In case you missed it....

I figured it was time to quit being such a slacker about blogging because lets face it, with family and friends spread out all over the country this really is one of the ways that we keep in touch and are able to share with all of you some of the fun and exciting adventures we take as a family. So enjoy!! There is alot to catch up on!! In fact - this will be Part I!!

PARK CITY - UTAH

We have actually spent quite a few weekends up in Park City this summer/fall. The first trip was because we had a gift certificate we needed to use to Flannigan's on Main. They have the best blackened chicken sandwich and others indulgences like fried mac and cheese which the girls loves. After filling up we just walked around (had to burn off that amazing dinner some how) and of course found a place for dessert where we could eat outside in style and enjoy the beautiful weather. Of course the girls insisted on riding the free trolley and so away we went.

The next time we went was for the Park City Art Festival. We were able to enjoy ourselves in the company of some awesome people and again had great weather. You can tell from the pics that the girls found some friends that they wanted to bring home with them...maybe next year, girls!!

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL - CEDAR CITY

So having never been to the Shakespeare festival before, we decided to make the trip to Cedar City with some dear friends this August and make an extended weekend of plays, dancing and all that a Shakespeare festival could throw at us.

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be for the G family to join us as a very nasty case of the stomach flu viciously attacked their entire family leaving them tormented and in the throes of much unpleasantness. See, I could almost be a play write, right?? OK, OK - I won't quit my day job.

It was a very sad sad day for us to know we wouldn't get to hang out, but as they say "the show must go on" and with tickets purchased and hotels reserved we pushed forward with the weekend. We saw "The 39 Steps" which wasn't a play by Shakespeare, but a murder/mystery/super sloth/comedy adapted from the movie by Alfred Hitchcock. It was very entertaining and after the show and picking up the girls from Day Care (kids under 6 are not allowed to see the plays, so both girls spent the time while we were in the play making crafts, playing around and enjoying themselves) we grabbed some dinner and went to the Green Show which is open to one and all. It was a group of Irish dancers and fiddlers who played and danced and pranced around. There was even a little comedy sceatch to get us all laughing again. We all ended up having a blast!!

K gets her ears pierced!! (sorry no pics - they are on Aaron's cell phone!)

This story is pretty simple - Aaron and I and K run into the mall for something and while walking around K says out of the blue "I want to get my ears pierced" so away we go to find a place where there are 2 people because both ears have to be done at the same time or this little girl will be walking around with one ear pierced for the rest of her life. She jumps right up onto the chair picks out the star earrings she wants, grabs a hold of the brown snuggle bear and "Bam" "Punch" both ears are done. She cried a little bit at first, but all in all was really quite awesome and now she is just counting the days till she can wear dangly earrings like her big sis.

Stay tuned for Part II - coming soon!!

Where did summer go??

OK - maybe I am a little ahead of myself wondering where summer has run off to as we technically still have approx. 4 weeks left, but does anyone else feel like the summer days are just flying by at super lighting speed. Maybe it's because we have been so busy doing things (which is a good thing) but I do wish time would slow down just a little bit.

So to catch you up on the super fast summer of fun that have been engaged in, here are some snap shots of where we have been and what we have been doing (for those who haven't been able to join us personally on the super lighting speed roller coaster of summer fun!!)

Aaron and Avery's Birthday - yes, we did indeed celebrate and we did it in style at Boondocks. We spent the evening riding go-carts, playing miniture golf, getting soaked on the bumper boats, lazer tag (not for kids 6 and under - Kemry couldn't hold and shoot the gun and spent the whole time crying because people kept shooting at her and she couldn't shoot back) and playing all the video/arcade games that $5 would get a person. The girls both summed up the evening by claiming "this was the best Birthday EVER!!"

Camping up Farmington Canyon - We took the girls for the 1st camping trip of the season up to the Sunset Camp ground and got the bests camp site in the whole place. For about 90% of the time, we enjoyed ourselves, but to be honest the remaining 10% was spend dealing with whining and crying (which I don't like) but at least it wasn't the other way around or we wouldn't have even made it through the night. The girls were able to break in their new camping chairs and explore about 8 different trails leading out directly from our camp site. The main trail head took us do an amazing water fall and once again the girls proved what super hikers they are. Aaron also took the 4 wheeler up and he and Avery were able to go explore and enjoy a great ride abiet a very dusty one.

Hiking to Dog Lake - this was actually the 2nd hike we have taken the girls on and I have to say they are turning into pretty good little hikers. Avery of course loves to carry the Camelpak and blazes trails with the best of them. She likes to be in front and lead the pack. Personally, I think she likes the sense of freedom and just being outside and not having to follow anyone. Kem has done pretty well at keeping up and has really only needed to be carried for little bits at a time. Even with the unavoidable trips and falls and face plants from protruding tree roots and rocks, the girls have been troopers and keep going. We have seen some pretty amazing water falls and mountain vistas and can't wait to explore more of this beautiful world we live in via our own two feet.

Cherry Hills Water Park/Splash Pads/Swimming Lessons - in lieu of a Lagoon Season pass this year, we decided to get season passes for Cherry Hills. It has worked out pretty well, because 1) the park is actually small enough that I don't feel overwhelmed at trying to keep an eye on 2 kids at the same time and 2) they feel like there is enough to do without getting bored 30 minutes after arriving. Avery loves the inner tube slides (Kemry hates them) and Kem loves the Lazy river and getting to "swim" with her life vest on and to not have mommy holding on. She is such a brave little girl and I love watching her flip from front to back float and kick her little legs and use her monster arms to swim.

The girls have also had 2 sessions of swim lessons at the Ogden Athletic Club and have done really well at improving their swimming techniques. Avery has finally conquered her fear of the diving board and now loves to jump off the board and swim to the other side. Her confidence has definitely grown this summer in her swimming abilities. Kemry still has no fear of the water and loves every minute she can spend splashing around.

Riverdale has a new splash pad and we have spent quite a few days helping to break it in. I love all the trees and the shade this park has over the one by the gym but you definitely have to deal with a much larger crowd as the splash pad is one happening place. Luckily the girl love going (and I actually get a chance to kick back and read) while they splash around having fun and making new friends.

Family Trip to Virginia/Washington D.C -This has been the biggest event of the summer to date. We went for the Losee Family Reunion and had a blast!! Quick recap of activities - Virigina Beach for the Day, Jamestown Settlement, Washington D.C. and all the monument, memorials and museums we could take in while walking in 100+ degree temps.

Fun Around Ogden (who knew!!) -From the Demo Derby on the 4th to the Pioneer Days Rodeo on the 24th, Ogden delivered some good 'ol fashion fun and gave the girls a chance to join in with the crowd and scream and cheer for their favorite car, barrel racer and bucking bull riding cowboy all while enjoying enough shaved ice to feed a small country.

So that's it (or atleast what I can remember at the moment) and we still have so many more things planned (Shakespear Festival in Cedar City, trip to Boise, ID, Cancun (adults only vaca), Bear Lake and at least a few more camping trips, hikes and as much time spend outdoors as we can.

Here's hope your summer has been as jam packed and fun as ours!

Conversations in the Garage

ME - "Hey girls, how come there are ants all over the garage? Did you clean up the Popsicle juice you spilled like I asked you too?"

GIRLS - "Yes"

ME - Then why are the ants all over the exact spots you spilled in"

GIRLS - "I don't know" (this is a very common response to a lot of questions in our home when asked about messes, spills, etc.)

Then Avery pipes in with this well thought out suggestion - "Maybe the ants brought in a strawberry from our garden and decided to eat it in the garage where it was cool"

"Yep, and they brought said strawberry to the exact same spot where there is sugary, sweet and sticky Popsicle juice." was my oh-so-very-sarcastic reply which I am sure just went right over their heads.

Yes sir - that is probably what happened :o)

Quick Wit

A funny conversation with Kemry this morning went as followes:

K - "Mom, how do you spell "jump"
Me - "J-U-M-P"
K - You are SOOO smart!
Me - "Y-E-S -I-A-M"
K - What does that spell?
Me - "Yes, I am !!
K - "Mom, What does "N-O-T' spell"

I just laughed! What else could I do?

Just a bunch of random thoughts currently running through my mind...

I wish I owned a wig...you know for those days when you really don't have or even want to spend the time getting ready and blow drying, straightening and then styling your hair. It would have to be one of good quality and that didn't make me look silly. I think I would want it to be really long too, since my hair can't seem to grow long unless I am pregnant and have way too many hormones running through my body...or maybe it's because of the prenatal vitamins... humm...BTW - so NOT pregnant right now...ok getting back on track...I think I would get it in a different color, you know go all Sidney Bristo/Alias and totally change my look. Then I could go out in public and see if anyone recognized me. Of course that would mean I would actually have to go to places where I would run into people who know me which gives me the grocery, the bank and the gym...not very Sidney Bristo places to hang out.

Laundry seems to rule my life...does it seem like that to anyone else?

I hate cleaning toilets and yet I am the only one in the house that does it.

So I am trying to stop drinking Dt. Coke and DDP and focus more on just drinking water. It's SO much better for me and I hate the email the seems to keep coming to me that talks about how coke is used to clean rust off car batteries and how the syrup is transported in hazardous chemical tanker trucks. If the universe is trying to tell me something, for once I am listening.

Man - It is taking Aaron a really long time to get home from the airport tonight. I hate it when his flight keeps getting delayed...stupid winter weather.

Speaking of the weather, can it be Spring already. It was SNOWING today. IT'S APRIL. I am done.

I sometimes wish there was a computer program I could plug into my brain or somehow connect to that would just download my thoughts and put them into a blog so that I didn't have to do it. At least then I would post things more often...and I wouldn't forget things that I wanted to post about but through the course of the day have forgotten about.

Stupid people who don't think or even use common sense tend to really frustrate me and sometimes when it gets really bad, they actually make me really mad...so do people who get paid a lot of money to do a job and then do it really poorly.

OK - Final thought...I promise...just in case you are still hanging in there with me :o)

What is with the random people that keep coming up to me in the strangest of places and are absolutely convinced that they know me from somewhere. It has happened 3x this week alone - once at the grocery, once at Target and then today at the gas station. I am running out of things to say to make the conversation less awkward once you realize that we don't really know each other...

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

So it seems that today has been one of those days where I find myself acting more like the repulsive and angry Mr Hyde then the social and gregarious Dr. Jekyll.

It has not been brought on by one single thing, but it seems that everything I find myself doing or coming across or thinking brings with it an angry and frustrated feeling.

I have spent more of the day yelling and being snippy (yes that is a word as well as a description of my recent behavior) and I DON'T LIKE IT.

Furthermore I feel like I have no control over my mood or my behavior. It's like the off switch or the little voice that usually pips up and says "Hey - you are being a little ridiculous and out of control" is broken. Like the switch that controls angry outbursts isn't getting flipped on or the signal is falling short of actually reaching my brain that causes me to check my rising levels of frustration before I boil over.

I don't know if it's fair to blame it on the weather (we got DUMPED on last night with 6+ inches of heavy white wet snow and the snow blower had just been drained of gas and put up for spring so of course the sidewalks and driveway were cleared just by me and my shovel) or that I am in single mom mode as A in in NY for the week or that it's Spring Break and I really wanted to go somewhere warm and instead I am stuck with 6+inches of snow or finally can I just blame my mood on PMS or maybe the position of the moon or planets or something....anything.....just so I know it will be over soon.

All I know is that I do not like feeling like this - angry and out of control and hopefully by putting this out there I can purge myself of whatever yuckiness in blocking the sunshine and happiness from my current state of mind.

My Little Leprechans

...looks like they found thier pot of gold during breakfast!!

(BTW - Avery was super excited to get to wear her gold sparkle shoes to school today!!)

Happy St. Patricks Day!!

Happy Birthday to my big 4-year old!

So today begins your journey into the world as a 4 year old. Your new birthday outfit says it all as you really are "TuTu cute"!

From the moment you rolled out of bed today you let me know that you were now a big girl, who was 4 years old, and with words that sent joy straight to my heart, that 4 year old girls do not pee in thier panties (yes folks, we are still working on the P.T. thing, but maybe today will mark a change for this girl) I just know that you made me smile - like you do every day!!

You are the happiest little girl and you really do make us laugh with the way you take in all the things going on around you and try to be a part of it. Your quick wit and intelligence continues to grow in leaps and bounds and I have to admit your intelligence takes me by surpise at least once a day with how well you understand this whole crazy world we live in.

I love how you have a personality (and you are not afraid to show it) and an imagination that knows no bounds and how everyone one you meet automatically earns the title of your friend.

My favorite noises you make are the horse noises when you are playing with your my little ponies. If only I had a tape recording to share - you would think there were horses in the room - she is that good!

It still amazes me how much you can eat for one so small. We will always get a laugh at how if at any time you couldn't be found, the first place we would look for you was in the pantry and sure enough there you were, climbing on a box or on a shelf trying to get into something delicious.

You are my snuggle bunny and have been from the moment the doctor placed you in my arms. I love how you will run up to me and ask for a hug no matter the time of the day and how every night we end it with a super snuggle and a tight squeeze.

I love that you still won't go to sleep at night without Monkey by your side.

Thank you for coming into my life and bringing so much sunshine and love. You challenge my patience at times, but it's a small price to pay for the unlimited amounts of love, happiness and trust that I get from you.

Thanks for helping me throughout the day and being my little princess. Thanks for always knowing when to give a hug and for the wonderful songs you love to make up on the fly.

You will always be my little baby, even when you are all grown up!!

I love you K - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

yah - it's been a while

I know I have about 10 other things I could be writing about and sharing with you, but I read this on a friends FB post and just wanted to share (cause it's quick and it gets me back into blogging) baby steps people, baby steps...

"Love is everything it's cracked up to be...That's why people are so cynical about it...It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for ~ Erica Jong

Erica - I don't know you, but I like the way you think :o)