Balancing Practice

This is a photo from last month's bike trip.  Since then Kyle's bike has been stolen!

 September started off with a fun boat outing with Grandma and Grandpa Hardy on Labor Day.  We were pretty lucky because they sold the boat right after!  The kids loved the whole adventure including loading the boat into the water, riding in it, watching Daddy wake board, and relaxing and eating snacks.

 This is as far as Dillan got on the knee board, but he was a champ to even get on!

 Hazel claimed she didn't want to get on the inner tube, but Grandpa threw her on anyway, and she loved it!   Look at that smile!

Dillan loved tubing so much he took 2 turns and maybe would have done it for hours.  Those kids are lucky to have a daddy that would take them out on the river!

The following weekend we helped a neighbor sponsor a neighborhood block party.  Ice cream social.  I hope that becomes a neighborhood tradition!

 Went to OMSI (science museum).  Kyle got free tickets from work and since Hazel was young enough to be free, Dillan got to bring a friend (Quincy).  They loved all the hands on science/physics exploration.

 Dillan's first day of preschool!  His school is 3 days a week and includes gymnastics/tumbling.  What could be better?  They also allow Hazel to participate in the welcome activities, lucky girl.  She is already excited to go when she is old enough.
Dillan also got to participate in the Primary Program.  He had his talk memorized, sang along a little and knew some of the hand actions.  We are proud of him for loving church and growing his own testimony.  Hazel was looking forward to being in it next year, but she will still be in nursery.  Poor girl!
On the Day of Service we participated in a food drive and then tried to volunteer at a neighborhood park  clean up, but never found it.  Had a fun morning at the park with the kids instead!

 Happy Birthday to me!  My special day included Kyle-style crepe breakfast (with sausage), swimming at a rec center, lunch at a cafe, followed by a mystery road trip.  We went down to Salem to have a party and visit some old friends, the Carmichaels.  Loved it!  Our kids played with their kids, we all ate party snacks, and then we got to play a fun board game.  We got to do some shopping at some stores in Salem that we love and miss and then got home way past the kids bedtime.  What a fun birthday!

September also included a family roller skating activity (Dillan is catching on), aerating and fertilizing the lawn, grandma taking the kids to the Children's Museum (I got a morning off), a stake temple chapel session, the General Relief Society Broadcast, and Dillan learning how to bike without training wheels.  Kyle first took off the pedals and training wheels, making it a "balance bike."  After a little practice with that he was ready to try it with the pedals, and he did great!

He's still got it!

Break Dancing!

A new use for Hazel's play kitchen.

This was his first day, once he got going he always did great.

Dillan's Family Home Evening Lesson

Dillan was in charge of our FHE lesson this evening.  At dinner I asked him what he wanted to teach for the lesson.  With a little smile he said he knew what he was going to teach (and wouldn't share any more information with us).  When the lesson started he said he was going to teach us about how Heavenly Father wants us to listen and obey.  Then he sat down in front of the rest of the family and said "Dad, Why did Heavenly Father make the earth?"  After Kyle gave an answer about us being tested he nodded his head, like good job Dad, you got it right.  Then he turns to me "Mom, Why does Heavenly Father want us to be happy and listen and obey?"  I gave an answer about being a child of God and obedience making us happy.  Dillan: the knowing nod.  "Hazel, What do you think about that?"  Then he pulled out the scriptures, asked me to help him read and picked a random verse.  It was actually about the Lord telling the people of Israel to listen.
I love that he took it all seriously and we felt the Spirit.  The gospel was spoken out of the mouth of babes in our house tonight!

My Little Swimmers

August was so fun!  First, we celebrated our 6 year anniversary by going out to eat, eating cheesecake (it's tradition), and roller skating.  It turns out, not many couples roller skate, especially not while pregnant.  That just means we're fun!  

Kyle went on a bike trip with his dad, brother, and brother-in-law along the Oregon coast while the kids and I went to St. George and enjoyed Grandma and Grandpa Tanner and their pool.

We got our piano tuned (such a grown-up thing!).

Hazel got her first haircut.  I was worried I'd cut off her ringlets and they'd be gone forever, but her hair is just as curly as ever!  It was just a trim to even up the long back with the shorter front.  The whole time I was cleaning up the clippers from Dillan's haircut she was worried that I was going to shave her head.

All the way through the Las Vegas Airport.  Go Hazel!

It took about a day, but he finally got up the courage to jump off.  Out of a whole week of doing it, he only lost the noodle once, and managed to still swim up from the bottom and pop out of the water.  Uncle Daniel did try to save his life, though.  Thanks Danny!

 This is a bush in our backyard.  That is Dillan's head, popping out of the top of the bush.  What a climber!

 Dillan was in charge of our Family Home Evening Treat.  Chocolate Cream Chocolate Pie, healthy (Kellie) style.

 Las Vegas Airport

Dillan, totally exhausted at a park in St. George.  Hazel joined him just for fun.

 Rock climbing at a rec center in St. George.  He never made it any higher than that, but went that high 5 different times.

Grandma and Grandpa Tanner's Pool.

 The Cave!

 The Hot Tub

 Thanks for the great trip Grandma and Grandpa!

 St. George Carousel.

Driving to the airport at the end of the trip.  He really is smiling in his sleep!  Such a happy kid.

Wish Daddy could have been there.

 Mt. Hood Adventure Park with the Hardy Family.  Dillan's first chairlift ride.  Going to go down the Alpine Slide!

 Now it's Hazel's turn!

Picture is too small, but she has a huge smile on her face!

What a great swimmer!

Big Summer Fun

July included an eye exam for me (.25 improvement in one eye!), a lot of blueberry picking, and some bulk free-range meat orders.  I am super grateful for our new chest freezer to put it all in!  

We also found a frog in our garden.  The kids kept getting scared and startled when it jumped.  I had to be brave and catch the frog myself, for the sake of my kids education and enjoyment.  Its funny, the things we do for them.

We began potty training again.  I stepped in poop, Hazel's poop.  It's been a long journey, but she's finally getting it, and we love it!

I got an ultrasound, but we didn't find out the gender of the baby.  Everything looks good and the little person looked like a cutie!

Hazel went on the Daddy/Daughter camp out while Dillan and I went to the Troutdale Art Walk and had a girls night at a friends house (where Dillan slept).  Hazel loved the camp out!  Everyone else loved watching Kyle running Hazel to the bathroom when she had to go.

Dillan gave a talk in Primary.  Both kids finished the Summer Reading Program and got T-shirts.

Dillan started swimming lessons.

Kyle and I went to the dentist.  It's probably been 2 years since we went last, and we didn't get our cavities filled that time.  We are catching up!

We had an Eldredge (Kyle's mom's side) Family reunion in Albion, Idaho (near Twin Falls).  This was the towns 4th of July Celebration and Hazel could not stop marching to the patriotic music!

A typical summer morning after all the chores are done.  I love sitting out here with them!

More fun at the family reunion.  We're at the City of Rocks and this is Dillan's first time rock climbing.  He was so proud of himself!

Hazel was just too small to get in a harness, but she did plenty of her own rock climbing anyway.

Kyle took the kids 4-wheeling (family reunion) around the neighborhood and then went on a longer excursion with some extended family.  Beautiful!  See the storm rolling in?  They got drenched!

Proud parent moment!  Dillan finished his preschool workbook this month that he's been working on for 2 years!  Hazel got one that she started.  Each morning for 2 weeks I watched Dillan struggle through 1 page of recognizing a pattern and drawing what came next while Hazel flew through 4-6 pages of learning colors.  He knew what he was doing was way harder, even though it was the same workbook.

Backyard fun in the heat.

Our road trip to Albion, Idaho.  Borrowed a dual DVD player.  Watching movies made that road trip so much easier!

The 4th of July Parade at Albion, Idaho.  Adorable small town parade.

Bringing up the rear were a bunch of kids and parents on bikes and scooters, classic!

Part of the 4th of July celebration was a greased pole with a $100 bill pinned to the top.  That entertained about 30 kids for several hours.

Hazel was the youngest one I saw try it.

Another regular morning after chores are done.

We hiked Horsetail Falls.  Dillan was awesome fast and I was supremely slow due to the big belly!  It was our first time doing an evening hike, we packed along dinner.  Loved it!

Dillan is making sandwiches for their lunch.  I can't remember why, but I felt too tired to stand up and do it myself.  Another proud parent moment!

Another summer morning activity.  Since Hazel was potty training, she spent most mornings in the front yard with just underwear.  We're classy.

The kids disappeared after I gave them their sandwiches to eat outside.  But I found them!

Eating a blue marker, or kissing it.

Pioneer Day games with grandma!

Cheaters!  Kyle lifted her up and then ran!

Dillan had a blast during each game (the pictures are the proof), then would tell us it was boring, could we play a different game.

Yeah, putty does that!

Another summer morning!  That's our neighbor, Maiangel, one of Dillan's best friends.

This girl knows how to go berry picking!

I got a piano!  I've been saving up forever and Kyle found me this one, $295 including the cost of delivery.  It is so much better than a digital piano!  And it feels so homey.  Love it!