Summer Dance Program Showcase, Farm Country (again), and a very rough day!

8/12: Silly girl! A feather boa, a blanket, and a pair of my high heels. Oh, and a tutu underneath! 

8/12: Our tomatoes are coming in full force! I picked over 20 yesterday. But at least I only picked one zucchini and one yellow squash, ha ha.

8/12: Trying to be happy that Makenna did an awesome job at their little dance showcase today and not sad that Avery didn't participate. The parents were able to go in and see what the kids learned all summer. It was pretty freaking cute--excep...t that I had to deal with Avery being in my lap the whole time while trying to get her to go up and watch Makenna at the same time. She started going up a couple of times but then chickened out. Bummer. But Makenna was a rock star. Avery sure did go up to receive her medal, certificate, and Tootsie Pop, though! STINKER!! Oh, Makenna kept giving me "thumbs up" the whole time. Now I know why they don't allow parents to be in the room for the classes, ha ha!

They received t-shirts, medals, certificates, and Tootsie Pops for completing the summer dance program.

 8/14: Avery just ate a whole raw tomato like it was an apple. Is that weird? I don't like plain tomatoes so it seems weird to me. 

8/14: Makenna is drawing a picture of me; she just came and pulled my face toward her so she could study it better and said, "Your head is kind of short", then went back to her table. She keeps looking over at me to really get it right. She is serious about this portrait! Now she's drawing Jared and said she needs to draw his neck and the boo-boos on his leg and arm. She is so amusing!

Rainbow on 8/14: 

8/14: I told the girls they could watch a show before bedtime but that it had to be short because they had to go to bed soon. Makenna said she could just fall asleep on the couch and I said, "No way, dude!" She said, "Why did you call me a dude?" Ha ha ha!

8/14: I made a couple of wooden signs for the kitchen today. Now I wanna make more!

  
8/15: Another fun day at Farm Country! This time with Tisha and her kids. It was great for me to visit with her, and the twins had fun with her daughter. We then had lunch at JCW's (after driving by two Winger's and finding out they closed down!); the twins ate way too much Butterfinger shake--the three of us split a mini and it was still pretty big!

Tisha and her daughter

Tisha's son

The cutest inmates! :)

Friends on the wagon ride

 

Blankie got to ride the pony this time, ha ha!

 

Ride #2 on the ponies

Makenna fed the donkey straight from her hand but Avery and Taylor just put it on the concrete, ha ha!

 

 8/16: Today was a loooooong day with the girls!! They were such stinkers! We woke up and went to Thanksgiving Point for "Birdosity", which I thought was gonna be a presentation with live birds... but was actually just a lame presentation with printed pictures about birds and adaptation. I think the girls actually did enjoy sitting there and learning--it was just us at first, so they got the teacher all to themselves. Then, we got to make birds out of clay--really, they just kind of rolled it around and stuff.

From there, we went to three different stores (Dollar Tree, Zurchers, and Hobby Lobby), where they were being little rascals and Avery became really whiny, as it got to be lunchtime, then we pushed into their naptime. They were bribed with snacks and treats until we headed for home to eat lunch. But then I remembered that I was supposed to make dinner for a couple down the street who just had a baby, so I stopped and got the girls some chicken nuggets to tide them over, then went to the nearest grocery store. In just the couple of minutes from Wendy's to the store, they fell fast asleep and I couldn't wake them up for the world! So I drove home, wondering what the heck I was gonna make for the dinner, since I had planned on making zucchini lasagna but needed a few things.

Once we got home, they woke right up, of course! They ate their chicken nuggets and went to bed but never went to sleep. But at least they just played quietly in their room. When they got up, it was time for me to make dinner and they were just playing around the house and in their room. When dinner was just about done, I went to check on them and the pictures show what they had done! They stacked everything imaginable into a corner of my room. Every couch pillow, every pillow and blanket from my bed and the guest bed, every pillow, blanket, doll, toy, stuffed animal, etc. from their beds, other misc. toys, their bath towels, some of Jared's shoes, their bathroom step stool, a soap pump, toothpaste, their toothbrushes, and the list goes on. PLUS, they unrolled at least 5 rolls of TP and strung it from my room to theirs!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH!

THEN, I sent them to their room while I packed up the dinner to bring to the neighbors, during which time they shredded the TP that was in their room into 1,000+ pcs. By the grace of God, I was able to hold my patience and not beat them! They are lucky that I just wanted to go ahead and deliver the dinner.

They are also so very lucky that they ate the dinner I cooked (chicken & squash on rice and rolls). I really think I would have lost it if they hadn't eaten it. After dinner, it took them quite a long time and lots of instructing to for them to get everything cleaned up. Then, I was nice enough to read them three books before putting them to bed when all I really wanted to do was just put them in bed and try to get rid of the massive headache they gave me! My patience hasn't been tested that much in a very long time!

I thank my lucky stars that days like these are few and far between with these two. And they are so lucky that I love them so dang much!  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This coming week will be very busy!  I'll spend the next couple of days getting the house ready for my parents to arrive on Tues. and preparing for Kiki's 40th Fiesta, which will be Friday night.  Should be fun!!

Fun week with Jared home

8/4: Family night at Farm Country--rides on the ponies, a wagon ride, crafts (foam teacup photo frames and bead necklaces), animals, etc., followed by dinner at Smashburger. I didn't realize until I was going through the photos that the girls are wearing the same outfits they wore to this place last time, ha ha!  They love this outfit and always request it if I ask them what they want to wear.

Lovin' the pony ride

Waving like a rodeo queen in the pony ride! The place was fairly empty, so they got to ride a couple of times without having to wait in line.

On the horse-drawn wagon ride

foam teacup photo frames

Avery and the bead necklace she helped make (a little)--she said she got "too tired" to finish it. Spoiled much? :P

Makenna and the bead necklace she (mostly) made

   

Dinner at Smashburger after Farm Country.  Using their french fries to pretend to be walruses, ha ha!

 8/5: Jared took the girls to dance class while I stayed home to relax because I drove up to Brigham City that night.  We had some pretty hard rain and wind here (some hail, too!) before I left for Brigham City and I almost chickened out of driving but the storm passed really quickly and the weather radar showed that I wouldn't have any rain once I got out of my town. Sure enough, the only thing I had to deal with was traffic north of Salt Lake City. It took me 2 hours to get there but only 1 1/2 hours to get home.

I'm so glad I went! It was awesome to be there with Elli Bounds Richardson and her beautiful family on such a special night and I had a really good filet mignon (paid for by her BIL! So generous!!) and lots of laughs with Elli! Elli, are you sure you have to go back to South Africa?? 

It was awesome to go to the Brigham City temple for the first time and even more awesome to be there for the sealing of Elli's newly adopted baby boy to her family. I was so emotional thinking of the twins' sealing to me and Jared almost three years ago. Such a very special memory!

8/7: How cute is this?! I love when kids start actually drawing people and things. Makenna has been drawing people for a few months but I still get a kick out of it. I wrote in who she told me each person is. 

 

8/8: Avery just sneezed and said, "Bless you, myself!" as we were leaving for Hoytsville.  We took the girls to the Summit County Fair for a just bit to see some of the animals (cows, pigs, sheep) and eat some burgers and scone dots (yum!), then we watched just a tiny bit ...of the rodeo. It was 11pm by the time we went to bed at Grandma's but the girls woke up at 4am!

Saying hi to some pigs

Avery was too scared to pet the sheep at the Summit County Fair, even though she has petted sheep before, silly girl!

Watching the rodeo--Jared had put both girls upon the front bleacher but Avery got up and wanted to be in his lap.  Makenna stayed on the bleacher by herself and made a couple of friends.

 

8/9: They were a little grumpy most of the day, of course, but they had fun for the most part. We went to the parade that morning, where they got LOTS of candy, then we went to a family reunion. I'm sure I don't have to say that the girls slept on the way home.

a 911 artifact--a 9,000 lb. chunk of concrete that was once part of the World Trade Center

A cool bracelet Makenna caught

Avery waving at the cheerleaders

Watching the cheerleaders do a routine

They both had quite enough sugar between all the candy, suckers, and popsicles!!

    

Their favorite part of the family reunion, besides the yummy food and treats

Jared left on a trip as the girls and I were leaving for church today.  It was a rough day at church (and before!) and even more rough once we got home.  The girls were still really cranky and tired and didn't get their nap, either.  They went to bed a little earlier than usual.  Jared will be gone for almost 2 weeks, so we'll see what kind of fun the girls and I can have without him.  :)

A much more relaxed week

7/28:  The girls and I went grocery shopping on Monday.  We had started making some chocolate chip walnut zucchini bread on Sunday and got all the dry ingredients mixed together, then realized I didn't have any eggs.  Thankfully, I hadn't put any of the wet ingredients together, so I was just able to put a lid on the dry ingredients and save it until after I had eggs.  The girls love helping me cook and bake.  It usually means that it takes me three times as long to make anything but they are so cute and love it so much that I usually let them help me.  They were so ready to finish the zucchini bread when they woke up from their nap after shopping!

 

 

7/29: They both went to dance class again, yay!  Hopefully, this means we won't have any more problems with them not wanting to go.  They only have a couple of weeks left in the summer program, then we will start going at 10am in Sept.  I'm hoping they will like that time better, since it won't be during their naptime.

7/30: Makenna shoved a popcorn kernel up her nose! I got it out fairly easily, although it would have been 
much easier if she hadn't been kicking and screaming! She started freaking out as soon as she realized it was stuck up there ha ha!

We didn't go anywhere the rest of the week, which was good because we had either gone somewhere or had people over every day for at least a week and 1/2.  It was nice to just relax at home for a few days.  

Jared got home from his latest trip yesterday evening (Sat.) while the girls were napping.  They were so happy to see him when they woke up!  They both ran into his arms.  So cute!!  They went outside with him while he did some much needed yard work.  He'll be home for a week and we have plans to do some fun things.  Looking forward to a fun week!

House guests and fun outings!

Tuesday, 7/22: Both girls went to dance class again, yay! My friend, Elli, was supposed to come that morning but she was having car problems and ended up not being able to come until the next morning. Elli grew up in my "home ward" in Louisiana. She also lived in Utah at one point, but up north, almost 2 hours away, then she moved a couple of years ago to South Africa.  She has been here for a few months to adopt a baby boy, so she came to visit for a couple of days.

7/23, our 15th anniversary!!  I wrote this on FB: "Since it's my 15th wedding anniversary, I showed the twins my wedding scrapbook. Before I got to the reception photos, Avery said I needed to put my hands on Jared's shoulders and dance with him. At one point, she also exclaimed, "And they lived happily ever after! " Happy Anniversary, babe! I love you!"

Jared has been out of town, so we still haven't seen each other since our anniversary, so it was nice to at least have company and have fun on a special day.  Elli has 2 kids, ages 8 and 4, plus the baby.  The twins had a blast swimming with her kids, playing, and picking stuff from the garden in our backyard, then I got to hang out with just Elli after the kids went to bed.  Another Louisiana friend, Laura, also dropped by for a bit that afternoon.

 

7/24 [Pioneer Day!]: 
FB post: Avery just told me that blankie has cuddle powers and helps people that are hurt and rescues people.

Lehi Foam Day! Happy Pioneer Day!!! The twins had a blast until Avery got some foam in her eyes, then she was done. Once Avery was done, Makenna was done a couple of minutes later. It was fun while it lasted! I'm sure they'll enjoy it more next year and goggles will be put on! I think Elli's kids had fun, too. 

Elli's son

Makenna and Elli's daughter

This is what did Avery in.  This photo cracks me up, ha ha ha!!

Elli left Lehi straight from Foam Day, then I took the girls home to eat and nap.  That evening, another Louisiana friend, Amiee, and her three kids came over!  My girls had such a great time playing with her kids that evening that we didn't put them all to bed until after 10:00, then we had chat time after the kiddos were all asleep. 

7/25: We had such a great time at a pool party with Amiee and her kids at her cousin's house today. We were there for over 5 hours and the girls were only out of the pool long enough to eat a quick lunch. They loved it! Makenna spent the entire time in one floating device or another. Avery enjoyed the floating devices but also liked to "swim" in the shallow end.

The pool was pretty awesome. The twins had zero interest in going down the slide

This was Avery's favorite floatie

Amiee and one of her sons

Her other son

Makenna loved that floating device!

Makenna wanted to put these goggles on but she told Amiee that she didn't want to go in the water, she just wanted to wear them, ha ha! She was cracking me up every time I looked at her! Avery put them on at one point, too. So cute.

7/26: Another fun outing with my girls. We went to the Thanksgiving Point Museum of Natural Curiosity but just went straight to the Curious Critters show, then left right afterward (well, we spent just a few minutes in the playground and walked through one of the caves but that's it). We have yet to actually do anything in the museum--waiting until all the older kids are in school and Jared can go with us! They had fun seeing and petting the animals that were there.

The tiny hedgehog. Makenna went for it but Avery wouldn't touch it.

This is what Makenna did when they brought out the skunk, even though it didn't have scent glands, ha ha!!!

The fox was awesome. No petting, though.

Makenna petting the bearded dragon. Avery did pet it, too, but only for a millisecond and I wasn't able to get a shot.

The cockatoo was cool--the girls liked when the lady would ask it a question and it would nod its head. It would also puff up all the feathers on its head.

They really liked the giant bunny!

They both held the tortoise but were a little skittish when he moved his legs

Makenna liked petting the skunk. Avery wouldn't go near it.

Just a shot of my beautiful girls in a pretty setting after the Curious Critters show was over

By the time we got home, the girls were ready for an early nap--I think we were all still feeling the effects of being in the sun the previous day and not getting a nap!  Today was a pretty good Sunday.  I didn't have choir practice, so we got to relax for a while before getting ready for church.

This evening, the girls got into a container of ponytail holders and Avery helped Makenna put lots of them on her arms. They said they were getting ready for a Show and Tell. Makenna said she need the hat to get fancy for the Show and Tell. Where do they get this stuff??  :)

 

At bedtime, the girls were being silly and making droopy faces. They were cracking me up!

 

 

 

 
Sad news: Our gate was left open on Wed. and Cleo got at some point out without me having a clue.  Elli and I looked all over the neighborhood for her as soon as we realized she wasn't in the backyard or in the house and I stopped several neighbors who were outside and asked them to look out for her.  The next morning, I put fliers up and posted her photo and info on several local Facebook groups, including the Utah Lost and Found Pets page; her photos has been shared a LOT by many, many people.  Friday evening, I went to the animal shelter (it was closed by the time I figured out she was gone Wed. evening, and they were closed Thurs. for Pioneer Day); she wasn't there and I still haven't received any phone calls about her.  I just hope that someone is taking good care of her!  Makenna has bawled several times for her and keeps saying she misses her.  It is breaking my heart!  Please pray that we find her soon!!!

Here are a couple of videos to add some fun back!
7/19: Avery doing some "exercises" to help her back. The stuff they come up with, ha ha!

7/24: Makenna doing this new hilarious laugh (just started doing it last week):