Summer is Here!

The kids and I just returned from a week spent with family in Utah. We had a great time playing with cousins and enjoying some good summer fun. A highlight was staying one night (courtesy of big brother--thanks!) at a huge vacation rental home in Heber with all of my siblings (except 1) and their families. Five families and 21 kids with room to spare. Seth had his first experience fishing at the pond down the road and waited patiently for over two hours for a catch. No luck, but I was impressed with his persistance. The kids also loved the sweet home theater, the game room, and the built-in playhouse in the home's basement. It was great fun. Playing games, watching movies, fishing, riding ATVs (not me), eating great meals together--good times! And we had to stop for Granny's shakes on our way out of Heber--super tasty and a must-do while there.

We also stayed with each of my three sisters and their families and enjoyed time with all of them. It was worth bouncing from home to home. It was also nice to spend time with Dad and Koelyn, Bob and Kristin's family, my Grandma, and with our friends the Sandbergs and Petersens. Gratefully, the kids did really well on the long drive there and back, and we had no problems as we travelled. Our biggest scare was Annie holding her breath and passing out at my sister's house. This is the fourth time she has done this in the past year (although I thought she'd outgrown it since it's been six months since the last episode--guess I was wrong), and it has always occurred when we were on a trip (very first time was 30,000 feet up in the air halfway to Chicago--terrifying!) or had guests at our house. I think messed up schedules and sleep deprivation must be a big factor. So exciting! But she was fine within a few minutes (as always), and when I've talked with her pediatrician about this issue, he said it is common for toddlers to do this when they are afraid, hurt (Annie's reason this time), or mad. She also figured out how to climb out of her crib, so that made naptime non-existant and bedtime really fun. Annie was a constant source of excitement, enjoyment, and/or entertainment on this trip. So much personality and just non-stop!

We missed Chris and are happy to be home with him again. While we were away he had a new experience--he went to our church's young women's camp for a day/night as one of the priesthood leaders. Sounds like he had a great time (minus the encounter with a bear), and I hear there are some cute pictures of him floating around that I need to get my hands on.

Josh brought back his good friend Tanner with him for a few days to extend the fun, and we are enjoying having him around. I apologize for the ramblings--still trying to unwind from the trip, but wanted to write about it. I hope you all are enjoying the summer as well!

Can He Fix It?

Of course he can! Yesterday afternoon the kids piled into the van for a Target trip so Seth could purchase the Bionicle he's been saving up for. Unfortunately our plans changed when the garage door wouldn't open. Our van was trapped in the garage and Seth was extremely disappointed! When Chris got home from work he checked it out and quickly saw that a major part had snapped. It couldn't even be opened manually as we've done in the past (maybe by Superman or the Incredible Hulk, but Chris can't bench press 1500 pounds). We didn't want to call a repair service after hours, but we needed to get the van out of the garage so I could use it today.

So what did Chris do? He grabbed his tools and disassembled the garage door from the inside out, taking it apart panel by panel. Even the five individual panels were heavy and very awkward, but bit by bit it came down. I'm sure our neighbors and all the people walking and driving by were wondering what in the world we were doing (picture the bottom half of a garage door on, and the top half missing). But once the garage door was off, we freed the van from the garage, and then Chris got to work putting the garage door back on, piece by piece, so that we'd have a door on our garage for safety, privacy, and to prevent any nasty notices from our HOA. Back up went the garage door, panel by panel, until it was back together. So if Chris ever wants to switch professions, I guess he has a new skill to put on his resume. I'm so grateful for my handy man when we get to experience some of these joys of homeownership! Now about that dishwasher . . . .

Finally!

Before yesterday I was convinced that I was one of the last people around that hadn't been privileged enough to see the broadway hit "Wicked." Well my turn finally came last night, thanks to tickets and babysitting falling into our laps (thanks to Tina and Deena!). Chris and I drove up to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and walked along the Hollywood Walk of Fame for a bit before the show (not exactly what I imagined the Walk to be, but kind of fun to see stars for the likes of John Lennon, Tina Turner, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mickey Rooney, the Steve Miller Band, and many, many more). We had a FABULOUS time and LOVED this show! It was extra fun to enjoy the show with many ward members there also (those who got Tina tickets like us). I knew the songs but not the whole story, and I was thrilled to see how it all fit together. Both Chris and I woke up with Wicked songs in our minds, and I'm sure that won't stop anytime soon (for me at least). If you haven't seen it, put Wicked on your must-see list. I would be happy to go with you and enjoy it again and again!

In a Matter of Moments

This was one of a few incidents that occurred in just a matter of moments this week. Why is it that it takes so much longer to clean up a mess than it does to make one? Normally Annie's room is one of the cleaner rooms in our home, but I left Seth and Annie entertaining themselves while I got some things done around the home, and within just a couple of minutes they had all of her clothes, blankets, toys, etc. in one massive mountain that they enjoyed for quite a while. I'm still debating whether the time I got while they played (maybe 20-30 minutes) was worth the near hour it took me to clean this mess up. I think it probably was worth it this time.

Gardening Update

Here we go harvesting our first carrot (dramatization--a clarification to appease my impeccably honest husband). Looks good so far . . .

Hmmm. Didn't I say we were new to this whole process? How did this happen? Must be all that love and attention we've been giving it. I can't wait to see what else we dig up!