July

We came home from California, and Jeff came back from Germany, on the 4th of July. Ron picked us up from the airport and took us back to the house where a wonderful meal awaited. The kids were so happy to see everyone we even got a little firework show across the street. Since Jeff had to work the next day, I took the kids home by myself. We got back very late, but people were sitting in our street watching fireworks from Windsor Lake. Max was asleep in the car so I took him in the house and Lily and Ryan sat on camping chairs in the street watching. It was a great show! We also got to see lots of fireworks on our drive from Westminster to Windsor. 

Happy to be at Mama Baer and Papa's house! 

There was a free Centerra Days event in Loveland that I took the kids to. Ryan was a little nervous to ride this car train, but in the end he had fun. And Lily was thrilled to get a pink one. It started to pour rain so we went in to Build a Bear. We have never been in a store before, but the kids wanted everything. We eventually made a dash for it in the rain because I couldn't handle them asking for one more thing. I'm curious how much extra business they got that day while people ducked out of the rain there.

Lily took a turn driving the police car. 

Lily became a master at pumping this summer! It changed both her life and mine.

We have had bird nests above our front door for years (meaning they keep coming back each spring). I was very motivated to get rid of them, but knew I wasn't supposed to do much with bird poop since I was pregnant. I posted on our FB relief society group asking for recommendations of anyone who could clean it. Jan Chadwick called and said her son Travis would be over in a few minutes with his power wash. I was so grateful to have a clean porch again! I had to keep spraying the hose to stop the birds from building again the next few days. And in the end we put up netting which has kept them away. We will have a professional put up netting all along the front and back porch so we don't have to deal with it each year. 

Ryan had to take a picture of all the people he fit in his car.

Not sure what's going on here, but Max either needs help or his proud that he got the glove on all himself. 

Tara Smith organized a sport and cheer camp put on by her son Landon and Katie Hawkins from the ward. Ryan was excited all week to go, but in the end he didn't want to stay. Lily had a great time at camp each day and learned some cheers and dances. They even got to cheer at a little basketball game the sports camp boys did. On the last day we came while they performed and Lily did a great job!

Meanwhile we hung out at the park while Lily did her camp. Ryan was very happy to have gotten up on this rock by himself. He did need some help getting down. 

We went to Chimney Park pool with the Thurgoods and Smiths one night. It was fun because it was evening hours so it was cheaper. The only downside is it did get pretty chilly. The kids LOVED going down the slide. Lily can do it by herself, which is awesome, and Jeff and I took turns taking the boys. Max could have gone all night long on that slide. We have also been going to a pool at a gym quite a bit, so we became a swimming family this year. I tried not to go without Jeff because it was a lot of work, but the kids have sure loved swimming this summer.   

Lily

Mommy and Max

Max sure loves his daddy.

Lily loves reading to Ryan (or anyone who will listen).  

Since Lily loved the barbie's so much at my parents, my mom sent them home. She was THRILLED to open up this box and see all of the things she has been waiting patiently to play with. 

We finally got it in a state of order. Jeff couldn't believe I was staying up late to help get the pool together and other furniture, but it was very nostalgic for me and fun for me to see Lily so excited. Plus, I just can't believe that all of these dolls and furniture are around 28 years old, it's crazy! Way to keep it stored nicely mom!

I like to do quick trips in the store, but Jeff is good about including the kids while shopping. So they each got a cart  and were happy to shop around Ace Hardware. 

The kids discovered these while getting haircuts.  

Lily had lots of poses, but I settled on this one.  

Ryan loves doing his Paw Patrol puzzles. He is really good them and sometimes I try and help, but he just likes me to watch him put them together, not actually help him.  

Jeff told the kids all about The Princess Bride. This is Max declaring, "I man in black, I man in black!" And Ryan is the sword fighter.

We went to the Cormack's farm and all the kids fed the goats hay, but Max was really enthusiastic about feeding the animals and kept going back for more.  

Ryan brings his superheroes (Iron Man and Captain America)  to the Barbie party. 

It looks like there's one more button that needs to be undone.  

Max is Captain America. 

I think we need to downsize Lily's collection at some point. We had the cleaners come and they did this to her bed. She thought it looked so nice she didn't want to sleep in the bed for several days because she didn't want to mess it up. So she slept in Ryan's. And one night she even slept on the floor in her room. 

Lily loves being by Jeff while he plays. It's very sweet. 

Sarah sent some Star Wars bracelets. The kids loved them and were intrigued by the light. 

A nice bike ride around the lake!

Not sure what's going on here, but it looked like something worth taking a picture of.  

Ryan wants every lego set he sees when we go to the store. We take pictures of the sets on our phone so we can remember. Ryan will then go home and stare at the phone for 20-30 minutes at at time, just memorizing these boxes. We learned we also need to take pictures of the back of the box too. We really should get a subscription to Lego magazine. 

Max was happy to get that helmet on all by himself and to ride around the store. 

Max had a hard time going to nursery and was clinging on to Jeff's leg .

Bathtime bubbles!

Jeff took the kids home teaching with him to the Ford's. This was the first and last time he will take Max with him. 

I went out to Utah for a Thrive Life conference. I'm not exactly sure why I went since I wasn't planning on actively selling the product, but it was a fun getaway. I was so happy to have Darin do some x-rays and give me an adjustment, AO style. He did such a great job and I felt like it was one of the best adjustments I have had! It was so fun to see him in action and see what kind of doctor he is. I was very proud!

Rachel made a delicious dinner for us so it was fun to see her and Wesley too. I then met Ben and Lora Cook at the temple and then stayed at their house. I was thrilled to finally do the initiatory and endowment for Ruba Johnson! This was a name my mom and I had found in January when she came out to visit. We had Darlene Tanner come over to help us with some family history work and randomly found this name. Her husband had had work done by Jim, so we were't sure why she got missed. But it was just a great feeling to get this done. I had one of the Young Women, Christy Rasmussen, do the baptism at the last minute, so it was really neat to get all these boxes checked off! Now only the sealing is left. 

 I have been waiting to get my hair done at Carol Tuttle's Dressing Your Truth Salon for quite a while now, but the timing has never worked out. But this time it did! Nicole did my hair and curled it, and I love it! It has turned out to be a very easy to maintain style, and it was so fun because Rachel and Wesley came too. It was a fun girls outing that Rachel and I realized we have much too little of. I then headed to Davis County for the Thrive convention. I stayed at a house with a bunch of other people, but ended up on the top bunk and was very uncomfortable while I slept. Plus, being pregnant (even though I'm not super far along), I just had to get up in the night to use the restroom. I tried to find a hotel the next morning because I didn't think I could do it again. I talked to my mom and when I told her about my night and that there was also noise from the C-pap machine from my bunkmate below, she and my dad died laughing and my dad said, "get her a hotel room!" So, being my mom, she found one right away on points, that was only minutes away from the convention center. I don't know how she does it, but she sure solves problems quickly. The next night I slept in the most luxurious room and bed, I felt like I was in heaven. The conference was a lot of fun with good food and entertainment and good presentations. I was happy to have gone and meet some nice people. Because of my bad night sleeping, I felt off again, so before I headed to the airport, I drove back to Provo for Darin to give me another adjustment. He was so nice to be willing to help me out again! I was so grateful.

While I was in Utah, the kids stayed in Westminster. Jeff, Diana, Michael, Lisa, and Nick took the kids to WaterWorld. They had a great day, except that Lisa hurt her foot while trying to slow her and Max down on at waterslide. She and Nick had to leave the park and she was in a lot of pain. I felt so bad that she got so hurt just trying to do a good deed for her nephew. But she was a good sport about it, and the rest of the day was fun and exhausting. 

 We found out the gender of the baby while I was in the airport on my way to Utah. I had a genetic blood test, and so I just found out over the phone. Very different that anxiously waiting for that 20 week ultrasound to find out. I was gone for Ryan's birthday, but Mama Baer made a cake and we thought it would be fun to have the inside color let the kids know the gender. So one layer was blue. I was on facetime when they did this, and when Lily realized what was happening, she started to cry. She really wanted it to be a girl so she could have a sister. Jeff told me they would handle it so I got off the phone. Jeff told me later that what she really wanted was to share her room with someone and was okay after some talking. Most people would think that was a perk by not having to share a room, but Lily loves it and whenever Ryan sleeps on the couch she often wants to sleep in his bed so she can share with Max. But aside from that, we are excited to have a little boy join our family! Jeff has thought it would be a boy and I think I would have been surprised had it been a girl, so we are thrilled for this little person to be ours soon.