbles, etc.

She is strong-willed and doesn't want to be told what to do. 

She copies everything we do and makes us laugh all the time.

We love her, and can't believe she's already two!

We moved

It's been a crazy couple of months.  We searched high and low for a house to buy, finally found one, and yesterday we moved in.  It was the worst move ever!  I don't know why, maybe because we have so much stuff now, and also because we weren't fully prepared even though I started packing a month ago.  We have many many boxes that are just full of stuff we threw in, with no reason or order to it.   We can't find anything.  But we are so glad to be moved, and to have our own house again!!
I would show you pictures but the stuff I need to do that is in one of those boxes.
Now that I'm not so busy I am hoping to blog more.  I feel bad about all the time I missed because this blog is like a family history for us, and I don't want things to be forgotten forever.
The boys love this house!  They ran around all day exploring.  They said it feels like Grandma's house because it's fun, and doesn't feel like their house.  Allie can go outside all she wants now because we have a fenced backyard.  This is her dream come true.  She didn't seem to like the house much last night, though.  She kept waking up and crying, and hopefully she gets used to it soon.
Tyler desperately wanted his own room, but still has to share with Jason.  We have a really big storage closet in one of our hallways, and he spent most of the day in there, and slept in it last night.  He really wants it to be his bedroom.  We would be the coolest parents if we let him.  Or we'd be investigated by Child Protective Services for putting our child in a closet.  One or the other.
We love it here.  It's no mansion, but it's ours, and we're so happy to have it.

Happy Birthday Tyler

This had to have been Tyler's best day EVER. He got Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast, then at school he won an award called "Kids with Character" and at the school assembly he got to spin a wheel and won a prize (a bouncy ball, I think). He brought gummy bears for the kids in his class and they celebrated his birthday. He got a pizza Lunchable for lunch, and lost a tooth at recess, so he got a dollar from the tooth fairy. He didn't have to do chores, had hotdogs, chips and pop for supper. Top it all off with a yummy rainbow birthday cake, a monkey pinata, a new flashlight, play doh, and glow in the dark stars and planets for his room. What a great day!

What a great kid!

Allie's surgery

This girl has to always keep us on our toes for some reason.   A few weeks ago she got sick, and I noticed she had a lump on the side of her head, between her eye and the top of her ear.  I thought maybe it was a lymph node, but it was in a weird place.  So I kept an eye on it for a few days and it never got smaller, so I took her to the doctor.  She referred me to an eye specialist who was also a plastic surgeon.  He checked it out and said he wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it needed to be removed because it was sitting on a nerve, and could damage it.  So the next morning we were at the hospital for her little surgery. 

She did great.  It was easier this time than last time, when she had her hernia surgery, because it's not a big deal for her to go without food anymore.

The little hopistal pajamas fit her better than they did last time.

She had no idea what was about to happen, and I felt bad about that.  She was just sitting there, happy as a clam.  When they took her away she had a sad face and whimpered a little bit, but it wasn't too bad.
















The surgery only took about half an hour.  She looked so pitiful when they brought her back.  Her eyes were really red, and she didn't blink for the longest time.  She had ointment all over her face from them trying to keep her eyes moist.  I could tell she didn't feel good, probably nauseated, and her throat hurt from the breathing tube.  But she perked up pretty fast.  By the time I got her home an hour later, she was back to her usual self.  She didn't even need tylenol, and the stitches haven't seemed to bother her at all.

It turns out it was a "dermoid cyst."  They start during development in the womb when some cells get stuck between some bones.  Since they are skin cells, they continue to grow just like other skin cells.  They are harmless, as in they are not cancerous, but they can cause damage if they press on things like nerves, blood vessels and organs.

I've learned over the years that I have a good mother's instinct.  I know when something is a big deal and I should be worried, and when I don't need to worry about it.  I always knew this was not a really bad thing.  I did have moments of stress during the surgery when my imagination went into overdrive and I thought about the worst case scenarios.  But I really wasn't worried most of the time.
I am glad it's all taken care of though.  I'll be even happier when the stitches are out because that sort of thing kind of grosses me out, and also I like to kiss her there.


*warning* disgusting fact to follow:
Have you ever heard of those big tumors that have hair and teeth and fingernails and stuff?  While hers was just skin, it's the same kind.  Gross, eh?