AZ Visitors

My mom and sister flew up early Sunday morning (last week) for a visit!

I have been so excited this month just waiting for them to come. I was dying to tell them that we are pregnant. So we planned a special Sunday dinner. The menu consisted of Baby-back Ribs, an interesting creation that Nathan made up using Baby Shrimp, and then a salad with lots of Baby Carrots. They noticed the "baby" theme right away.

I took Monday off work. And being the great hostess I am, insisted that one of my guests make breakfast. Brenna made her famous cinnamon-nutmeg french toast. Deacon ate four of them for breakfast and lunch! Although Halloween was a couple weeks away, Brenna is perfecting her sCaRY look:

That afternoon we saw great views up the canyon on our way to Park City. We did a lot of shopping! Then ate dinner at yummy Cafe Rio.

We used free Redbox codes to get THREE movies on Monday night.....and we ended up being so tired that we didn't watch any of them! (The jet lag from AZ to UT is pretty fierce).
Tuesday morning we went for a walk to the city cemetery. I was in charge of youth group that night and was planning a Graveyard Scavenger Hunt so they helped me with ideas. It was Brrrrr---freezing outside!

Kids pick things up so fast! A couple of weeks ago I showed Deacon how to blow on a dandelion and we haven't done it since. As soon as he saw one at the cemetery, he was all over it!
I love how Brenna is trying to pose with him and he has the weirdest look on his face while trying to back away.
I'm pretty sure we did the chocolate factory on Tuesday. Here is some scripture power for sale:
Wheat for Men D&C 89:17
Chocolate for Women M&M 24:7
The tour guide gave us a LOT more free samples than when Nate and I went earlier this year.
Wednesday we went on a walk to the duck pond, but didn't do the whole Lagoon Loop because then we'd be late for.......
.....our "Sisters Lunch" with Jessica and Justina at California Pizza Kitchen. I have never eaten there before and it was delicious! I've seen Aiden and Eva through the power of Blogivision, but they're even cuter in real life! Now if Jess had a blog, I would link to her right HERE.
After lunch my mom helped me sew a baby blanket (early much?) and then we had to say goodbye when I took them to the airport. We had soooooooooooo much fun!!

Pumpkin Family

I almost forgot the best part of the pumpkin patch! We bought little pumpkins and decorated them to represent our family. I especially like the glasses for Nathan and Deacon's little teeth.

Daddy Pumpkin, Big Brother Pumpkin, Mama Pumpkin.....


.....and the little seed that is growing a new baby pumpkin.
Due in Spring 2009! ÜÜÜ

We actually made it to storytime on Wednesday. Deacon liked it, but I was the one who found it entertaining and informative.

They read a couple of children's books about fire safety, then they had firemen come demonstrate how they get ready for a fire. When they were fully suited up with masks and the oxygen tank.....three kids ran out of the room crying and scared. Ü

I got to hold a firehose and shoot water onto the lawn!

The library had a book sale the next day and I was excited to buy a cute board book about firetrucks for 25 cents.

On Friday, we took a family trip to the pumpkin patch. I thought D might be too young to enjoy it, but I should have realized that anything outside is a big hit. They had so many cute things to do! They had a hay maze for the little kids. Here's a picture of Nathan trying to scare Deacon:

We were by ourselves for most of the morning, then there was a huge group of preschoolers who came. Deacon had fun trying to keep up with them as they ran through the maze.


There was a scarecrow gallery.....can you find Nate and Deac hidden in there?
There was this overprotective mom there, she was a real witch!
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We told Deac to pick up this pumpkin. He kept trying and trying, but he just couldn't do it!

I took a total of 80 pictures while we there! But most of them will end up on Deac's blog Ü

Last Week

Thursday morning, Deac and I skipped our walk so we could go to his very first story time. We got all gussied up and hustled down to the library. We were informed that story time is on Wednesdays. Ooops. So we went to the grocery store instead. Good thing he is too young to be disappointed. In case you're wondering, this is what 'gussied up' looks like:

Deacon in his new shirt from Grandma Jo

Friday morning I followed through on something I've been wanting to do for Nathan for a long time: surprise him with a massage at a new place down the street. I told him all week I had something planned and he was excited. Then we pulled in front of the store. Let's just say his enthusiasm left a lot to be desired. He did not want to do it! First he said that I deserved the massage and should take his place (I was very tempted). Then he said he felt bad for spending money on himself. Where is this self-deprecation coming from? I told him I would be spending money on myself by shopping during his massage---so we'd be even Ü. Finally I had to tell him he'd hurt my feelings if he refused my gift.

While I was shopping with Deacon, we passed an aisle with baby blankets and he grabbed one off the shelf. He went straight for the fuzzy and it kept him quiet the whole time.

Nathan was singing a CoMplETely different tune when I went to pick him up. He had a deep tissue massage and was very glad I "made" him do it. I had to take a picture of the very different husband that came out.

I've been going in and out of Nursery with Deacon the last 3 Sundays, but this week was the first time I could leave him and not feel guilty because he is officially old enough to be there. I asked Nathan if he wanted to go on a date....to Sunday School. We haven't been able to go together for 6+ months, so it was nice.

Going up the stairs to Nursery.

Three Weeks Early...

We usually don't get snow until Halloween. Darn that global warming.

Very sad that I won't let him go outside : (

Ten-Four, Roger....and 10/5 and 10/6 too.

Last Friday night, Nathan's parents flew in for a weekend visit. After they arrived we stayed up late and talked about everything from our current economic crises to toenail fungus. hahaha. I wonder which one mom was pondering when Nate snapped this picture.
Saturday morning we went to Aunt Collette's house to help bring in her harvest. We listened to conference on the radio while picking pears, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, zucchinis, and lots of grapes. Deacon got drenched while washing the grapes so I had to strip him down and throw his clothes in the dryer. After they were dry he promptly spilled a glass of water down the front. These are just a few of the grapes that were picked.
For YW, we planned a "Prophet Party" where each leader hosted a session of conference at their house for the girls to watch. Since we had company, I volunteered to bring treats instead of hosting. I made three batches of blueberry muffins and hurried them over hoping there would be enough. There was only one girl there, so I got to bring most of them home. Here's one last picture before Grandma & Grandpa go back to the airport Sunday night. We sure enjoyed your visit!
The weekend with company flew by! I had to work Monday, so Sunday night I told Nathan we should have a "date" after I got home. I don't get home until after 8pm, so we're not really going out anywhere. That's just a code for some together time. I walked in the door Monday night and the house is dark except for a soft glow coming from den. Everything is dead quiet and I was thinking Nathan was already in bed. Then, as soon as I locked the door behind me I hear the first few strains of this song start playing. I could not stop laughing. That boy is silly.

Age Progressed Picture of Deacon

Nathan's parents are visiting this weekend.
Look what his mom brought for me:

Nathan in 3rd grade

26

My birthday began the same way it has for the last six years: Nathan rolls over and wakes me up by saying, "I've never kissed a 26 year old before" (or whatever age I happen to be). It's a good way to start the day.

Nathan took the day off and made blueberry waffles for breakfast. As he was cleaning the dishes he looked out the window and said, "Whoa! Look what blew into our backyard!" (We just had a big plastic pool blow into our yard from a neighbor two streets over, so I wondered what next). This is what I saw:
It was #4 on my birthday wish list. My wish list went something like this:
1. A Baby
2. Real Estate
3. Don't Stop Believing piano sheet music by Journey
4. His and Her bikes with a bike trailer

Well, #1 and #2 fell through a few days before my birthday : (
Maybe I'll add them to my Christmas wish list. But I can cross off number three and part of number four.

After breakfast we went downtown to see The Bodies exhibit. It was similar to the one we saw on our Babymoon, but it's neat and we didn't mind seeing it again. Plus N8 had a free ticket. I've said it once, but I'll say it again: there is no way we came from monkeys Ü. Our bodies are so complex and everything works in such an awesome way that it's just not an accident.

I think I've lost my kavorka, haha. I tried to sweet talk the young man at the ticket office to let me see the exhibit for free "since it's my birthday." I even batted my eyelashes. He didn't consider it for a millisecond! He just said, "Nope. That will be $21.50." It's just so hard to flirt with someone when your husband is next to you and there is a toddler on your hip! Hahaha.

Later that night we had a small little picnic in the backyard. Nathan made Ribs and picked up some sides from KFC (I love their coleslaw, biscuits, and mashed potatoes w/ gravy). Earlier in the week Nathan asked what he should make for my birthday cake and I told him to surprise me. We've never had ice cream cake before, so he surprised me with a Cookies and Cream version. Here is his recipe. Ü
Later that night we watched a movie and then started Prison Break Season 2 on DVD. I am in love with Michael Scofield. Nathan is okay with it.
I had such a good birthday, we decided to extend it to Friday. Nathan had the day off so we both made appointments with the dermatologist to have some little moles zapped off. Romantic, right? Nathan said, "Once again you are putting me through physical pain to raise my cosmetic attractiveness" (see: braces). For lunch, we redeemed my birthday coupon for a free Red Robin Burger.