July Adventures

Brandon graduated UPSTART - a computer program created by the Waterford Institute which Utah provided to children who are preparing for kindergarten.  Brandon was required to spend at least 15 minutes 5 days a week on the computer working on their programs which taught reading, math and science skills.  It was a great program, challenging, but overall wonderful.  I feel like Brandon benefited a lot from it, and I hope that Grant will be able to do it as well.

 The boys can be found outside every possible moment playing with our neighbor David.  David is 8 Brandon is 5 and Grant is 3 but not one of them cares about the difference in their age.  They always seem to have a wonderful time.  Today they were catching bugs and putting them in a pill sorter. :)

 I love how this picture shows just how much Brandon and Grant adore their friend :).

 Jared celebrated his 34th birthday, it was a wonderful day!  I got him a peanut butter/chocolate cheese cake from the New York Cheesecake Factory. :)

 He also got a Gerber (multi use utility tool, a gun safe, a computer game, and a zoo book).

 On this day, Brandon Grant and David put together a prehistoric jungle in my garden with all their dinosaurs. :)

 I was able to go to Youth Conference this year up at the Heber Valley Girls Camp.  It was a fun weekend.  I was able to see a deer right outside of my cabin. :)  Sadly I didn't get to do the zip line with the youth, because I am expecting. Next time.

 Silly boys, Brandon put his pj pants on his head. :)

 Sunday naps on the hammock are the best!!!!!!!

 I love my garden during July, the daisys and day lilies are in full bloom :)

 And the sunsets are beautiful!

I was able to get together with many of my girl friends from high school.  It was so fun to see them again and catch up with them and all that is going on in their lives.  I felt a lot like Ammon in the Book of Mormon who reunites with his brothers and friends after serving missions and celebrates because they were still his brothers in the Lord.  I love that each of my girl friends is still an outstanding example to me, living righteous lives.  I feel so blessed!

With this pregnancy for some crazy reason I have really loved eggs, they just make my upset stomach feel better, and eggs benedict is the best way to go.  So Jared kindly bought me all the ingredients and I have been making them for myself from time to time, they are surprisingly easy and oh so tasty!

Next post....  our crazy adventures in Yellowstone, cannot wait to share them with you. :)

Grant's 2nd Surgery

Grant needed to have tubes in both ears replaced and he also needed his adenoids removed.  He had to fast from the night before so that morning as I was rushing to get us both out the door I was unable to get breakfast for myself so I ended up fasting with him, which did not work well given my pregnant condition.  I was feeling very icky but comforted knowing that it wouldn't be for long as his surgery was at 9:30.  Unfortunately he was not admitted to surgery until 12:30.  It was a very long time for both of us to wait while being hungry, but Grant was a trouper and did not complain one bit.  He had a great time playing with all the fun toys and viewing the many fun murals all over the place.  I really do feel so blessed to be so close to Primary Children's Medical Center. 

 Where's Grant? :) hahaha

 My sweet boy. :(  It was so sad to have to leave him alone for surgery, but the staff of course did great with him.  Grant came out of his anesthetic prematurely and I was not there to comfort him right away, that was traumatic for him then I arrived and he must have felt much better because he happily slept for another 2 hours, while I wished I could be sleeping with him, or eating something more than a few crackers. :)

The following week was rough, he was very grumpy and uncomfortable, but know a little over a month latter he is doing wonderfully well!  And he continues to hear and speak normally!  Yeah!

3rd Anual Balloon Festival and Bridal Veil Falls

I am loving this new tradition that the boys and I have of going to the balloon festival in Provo during the 4th of July weekend.  I means that I have to wake the boys up around 5:30 in the morning which they are not thrilled about, but they are always happy when we get there.  This year we were finally early enough to watch the balloons inflate.  We sat right next to the Smokey the Bear balloon and had a lot of fun watching it inflate. :)

 Even Pete and Annabelle join us, and think they really do enjoy it a lot.  We get a lot of extra attention with them around.  ;)

 There is something beautiful and almost spiritual about watching these balloons in their beautiful colors reach such beautiful heights.  I simply love it!!

 After the balloons on our way home we visit Bridal Veil Falls, I love the beauty of this waterfall.  It reminds me a bit of the wonderful waterfalls in Oregon along the Columbia river.  The boys love it because there is an area where they get to feed many large trout and another area where they get to throw rocks into the water.  I love it because I get to sit down and soak in the beauty while the sun rises and watch my boys happily be little boys. :)

 I love how well they get along with each other!!  Best friends!!

 I love living in such a beautiful part of our country!!

Independance Day Celebrations

For the 4th of July we went to my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's house for the local parade that I grew up going to.  I was so looking forward to sharing with my children my childhood tradition.  It was fun, but so very different from what I remember it being.  One more evidence that time changes things.  After the parade and a tasty breakfast at IHOP we came back to my grandparents house.  The boys had a great time playing with their cousins and dad in the creek.  They began with fishing with sticks, :) then proceeded to climb the waterfall swing on a rope swing and swim all over the place.  They had a great time. :)

 After a fun morning and afternoon at my grandparents house we came home had naps and then went to a local park to watch the fireworks.  It was so fun to be there with our local community.  We ended up sitting right next to two of Brandon's preschool class mates and had a great time socializing with all of them. :)

It was a wonderful holiday!  I am so grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this country, I am especially grateful for the many people past and present who worked so very hard to create and maintain the freedom of this country!!!!