Binkie Buddies

This is a picture I have been meaning to post for a while now. I took this last month. Luke was being silly and giving them both binkies and crawling around on the floor together. I love seeing them learn to interact with each other. Every day they get better and better at playing together. They will often go in Luke's room to be together to play Star Wars toys, or jump in the ball pit, or play legos. Obviously, Ty can only knock down, destroy or suck on things. But for the most part Luke seems to enjoy having a new playmate. Their favorite game to play is peek-a-boo. They just squeal in delight. It is so adorable. Ty idolizes Luke. He watches everything Luke does. Last night Luke was trying to get Ty to walk to him. (Ty is REALLY close). Luke kept calling him in this litttle sing-song voice, "Come here Tyger". So sweet. I know that the next six months will bring a lot of changes for them this way. I can't wait to see their interactions continue to unfold.

Rough, Tumble... ER

I have been meaning to update...some of you already know this, but Ty had his first ER visit last Friday. He was playing with Luke's Star Wars toys and I think, (I had just stepped out of the room-a fact which haunts me),he pulled himself up and lost his balance. He fell into the corner of the Star Wars Arena and popped open the skin right between his eyes. He was so tough. It was REALLY deep. He barely cried. He even started falling asleep while they did the dermabond glue (the equivalent of liquid stiches). Then they got a little in his eye and it started to seal shut. They got the glue out; that was the only time he fussed through the whole process. He is doing just fine and seems to be healing nicely. He will have a little scar there...why is it always the face???

One of the great blessings in all of this is our FANTASTIC neighbors. We feel so blessed to have bought this house. Our neighbors have been such a great source of comfort to us. They are our friends and in a lot of ways our family away from family. Luke LOVES them. And they really love and dote on our boys. I ran over to the house the moment this all happened. They helped me get packed up to go to the hospital and give Ty some medicine. Then they kept Luke for us, helped him go potty, gave him treats, played Barbies with him and let him watch his favorite movies. They are so sweet to us all. I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for all of his tender mercies.

Summer Fun

We were playing in our kiddie pool the other day and I took these pictures. So fun! Ty loved it too. Notice the purple mouth-we were still giving him his medicine (which insidently we had to start again today-it came back:( ).

The Joker

Ty has thrush. Poor kid. We have no idea how he got it, but he did. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a yeast infection of the mouth. Today is the last day of his lovely violet medicine. As most of you know he spits up quite a bit. So image my fun when the spit up is violet and stains something fierce. Rrrrrrrrr. After I gave him his last dose of medicine Jake and I were laughing because Jake said he looked like the Joker. He did. It was too funny.

10 and 5

Alright, I have been putting this off. I have been tagged twice with this one. Here it goes.
10 Years Ago- It was the summer before my junior year of high school. I had just turned 16. I was beginning the awkward dating years-and boy, was I awkward! I spent part of the summer just outside of Bryce Canyon working at my friend's Uncle's hotel (still with me?) in Tropic, Utah.
5 Years Ago- I was married for over a year. We were just getting ready to go to Hawaii with my family. We had just bought our first home, a condo in Salt Lake City. Ah, memories.
5 Months Ago-February...hmm...I was enjoying my sweet 5 month old and 2 1/2 year old. I was celebrating my 6 year anniversary and Valentines Day. I LOVE February. I am such a hopeless romantic.
My List of 5 Things to do Tomorrow-
1. Clean.
2.Get ready for my Close To My Heart home gathering.
3. Play with my kids.
4. Make Thank You cards.
5. Ironing
5 Bad Habits-
1. Nagging my husband.
2. Picking at my fingernails/cuticles.
3.I don't know? I am sure there are more, but my mind is blank. I am sure Jake could help me figure some out, (privately). I hate this question...it's like that interview question "what are your weaknesses?" Like anyone wants to be honest about that. Come ON!
5 Places I've lived
1. Atlanta, GA
2. Shawnee, KS
3. Sandy, UT
4. West Jordan, UT
5. Decatur, IL
5 Things People Don't Know About Me
1. My life is an open book, but here it goes...I get embarrassed really easily! Seriously, and I feel other people's embarrassment too. I find it painful to watch others sometimes. You know, when you can't bare to even look because you are so embarrassed for them?
2. I was almost named Hilary. Wow! So glad I dodged that bullet.
3. I did drama and singing lessons in high school. I know, it doesn't really go along with the embarrassed thing. I gave it up my Junior year.
4. My first job was in a day care center.
5. I have a 28in. inseam. Scary huh? Try finding pants that fit. Yikes, I HATE pants shopping. I also hate bra shopping. I just get frustrated and leave with nothing.

I tag anyone who wants to participate.

"It's Your Birthday Shout Hooray!"

Heidi, Happy birthday!! Lots of love to you today and always.

For those of you who may not know my sister Heidi, let me enlighten you. She is one of the most generous and giving people I know. She is always found doing for others anything that she can. She is creative, silly, fun and compassionate. She is fun Aunt and to my boys and all her nieces and nephews. I love her very much and I am proud to call her my sister and my friend.

Thanks, Heidi, for being who you are! I am so proud of you and the things that you are accomplishing in your life. I love you!

Happy Birthday Sommer!

Sommer, I love you! You are a great and enthusiastic Aunt-to all your nieces and nephews. I love that I can always count on you for an honest opinion and even though I am different from you in personality and temperment (I am so high strung); I love how you accept me and love me just the same. You are truly the most forgiving person I know. You loving and very generous. I hope that you have a great birthday and know how much you are loved.

My Sister, My Friend

Heather, Happy Birthday!! I am so grateful that you are my sister. The time that we have been able to spend together over the last 15 months is priceless to me. Our friendship and closeness means so much to me. You are a great example to our family. Your devotion to the gospel and your family is an inspiration to us. You are so easy to be with, I love how I can be myself-you might tease me, but I know you will always love me. Thank you for all you are to me and to so many others. I know that you wear a lot of hats yet you do it so well. You have a plethora of talents; you are great at many things. You are thoughtful and fun, smart and social, loving and nurturing. I love you. Today I hope that you feel that love from all those whose lives you touch.

Luke's Birthday Party

The final installment of Luke's festivities were today. We saw Wall-E with his friends and had cake, presents and games at our house afterward. We had a good time, but I think that it was kinda a long day for Luke. He was tired and cranky when all was said and done. But we had fun. Here are some pics.

Luke's birthday

We had a great day yesterday. Luke and Ty and I went to the Scoville Zoo here in Decatur. We had a great time seeing the animals. For a small zoo it is pretty nice, well landscaped and clean. They have a train and a merry-go-round that we all rode together. Luke asserted his independence by choosing his very own seat for the train explaining that Ty and I could sit behind him. We saw alligators, a wolf, camels, a zebra, cheetahs, a spider monkey and lots of birds. Most of the birds are allowed to roam around the zoo which is interesting. Even the bald eagles. You know when you are a Mom through and through when you are even willing to brave the snake and bug house! An exhibit I would always pass on previous to motherhood. I HATE snakes and spiders and creepy crawling things. I pretty much wanted to jump out of my skin the whole time, but we stayed long enough to take the tour of each cage TWICE! That was huge for me! I tried to show genuine enthusiasm as he pointed at giant cockroaches, pythons, tarantulas and such. But, anything for my boys! Ty seemed to enjoy the zoo as well. It was drizzling a little, but Luke loved that because he could hold his umbrella.

They also had a petting zoo that we had never participated in before, but yesterday we went around checking out the goats. Luke was actually pretty timid and not interested in touching them, but enjoyed being up close. Later he tried to climb in with the Galapagos Tortoise. Good thing it wasn't the gators!

These goats would jump up on the ledge to be fed. It was so funny.
New clothes from Grandma Burt.

Sporting his recent tussle with the pavement-check out that huge bruise on his forehead-all swollen and everything just in time for birthday. Poor kid. Why is it always his face?

Tyger on the train.

After the zoo we went to McDonalds, because hey, what three year old doesn't love that. I found myself trying to make the day extra special, letting him choose the music in the car, letting him help make pancakes for breakfast, watching his favorite shows, no chores etc. But except for the chore thing, that is pretty much our typical day. Man my kids have a pretty sweet life. They are definitely the center of our universe, and they know it.

When Dad got home we started the festivities. Unwrapping presents-all 10 minutes that it took. Then we played with our new toys. A bug collecting kit ($2.00 from Target-good idea Dad!) and the Wall-E action figures were the highlights. The walkie-talkies from Grandma Swensen were also very exciting to him. So we went outside with our walkie-talkies and collected bugs!! How much more excitement can mom take for one day? ha ha.

Dad helped Luke catch a spider-Yipee!
Then time for Wall-E cake! He was so adorable. The look on his face when he saw the cake was priceless. I have rarely seen him so excited, he had to cover his mouth with his hands with genuine, lovable surprise. I was pretty proud of the cake, it turned out really cute. We had a great day.


Now I know why my Mom made us take so many pictures of the cake. It takes forever to make!
The boys enjoyed eating the cake as you can see. Ty would scream when his tray was empty.

Saturday is the friends party-can't wait.