Belleview Park

We spent most of yesterday at Belleview Park with friends. Clint had a work party there years ago and I had always wanted to go back. We just never got around to it until now. The kids had so much fun playing in the little river. It was very hot, so the cold water was perfect!

Haden found a stick. He insisted on adding it to his "stick collection" that he keeps in the back of my car.

There was a little train that you could catch a ride around the park on for $1.50. The kids were very excited. The girls wanted to sit in the very back, but someone beat them to it. I think they felt grown up sitting in seats without any parents.I think Lila was thrilled that there was finally an activity that she could participate in! She was too little for the river and too little for the playground. She loved riding the train!

She really likes showing off her mouthful of teeth!

There was also a petting zoo, but we didn't go see it. It was hot and the kids were ready to go home. Maybe next time!

Changes

A couple of months after we moved into our house, Clint was called to be the ward Scoutmaster. That was nearly 5 years ago. He has taken lots of boys on countless camp outs, bike rides, and more Wednesday activities than I can count. My kids LOVED all of Clint's scouts. They called them daddy's boys. They couldn't wait for all the boys to come to our house for one reason or another. They graciously shared their cookies and popsicles with them before unloading the contents of their water guns on them. The scouts were always so wonderful with my kids. As of last Sunday, Clint is no longer Scoutmaster. I think he is almost as sad about it as the boys. Nothing like "having" to go on a bike ride or camp out! He will do great with his next calling, but I am sure he will still find his way to the scout camp outs!

On the move!

Lila started walking last Saturday (7/16) and is now fast! She was very proud of herself and would frequently fall because she was clapping for herself. I know she looks rather like an orphan without her hair done, but it is pointless. She rips anything and everything out of her hair immediately. The same thing goes for shoes. She loves shoes, but can take every pair off in record time. So for now, Lila runs around barefoot with her hair in her face. I think she's still pretty cute!

Bedtime

Last night I went out with friends leaving Clint to put the kids to bed. While he was taking care of Lila, Regan read Haden a bedtime story. It was one of Haden's favorite books that he has memorized. When Haden told her that she was reading it wrong she told him that she knew, but she was doing the best she could. He was understanding and I think happy just to have her try to read to him. When it was time for bed, Haden decided that he was scared of the dark. (He has slept in a dark room all by himself for quite a while now, but he is very good at taking advantage of situations!) Regan offered to sleep on the floor with him. The camping mats and sleeping bags came out. When I got home, this is what I found. Both kids asleep with their arms intertwined. I hope they are always each other's best friends. I love my kids so much!

Puddle Jumping!

Every afternoon we have been having a rainstorm complete with thunder and lightening. I love it! The kids love all the puddles the torrential downpour creates. The storms have been letting up about the time Clint gets home from work, so he takes the kids to get the mail and they jump in every puddle along the way. Haden has no reservations and will run and jump in every puddle for all he is worth. His rain boots are usually full of water by the time I drag him in. Regan is a little more timid. She prefers flip flops to her rain boots and doesn't really like to get wet. I think she sees how much Haden loves it and doesn't want to be left out.

Lila loves to be outside and is always irritated that I won't let her scoot around by herself when the ground is so wet. She's always good for a smile, though!

Idaho

We made our annual summer trip to Idaho last week. Haden has been begging to go for a long time now. The 2 older kids are very good travelers. They are even to the point where they can turn their own movies on. Lila is a different story. She likes to yell and has excellent lungs. Thankfully, she tired herself out the first 4 hours so she slept for most of the rest of the way!

When we pulled up to Clint's parents' house, Haden climbed out of the car and made a bee line for the 4 wheeler. That boy has his priorities!

It was a pretty laid back trip. We had several plans that didn't happen because Clint wasn't feeling well. He began complaining of a sore throat the day we left. Six days later he wasn't feeling any better and was diagnosed with strep. Not a very good way to spend a vacation!

He still managed to help lay concrete for his dad's shed. The kids got to make hand prints. Do you like Regan's outfit? Isn't that how you're supposed to dress if you are on vacation in the country? I love it!

Haden had the best time playing with all of Grandpa's "masks". He wore them every opportunity he got.

We spent Saturday at a waterpark with my family. It was fun to see everyone and very nice to have so much help with the kids! Regan LOVED the lazy river. Luckily, so did Savannah. I think those two spent the majority of the day floating around and around.

Haden claimed the "fire hoses" and apparently got physical when a little girl tried to take one. She was reduced to tears, but Clint said she was seriously overreacting considering how hard Haden hit her. He was so mad when Clint marched him out of the pool, muttering something about that "dumb girl!" Not that I condone violence, but it was hard not to laugh!

Lila loved playing in the water. She intentionally drank more than her share, but the more I got after her, the more she thought it was a game!

Regan & Hazel

Poor Clint was feeling lousy, so he took a nap with Lila.

On the 4th of July, we watched the Malad parade. Clint's dad marches with the American Legion. The kids loved having candy thrown at them. Since it was mostly taffy and my kids are chocolate lovers, they didn't eat much of it.

Lila just preferred to eat mulch.

Regan has loved dressing the same as Lila. She picked out these matching 4th of July dresses last year and could not wait to wear them together. Unfortunately, none of the pictures of the 2 of them together turned out.

Haden got to play firefighter, both with fire extinguishers and a 4 wheeler with a sprayer on back turned firetruck.

And ride the 4 wheeler a lot. Haden made sure that Grandpa never left the keys in the ignition of the 4 wheelers because, "That's not safe, someone could take the 4 wheeler!" The kid has lived in the city for too long! Regan preferred riding on the front so she could have the wind in her hair!

Lila got to play in the dirt.

Regan got to play with her cousins.

And I got to see friends from high school that I haven't seen for a long time. Despite Clint feeling bad, I think we all had a good time!

Happy Birthday Lila!

My sweet little girl turned one! Where has all the time gone? I think time goes faster and faster with each baby. Lila is getting so big! She has a mouthful of teeth (10, I think, on her birthday), already likes to tease, and can hold her own against pretty much anybody. She loves playing in water and dancing to music. Her favorite song is Madonna's "Into the Groove." She hates her car seat and screams until I turn on Madonna. Then, the screaming stops and her hips and arms start moving to the music. When the song ends and the next one begins, she will yell until I turn it back to her song. One year olds are not supposed to be that opinionated! Lila loves shoes, although not so much if they are on her feet. She is an absolute mama's girl. She doesn't crawl, but scoots around on her bottom. My sisters say that she moves like a gorilla. She loves to feed herself and is insanely messy. She likes to lick her food before committing to an entire bite. If she doesn't like it, it is quickly thrown overboard. She always rubs her food covered hands through her hair. When she is done eating, she's rather disgusting! She is beginning to play well with her siblings. I love my beautiful, little stinker!

Regan and Haden wrapped up some of their old toys for Lila to unwrap. She had a lot of help unwrapping her presents!

We had strawberries and macaroni and cheese for dinner. I think she ate her weight in strawberries!

She had a fabulous time tearing apart her birthday cake!

I love watching her personality develop! She is definitely her own little girl!
I love you Lila!

Gone Fishing

One Saturday morning we took the kids fishing. They have had their own fishing poles for a while, but never used them. The night before, Clint taught them to cast in the living room. Even though plenty of things were knocked over, thankfully, nothing was broken! We didn't get an early start and still had to stop at Walmart for supplies so we didn't really expect to catch anything. Regan turned out to be quite the expert caster. She was much better than me, not that that is saying anything! I am much better at fly fishing. Haden caught a lot of weeds, sticks, etc. and quickly lost interest. At one point, after calling, "Come here, little fishy fishy" over and over he announced that there were no fish in the lake and we should go home.

I love that Clint knows how to do this kind of stuff AND is willing to do it! He is truly a wonderful dad! I hate touching fish. I think they are gross, slimy, and stinky. But, I really like fly fishing. Clint has never complained when I catch a fish and refuse to touch it. He is always more than willing to unhook it and let it go. (I don't eat the kind of fish I can catch, either.)

I love this picture of Haden.

Lila only lasted a few minutes in her stroller. I think she ripped her hat off immediately following the picture. She just doesn't care for accessories the way Regan did/does.

This is Lila's new trick. She loves wrapping both arms tightly around my neck and holding on, frequently pressing her cheek next to mine. She usually does it in response to someone (Clint) trying to take her from me. I loved it, at first. Since it has been going to on for a few weeks now I wish that she would be cooperative when someone else is willing to hold her. My left arm is getting pretty strong, though!

Regan could cast just about as far as Clint did with the kid poles, and she loved doing it. She might outgrow her Barbie fishing pole sooner rather than later! Much to the kids' dismay, no one caught a thing. Hopefully, next time we will get an earlier start!