To the Fair

The fair gets more fun every year because Hallie gets more and more into it each year this year she was so excited to see the horses and dancers. Matt got called out of town and was supposed to be back in time for the parade but his flight got delayed so we met up with him at the fair later. Hallie kept asking if she could ride one or if she could dance in the street with the girls. Gracie was content to bob her head to the beat...I think they both have pretty good rhythm. Here they are waiting for candy. 

 When Hallie saw the flag I didn't have to say a thing she looked for it and put her hand on her heart...well initially it was her 2nd heart on the right side but she has the concept down.

 She loved her little indian hat and of coarse the cereal that malt o meal gives out she couldn't wait any longer she was hungry. It was a long parade 1 1/2 hr to be exact. I was very impressed that she listened very well and stayed out of the road and only took the candy in her space which is more than I can say for a lot of the kids around us.

 After the parade we went and picked up our dad at Grandma Joys and headed out to the fair after some GF greek food we went exploring. After getting a few new shirts for me we met up with Grandma and Nick & Brit. Grandma was nice enough to buy a bunch of tickets so the kids could ride a few rides. Hallie was thrilled to ride the carousel because she was riding a horse(which she had been wanting all day). The one problem with the fair is there is to much to do in just one night and it gets so late so fast. Gracie even got in on the action but I think she felt indifferent. Hallie thought it was so cool Grandma rode with her. After she said mom we got to ride horses just like Mary Poppins huh?...smart girl.

 Gracie enjoying her ride

 Hallie informed me this was her favorite part of her day but when I asked her about her candy she said she had 2 favorites.

 Me and my girls

 Our little family 

 Although it was probably time to go home we had to see the animals...another Hallie favorite. Gracie watched Hallie climb the fence and then proceeded to (what we think) to climb it also. Good thing Hallie is such a good girl or I would be more concerned that Gracie wants to be her shadow.
We had a great time at the fair Im glad Matt made it back in time to be a part. I always thought of the fair as an ending to the summer and this year that makes me really sad but it truly has been a great one full of memories and fun family times.

Life as of Late

 

 The other night Hallie asked if Gracie could swing with her and I couldn't find any reason to tell her no so in the swing she went and after the first push I wondered why I hadn't put her in it much sooner. She loved it to say the least. Hallie and Gracie both giggled and had a great time Hallie pushed Gracie while I changed the sprinkler and sat on the grass soaking in the moment. My 2 sweet girls laughing and enjoying each other what a wonderful blessing...these are the nights I don't want summer to end. Video at bottom of this post

 This year we got serious about a garden and about improving our "green thumb." In the spring we expanded our garden and got to work preparing and later planting various seeds/plants and we are now seeing the results from our work. We planted peas, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, regular cucumbers, spaghetti squash, beets, zuchinni, pumpkins, and corn. We have already bottled our beets and we now have more tomatoes and zuchinni than we know what to do with. It has been nice to realize that I can learn new things while teaching Hallie to. At this point she loves to help with everything(weeding, watering, and of coarse the picking part) I told Matt last night some dat we will have this gardening thing down to a science.

The love Pinterest I really do and I told myself when I really got into it that I had to complete at least 1 project a week because whats the point in pinning something you will never use? I am happy to report we have had so much fun from all the new awesome recipes I have found to the craft projects to preschool activities we have had a lot of fun. These are the girls "Tangled" wigs Hallie is very into Tangled right now and when I saw this I knew I had to make her one and we can't leave sister out so of coarse Gracie needed on too...Im so grateful that Hallie always wants Gracie to be apart of whatever she is doing.
Matt has been traveling a TON and when I say a ton I truly mean it like gone at least 3 days a week it has been hard but we are managing and I think Im getting quite good at it. I should have known this was coming it talks about it in my patriarchal blessing but I just keep telling myself I was raised to be a strong independent women and although I would rather have Matt around I have been raised and given the tools to take care of myself and my girls.
Now on a not so bright note Gracie got sick for the 1st time really this past week. She is such a good baby and Sunday night she cried pretty inconsolably for over an hour in the middle of the night. I was a little panicked but felt in my gut that she was ok. Monday she started a low grade fever and that night she cried for even longer. Having a sick child is the worst feeling in the whole world....your so helpless. Tuesday she spiked a temp of 104(Im not comfortable with that) and we were heading to 7-Peaks with Kim & Ez so before we left I decided to run her up to the dr they found she had a bad cold virus, was teething, and the very beginning of an ear infection(1st and hopefully the last). We made the choice to go ahead and treat her and after another rough night she seemed to be on the mend. She has still be pretty happy but at night it seems like it always gets worse. I didn't realize how much I missed the twinkle in her eye and that genuine smile she gives freely when she is herself. I really enjoy my time with the girls being silly and fun.

Jon Schmidt

Last weekend we got some family together and had a great night in perfect weather enjoying some great music. Wadman is a great supporter of all things community and for their sponsorship they are given tickets to various events and we have been lucky enough to get to go. The piano guys are a definite favorite and we have been looking forward to this weekend since we went last year. It is held at Wolf Mountain in Eden. Everyone brings blankets and chairs and sits out in the fresh mountain air and by about dinner time the weather is perfect for a jacket. This year we stopped for KFC before heading up to have a picnic, play games, and visit before the concert....that was a great plan and so fun. The kids danced and played while the adults did their thing we did sneak in some pics between the boys taking a trip to the snack bar. Love my 2 sisters and words can't describe how much we have enjoyed having them around since they moved up here.

Chris and his date Chrissy were able to join us also. Hallie loved playing with both of them and wasn't shy to sit with Chrissy most of the night.

 Once the sun started to go down it was time to put on more layers

 Hallie loving the ranch wheat thins and rockin her princess shirt(once she has it on I have a hard time getting it off)

 Rigs is so funny and so obsessed with Gracie he just wants to be with her whenever they are together Im impressed all the time of how he is quickly learning to be gentle with her...as you can see him holding her hand

 Our growing girl is has super perfected sitting(this it her sitting on the hillside)

 She is so so so ticklish....most people use this info to their advantage 

 I guess we both got the memo to wear strips I didn't even realize it til I saw these pictures...great minds think alike

 They did a brief intermission and threw piano guy t-shirts and of coarse my lucky husband caught one and even better its to little for him...just my size...thanks babes. Gracie is loving real food here she is eating a vanilla wafer.

We had a great time and can't wait to go again next year(hopefully we will have that opportunity). Love relaxing time spent with family making memories that last way longer than just the events.

To Grandma's House We Go

This past week we headed to the airport to take the quick flight to visit grandma in Las Vegas. It gets even better...I was able to go with both my sisters too. Since this has been in the works for quite some time I think Hallie had started to wonder if we ever really would go to grandmas. While in the line for security there was an Asian lady in front of us in line. Hallie got really excited and said "Look mom its Mulan." I couldn't help but laugh...what a cute naive girl. My excited girls on the flight down. We had planned on sitting with Nic but with our 3 babies and us there were only 4 oxygen masks so we settled for sitting behind them. Gracie slept on the flight while Hallie colored and read stories. The flight attendance came around to take our drink order(which Hallie was super excited about) then there was to much turbulence for them to pass them out so no juice=a sad girl but nothing some fruit snacks can't fix.

 Once we got there and settled in for the night we got the girls tucked into bed. Sunday we went to church and when we came home my mom pulled out all the stuff she had bought for the girls. Among them was this cute bumblebee that will be perfect for Gracie for Halloween(so when you see this same pic in a couple months "bee" surprised..haha)

 After church, naptime, and dinner it was bath time. My mom has the perfect sink for bath time. My chubby baby...what a happy girl she is. She has always liked bath time but this time for some reason she started splashing, playing with the bubbles, and laughing it was so fun to watch. I was glad my family was able to be a part of it.

And with lots of play comes lots of sleep. I would say this picture sums up the fun we had.

 This is Rigs dump truck that grandma got for the sand box or backyard but he liked it more for a chair.

 Gracie loved the pool I wish I would have remembered her floater we probably could have let her float all day. After this summer I am hopeful that she does in fact have my skin and not Matts' which burns easily.

 Hallie initially was not a fan of the pool because she wanted to be held the entire time. Then enter in the start shaped floaty..she was set to go. I love this pic

 My cheesy poser these days every time I tell her I want to take a picture she poses but I will take this over the acquired smile any day.

 Maddi is the best aunt that is still young enough to want to play. Here is Hallie getting ready to be a princess...rollers and all.

 Most of our time was spent being lazy and watching olympics, floating in the pool, or sleeping. But Tuesday we ventured out to a field trip to Petco for a tour. Hallie loved seeing all the different animals...me not so much. Im not a fan of rodents or reptiles which was most of what they showed us. This is Hallie after she was petting the gerbil.

 Just before we were ready to head the the airport we got a pic with grandma probably the last pic of three of them before Luke joins the group in early October.

 Then the circus was off to the airport. A circus we did look like 3 kids under three, a prego girl, and 2 tired mommies. Thanks heavens for skycap and priority TSA and boarding. In the middle of the process our sweet Gracie gave up and went to sleep(I can't even say enough what a good baby she is)

 On the flight home Hallie wanted to sit by aunt Kim so Nic and I sat together with the babies. Rigs fell asleep pretty quick which was a huge blessing. The girls were good and had snacks and drinks til we got to Salt Lake. Kimber was my life saver the last little bit of the flight the turbulence was so bad that I had to give Gracie to Kim to hold because I was so sick. It took a few minutes on the ground to even get my bearings back.

 Hallie finally got her juice

 Once we got home we decided to it was about time to buy this little Tigger a bouncer....she hasn't been disappointed. I have been meaning to post her 6 month(almost 7 month stats) wt-15lbs 8oz(28%), ht-26 3/4 in(73%) and head 16.1in(7%)  

1st Play

Last week I took Hallie and Gracie to their 1st play. Grandma Joy puts together a children's play every summer revolving around Wheat and Beet Days. We were lucky enough to go and support her and my cousin's little girl Lexi.

It was a great play and just short enough to hold the girls attention. After we got to visit with grandma for a few minutes before stopping for corn and Pizza Plus pizza before heading home. A big thanks to grandma Joy for the invite.

Treehouse & Dancing

We love Treehouse all seasons of the year in the summer it is a great escape from the heat and snow in the winter. This summer has been filled with so much we finally made it and as always it didn't disappoint. We got there just in time to do art in the garden with puff finger paint(fyi-super cool). Can you tell from Hallie's face she was pretty excited! In all honesty she was a little timid at first but once she saw it washed off she had a ball.

 After a good nap and some puzzles. I started to get dinner ready. I have started turning on music for the girls while I make dinner. Hallie has elaborated this by adding skirts and necklaces and this particular day she brought one for Gracie too. After a little help getting Gracie dressed the dancing began. Hallie likes to hold Gracie's hands and sway side to side. She is always very good to make sure Gracie is included and this is a prime example. I love dance time and needless to say sometimes dinner just has to wait.