Happy Birthday to me!!!

We seem to celebrate my birthday the same way every year, and I totally don't mind.  This year it was on a Wednesday.  Derrick scheduled his post-op appointment for the morning and took the day off.  I was thrilled to spend the day with him since I don't always get to.  He spoiled me to pieces!  I got a new camera and a Chi.  After a relaxing morning we went to the fair.  This is what we have done the last few years to celebrate and I always enjoy it.  Madi has really started to enjoy photography and wants to use our little camera whenever I will let her.  Here is one she took of a chicken.

Of course one of the favorites is the pony rides.  This was Easton's first one.  I wasn't sure what he would think, but he totally loved it! 

He even got brave... Look... no hands!!! 

Madi liked it too, not sure why she looks so scared. 

Easton loved all the animals!  He wanted to touch them all.  He has just started learning that not all animals say "ROAR"!  It was fun to show him the real animals and help him learn the sounds. 

We love the little hands farm and hit it every year.  It is so much fun for the kids. 

Easton thought it was great!  He liked exploring and being in a new environment. 

Madi was scared of the cow that you milk.  Silly girl had been talking about it for a week and then decided it was scary. :D  Picking their apples... 

Madi planted carrots.  Easton planted green peppers. 

My cute little farmers... 

I think Madi was a little scared of the sheep too.  I didn't give her a choice though. :D 

After the fair we went home for my favorite, cheesecake!  It was so yummy!  Thanks for always making my birthday special babe!  I love you!!!

America's Next Top Model???

Miss Madi loves to have her picture taken and wants to see it as soon as the flash goes off.  My DSLR recently broke and I have only snapped a few with my phone.  Lucky for me, a new DSLR along with an external flash, multiple lenses and other goodies is on it's way and will be here just in time for my birthday.  (Thank you mom, dad and Derrick!) 

Madi's first project...

Madi is my little crafter and I LOVE it!  I love that she is old enough to craft with me and that she wants to!  Madi did the O in our HOME letters from start to finish (minus the sanding and a few clean ups on drips) and I am so proud of her awesome work!  The O is replaced with cute little things for each holiday, but we just might have to leave it in there for a little while. 

 

 



Abby...

Madi LOVES animals.  She was thrilled with Annie when she brought her four kittens to her shower so Madi could play with them.  This is Abby, the princess of the bunch and the one Madi would've loved to take home.  Maybe someday, when you can clean the litter box. :D

Christmas for free...

Do you save all those little codes that come with your diapers?  I sure hope so.  I recently cashed in some of my Huggie Rewards and got this awesome train for one of Easton's Christmas presents for FREE!  I didn't even have to pay shipping.  Retail on this is $17.  I was totally stoked!  I do Disney Rewards and Pamper's Rewards too.  If you have any you good ones let me know and if you have kids in diapers and don't use your codes, call me.  I'll come pick them up! :D

 

Poor Boy...

After getting flu shots on Tuesday we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa.  On the way, we drove around the Bountiful Temple.  This is something Madi loves to do and I love talking to her about the temple.  On this day she told me she wasn't getting married in the Bountiful Temple.  She wanted to get married in the Salt Lake Temple cause that is where mommy and daddy were married.  Such a sweet girl.  Then she told me she wanted to marry Guire.  (That's how she ends almost ANYTHING that can be related to getting married.)

Today as we drove home from the Cheesecake Factory (Thank you mom and dad for a GREAT birthday lunch!) she was playing a puzzle game on my phone.  It had the outline of an object with colored puzzle pieces.  When the puzzles is complete, the object changes to the picture of what it is. At that point Madi would tell us what it was and move on to the next one.  One of the puzzles was a ring.  As soon as it appeared, she told us it was a ring then quickly added "Guire's gonna give me a BIG ring." and continued with her game.

This is something Madi has been pretty sure about it since she was old enough to talk. The girl cracks me up!  It would be hilarious if they really do get married, and let's be honest, I would kinda love it!  Poor Guire though.  He doesn't even get a say in the matter. 

Madi's Christmas List...

Madi wants everything!  She shows us things all the time that she wants.  So, we started telling her she needs to ask Santa for things.  Her list so far...

LeapPad 2 Tablet (ipad for kids)
A Camera (A REAL one)
A Guitar
A Bear and a Moose (like Annie's)

Derrick grew up getting everything on his list.  I grew up getting a main gift and then other things.  I know our kids are pretty spoiled but I don't think she is getting her whole list this year. :D

Two Mothers...

We are part of a group called FSA (Families Supporting Adoption).  They put this poem on their blog and I love it!  It is called Two Mothers.

 

Once there were two women who never knew each other
One you may not remember, the other you call Mother

Two different lives shaped to make you one
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun

The first gave you life, and the second guided you on your way
The first gave you love, the second reminded you every day

One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name
One gave you a talent, the other gave you aim

One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears

One made an adoption plan, that was all that she could do
The other prayed for a child, and God led her straight to you

Now, which of these two women, are you the product of?
Both, my darling, both! Just two different types of love.

--Unknown.

To the ER, STAT!!!

Disclaimer:  NOT for the weak stomached.

Last Saturday Derrick woke up and said he hadn't slept great because his stomach was hurting.  He went throughout the day and did the things he normally would.  He went to lunch with his parents, cleaned the bathrooms and we went on a date that night.  He still wasn't feeling great and thought it was because he was plugged up.  We stopped and got a laxative on our way home. 

He woke up Sunday and went to the bathroom but still hurt.  He went to his meetings and when we got to church I could tell he didn't feel good.  He told me that as soon as the sacrament had been passed he was going to go home to rest.  He took Easton and the two went home to nap.

When he came back to pick me up he looked awful.  He said the pain had moved to his right side, that he was having chills and that he had thrown up. ***ding, ding, ding***

As soon as we got home I called our wonderful babysitters who ran right over.  I took him to the ER because that is exactly what happened to my brother, Nicholas, when he had appendicitis.  I was pretty sure that is what Derrick had.  Turns out I was right.  He went into surgery that night and it was confirmed that he had appendicitis AND that it has ruptured.  (I will post the surgery pics later.)  His surgery was laproscopic, so he has three incisions, one in the belly button (top picture), one a little lower (bottom picture, drain in picture) and one on the left.

My father in law rescued our sitters so they could go visit family and my FABULOUS friends came to the rescue.  Andrea took the kids and Liseanne provided car seats.  Then they brought us dinner for three nights and cleaned my kitchen.  I really have the most fantastic ward family anyone could ever want!  I am not sure what I would've done without them this summer.  They have come to my rescue too many times to count.  I love our ward and am so very blessed to live where I do.

Anyhow, back to the surgery.  Since it ruptured he had to go home with a drain.  I had to "strip the drain" and measure how much fluid was coming out before dumping it down the toilet.  I can handle blood and poop and most things, but I gotta tell ya, I gagged a few times doing this.  On Wednesday he was able to get the drain out and is on his way to recovering.  Poor guy has been through a lot and will be glad to feel normal again, hopefully soon. 

Thank you again to everyone that has helped, called and prayed for us! 

Jensen Park...

With surgeries and a busy summer, we haven't made to Jensen Park as much as we would've liked.  We went on the 19th and let Easton and Madi feed the ducks before going for a walk.  Easton has been too little up until now to feed the ducks.  He thought it was pretty cool.  He wanted more bread, even after we had gone through the whole loaf.  My favorite bird there was the pelican!  I haven't seen one there before.  He was catching fish and eating them.  I wish I had had a better camera than the one on my phone.

Madi thought we needed to stop at EVERY bench.  She is such a cutie.  We enjoyed a nice, long walk.  At the end we came to a big retention pond so we rolled down the hill and lay on the grass while the kids played for a while.  It was a nice temperature and some of the lushest, softest grass I have seen.  It was one of those perfect moments.  After they ran their energy out we started back to the pond. 

Here are a couple of Madi's bench pictures...  

I love this one.  It was a great night.  I love Sunday evenings.  They are my favorite!!! 

Crystal Hot Springs...

The weekend of the 17th we went camping up at Crystal Hot Springs.  It is the first time we have gone camping (aside form our back yard) this summer.  Madi was so excited!  She wanted This head light instead of a flashlight and thought she needed it on the entire time! Andrew and Holly came up with us too.  We were excited for a fun, relaxing weekend!  We roasted hot dogs, played games and made smores before trying to go to bed.  I say "trying" because the campsites were SOOO close and small!  There was a family reunion right next to us and they were talking loud and running through OUR campsite all night.  At one point Derrick said it would be a long time before we go camping again. :D

Look at my cute kids relaxing and enjoying the nice evening! 

We welcomed the coolness of the morning since it was so hot during most of the night.  We woke up and got ready for the morning.  Camper #1: READY!

After a quick breakfast, more games and some cleanup, we changed into our suits and put life jackets on the kids.  Poor Easton kept falling over in his and he couldn't get up! 

"Help!  I've fallen and I can't get up!" 

At the pool, ready to jump in! 

This pool was 98 degrees.  The hottest one was 110!  Madi loved her jacket.

Easton did not.  he cried and cried until we gave in and took it off.  As soon as I undid the first buckle he started grinning and it only got bigger as I undid each one. 

My hottie and my little cutie!!! 

People tell us all the time how cute our kids are and I have to totally agree.  I love their little faces and their sweet grins.  They are such a blessing in our life and I love doing things together as a family. 

Easton made a new buddy, Uncle Andrew!  He could launch him out of the water like no one else and Easton thought it was the greatest thing ever!  He laughed and laughed and kept signing "more".  It was hilarious to just watch his face.  I wish we would have got a picture of it. 

After swimming in the pools we went back to camp for lunch and to pack up.  Easton was so sad when his pudding was all gone.  Poor guy!  We had a blast and are looking forward to making it an annual tradition.  (Although next year we will reserve a camp site in the back corner and hope for a quieter spot.)  Thanks for coming Andrew and Holly!  Next year we hope the rest of our UT siblings can come too! 

Ice cream cones...

Madi LOVES ice cream cones and asks for them almost every day.  She only gets them once or twice a week.  Easton loves them too and he wants to eat it on his own and finish the whole melty, drippy cone!  He gets so mad when I take the last bit away because he won't sit at the table with it and it has dripped all over.  Look how cute he is though...

Both of them are looking at the camera!!!  I love those blue eyes! 

Easton adores Madi!  He wants to do everything she does.  He watches her every move and no one can make him laugh like her. 

This picture reminds me of my niece, Caeli, for some reason.  Isn't she so cute! 

Plumber problems...

 My little Easton has some serious plumber problems!  Pretty much as soon as he gets the slightest bit wet, the suit slides down.  (These two pictures are only about two minutes apart.)

Look how white his little bum is!  Wish I could tan like that. :D

 Pull your pants up Boy!!!

At the zoo with Daddy!!!

On August 4th we finally made it to Rocky Shores for a nice day with Derrick.  I always love when he is able to come with us.  I love that my kids get so excited about it no matter how many times we go.  The Rocky Shore exhibit makes me a little home sick for Oregon.  I miss the beach and the fun times we would have there.  Some day I will take my family to all the places I loved as a child and introduce them to the Oregon coast!

And some day I will get a picture with both of my kids looking at the camera and smiling at the same time. :D 

Watching the sea lions play... 

Rizzo is the zoos new polar bear.  We love her!  She is fun to watch in the water and looks so playful!   

And on of my favorites are the three grizzlies.  They are still pretty young and so fun to watch.  We happened to go during an enrichment time for them.  I made Derrick wait so we could watch them.  Their keepers hid food throughout their enclosure and then the bears had to find it.  This one just found a frozen block of ice laced with fish. 

Look how cute they are!  I am not sure what draws me to grizzlies.  They are so beautiful and look so cuddly.  It makes me want to snuggle up to them and play.  On the other hand, I totally have an irrational fear of being mauled to death by one.  Odd, I know! 

It was a hot day and Easton couldn't get enough to drink.   

Madi wanted ice cream to cool down.  Look at her pink little face.  It wasn't cause she was burned, it was from being so hot!