Garrett's 7th Birthday

 This year instead of making a home made cake we attempted a home made pinata. Making the ball part was pretty easy; (paper mache newspaper around a balloon) but the decorating took about 2 hours, creativity and lot's of glue. :)
The wings are a wire hanger twisted into this shape wrapped in yellow crepe paper and taped with duct tape at the ends. Then I found silver streamer/crepe paper type stuff at Zurchers. (I had gone to Zurchers earlier in the day and bought a bunch of stuff that I thought might be useful.) We cut the strips to varying lengths to give it a wing look and copied it to the other wing.

 We had already wrapped the ball in layers of yellow crepe paper. Glad I bought the huge roll...Then took strips of the silver crepe paper and wrapped it around it to make it look like the Golden Snitch...and finishing touches were some fun starry garland I also bought. It turned out quite fancy and we liked the outcome. It also lasted through quite a beating; each kid got to hit it several times.

 Guess the theme? Ben made hats and wands with the kids. My big part was ordering the glasses online...the shipping was more expensive than the glasses themselves...really hard to find Harry Potter stuff.

 Good bye Golden Snitch!!Garrett got to take the first whack at it.

 Then Spencer and the three little friends we invited over.

 Then Richard

 Gave them all a chance to hit without the blindfold and it finally just fell on the ground,

 So Ben dumped it out.

 There's me in all my 34 week glory...And my parents came, and our aunts and uncles who live in town. Thanks for coming!

One of Garrett's favorite presents. Thanks Hannah!!

First Day of School!

 Ben and I got up together to make a nice waffle and sausage breakfast for the boys. The only problem was that they weren't really hungry...oh well. It was worth the effort. Like Richard's new shoes? Bright vibrant colors are totally in. :) Or rather, it's hard to find anything that isn't super bright.

And while Richard and Garrett were at 4th and 2nd grade, we played with Spencer at home. We put together the card board fort/house that Grandma Margot and Grandpa Gary gave us and he, I mean they, had a ball. :)

New sleeping arrangements

 While I was in St. George with the boys, Ben and his sister relocated the bunk bed from the littlest bedroom to the next biggest where Garrett and Spencer will now sleep. Spencer is upgrading from a toddler bed to the bottom bunk. :) He struggled a bit the first night but now is fine.

 Then a few days later our new investment, a home built loft bed, arrived for Richard. We put his dresser and my glider underneath. He will share this little bedroom with baby when he comes. Plus, the loft is great for a fort.

A view of the bunk bed room. We are really happy with how things turned out. We're crowded anyway, but this will work.

Utah County Fair

Visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house in St. George

 They loved sleeping in the closet

 And playing Connect Four, Chess, checkers, and operation with Grandpa. We even worked in a game of Muggins, a great kids' card game.

 Of course we had to get some Legos out.

 At my nephew's first birthday Shannon and I compared bellies. We are one week apart. She is having her second baby, first granddaughter for our family, and I am on my fourth son.

Didn't want to leave brother Scott out. :)

 Playing at one of the many splash pad parks that St. George has to offer. It's a lot of work going to the park-really hot!

 Garrett playing piano for my grandparents.

 Spencer after a morning at the park. :)

Baby Shower!

 Becky is fabulous. She and Sarah put this whole beautiful shower together during her family vacation. They had lot's of yummy foods, fun drinks and creative decor. It was such fun and so many wonderful people came.

 Garrett had a good time.

Fun Summer Visits with Family

I bought Spencer new socks this week with fun bright designs. He really likes them. 

Ben's sister's family, the Olsens' came down from Seattle this week. It's been really fun spending time with them and letting the kids get reacquainted. This is our 4 year old cousin Jacob. He and Spencer got to be little buddies. 

We spent a good part of Monday at Trafalga with our Olsen cousins: bumper boats, the Frogger, mini-golf, lazer tag and pizza and Dippin' Dots. Spencer really likes the Frogger; it's just a bit hard to believe. :)

 We've been to a few Orem Owlz baseball games this summer. I really like baseball and have tried to help the boys get in the spirit of the game. The boys have a free membership so they get fun little prizes at each game, including free admission which is fun for me. :) Scott and Cate have come to a few of the games with us.

 We had a short visit with my Grandpa. He is 89. Then he traveled on down to St. George with us to visit my Mom and Dad's family.

 This is at my parents' new house in St. George.

 This is my sister Shannon's little boy.

 I forget how much the boys LOVE playdough. I made some fresh playdough, even let them pick two different colors.

Me at 27 weeks. Now I am 28. :)

Camping Excursion at Mirror Lake, Utah

Our family friend, and principal at Timpanogos Elementary, Diane Bridge invited us up to the camp ground she and her husband host during the summer. Mirror Lake is out past Heber, Kamas and Francis Utah. About 10,000 feet in elevation and there is nothing else out there. :) It was beautiful. 

 Lunch: crackers and cheese and other easy to pack foods.We bought a second tent last year. Growing family is great! They are so much fun!

 The boys found a grove of trees as we walked the mile around the lake. It was a sturdy walk; not really a hike; which was fine for me considering the elevation and my current pregnancy status.

 That is a pile of snow off the walking path.

 Dinner: Hot dogs and Chili and S'mores

 Fishing in the morning; Didn't catch anything...bummer.

 On our way home we stopped at Provo River Falls.

I like this one...:)