11 Months!

Isabelle turned 11 months old today. I can't believe how fast time has gone! She is so fun right now, always laughing and excited to see you. She says mama, hi, boo, and puppy. I love it when I go in to get her out of her crib and before she can even see me she is saying "Hi." She is trying so hard to walk and that is pretty much all she wants to do. She often puts a death grip on my fingers and tries to scoot herself off my lap so that I will walk her around. She can take a few steps by herself but doesn't do it very often. She loves to play with Justin (when he is being nice to her at least) and has fun trying to crawl faster than he does. We love you Isabelle!
This is Dave's creative way of walking her around so that he doesn't have to lean over. He used her blanket at first but it wasn't quite long enough so now he uses Justin's snake to hold her up and she just walks and walks and walks. If you would like to purchase one of these "baby walkers" you can buy them at Ikea!

What a week! Another Gratitude Post

Wow! This week has really made me take a step back and ponder my life. In this past week I have learned that one of our friends just recently had a Down Syndrome baby (which of course a baby is always a blessing but to think of the challenges they will face for years to come. . . ), a family member has lost his job and now has to find a new one, and then just today our neighbor's 2 year old daughter drowned in the pool. Dave and I drove by right after it happened, the ambulance was gone but the police were still there, and Dave right away said, " Oh no they have a pool." I was praying that this wouldn't be true but when the news trucks showed up a few minutes later I knew it was. It is hard to imagine what the family must be feeling right now. I don't think words could express it. I realized a little later that just on Sunday part of the RS lesson was about losing a child and how you will have the opportunity to raise them again after the ressurection. I left the lesson thinking, "I hope this isn't one of those lessons that I needed to hear for a reason. . ." These events have helped me remember something that I was just talking to a friend about a few months ago. We were sharing our stresses with each other and discussing how we could solve them when she said, "Just remember that as long as you have your family you will be okay." That is what is most important! My family will face some hard times but as long as I have them we will make it through. Justin might be out of control because he is trying not to take naps anymore and Isabelle might be fussy because she is finally getting teeth, and it can be a little frustrating at times, but I have them, they are safe and they are healthy. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the Lord's plan and I am grateful to know that this family has the same knowledge. I can only pray that it will bring them comfort during this incredibly difficult time, a time that no parent wants to go through. These three events have helped me to put things in perspective and be grateful for the blessings that I have. We have so much to be thankful for even when times are rough and it is so important to remember those blessings to help us make it through. I am grateful that I am able to tuck my children into bed each night with a loving husband by my side.

Sorry it's been so long since the last post! Life just seems to move too fast some times. I will try to do better. I hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying their summer!

Bear Lake, Idaho

We just got back from our vacation to Bear Lake. I have to say that it was probably one of my favorite vacations ever! I grew up going to Bear Lake every summer as a child so I was very excited to take my kids there. My grandparents bought a cabin there in 1950 and we are so lucky to be able to go there. It's just a little small town with lots of wide open space. It was so nice to just go and be together. My parents, my brother Mark and his family and my brother Jim and his family also came. We were sad that my brother Greg and his family couldn't make it but hopefully next year! We went out on my parents boat almost every day and the kids loved that (the water was too cold for me!). One day some of us went to Minnetonka cave. I think Justin was a little scared because he wouldn't let us put him down the whole way. It was quite the work out having to hold him because there were 888 stairs to climb and we walked over a mile round trip. Luckily, Dave carried him on the really strenuous parts! On Fourth of July we went to a parade and the kids loved it! Each float threw out candy and the kids were loaded by the end of it. The best part is that we didn't even have to go anywhere to watch fireworks. The cabin two houses up from us put on a huge fireworks show two nights in a row and I don't mean the ones that just stay on the ground. They were just like if you were to go to the display here. Apparently it's some famous ex-football player named Merlin Olson and he does it every year. Lucky for us! One of my favorite parts was going to LeBeaus (the local food place) for raspberry shakes. They are the best and I am really going through withdrawals not being able to get one. The problem is that I now have to lose the weight that I put on while I was up there because I definitely had one too many shakes! I am counting down the days until we can go again next summer!

Justin at the beach

Random shot of the cabin


Justin, Robyn and their cousin Sydney playing at the beach





These two pictures are from inside the cave

The kids in their Fourth of July outfits
Isabelle at the parade

Dave's 33!

For Dave's birthday I planned a day trip to Kartchner Caverns. He has always wanted to go there so I thought that it would be a nice getaway. Tombstone happens to only be about a half hour away from there and Dave loves Tombstone so we ended up going to eat there afterwards. The cave was really cool. There were lots of neat formations to look at and the story behind the discovery was really neat too. Unfortunately, they don't allow pictures to be taken in the cave but you can check out the website for some really cool pictures. I would definately recommend going to the cave but make sure you go in the winter time when both parts of the cave are open. Tombstone seemed very "dirty" to me and I don't mean because there was dirt everywhere! I guess I will have to watch the movie sometime and then maybe I will appreciate it. I think Dave loved it though and that's all that really matters! Happy Birthday Dave! I love you so much and you are such an incredible dad and husband. This is us at Tombstone

This was the best part of Tombstone for me- deep dish apple cobbler! Yum!

Recent Happenings . . .

Justin started swim lessons two weeks ago and loves it! He takes them with his cousin David and I love watching them learn together. They have so much fun jumping off the diving board, doing "monkey walks" and singing songs in the pool. He didn't like putting his face under water at first but now he doesn't mind and he loves everything else. He looks forward to going every day and it has been nice to have an outdoor activity for him to do even though Isabelle and I melt! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get very good pictures because I dropped our camera in the sand at Rocky Point and now it won't zoom but here are some anyways!

Doesn't he look excited! He really was but I guess just not to take a picture.

Justin and his cousin David

Robyn is excited that it's summer or more importantly, that school is over. It is hard to believe that she is going to be in fourth grade next year!

Robyn up in Payson

Isabelle had her 9 month check up this week and she apparently isn't as chubby as we all think she is! She was only 50% for both height and weight which is down from her last check up where she was 70% for both. She does still have quite a large head though at 77%! The doctor said everything else looks great and she is right on track developmentally. She is pulling herself up on everything and is getting very good at cruising. She even took two steps the other day when Dave stood her up and let go! She is growing up so fast. I won't post any pictures of her since I haven't taken any new ones since the last post.

As for me I am proud to announce that I have officially hit my goal weight! I have been on a 1450 calorie diet for the past two months, working out with a trainer and wearing the bodybugg. If you don't know what it is check out the website. I have lost 12 pounds and now that I'm at my goal I hope to keep going. I never thought that I would have to go on a diet since I was always skinny growing up but I am not one of those lucky people where the babyweight just melts away. Whoever said that nursing will make the weight disappear was a liar! It's been a lot of hard work but well worth it. I am not trying to brag but I decided I should post this so that when I am in the same situation after the next baby I can look back and remember that I lost the weight once and I can lose it again! Also, I woke up with two very swollen, red and itchy ears today! Definately not attractive! I think it is cellulitis (not to be confused with cellulite) which my college friends might remember that I had freshman year, but the doctor wasn't convinced and just sent me home with no help or medicine at all. I hope this goes away fast. . .

As for Dave, he was able to go on a three day campout with the YM a couple weeks ago and had a blast. Dave loves camping but unfortunately we have never been able to go as a family since camping with babies is not very fun! He was grateful for the opportunity. He has also been working out hard and is looking great! His birthday is this Saturday too! I have a fun day trip planned so more pictures will follow.

A big thanks to my parents for coming down this weekend to help with the kids and the house. We got a lot of the finishing touches done and hopefully the landscapers will finish soon so I can post pictures finally!

9 months!

I can't believe Isabelle is 9 months old already! We love her so much. She's got a great personality and some of the chubbiest thighs you have ever seen with multiple rolls on them! She is crawling all over now and sticks anything and everything into her mouth that she finds along the way. Just today she pulled herself up to the standing position for the first time. She is eating finger foods and isn't really caring for the jarred food much anymore. She seems to spit it all over me now everytime I feed her! She is starting to play "games" like if you shake your head back and forth she will copy you. She also makes the loudest clucking noise with her tongue and can even turn her tongue upside down. We are so grateful for her and the joy she brings us!


These first two pictures are from last Monday when we went to the Payson Fish Hatchery.

Now that Isabelle is crawling she doesn't really want to hold still for a picture. These are the best that I could get of her today!