Three Terrific Weekends!

Tic Tac Toe. . . three in a row! This weekend is shaping up to be a terrific weekend which will account for three in a row! I'll try to include a summary and some pictures of each of them as they have all been memorable ones I'd like to not forget.
Weekend 1
Two weeks ago Dan had to go to SLC for a training all VA employees have to take about non-violent intervention. We decided that if work was paying for his travel we may as well all go and enjoy a weekend up North. It also worked out perfectly because Monday was Labor Day so we got an extra long weekend!

We drove to SLC late Wednesday night and stayed in a hotel. The next morning Dan headed off to his training and I headed to the good old Hogle Zoo with the kids. We met up with some of our favorite friends from Pennsylvania and it was a lovely reunion. Well actually none of us live in PA anymore, Caroline McCann is now living in SLC and Natalie Hanks is in Columbus, Ohio. Those of you who know these gals know what fun they are and needless to say we had a perfectly wonderful day. I wish I had more pictures but only got one of the kids in the stroller in front of the zoo. We went to their really cool bird show and I pulled out the camera to take some pictures only to find the battery was dead. Poor Caroline was stuck taking pictures for me all day! Once I talk her into sending me some I'll post more pictures. I have to mention that I was rather impressed with the changes they've made at the zoo. The last time I had been there was probably when I was in the 4th grade and it was a pretty sad sight. Now they've created some cool habitats for the animals and we had a really great time. The kids loved the zoo but were more into the 2 minute train ride and each other than most of the animals. We got a hilarious picture of the kids staring at the maps instead of the huge giraffes that were coming up right behind them! Lydia really thought it was cool to see so many animals in "real life!" Her all time favorite was the penguins. She could have stayed there watching them all day and loved pointing out every time they took a step or "went swimming to have fun!" I practically had to drag her away from them. Other highlights were the green apple ice cream Caroline treated us all to and of course the train ride. Emmett was a great sport at the zoo too!

After the zoo we spent the rest of the afternoon at the McCann's and enjoyed a delicious BBQ. I feel so blessed that we were all in PA last year so our lives could cross and we could be friends. What remarkable, fun and wonderful friends and mother's they are. I'm already anxious for another reunion!

We spent the rest of the weekend up in Logan visiting with my parent's. It was a perfectly delightful weekend and we didn't want to leave when Monday came. We had a blast! From walks to the park to backyard baseball games. From golfing in the morning to singing around the piano in the evening. My mom was so thoughtful and treated me and my Grandma Ellsworth to going and getting pedicures together. She also was my super seamstress and fixed a zipper on a cute skirt for me! Dad was a delight with his delicious zucchini bread, fun alphabet pancakes and playing fisher price people with Lydia. We were spoiled with delicious dinners and had fun going out for our ever favorite Aggie Ice cream! It was also wonderful to see my sister Tasha and my brother Gabe before he headed off to India. A special treat was having my Grandma there visiting at the same time. I was so happy Emmett was able to meet his GG and Lydia just loved sitting out on the porch in the sun with her. One day they saw a butterfly together which was really fun for me because Grandma has always called me her little butterfly! My other favorite part of being home was watching everyone cuddle, rock and play with Emmett. I am so grateful that my children know and love their Grandparents and family. It is always fun to come make lasting memories and build stronger relations with one another.

Oh, I can't forget to mention the fun we had at the Logan Aquatic Center with our good friends The Terry's. Nate, Dorie and their three adorable girls came swimming with us. We always have a great time together! The Terry's are the best of friends. Dan and Nate have been friends since they were eleven years old. They went ring shopping together, proposed within a week of each other and we were married within two weeks of each other. I'm so glad Nate married Dorie because she is a doll and we get along so great! We only wish we could convince them to move back to St.George!

Weekend 2
One week ago we went on our first family camp out with kids! Dan and I used to go camping and backpacking all the time so when we suddenly realized that Lydia was 2 & 1/2 and had never been camping we thought we really should go before this summer is over. The weird thing is that I didn't think twice about taking Emmett. This is a big deal because I tend to be a over-paranoid mother. If Dan had suggested taking Lydia camping when she was just a few months old I would have thought he was crazy and completely refused. Somehow things change with your second child and I thought a family camp out was a great idea. It turns out it was!

I have to admit we were a bit of "urban" campers this time. We drove up to Pine Valley Mountain and paid to camp in a campsite at South Juniper. Our car was only about twelve feet from the tent but we had a nice spot with a little stream running a few feet behind us. We also had a fire pit and log bench to sit on and the best part was the outhouses with flushing toilets across from our campsite! This was definitely a bonus so I didn't have to try and teach Lydia how to go to the bathroom in the great outdoors. We'd borrowed Dan's brother Brock's tent. It was awesome. Super tough and enough space inside for not only our air mattress, but Lydia's little princess air mattress sleeping bag and a pack-n-play for Emmett. Of course when it actually came time to sleep I was too concerned about the thought of Emmett getting cold in the corner all by his lonesome so instead he slept in between Dan and I and stayed nice and cozy in the tent. Lydia also slept like a gem and we had a perfect night. That is with the exception of when I had to go to the bathroom and started hearing howling as soon as I entered the little outhouse. The flush of the toilet made the howling even louder and it sounded like there was a wolf or coyote or something just outside the door. I was so scared I almost cried and contemplated staying in there until Dan or someone came for me. I finally said a prayer, opened the door and ran as fast as I have ever ran to the tent. I was seriously shaking when I got there. Turns out the next morning that some late campers had pulled into the spot next to the bathrooms late in the night and they had a big dog inside their vehicle. I felt really silly once I found out and could finally laugh about it. But I tell you what, it wasn't very funny at four o'clock in the morning!

The next morning we got up and went down to the lake for some family fishing. Of course Dan was the only one who fished. I spent most of the time trying to feed and keep the kids warm. Once the Sun was shining on us it was perfect. Dan caught a fish but threw it back. Lydia loved watching him and still talks about our camping trip where we slept in a tent!

Our little bookworm Lydia even brought her books camping and had fun reading them while Daddy set up the tent!
Lydia loved to help Daddy get fire wood and especially just sitting and staring at the fire. She was very obedient and safe around it.
Dan and Lydia, just fishin'!
Daddy caught a fish . . .
And Lydia caught Daddy!
Here's a nice shot of the gorgeous Pine Valley Mtns. Dan was so nice and helped the poor little boy next to us get a worm on his hook. Lydia watched in awe!
Happy Campers! Lydia loved the fact that we slept in a tent!
Sweet Cheeks! Emmett looked like the kid bundled up on The Christmas Story with his two hats and multiple layers but I didn't want to risk him getting cold in the Mtns!
Isn't this an awesome picture of Lydia!

Weekend 3
To add to these two terrific weekends we had fun this one as well. Our friend Michael planned a BYU excursion for him and Dan and a few guys to go cheer on the cougars in Provo as they played UCLA. Dan was really excited because he loves football and he's never really gone and done anything like this (well besides hunting or horse rides with his Dad and brothers). They left early Saturday morning, got to the game and cheered BYU to a 59-0 victory! Then they went out to eat and came back home late that night. Lydia was sad to share her Daddy on a Saturday when he is usually hers. However after sobbing when he left she soon got over it when she realized this meant she could hang out with her best friend McKenna all day while their Daddy's were at the football game. Jessica and I took the kids to play at the park. Well, Lydia and McKenna played while Emmett and Cason sat in their car seats, ate and slept! Later that night they joined us at our house for more playing, dinner and even popping popcorn and watching an Elmo movie in their pajamas! Jessica's sister Karen joined us in the evening and was a sweet heart to bring us Subway. I'm sure I've mentioned it before but I so love that our kids are best buddies because Jessica and I enjoy hanging out with each other just as much as they do. We are much like the "Chicken and the Egg." We're not sure if our girls are best buds because we love hanging out so much, or if we're best buds because our girls loving being together so much! Regardless I am forever thankful for our friendship. The boys had a great road trip and the girls had fun on the home front. We were all happy to be together again today and while our entire little family of four was sitting on our bed today Lydia put it perfectly, "I Just Love My Family!"