Story Time!

For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, you know we have had story time issues. But we have started going again lately and Layton is loving it! And I actually am enjoying it too!

Of course now that we are going again, it is about to end because school is almost out for the summer.

Anyway, I guess that this week is a statewide (nationwide?) awareness for immunizations. So a nurse came and read them a cute story, and brought a ton of fun stuff for the kids.

We walked in the room and there was a table covered in toys and books, and then on the corner was a small jar of jellybeans. Of course Layton was fixated on having one, I had to tell him over and over to wait until the end, and then I bet they would give him one. He tried very hard to be patient and at the end they told the kids they could pick a prize from the table, and had to guess how many jelly beans were in the jar and the closest guess wins. I thought "oh, no" I had been promising Layton a jelly bean and now someone would win the jar and he wouldn't be able to have one.

While the kids were picking the prizes they moved the jar to a different table and so I hurried and wrote down a guess for Layton without even being able to look at the jar. Then they announced...

Layton won! There were 186 and I guessed 180! Isn't that crazy? Everyone thought it was so funny because he was obviously the one who wanted them the most. He of course shared them with everyone.

And then they did a little doctor bag craft.

after they made their bag, the nurse gave them a bunch of Dr. stuff to put in it.

We had such a fun time.

I am so sad that story time is ending soon :(

Our Hairy Dog :)

When we lived in Tooele there was a groomer nearby and Sugar went in every 6 weeks to get a bath and brushed out. People would always say "oh, what a beautiful dog. I love her!"
then... dun, dun, dun, we moved here. Needless to say she has not been going every 6 weeks. I really would take her, but the only groomer in town doesn't "do" big dogs. And I hate to brush her myself. You should see the hair!

So it has been almost 2 years since poor Sugar Dog has had any kind of brushing or a bath. People say in a much different tone than before "what kind of dog is THAT?" and "NO kids, don't get to close to her" I looked at poor Sugar in the hot sun the other day and decided that this was animal abuse and I needed to do something about it.

So, I tried to brush her and broke 2, TWO, brushes while trying. She was way too matted and dirty. So I got out our hair clippers and put an extension on so she would have a little hair left. But, of course the extension couldn't comb through her hair either. So I took the darn thing off and buzzed her hair all completely off. 2 sets of clippers and about 5 hours later...

She was super good, but clearly hated it. We had to miss a ward activity because she was only half done and I was covered from head to toe in hair and wasn't about to stop before I finished. Lance couldn't understand why I didn't want to "just clean up and start again tomorrow?" as if I love being covered in hair everyday :)

You can seriously see her skin, the next day it was super sunny and she was out laying right in the sun! I thought "She is going to get sunburned" I am sure she was just thrilled to be able to breathe finally without all that extra hair. But I went and sprayed her with that clear aerosol sunscreen. I would feel so guilty if she was bright red and in pain. I was just trying to help! Anyway, happy ending is that she isn't sunburned yet, and she seems much happier. hooray!

SicksVille :(

I know I am super lame. People used to say "wow, you are such a great blogger. Every time I check your blog you have a new post" yeah, that has not been me lately. All I can say is that I know I am lame and I need to learn better time management skills :)

But in my defense Parker has been super sick. While we were in California over Easter he got a high fever and was throwing up a little and just wouldn't eat. By the time we got back he wasn't throwing up anymore but still wouldn't eat much. About a week later he started throwing up again but a ton, and all the time. and had ummm... "loose stools" :) our Dr. said that there was a little flu bug going around and if it wasn't improving after 10 days then we needed to take him to get some tests. Soooooo this was us for days 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,

then miraculously, on day 9 he started to get a little better and actually ate something. And here is Parker this morning, day 11.

I'm not sure that he is fully recovered but we have come a long way. HOORAY!!!!

Feelings

I have been trying for so long to get a picture of Layton with tears on his face so that I could blog and scrapbook about something. But if he is crying, then he is obviously mad and not in the picture mood. So me getting out my camera especially my big one, makes him super upset. So the other day he was crying and I made him a deal that if I used my little camera and let him have a vitamin (bless you, whoever invented gummy vitamins :) would he let me take a picture of him. He said yes and here it is!

Whenever Layton gets upset he has to stay in a room away from where I am at, and when he is done crying he can come back in with us. So he always walks in all sad and with tears on his face and I will hug him and I used to wipe off his tears. But one time I wiped them away and he said "don't wipe off my feelings!" and got really mad and threw another fit. So now when he comes in he lets us know if he wants his "feelings" wiped off, and if so, should we use our hand or his blanket. He has always had such a clear perspective about what he wants. Probably on the verge of OCD (where ever did he get that from, I wonder :)

What a sweet boy. We love him so much.

Big Boy Parker!

We went in to the doctor for Parker's one year checkup, and to update his immunizations. I haven't taken him in since he was 7 months old so I was anxious to see how much he had grown.

He weighs 21 lbs (which is the 21st percentile)
And is 31 inches tall (which is the 83rd percentile)

Parker is growing so big and is just like his brother, tall and skinny. :)

Easter Weekend... Continued

For the rest of our Easter weekend we had my niece and nephews blessing on Sunday, I assume that they received beautiful blessings. I was busy restraining my boys from running up front to be with their dad. So... I didn't catch much of what was said :)
Anyway, a great blessing day with a lunch afterwards.
Then the big drive home on Monday, it took forever but we made it and we are home safe and sound!


(for more pics of blessing, check out www.sweetlysimplephotography.blogspot.com)

Pictures!

I did my cute boy's pictures for their 1 year and 2 1/2 years old mark.

see more at www.sweetlysimplephotography.blogspot.com

Easter Weekend

For Easter break we went to California for my niece and nephews blessing. Thursday morning we left early and drove all day. Friday we just relaxed and went down to Laguna Beach in the evening. It was a super pretty beach but a very cold day, we just played on the sand and explored the tide pools, and of course my little camera was back at my sisters house. I really wish I would have had it because Layton LOVED the tide pools, he was poking the enemenies, and watching the little crabs crawl around. But it was super cold and the older kids got wet after we told them "don't get wet it is freezing and we don't have any towels or a change of clothes" but that's kids I guess. So we had to end the night before the poor kids froze to death :) Saturday we went to Newport Beach for the day, it was a much nicer day but still a little breezy and chilly. The boys had so much fun.
Parker actually got really sick while we were away, he did okay for awhile at the beach but then got a really high fever and sat with me in our shade tent with chills, so so sad.

Layton on the other hand could not have had more fun. He loved every second of everything at the beach. He carried a shovel around all day and would start to walk somewhere but couldn't stand it and he would sit down and shovel in the sand for awhile. He loved running from the waves and having a bonfire to cook marshmallows. Layton heaven!

I am so grateful for the chance to show my boys these things. I hope they can remember the fun things we do together as a family!

Easter Bunny... Early!

We will be out of town during Easter and won't have a chance for the big Easter Egg Hunt. So last night my brothers family and my mom (sorry dad, if you go out of town you miss out on the fun :) came up to out house and SURPRISE the Easter Bunny had come! The kids had a blast. We are so grateful to live close enough to do things like this together and for the chance for Layton and Parker to be close to their cousins.

I made the kids stop for a picture before the hunt started, can you say torture?

Parker found a pile of things for him right away, and stayed there the whole rest of the time!

Layton couldn't believe his good luck of finding all these treats in his backyard. He ate a whole pack of gum all at once (he doesn't get candy often, so when he does he goes a little crazy :)

Layton tried as hard as he could to "help" Parker fill his basket.

both boys eating candy as fast as they can.... (pure torture for me to watch :)

Coloring Easter Eggs

Last night we had my brothers family and my mom up for FHE. We had a little dinner and all the kids got to color their Easter eggs.

Layton totally could not understand why we were coloring Easter eggs. He wanted to eat them and didn't really get the whole Easter Bunny concept. But, he had a lot of fun anyway.

I bough one little .99 box of egg dye and it came with 16 different colors. I was expecting like maybe 6 colors. Crazy... super bang for my buck :)

hard at work, coloring the eggs with crayons before the actual egg dying

hmmmm... what color to chose?

even though he didn't really get the concept Layton still was super excited and loved his eggs.

Parker couldn't be trusted near the 4 dozen eggs or the 16 open cups of dye. But he did color on an egg with a crayon, and was carefully brought in at the end to see the eggs I had dyed for him :)

Parkers Party!!!

My baby is turning 1! I can't believe how the time flies. His birthday isn't for a few days but we had the birthday party today after conference. Thanks so much to all of our families who took the time and made the special effort to come to Parker's birthday. It really means a lot to me.

We had Parker's favorite dinner (fettuccine alfredo, cheesy bread, and fruit)

Then of course sang happy birthday, Parker loved to look at the candle but he didn't make an attempt to blow it out :)

He really loved his cake!

(or the frosting at least :)


then we opened presents

and he was spoiled rotten as usual

Happy Birthday Parker, we love you so much.