Time Flies

In no time at all, it was time to head back home.  Ugh, that's early.  

But leaving early in the morning is the secret to a successful 16-hour car ride!

And Heather and her kids did really well.  They all gagged when we got out of car in Omaha, where the air was thick and wet, and then shrieked with delight at the fireflies that dotted the road in the final few hours of our drive.  And then we were home!  To do lots of this- 

and this- 

and this-

a little of this- 

and some of this- 

I'm still not sure how to explain this- 

We had grand plans to do nothing exceptional while we were together, just let the kids play and the sisters visit.  And we accomplished our goal!  We went to the pool, went mermaid bowling, checked out several parks, and played to our hearts contents.  Everyone had someone to play with, and they loved it!

Our last day together was the 4th of July, so we  attended our ward breakfast (because the Hulls are good sports), played in the yard, ate tasty foods and lit some firecrackers, all while getting in our last hugs and puppet shows and packing up for their early departure the next morning. 

Early the next morning they got up and sneaked out, leaving Ethan for another two weeks to work with Jason and the kids all so sad that their cousins were gone for another "until next time".  

We were so glad they came to visit!

48 Hour Getaway

I took a little trip by myself in June to Utah.  I went to pick up Heather and her four kids to help them make the 16 hours drive to Iowa.  All of the kids wanted to go with me, so I took along Roxy Pug as my travel companion and sent them pictures of our adventures along the way.   

After a stressful few hours of delays, plane switches, bumped up seats, and running to catch connecting flights, we made it to Utah!

This was my view for breakfast the two mornings I was there- not bad at all.  I sure do miss those mountains!

And this was the sunset at the food truck roundup with Allison, Jared, and Jen.  The weather there was beautiful- hot and dry with zero percent humidity!

I was only there for two days, but I got to spend some quality time with my mom 

(who gave me my brown hair),

my dad (who gave me by blue eyes), 

my little sis (who shares my love for cupcakes!) 

my little bro, my hilarious sister-in-law and their fur-babies,

and my sweet friend Bea-

Roxy Pug had plenty of adventures "for" the kids- hanging out with the real Roxy, playing with Grandma's toys, checking  under Grandpa's foxskin, and playing with her fur-cousins.

I would have loved to stay longer and had time to visit with lots of other friends and family who were so close, but I was literally there for just a few hours.  I was glad there was just enough time to see this beautiful new temple- 

which is just 3 blocks away from the apartments Jason and I first lived in as newlyweds.  We used to go to stake conference there (baby Leah once dropped a toy off the second floor balcony down on unsuspecting people down below!)  He and I performed there in Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration with a huge group of young adults.  It used to be a tabernacle (a church assembly hall), and was restored and re-purposed over the last few years after a fire to become the 200th beautiful LDS temple to dot the earth.

And then, just as quick as I got there, it was time for Roxy Pug and I to pack up the car and head back home.  But I'm so glad that I got to spend a few hours in Utah this summer!

Summer! (by Leah)

It is finally summer!!!!! I never want it to end! Adam wants to go back to school, but I don't! On Sunday we are having the block party! It will be so much fun!

         Our cousins came over 2 weeks ago and left this Tuesday. :-( It was sad because they left at 4:00 in the morning and we didn't get to say goodbye. But our cousin Ethan is still here! He works with Dade in the corn field only Ethan works with soy beans and Dade works with corn.

      We have a lot of yummy foods in our garden like raspberries, strawberries, and sugar snap peas. The peas are super sweet and the strawberries are the best in the world!!!!!

       While our cousins were here we went to Nauvoo. It was really fun! My favorite parts were the cabin we got to be in and the blacksmith shop. We were there for 3 days. It was really fun!

 (Highlights of summer from someone who really knows how to appreciate it.  I can't believe this young lady of ours is headed into 4th grade next month!)

Snaggle Tooth

When we last check in on Adam's pumpkin smile, he had lost one front tooth.  As seen in the picture above, the second one was getting quite snaggly, and needed to make it's exit.  

And without much excitement, it did!

 Now it's only July but we're all singing, "All I want for Cwisthmas is my two front teeth!"

 Then, with even less fanfare, a bottom tooth fell out after being snagged on a Red Vine.  

But not even the the loss of three teeth in a month can keep this happy boy from whistling all day long!

Summer Traditions

Climbing fences- 

because all kids should know how- 

 Indoor s'mores- and outdoor ones too!

Beautiful Iowa sunsets every night- 

 Catching fireflies in jammies- then letting them go again. 

The Ankeny Summerfest parade (because they still throw candy!)   

Our weekly visit to the library to collect summer reading prizes and stock up on books- 

A trip to Heritage Park in Des Moines with friends for a ride on the carousel and a hundred trips down the rocket slide-

Swim lessons!  Which Emma finally decided to participate in, and which Noah has zero interest in (yet)-  

 

And lots of other days at the beach, too. 

Sweet, sweet summer days.  

All the -Isms

From Noah-

Ooh look!  I love orangies (because they're not just oranges, they're orangIES).

*****

While I was counting cards out by twos- "And five!  And five!" (because we can't forget five).

*****

Can I have a cookie?  I just want one... no two... no five... no ALL THE COOKIES!!!

*****

(Laughing to himself)
M- What's so funny.
N- My poop!
M- Why?
N- Because... I POOP!!!

Of course!

*****

Noah can't wait until the day that he gets to switch rooms with Emma and share the boys room with Adam.  He loves to climb up onto Adam's bed during scriptures and snuggle under his covers, in hopes that I'll leave him there for the whole night.  When I climbed up the ladder to extract him last night, he said, "Mama, can you just go away from here?

*****

Noah came closer and closer to me while I was sitting on the couch, until his face was right by mine and he asked, "Mama, can I pick your nose?"

*****

While reading from The Book of Mormon, Noah recites his verse back to us.

"And it came to pass..."

"And it came to pass..."

"That Alma and Amulek..."

"That Alma and And-A-Lick..."

*****

Quite possibly my favorite -ism ever, ever, ever- while Noah was sitting on the floor in his room reading every book on the shelf, Jason and I stood in the doorway discussing who should clean up the mess and who should clean up the room.

M- Do you want the books or the boy?

J- I don't care.  Either one.  

(starts  to pick up Noah)

N- No!  Mama wants the boy!  Mama wants the boy!!!

They are always listening... 

*****

The bigger kids are always full their own -isms, but they are a bit harder to catch and write down before they slip from my memory.

From Emma- Mama, are you wearing that to the store?

M- yes, is that okay? 

E-Ummm... maybe you should change.  Just your pants anyway.

And this from the girl who lives in her nightgown.  

*****

We're having lots of conversations about the upcoming summer birthdays.  I told a sad Emma that I was going to buy her a pony for her birthday.  Instead of disbelieving me, she just said, "Mama!  Don't tell me!  Make it a surprise!"

*****

After pretending to be Tarzan on one of our too-tiny trees, Emma insisted that we keep all of the broken branches and discarded plants from the garden- "for my Halloween costume!  I'll put a branch here and a branch here and then I'll be a real tree!"

And Adam- as we were playing a categories/word game the other day.  While reading the card, Adam said, "Name different types of Mus-Cles" (with the C)

M- I think it says muscles.

A- No, it says Mus-Cles. 

M- I know, like in your body.  The C is silent.  

A- Ohh!  Yeah, name different types of muscles!

And then, when it was his turn to name wind instruments- 

A fork!  And a spoon!  And what else do you hang with a string so the wind can blow it?

He was thinking of a wind chime.