week without Mack

Mack spent Monday-Friday with my parents last week. It was AWESOME. It was just what this over-stimulated, under-rested Mom needed. He was very excited to go on a special Mack trip to Grandma's all by himself with his own suitcase. He did a lot better than we all thought he would considering how much he cries before we take him to nursery on Sunday. Granny and Grampa spoiled him, of course. He got all the one-on-one attention he wanted (and deserved) and we got a quiet house with no catastrophes for five quiet days. Don't get me wrong, we did miss him dearly!

While he was gone...

Dax went and cut a bunch of wood for this winter



we got the rocks for our front yard
I FOUND MY WEDDING RING!
I cut Hunter's hair and curled Preslie's hair for picture day
I enjoyed quiet time with my sweet baby

I slept when she slept
I finished reading Fablehaven 4 to Preslie and Hunter
I ate grown-up lunch
I called and chatted with my sisters (so nice without constantly worrying what my toddler was getting into)
I took Quinn for walks

I sure love my cute boy! It was so fun to go to Salt Lake and see him again. He squeezed me so tight and just kept saying, "Hello! Hello!" And "I love ya, Mom." We met up with him and my parents at my uncle's 75th birthday celebration. I can't believe I have an uncle that is 75. (And my niece just went to college last week, too! Crazy. anyway...)

We made it for the tail end of the party but from what I hear it was quite a bash. My Uncle Dee seemed super happy to have so many family and friends surprise him and put on such a fine party. I got to see a few relatives that I haven't seen in over a decade. I got a picture of just a few.

We spent the weekend with my parents, saw Aunt Sharon, got stuck in a road closure in Parley's Canyon for 2 hours, and are now home safe and sound and all together. He might be a little intense, but we are glad the Mack is BACK.

Quinn's Blessing

Our parents came to spend the weekend with us and celebrate our beautiful baby. We had a great time and delicious food. The grandmas loved Quinn to pieces and I loved having extra adults around to hold the baby. Dax gave a beautiful blessing Sunday in our ward's sacrament meeting and Dax and I both shared our testimonies. A special day for sure.

enjoying the harvest

oh my gosh. i love this time of year. i love the weather and all the fresh veggies and fruits going on in people's gardens. we just have a baby garden this year but our tomato plants are so awesome. some of our friends have been so kind as to share their harvest with us, too. the fall festivities are around the corner and we can finally open the windows at night for some cool fresh air. i have a darling baby and i am not pregnant. life is good.

first day of school and other stuff

Dax smoked some ribs a couple Sundays ago and we had our friends the Ewells over to chow with us. I am back to church now after having a few Sundays off and things are so far so good. Mack has reverted back to crying about going to nursery but does fine after I leave. I am looking forward to when I can fit (not squeeze) into my clothes again. I guess it has only been a month since I was sharing a body, but still.



Dax took the kids camping last weekend for one last summer hoorah before school starting. Quinn and I took our first shopping trip together and I thought it would be more fun; I just ended up missing my family and wishing I was with them.




Our grass is thriving! Dax mowed it for the first time and it looks great. Our house looks so different with that patch of green out front. We need to buy a lawn mower now.. had to borrow the neighbor's.

This is the yard before the sod. We still have to fill in our borders. A work in progress.



The kids started school! Wow. 2 full-timers. I think my kids have such pretty eyes. It is weird to have Hunter gone all day.

What a summer it has been. Although we've done a ton and it has been insane, it is still hard to believe winter is around the corner. I am excited for the coming holidays, but nervous about tackling it all with a new baby. Dax has so much on his plate right now. He is so close to finishing his Master's degree, is working insane hours (like he just left for work at 9pm), has young men's every week, sometimes twice a week plus weekend camps or Sunday lessons. He also helps plan and cook meals which is a life saver for me. I am seriously running around the house most of the day one-handed with a baby stuck to me. I sure love my family and although it feels like I do for them all day, I miss them. There is really not a lot of time for quality time. I like to be busy, and can't imagine life with no kids. I find it funny that they love Antoine Dodson.

Preslie is growing up so much. I love having her around. She is the best help and I love girly chats with her. We like to talk clothes, shoes, hair. I am glad she is finally caring about her hair and letting me fix it. She started planning her outfits for school 2 months ago. This is her on the first day with her outfit perfect from earrings down to her toenails. Is she 8 or 18?

Hunter is just in Hunterland most of the time. He has Lego Star Wars on the brain. He is so sweet though. And so thoughtful. Tonight he wore a pull-up to bed because he didn't want me to miss any sleep getting him up to go to the bathroom in the night because he knew I would be tired from waking up with Quinn. What six-year-old thinks of that? He is a good boy and keeps us all in line.

Mack is a total joy and a challenge. He gets in the mud multiple times per day. He is a pill to put to bed and has a hard time obeying. He pretty much ignores Dax and me when we talk to him. He put it best tonight as I was lying him down..."It is hard to be a big brother. I just don't want to obey you."


Quinn is just super cute but also kinda funny looking cause she is losing hair on top. All my kids have done this around 1 month old. Thank goodness for hair bows. And halelujah, she is starting to sleep a little better at night! We may survive!

We lost 2 very important items in the past couple weeks.
1. our waffle iron died. It was a wedding gift and I guess after nearly 10 years, it was done.
2. my wedding ring has disappeared. I am so sad and I don't know if it will ever show up. I took it off last month when my hands were swelling like crazy and now it is gone. I love that ring and it has a sentimental story behind it. I know it is material, but it is so special to me. I am heart broken about it.

Time to hit the sack. Wish me luck tonight. And also my hubby who will be working hard all night long all for little creatures known as black-footed ferrets, or BFFs. What would you do for a BFF? Probably not stay up all night trying to find one.

you may be onto something

if you think Mack and Quinn look like bro and sis...

happy sleep

comings and goings (and stayings home)

Quinn's 2 week check today. she is up 6 oz from her birth weight and a half inch taller.

lots and lots of reading. Mack's new fave: The Fat Cat (a book from my childhood- it has no cover and has been colored in and loved). Preslie, Hunter and I are in the middle of Fablehaven 4. Awesome. I registered the kids for school this week. Can't believe summer is almost over.. BOOO HOOOO!

Dax's bro and Abbey and Mya came out to see us and meet Quinn. Here is Matt posing as a local.

It was our area's huge annual celebration while our visitors were here. It is a week full of activities, shows, talents, pageants, a parade and always a "big" performer doing a concert at the park Saturday night followed by fireworks. This year Patty Loveless came, opened by Nathan Osmond. I stayed home with Mack and Quinn but could hear the whole concert since the park is practically in my back yard. We were bummed Patty didn't sing our favorite song of hers "I Think About Elvis". Here is Preslie so ready for the concert and looking cute in her cowgirl boots..



Earlier that day we took advantage of the fair food and festivities in the wind, rain and all..


Preslie and Hunter pooled their money and bought a little frog that now resides with their 2 fish. They named him Basin.
Having a newborn, Dax and I lacked the energy we would have liked to really party. But we had fun with what little we were able to do and are glad Matt and Abbey came out to hang with us.


Here is my attempt to show Quinn's reddish hair. It is a super pretty color, light brownish-red.


And this is probably the last pic I'll ever have of her sucking a binky. For some reason, NONE of my kids have taken a pacifier. Quinn acts like I've fed her poison when I try to put it in her mouth. She screams.