Summertime!

In the three years we've lived here, I don't think we've experienced such a fantastically warm summer! We love some good hot weather and missed it terribly when we moved here. This July has been so warm and perfect. I wouldn't dig this sort of thing year round, but it sure makes for a delightful summer! 

Nearly every day the kids are in and out of their swimsuits. We have been to a few friends houses too, to play in the water in their back yard. My kids are in heaven. 

On this day, it was so hot this picture was taken at 8:45 am. Yes they were all ready playing in the sprinkler! 

Emma wasn't being über cooperative... 

I've been buying little Popsicles for the kids to eat, and the yummy "outshine" ones for myself. The only downside to this heat is the fact that I have a space heater for a gut, so I am melting 99 percent of the day. Staying cool inside while this kids run around in the back has been how most days have gone. It's been nice however because when I clean the house, it's actually stayed clean for more than 10 minutes! 

I took Maylee with me for a special trip to the store, and I asked her which Popsicles she wanted... Yeah she knows, what she likes and I ain't fruity stuff. The girl loves chocolate and ice cream through and through! So she chose drumsticks. I let her get them even though they are a few dollars more and only come in a pack of eight. I gave them to the kids one day and let them have at it. Ty about had a panic attack with all the drippage Emma was dealing. I told him not to worry about it, she is wearing a swim suit in the back yard... He told me numerous times how she wasn't licking the ice cream part properly. Haha. 

Maylee gets after some ice cream! 

Ty wouldn't even look at me he wanted to eat it before it melted. 

Then there is Emma, with her soggy cone part she held on to for probably an hour. 

I made sure they rinsed off in the sprinkler pool before wrapping up and coming inside for nap time. They were all so cute trying to get drinks of water. 

So while we have the heat we are trying to enjoy it, but I think I won't be too thrilled if it lasts more than a month or two as my impending due date approaches. The kids put on sunscreen every morning and our family size SPF 50 Banana Boat is nearly gone from the three weeks of fun we've had so far. I am glad the kids are content with our little pool, some squirt guns and a sprinkler too. Summertime is the best! 

Independence Day

We stayed home this year for the Fourth of July. In the morning we headed to our ward Pancake breakfast and bike parade for the kids. Last time we went two years ago they did everything outside with camp griddles. This time they had tables set up in the gym to eat and they were cooking in the kitchen. Well, for some reason the electric outlets weren't working in the kitchen. Come 9 am when everyone is showing up to eat they hadn't gotten anything ready yet! Our Bishop (the nicest guy on the planet) always hires a balloon guy to make anything for the kids. Seriously the guy can do anything.  I think at large parties though he sticks to a list of things for the most part. Luckily he was there, to distract the kids. While we waited, Bishop heard Ty say, "Mom, I am getting a little hungry..." He said it quietly to me, not whiny at all. Bishop snuck Ty, May and Emma inside for a second for a few mini cinnamon rolls to tide them over while they worked on technical difficulties. We went back in line for balloons and Matt went inside to see how he could help. Ty got his sword and we went in to find not much had changed. So we plugged griddles in the gym and I got started making hash browns and pancakes. 

It was a REALLY funny situation, that I really can't explain fully, but Matt and I were bursting out laughing at people's reactions, how they decided to help, who was "taking responsibility", the planning of it all, the timing of everything and the list goes on. When things were finally getting going, reinforcements started flipping pancakes so I sat down to get food for the family. We ate, and laughed some more and left about an hour later than we thought we would after helping clean up. I am glad Matt finds humor in those sorts of situations instead of being angry, both of us had aching cheeks from cheerfully helping instead of freaking out. Oh yeah, our kids missed the bike race too, but Ty didn't seem to notice and rode his decorated bike home with Matt walking while the girls and I headed to the store for a few last minute dinner items. The girls and I bought a few fireworks as well. (First time ever) Aunt Zan always makes sure to have a festive 4th by coordinating family shirts. They were so cute! My camera went dead, so iPad photos it was all day, meaning we all couldn't be in one picture. Both Maylee and Ty got balloon swords and Emma got a butterfly. 

Me and the kiddies. 

After we settled in at home we ate some lunch and the kids got in their suits for some water fun. I bought a little pool to avoid the sprinkler being on for 4-5 hours a day. Our water bill is going to be outrageous. It's rediculous the water rates here, worse that Phoenix AZ. Not kidding. Anyway, the kids loved playing! 

They were so excited for the little pool! 

The kids were enjoying some watermelon outside. Not so flattering of Emma, she means business when she eats... 

Maylee 

Ty 

Matt even got a little sun. 

Ty and Matt had a watermelon eating contest. I don't know why, but it was hilarious! 

After playing the girls took naps while I got dinner ready. Matt and Ty did a little Disc golfing. Dinner was delicious! The whole BBQ fanfare... Didn't take a picture. After dinner we ate brownies and ice cream then the fireworks began. Here in WA there are very loose regulations on Fireworks. So pretty much anything goes. Meaning, it sounds like a war zone. 

We lit off our pittly stash and waited for the neighbors to light theirs off. Our little bucket of random fireworks had poppers in there. The kids liked those, a good warm up. 

Maylee

Emma

Turns out... Emma is at the stage of being very nervous of fireworks! Maylee was laughing about it all evening. Even just the ground blooms were freaking her out.

So then we tried the sit holding hands with Maylee approach. Still didn't work. She only wanted to hold an UNLIT sparkler. 

We ended up only doing a few of ours and putting Emma to bed so she wouldn't be too scared. 

Snakes and sparklers, that's all (Emma) likes... Haha name that movie. 

Matt thought they were prety lame. We laughed about PAYING for them. ( like 50 cents...) 

Ty and May were game to do Sparklers all night. 

Once night fell it was CRAZY! I tried to get some good videos but the noise wasn't picking up as well as I'd hoped. I turned on some patriotic music and we just sat outside watching our neighborhood light up. 

(Why did I call her Em-May in the beginning? Whoops) The neighbors across the street have really taken a liking to our children. They are always bringing over bubbles, sidewalk chalk, pinwheels on regular days. That night Ty and Maylee were LOVING all the extra sparklers, smoke bombs, snap-it's and even Roman candles! They were much more daring with fireworks than I was at their age :)

Ty is wearing his bike helmet, he and Maylee were riding up and down the sidewalk watching all the fireworks. 

This type of thing went on for a good 3 hours, constant fireworks. I kept checking on Emma to see if she was okay, every time I checked she was still in the same position in a deep sleep. 

It was a really loud and late night. I think we all had a great day playing and enjoying just our little family. 

The next day, we took a few hours and cleaned up the street and our yard. There were fireworks EVERYWHERE. When our neighbors lit theirs off we could feel the ash and bits of cardboard raining on us and on the house. We even moved the chairs in the garage because they all have little burn spots! 

So, bottom line is, if you want to do fireworks, and not pay the couple hundred dollars to buy them yourself... come to our house next year for the Fourth, you're guaranteed a good show! 

Matt's Birthday!

This year Matts birthday fell on a Sunday, which means he gets a whole weekend of partying! Saturday I scheduled a tee time for him and 3 friends of his, Aaron, Gordon and Kurt to go golfing. I was worried since the weather forecast had rain, but it only sprinkled for the first hole the rest of the time Matt said it was great and that he golfed pretty well. Weird thing was, when everyone got there for his tee time, Green Mountain Golf Course said they didn't have a tee time. I knew I called them and scheduled one, but they didn't have record of it. So I thought I may have been losing my mind, or had a miscommunication about the date with the guy helping me, but no, I was right. Matt doesn't check his e-mail often, but he checked it on Sunday and there was confirmation of his tee time right when and where I said it was. Phew, it wasn't me, it was them. I was embarrassed though that Matt had his friends had to wait about 30 more minutes to start. 

While Matt was golfing Saturday morning the kids and I shopped for his presents. I knew what I wanted to get him, I told Ty we needed to go to costco and one other store to get Dad his birthday presents. Ty said, "oh I know what I am getting Dad for his Birthday." I was a little nervous, considering I would be bank rolling this present... I asked Matt if he had a clue about what Ty so instantly knew he would buy Matt for his birthday and he didn't know. So off we went, first stopping off at costco and we walk in not ten steps and Ty picks up The LEGO Movie. "Mom, this is what I want to get Dad for his Brithday!" Ha, I laughed and said okay. Of course it's a movie that Ty wants... Classic.

We bought loads of fruit at Costco (can't get enough!) and headed over to the Mall. I pretty much hate shopping, especially at a mall. Going anywhere with three children 5 and under is tricky, but when no shopping carts are involved it gets really difficult, especially with wide open stores, lots of places to hide, etc so I always give my children "the talk" before going into places like that. I make sure they know to stay by me and I will try and be as QUICK as possible. Luckily I walked in to Macy's i found the section I wanted and right when I walked over a Gal asked if there was anything specific I needed. I showed her what I wanted on my iPad and she said, okay..."like, this?" And she held up EXACTLY what I needed, a navy Kenneth Cole slim suit. It was the last one, and was even mismatched to the perfect size for Matt (I don't know if I have mentioned before, but Matt is the PERFECT maniquin size. When we got married they measured his tux wrong so his coat was too small, luckily the tux we chose was exactly the same one they had on display, we took the jacket off the maniquin and it fit him perfectly.) This leads me to believe that the suit I bought him was that last one and mismatched because it was on a maniquin. It was also, 50 dollars less than it was on-line because it was the last one, woot woot! So the whole ordeal in the store was only about 15 minutes. Amazing. 

We got home and Matt was home a little bit afterwards. I fed the kids lunch and Matt decided he needed to go to the temple. He has a goal to attend monthly and June was busy so he hadn't gone yet. He asked if I could go with him, but since it was the youth regional music festival I knew I wouldn't find a babysitter at such late notice. So he went by himself and the kids and I stayed home to relax and nap a little. 

When Matt got home I had the kids ready to go. Our friends the Anderson's babysat for us so we could go on a date. It just so happened to be a friend of ours Birthday that actual day, the 28th, so we doubled with them to celebrate both Matt and Theron. We met at Olive Garden for Dinner, had some good laughs and conversation then headed over to Cinatopia for the movie "Edge of Tomorrow". We asked the ticket person how many seats were left, since there were only minutes to show time, she said, "only 20% on the seats are sold." So Heidi and I used the bathroom while the guys found us seats... Welllll the ticket gal clearly had her numbers wrong there were maybe 5 seats ( all singles) in different spots up top and the whole front row open. Lllllame. So we watched the movie from the very front row. It was irritating at first but after a while I was used to it so it wasn't torture, however my neck was a little sore from staring up so long. The movie was good, we all really liked it. We said goodbye and headed over to pick up our kids. The Anderson's said they were good, thankfully our kids get along with their kids pretty well. 

Sunday morning I made sure to let Matt sleep in a bit, since he rarely gets that opportunity, and I made him breakfast in bed. The day previous I made lemon bread, which it used to make French toast with fresh strawberries and homemade buttermilk vanilla syrup. I also bought some high pulp Orange Juice for him, he likes to chew his orange juice. 

After breakfast we got ready for church, and the kids couldn't wait another minute for Dad to open his presents. 

Matt said as soon as Ty handed him the present he got him he knew what it was. Ty wrapped it (mostly) by himself. 

Then he opened the gift from me. He didn't know that I what I was getting him, so he was surprised and happy that I got him something he has been wanting for quite some time. 

No pictures of him wearing it, since the pants aren't hemmed. He has a tailor at his work that will do it, but the tailor is off this week so we'll have to wait another week to get it done. I am excited for him to wear it, he looks pretty sharp in a nice suit. 

After church we came home and the kids couldn't wait to watch the LEGO Movie. Emma slept during Sacrament Meeting, but I still tried to get her to nap after lunch. No luck, so everybody was watching The LEGO Movie while I prepped Dinner. Matt fell asleep only 15 minutes into the movie and went upstairs, so the kids watched the whole thing. When Matt woke up I asked him if he could go find Emma, she'd been upstairs for a little while. 

Matt found her crashed out on Ty's bedroom floor. She loves to look at books, so it's no wonder she fell asleep encircled in books! 

(Excuse Ty's messy room)

I made dinner and finally had everything ready, I asked Matt to go wake up Emma to eat, Maylee was being my little helper in the kitchen. When Matt came down stairs with a still sleeping Emma, we found Ty on the couch crashed too! 

Yeah our kids sleep with their eyes half, and sometimes mostly open. Now that Ty has his tonsils out I can't hear him sleeping, so it gets really creepy at night to see a silent kid, in their bed eyes open. Now I put my hand on his chest or back to feel if he is breathing. 

Emma eventually woke up so we could dig in! 

After dinner, Matt popped The LEGO Movie back in AGAIN since he fell asleep. The kids were more than happy to watch it again. The movie was started, so Emma was zoned in watching the movie, ignoring annoying Mom taking the picture. 

Ty woke up only 15 minutes into the double feature and he was thrilled to watch it AGAIN. He ate his dinner while watching the movie. We waited about an hour passed dinner for Matt's birthday dessert. It was a throw back to his high school days. My mom used to make him "Strawberry Stuff" it's strawberries then a layer of cream cheese type filling and a graham cracker crust. 

When I was ready to get that going I look over and low and behold, our final hold out fell asleep on Matt. 

Haha why can't they all nap at the same time! 

She woke up quickly though when she heard us talking about a treat. She has a SERIOUS sweet tooth. 

We finished the movie, played with the kids for a bit then put them to bed. 

Afterwards some friends of ours the Thomas's who live around the corner came over and we played games and shared more treat with them. I wanted to get rid of it since I knew I would be the one home wanting to eat it all. :) we had a fun time with them and they left just before midnight! 

It was a busy fun filled weekend and I think Matt felt the love from family and friends both near a far through phone calls and well wishes.