March

It's time to post again...the last month+ has gone by quickly.  The photo on the right shows the beautiful orchid that Jaylene gave us last year. Now it's in bloom again, just as amazing as when she gave it to us. I didn't do much to care for it except giving it adequate water and consistent light. And there's a second shoot this time off of the main stem which will have flowers. Now I can see why orchids are popular.

The picture is of our tiny crocuses that bloom at the first signs of spring. When I planted them they were supposed to include purple and white but so far they're all yellow. At this point in the year I am happy with any color in the garden.

These little sprouts are Nasturtium, a plant that has edible leaves although I started some indoors for their orange flowers. There should be variety of flower colors, ranging from yellow to orange to red. I am also growing Zinnias, which sprouted easily and are doing well.

So there you can see some of my gardening obsession. I also planted peas a couple weeks ago with Bennett helping. And he really did help, he loved putting the peas in the holes I made and kept saying "more peas" until we did all 10 rows. Maybe that's a sign of what is to come, if we had a little farmer on our hands I wouldn't mind a bit. These two both like to play outside and have enjoyed the warm weather too.

This was one of those times I left Bennett in his room too long, although this didn't take much time at all. He likes to "wipe his nose", whether it needs it or not but I guess this time was just too tempting with the endless supply. I don't keep the tissues by his bed anymore.

Some of you know of Jared's pottery, well he was part of Utah County's "Bowls for Humanity" fundraiser again. Potters from all over donate bowls at the Food & Care Coalition in Provo and the public comes to buy the bowls and get soup. It has grown quite a bit and although we arrived right when it began, there was a large crowd. Paxton chose his own bowl. Bennett apparently likes tomato-basil soup.

 This is a portion of Jared's bowls, he donated about 21. The potters range from hobbyists to students (both high school and college level) to professionals. They also hold a silent auction with some of the best ceramic pieces, not just bowls.

Is it Spring yet?

The amount of snow we've had has been fun, but I'm pretty ready for a thaw. At this rate I won't be getting my Christmas lights off the bushes until Easter. Paxton happens to love playing in the snow and I like that he is happy to be out there being active. There have been stretches he stayed in since the horrid air pollution was hanging around. But he stays pretty dry and warm enough...at least when he doesn't get snow down his boots and up his gloves which somehow he manages to do simultaneously. Our dog also goes out with him enjoys rolling in the snow too.

As for me and Bennett, we usually prefer to stay inside and cuddle with a blanket and look at books! He has one of his favorites here, made by Grandma Leslie. Bennett has always loved burying his face in soft blankets and stuffed animals. A couple days ago after I'd put him in his bed for a nap he was pretending to snore, very loudly at that. I was sitting in the hall reading (my usual post) trying not to laugh out loud.








Paxton and Bennett both love playing with these little construction blocks.  They can both manipulate them pretty well, and Paxton built the tower in this photo completely by himself.  He has learned a lot by looking at the instructions and with some help from Grandmas. Paxton is also learning to read. He loves preschool and is excited for Kindergarten which we'll register for soon.








Bennett loves these Spiderman sunglasses and recently discovered pushing them up on top of his head. He thinks he's pretty cool. Today as we got out of the truck he reached for the steering wheel and said "I drive now". He's sounding like Paxton who had those same ideas way too early for my liking.  Although I've been in no hurry to turn him around from his rear-facing infant seat, he's just getting too big. I figured out after two different trips where he lost his lunch, so to speak, that he was getting carsick from facing forward. So we've been slowing getting him used to it.

Winter and snow have not stopped us from getting use out of the trampoline.  We do regularly shovel the snow off of the trampoline so when it dries out Paxton can still dress up and burn some energy.  I heard recently that children actually need 3 hours of exercise a day (not surprising) and it can be hard when it's cold.  But I feel an early Spring coming on (in my dreams) since Punxsutawney Phil predicted it.  How wrong can a groundhog be?

Bennett is still enjoying his bed and his room is much more fun for him now that he has freedom from the crib. He gets into everything but we're learning what to put out of reach and what to let him re-arrange.  His vocabulary continues to grow so amazingly fast.  I am finding I'm becoming the annoying, stereotypical mom who thinks their child is THE GENIUS of the century.  My favorite phrases he says of late are "favorite cars" and "made a mess".

The pirate ship bed he got for Christmas has a reading light and two lanterns on each side which he often turns on.  I found him one night, after he should have been asleep, with them on while he sat up in bed looking at a book.  When we bought the bed we had no idea it came with lights and we certainly didn't think he'd be using them to "read". Those designers are way ahead of us.

Christmas!

A few of Bennett's favourite words.  

 The quality may be poor but it was done spontaneously using the camera on Jared's tablet. It's fairly recent and he's saying more words so fast...he tries to imitate almost anything.

The big deal this year was a new toddler bed for Bennett. It wasn't easy deciding whether it was time for him to break out of his crib.  He has always slept well there but he is tall and physically strong and we didn't want him doing a head dive over his crib rail like he does off the couch.  I had looked a lot for beds that I thought were cute.  This pirate ship is pretty ridiculous and so much fun! He loved playing in the bed Christmas morning and still does, but the first night he cried and left his bed several times.  After he was asleep he didn't get up during the night..not until several days later anyway.

But he is just so adorable, when he comes out of his room and we tell him to go back to bed, he goes straight there.  Sometimes crying, but always goes.  Overall we have been very pleased with the transition.  He does drag his favorite blanket around a lot more these days, probably wanting to keep something familiar.  In his crib he liked to sleep sideways or with his head against the rail too.  The change marks yet another bittersweet milestone.  I love how he's growing but I want him to stay a baby too!

Paxton loves to play in the snow, and fortunately we had a white Christmas.  So he got some new gloves, a pirate ship, and a remote control truck he enjoys.  He's looking forward to summer when he can use his new fishing pole along with Grandpa Mack.

Paxton often asks to dress up so he got several costumes, his favorite is probably the transformer he is in here.  We also gave him a harmonica, he keeps calling it a "euphonium".  That's my interpretive spelling anyway.  I have no idea where he came up with that word.  Sometimes he also calls it a thermometer.  At least that's a real word.  Bennett loves the sounds Paxton makes on the harmonica too.

It was a nice week, Jared had most of it off of work and we were able to see nearly all of both sides of the family. Thanks to Denette for hosting and to my Grandma J, I always enjoy her Christmas Eve party.  We've had some sicknesses to deal with, apparently it comes with having children because before our boys we were rarely ill. But it's the worst when they get sick and can't describe what's going on.  At the moment they're healthy. If only it could stay that way.

It's great knowing a guy with a tractor...it's useful in so many ways!  Luckily with enough snow my dad plowed some up the driveway to make a little hill at the top of the slope in our back yard which was enough for a tube run for the boys.  Paxton had a great time, Bennett was trying not to smile. Chula is close by waiting for an opportunity to steal Paxton's knit hat right off his head.

This little hill is actually at the empty lot in our cul-de-sac. We realized the neighbor kids like it so we strolled over there too.  I always laugh at what a marshmallow Bennett looks like when he's in his snow clothes.  He hates putting on the mittens and hat but after a while he is at least a little amused.  We're trying to enjoy the season, the area needs the snow.  Last year at this time it was near 60 degrees and everything was brown instead of blanketed in white.  That's just not natural.

Halloween Birthday

Having a child with a birthday next to Halloween is nice.  No need to think up a theme or even buy candy since it's on the way.  It's great having more cousins close by to come play with the boys, even though some actually ended up travelling a lot we really appreciate them coming. Paxton is finally learning names of his cousins and a few of his classmates in preschool. He did need some coaching on how to blow these candles out, but after he finally closed his lips a bit he got them. 

Since Bennett is big enough to protest loudly when he wants something, Paxton has become better at sharing his toys. They are so spoiled with toys we don't have patience for fighting over one.  

Thanks to Jared's co-worker, we ended up with this great Batman costume for Halloween.  He only saw a small bit of the movie but it was enough to remember and he was thrilled with the costume.

These kids really do look like monsters with the red-eye going on. This photo is from Paxton's pre-school performance. They had one of their teachers tell some stories and the kids sang a few songs. It was quite a spectacle of parents with cameras, phones and other smart whatever trying to record the moment.

We didn't plan the timing but it so happened that the in-ground trampoline was finished by Halloween. We're fortunate to be having such mild weather so the kids can enjoy it.  It was a LOT of work and there's still a large pile of dirt in the garden which Jared shoveled out.

Bennett is getting the timing of jumping on the trampoline.  Sometimes he still looks like a clown doing a comedy act because he sort of pushes the trampoline down rather than letting it do the work for him. The hardest part is just keeping Paxton under some sort of control so both boys don't get hurt. But let's face it, they will get hurt somehow sometime! And I'll have a front row seat for it. 

I had to put this one in for aunt Roz. She crocheted this little dog for Bennett and the other morning he was cuddling with it from the moment he woke up. He even hung on to it while he ate breakfast from start to finish. It really is astonishing how quickly these babies grow up. The day finally came for Bennett to go to nursery at church and I couldn't take it. I got him there but as I was leaving one of the workers asked how I was doing and I couldn't hold back the tears. I kept crying when I got to Sunday School. Bennett, well, he was fine! Played, had his snack, colored, had a great time.

Fall Camping

We convinced Grandma and Grandpa to join us for one more mountain campout. It was beautiful, quite warm in the daytime and cool enough at night to enjoy a fire and good sleeping bags. Now that we are spoiled with a trailer we could have turned the heater on too. We didn't need it though and decided we should go again next September. As you can see from the photo, the aspens were golden and we had a few showers of leaves when the breeze picked up. The guys fished on Gooseberry reservoir and Jared caught several fish, letting Paxton reel in a few too. For some reason there weren't many bugs, we didn't notice any mosquitoes at all so maybe the fish were extra hungry.

Since Bennett managed to nap during the fishing, he played in the canoe before we loaded it up. He's a good little camper overall, he became a little grumpy from a tiny cold or maybe his somewhat rough night's sleep. I guess he doesn't know what to think when he wakes up next to Mommy in the camper with the dog at his feet. But it's great to get away and really forget about the usual responsibilities. We live so close to so many gorgeous places to visit.

 This photo shows part of why the area is so pretty.  The evergreens combined with the aspens were everywhere.  We did take a drive down to see the fire and flood devastation in Huntington canyon.  It is eye-opening how those rain storms caused huge rivers of mud and trees.  You can see areas where flash floods tore through deep slabs of earth and many spots off the side of the road now look like a very unfinished construction site.

Roanna and I wondered why a few aspens here and there have a reddish color. On our way to camping we did see some nice red and orange leaves. It's easy to forget fall in the valley is just around the corner unless you go for a drive in the mountains.

The soccer season is officially over for us.  This picture makes Paxton look like a pro, his co-coach set up a photographer so all the boys could get a photo at the soccer party we had. Thanks Abbie! He liked practice, and LOVED the playground nearby.  Games, well, they were a bit unpredictable. Last game was sooo cute when our tiniest player scored a goal. Paxton did get some great stops when he played goalie and he had fun with his teammates.

Paxton has recently accomplished riding his bike without training wheels. He asked to have them taken off a few weeks ago and was definitely afraid at first. Then when Jared ran (uncomfortably) behind him and made him think Jared was holding on, he totally had the hang of it. Soon after he knew he could ride all by himself. He needs some help getting started but that will probably come soon.

We've had some beautiful mornings to go to the park. It is especially nice since school is now in session because there are far fewer kids and I can see where mine are. They love it and I am amazed at how well Bennett manages to do just about everything Paxton does.

Yep, Bennett running after Paxton. What an athlete! He really is getting quick. That worked against me a couple days ago when he locked himself in the garage and me and Paxton out. Luckily I was able to get a key fast enough but by the time I got it, he had done the deadbolt as well and was headed into the kitchen from the garage. Heaven only knows what he would have done there - he loves to help himself in the pantry!

This illustrates what Jared has done with his free time for the last 4 weeks.  It may be hard to tell but that hole is 15 feet across, big enough to install a trampoline and it represents a LOT of dirt removal. Luckily we had a vacant spot in the garden which I hadn't planted but that area is now a large pile of heavy clay soil. Tonight Jared actually finished removing the last bit so we are closer than ever. We may buy a trampoline frame from our neighbor and we already have a corrugated metal surround to retain the dirt. Paxton was even lucky enough to find a buried treasure in the hole.

Our latest amateur family photo. Even this result was so hard to get I had to cheat a bit with photoshop, and not just for my especially white teeth. Bennett didn't want to sit long or look at the camera and we weren't all posed just how I'd have liked. At least the yard looks good : )

Reunion

It makes me feel old to think that we are some of the oldest people at a reunion.  But that's okay, such is life.  This camping one was fun with Jared's parents, all of his siblings and their children. It was great to have so many little kids around.  And we had such a nice group campsite, complete with a hammock, tons of dirt toys, and this ready-use teeter-totter that Paxton and all the grandkids rode on. Thanks Grandma for your willingness to get a workout!  The highlight for Paxton was probably getting to trade his shoes with his cousin for these boots.

We went to a nearby lake a couple times, for a little fishing but mostly for the kids to play in the water.  Bennett got his feet wet and played in the sand.

This was the usual scene, Grandma also had prepared a lot of activities including target shooting with bows & arrows, boondoggle, homemade harmonicas, and painting rocks. Weston brought his leather tools so we made a lot of great looking bracelets.

Bennett was happy to walk, sometimes run, freely and he was especially interested in a baseball tee and bat.  He played with  it all the time.   It's probably partly from watching Paxton and his team play this summer.  He really didn't get that dirty, but when he did it was so nice to have a shower in the trailer to bathe him.  I am now persuaded that trailer camping is as fun as tent camping.

This little guy is so cute.  Such a big personality and energy to do it all.  He seems to be a lot like his dad, who was so fun swimming in the lake with Paxton and the other kids. We had enough life jackets to keep everyone afloat and two canoes to tour the lake.

This is looking northwest from our site, since we were there during the middle of the week there weren't too many people around and it was lovely. Near here is an area that was burned by a wildfire so we were glad to still have this place to camp.

Above is the before picture of a pit fire Jared did of some of his pottery.  It was an experiment, with a little instruction from You Tube.  The copper color on the pots (they are hand thrown by Jared) is spray paint which is supposed to help give them a different color after firing.  The sawdust is to create black on the pots which you can see in the after photos.  Although Jared built the fire carefully so as not to break any pots, the large one in the back does have a large crack.  As it turns out, some areas that had copper spray paint ended up looking quite silver and a lot of the black rubbed off.  But you can see there are still some interesting smokey patterns.

Bennett climbs up onto everything now.  Our tallest chairs, the counter and dining table if we let him.  If he can't do it himself he says "up".  He can show you where his teeth, nose, ears, hair, and belly button are.  Oh, and his toes
: )

I find it really cute when he paces around the room or across the couch talking on the phone.  He also says "rawr" and tries to scare us from behind the couch.