Drumroll Please.....

Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the long awaited

CROOKED PLAYHOUSE!!

Lo was very particular about the color blue that it was to be painted

We still need to clean up the rubbage around it, but I couldn't wait to put the pictures up. I have been so excited about this and it seems like it took forever!

Needless to say, Bryan is truly amazing.  He did this entire thing using one episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 and some pictures off the internet.  It has been quite the learning experience for him, but it turned out better than I could've imagined.

It totally pays off to marry a guy who's a combination of handy, ambitious, a problem solver, and very good-looking.

Feel free to pop in any time to come check it out in person. 

And if you'd like one for yourself, let me know :)

Did I mention my husband is AMAZING????

I Feel Old

Maybe it's because I have a daughter going into her second year of preschool and starting dance classes soon.
Or because in a mere 18 days my baby turns 2.
Or because I don't have to take a diaper bag with me when I'm going to be leaving the house for an hour or 2.
Whatever it is, I feel old.
I'm turning 30 in 84 days.  But I've been saying that I'm 30 all year.
I can tell if fruit is ripe by the smell of it.
I can hear my specific child's cry in nursery from the primary room, behind 2 sets of closed doors.
I just finished taking a parenting class (which felt like a weekly date night).
I can make a casserole with anything + cream of mushroom/chicken soup, no recipe needed.
I have mom hair.
I wear my "given up pants" more than I like to admit (though NEVER out of the house).
I spend my time on the internet researching the best ways to get out stains and reading consumer reviews on strollers and car seats.
I look at teenage drivers on the road and think "no way that person is old enough to have a license!".
I have a child who is old enough to have actual conversations with.
I can't sleep in past 7:30, regardless of when I went to bed.
I know.
I am offically old.
And I'm OK with it.
I still stay up until the wee hours of the morning with friends on the weekends.
I don't see any wrinkles (maybe I'm not looking close enough)
I'm still not 30.....yet.
I don't know, I guess I'm just becoming more aware of my age these days.
But I still am loving where I'm at in life.
I'm painfully aware every day that my kids are getting older and with it comes excitement and sadness.
I've never been the mom who wants my kids to stay the same, to freeze them where they're at.
But I do get a little sad when I put outgrown clothes in the bin marked 18-24 months - they get so big so fast!
Yesterday I looked at Mya - at the length of her legs and the tan on her arms.  She became a kid overnight.
She says phrases instead of just words, she sings, she dances, she chooses her shirts in the morning and tries to brush her own teeth.
Life is such a trip.
Every day is the same amount of time, every week, every month, and so on.
But some days seem to creep on by at a snail's pace, then the next flies.
Oh well - I'm getting old and my kids are growing up.
Such is life - enjoy it!

Woooooowwwwww!

Thanks Jess for sending me these pics from the fireworks!

It was B's very first big fireworks show, and her reaction was awesome.

She was completely blown away, and was a constant stream of "wow" and "whoa".

She tore off her jacket a few minutes into the show.

It was apparently hindering her firework show experience :)

Here I am, snuggled up in a blanket with Lo and Brock. 

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, even though it was cold!

Midway Getaway

My in-laws recently decided to buy a cabin in Midway (great story, I'll tell you about it someday) and 4th of July weekend was the first time visiting.

We had so much fun while we were there!  I didn't take near as many pictures as I should've, but here's a few gems.

Saturday we all went down to Wasatch State Park and had a picnic.  Then they took the kids over to fish.  Lo and our nephew Brock each caught one, and they were both ecstatic about it!

And yes, Mya did kiss the fish.

Later that night, we took the kids over to get some ice cream before heading to the park to meet up with the Olsens (who were a-cabining also) to check out the local fireworks.

No pics of the fireworks because I lost my camera.  Or so I thought.  It was in my purse the whole time.  Yeah, Jess, in my purse.  Woopsy.

We later found out from Bryan's parents that the view of the fireworks from the deck of the cabin were amazing.  We will definitely stay there next year.

How could they not be amazing - check out this view from the deck!!

This is facing east.  It is absolutely magical in the morning.

I didn't realize that I had taken no pictures of the interior until we were leaving, but I hurried and snapped a couple from the outside.

You definitely feel "nestled" amongst the scub oak.  I love it.  It's so secluded and cozy, and we can't wait to go back!

A thousand times THANK YOU to my awesome in-laws for getting this beautiful oasis for our family to escape to.

I can't wait for all of the adventure we are sure to have here!