fathER's day

Happy Father's Day Casey!  My dad was headed to Alaska on Father's day so we celebrated with my family last weeked with burgers & some softball.  I love burgers.  We had Casey's family over on Sunday for fabulous BBQ chicken, potatoes & fruit.  I made Casey a divine fruit pizza for dessert.  I love it when desserts turn out so pretty!  Such a shame that I think I am the only one that enjoys that part of it. :)  The kids & I gave him a camp chair, a shirt, & a couple of parts for his gun that he is building.  He was slightly giddy.

 He told me the other day that he was glad we had girls.  How cute!  He has 2 brothers...no sisters, but he said he's glad he didn't have any because he imagines they would have been full of drama.  Hopefully we won't be in for to much drama down the road.

 He sure loves his little boy - & this little boy loves him right back.

Caleb has been soooooo sick.  We thought it would be nice to go to breakfast last Friday morning...we were wrong.  We headed all the way to Logan (I needed to go to Sam's club) to Angie's.  When we got there, Caleb said he needed to go home & take a rest in our bed.  Not a good sign.  We got our table...and I ran Caleb into the bathroom just in time to toss his cookies.  Poor kid.  We headed home instead of eating (after I got some FABULOUS sheets from Sam's...I love them)

He didn't throw up the rest of that day but Saturday & Sunday were full of nothing but P U K E.  He couldn't keep anything down.  Water...coconut water...powerade...apple juice.  It was so sad.  He was so thirsty too!  After the Father's day festivities Caleb was screaming in pain & saying his stomach was hurting - so I took him to the ER (without insurance.....eeeeeeek!).  He was dehydrated & his glucose levels were to low.  They took some x-rays...took some blood....did a urine test & put an IV in him to get him hydrated.  He had a virus.  It's always a virus.  Actual diagnosis was Acute viral gastroenteritis with volume depletion.  Say that 10 times fast.

TODAY - he is officially feeling better & even went to see Madagascar 3 with Grammy, Angela & Blake!  What a lucky boy.  I hate when he is sick - he is so tiny & really doesn't have much fat to fall back on for reserves. 

He was cute at the hospital.  he wanted to know if the Dr was angry or nice.  The lab guy was so nice getting the IV in (with minimal drama from Caleb...I was surprised!)  He didn't want to leave after we were there for 3 hours...he just wanted to stay & take a rest.  At home he kept laying on the floor...I wonder if it's a lot cooler on the floor, but his sisters were "bugging him" so he kept moving back to the couch.

Caleb & Allie & I managed to bust out these adorable wind catchers the other day.  The kids helped cut the ribbon, stuck on the stickers, & watched intently as I hot guled the ribbon to the can.  I think they turned out very cute!

Somedays....

I honestly wonder how I survive.

One of the girls new favorite things is to sit on each other.  Usually one is laying down & the other plops down on top of them & the one on bottom screams their face off until I come to the rescue.  It's quite comical.  This instance - they were actually just enjoying each other.  DARLING!  Rylee has her hands up.

I love when Taylor (left) & Rylee (right) enjoy their nightly bottle.  I'll be sad when this routine is over.  They get so excited & run into the front room and wait for their drink.  It's adorable.

 My daily struggle is keeping the freaking pantry door CLOSED.  No one understands why this is a big deal except for me.  Casey, Caleb & the kids I baby sit NEVER shut it.  It sends me!  Taylor & Rylee destroy the bottom shelves if they ever get the opportunity.  This night - they found the box of goldfish crackers.  They were in heaven.  (Taylor standing, Rylee sitting)

 Once in a while - Caleb joins them for their night cap.

(sing this) "I looked out the window & what did I see???  Caleb standing out there in his skivvy's."  He asked if he could water my flowers - I said sure.  He ended up drenching himself instead.

 Little Miss Rylee enjoying the plethora of stuffed animals.

Another daily struggle?  Keeping the wipes out of reach!!  They love to empty the container...suck on them...chew them...I swear when they poop their butts should already be clean!!  Taylor was really excited that she got this far with them.

 "Helping" with the dishes yet again.

Taylor's new thing is the TV buttons.  Caleb has a panic attack when she pushes one if he is watching his new favorite "The Avengers" cartoon series.  His favorite is ironman.  When ironman is in his suit - he asks his Artificial Intelligence Computer Program (Jarvis) when he needs something.  Just tonight at dinner Caleb said "I need more milk Jarvis"  (he was talking to me)

 I love when kids put things on upside down.  Cute, cute, cute!!!

Pre-Summer Fun!

A few weeks ago we went with MaLynda, Jess, Zack & Aliyah to baby animal days in Kaysville.  Caleb LOVED the train ride (he got to go 2 times!) & the bouncy houses.  He even got his face painted!!!  It was a fun afternoon.  Baby animal days in Logan is MUCH better though.  We went to Red Robin to eat afterwards....I love that place.  Casey & I ate there all of the time when we were dating - ahhhhhhh - the good ol' days :)

We filled up the pool for Caleb the other day & he had a lot of fun.  When the girls woke up, they also thought it was fabulous!

Two little cute girls splashing away!

 Cute lil' bums :)

 Caleb LOVED getting Casey drenched with the hose.  The water was FREEZING!!!

 This is the mess Taylor made after eating her first big chocolate chip cookie all by herself.

 Oh my.  I don't think I was supposed to have boys.  SNAKES!!!  This little boy has panic attacks around dogs....won't pet a horse....makes me carry him around any cows (which is understood...I want someone to carry me around cows also)....but he adored this snake that Blake & Zeke helped him catch at Mantua reservoir.  He had absolutely no fear.  Picked it right up...talked to it....named it Rylee....and gave it a kiss. 

 Over Memorial Day weekend we had the shortest camping trip ever.  I prepared a TON of food for the long weekend....but when the forecast is for a butt load of rain - it is forecasted correctly.  I will NEVER chance that again!  We set up our tent in Blacksmith Fork canyon & then it started to rain & the canvas tent just wasn't keeping the water out enough.  So - we packed up & came home.  Total time away from home?  4 hours.  That is not a typo.  4 (F O U R) hours.  Casey's parents ended up throwing a tarp over the top of the tent & slept snug as bugs in rugs - so I'm glad we left it up there! 

Here is the 1 picture I got of Caleb's camping trip.

 I don't understand children.  They want to eat EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.  Why????  Taylor & Rylee love spaghetti.  I hate the mess - but when it makes them happy, I'll deal with it.

 When I serve them spaghetti - I make sure it falls on a bath night.  Taylor is standing...Rylee is sitting.

St George

My brother, Huge (aka Dylan),  has received his associates degree from Dixie College!!  

A celebration/vacation was had by all (except for Jordon (frown) he had to work.)  My parents got a couple of FABULOUS condos in Hurricane for all of us to share.  HOW NICE!  We went to Five Guys for dinner on graduation night...it was fabulous.  It might be the best burger I've ever eaten.  That could be for 1 of 2 reasons.....1 - It really was the best ever or 2 - I have been so deprived of greasy food because of my new "Lifestyle" (weight watchers) that my taste buds were just in pure heaven.

The rooms had tile floors...8 foot doors...fabulous light fixtures...3 bedrooms...2.5 bathrooms...they were so nice!  We shared a room with Ashley, Derrick & Eva.  My parents & Angela's family were in the other room.  Our rooms were right next door to each other & there was a short divider between our patios...Caleb LOVED going over that and going to 'Blake's condo'.   Caleb loved the goblets for his morning glass of milk.  He would say "Can I have some milk in a cup with a line?"



 My little family, Ashley's little family & my mom did the unthinkable & attempted a trip to Zion's park.  It was actually quite a successful outing!  I love it when that happens.  Angela's family also went to Zion's the same day - but they went their own way since they weren't going to be limited because of tiny children.  We were able to go & check out weeping rock and take the stroller down the river trail.  I loved it all.  Caleb was Ashley's best friend because she had a camelbak & he thought it was AWESOME.  We happened to run into Angela's fam at one of the last shuttle stops on our way out of the park.  We were already on the shuttle & I saw Griffen out of the window & FINALLY got his attention & all I got was a very unenthusiastic "Hey."  When I got Angela's attention her reaction was awesome...arms up in the air with a huge, "Oh my heck!!!! HI!!"

 My favorite part of the trip???  POOL TIME!  It's not as relaxing with the twins - but I had so much awesome help, that I was still able to get my tan on a smidge.  Caleb got braver each day that we got in the pool...except for when I took him into the cave behind the  waterfall.  He had a HUGE meltdown.  We are always telling him not to freak out...and when I handed him to Casey after getting out of the cave he said calm as can be, "Dad...I freaked out."  Cracked me up.  Taylor didn't love swimming on the first day but Rylee loved it!  Taylor enjoyed it much more the 2nd day we went out.  I think she was feeling a smidge under the weather.

I do believe I am holding Taylor & Angela is holding Rylee.  Rylee has a love affair with Angela.  It's kind of cute.

 I always think I'll remember which twin is which in pictures...but I can't keep them straight!  They are so adorable when they are dressed alike, but it sure makes pictures difficult!

 On Monday my Dad, Casey, Ben, Griffen, Ashley, Derrick & Eva headed back home.  The rest of us lived it up a few days more.  I mostly stayed at the condo & the pool & my Mom, Angela & Blake spent another day hiking in Zions.  On our last night we visited The Sweet Tooth Fairy.  What divine cupcakes!!  I loved the Cookies & Cream & the Fairyfetti the most.  We got SEVERAL cupcakes & all sat around the table taste testing.  It was fun!

Dylan babysat my children while we ran to the cupcake store...little Taylor was exhausted.  How stinkin' cute is that??

Mother's Day

Caleb & I started our day off at church while Casey & the girls stayed home.  Caleb made me a beautiful flower necklace & can you guess what his lesson was about in sunbeams???

Me & my kiddos (Rylee has her hand in her mouth - Taylor has the wild hair do).  Caleb is working on finding his smile.  He cracks me up sometimes.

Casey's parents came over for lunch & gave me a bunch of petunias & a cute sign that Mona made.  How nice!

 Casey was so excited for me to open my gift.  He kept saying, " I really think you're going to like your mother's day gift"  Geez....no pressure!  BUT - he was correct.  I love these things.  They are stickers for your toenails!  You cut them to fit...blow dry them on...and TA DA!  Fabulous toes.

 I also bought flowers for my pots.  They are going to be gorgeous!  I love my plant stands.  Brad (my father-in-law) made the 2 in front for mine & Casey's wedding cakes.  I'm happy I thought of a way to display them because I love them!  They were black - but I thought this blue color was much more summery.  I love spray paint.

My sister Angela had the FABULOUS idea to get all of my mom's grand kids together for pictures for her Mother's Day gift.  They turned out fabulous.  All of them have such pretty blue eyes!  Amber with Two Color Photography took the pictures & we all love them.  What a treasure!

It's official...

Taylor is walking!!