It’s been a great summer.  We’ve had a month of swimming lessons, weekly playschool, daily trips to parks all over town, and one big camping/boating adventure.  We’ve had visits to the childrens’ museum, 2 dinosaur museums, 3 different canyons, Jumpin’ Jacks, Seven Peaks, Thanksgiving Point, the aquarium, the parade, the carnival, the zoo, the reservoir, the movie theater, the farm, and a few different pools.  We’ve had countless popsicles, picnics, barbecues, water parties, play dates, ice cream cones in the car, fireworks on the driveway, and lazy days watching movies with the AC blasting. 

But now the nights are cool, the mornings are getting darker, the days are pleasant, and the tan lines are fading.  Preschool starts next week, gymnastics starts the week after, story time starts back up at the library, and the Primary Program is fast approaching.

So we say goodbye to Summer.  It’s been a good one.  We’re sure going to miss it.

A few days ago, Owen had a really late nap and Samuel did not nap.  That meant Sam went to bed at 7:30 and Owen was up till almost 9, playing only child with his Mummy and Daddio.  He was being so funny and so goofy.  Owen can get silly sometimes, and he is very pleasant and smiley, but he doesn’t usually get crazy.  It was a lot of fun to get some special time with our Bubs.

I keep a regular log of Samuel Says.  This kid is a character and all personality.  Plus, he never ever ever EVER stops talking.  Never.  But he keeps us laughing regularly, even if it’s behind our hands with our backs turned because we’re supposed to have our Mean Mom and Dad faces on instead.  Anyway, I’ve been holding onto these gems for too long.  It’s time to share. 

We took off for a walk, when Sam stopped and sat down on the ground with his legs spread.  Sam what are you doing?  “I’m just stretching, Mom!  It’s so important for me.”

Jumping on the sofa absolutely out of control, Samuel screamed at the top of his lungs, “Yaaaaa!  I’m a ROCK STAR!”

Sam was whining during dinner about the wind coming in through the window but we wouldn’t let him shut it.  So he got a bunch of his monster trucks and stacked them up about 8 inches high in front of the 5 foot window and threw his arms up in the air in triumph, “I saved the day!!  The wind is gone forever!  Now I need a candy.”

Driving home from SLC one day, we saw about 50 paragliders at the point of the mountain.  Samuel gasped, “Incredible!  I’ve never seen that before!”

Playing in the backyard, Sam pulled a chair up next to me, sat down and let out a big sigh. “This is such a nice day.”

I couldn’t find the wipes, so I asked Sam.   He replied, totally exasperated with me, “They’re right there, Mom!”  Where, I don’t see them?  “Right there . . . MOM!  Look where I’m pointing!”

At the Walgreens drive thru, as I was talking to the pharmacist, Sam growled in a really funny, deep, gruff and LOUD voice, “I’ll have 2 fries please!” 

Sam was ticked about something when we loaded into the car to go home.  A few minutes later, our cd in the car started playing If You’re Happy and You Know It.  Owen was clapping, so I said, Come on, Sam, clap your hands.  “NO!  I will not clap my hands.  I am NOT happy right now!”

At the dinner table one night Samuel held a handful of rice above his lemonade, looked at me and then Erik, me and then Erik, daring us to say something.  Samuel, do NOT put rice in your lemonade! I said in my mean mommy voice.  Samuel, hand and rice still above the cup of lemonade, looked at me again, then at Erik, still saying nothing but testing us with his little three year old eyes.  Then he grinned.  “Daddy didn’t tell me no!”

Sam was helping me by bringing toys to Owen as I tried to feed him.  Owen threw them straight to the floor.  “Owen, don’t throw the toys I give you.  It’s just rude!”

“Mom, I have a rule for you.   The rule is don’t say no to me, and be happy!”

Samuel played downstairs early one morning before I got out of bed.  When I came down he was playing with his monster truck ramp and told me, “Jesus was playing with me.  See, he’s right here.”  Then he turned, pointed, and gasped, “He’s gone!  Jesus left and went back to church.  He’s in the picture now.  Then he’ll come out of the picture and be so happy and play with me again later.”

“I like Caroline, she’s a nice girl.”  Oh yeah? “Yeah, she doesn’t say no to me.”

So excited about going to IHOP with Mormor, Sam walked right up to the cute lady at the cashier counter and said, “I’d like some pancakes please.”  Then the waitress came over and asked what she could get us to drink, We have Pepsi products, maybe an orange juice?  Sam looked her dead in the eyes and said, “Yes, I’ll have a Pepsi please.”

Caroline was babysitting so Erik and I could have a much needed night out.  I explained to Sam that we were going on a date, and he asked, “Are you going to church to kiss?!” 

After a long afternoon running errands the boys were getting a bit restless on the way home.  I turned on the radio and found “Another One Bites the Dust” and started busting some moves in the car.  Grumpy Sam huffed, “Stop dancing, Mom.  I don’t want to dance.”  Why not?  “Because I’m boring!”

. . . Not to be confused with “The” Ranch.  A few weeks ago we went up Hobblecreek Canyon here in Springville to Jolley’s Ranch for a ward party.  It was hot and muggy, but the boys don’t care because there was dirt and rocks.  They like dirt and rocks.  Did you know that?  It was . . . yeah, you guessed it . . . super fun.  I need a bigger vocabulary.  Maybe a word of the day calendar or something.

Becoming a pro at throwing it over one side and watching it float down the other.

Little climbers.  Both easily made it to the top without any help.

“Hey, Sam!”  Owen was laughing so hard.

Dirt, rocks, AND water.  How can it get any better?

Der, with a big stick!

“Hmmm, which rock shall I choose?”

“Eh, this one is kind of crunchy.”

“You think I’m dirty?!”

Seriously, I am so worried about what happens when the summer is over.  What are we going to do?!

Two weekends ago, my mom was in town and staying at my uncle’s ranch up the mountain from Heber City so she invited us up for a day.  The wind and (almost) rain made us a little nervous at first, but it didn’t stop anyone from having a super fun day.  The ranch is huge, and includes lots of gorgeous land to explore, a playground, a teepee, a pond with canoes, 2 huge barns, a few cowboy huts, 4 generations of an Australian cattle dog family, horses and deer, chickens and turkeys, a goat, a peacock, and endless amounts of dirt and rocks.  Could this be heaven for two little boys?!  You bet!  Especially when Mormor has a giant playground ball, a huge bottle of bubbles, a t-ball set, and a delicious dinner of bbq ribs, fresh corn on the cob, and yummy caesar salad.  We totally thought the boys would crash on the way home, but getting stuck in a parade, winding through the canyon, counting waterfalls, and blowing raspberries back and forth until they couldn’t control their laughter kept them awake the whole time.  Such a great day for all of us.

Dirt and rocks.

“What are you looking at, Mom?  I’m just climbing big dangerous rocks!”

Mister Pemberley likes to walk around with his chin tucked, belly poking out, and hands grasped behind his back. 

Shuckin’ carn.

“Ships ahoy!  Ay ay Captain Dad!!”

Owen started small a while ago, (this is from the end of June) but has since moved on to the slides at the park and completely mastered those, so this must be getting old . . .

Which must be why he decided to try something new . . .

Happy Happy Birthday to THIS beautiful talented big hearted lady who we love so very much!

I remember my sweet baby Owen.  My calm chill cautious mild snuggle on Mommy’s lap baby Owen.  That baby was slowly disappearing the last couple months, but now I just can’t find him anywhere.  He’s been replaced by an adventurous mischievious get into everything how much can I get away with moody little boy.

Owen might have had a very proficient teacher in the art of trouble making.  Really, he didn’t stand a chance with Samuel as his big brother.

Auntie Caroline owed us a play day, and my friend Laurel and I have been trying to set up a zoo day for the longest time, so Monday morning we took off bright and early for Hogle Zoo!  We got there right around opening to avoid too much heat and beat the crowd.  Samuel quickly assumed the role of Boss, and calling all the shots.  It was pretty cute to watch him plan out our whole day from the map.  Owen missed morning naptime, so he was totally content to take it all in from his stroller, perfecting his monkey and elephant sounds, and beating his chest like a gorilla.  When we stopped for a snack break, I let him run loose and he was enthralled with the ostriches charging at each other, flapping their huge wings. 

We finally got to see the much anticipated rhino.  (Samuel talked all morning about it, and kept asking if this one would have a horn . . . because when we visited the LA Zoo at Christmastime, the rhino there had its horn removed for cancer.  Apparently that really stuck with him!)  There was even a little cave with windows that put you eye level with the rhino.  We finished the afternoon with a train ride and some lunch on the way home.  Only 2 of 4 boys crashed on the way home (how did we not get a picture of the boys together?!) but we all had a fun and exhausting day at the zoo with some of our favorite people.  That evening, I asked Samuel what was his favorite animal from the zoo?  “The rhino!”  Why?  “Because it was so cool and mean!!”  And later he told his daddy, “And I even got to ride a real glass rhino!”           

{Top to bottom, left to right} Samuel measures up.  Sam does it.  So Owen does, too.  Looking off the train.  Unsure of the train.  A little nervous being on shoulders right above the giraffe enclosure.  Samuel the Gorilla.  Finally, the rhino!  Riding the rhino.  Samuel the Tour Guide.  Owen chatting with the giraffe.  Watching the elephant flap her ears.  Ostrich fight!

Sam begs to go to Jumpin’ Jacks almost every day.  We have been several times, but definitely not recently.  Last Wednesday was a good day for an outing, so off we went.  I was terrified to go by myself with the two boys.  I imagined Owen on my hip with his death grip on my arm while Sam screamed that he needed my help and I injured myself trying to keep everyone happy.  Well, I was right . . . I sprained my ankle and burned my arm.  Loser.  But I was dead wrong about the boys.  Owen flippin’ loved it.  He ran around, jumped, bounced, face planted more times than I could count, threw himself onto his back over and over so he could lie there watching everyone play around him, and laughed his little guts to pieces.  And Sam didn’t need one bit of help from his mom.  He climbed and slid and blew through the whole place effortlessly.  He even managed to steer AND reach the pedals on the racecar game.  What a super fun afternoon with my two favorites.