Swim Team 2012

Mason was able to participate in Brimhall's swim team this summer! Practices were held Monday-Thursday from 9-9:45am, June 4-July 19th. Swim meets were held every Thursday at 6pm, the entire month of June. Mason learned Freestyle, Breast stroke, Butterfly (my favorite because his dolphin kick was adorable with his little bum wiggling in and out of the water!), and the Back stroke. Mason by far was NOT the fastest swimmer in his age group. But he did it!

I was especially proud of him during his Back Stroke meet. Mason does not have the greatest attention span and at practice that week he was CONSTANTLY turning around and sneaking in some doggie paddling to "catch up" while swimming the back stroke. At the meets you get disqualified if you don't do that specific stroke the ENTIRE race. So before his meet we had a pep talk about not turning around and doing the back stroke the WHOLE lap. During his race I could see his struggle and wanting to turn around, but he didn't!!!! He came in last place in his heat, but ended up getting 4th place because of other children getting disqualified! Way to go Mason!

If you ask Mason what his favorite part of swim team is he would most likely reply "Ashlynn". Poor Ashlynn. If I EVER needed to find Mason all I would have to do is find Ashlynn and there was Mason! I'm just happy that he finally figured her name out. Driving one day I glanced in my rear-view mirror at Mason. I noticed he was chanting something over and over again. I asked him "Mason, what are you saying?" He replied, "Ashlynn. So I don't forget her name." Too cute. She is a sweet girl and very tolerant of Mason's infatuation with her.

The LAST week of practice he finally started to dive head first into the water!!!! I was so excited for him and really proud!!! He tried hard all season to dive at the beginning of his races but it was more like a "jump-dive" feet first.  

In the end, I'm glad it's over but happy we did it. Mason loves the water and I think this was a good start to a healthy active lifestyle.

Callie at 16 months!

I can't believe my baby girl is 16 months old! It's crazy how she just has her own little personality. It's fun having a dainty little girl, both Noah and Mason were pretty good size chunky boys. Although, I kind of want her to start growing, because I have so many fun clothes in bigger sizes! Haha! Some of her shorts and pants are still 6 month size.

Some of her favorites:
"Big Little" has been her favorite book for the past couple months. She wants it to be read to her OVER and OVER and OVER! It's our "secret weapon!" If she is throwing a fit or tantrum we can easily distract her by saying "Callie. Where is your Big Little book?" Magically, she stops to go find it.

She absolutely loves this bird puppet (Noah calls it his Rio bird, Callie and Noah are constantly fighting over it.)
Outside! She will stand at the back door saying "Outside! Outside! Outside!" Until you take her outside!
Dancing! ANYTIME there is music, this girl is bobbing along to the beat!  She dances when we are at church, in the car, at home, she even dances to the sound of the vacuum and blender!
Running! It seems like she runs EVERYWHERE! And she is getting pretty fast too!
Sharing! She is very good at sharing! Especially, if you don't even ask for any. She will offer it anyways! (Like how Noah is asleep in this picture and she is sharing her apple!)

Climbing. She is climbing on EVERYTHING! I am constantly finding her on the kitchen table. This week she learned how to climb the kitchen stools. I'm just happy she isn't climbing out of her crib YET!

Bath Time! All you have to do it say the word "Bath" and she runs like crazy to the bathroom and starts climbing into the tub!

Shoes I love how fascinated with shoes she is! She is always trying on someone else's shoes or bringing me my shoes. It's crazy how kids come pre-wired with their own personality and characteristics! I have taken her shoe shopping 2 times now and both time she has LOVED it! She runs around finding shoes she likes and brings them to me exclaiming "Shoes! Shoes! Shoes!" When I get them on her feet she walks up an down the aisle trying them out. I LOVE it!

Talking:
It's almost to a point where it would be easier to list the words she ISN'T saying!
Just within the last week she has started to repeat a lot of words I say.
She can say:
Baby
Please
Thank you
Doggie
Froggie (which sounds exactly like Doggie)
Soft
Ducky
Goggle
Outside
Apple (She calls almost all fruit "Bapple")
No
Yeah
Down
Bye
Gotcha!
Keys
MINE
ME!
Cookie
Cake
Cheese (when you are taking her picture)
Shoes (Today she saw me putting on my shoes and said "Mommy go?")

I feel like having a baby girl after 2 boys is perfect for our family. I wouldn't change having my two wonderful boys first for ANYTHING in the world but... having a little girl after all the boy stuff has definitely made me more aware and appreciative of all the fun girlie things out there! Callie has been such a wonderful addition to our family. I love that she can hold her own with her brothers, my sitter tells me that she is tougher than both her brothers, and I would have to agree. I am truely blessed and I thank my Heavenly Father every day for these 3 wonderful miracles in my life.

Family Dental Day!

Today was family dental day! I cleaned my mom's teeth, I saw my sister Corinne and 4 of her kids, at the end of my day I got to see Mason and Noah! I was a little nervous to have them both there at the same time with no extra help. But thanks to my 12 yr. old nephew Parker (who stayed to play with them) AND a dinosaur coloring book, their appointments went REALLY well!
Noah went first, I was nervous and not sure what to expect. His previous visit, 6 months earlier, was a little difficult. I was only able to barely polish and count his teeth. I couldn't believe how good he was today. He stayed still and opened wide! We took x-rays, scaled and polished, did a REAL fluoride treatment and an exam. He was the PERFECT patient!!!!
Mason of course did great as well! Although, he was into all the dental equiment and figuring out what each button did (not surprised!) He was operating the suction, adjusting the chair and using the water sprayer. That kid cracks me up!
I'm also happy to report that NONE of my patients had any new cavities today!!!! Cavity free day! Not bad!

It's Independence Day!!!

 We celebrated Independence Day with the Hubers this year. Joyce had the genius idea of staying at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix and playing at the water park they have there. Our children really enjoyed staying in a hotel (especially with adjoining rooms to Grandma and Grandpa!) The boys kept commenting on our "new home" and never wanting to go back to our old home. Haha!

We had a lot of fun playing in the water and just hanging out with family.



  "Cousins' Love" is strong!

Callie really enjoyed snuggling with Daddy on the Lazy river. She even took a 20 min. nap!

Afterwards, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's to BBQ and play.

  

 "Happy 4th of July!"

Our 1 regret is that the Miller family was missing! Hopefully, next year we can all meet up and do something like this again!



Another Good Day!

Got to hang out with some close friends for BBQ and swimming. We have LOTS of history with this wonderful family. Lindsey is one of my best friends, I admire so much about her. She is truely a super mom, our kids are best friends too, I LOVE that! Definitely makes hanging out super easy. Callie even says little Sydney's name, "Ne-Ne" too cute! Lindsey and I used to trade babysitting while each of us worked. It's very rare to find a friend you 100% trust with your children and have the same core "mothering techniques" :) Jeff is also the reason Ron and I even met! We have celebrated 4th of July with Jeff for about 10 years now (give or take a couple). Here is us carrying on the tradition!

We even snuck in a Family Home evening lesson on Gratitude! The kids were surprisingly interested in the story of Jesus and the 10 lepers. 

Sadly, we didn't get ANY swimming pics!

Poor Ron had to come from work and I forgot his swim suit! Noah was so excited to show him his swimming!

FAMILY NIGHT Bowling!

Yes, we went bowling again and yes it was kind of a nightmare! Callie was all over the place! At one point she started running down one of the lanes! I definitely set off the "foul" buzzer chasing after her. At least we met up with some close friends and enjoyed their company.

 Ron was on roll with his bowling! He got 6 strikes in a row, Here's my proof:

I feel like this summer has kind of put me in a daze. It's my last real summer before we start the whole public school thing. I feel like I need to hold on to my kids with both hands. I know school is good for them but I love spending time and doing fun things with them. I love that I get to witness almost every "new" moment, emotion, or experience of theirs. I think Mason and Noah have a very good friendship/relationship and I know that will change. This summer, I thought, would be nice and relaxing but it's has been a little crazy.

This Monday's activities:
6am workout/running
7am feed kids get ready for swim team
8am run errands
9-10am swim team at Brimhall
10-12 We went to Bounce U
12:30-3:30 quiet time/naptime (By some miracle I got ALL three of my kids to nap at the same time, so I got an amazing 45 min. nap myself!)
3:30-5:30pm swimming at Brimhall pool
7pm BOWLING at Brunswick as a family!!!!
9pm GIRLS night! Every Monday night I get a girls night out with some close friends

Tuesday:
6am Runner's Club
8am grocery shopping
9am Swim Team at Brimhall
10am watched my sister's 4 kids
3:30pm swimming at Brimhall pool
6:30pm Cub Scout Pack Meeting
8:30pm Ron plays Basketball!

I know that most of these crazy activties are self inflicted so I really am not complaining. I feel very fortunate and blessed that I am able to enjoy these activities with my children. This is why I blog, to remember the little moments. I know that before long they will be gone, and I am going to want these crazy days back!!

Family Trip to Utah

We took a family trip to Salt Lake City, UT this past weekend. I was very nervous to travel 12 hours in the car with my three kiddos but they actually did pretty well! We got to see a lot of family and hang out in WONDERFUL weather! Nice change up from the 100+ degree weather in AZ.

We got to hang out with Uncle Allen, he of course showed us around downtown Salt Lake.

Ron's sister Leslie lives in N. Salt Lake so... on Sunday, we celebrated Father's Day with them! We LOVE the Miller family and look forward to ANY opportunity we get to spend time with them! Our kids play so well together, plus they are just tons of fun!

That night we traveled to Logan , UT for my Hopkins family reunion. We all stayed in a very nice hotel, (well, I guess anything is nice after staying at the Baymont Inn & Suites Salt Lake City. Ugh!!!! This place had PLASTIC SHEETS!  I kid you not! It felt like you were sleeping in plastic. Every time I moved I thought I was going to wake Callie! :) Good times! Good times! Haha!) We visited a fun little zoo, played at the park, went swimming and ate way TOO much!!!!

 Of course within moments of arriving in Logan, Uncle Randy had all of my kids entertained with this crazy cat App on his phone. Even Callie was playing the game. Uncle Randy is so fun!

Grandma Hopkins and Noah! (formerly known as Grandma Copkins! I'm so sad that my kids don't call her that anymore! Mason used to make me stop the car all the time when he thought he saw Grandma "Copkins" walking down the street. Which of course it never was but just wishful thinking!)

Poor Peacock! Didn't have a chance!

If I HAD to pick ONE favorite moment from this trip I'd say it was getting Noah to go down the water slide with me at an aquatic center we went to in Logan, UT. Noah is very timid and analytical. If something isn't his idea, its not a good idea. (Kind of like his Dad! haha) I knew he would love this slide because he could go down it with me. I basically tricked him into going down it with me. I carried him up the stairs and down we went (he only hesitated a little)! At the end of the slide he said "Let's do that again!" I love watching my kids experience things for the first time.