This is the Place

Yesterday the girls and I joined our neighborhood field trip group at This is the Place Heritage Center in Salt Lake. Yesterday was a free day, thanks to John Huntsman, Sr. We've been there a couple of times before and I just love it. I always want to stay longer. Yesterday we tried to pack in what we could before the rainstorm hit. We rode the train a few times, got our free ice cream cones, toured Brigham Young's house, participated in a sack race and tug-of-war, rode the ponies, and saw the new Native American village with teepees and hogans. Pretty cool. And then it started pouring. So the girls and I joined Chloe and Sohie and their mom for some french fries in the cafe then headed home.

Later this evening we went to the library. Every summer they have free events, and tonight we watched the puppet show, "The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad TV." Kiera was slightly entertained, but Makenna just loved it. They both enjoyed making finger puppets after the show, and Makenna put on a puppet show with her animal puppets when we got home. Good times!

(P.S. I took a few pictures, but thank goodness my friend Candi was there with her awesome camera and wonderful talent. She took most of these pictures - aren't they great?!)





MEETING "BRIGHAM YOUNG"

Lazy Day

Okay, so today was our first "day off." I had big plans of sleeping as late as we could, working on some "house projects," and then going to the library and craft store to stock up on some good summer reads and craft projects for the girls. Well, we didn't get to sleep in because the phone rang just after 7:00 and woke us all up. And you know what? We didn't even leave the house today. I always get antsy this time of year, wondering how I can get my projects done while entertaining the girls; how to be productive and not waste time and yet enjoy having the girls home and slow down to "summer time." But today was such a relaxing, peaceful day. I'm so lucky to have girls that enjoy entertaining themselves, and they (usually) love playing together - all 3 of them. So this morning, the girls dug out the Legos I played with when I was a girl, and they spent hours - literally like 5 hours! - making cars and buildings and towns. They just couldn't get enough. And I thought, ahhhh....THIS is what summer is all about! Just enjoying and relaxing!

Beau's Blessing

This morning we went to Aaron & Lisa's son Beau's baby blessing. He is such a cutie! He's got big, bright eyes and red hair, and when he cries he sounds like a kitten "mewing." So cute! The girls were fascinated by him - Makenna kept asking if she could "pet Beau." We're so happy to have a new little cousin (well, second cousin for the girls) in the family!




ALL THE COUSINS

"PLAYING" BASKETBALL IN THE RAIN!

Air Show

Quentin doesn't need boys. His girls get excited about "boy things" just as much as they get excited about "girl things." This afternoon we joined Eric, Mischelle, Spencer and Jordyn at the Hill Air Force Base Air Show. The girls took their little airplanes with them and compared them to the real ones we saw. They were so excited and loved seeing the jets and planes do tricks, the parachuters falling from the sky, and going inside a HUGE plane that carries tanks and cargo. Amazing. Seeing all those things me feel tiny and intimidated, but also made my heart swell with patriotic pride. We only stayed a couple of hours but we'll be better prepared next time with chairs and maybe a picnic lunch. But we had a lot of fun on a beautiful summer day!

Summer's Here

Well, I guess it's summer - not technically, but it sure feels like it since today was Kiera's last day of school! Makenna, Kasidee and I made it to the end of the flag ceremony at the school, then the 4 of us ran home with our friends in the sudden rain storm. Kiera came home and browsed through her yearbook and watched the class DVD her teacher had made. She said, "I wish I could be in first grade forever." I wish she could too - she's just growing up too fast. I think she's a bit melancholy today and will miss school - but hopefully not for too long. After school, Kiera and Makenna invited their best friends Chloe and Sophie over to play, and it sounds like they're coming up with lots of plans for the summer: calling each other right after breakfast, selling ice cream, parties in the playhouse, etc. Welcome, Summer!

Dinner with Great-Grandma

Last night we took Quentin's Grandma Stephens out to dinner, and I couldn't resist posting these cute pics!

New Cast

Today Kiera got her "real" cast (as opposed to her temporary splint). She chose a water-proof, glow-in-the-dark cast. I guess now she'll be prepared for just about anything! She'll go back to the Sports Medicene Specialist in just over 3 weeks to see if she can get the cast off. She has had fun letting people sign her cast - Granny stopped by this afternoon, and her best friends Sophie and Chloe came to play and they all signed it. She even signed it herself, since she's left-handed! What fun!

Field Trip

On Wednesday I got to help "chaperone" the first-grade field trip to the Museum of Natural History at the U and the Tracy Aviary. I haven't been to either of those places for years, so it was a treat for me to go too. Kiera had a lot of fun - her favorite thing was the rocks/gems (she's a rock-hound just like her Great-Grandpa Johnson)!

Ouch

Thank goodness for good health insurance. Within the last week, Kasidee had her teeth surgery, Makenna had an ear infection, and . . . we just got back from the doctor's office (after-hours kids care) and found out that Kiera has a broken arm! She was playing at her second-cousin's house yesterday when she fell out of the swing. We could tell she was hurting; she cried and wanted to lay down, then promptly fell asleep. I figured she would wake up this morning, having forgotten all about it. But she said it still hurt "a little" and wanted her arm wrapped in an ace bandage for school. When it started getting a little puffy, we decided to take her in - and sure enough, her wrist is broken in 2 spots. (It's actually very hard to see on the copies of the x-rays we got.... It's more like a bulge directly across the bottom of the "LE" on the picture). They splinted it and said we'll have to take her in tomorrow or Thursday so they can put a real cast on it. Anyway, Kiera was pretty upset and worried - until she realized that now she can be "famous!" She's the only one in our family who has ever broken a bone (except for my 2 pinky toes which didn't need a cast), and she's excited to have a cast that everyone can sign. Ah, what fun adventures!!

Preschool Graduation

Today was Makenna's preschool graduation. She was so excited until she realized that it meant there was no more preschool.... We videotaped the whole program but I wasn't able to get any really good shots with my camera (I desperately need a better camera SOON!), but here's a cute one of Makenna with "Teacher Chelsea." This program was a big deal to her - she had a part to say all by herself. Quentin got off work early, Kiera got out of school a couple of hours early, and Granny met us there. Afterward, we let her pick her favorite place to eat an early dinner - Chuck A Rama it was (why do kids love that place so much?) We're just so proud of her. She has had so much fun in preschool and has learned so much and made lots of friends. It makes her really excited to start kindergarten!

A New Playhouse!

Well, last Christmas Santa left a BIG box in our garage. When the girls discovered it was a playhouse, they were ecstatic and it's been a long 5 months of waiting till Daddy had a spare 11 hours to put it together. This past weekend he found the time in 2 big chunks over Saturday and Monday. He worked so hard, and it turned out so cute - it even has Dutch doors, a doorbell, working shutters, and a working weather vane. The girls loved "helping" him put it together and couldn't wait to begin playing in it. It's under our deck for the moment till Quentin can build a deck/platform for it and we can decide where in our yard we want to put it. The girls can't wait till they can sleep in it, and Kiera is amazed that she can even brush her teeth there, because she can just spit out the window! Ahhh, it's going to be a fun summer!

Kasidee's New Smile

Our sweet little Kasidee has been through a lot today, but she's been a little trooper! She and Makenna have both had what the dentist calls "compromised enamel" and they have both had to have some dental work done where they put caps on the 4 front teeth and the 2 upper molars. Thank goodness it's just baby teeth and shouldn't affect the permanent teeth at all. Anyway, Makenna had the procedure done 3 years ago and Kasidee had hers done this morning at Primary Children's Hospital. They had to put her under general anesthesia for about an hour which is always a concern. Quentin and I only slept about an hour and a half last night, but things went so smoothly this morning and we're all so glad it's over. Kasidee's poor little baby teeth started looking sort of chipped as soon as they began coming in; the new caps look quite different (with cute little gaps!) - but I'm sure you'll agree that she's still got the sweetest little smile!

12 of 12

Here's my monthly (except I forgot last month!) "12 pictures of the 12th day":

WAFFLES FOR BREAKFAST

PRETTY MOTHER'S DAY FLOWERS FROM MY SWEET MOM

KASIDEE AND MINNIE

FUN AT THE PARK

FINISHING MY BOOK

TAKING MAKENNA TO PRESCHOOL

KASIDEE'S OUTFIT

DINNER

SWEET KASIDEE

KIERA CAUGHT A BOUQUET AT QUENTIN'S NEPHEW'S RECEPTION

CUTE GIRLS!

THE DAY IS DONE...