Two Birthday Boys!

I am finally posting the result of our wonderful experience at the Layton Kiddie Kandids a few weeks back. Lance's birthday was Sept. 7, and Kyle's is Oct. 7. I always get the two birthdays confused at doctor appts. At least I get their names right, most the time! I cannot believe Lance is 3! Look how he's grown! What a handsome little man!

And can you believe Kyle? Only a year ago this Sunday we welcomed him into our family :)

I love these pictures! I was impressed that Kyle didn't eat the rose right away. Way to go, boys! And thank you, Kiddie Kandids!

Cabin trip Sept 2nd

Lance just finished running through sprinklers
I think he had a good time :)

Jace's pet tarantula

Lance beams at his Uncle Casey for letting him ride on Belle.

We had another wonderful weekend (despite one small illness) at the cabin. I'll post some pix soon. I have got to share this way funny that Lance did today.

Lance said his stomach hurt earlier on Monday, and he had complained about a sore throat as well. But there was nothing we could do to stop him from getting sick. Lance threw up on our drive home from the cabin last night. Poor guy. Luckily, we were almost home, and I had some towels on hand because, well, just in case. So once we got home and got him in and out of the bath tub and into his warm bed, and cleaned the van out, we were able to have a pretty good sleep and Lance only woke up once asking for water and settling for Pedialite. He felt better the next morning and turned out to be better by the end of today, but when my sister in law called this morning to invite us to go to the zoo, I decided it was best not to go... just in case. Unfortunately, Lance heard about the zoo.
Lance said, "I'm all better, mom! I can go to the zoo!" I explained to him that he is still just a little sick and we'll go with them next time (they go about once a month, at least). He was bummed. Later on today, he was taking his bowl of dry cereal to the sink and spilled it on the way. I asked him to clean it up, please.
He said matter of factly, "I'm just sick, mom. I can't do it".

I didn't know they started doing that so young!

(He cleaned it up.)

Jace took this picture of us. I think he did pretty good :)

Hangin' out at the Provo riverside. Can you believe this is part of the backyard at the cabin? It was another Paradise! (Next to the beach, of course :)



Jace cannot put Harry Potter book #2 down!

Jared went fly fishing while Lance played in the river and Jace caught fish with his net.

Basketball Boys!

Jace practicing with his new bow. He hit the same spot in the bullseye twice!
Lance following his brother's footsteps...

Lance playing softball

Can he look any more content?

Jared practiced with his target here before the hunt began. Isn't it a beautiful view? He shot a few bullseyes as well. Odds are looking good for the deer/elk hunter...

Lance loves his baby Kyle

Do you know any boys that can pass up the chance to throw rocks in a river?

I love this photo!

Icecream, you scream!

Aren't they so sweet? More pix from the cabin to come...

Love My Kids!

I want to write a few happy notes about my kids. I cannot believe Lance is going to be THREE next month. He is talking more and more clearly each day. He loves being outside. His favorite cereal is "Life". He loves building "tall" towers with Legos. He loves tractors, trucks, firetrucks, and buses. (Daddy took him for a ride on bus and the Trax train one day and, every few minutes, he said with a big smile, "Dad! We're on the BUS!") He loves the colors red and pink. At the grocery store, when he and Jace go to get a helium balloon, he asks for a pink balloon. How does that saying go? "Real men wear pink"? Also, there is a pink bike with training wheels outside that he just loves to ride. So I got Evan's bike out and he has enjoyed riding it since.
Kyle has begun his first steps about 2 weeks ago. He took 5 steps yesterday. GO KYLE!
Jace just finished reading the first Harry Potter book. He still loves catching bugs. Lately he has been more interested in praying mantises. He continues to feed his lizard, "Sandy" and clean her poop out, etc. He is also really good at mopping the kitchen floor! It makes me so happy to walk on that floor when he's done and know that he did that :) He just bought his first bow and arrow with his birthday money at Cabela's. (Do you think Dad had anything to do with that?) He is looking forward to practicing with it at the cabin this week.
Jared is going to enjoy his last week before school starts at the cabin with us. He's going to scout the deer before he shoots it with his bow and arrow on the first day of the hunt, Saturday. Optimistically, we will come home from the cabin with a deer and Jared will be ready to start school on Monday, the 20th. Then Jace begins the following week.
Yesterday we went to the Water, Fire, and Ice Festival in Kearns. (Swimming, Fireworks, Iceskating) It's quite an event. We had so much fun! They had platforms and diving boards, and a huge bucket that dumps a huge waterfall every 10 minutes or so - which Jace did ONE time. I joked that he had to do it again so I could get a picture, and he wasn't up for that. Lance ran back and forth between the water and his towel. Kyle actually waded in the water and took some steps!
I was amazed with their ice skating rink. It was used for some of the races in the Olympics, I believe. It had Olympic pictures all over the place. Jace also couldn't wait to try out the ice. So while Jared took Lance and Kyle to the silent auction, etc., Jace and I tried out our skills on the ice. I was so impressed with Jace! We talked about how to fall safely, and he did so well! He didn't even get discouraged from falling numerous times. He held my hand or to the side and just wanted to keep going. I asked him if he was okay on his own while I skated around the rink. Of course he was :) After I got back around to him, he had two friends with him that he'd just met. They were talking like old buddies as they skated along and held on to the side. I was so proud! We skated for quite a while and when I asked Jace if he wanted to go, even though he said his feet were cold or uncomfortable, he wanted to keep skating. I guess I was just amazed that he wanted to keep going even though he was having to work really hard to keep his balance.

Anyway, I just wanted to get these notes down because I'm just so happy with and proud of my kids!

I can't believe he's TEN MONTHS OLD!

Look how big he's gotten! He's growing up! I took these today in celebration of his 10-month birthday. Happy Ten Months, Kyle! Look at that happy face!

Jace was thrilled to have Kyle in the sandbox. It's Kyle's first time in, and he kept most of the sand out of his mouth! He loved running his fingers through the sand.

July Fun

Here are the pictures from Jace's birthday party, but first:
These are the only pics I got while we were at Cottonwood Heights pool last Thursday. Jace getting warm on the hot patio and Lance just enjoying the water. It was a blast! We went with some friends, Jared played with the kids, and I spent a lot of time over at the diving boards. They had several platforms that I didn't dare go on, but I found to my surprise that I can still do flips and dive! Woohoo! I asked Jace if he wanted to come watch me dive. "Na." He was having his own great time. Who wants to watch some Mommy dive? So what if she does cool tricks?

Kyle, Jace, cousins Logan and Kayden, and Lance cooling by the misters at Hogle Zoo.

Jared's Dad, and us (Kyle sleeping outta sight) at Red Lobster celebrating Jace's birthday. We used to live by this Red Lobster in Layton, and Jace would ask quite often if he could go there. We told him, maybe for your birthday.... He ordered his favorite - crab legs.....Is he spoiled?

This is Jace's birthday bash in the backyard. He asked for yet another backyard water party. Jace is easy to please :) We had grilled hotdogs for lunch and Jared kept us cool with misters attached to our shade. He had a lot of fun setting it up :)

Having a splashin' time!

Cooling off with Otter Pops

Jace and his buddy from Layton that happened to move closer to Salt Lake and came to the party - Yay!

What a team effort!

L to R: Kyle, cousin Chandler, me, my sister, Jamie, Jace, and cousin Kayden visiting Jamie's team "Don't Give Up!" at Relay for Life.

Lance loves going to see the fish and ducks at Red Butte Gardens, right by where we live. We're so fortunate to live in such a beautiful place!

When mom answers the phone, it's the perfect time to grab the food off the counter and set it right here next to where I'm sitting. I can take care of myself!

One way to sleep....

Mom, where are those photos of me sleeping funny?

The look-alikes!