Life is boring....

without a very active four year old! It's okay though because she's back! Our weekend was very quiet without Miss Abby. Beau and I found that we were both looking at the other one wondering what we should do without Abby around. Thus the lack of blogging... since I'm sure no one would have wanted to here the recap of the "well what should we do" discussions we had. 


Abby and Gigi arrived late Monday night. So this morning we got up and went out for some breakfast. Abby chose the happy face pancake - a chocolate chip pancake with whipped cream and chocolate chips on top. The whipped cream must not have been too good because she didn't eat much of it. She did enjoy the pancake though. It tasted like a cookie. Not your every day breakfast but a good treat! 

She then had to check on the fish and birds on Gigi's phone while Micah ate some of her pancake after she finished. He really seemed to enjoy the chocolate chip pancake and asked for a couple bites of it but didn't want anymore than one bite of the regular pancakes or the harvest pancakes Gigi got. 

Then we headed to the mall after breakfast because we thought it would be better to get out of the house than have some serious Abby-hasn't-seen-her-toys-in-several-days-and-doesn't-want-Micah-to-touch-them sibling rivalry that we had dealt with before breakfast. Not that we won't see more as Abby adjusts to not having the full time spoiling of Gigi and Pops but we needed an energy release first! 

After some shopping for a shower curtains, bath mats and towels for Gigi's house we headed to the playground. 

The playground didn't cure all the grumpiness but it did help a little bit until they got tired and grumpy again. Micah did excellent though for being one tired guy who was already past his nap time by the time we finally left. 

Preparing for preschool

Abby is staring preschool this year and she is pretty excited about it. We got a post card in the mail from her teacher introducing herself and inviting Abby and us to the teacher meet and greet next week. I've been procrastinating a little bit on the getting prepared part though. We don't have a supply list and did pay a supply fee so her supplies should be taken care of. She'll have to bring a lunch as they all eat lunch together (and some days they will cook as well - which she will love!) I need to figure out what kind of lunch box to send with her and what to pack. I'm thinking a bento box idea would be perfect for her. In a bento box there would be no extra packaging to open (unless I send along a squeeze yogurt) There are tons of ideas out there for cute lunches to pack in bento boxes as well. I'm guessing that likely peanut butter will be out as far as things that can be packed in her lunch so no peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I also need to figure out if I want to get her a new backpack or send her with her tote bag that she has. She has a backpack that we've used for traveling but it's pretty big for her (but great for packing travel toys.)


So last week I won an awesome giveaway on Natural Mommie. I picked out the labels I wanted - a school pack for Abby to label everything she'll need at school. Let me just say I'm super impressed with Label Daddy.  The customer service I received while picking out what I wanted with my gift certificate was excellent and the shipping was amazingly fast! The labels look amazing and now I can't wait to find things that need labels and more importantly pick out what bag Abby is going to bring to school so I can label it. 

The school pack came with tons of labels for every use you could think of. One backpack label, shoe labels and lots of labels in all sorts of various sizes. Plus 4 zipper tags - perfect for her jackets! 

I couldn't leave Micah out so I ordered some medium sized labels for his things as well. As soon as his Built NY tote that goes on his Klean Kanteen sippy cups is dry I'm going to go label that! 

Disclaimer:  I won these labels in a contest and was in no way required or expected to do anything in return for winning. I just enjoyed the service and product and wanted to share. :) 

a little lotion

... makes baby even softer than his baby skin already is! 

Micah loves lotion and will ask for the lotion container {dat!} whenever he sees it. 

He loves to rub it all over his belly. 

Good thing this lotion is good for mama as well to use up all the extra after Micah is all baby soft! 

then there was one....

It's quiet around here today. A whole lot quieter... 

Someone has gone on a little trip with Gigi. She's been excited for a week now about her special trip alone with Gigi. 

We got Gigi's iphone all loaded up with some of her favorite videos and games before she left for the drive there and back. Abby and Gigi checked it out this morning just to make sure all the videos loaded properly. Then Abby gave out hugs all around. 

Then she was ready to head out the door. She said she would miss us but she was sure excited to be going... after she had her kangaroo to bring along.

Micah tried to go too but Mommy isn't ready for my little guy to be gone that long. 

Abby blew me a kiss and gave me a big hug (and I stole one or two more...)

Then they were off. 

Now it's quiet in the house with only the itty bitty. He hasn't been too distressed about big sister not being here yet but he is taking more work to convince him to play without Abby here to play with. 

Not too Shabby of a sale

If you happen to live in Utah you won't want to miss an awesome sale Shabby Apple has going on this weekend. I know I wish I could go! They've have some gorgeous dresses either for fall or to put away until next Spring/Summer at these prices! 

What: Shabby Apple Garden Party dress sale
When: THIS SATURDAY, August 28th, from 8a.m. to 12 noon. (The early bird gets the worm and all of that)
Where: 2485 Haven Lane, Salt Lake City, UT
Why: Are you even asking me that question?

pedis, pizza and Paciugo

Gigi is in town today! Yay! Abby, Gigi and I went out and got pedicures - well Gigi and I did. Abby got to soak her feet and then get some polish - no scrubbing needed for her sweet feet. 

Then we headed to the mall to see if Gigi's sunglasses were back from being repaired and while we were there we got some dinner. We tried the coal-oven pizza place. It was quite tasty. Not quite Fralos but close. The waitress brought the kids little bits of pizza dough to play with while we waited for our pizza and they loved it! 

Micah tried to eat his just as much as he played with it though. 

Then we decided against the cheese cake (mainly because it was too hard to choose a flavor) and because I knew the kids would prefer ice cream. We tried to do the healthy option and try the OrangeCup but it was a little too yogurt-y tasting and didn't quite hit the dessert spot we were looking for and on top of that they were busy so it was hard to decide what to get. We decided to try the gelato place Paciugo instead. It was yummy! It was a little overwhelming for Abby to pick a flavor - luckily you could choose up to 3 flavors in the small cup so we got to try a little of a lot of flavors. That wasn't quite what Abby wanted as she was still a little upset she didn't get her own cup with just one flavor but she was just fine after we started eating (and she got her blue spoon.) 

frog love

If you recall a couple weeks ago Abby found a bug house at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Well she sure hasn't forgotten about it. Every time since then she and Grandpa go hunting for frogs. I sure hope no animal activists are reading this right now! It is a catch and release backyard at least. Only one frog has been injured so far (he ended up with a bit of a bloody nose after the bug house was accidentally dropped.) 

Even Micah's gotten into the frogs. He was following around right behind Abby and Grandpa looking where they were looking ready to find a frog. When Abby abandoned the bug house (with her frogs inside) Micah decided he needed to play with the frogs. 

Those poor frogs might have had a little headache that evening. We released them earlier than Abby might have liked because Micah wasn't super easy on the bug house and wouldn't leave it alone or just look while someone else held it. 

video of Micah examining the frogs and saying 'frog'

After releasing the frogs and seeing the empty bug house Micah walked over to the rock that hides the sprinkler hole that some of the frogs have been found it and said "frog" while pointing to the hole. He wanted another one in the bug house! 

New blog post over on Micah's blog about his newest development if you haven't already seen it.

a weekend of family and spoiling

We've had a wonderful weekend of spending time with family. Saturday evening after Church we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's as they had invited us for dinner. It was a little late for Micah but he did well for being out past his bedtime. We ate a delicious dinner and hung out enjoying seeing Auntie Scarlett who came down to visit for a long weekend. After dinner we played outside - Abby kicked around a ball with Scarlett and they played keep away with Gus. 

Sunday morning Abby moved up to the 4 year old class. She wasn't too excited to go to class because she didn't get to give the big stuffed puppy dog in Micah's class (the one I had been teaching in during Sabbatical) a hug and kiss. After class she said she had a good time though. She told me they learned about "Joseph" and how he said "to let my people go." I asked her if she meant Moses and she said yes. I don't blame her for getting them confused - it likely means she's been listening since the past 6 weeks since those lessons were about Joseph!

After nap we headed back to Grandma and Grandpas house. On Saturday Grandpa mentioned they all (Grandpa, Grandma and Scarlett) had massage appointments for Sunday but they wanted to hang out with us as well. Grandpa so sweetly offered up his massage slot to me. So it was a girls trip for massages while the boys played with Abby and Micah and cooked another yummy dinner. Thanks so much Grandma and Grandpa! All of us ladies felt so relaxed and I know I felt pampered! 

Abby loved having Auntie Scarlett in town. She soaked up the attention she was getting! She was told me at lunch after church that she missed Auntie Scarlett. She was also almost upset about all us girls leaving for massages... but a trip to the store with Grandpa cheered her up pretty quick (Daddy had to work to convince her that he and Micah should go along as well.)

Abby will be thrilled to know it won't be long before we get to see Auntie Scarlett again {and this time we'll get to see Uncle Nick as well}

Hungry Honey?

This morning both kids were up early so we had lots of time to eat breakfast, play and lounge around enjoying our Saturday morning before hitting the gym. After coloring for a while Micah got an idea about what he wanted to do.... I'll let him show you. (Sorry not the greatest quality video - a prime lens is hard to keep in focus while running around a toddler! Please also ignore the laundry and such that I was in the process of doing - as I said we spent the morning playing!)

Did you figure out what he was point to? All I can say is good thing we aren't worried about Honey having a weight issue! The video shows Micah's 3rd trip to get a treat for her - and you probably heard Abby in the background yelling for Honey because she too had a treat for her since if one gives the dog a treat the other must as well! After trip 5 to the treat bag I hid it (bad mommy!) so we could stop giving treats to the dog. 

Here's part 2 of the video. I had to stop recording to get the treat out of the bag. 

Maybe Honey figured out that I can't say no to Micah wanting to give her treats? Or Micah's seen sister give Honey a few treats before? No matter where he got the idea from he was quite insistent this morning that Honey needed treats! 

photographer in the making

While I was taking pictures of Micah just waking up from nap time Abby joined us. She is always so excited when Micah wakes up because it means quiet time is over. She saw me taking some pictures of him so she grabbed her camera and joined in. 

naptime

I love this little one's sweet sleeping face. He almost always has to sleep clutching one of his blankets. He'll grab his blankie when asked and head to the rocking chair for some milk before his nap. 

I think all mama's know how precious and adorable a sweet sleeping babe can be. They also know how much we mamas look forward to naptime. This little guy can keep me on my toes so a couple hours of peace and quiet is nice. Well as peaceful and quiet as having an awake 4 year old can be.  

Good morning sunshine! 

Wednesday Adventure....

So this morning we got up, Beau made us all a yummy breakfast - or at least for those of us that were up. That would mean Beau and Micah got up early. Micah wasn't happy until he had his cars (that were on the night stand) and Mommy was also awake. Abby however was a sleepy-head (that might have something to do with her refusing to go to sleep until 10 pm last night - something that has happened too often lately) Then we packed up our stuff and off we went.... well everything got packed except one thing. 

this:

Yup that wold be my camera battery. Something that is required to work the camera.... the one I carried around all day and couldn't use. So today you get iphone quality pics to enjoy. 


We got there bright (and by bright I mean the sun was bright this morning!) and early - 10 minutes before the gate even opened. We were ready to tackle Sea World - or at least as much as we could see until lunch time! We headed straight for the dolphins. Abby had been begging to fed them every time we have gone but since I only have two hands I couldn't hold Micah and help Abby feed the fish at the same time (no allowed on the feeding side.) Since Beau was with us we got some fish to feed the dolphins! 

Abby wasn't as thrilled with it as she was before she actually saw the fish to feed to the dolphins. So Beau and I ended up feeding them and Abby watched. Both Beau and I got to touch them but Abby declined when we offered to help her. The dolphins were as flighty today and actually stayed around after eating the fish so you really got a good chance to touch the top of their noses. 

Then we went to the seal and sea lion pool. Abby and Micah got to see a sleeping seal up close from the comfort of their wagon (which by the way is not the easiest to pull around and has me dreaming and regretting not getting a double stroller - especially a jogging stroller which in my dreams would be much easier to push)

Over this past summer there have been 4 babies born in the seal and sea lion pool. Three sea lions and one seal. The babies are adorable! 

Then we headed off to see the Penguins and Puffins. 

Abby liked the penguins better because the puffins weren't swimming and diving under water. 

To finish off our {short} visit we hit the Lost Lagoon and cooled off with a few times around the lazy river then to the activity pool so Abby could go down the water slide. She enjoyed the water slide but didn't like it so much when at they got to the end of the slide she went underwater. She liked it much better when she went down with me and didn't go underwater. 


And on good note we don't have to move in the next 6 months! Yippie! The home owners finally realized the market isn't great and the two showings they've had aren't gonna get the house sold so they offered to let us sign another 6 month lease!