18 months

My Topher is 18 months! We have been counting down for the last 3 months because he is so terrible at church. He's been having a hard time transitioning into nursery, but he gets better every week. My little guy is so funny. He can be the sweetest little guy when he gives us loves and kisses, but he can also be a little pill sometimes. If he gets wound up he will bite, pinch, scratch, and hit. He's quite the rough guy. He doesn't say much either, but he understands pretty much everything. He follows directions really well and loves to help me do simple jobs. He has started saying a couple of words this week like ball (his favorite toy yet), yah (for yes), and mamma. He's a man of few words. He loves to be outside and will bring me his shoes during the day so that I will get the hint, but without a fenced yard he heads for the street whenever he gets a chance. He thinks he is bigger than he really is and thinks he can do whatever Timmy and Maura do and gets very upset and offended when he doesn't get to. We love this little guys even though he gives us a run for our money everyday, but how could we not love him? Look how cute he is!

Summer Fun

Playing with our Spiderman slip n' slide.

Cute Maura

Playing in our pool.

Topher having his snack.

Timmy and Topher "playing" Xbox.

Timmy at swim lessons.

Maura at swim lessons.

Playing at the splash park after the last day of swim lessons.

The kids with thier completion certificates.

Its been a pretty good summer, but a pretty rainy summer too. On the days it was rainy we stayed inside did crafts, watched movies, and played video games. But on the days it was sunny we went to the park, jumped on the trampoline and splashed in the water. We also did the last session of swim lessons. The kids absolutely loved lessons. We could only get into the 8:30 am session, but it actually turned out nice for us. Maura was in level 1 and she was the only kid in her class so she got a lot of one on one time with the teacher (which she loves...if you know Maura) and she learned a lot. There were only 3 other kids in Timmy's class and his teacher was awesome. By the last day he kept screaming out "Mommy! I can swim! I can swim!" He was really proud of himself. We will definitely do it again next year. So far its been a good summer (and I'm not going to lie...there's been tons of fighting)and we're excited to head back to AZ soon for a visit.

What the kids have been doing this summer...

The kids have been keeping me busy trying to keep them busy. Needless to say...I am just about ready for school to start again, but we still have a month left.

What would summer be without a few fights fist fights (and some real ones too...ugh)!
Topher really likes the Hulk Hands.

What cute kids!

Then we had some fun with foam stickers and pipe cleaners.

The kids loved making the ducks and dinosaurs.

We also had a few educational activities as well.

What I've beein doing this summer...

I decided to work on some projects this summer to keep me busy. I reallt enoyed working on them when the kids would let me. Some days were more productive than others, but I able to complete everything I wanted to make except for a shirt for me. When I get the motivation to sew again, that will be my next project.

I took one of TJ's paper surgery caps, made a pattern, and whipped TJ up some custom caps!

I made some bracelets for a my niece Bentley and for Nina who are both due soon.

A few baby blankets.

And a couple of reversible nursing covers.

Happy Birthday Timmy!

Timmy's birthday was this week. He had a very specific specifications on what he wanted done for his special day. First he wanted egg burros for breakfast, then he wanted to go to the zoo, after the zoo he wanted to play with his birthday presents, then go to Chuck E Cheese for dinner. We did all of it. The zoo was fun and Chuck E Cheese was crazy, but he loved every bit of it especially since Chucky came to sing him Happy Birthday. Maura was so excited too. She kept saying..."I can't believe Chucky is really alive!" He blew out his candles on his Wall-E cake and we called it a night. It was a good 6th birthday for my sweet Timmy.

The Hill Cumorah Pageant

We went to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant last week. We got there a couple of hours early and set up our "camp" just behind the chairs. We had a really good view but the kids were able to lay down on the blanket and run around in the grass before it stared.We packed a dinner for the kids and they loved sitting on the blanket to eat their dinner (in their matching shirts so I couldn't lose them...thanks Drew and Cass!). We took a picture with Joseph Smith, visited with friends, and let the kids run wild until it was time for it to start. Topher fell asleep on my lap not long after it started, Timmy really liked it and was mesmerized most of the time, but Maura couldn't sit still to save her life. The pageant was really cool with lots of people in it, and lots of special effects. We are glad we got the chance to go. It was really neat.

Taking a picture with "Joseph Smith"

Playing with friends

Eating their picnic dinner

Topher just chillin'

The stage before the pageant

Look at how many people were in it!

Happy 4th of July!

I just had to share this. Pay attention to the last word of each phrase (he almost gets them right)! Happy 4th of July!