Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Welcome to Terrible Two, Sweet V!



Today our baby turns two.  My sweet, good-natured Vivian who seems to have heard through the sweet-baby grapevine that with 2 comes trouble.  Lately she's been practicing her posessed-by-Zuul routine: bouts of rage complete with screaming, writhing, and the occasional attempt at biting the flesh of whomever is offending her at that moment.  She's also been exercising her new-found ability to remove her clothing at will.  Want to change her diaper and/or her clothes?  Good luck.  And those cute new shoes you want to put on her feet?  Fat chance!

I don't mean to say that Viv's no longer her sweet self.  Her smile still lights up a room.  When she blows kisses everyone within a 1-block radius dives to catch them.  Her voice is spun from sugar and her cuddles are as snuggly as they come.  She's recently 'attached' to a lovey.  It's a tan-colored square of fabric with a stuffed puppy head on one corner.  It's her 'Doggie' and it's typically pretty disgusting because she won't let go of it long enough for me to wash it. Pretty cute.

Viv is talking more and more, although we're the only ones who can understand most of what she says.  Wishfully thinking that she was starting to act 'ready' we bought her a potty for her birthday.  We brought it out early because she acted like she was interested in using the potty like her big brother Gavin does.  But Gavin pees standing up.  So far we've cleaned 3 poops and 4 pees off the floor and the potty has remained dry.

Speaking of her big brother, there is nobody Viv would rather hang out with and emulate than Gavin.  If he does it, she does it too.  And the affection goes both ways.  When Gavin colors a picture (one of his favorite pastimes) he signs his name, and half the time writes hers on it too.  Watching the two of them play together is one of my favorite things in the world.  Until the screaming starts.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Preschool Graduation

A few weeks ago, the day care where Gavin and Vivian spend three days per week hosted a "Preschool Graduation Party." Kinda silly since 1) it's preschool, and 2) Gavin will be doing preschool again this school year.  The kids who had been in preschool during the school year last year got diplomas. Everyone (toddlers to school-age) got "awards." Viv got a good eater award and Gavin got the only "Save the Earth" award, because he apparently talks a lot about keeping the Earth clean and not wasting water or electricity. His teacher said he was one of the reasons she started recycling at the day care this year. Made his Mama so proud.  The kids put on a program of sorts by performing various skits that they came up with on their own, singing some of the songs they learned in preschool (complete with hand motions such as licking imaginary squashed bumblebees off of their hands), and showing off their mad alphabet and number skills.  In the first/top photo Gavin is flanked by his two best buddies Reid and Henry.  In the last photo Vivian is showing off her "good eater" skills in two-fisted fashion.  The photos in between show a little bit of the program, some award giving, and yeah.... a little cleavage.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Friday, August 17, 2012

Island Park


The very next weekend after driving south 5 hours to get to St. George, we drove north 5 hours to get to Island Park, Idaho.  We had originally planned to spend the weekend with Brandon's mom Debby and his sister Brooke's family at a family cabin, but as it turned out, 1) they couldn't go, and 2) some other extended family members were already up there.  The family that was there included (stay with me) Debby's cousin Dennis, his ex-wife Kathy, their two daughters Becky & Anna and their families, and Dennis' mother Helen, all of whom now hail from Oregon/Washington.  Dennis is the current owner of the Williams family cabin.  Debby's mama Leah was Dennis' aunt, and Leah's family has lots of fond memories of coming up to the cabin through the years.  It's been some time since any of Leah's family has visited.  Brandon hadn't been there since his early teen years.  It was Brooke's idea to see if we could stay there, and Debby got the ball rolling by getting in touch with Dennis.  Follow?

When we arrived we were greeted warmly and heartily by all those who were there, with the exception of Becky's husband Dan and older son Luke, who were suffering from a bout of the flu.  They rallied, though, and by the next day they were back in action.  Unfortunately, I then came down with the bug.  Then Brandon did.  Then Viv.  Then Gavin.  Ugh.  Despite all that we had a truly fantastic time.  We overlapped with the Williamses for the first three days, then had the place to ourselves for the last two days.  We got our canoe wet a couple of times and the boys got to do a little fishing.  My favorite part of the trip, by far, was getting to know these family members who I never knew existed.  Helen is a pistol - she drinks coffee all day long then switches to margaritas at night.  I don't know how old she is, but she looked (and acted) like she could have been Dennis' sister.  Dennis and Kathy are kind, easygoing souls with enormous hearts.  The gentle patience they showed their children and grandchildren was heartwarming, to say the least.  Becky and Anna and their husbands Dan and Jacob are the kind of folks we would befriend and hang out with even if we weren't related.  Getting to know them around the campfire in the evenings was a real pleasure.  Along with Luke, who is 7 (I think?), Becky and Dan have twins Sara and Matthew who turned 5 in July.  Anna and Jacob have two sons: Eli is 5 and Noah is a few months younger than Vivian.  Gavin had a ball with the other kids and I had a ball watching them interact.  I can't think of a more perfect mix of folks!  We are so happy to have met them all and hopeful that we will have ample opportunity to see them and spend time with them again and again.

 
There are far too many pictures to put in one blog post.  CLICK HERE to see them all!


A visit from Nana & Papa



My folks came out for a visit in early August.  It was a quick trip for them - just long enough to visit with us in SLC for a few days, then head down to the St. George area to take another look at the house they've put an offer on.  They wanted to refresh their memories and they also wanted us to take a look at it to get another perspective.  They put their Naperville home of 35 years on the market in early July and the purchase of this southern Utah home is contingent on the sale of their current one.  For us it was a great excuse to see them again, to stay in a hotel with a pool, and to visit with our friends Pete & Gloria and Hayley.  Apparently I was a little too relaxed because I don't have a single picture of the house, my mom, or Pete & Gloria.  To see all of the pictures, click HERE.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Snowbird Sunday

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Another trip to Mt. [so very] Pleasant

A look up to the loft.
Gretchen and Gavin and great fun with balloons.
Viv's 'boon'.
Gretchen swings Viv.
Hats.
How lucky are we?!
Gretchen likes to throw her dolly in the air.
Gretchen loves her mama.
  
Aunt Nelly plays bumper cars.
 
 
The AMAZING birthday carrot cake that Joshalynn baked for Brandon.
Hard-workin, cabin-building Uncle Steve and his bride Linda wait for a slice.
Awww...
 
 
Breakfast time!
Uncle Steve makes the BEST pancakes.
Hummer.
Fun with extension cord.
Not a bad view for a construction zone!
Happy birthday, Daddy!
 
We like it here :).