Bear Lake is Perfection!

 Josh and I celebrated our 9-year wedding anniversary this year. I'm not going to say that I forgot about it, because I totally remembered, but I thought that he and I had a mutual understanding that because we were going to Bear Lake that weekend, we weren't going to do anything the actual day of. The night before he said, "So, what are your plans for tomorrow?" I rambled some things off like I usually do when he asks me that question. He laughed and said, "So what are your plans for tomorrow?" I rolled my eyes and said the same thing over again, until finally he said, "You don't remember do you?" So finally it clicked and I said, "I DO remember that it is our anniversary, but I thought we were going to celebrate it this weekend, so I was planning on going to Bunco. That's fine, right?" Yes, I guess that makes me wife of the year. So yes, even though I did end up going to Bunco on the night of our 9-year anniversary, I also made this candy-bar card for him as a sort of peace offering.

 

This is Meili's new trademark. One time I tried to show her that she could draw a picture of an eye, a heart and then the letter U, and it would say "I love you." She changed that to the letter I, a heart, and a Unicorn horn, and to her, that means the same thing.

 The last few times I've gone to Bear Lake with my family, I've thought the same thing: Bear Lake is perfection. I have loved it every time. My kids could play forever, I love playing with them, where the water is shallow it is the perfect temperature, and the water is shallow forever.... I could go on, but really I'd rather be a beach bum. Going back to the anniversary... Originally I told Josh that we needed to do something big this year. Next year will be 10 years, but most likely I will be pregnant, or have a new baby, or something, so I told Josh that we needed to do Hawaii or something. Well, then Josh went and got a new job, and we're just not as comfortable with a huge expense right when he switches to fully commission salary. So next best thing? Bear Lake. 

Actually I had a speaking engagement in Bear Lake that I had to do for work, and the next day I had a family reunion, so we just went up for the evening; played in the water, ate dinner, Josh and the kids got a shake while I did my work thing. It was a great way to celebrate.

 

Hawaii will just have to wait! But don't worry! We'll get there!

Heritage Days

The last few years, I have really enjoyed our town's city celebration. But this year, I decided we needed to get a little more involved, because they have some really fun things they do. On Monday, Meili decorated her bike and participated in a bike parade. On Thursday, we went to the children's theater play and Meili is so excited for when she can participate next year. Then on Saturday there was a fun run in the morning, followed by a parade, and carnival in the park. 

Josh didn't realize what time the run started, so we pulled up in our car, as they sounded the horn. So I took off to try to catch up with the 5K-ers. I was pretty frustrated because I felt like I could have done pretty well in that 5K. It's a course that I'm familiar with, all flat, not too hot, and I've been running pretty consistently lately. So the time at the finish line said 26 minutes, and I know I was faster than that, but I don't know by how much. Oh well! No big deal!

However, it was a big deal to me that Meili completed her first race. She told me a couple months ago that she wanted to run a race. So we've been planning on it. I took her running once last month, and she would run for a couple houses and then stop, and then run for a couple houses, and then stop. Plus, it started raining in the middle of our training. So I think we completed about a mile, but not sure, and honestly, she didn't have as much endurance as I thought she would. (She runs around all day long, everyday.) Then the following week, she couldn't put wait on one of her legs, so I felt bad and thought I had pushed her too hard. 

So Josh ran with Meili for the race. They started after I did, and Josh pushed Grant in the stroller. He said that she ran the whole time! I was so impressed. Leave it to Josh to also say, (about our 4-year old daughter, mind you), "She has good form. Her arms were a little weird, so I tried to correct her on that, but her feet are really good." Heaven help our child! 

Again, they didn't know their official time either since they started late, but Josh guesses it was somewhere between 12 and 15 minutes. I couldn't run for a mile straight till I was like 13 though, so I am totally proud. And she had fun, and she could walk just fine afterward!

 The pictures are nothing special, but I just think they are so cute!

 Then there's me...

 ...And the family stretch. 

Look at Grant following along!

 Then the parade...
My sister-in-law Kami, brought her son, Brayden, and Josh's dad came to enjoy the festivities with us. I loved the parade! I thought there were legitimate floats to make it worth going, but it wasn't super long either, and because the parade route was so long, it wasn't super crowded either.

 Grant has the system DOWN! He sits on the sidewalk looking adorable, people throw candy, his mom, grandpa, and pregnant aunt, gather all the candy from the street, bring it to him, and he enjoys treat after treat after treat from the sideline.

 Hence the grin...

 The carnival was SUPER hot. So we tried to have our fun and get out ASAP. (All of the festivities that I have mentioned were free by the way! I love our town!)

 Face paint: Check!

 Cotton candy: Check!

 Bounce house: Check!

...And home for a nap before we all melt!

Summa Summa Summa-time!

 Just some random pictures from the beginnings of our summer! 

We had quite a bit of rainfall late into the year, probably to make up for our complete lack of winter. I don't mind except when it means that every single time my kids go outside, they want to play in the puddles. Ugh! But, oh, did they love it! That's when Momma needs to relax and let it happen...

 Our cute little boy who can't help but be totally stylish!

 We had an impromptu family home evening about Noah's ark. The ark is complete with My Little Pony and Rabbit and Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.

 Meili and Grant playing with their cousin at the Anderson's.

 I couldn't resist getting evidence of the powdered sugar on her nose (and the PILE of powdered sugar that she put on her pancake!)

 Ever since we got our trampoline, I've told that we would sleep outside when it got warm enough. Through the entire months of April and May, she'd ask if it was warm enough, and I would repeat "In June it will be warm enough." So finally June came. 

The older Meili gets, the more she and I are able to hang out together, and sometimes she can just be my little buddy instead of me always having to be mom. There was a moment when she was telling me a scary story before we went to bed, and I was looking at the stars, and my beautiful, sweet daughter and I just wished that I could freeze that moment. I thought to myself "Someday Meili will be older, and she won't sound like a 4 year old anymore," and I felt my heart break just a little bit. 

 But, in the meantime, we will have many more sleepovers on the tramp.

 And the best part about Meili is that when I told her it was time for bed (and I was serious about it), she went to sleep. 

We didn't make it all night though. I heard her get restless around 12:30, and I told her that we could go in if she wanted-which she took me up on. Even better! She gets the experience of a sleepover on the tramp, and I get a full night's sleep in my bed.

 Meili and Grant, modeling their new shirts that Jake and Kami brought them back from Disneyland.

 When Meili tried to wear her Frozen shirt 3 days in a row, and I had to tell her no, she complained, "All the kids at the gym will think I'm crazy." "Why will they think you're crazy?" "Because it I tell them that I have a Frozen shirt, but I'm not wearing it, they won't believe me." Apparently the world needs to know that Meili now owns a Frozen shirt.

 Grant has developed a new obsession with blankets. On this particular day, he refused to eat his breakfast unless he had his blanket in hand. Just one more endearing quality in this sweet little boy. P.S. he has started holding my hand when we walk in the last few weeks! Gah! I will never get sick of holding my kids' hands!

 More puddles... But check out Meili's rockstar outfit!

I found this little gem on Josh's phone from when he cut Grant's hair! Handsome squared!

Preschool Graduation

 Yes, Meili had her first, of what I'm sure will be many, graduations in her life. And since she's got another year of preschool, she'll probably have ANOTHER preschool graduation. But, why not celebrate one year down and many more to come?

 My mom came up, and Josh took a minute off work. They sang a few songs, we watched a video, and Meili got a few mementos to remember the last year.

 I asked Meili what she wanted me to put in our scrapbook about the graduation, and she mentioned the blue hat that she got to wear, so apparently that was super cool to her!

 She sure has gotten big in the last year. If it were up to either of us, she would just start kindergarten this year. I think she's ready socially, emotionally, and academically. But, alas, I guess that means one more year we get to hang out together-and she is pretty cool, so that's okay with me!