Busy Celebrating Christmas and Getting Ready

This last week we have been busy, and I forsee the next week to be more of the same.  On Friday we attended our ward Christmas activity.  They served a nice "breakfast for dinner" dinner, and of course Santa was there to hear the kids wish list.  We stood in line with Abby, but as predicted, as soon as we got to Santa, she was too scared and wouldn't let go of Cameron.  So, we'll try again next year!

One of the best parts about living in Eagle Mountain is the fun things the city puts together.  Every year the fire department drives up and down every street with Santa sitting on the fire engine.  I was really looking forward to it this year because I thought Abby would really enjoy it.  We knew they would be driving by on Saturday morning because Cam was working on call from home in case a call came in while the engine was out.  Unfortunatly, a call did come in and Cam had to go to work, and while he was gone, the engine drove down our street.  By the time I heard the sirens, put Abby's shoes on and grabbed her coat, the engine was long gone.  They must have been cruising by pretty fast because it took me only a few seconds to wisk Abby out the door.  We were both bummed to have missed it.

Later Saturday afternoon, we headed to Provo to go to Cam's parents for a family Christmas party.  We had a nice ham dinner and spent time watching the kids play and visiting with one another.  Cam's mom got Abby a little baby doll, and of course she loves it, and now it goes everywhere with her.

Monday, I had a "girls day out" with my friend Jolynne.  We went and got pedicures (such a nice treat when your 9 months pregnant) and did some shopping.  I picked up a few of the last items needed for the baby, and just spent some time without the kids.  It was a much needed break because my patience is running really thin, and poor Abby is almost always on the recieving end when patience has run out. 

Tuesday, I had my FINAL doctors appointment.  Finally a little progress, I'm dialated to a two, and a for sure date was set for the c-section.  Monday, December 21st, here we come!  That means I only have a few more days to complete my long to-do list.  Hopefully, if I keep busy, time will fly by, and before I know it, our little baby will be here!

A Quick Update: 37 weeks

Today I had my 37 week dr appointment.  Everything is still going well.  Unfortunatley there is no progress yet, I'm not dialated or anything.  So now I'm even more grateful for the scheduled c-section since it looks like I won't be going into labor anytime soon.  Usually I have been measuring one week bigger, but this time I measured a week small, which is mind boggling because I feel like my tummy is HUGE and growing by the minute.  However, the end is in sight (less than two weeks), and then the real work begins!

Tis the Season

Yesterday we officially started our holiday festivities by putting up the tree and decorating the house.  It's so cute because Abby LOVES to see houses that are decorated with lights.  She say's "Oh, so pretty!"  I think this Christmas will be really fun to watch Abby experience all the fun and excitement.

We did a lot of the decorating while Abby was napping, but saved putting the ornaments on the tree so she could help.  (This is the face Abby makes when you tell her to say "cheese", it's cute, but not really close to a smile.)

We also decided it was a good day to go to temple square and see all the lights.  We are going to have to squeeze in as many activities as we can before the baby arrives, so we are starting early.  Abby loves to look at pictures of the temples, so we knew she would really get excited to see one up close.  On the way up to temple square we stopped at the IN-N-OUT in Draper that just opened.  Cameron grew up in California, so since he's been living here, he's dearly missed the beloved restaurant.  It was packed inside, so we took our food and ate in the car.

Living with a 2 year old, it becomes quite obvious the phrases that are spoken often in the home, because she picks up on them quick.  When we got off the freeway in downtown, Abby kept saying "almost there" even though she really had no idea if we were or not.  I guess we tell her that all the time : )  I still feel like we are unprepared for the cold, we tried to bundle up, but I found that some of the essentials are still missing, hats and gloves, and right now, I don't have a coat that fits.  You'd think we'd never experienced a Utah winter before.

The lights are always so pretty around the temple.  Of course we had to make stops inside all the buildings.  It's a great chance to get warm for a minute, and we also get to act like a tourist and take pictures of everything.   

Inside the tabernacle.

In front of the temple (it's getting pretty difficult for me to hold Abby).  We all had a great time.  It's so fun to share these fun holiday traditions with Abby.

Thankgiving Day

Well, Abby must have known it was a holiday because she started the day at 6am.  She came running into my room, and jumped on my bed.  We layed around for a while, and once Cameron got home from work around 8am we officially started the day.  Cameron's family was coming to our house for dinner, and we were supposed to provide the pies and rolls.  I lucked out this year, because Cam offered to make the pies.  He had a apple pie recipe he wanted to make and share with everyone.  All I had to do was put the Rhodes rolls out to thaw and rise.  SO EASY!  But I did have some last minute cleaning to get done.  Thankfully, we got all this done, and I even had some time to relax for a few minutes (which was dearly needed because of the early morning rise). 

Once everyone arrived, us girls pretty much stayed in the kitchen trying to get all the food going and stuff, and the boys, well, I don't know what the boys were doing, probably fighting or playing video games (the usual).  Dinner was so good, you can't really beat a full spread of Thanksgiving favorites!  We then played some games and just visited.  It was a nice day spent with family.

A year of Thanks

This year has been a great year, so many wonderful things that we are thankful for.

1. Of course, having another little girl is a huge blessing in our lives.  We are also thankful for a easy, healthy pregnancy.
2. Family.  This year, especially, I am greatful for the support of both my family and Cam's family.  They have both been there for us when we need.  I have realized this year the importance of family, and that it truly is #1.
3. My hubby Cameron.  He works SO hard, and sacrifices so much so that we have all the things that we need.  Watching him go to work without complaint everyday, has really taught me to take my "job" as a mom and homemaker seriously, and follow his example and do the best that I can everyday.  I try not to complain, but I haven't mastered that nearly as well as Cameron.  He also is a great father, and LOVES playing with Abby.  Cam is so supportive when it comes to me being pregnant.  I believe that since men don't have to physically endure being pregnant, it's their job to listen to all the complaints and be a shoulder to cry on when things (hormones) are too much.  I'm sure he's tired of hearing my hourly updates on whats hurting, but he at least pretends to care (which is all I ask, really) and seems sympathetic.  He is my true love, and I can't believe how lucky I am that I get to spend eternity with him.
4. Abby.  Although taking care of a 2 year old has it's challenges, there are so many more blessings that makes it SO very worth it.  She brings laughter and energy into our home everyday.  I love watching her learn and grow.  When I look back, even only a couple of months,  it seems like she is growing so fast.  I don't want to even blink because I'm afraid I'll miss something.  I love her so much!
5. Our home.  As we have all watched the economy go down and down, I can't help but be greatful for our house, which we have truly made our home.  Even though it's not "the perfect house", it has everything we need and more.
6. Cam's job.  He loves his job so much, and that means more to us than huge paychecks.  Like the saying goes "if you choose a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life".  This year especially, I'm greatful for his job because we really feel he has a lot of job security, and there is a lot of comfort in that right now.

I'm sure their is more that I should be adding to the list, but these are the blessings we enjoy everyday, so they are on our minds all the time.

A Funny Story

I got this story in an e-mail recently, and it made me laugh. I thought this would be a good thing to keep, so I can look back on it when I really need a laugh.

34 weeks, and Growing Bigger, Bigger, Bigger

Today I had my 34 week appointment. Things are going wonderfully, the doctor tells me I make his job very easy. Although this was my 34 week appointment, because I'm doing a c-section, I only have about 4 more weeks left till D-day. At times that feels like a lifetime away, and other times it feels right around the corner. Lately, I have been spending a lot of time wondering what life will be like with another little baby. I can only imagine how things are going to change, but I probably have no idea how it's going to be.

I am, however, unsure of how my tummy could stretch any bigger. I know it's gonna happen, and it's gotten this big, and bigger before. But, my shirts already barely cover my stomach, my pants don't stay up, and the baby is taking all the room and leaving very little space for food to fit in my stomach.

It's been fun "nesting" and getting things ready for her to join our family. I think we both are anxious to meet this little girl, and I have to admit that enough time has passed since Abby was an infant that a lot of the "unpleasant" things are fuzzy and the wonderful things are all I can focus on.

Singing All Day Long

Abby has become quite the performer.  She loves to sing songs, and when possible, she'll dance too.  I am so suprised at how quickly she can learn a song.  Her memory is amazing, she must get that from Cameron, because she certainly didn't get it from me.  It's so cute, because she isn't shy about singing and will sing anytime, anywhere.  Some of her favorite songs to sing are:

• ABC's
• I Had a Baby Turtle
• The Kids in the Pool (the swimming version of "The Kids on the Bus")
• Popcorn Popping
• 3 Little Monkeys
• Ring Around the Rosey
• and many more from Seseme Street

We've learned that sometimes when a tantrum strikes, or boredom in the car gets to be too much, breaking into a song is a good distraction.  Abby has a real love for learning, and I've found that she really picks up on a topic or idea quickly if it's put to song.  I love this age that she is at, it seems like her little brain is a sponge and is just soaking up all sorts of knowledge.  I have started to teach her some Christmas songs, so hopefully, she will be ready to entertain us during the holiday season!

Just the Two of Us

Cam's parents offered to take Abby for a weekend before the baby comes, in order to give us some time together before, once again, our life changes completely. This last weekend, Cameron just happened to have off Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I don't know how that happened, but we jumped on the chance and asked Dan and Alex if they could watch Abby this weekend. So, on Friday morning, they came and picked her up, and of course she was super excited!  She just love spending time with pretty much anybody other than boring ol' Mom and Dad. Once they left, we spent the day running errands. One of which was to take "Rocko the dog" (the title Abby gave him) to the shelter. We decided that he was way more trouble than he was worth. We have come to realize his many bad habits, tearing up the lawn, barking, and worst of all, he is very territorial which makes me extremely nervous. So the other day we were outback and realized he'd destroyed a good 20 sq feet of our lawn, Cam had had enough and made the final decision to get rid of him.  So we said our good-byes and took him to his temporary home.  We feel confident that he will get adopted from the shelter because he is still young and he is healthy.

On Saturday, we painted the baby's room. I had totally intended to paint it a pale yellow, but when we got to the paint store, we both agreed that the raspberry pink was much better (surprisingly, even Cam liked this color better). So we put on some grubby clothes and got to work. It was nice to work together on a project, and we were both quite pleased with the outcome.

I still need to put the finishing touches on the room, but all in all, it's ready and waiting for her arrival.

Cam was able to pick up a shift for work, so he went to work overnight. We both enjoy when the opportunity comes for him to work overnight, because you can't beat getting paid to sleep (of course, that's only if they don't get any calls)! I just stayed home and relaxed.

Sunday, was just a day of more relaxation, until Abby returned home in the afternoon. When she got home, she wasn't fully awake because she'd been sleeping in the car, but I think she was glad to see us again.  But it didn't take very long before  it became quite obvious that she was worn out from the weekend. A massive tantrum and crying fit are always clear signs of a tired little girl.

I am so grateful to Dan and Alex for offering to watch her for us, it seems like our life revolves around Abby right now, so it's nice for the opportunity to get some time to ourselves. But I do have to say, I missed her dearly!

Big Girl Bed

Last week, I had a small freak-out. I felt like we were SO not ready for this baby to come (only 6 more weeks). So, we took the plunge and moved Abby into a twin bed. We went shopping, and let Abby pick out some sheets and blankets (with some guidance from Cam and I). This bedding is just temporary because the bedding that I really want matches her room but its kind of expensive. We also got some guard rails, which took us about 2 hours too long to put together because it didn't have the instructions, so we were totally guessing. And we guessed wrong several times before we got it together.

But once everything was together, Abby was really excited to spend her first night in her "big girl bed". So far, so good. She goes to sleep with no problems, and still waits in bed for me to come and get her!

I also cleaned out the babies room that had collected tons of junk, and have started the process of turning the room into a nursery. I've picked out the "theme" for the room,
but I still want to paint and find some wall decorations. I think if everything goes according to plan, we might just be ready for our little baby when the time comes.

P.S. In case it isn't already obvious, I am a huge planner and organizer, so, yes, I have planned pretty much everything for the arrival of our little girl.

Halloween

This year for Halloween, Abby dressed as a dancer. It was easy for me to choose that as her costume because she really LOVES dancing.

Cameron was working on Halloween, so I took Abby down to "trick-or-treat" at the firestation. After a quick visit, we headed over to Cameron's parents so she could "trick-or-treat" there too. Are, Will and Piper were also there.  That pretty much concluded our night, I figured that the few pieces of candy she got at the two stops was enough for our VERY active two year old.

"The Kids in the Pool..."

For the last two weeks, every morning Abby and I have gone to the Lehi pool for swimming lessons. I put Abby in the Mom & Tot swim class in hopes that she would learn to get more comfortable in the pool. For several months, we have regularly gone swimming to the pool, but Abby didn't seem to be gaining a whole lot of confidence in the water. So, it seemed like the perfect time to put her in swim lessons. It didn't take very long, and she was jumping and splashing with confidence in the water. I was shocked at how quickly she learned everything. We worked on:

*floating on stomach/back

*kicking

*blowing bubbles

*going completely under water

*jumping into the water

*climbing out of the pool

*crawling along the wall

*and singing songs

It wasn't all fun though. After the first day, I realized that getting Abby OUT of the water was going to be the most difficult part. She has definitly perfected the art of throwing a tantrum, and EVERYONE at the pool witnessed them on several occassions. So embarrassing!

Potty Time!

So this last week has been an exciting one. I decided to try to potty train Abby! She has been showing signs that she was ready for a while, but I had a hard time believing that she truly was because she's just barely two years old. I finally just thought I'd try, and see how it went. AND...it's gone great. She caught on so quickly. On day 5, she managed to do all her "buisness" in the potty, and no accidents. I know we aren't completely in the clear, and there are likely to be more accidents, but I do feel confident that we will soon see the end of diapers (at least till the next little baby comes along).

I'm proud of our little girl, and in shock at how quickly she has grown up. With the disappearance of diapers, it will be official that she's no longer a baby, and is now big girl. I know it sounds so cliche to say "they grow up so quickly", but THEY GROW UP SO QUICKLY!

28 Down, 12 To Go

Today I had my 28 week check-up, and everything looks good. I have found, as I enter this last trimester, that all the aches and pains are starting, the heartburn has returned with a vengeance, I don't know how my tummy could possibly get any bigger, sleep is harder to come by, I'm super forgetful, and time is no longer flying by. Other than that, I feel great! :)

I was also given good idea of when my c-section will be scheduled, and unfortunately, it seems that I will most likely be in the hospital for Christmas. Oh well, Abby won't know the difference if we celebrate on a different day, and having a newborn has to be one of the best gifts a person can receive.

I do feel very grateful for how smoothly this pregnancy has gone, and hope that these last few weeks continue the same way!

Breakfast, Firetrucks, and Tons of Fun

On Saturday, the Orem Fire Department did a fund raiser by cooking a breakfast in the Macey's Grocery Store parking lot. Macey's donated all the food, and so all the money the fire department raised they got to keep. Cam was helping cook, and he asked if Abby and I would like to come for some food. So we went to Orem first thing in the morning to eat a pancake breakfast. Cam's parents also came to show their support. It was really neat, they had tons of fire trucks and ambulances, even two life flight helicopters were there. Abby, always loves to see the fire trucks and stuff, but was a little unsure of the helicopters.



Especially when one of them landed while we were there, it was really loud and super windy. There were tons of people and lots of good food. It's always nice to see all the support the community gives to the fire department.

Goodbye, Ethan! See ya in 2 years

Cam's youngest brother, Ethan, goes into the MTC today. He's is headed to Edmonton, Canada mission. He will be dearly missed. Cam spends a lot of time with him playing games and hanging out. Ethan has also helped us out several times by babysitting Abby. Abby absolutely loves Ethan, but is quite shy around him. It sometimes takes a while before she warms up to him. It's crazy to think of all the changes that will be taking place while he is gone. Unfortunately, he will miss the birth of two nieces, and I'm sure there are to be many more major events, yet unknown.

This last month, we have spent a lot of our time doing family activities in preparation for his departure. We attended the temple while he went through for the first time, went to his farewell, and have tried to squeeze in as much fun family time as possible. Unfortunately, Cam had to work today, and so we didn't go to the MTC, but we went over Monday night to say our final good-byes.

I know Ethan will be a great missionary, and we are so proud of him for making this choice to serve the Lord for two years.

Brush, Brush, Brush!

Here is Abby, proudly showing off her clean teeth!



This week, Abby had her first dentist appointment. I decided to take her to a pediatric dentist with hopes that they are prepared to handle difficult a 2 year old. I was nervous at how she would do because she is quite shy, and isn't the greatest at allowing even Cam and I brush her teeth. I talked to her about where we were going, and tried to make it sound very exciting. The dentist was great, and super nice, and Abby cried only a little. He did a quick brush of her teeth, and looked around her mouth briefly. Luckily, he gave her the "all clear", and we will be back in 6 months for another check.

Feeling So Very Greatful!

The last couple of weeks I've been feeling very greatful for the wonderful blessings in my life. It seems that most of the time I'm just thinking of all the things that I don't have, instead of reflecting on how really blessed I am. Lately, I think that I have a permanant smile on my face, because I am SO happy with the life that we have created. I have an amazing, loving husband, who works hard to support our family, is an awesome father to Abby, and the list goes on and on. We have a beautiful house, that although it's located in the middle of nowhere, keeps us warm and cozy all year long. I have a beautiful, smart little girl, that I love spending my time with. Abby makes me laugh and smile all day long as I get the oppurtunity to watch her grow and develop into an amazing child. We have another little baby on the way, and so far both me and the baby are healthy, and going strong. Both Cameron's and my family are super supportive and loving to all of us, and we always look forward to the time we get spend together. We always have enough to get the things that we need (and sometimes the things that we want). We truly are blessed!

Happy Birthday to Abby!

While we were in Colorado, Abby had her second birthday. I always love when these type of special occasions happen while visiting my family because I feel that they miss out on so much. So, I made Abby a cake




(Elmo of course, Abby's favorite right now), and we opened presents. Cam and I went in together with my parents and bought Abby a little kitchen set.



I'm hoping that once the baby comes, Abby will be content to play in her room with the kitchen while I am feeding and rocking the baby. We'll see! But for now, she loves it and wants me to "eat" food with her all the time. She also got a few more toys, and my Mom got her some books for Sacrament meeting. I think she is old enough to graduate to "churchy" activities only during Sacrament meeting, so hopefully these new books keep her entertained. Abby had so much fun opening presents, eating cake and ice cream and playing with the balloons.

Then, yesterday, we had a little party, so that Cam's family could also celebrate her birthday. So, once again, I made an Elmo cake, we opened presents and played. While in Colorado, I got the materials to make a quilt for Abby and for the new baby. I worked a lot on it and finished Abby's just a few days ago. So I gave that to her for her "second" birthday party.



Since it was a special occasion, we let Abby stay up late, and she had tons of energy (probably from the cake and ice cream) and jumped and danced with her cousin Hyrum.




It's so nice to spend time with his family because it's only a few more weeks until Ethan goes to the MTC. I think we all are treasuring the chances to all be together.

Oh, so busy in August!

This last month I had a lot going on. My parents and brother Jeff came for a visit for a few days. My mom wanted to see my grandparents and help them out and my dad and brother tagged along. The majority of the time that they were here, they spent in SLC with my grandparents and I stayed behind to get all the daily chores and stuff done. When it was time for the family to return to Colorado, Abby and I went too. I always enjoy returning home to Colorado, but I was worried about this particular trip because we would be there for so long (over two weeks). Thankfully we were able to work it out so that I could drive my car over and I wouldn't be with out a car for so long.

My mom and I decided that while I was there we would babysit Kenna for my sister, that way Abby and Kenna could get in some serious bonding time. I'm glad that they got along so well, it made watching them so much easier.




Since we were on vacation, I decided it was okay to splurge a little. One night we went to Baskin Robins for ice cream and I got Abby her own little scoop of ice cream. She was in seventh heaven and loved every bite of ice cream. She is quite handy with the utensils, even though you wouldn't know from these pictures. She managed to get the majority of it in her mouth, but a few spoonfuls slid off the spoon.



The first Saturday that I was there, Michelle and I took Abby and Kenna to a place called "Jumpin'". It's one of those play places filled with inflatable play houses. Abby LOVES to jump, so I figured it would be a hit with her. However, I failed to remember that she is extremely timid when it comes to new things. Michelle and I tried everything to get her to jump around. Michelle took her in and jumped with her, and took her down the slide, all of which forced Abby to tears. So eventually, me and my pregnant belly went in and spent a good 20 minutes slowly getting Abby to warm up to the jumping. Once she discovered how fun it was, she didn't want to stop! Kenna, who is fearless, was all over the place and having a ball the whole time.







Later that night, my Dad was washing his car, and Abby helped him, it was SO cute. She really only washed the front bumper, but I'm sure it is spotless!




Finally, about a week and half after our arrival in Colorado, Cam flew over. I'm so glad that he is willing to stay behind to work, but we sure missed him!

Cam grew up in California and is a huge Dodgers fan. And he totally lucked out because the week that he was over, the Rockies were playing the Dodgers. So Cam, my Dad, and my brother Jeff went to a game. Luckily for Cam, the Dodgers even won (unlucky for my family who totally support the Rockies).

In Loveland, there is a new park there that is SO awesome! It has a little splash park. So one afternoon when the sun was shining, we took Abby to "splash". However, her timidness returned, and only a little splashing took place. This time I wasn't willing to get wet and help her get comfortable. But she had fun anyways.




There is another park in Loveland, that has a little train for little kids to ride. So we took Abby for a short ride.



The day before we came home, Cam and Abby and I went up to Estes Park, it's a small mountain town comparable to Park City. One place that it's famous for is the Stanley Hotel. It's the hotel that inspired Steven King to write the Shining. It's also where they filmed the "new" version of the Shining which was a tv mini-series in the '90s. So we went there and saw it. It's is such a huge place, but most of it's open to guests only. Then we toured the shops and had lunch.



It was so nice, because while I was there, I was able to visit with some old friends. One night, Michelle and I went to our friends Toni's house for dinner. It was nice to visit, but with three 2 year olds and an infant to try to keep happy, it was quite a task for us. Then another day, we went and had lunch with a childhood friend Tammy. It was so nice to see her because she has been living in Alaska for several years and so it's been a long time since we've seen each other. I also got a chance to visit with Crystal, a friend that lived next door to us. I'm so glad that I got the chance to visit with old friends, because I rarely take the opportunity when I return home, but it was nice to catch up!



We finally returned home on the 31st. I am so grateful for all the time that we got to spend with my family. It was nice to never be alone, and for Abby to spend some quality time getting to know my family.

It's a...

It's a GIRL! We had the 20 week ultrasound, and saw the baby, and it is definitely a girl. Cam and I are both excited, and I'm sure if Abby understood, she would be too.

I can' believe that I am already half way through the pregnancy, it has gone so fast (thank goodness). I started feeling the baby move around 17 weeks, and now she has become quite the powerful little kicker. My tummy is also rapidly growing bigger. I'm quickly being reminded of why the second half can be so uncomfortable.

Abby has recently developed quite a bit of jealousy. If my attention is given to another child, she is NOT happy. It's kind of a new phase, and I was hoping for it to not get too bad before the baby was born. So I think we will ALL be in for a bit of an adjustment when this little princess is born.

Rocco, the New Arrival

Yesterday Cam called me from work saying that a stray dog had wandered into the fire station, and was wondering if we should bring him home. At first I said no, especially when Cameron described him as looking liking a coyote (eeww!). But he was persistent and had Abby and I go to the station to take a look. Once we saw the dog, it was REALLY hard to resist. He was just skin and bones, and was so lethargic from not having eaten in a while. He was very friendly and much cuter than a coyote. So needless to say, the little guy is here, and has become fast friends with Rory. Cam has already named him Rocco. We have no idea what breed (or mix of breeds) he is, but I'm kind of curious to find out. On Monday we have an appointment at the vet to get him checked out, so if everything looks good, we will be the owners of not just one, but two dogs. I must be crazy!!!



(See how skinny he is, his little ribs stick out SO much. So sad.)

4 Day weekend and The Hogle Zoo

Last week I looked at Cameron's work calendar and was pleasantly surprised to discover he had a four days off this weekend. We thought about taking a quick trip down to St. George to see family, but when we saw the weather report and it was gonna be blazing hot we decided to stay local and fit in some activities we have wanted to do all summer. Yesterday we took Abby to the Scera Pool in Orem because Cam has free passes because he is a city employee. I even braved putting on a swim suit (which was made even more difficult by the fact that I'm growing out my regular clothes, but not quite in maternity) and got in the water too. Abby is a little unsure of the water, and just stood around a lot. But we all had fun, and I realized that I need to take her more often so she will get comfortable.


Today we went to the Hogle Zoo, and we invited Are and Piper to come along. It was fun because Abby is really interested in learning about tons of animals and we have tried to teach the sounds that different animals make. So we thought it was time she saw all these animals in person.


She loved the elephants, the bears and the monkeys. The Hogle Zoo is great because it is kind of smaller so you can be in and out in a couple of hours. With it being quite warm, we were ready to leave once we'd seen most of the animals.



Piper is only 7 months old, and wasn't all that interested in the animals, but she happily rode in her stroller the whole time.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Last friday we went to the open house of the Oquirrh (man, that's a difficult one to spell) Mountain Temple. It was so beautiful. They lay out is a little different than I'm used to but I really enjoyed being able to take Abby inside. My only regret was that it was SO busy when we went. It was like cattle being herded through every room.

Provo River Trail

Today I decided we would go for a walk up the Provo River Trail. I absolutely love this trail. If I didn't have to push Abby in the stroller I probably would have ran, rather than walked (I love my jogging stroller, but pushing it up hills is killer. Abby, plus the weight of the stroller has to be close to 50 lbs), that way I could have covered more ground, and seen more of my favorite places along the path. The cool breeze that comes off the river, all the wildlife, and the many parks makes it so nice. We saw a snake sitting on the trail, so I pointed it out to Abby and she was only mildly interested. We played at the park, which of course was the highlight for Abby.




She also loved the river. We found a little spot that we could play right next to the water.


Abby's unsure footing kept making me so nervous, so we didn't hang out too long before we returned to dryer ground.

By the time we got back to the car, it was lunch time. So for a special treat I thought we could go to Wendy's for some lunch. It was a nice idea, but the actual experience was HORRIBLE! Abby was getting tired, so I knew that the chance of her throwing a fit was very high. We almost made it through the whole lunch, but when it came time to eat the frosty, the tears started, and the screaming was loud. So, all the food went in the trash, including the uneaten frosty, and we headed home. It's so frustrating when we try to do something fun and nice, and that is how she behaves. GRRR!!! Abby's not even two yet, but I have a feeling the "terrible two's" will be fierce at our house.