Pictures

Last week we were at the park. The boys started to play in the gazebo so we decided to give them a snack. While we were there, it started pouring! Eventually the boys ventured out and played on the playground. Tommy got his foot stuck, then lost a shoe, then climbed up and slid down the biggest slide and shot off like a rocket and was crying. I finally went out to gather the boys, but by then Damon was trying the waterslide and would fly off and land on his bottom. He loved it! We were all super soaked by the time we got to the car. My mascara was even running in my eyes...I've never had that happen before! We should have earned some serious cool mommy points that day...too bad the boys are too little to understand how lucky they were that day:)


Last week was extremely busy and stressful for Barrett at work. The boys barely saw him and by the end of the week, they didn't want to have much to do with him. Saturday was a great day to mend the relationship with a beach trip! We all had a lot of fun. Tommy has no fear and wanted to sit in the waves without anyone holding his hand. We had to coax him out of the water with food, then dug in the sand for sea shells afterwards. It was fun to be at the beach.




Sunday was Father's Day. We made Barrett some muffins and orange julius which he ate on his way to meetings for church. After church he opened presents. We gave him Jelly Bellys, cashews, and a book that was coming in the mail. The boys hovered like vultures until he opened and shared some Jelly Bellys. They were all best buddies again!


We didn't do a whole lot this week. Monday night was free kids meal at Chick Fil-A, so we had a great time there! There was even a giant cow shaking hands. The boys surprisingly loved him! The next day we went to the library and it was Chick Fil-A day there!!! The cow came and we got free food and coupons for free food. It was awesome! It is now our favorite place to go. The people are so nice and accomodating and the playground is so clean! Plus, we like the food and deals:)

This week's update:
One day this week I was complaining to Barrett that Tommy needed to start saying a few words so he could communicate what he wanted. I said Damon was surely talking by now...so I looked it up in my little notebook. I read all the words Damon was saying at this age. Either that afternoon or the next morning, Tommy started saying things!! He says, "buh-bai", "ah-pai" (happy), "bay-bee", "ap-oh" (apple), "no", "bah-boh" (basketball), and lots others. It is so fun!

Damon got new shoes at the mall. He was really excited and had to put them on the second we walked out of the store. He thinks they make him run really fast. He also played with the neighbor girls for a few minutes the other day. He felt pretty cool.

Barrett wasn't nearly as busy as last week, but by the end of the week he had a headache and the chills. Motrin does wonders.

I am excited to say that this week I completed a book!!! I can't remember the last time I was able to read a book. My sister loaned The Help to me. It was really fascinating and I'm glad I read it! This is one reason why I haven't blogged in two weeks!

Busy Weekend

Another busy weekend! On Friday night, we headed over to the water park at the State Park near by. The were promoting healthy snacks in the State Park vending machines, so it was free, plus they were giving away little lunch boxes and free snacks. They boys loved it! We met up with our friends too, which made things even more fun. Tommy loved playing in the water and sitting in it. He tried the frog slide and was a little afraid, but by the end he was pushing other kids and cutting in line. Damon loved it all!! We discovered we grew a bean!! Sadly, a slug was eating it this morning. Saturday we headed down to the temple. I got a new calling at church and needed to go to a conference that was being held at the stake center next to the temple. Barrett and the boys went on a nature walk, played, learned about poison ivy (no one got a rash!), and tried to stay cool. When I was done with my meetings, Barrett went in to do a temple session while I tried to cool off the super sweaty boys. I took Damon to get an ice cream sundae at McDonald's and Tommy fell asleep. We went to a park for a few minutes until we melted, then back over to the Visitor's Center at the temple. We headed home, but stopped off at Sam's Club before making it home. It was quite the day and we were all pretty exhausted! Tommy is into imitating Damon more and more. Here he is trying to skateboard.
Tommy started trying to do cartwheels after watching Damon.

Happy Flag Day!!

Today is Flag Day. We read some books about America and the flag, made a little craft, paraded around waving flags and singing "You're a Grand Old Flag!", and making a yummy flag treat. We all had fun:)

Our 3 1/2 Year Old

Damon has been pretty funny lately.
He insists on wearing these short little royal blue "basketball" shorts all the time! I won't let him wear them out in public, so the second we walk in the house, he's up in his room changing into them. I just got a $10 Kohl's card in the mail, so we'll be heading over there to buy a bigger, longer pair of basketball shorts.

Today I came downstairs and he told me he had stacked up all his books that were his favorite...ones with cookies, candy, or ice cream in them. He had sorted out his books into a category he created himself!!

When Rolayne was visiting, she was having a discussion with Damon about going number 2 on the toilet (he will only do it in a diaper). He told her when he was 18 or 19, then he'd go on the toilet. She said something to the effect of...well, you'll be going on a date with a girl, then you'll have to get a diaper on to go to the bathroom. Damon replied, "uhhh, that'll be embarassing!"

Damon put some socks on to go outside to help Daddy mow the lawn. He came down looking like this (see picture below). I think he found some dress socks and pulled them up as high as they would go. Notice the basketball shorts and the cool shirt that doesn't match anything else. Gotta love 3 year olds!

Yesterday Damon was asked to share a scripture in Primary. On the way there, he told me he didn't need any help and that I was supposed to sit in the back. We practiced a few times and he had it down pat. When he got up to the microphone, he froze and barely said anything, I had to run up there and help him out. Here's proof that he knew it! (I love how he says "Ra-moni" I kept trying to correct him, but it didn't work:) Oh, pause the playlist on the right first.


When Grandma Ro was here, she taught Damon Fuzzy Wuzzy. He picked it up really quickly and loves to say it!

Grandma, Strawberries, Birthday, and More

We had a wonderful week with Grandma Ro!! We are soooo glad she came to visit!! The boys enjoyed reading books with her, playing with toys, making up games, getting "presents", watching the Toy Story movies, eating at "King Burger", and lots more. Barrett and I enjoyed having a date night, having someone else to help with the boys, and talking and reminiscing with Grandma.

Damon has really been into "reading" books to Tommy lately.
We went to pick strawberries at our favorite farm/orchard a few miles from our house. The boys loved eating them all the way to the car. There is nothing better than strawberries fresh off the field all sun-kissed and sweet!


We took Grandma to our favorite park. There were a couple Amish families there too. I wanted to take a picture of the cute little toddlers in their Amish dresses and bonnets, but thought it might be a little rude. Damon and Tommy thought they could climb this huge tree:)
While Grandma was here, Barrett had his birthday. We had a great dinner and pretty awesome cake! He got tons of presents...some from the dollar store, some from our REI points, some geared for the boys, and some from our annual trip to American Eagle.


We took Grandma to see Barrett's office. The boys knew right where Daddy's treats were. We then kept Damon occupied by letting him take pictures of the office. I'm pretty sure he took about 100 that I had to delete. He took this one of me and Rolayne:)

Grandma with the boys on Memorial Day. We went to a Branch picnic, then went to Rita's after dinner! We ALL love Ritas!!!!!!