Summer thus far

On Father's Day weekend we headed out to St. George to meet Nate's fabulous family at a house his dad so generously rented for the weekend. We had a blast hanging out with our Francis cousins swimming all day! 

The boys and I hitched a ride back to Salt Lake with Nate's family while Nate headed back to work in California. We missed our dad while we played in Utah, but we were glad we got to go and catch up with family and friends.

Our Bennion cousins arrived in Salt Lake when we did. We had cousin sleepovers, cabin time, boating, water play time, hiking, and an array of other fun activities with our cousins. We sure do love spending time with our cousins. It is such a rare treat.

We spent a total of five weeks in Utah. Our other activities included:

Camping with grandma Honnie

Cousin fun time with our Francis cousins

Celebrating Ash's 7th birthday

Exploring the Timpanogos Caves with our Bennion cousins

Meeting up with friends at This is the State Park

Checking out the new RIO Tinto Natural History Museum. Which is awesome!

Catching the South Salt Lake firework show with the Crooks, the Martins, the Bennions, and my cute mom and dad.

Me pulling off the BEST JFS Family Reunion in recent history. Go me!

Sleep over with Grandpa Brad, Grandma Marilee, and Aunt Alycia

Fun time with cousin Missy at the Children's Museum and Planetarium

Visiting the polar bears at the Hoogle Zoo with our baby cousin B

Eating at our favorite Utah restaurants, including the PIE, Cafe Rio, The Blue Lemon, Red Butte Cafe, Crown Burger, and Kneaders

Playing at splash parks with friends. We love the Watsons!

Lots of swimming. Thanks cousin Julie and family for sharing your pool. Thanks Cousin Aly for giving us swimming lessons.

Picnics in the beautiful Utah canyons

Catching up on our hugs and kisses from our grandparents

Spending quality time with the Davies family. We miss our neighbors.

Hiking Grandeur peak with Mary and Maisie

Guys movie night for Nate and the guys in the old hood, which meant girls night for Hollie and me.

Nate taking me to see Wicked before heading home.

Bringing Maisey dog home with us! Thanks Bampa, Glama, Uncle James, and Maggie for taking such good care of our girl. She misses you guys, but is also glad to be with her family.

We had a blast and are counting the days until we get to visit our Friends and family in Utah again. In the meantime our doors are always open so come and chill with us in Southern California!

Coach Turns 5

Our Coach has always loved Mickey Mouse, so I was wasn't surprised when he asked for a Mickey themed birthday. We celebrated as a family a few Sunday's before his actually birthday.

 with Mickey cupcakes,

 Mickey decorations,

 Mickey pizzas, Mickey garlic bread, and Mickey jello.

Coach was given the choice of either having a birthday party with friends or going to Disneyland. He picked Disneyland. I think that was a good choice as he hasn't had a chance to make many friends yet. On the day of his birthday I surprised him with homemade sweet rolls for breakfast, we opened presents, and then we headed out for two days of fun at Disneyland. Coach mostly got clothes for his birthday. He actually had to pick the clothes out himself as he is so extremely picky when it comes to clothes he wears. At Disneyland he also got to pick somethings he wanted at the shops. He went with clothes for his Build-A-Bear, light up Mickey ears, and a Mickey pen.

5 things I love about Coach

1. Whenever music is on Coach breaks out into dance. Well unless it is a girl singing, he only dances to the boys. Ha!Ha!

2. Coach is best friends with Ash. He idolizes his older brother and for the most part they play really well together. He is also very cute with Little B when he isn't in B's face bothering him.

3. He loves to make sugar cookies. As far as he is concerned sugar cookies are the only kind of cookies worth making and eating.

4. He loves to snuggle. If you are sitting down he is on your lap snuggling with you before you know it. In the mornings he hops in the bed with us and gets in his morning snuggles.

5. Coach is my early bird. He is ALWAYS the first one awake in the house and is sure to wake the rest of us up by yelling out "it's light outside, time to wake up." He sure is my boy as I have always been an early bird.

We love you Coach!

Look Who's Talking

This little buddy is saying more and more each day. I love hearing his sweet little voice. His first word was MOM. This is my first kid to say mom before saying dad. For awhile mom was his only word and he would walk through the house saying mom, MOM, mom, MOM!, MOM!, MOM! I loved it and still do as he still does it when he is looking for me.

Another word little B say's repeatedly is tickle, tickle, tickle, which frankly is adorable.

Little B's first phrase was "go away". Ha!Ha! It is a fitting phrase as Coach spends a lot of time in B's face annoying him.

Little B's first Mohawk

Little B's hair only seems to be growing in the middle of his head.

 So we decided he needs a mohawk. Lol! I think he looks pretty darn cute with a curly hawk.

 I love this boy!

I can't believe how funny and perceptive he is. He knows how to get his brothers into trouble without getting into trouble himself. When he sees that it is time to put on our shoes he runs to the shoe closet and grabs his shoes. If he wants something he goes t what he wants and grunts until he gets it.

Sleep Photos

I love a good sleep photo.

All Grown Up

What?! I thought my boy was turning 5 not 25? They do grow-up way too fast. That is why I am enjoying every minute I have with my boys before they do.

I sure do love this boy!

Saying goodbye

Before we left Utah we spent six wonderful weeks saying goodbye to our loved ones. We even got to celebrate a birthday of our favorite Keddington cousin. And got to meet our newest cousin Little B as he was born a day before we left.