Fourth of July and Trip to Idaho

A couple weeks ago we went to Temple Square and caught some awesome images of the kiddos. I am learning that when I photograph more than one person I need to be more careful with the blurring and focusing options on my camera=)

For Independence Day this year, Brett requested big fireworks in the sky. We thought about going to one of the shows around here, but we didn’t really want to fight the crowds, plus we wanted to hang with Mom and Dad Z. It was the first week of the new resident year so Sean volunteered to help a new intern who was on hospital service in the morning. He wasn’t gone for very long, then we headed out to Mom and Dad Z’s house. They had just been renovating their front room and Mom wasn’t feeling great so we helped make a list for dinner and I mowed half the lawn then headed to the store. Sean mowed the other half, then when I got home we started setting up the swimming pool. Sean and Mom left to go get Grandma Z, and Dad worked on making a part that would help blow up the pool faster while I wrangled the kiddos. The kids did some sidewalk chalk painting, then played in the pool. We all visited and had a great afternoon, then Sean and I made some hamburgers and bratwurst. We had a dutch oven apple cobbler for dessert and watched some fireworks that we bought. We didn’t drop thousands so it was a pretty humble show, but Brett understood really well when we told him how much fireworks cost. Alana hated the noise and opted to stay inside and watch the PBS special instead with Elroy. I bought some parachute fireworks this year that have a little army man toy on the bottom because I loved the parachutes when I was a kid. We lit the first one and it floated into the neighbors backyard and onto their roof =( Then we lit the next one and it blew up on its way to the backyard, it was a flop! Good thing my parents had bought bubbles so the kids weren’t too disappointed.

We bought new pillows! Alana and Lizzie got to come shopping with Sean and I one Saturday while Brett went to a birthday party.

Sean’s cousin Daniel left on a mission to the Philippines. We had to speak in church that Sunday so we went to our ward and spoke then left right after sacrament meeting and arrived just in time for his farewell talk and luncheon. Brett loved this bear in the upstairs of Aunt Barbara’s house. He’s into telling me to take pics of him lately =)

Alana wanted a pic with the bear too, so Brett was the photographer since she needed help.

This is how the kids roll out of their rooms and into my bed every morning =)

Brett was so proud of his outfit choice. I know this isn’t relevant but it reminds me that I’m pretty sure this poor kid is color blind.

I really liked this picture Neil took of us =) I especially love that Alana is holding a bag of pretzels!

The Halloween costumes got pulled out:

Lizzie turned 3 months old!

We bought new puzzles that Brett is rocking!

Sean is doing the ER rotation again, which means he gets to choose his hours. He needs to do 100 hours of ER in addition to his clinic half days. Its challenging to fit in all the shifts especially since the best time to work is at night and long shifts seem to be more high yield learning. We decided that he could work three 15 hour ( 10 ER plus 5 clinic) shifts and we could go to idaho for a few days. I think I may have been completely crazy for driving 6 hours with 3 kids younger than 5 by myself, but it actually went really smoothly and we had a lot of fun! And a lot of potty and milk stops on the side of the road!

We arrived to meet Lily, Sam’s new puppy! Everyone loved her until she nipped Alana’s hand just a tiny bit (as puppies do), then Alana was TERRIFIED!!! Brett did such a great job being independent and playing so well with Kaity while I held either Lizzie or Alana the entire time we were in their house. By the way I love Lily too! She is so darling and loving!

These pictures aren’t in order but I don’t care too much right now. This was the last day we were there when we went to the mall to play in the play place, eat pretzels and take our bears/dragons to get them a bath at Build a Bear (oh and I can’t forget the trip to Sees candy to get chocolate!) Alana and Brett got these little bags to carry their animals in.

Cousin love!

There is an amazing library by Sam’s house! They had these awesome magnet blocks which I am thinking of for Christmas!

They do a crafty kids thing every Wednesday afternoon which Brett and Alana loved!

We swam in their community pool. The kids were so brave and I even got in the cold water =) It was so hot outside and no one got burned, thank heaven for sunscreen!!

I told them to pose!

This is from the trip home when I let the kids eat a hot dogs and entire candy bars for lunch!

The trip home took us nearly 8 hours with traffic, it was yucky!

This is where Alana wanted to be if we were in Sam’s house. She was so scared of Lily she just wanted to be in our room with the door shut.

It didn’t help that she was super tired, so we did a lot of snuggling!

We went to the aquarium which we loved. Way more interactive that Utah’s and way better priced!

Lizzie loves hanging in the Bjorn:

The last night we were there the kids wanted to play in this drainage ditch. Sam and I sat on the lawn and watched the kids run and play with sticks and rocks and it just made my heart so happy! I love Sam so much and love that our kids love each other! Sam and her family are coming this weekend to visit us =)