Busy, hot, humid, and fun!

As soon as we got back from NM, I took some pictures of our dear friends little girl for her first birthday. I was super pleased with how they came out especially since Afton is hard to get to smile =)

The stuffed animal birthdays have continued (pretty much every single day!) One day when Alana was telling me about her stuffed animals birthday again I told her we were making fruit and cake kebobs. They had a great time making them, but Alana was really disappointed there was no frosting!

 Brett asked if we could make some more cardboard swords.  The ones that we had were from a year and half ago and are still played with a ton (it makes me wonder why we buy toys when our kids are happy to play with cardboard?) He was disappointed a few days later when the sword got bent by a neighbor boy. We went on a quest to get some foam ones which are holding up very nicely so far.

 Lizzie has gotten so into being with her siblings and doing exactly what they are doing! She loves sitting on the couch with them and getting her shoes when I ask the big kids to get shoes. She loves to laugh with them, paint and color with them, chase them around, and go to sleep at the same time as them.

 One morning we went to Secret Park by our house with some friends. Brett discovered all kinds of fun places to wander through the forest. He kept saying he know why its called Secret Park because there are so many secret places. I love when the kids play outside and explore. Nature is so good for all of us.

 Alana gets a little more concerned about the bugs and bushes in the forest type areas, but she loved going on the tire swing and the big twisty slide and even walking around to see the horses and ducks.

 Lizzie is always up for whatever we do (and if she's not she screams loudly).

 The kids got the idea that they were going to paint rocks and sell them. One afternoon I got out paint for Alana to work on her rocks and thought Lizzie might enjoy some paint too. I wasn't brave enough to just give it to her, so I put it in a ziplock bag and let her squish it around.

 Brett has been very diligent at practicing piano!

 One night when Sean was doing night clinic, we needed to get out of the house. Both the kids Build a Bears needed some stitching up so we went to the mall. After Toothless and Sonic got stitched up, they got a nice brushing and air bath. In this next picture Brett was getting super teary because he had a loose tooth that was just really bugging him. It was ready to come out but he was really afraid to let us pull it. He was feeling stressed and sad that all his teeth were falling out, poor guy.

 Lizzie pulled her pony tail out in the car on the way to the mall! After Build a Bear we got pizza and soft pretzles and chicken for dinner, then stopped by the Lego store to play for a while.

 I think it was the next day, Brett finally let Sean pull out his tooth. It was really long which is probably why it hadn't fallen out days before. My parents were coming out that night so we invited them along to celebrate Brett losing his tooth at Cold Stone. There is a picture way further down, but the reason they came out was to bring us a new grill! They were going to give us their old one but I guess my dad decided it was too old so they got us a shiny new Weber that fits perfectly on our patio and makes delicious food!

 Alana just loves her babies! She carries them around some days and pretends to change their diapers and feeds them.

 Brett had another appointment at the Children's center. We are all learning some good strategies, but mostly I think I am just learning how to help him handle his anxiety when he gets into a funk at home. This is a really cool ball thing they have in the lobby that all the kids love!

 After his appointment that day we sped over to the firehouse for a fieldtrip with our playgroup. We were a few minutes late but still got to sit in the truck and listen to the firemen.

 After the firehouse tour we went to ride bikes in the church gym.

 Lizzie loves to climb on the stage, she sure keeps me on my toes!

 Painting more rocks

 Here is our gorgeous grill!

 We had a late night with our neighbors Zach and Zander. They came for dinner which was quesadillas and beans, we had brownies for dessert and popcorn during the movie. Its sure fun to have these sweet boys around our house so much, they are such great friends to Brett and Alana and I am grateful to have them over so much!

 I moved some board books into Lizzie's bedroom and she LOVES them. I find her in there often just reading books and she also now insists on having a book in her bed with her. Most of the time that helps her be ok with bedtime, but she is learning to resist a bit now that she knows we still keep having fun while she sleeps.

 We went to our annual ward party. The food was yummy and the kids got to play games, get their faces painted and play with chalk and bubbles.

 One Sunday, Sean made some covered wagons he'd seen in the Friend magazine with the kids. I fell asleep on the couch =)

My sister and her family came to visit for a weekend and we had such a great time. My niece Kaity is going to be baptized this coming September so we took some pretty baptism pictures of her at Temple Square. She is such a sweet and kind little lady!

 After we took pictures, Sean, Brett, Alana, Lizzie, and Mom and Dad met us at the food court. We had a yummy lunch (except for Sean who got some slimy chinese food). Then we let the kids play at the dinosaur playground there for awhile while Sam, Jared, Mom and Dad went to the Disney store.

 We stopped by our house to drop off a car and grab some more food for Sean since his lunch was so gross, then we drove out to my parents house so Kaity could play with Brett and Alana and we could visit with Sam and Jared. Everyone had fun playing and resting then we all went back to the Cheesecake Factory at City Creek to have a yummy dinner with Aunt Lucille. They put us in a side room that was a little quieter and had more room for the kids to play which was really nice since the meals there take soooo long! Aunt Lucille ordered a piece of chocolate cake which she ate 2-3 bites of so we got to help her finish it! We also took home a delicious piece of cookie dough cheesecake.

Lizzie thought the whole dinner was fantastic and enjoyed the whipped cream the best!

Here we were that afternoon before heading out to the Cheesecake Factory. 

Brett's grilled cheese sandwich came looking like this! He was pretty excited!

Brett and Kaity exchanged birthday gifts since they won't see each other for their birthdays. We gave Kaity a "Real Live Pet" bird and Kaity gave Brett a "Real Live Pet" turtle.

On Sunday, Sam's family went to visit some Brown side family but we still headed out to my parents. Lizzie loves Elroy so much! She chases him around and shares her food, I am constantly amazed that Elroy is so patient and kind with her sticking her finger in his mouth and waving food in front of his face.

My parents were watching Ninja Warrior when we got there and Brett and Alana were fascinated by it. I really like that show too, so we all had fun cheering on the contestants. Sean's favorite Disney character is Stitch and my mom found this awesome shirt for him!

On Monday evening we were invited to my Aunt Bonnie's house for a BBQ since my mom's oldest brother Gary was in town. It was fun to see family that I so rarely get to see and Brett and Alana and Lizzie loved wandering around the fun house and huge backyard! 

Kaity really wanted to have a sleepover with Brett and Alana so after the BBQ I just brought her home with us. The kids were all really excited and had a fun time getting in pajamas. I let them all stay up till 10 watching a show then put them to bed. When I went in right before I went to sleep at  10:30 Kaity was still awake and was feeling really nervous. She was almost in tears and I know she loves to sleep with Sam so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything to have her come sleep with me. Sean was doing a 24 hour shift so I just told her if he came home she'd have to go back to her bed. 

 Sean never made it home, and I don't think Kaity minded too much! Alana came a joined us for a bit too till I just couldn't take being sandwiched between two darling girls!

 The next morning we got up early and had some fun playing together then we did hair and headed out to the Curiosity museum. It was fun to do Kaity's hair!

 The curiosity museum is like a children's paradise. We just love it!

After the museum we went home for some rest. Sean got home from his 24 hour shift and took a nap and when he woke up we went back to my parents for some tacos. Brett was really excited that it was taco Tuesday. Sam made fish tacos with all the fixins, but knowing that we don't like fish she did some chicken for us =) It was delicious!
On Wednesday I feel like we may have gone to the library but I honestly can't remember =)

I did grill some delicious kebobs and potatoes on the grill.

Here are some more of the photos I took of my sisters family. I love seeing how happy they all are together!

Lizzie isn't a very good sport about pictures right now!

These cousins are so sweet together!

I don't know if it will ever stop being cute to watch these three exercise together!

 On Thursday afternoon my dear friend Mikey invited us over for some pool fun! We had such a great time! Mikey hooks the hose up to the inside faucet so they can pump warm water out, it was amazing! Alana loved playing around the edge and didn't even get too upset when the water got splashed in her eyes. Brett loved it all, especially the slide and Lizzie LOVED it! She wanted to go down the slide again and again! I stayed really close and helped her a ton, but even so she went under a few times and would get such a horrified look each time she'd go down the slide, but then smile and get right back on! At the end Brett started going down with her on his lap which was really cute. She is just a thrill seeker =)

 Its fun that we have 6 kids between us now! Sean had to do night clinic that night so we stopped to get a pizza and crazy bread on the way home.

 On Friday we met my dear friends Whitney and Megan and farm country. Everyone loved riding the horses and seeing the animals, and I loved Lizzie's squeal of joy whenever she would see or touch an animal!

 College roommates really do become family!

 Lizzie loves wearing necklaces, just like Alana did at the same age! She also loves to walk around the house taking on a play phone.

 On Saturday, Mom and Dad P arrived so we went down to Orem to have dinner with them and my parents and Neil and Rebecca. We stopped at a few shops including the Disney store where we got all the kids new water bottles. My parents gave each of the kids new outfits for back to school. I was super grateful for Lizzie's new outfit when she drank so much water from her new bottle that she peed through her diaper and tons of her clothes at dinner. On Sunday, Rebecca hosted us at her place for some yummy 24th festivities. We all had a great time! On Monday, Sean had to work another 24 hour shift so we had him home for a bit in the morning. In the evening the kids and I went out to my parents house for another 24th celebration. Mom and Dad P as well as Neil and Rebecca came out for the dinner too. The kids got to help my dad make root beer, which they loved and have been begging me to make it ever since.

After the BBQ and getting the kids to bed I hunkered down and folded all the laundry I do every Monday! Thank heavens for Netflix!

 I'm super jealous of my baby's beautiful curls!

 The kids and I went out looking at different areas to live in someday and we found this awesome neighborhood in Draper with really pretty views and then I picked up a flier that said the homes start in the high 400's. Then I got to explain to Brett how views make houses cost more money =)

 I swear Sean sprinkles miracle grow on her every night!

 The kids and I went to the aquarium on Friday which was a lot of fun!

 Sean brought me a rose since I have been having a hard time with our lives being so booked and busy right now.

 Today we played in the pool outside ad the kids loved every second of it! I need to get all those fun toys out more often!

 On Friday night Lexi and Kaden slept over at our house which was so so fun and we can't wait to do it again!

 On Saturday our family went hiking up to donut falls. It was a great hike. We had to park about a mile away from the trail head and our kids were so brave and strong.

 As I sat here at the edge of this little river eating lunch and watching my children play and breathing in God's beautiful creations all around me, I felt so happy and at peace with life. It was just one of the moments when everything feels perfect!

 We got stuck in the canyon coming down because a semi had gotten into an accident. We were worried about the gas idling for so long since we were really low. We turned off the car and rolled down the windows and read some of the Castle in the Attic which is the night time chapter book we are reading now. After the cars all started moving and we got out of the canyon, we ran over and got gas at 7/11. I bought each of the kids their own slurpees which they were very excited about!