Greetings from Castle Country

My kids and I are on a fun filled tour of beautiful South Eastern Utah. We left yesterday and drove to Salt Lake, where we were able to meet up with some friends for dinner {pictures to come}. After which, we drove to Helper to visit Grandma Vicki! We have a whole week of adventures planned, and have already had a great time. I remembered to pack pretty much EVERYTHING, except my USB cable....pictures will have to wait. But, it will be worth the wait. In true Cali and Carter fashion, we already have several priceless digital gems!!

Professional Midget Wrestlers {Sorry..."Little People" Wrestlers}

Tatum and I have been friends since before the Spice Girls were cool and it was completely acceptable to dress in baby doll dresses and Doc Martens {together of course}. As young girls, full of hopes and dreams, we often talked about the things we wanted to be when we grew up. I thought about being and architect {too much math}. She thought about becoming a marine biologist {too much math}. I thought that maybe I would be an investment banker {again, too much math}. There was a phase where we thought we both might want to be dental hygienists {too much biology and too many mouths}. We bounced around the idea of starting our own salon/massage parlor. I think that one was nixed when I discovered that I really can't stand touching other people.

So, off we went to college to pursue our dreams. We both graduated from college about the same time. She graduated from SUU with a Communication Degree and a Minor in Dance. I graduated from the U of U with a Communication Degree as well. For a time I thought that I would become a high powered public relations official. She had dreams of becoming a writer and a teacher.

Then one day we both realized that we had become something that had never even crossed our minds. Professional {in every sense of the word} Midget Wrestlers. Look at our technique, check out the holds, take note of our stamina. It is amazing. There is a good possibility that some of our dreams have yet to come true. Seriously, with as much talent as we have combined...the world is just not ready for it....yet!

Cali's Latest Literary Works

Cali is ALWAYS either writing, drawing, or coloring. She can burn through a ream of printer paper in a matter of days. It's remarkable. When I went to parent teacher conference at the end of the year, her teacher informed me that for her free time and play time she liked to color and write extra entries in her journal. She first started with some sound spelling, and now her words and phrases are really starting to take shape. Here are some examples:


"Dear Dad,
You are the best thing that made me. It was you, you were the one I loved."

"Dear Mom,
Everything that made me going was you, your love was it."

A Note to Bethany and Tyler written on several sticky notes and stuck to their door:

"Bethany and Tyler's House we love each other, love is love, we love to hug."

Her notes are so sweet and now that I have them recorded forever; I can show them to her in a few years when she decides that we are not as great as she originally thought.

A People Person

On Monday we spent the day in Salt Lake attending the funeral services for Christian's great uncle, Ned. There is a good possibility that most people don't even know their great uncle, however, we knew Uncle Ned well.

I met him for the first time at our wedding in May of 1999. Ned and his wife Andrea were serving a mission at the Institute of Religion in St. George, Utah. They drove up to Manti, where we were married, and attending our wedding.

Later, in August of that same year, I got a job at the Registrar's Office at the University of Utah working with Uncle Ned's oldest daughter, Suzanne. We became co-workers, and then friends, and I now consider her one of my closest and best friends. She taught me and helped me and mentored me in everything from policy to computer programs.

Suzanne, Ned and Andrea always invited us to their family Christmas party on Christmas Eve, and we made the best memories spending time with our friends and extended family members. We were shocked and saddened at his passing, but grateful we knew such a wonderful man so well.

His obituary was published in the Salt Lake Tribune on June 19th, 2009, click here to read the details of his dedicated life and accomplishments.

Party Party People

On Saturday we were able to visit our friends in Herriman. My friend Lori planned a joint birthday bash for her kids Tanner and Madisen. She went all out with a fun carnival theme complete with carni games and food! The weather didn't cooperate at all, but luckily we were under the protection of a huge tent. The kids had a ton of fun seeing their old friends, and so did I!

Uncles are the Best

From birth my kids have had some pretty great uncles. Christian has two brothers, Carson and Dustin, who are both very fun guys. Dustin was 14 or 15 when Cali was born and he tried not to be interested in her, but we have the sweetest pictures of him holding her and giving her loves. Carson lived with us for a little while when I was pregnant with Carter, and he loved nothing more than sharing his Oreos with Cali in the mornings.

Of course, there's my brother Brandt....Or as we like to call him Aunt Brandt, for rhyming purposes only. He's been my baby brother since I was in first grade. He always takes time rough up the kids and get them good and wild.

Our siblings have also married incredible men. My sister Jayna's husband Mikey is a great guy. He loves kids and is a great listener. He's listened to hours of conversations from Cali! Bethany's husband Tyler is one of a kind. Just yesterday he took time out of his day to watch our kids so we could attend a funeral. Cali was a little girl when they got married and she thought for the longest time that Tyler was her boyfriend. Christian's sister Melissa married Devin when Cali was a year old, but they had been dating for a while and I met Devin for the first time at Cali's blessing.

On the other hand, Christian and I are new to the whole uncle and aunt thing. Until Melissa and Devin had Parker last year, we had NO nieces or nephews and Cali and Carter were the ONLY grand kids on both sides of the family. Well, Christian's family has jumped on the breeding wagon we now have Parker and Mia. My family....well....still waiting for Jayna and Bethany....

Last weekend while we were in Utah Devin took the time to pose for this picture with Carter and Brigham Young. Devin is also a seminary teacher so I imagine in this picture he is telling Carter some really interesting facts about the old "Lion of the Lord", or possibly testifying of the truthfulness of the living prophets. Nonetheless, it's a sweet picture, and very nice of Devin to hold Carter up so he could poke out the prophet's eye.

Now compare that type of uncle behavior with this of Christian "holding" Parker. Like I said, he's new to this whole uncle thing, but he is a natural. We were standing in a parking lot getting ready to get into our separate cars when Christian yelled, "Hey everyone I caught a fish!" Please remember that this "fisherman" is WAY over 6 feet tall, and has a pretty long arm as well. I screamed, but Parker didn't mind some we snapped some pictures!

My Baby Daddy

My kids have the best dad! He does so many things for our family including making yummy dinners and finding new and innovative ways to dust mop the floor...just to name a few! Happy Father's Day Christian!

Picture Proof

Here's the latest and greatest pictures of Piggy Honk. I was thrilled and grateful to see two arms, two hands, two feet, a nose bone, a healthy spine, two tiny kidneys, and two legs {well three if you count the you-know-whatter}. The ultrasound tech took several measurements and determined that the baby weighs 11 oz. Which, coincidentally, is the exact amount of weight I've gained thus far...in my finger.

She was also kind enough to suggest moving my due date from November 11th to November 3rd. It's not much, but I know around mid October I'll be very grateful for this adjustment. Christian, however, thinks I should "hold this one in longer and make it the biggest one". I am just hedging my bets so I don't have a baby somewhere between here and Salt Lake, I've heard Evanston is nice, but not for delivering a baby on I80! I'm crossing my fingers for a Halloween baby! Wouldn't that be fun?

Indoor Summer Actvities

So, did we move to Wyoming or Washington? I'm confused, apparently it NEVER {check with the locals} rains this much in Wyoming. I really don't mind the rain so much, but it has forced us to be a little creative with indoor activities. Last week we made pudding pops. I would like to take credit for this idea, however, I will admit to stealing it from my friend Jenny's blog. I LOVE her food blog, she always has great recipes and ideas.

We also made another visit to the dinosaur display at the college. And no trip to the college would be complete without stopping for lunch at the T Rex Cafe. We've {and by we've I mean I've} had our fair share of afternoon naps as well. For some reason a combination of rainy weather and growing a baby causes me to fall asleep in the afternoon!

Cali was also invited to attend Vacation Bible School with her friend Rylee. They had the best time playing games, singing songs, making crafts, and eating treats. Hopefully we'll be able to participate in some outdoor activities this summer too!

It's A.....

Boy!

Christian couldn't quit smiling. Carter giggled like a maniac and held his hand in the air in victory. Cali's exact words, "If I could cry the rest of my life...I would."

Since the ultrasound extravaganza on Thursday I think Cali and Carter have both forgotten about it, and have now moved onto bigger and better things....like playing!

Split Personality

Which one of these darling adorable children would you trust with your newborn?

This one?

Or this one?

Happy Birthday Melissa

Happy birthday to my oldest sister in law Melissa! Not only is she older {and possibly wiser} than me in age, she is also the member of my extended family I have know the longest. I have countless pictures and memories of her that date back to our Emery/Carbon rivalry days. Thankfully for everyone involved, these priceless photographs are packed up in a random box somewhere between our garage and basement. Nonetheless, happy birthday Melissa, I hope all your birthday dreams come true!

Happy Birthday Nykelle

Yesterday was my sister in law Nykelle's birthday. Christian eagerly volunteered to watch Mia while she and Carson went to dinner. While they were gone we fed her, burped her, changed her, and basically mauled her all night and refused to put her down. She may or may not have been pounced by Carter as well.

Happy birthday Nykelle!

I See London I See France....

"I see my underpants!" Screams Carter

I thought that I was going to have a hard time entertaining two kids all summer. I was wrong. As long as the washer keeps Carter this occupied, I can do laundry all day long! No joke, look at the pile on the floor!

Splash Park Adventures

On Your Mark...

Get Set...

Go...

Get Warm...

Repeat...

Contemplating Summer

Finishing Up

Cali's last day of gymnastics camp was on Friday. She had such a great time and learned so much. Her coaches, Amber and Matt {would you love to be gymnast and have the name Matt? How perfect!} were very patient and helpful with the little girls!

Carter also got into the action by perfecting this move...not sure what it is...but it's perfected! He was a very good boy to entertain himself with cars, other kids, and bleachers while we spent many hours in the gym last week. I think I am going to sign him up this fall, with moves like this...how could I not?

Flashback Friday {Surviving Summer Edition}

We made it through our first week with no school. I'm not going to lie, I was a little terrified about how this was going to go....but we made it! Having Cali home is really fun, but Carter has had a little bit of an adjustment with his sister back in his business all day long. Cali would be as happy as a clam if I could entertain her with friends, parties, ponies, and other exciting things all day every day. Unfortunately for us all, we just have to do our best. We've been spending our mornings at the Rec Center. I tend my friends' daughter while she works out, and she watches Cali and Carter while I work out. Then it's off to scrounge up some lunch, birthday parties, gymnastics, store, mall, errands, and downstairs for some painting in the evenings. By about 8:30 p.m. we're all ready for bed!

This summer is shaping up to be pretty busy! We are looking forward to a trip to SLC next week, Reading Camp, Princess Camp, Song and Dance Camp, some more gymnastics, trips to Castle Dale, trips to Price, birthdays galore, going goo goo gaga over baby Mia, and HOPEFULLY we can top off the whole summer with a trip to Disneyland in August!

Gymnastics Summer Camp

This week Cali has been attending a gymnastics summer camp presented by RSG and Ray Corn, former coach of the USU gymnastic team. She has had a wonderful time making new friends and learning new skills. I think her overall technique has improved more in this one week, than in the entire year combined.

During each session Ray takes a second and talks to the parents about what the kids are doing, and things he notices as a coach. On Tuesday he told us that gymnasts only need to have five things to be successful...strength, flexibility, rhythm, speed, and determination. He then gave us some examples of champion gymnasts who only had a few of the five. He sighted Sean Johnson as an Olympic gymnast who lacks flexibility, but over came this deficit by improving her strength and speed. He finished up by telling us that girls of this age {referring to Cali's class} only need to have one of five to be successful. I thought about Cali, and which one of these characteristics she had, and I came to the conclusion that determination is her strength!

To Do? Or Not To Do?

I stole this great "To Do" list from my friend Natalie's blog. She can find the best stuff on the Internet, AND post it to her blog in a snap! I quickly printed out the free printable version of the "Freakin Never Ending To Do List". Check out more free printables here.

Vale Design has a great blog! Via Design Crush

Flashback Friday {Making Progress Edition}

Here's some flashback photos of what our basement used to look like!


Framed, Electrical, Insulated...Check, Check, and Check!

Drywall hung, Taped, Mudded, Sanded...Check, Check, Check, and Check!

Sanded again, Textured, Primed...Check, Check, and Check!

We are now onto the painting phase. Christian finished all the ceilings last night, maybe if he has some touch up work to do I'll snap a few photos. It really is a sight to see him standing flat footed on the ground rolling out the ceiling. Hopefully we'll have the wall color up this weekend and finish up the trim next week. Then onto tile and carpet!

A Simple Question...

Yesterday I was laying on the couch by Carter when he asked me this,

"Mom, when you go to the hospital to get Piggy Honk, can I come and watch him
come down from heaven?"

Some Firsts and Lasts

Today is officially Cali's last day of school. She was so sad when she left this morning, and she prayed last night that she wouldn't cry when she left her teacher. This girl loves her some school, and it's a good thing too, she's been going to one school or another since August 8, 2008. She had a short track break in Herriman during October, and few days off for us to move, then she was right back at it!

Last night we bought a card {Cali picked a Cinderella princesses card} for her teacher, and she wanted to write her a thank you note. After a few minutes of writing Cali asked me to read what she had written. Here is what it said...

Dear Miss Mosbey, Thank you for being my teacher. I know I was only here for
half of the year, but I am doing fine. Thank you for saying that I was a special
student. I know how much you loved being my teacher. Love, Cali!

Here are some firsts and lasts! It is amazing how she and Carter have grown over the last ten months.

First day of school August 8, 2008 Herriman, Utah.

Cali and Carter before we walked to the elementary together August 8, 2008.

The last day of school June 4, 2009 Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Cali and Carter before she got on the bus for her last day of school June 4, 2009.

Sisters on a Swing

While my family was in town, this past weekend, we took a scenic tour of Rock Springs and the surrounding areas. On Friday evening we ended up at Expedition Island Park in Green River. Actually, to be totally truthful, Carter cried for about a half hour as we drove around Rock Springs because he thought we were going to the park and, "THIS IS NOT THE PARK!" It is a really fun park {maybe not worth crying for a half hour about, but still fun} there is a slash park, playground, swings, and a walking bridge overlooking the mighty Green River. There are also historical markers along the way which tell about the expeditioners who first explored the Green River.

We couldn't pass up an opportunity to swing on this ridiculous, yet fun, swing. I'm not sure where my kids were at this point. I think you can see Cali swinging away in the background....Carter, on the other hand, must have been with grandpa.

You can tell by the look on our faces that we are both genuinely worried about the weight limit of this crazy circle swing.

Phewww...Good news...It held up. We were very happy not to have been responsible for any broken swings! And please note Bethany in her completely park appropriate shoes. Love it!

Well, since it held both of us...Dory jumped onto!

There's really no use in sitting on a swing, it was made for swinging. So Dory got to work pumping and pushing the whole thing. You may notice Bethany is pulling a particularly disturbing face in this picture. We don't know why or how for that matter. But, I must say, I have seen this girl pull some faces...and this is a new one. I just hope it can be duplicated! So hilarious!