Hot Summer Days

I love having a blog, except when I don't write! And that seems to be every month! Then I try to catch up, and after getting caught up, I let it go for another 4-6 weeks. So sad, but life is busy!

So here's my attempt to cover for July and August:

Good Times Outside

Trip to New Mexico
It was so fun to visit Dave and Holly's family. They were great hosts! We were spoiled by them the entire time. Now we love Albuquerque too!


Millie's Drawings
One morning while Paul and I were trying to sneak in a few more minutes of sleep, we asked Millie to go draw us a picture. She came back with one, and then she'd leave again and draw someone else. So, here's the perspective and skills of a 3-year-old:

Grandpa

Daddy
Mommy
Grace
Abby (her friend)
Lagoon
We talked about this place all year long, and the big day has come and gone! But I don't think the girls were disappointed. We thought they might last for 4 or 5 hours, but we stayed ALL day long (that means no naps!), and they loved it!

The Ladybug Drop is one of our favorite rides to talk about still. It goes up and down!
Paul's favorite ride: the wild kingdom train.

We made the mistake of taking Grace on a couple "scary" rides at the first (you can see the fear all over her face!), so she had a few hours where she refused to go on any rides.
But we finally decided to get our money's worth, so we forced Grace to go on the mildest ride there (the boat one). She was so mad at us. But after a few times around, her smile came back and she started enjoying herself again.

We went on the Merry-go-Round too many times, but the kids just don't get sick of this one!
Mommy is STILL afraid of heights, so the Ferris Wheel was not a relaxing experience. I tried to hide my fear from the girls, but they could sense it. Now every time we pass by Lagoon, the girls see the Ferris Wheel and say, "there's the one that you got scared on!" I wish their memory wasn't so good!

This is the Place Monument--Fairbanks Family Reunion
We look forward to this family reunion every year because it's so much fun for the kids. We loved the petting zoo area. The girls just went right up to the lambs and goats with no fear. And they loved the train rides too. We highly recommend this place for anyone who hasn't been there lately. They have new things every year!


Oquirrh Hills Temple Open House
We're so blessed to have another temple in our valley! We loved touring the new temple, even though the girls were a handful. Hopefully they aren't too young to remember it and to gain an appreciation for this special place. We went with the Angela and Michelle. It was great to be there with them!


Gracie insists on holding Millie's hand almost everywhere we go. I can't get enough of it either! I'm so glad they are "best sisters" as Millie put it today!

Anniversary Celebration

4 wonderful years of marriage
3 years living in North Salt Lake
2 beautiful daughters
1 December baby on the way...

endless memories already made together
and eternity to look forward to.

Looking on the Bright Side of Things

Yes, it's been a pretty gloomy, wet June. But there are many reasons why I am grateful for all the rain we've been getting out here in Utah the past few weeks. The reservoirs are pretty full, the mountains are still green...and, on a more personal note, I haven't had to hand water our gardens!

Our vegetable garden and flower garden are insufficiently watered by the sprinkling system, so every summer, we plant with high hopes, but then after a few weeks of summer weather, they start to dry off. We begin to water by hand each night, and pretty soon we get tired and neglectful. Our garden never produces like it should, and half the plants we buy end of dying.

So, at least for the month of June, I'm really enjoying our gardens!

Meet Templeton

Well, we finally became pet-owners. We don't really know how to just play in the backyard anymore. Now, whenever we are outside, we take turns holding the bunny or watching it hop around. Templeton has become part of the family!

In the week that we've had it, the girls have come a long way in learning how to treat a pet. They help daddy change it's water and give it more food. They like to open the cage and let it out. But of course, it tries to avoid being picked up by them. Gracie has always been pretty sweet with it, but Millie has had to learn to not pick it up every other second. Templeton seemed so scared of the girls those first few days, but now he (or she) will sit calmly on their lap.



We put together a little cage that it can sit in with the girls so we don't have to worry about it getting away to far. The poor thing probably hates this thing. It loves to run to our garden and hide from the girls.

1st Place Matchmakers 2009

Paul has won many trophies in his days of sports, but this is my first one. I think we better show it off a bit!


And now, the story behind the trophy:

(a little background) Paul and I were set up on a blind date, so one of the goals of our marriage is have successful set-ups, so that others can enjoy the happiness of marriage that we enjoy.

In 2006, Paul tried to set Kent (his brother) up with Sara (an intern from his work). However, she was leaving on a mission, so it fizzled out after just one phone call. We thought of her a couple times while she was gone, but she didn't even remember the phone call with Kent. Then after her mission, she returned to working in the same department as Paul. So last Summer, Paul talked about trying the set-up again. (Now this is my important role) I kept reminding Paul to get her number while he was busy at work. He got it. She was willing. And Kent called her up. They started dating, and the rest is history!


Aren't they a happy couple? It's been so wonderful to see them fall in love, get engaged, and then married last week. It couldn't have been a happier day! They are such a perfectly-matched couple. Elder Holland performed their wedding, and that was a memorable experience for all of us.

At their wedding breakfast, they surprised us with this trophy. Don't ask me how they had time to think of a trophy with all the other wedding plans!


Gracie is kind of fixated on the whole thing. MANY times a day, she brings it up. The conversation goes something like this:

Gracie: "wa...wa...wa...Sarah?"
Mommy: "Where's Sarah?"
Gracie: "ehh...ehh..daa...Tent (Kent)"
Mommy: "Where are Sarah and Kent?"
Gracie: "umm...bu-bye...ehh...home!"
Mommy: "Yeah...they went bye-bye, and where did they get married?"
Gracie: "Temple!"


And just for the record, we are still VERY much in love after almost 4 years of marriage!


UPDATE: We just got news that another couple we set up are now engaged! We are so happy for you, Eric and Lisa! Congratulations!

An Attempt to Catch Up!

Big Girl Bed With New Jammies!
Millie officially graduated into a "big girl" bed, and got some new PJs the same night. Now that makes for one happy 3-year-old!

Visit To Grandma Lucy in Fountain Green
It's always nice to get time with Grandma, especially when we get a sleep over and ride the lawn mower!

Day to Day Life
Someone knows she is beautiful!
And must get her beauty sleep
Grace CANNOT eat yogurt without turning it into art at the end

How can we resist granting her what she wants when she gives us this face?
Still wishing it was Halloween so she could be like her big sister

Some people can pull off these sophisticated glasses :)
Millie is "girl" through and through! She loves getting new clothes and smiling for the camera!
A spring picnic out on the deck--our favorite way to have lunch!

So glad we have neighbor friends to play with!
Gracie's perfect grip that she figured out on her own

Grace LOVES to draw, and can spend a very long time working on her drawings. We wonder if she is a little artist in the making!
Millie's letters...and pictures...

Playgroup at the Park

Temple Square Outing
Fishing in Paradise
It only took 3 minutes to catch her first fish...now that's a great place to fish! Grandpa Thatcher's pond!

An Official Announcement:
(read her bib!)

She's telling the truth! We are having a baby in December!

We feel so blessed and can't wait to find out who will be joining our family. Well... I guess we can wait, since we aren't going to find out from the ultrasound what the gender is. But we are excited for the surprise!