July in a nutshell

I feel like I've blogged a lot this month, but there is a lot I haven't shared yet. Here is to a very fun, but WAY TOO HOT July...

Staying up late to catch fireflies...

Swim party and BBQ with friends on July 4th...

Cotton candy... there's just something about that stuff, Mmmm...

Watching fireworks with friends...

Balloons and face paints at the Riverfest...

Drawing with window crayons. Evan has a tear rolling down his cheek because Makiah kept drawing over his words. Evan has been writing and drawing constantly. He is always making someone a card or trying to figure out how to spell new words. He LOVES it....

Bus tour with our ward playgroup...

And another round of Swimming lessons...

Evan bought goggles (or "govles" as he calls them) with his own money the other day and was so excited to use them. He has a hard time getting them on the right way though and won't leave them on. He loves them though and is always asking if he can go to the pool with his daddy. 

The kids did such a great job with swimming this time around (they did before too, but they have learned so much more). Evan isn't afraid to go under the water and Makiah isn't afraid to get her face or head wet. They followed directions and listened much better. Makiah wasn't afraid to try everything without having help first. I could see a big improvement with both of them. They will miss swimming... but I need a break from sitting out in the sun! We chose the hottest two weeks to have swimming lessons. 

Photography...

So if you are sick of hearing about my photography obsession then I am giving you permission to stop reading :) I am sorry I put so much on here about pictures etc, etc. But I love it, so that is that. I am now 25 weeks along in my pregnancy (Yeay! Getting closer...) I am starting to feel the third trimester discomforts.... But I guess I am technically still in my 2nd trimester... Anyway, the 2nd trimester is certainly coming to an end. I have just over a month left of photography sessions, and then I will be taking it easy for the remainder of my pregnancy. I am booked all of next month and I will be finishing with a newborn session at the beginning of September. I actually have only one opening left... a Mini Session on August 6th at 7:00pm. If any of you were hoping for a photo session before I am done for the year, this is your chance! Check out the information for my Mini Sessions HERE.

New outfit and some crazy weather

Makiah got this super cute outfit from her Grandma and Grandpa Bateman. She even let me put a matching flower in her hair and take her picture :) She sure looks all grown up! 

Last night Makiah said her prayers and thanked Heavenly Father for her cute outfit from Grandma. It was kinda sweet :)

The heat here this week is insane. Our poor little "garden" is wilting on us. We moved it to the shade and gave it plenty of water... today it is looking much better then it does in the pictures. We got one tiny little bell pepper from one of the plants :) Not much, but it is still fun!

The kids have swimming lessons again this week and next. Lucky for them it isn't cold this time around. Unfortunately for me I have to sit in this insane heat to watch them. I feel like I need a shower just after watching them swim for a half hour. It is crazy hot out there. 

My Fam (and the last Utah update)

We are sure missing Utah. My kids ask me all the time if we can go again. They also like to pretend that they are their cousins, Sophie and Demi. Evan likes to reminisce about all the fun things he did with his cousins and Aunt Jillian. They talk endlessly about everyone there and what they did with them. We are already ready for another Utah trip!

Here is the whole crew... except for Alison who was away in Mexico. Joel, why is this the only picture I have of you? Shannon... I think the only pictures I got of you were these. 

Oh wait a sec... I have this one...

(Hehehe...)

We didn't have a whole lot planned while we were there, but that's the way I like it. We enjoyed just seeing everyone and letting the kids play all day long. 

We were also lucky to see practically everyone on my Mom's side of the family. My cousin Rachel planned a BBQ with the whole family. It was so fun to see everyone and have the chance to visit with them. 

Highlights from our trip...

Evan says that he liked to:

Play "animal in trouble" with Jillian, Sophie, Demi and Makiah

Help grandma with the garden

Read the princess book with Jillian and Grandma

Sleep in Jillian's room

Build forts with Jillian

Ride in the truck with Grandpa and Carly

Play in the backyard with the dogs, Carly and Talulah

Hold the bird, Maisy

Flying on 4 airplanes

Swing on the swing set 

Makiah says that she liked to:

Sleep in Jillian's room or in mom's big bed

Play "animal in trouble"

Catch the birds and hold them and put them high in the sky to fly

Eat cupcakes with Bethany

Sit on Grandma Fowler's lap, "she was really nice to me"

Look for deer at Grandma Fowler's house

Play at the park  

Dance with Sophie and Demi and play at their house

Swimming with Sophie, Demi, Evan, and Jillian. 

Playing on Joel's iPad

Dressing up in the ballerina dress at Grandma's house (Why don't I have a picture of this?)

Here are a few more random pictures... oh we miss our family!

Looking for deer...

Dance outfits with Sophie and Demi...

Bethany... Just because this picture is blog worthy...

Swimming on one of the only *really* warm days...

Playing on the iPad with Joel (I guess I did have another picture of you)...

And sitting with Grandma Fowler...

Ahhh. Good times, good times. Until next year everyone! We miss you.

More of the pictures...

So, my kid's room needs a lot of work in the decor area. There isn't much in there but toys and furniture. I was so excited to hang up my new pictures... the room is on it's way to looking so much better. Makiah also got a new bed last month! Goodbye small uncomfortable toddler bed :) Now I want to try my hand at making my kids quilts. We'll see how that one goes...

I think I might be done with hanging pictures with nails... I hung these using Command picture hanging strips. So far they haven't fallen off and I am curious to see if they pull the paint off when I'm done with them.  

Oh and about the bed... I found it on craigslist (along with another one that's a poster bed... we bought two) for a great deal. They are both walnut and in great shape. I am so happy to find beds that are solid wood for my kids. I am excited to use the other one for little Daphne... in 3 years or so :) Makiah is really loving her big girl bed!

She is 3!

Makiah turned three yesterday and we had such a fun day! We had a fun water party with friends in the morning and then enjoyed the rest of the day together. She was on cloud nine all day... she loved every minute. 

Leading up to her birthday the kids were so excited. Everyday Evan would ask how many nights were left till the party. He made her a card and wrapped it up along with some gifts he picked out. He carried the gifts in a bag all day Friday... I think he was more excited than Makiah. 

We were so happy that so many of Makiah's friends could come to the party! We had such a great time...

Makiah needed some help blowing those candles...

My lazy attempt at a birthday cake (*cough* cup cakes I should say), though I think it turned out kinda cute...

Makiah loved all of her gifts (thank you everyone!!). She has not been bored for a second this weekend. 

Grandma Johnson saved the day with a dress... Makiah has been talking endlessly about ballerinas, princesses and dresses. She has it all with this cute little skirt, leotard, ballet shoes and crown. She was in heaven all afternoon!

A few weeks ago I was putting Makiah to bed and she said that she wanted Grandma to get her a ballerina dress for her birthday. I said okay, we can ask her. Makiah continued and said... "Get your phone out of your pocket." So we called Grandma right then and she asked her for her precious dress. Practically every day after that Makiah was thinking up something that she wanted Grandma to send her. I hope Grandma doesn't think Makiah is greedy... we are trying not to spoil her... I promise!

I finally got her some cute doll house people... she didn't play with the funny wooden ones much. She loves playing with her doll house now :)

After the party we left the mess (we were so hungry!) and went to lunch. The kids had coupons to Texas Roadhouse and Evan was so excited to go. When we were waiting for the food he was so frustrated that Dallas and I were already eating our salads. He kept asking where the food was and said that he was so hungry. I thought it was funny because he really doesn't eat much, especially at new restaurants. Finally he got his food and he ate it ALL so fast. I felt so bad that he was that hungry. Never has he eaten all of his food at a restaurant.

As any mom would say... I really can't believe she is 3! She has grown up so much. She is such a fun, silly girl with so much personality. We love her so, so much!

Why I do what I do...

On Sunday Dallas told me I could buy some prints (I have been waiting almost six months buy these!)... On Monday I was choosing pictures, re-editing, and trying to decide how I wanted them in the kid's room.... On Tuesday I had them all ready to go and ordered them by that evening... Today they arrived! Sooo fast! And I couldn't be happier with them :) Here are three of them, I ordered six. They are all 10x15 and mounted on styrene, which is a plastic mounting that is 2mm thick. You can frame it, or hang it as is. I LOVE these pictures and I can't stop looking at them :) Now I just need to hang them up... Yeay, I am finally getting my pictures off of my computer and onto my walls!

Our favorite part of summer

Last year we LOVED blueberry picking. We went on a perfect day. The weather was fabulous, the kids were happy... it was perfect. This year we went again and I couldn't wait. Mostly because I wanted to take more pictures... and honestly, I can't say that I did much picking. I took pictures the whole time. It's a good thing Dallas loves me. He did most of the picking and Evan was a big help too. Makiah complained about the bugs and hung out with me :) After she realized how yummy the berries are she was hooked and had a good time. The kids were both tired and hot but we took it slow and enjoyed the shade as the night went on.  I love the pictures I got... but no more then I love last years pictures. This will be a fun memory for us and something to look forward to each year. 

Last night Dallas even made homemade blueberry ice cream and it was so yummy... he is the best hubby! 

Garden Guru

No worries Johnson's... you were not forgotten. I have not yet finished my Utah posts. I am so overwhelmed with pictures that it took me awhile to get around to this. Here we go...

Every time we head out to Utah Evan just loves the time in the garden with his Grandma and Grandpa. He would skip meals and stay out in the cold just to be out in the garden. Even when his grandparents weren't out in the garden, Evan would head out there with Carly (Grandpa's Doberman) to explore. Makiah loved it too... but sometimes she would rather be inside dressing up :)

Evan was out digging one day and Grandpa caught him burying his sledge hammer... Evan is a little too busy at times. 

For a Mothers/Fathers day gift we bought Grandma and Grandpa a rose plant and Makiah loved picking it out. Evan had fun planting it with Grandma. 

I think for now on I am going to Utah to visit in August... I love eating all the yummy food out of the garden. May was just to early and cold for that... oh well... I love my Mom's Garden!

Watering flowers at Great-Grandma Fowler's house...

Gardening at Grandma Johnson's...

Planting the rose bush with Grandma...