But wait, there's more!

I taught Henry the best way to eat watermelon. He asks all the time for "watermelon in a big circle"

Sarah finished her first year of swimming lessons. While she wasn't the best swimmer in her group, what she lacked in skill, she made up for it in enthusiasm and fearlessness.

On her last day of class she jumped off the diving board and went down the slide. She's a little fish. She didn't get it from me.

We took the kiddos to the Bean Museum.

 I'm relieved the emerald green carpet survived the renovation.

Bonus points for the addition of big African animals but I miss the 82 kinds of deer.

Justin didn't think this ever really happens in the wild. If the curators are getting creative, I'd like to see bears boxing. Or maybe badgers playing cards.

Justin saw some moose on one of his nature drives (he's going to hate that I called it that).

For a couple of days there, my kids were nonstop playing firefighters. They watched a little too much Fireman Sam.

If you ever want to play, all you need is a bucket for a respirator and an aerosol can for an extinguisher. Then when you spot a fire, yell, "Stand back!"

I got smart and bought a remote for my camera. Sarah said, "So we can take pictures of ourselves?!"

Yup.

With the help of my niece Jaana, Sarah and Henry sold cookies at their own cookie stand. Our neighborhood was uncharacteristically quiet that Saturday morning and I was getting nervous they wouldn't sell a single one. I sent Sarah to go knock on some doors to drum up business.  Luckily several friends came by and they sold a dozen cookies.

I just love the piggy bank right on the table.

Want to know what else I love? Sleeping babies.

And just-awake babies.

Saturday was our neighborhood block party. Justin was put in charge of it this year and I'd say it was a success. More than double came this year than last. All you really need is a slip n slide for a successful party.

This picture captures Henry's actual speed. He started halfway down every time then army-crawled.

I finally got around to feeding Erica some solid food. I was sooo not in a hurry with this baby. Solid food is overrated although I do like the option of leaving her for more than 3 hours (my babies don't do bottles). Most of it ended up on her face and bib, up her nose, or on me but overall it was a good experience.

It actually just made her more curious of what I'm eating and she'll reach for my fork and expect me to share. So it begins.

On Sunday my parents came to church with us then stayed for dinner. I made my Mom make some tapioca pudding because it will be a year until I have another opportunity. (I should have put her to work on a German chocolate cake and some crepes while I had a chance. Dang.) And it gave my kids an all-important cooking lesson with my mom. She is waaaay more patient with them than I.  She also got Henry to finish his dinner, explained the American Revolution to Sarah and shared childhood farm stories. I love my Mom.

And here's a picture of rodeo night. Henry said this is his cowboy shirt.

Who's excited for Pioneer Day? It's my third favorite holiday.

There are 2 kinds of people in this world

Those that like parades

 And those that really, really don't.

Justin and I have yet to establish our own 4th of July traditions. We've been to Lake Powell, watched the fireworks at BYU, been camping, watched fireworks over Niagara Falls, watched neighbors' fireworks from our front yard, camped again, Sidewalk of Fire at my parent's. Since we both grew up doing the exact same thing every year (watching fireworks from the Marriott Center for me, camping for him) it's been slow coming to establish our own traditions.  So this year we again tried something new and went to Logan to visit my brother and his family and see what they do for Independence Day. But we didn't tell our kids we were going. Going to Logan is like going to Disneyland for them. They just thought we were going to the airplane museum. So Wednesday morning I had to pack bags for all of us secretly and it was very hard to do.

First we stopped at Hill Aerospace Museum. It was free and the patriotic thing to do. Henry loves planes and helmets so this is the perfect place for him.

  "Hey guys, look at this!"

 Making their own scary faces.

Coolest helicopter ever.

I love that they have picnic tables under the shade of the planes.

Then we continued north to Logan but let the kids think we were going back home. Sarah knew something was up when we got to Brigham City.  She recognized Sardine Canyon as the canyon to Logan. I told so many lies from there to Matt's house.  I finally gave in once we were on their street. Sarah and Henry were so excited. It was worth the lies.

Thursday morning the boys went fishing up Blacksmith Fork Canyon and the rest of us met them for lunch at a park up there. The park may also be home the last merry-go-round in all the state. My kids had never seen one before.

 It was a hit.

 Peyton and Henry are buds.

That evening we got some dinner, stopped by the house we lived in when I was born then played at a park nearby then went to campus to wait for the fireworks.  I always get super nostalgic when I go to Logan. Between it being my childhood home and my favorite year of college, I have a deep, abiding love for the valley.

 This is the Fourth for me.  Just hanging around, being silly, eating snacks, playing games, watching people. Too bad it was really the 3rd.

 Sarah and Henry "practicing running".

Henry had to copy the way Peyton wore his hat.  And yes, those are my parents back there. They have a little break before they take on their new mission assignment in Philadelphia.

 Gotta love a baby and glow sticks.

 Gotta love a grown man and glow sticks.

Friday morning we went swimming at my parents' hotel then went to Hyrum to see my niece Jaana in the parade. I'm not sure who plans a parade at noon in July because it was hot.

Erica keeping cool in the shade.

 There's Jaana! She's the beauty queen on the left.

All-in-all it was a very festive 4th. We packed in all the 4th festivities we could.  Picnic up the canyon, fishing for the boys, playing at a park, fireworks at USU (complete with rice krispie treats and salt water taffy) swimming, small town parade, barbecue hamburgers and hotdogs with watermelon, yummy Oreo dessert. Needless to say our kids were all asleep minutes into our drive home.

Saturday we joined Justin's parents up at Payson Lakes. We ate lunch and paddled the canoe around. They did a little fishing and Sarah and Henry both caught two fish. They kept their dad and grandpa so busy they didn't get their own poles in the water much. That evening some friends came over for dinner and our kids finally got a much needed shower.

Erica also turned 5 months old.

 She's just getting cuter. And laughier. And rollie-pollier. And slobbery-er. Very slobbery.

June is for fun

After work last week Justin wanted to take us all for a drive up to the top of Hobble Creek Canyon. By the end of the day, the last thing I want is to be confined in a car with all my kids during Erica's fussy time so they went without me and the baby. Sarah got carsick again (it's either the elevation or the windy roads) but they had a blast and I got some much-needed quiet time.

I do have to admit the view is amazing up there.

 The kids love it. They like to look for deer, sheep, cows, turkeys, and elk.

What's the best part about this picture? Is it Erica's cute pineapple outfit? Her drool? Her winning smile? Nope, it's her folded ear.

Father's Day. Apparently I was making them look into the brightness although it was cloudy and the sun was behind the house. They're still good looking.

Sarah loves 2 things: Playing restaurant and cooking. So for Father's Day she made her own Father's Day Cafe.

Inside the menu Justin got to pick what he wanted for breakfast and then Sarah and I got right to work making it. He chose biscuits and gravy just like I knew he would.

Last Friday the stars aligned and 2 of my best friends from high school were all in town at the same time. We missed Angela and wondered if we'd ever see her again as her parents now live in Idaho like her so she doesn't have Utah ties anymore like Tiana and Mandy do.

Henry got really sweaty playing so I had to take a picture of his boy sweaty-ness.

 The girls. Mandy and Ti hadn't seen each other for like 10 years.

Our kids. From L to R: Mandy's 2, Kenzie's daughter (her 3-year-old boy didn't want to leave the playground), my 2 plus baby in carrier, Tiana's twin boys.  There were 5 3-year-olds in the group.

Saturday was the Daddy-Daughter dinner at our church. It was a princess theme. As you can imagine, Sarah had been talking about it for weeks. She's wearing her Cinderella dress and the headband I wore with my wedding dress. She felt fancy. And Justin looked like a prince.

This is what perfection looks like

Erica is in the 50th percentile for height and weight. That makes her THE STANDARD FOR WHICH ALL OTHER BABIES ARE MEASURED. Just kidding. Sarah and Henry always hovered near the 10th percentile so she is our little piggy.

She would not pull her hands from her mouth while I was taking these pictures. She has the best gummy grin but you'd never know it.

She can pout her bottom lip with the best of them. 

And even though she no longer wants anyone to hold her besides me, that's okay.

Sarah loves to bring the garbage can in every Tuesday morning. She watches the truck collect the trash then runs out to get it.

I am sad my kids live in a time where everything broadcast in prime time TV is completely inappropriate for families to watch together. I miss TGIF. So I bought Full House on DVD! We watched the first two episodes on Saturday night in lieu of movie night.  Sarah loved it. When she wasn't laughing she was grinning. Henry liked it too. They ask to watch it all the time and that reminds me so much of myself. (Do any of my siblings remember the time we took the Nebo Loop to Grandma Syme's and I complained we wouldn't get there in time to watch Full House? And then when we finally got there just in time, we saw her TV was broken. I cried).

I may ration the show out by adding The Cosby Show to the line-up. I wonder if I should make them take the full 8 years to watch all the seasons......

There's Erica's famous grin. These two love each other. Sarah makes it out the door and onto her bike most mornings before I have a chance to do her hair. And then if we don't go anywhere, it still doesn't get fixed. Judge me, not her.

 Since everyone had the flu or pink eye on Mother's Day, I didn't get my photo with my kids so we took it last Sunday.  The more kids, the more tries it takes. There's a whole batch of Henry making this pose and face. I keep laughing at it.

 And then just silliness.

 There we go. Henry is in mid chew of his sandwich but it's the best we could do. At least everyone is looking at the camera.

Most days I wonder how I'm going to get through the day with this boy. He's such a stinker and lives to change his mind needlessly, whine about the insignificant and unchangeable, and refuse to do the simplest of tasks. Everything is worth throwing a fit over and I can't do anything right. I like him, but man, he can try my patience.

 Fortunately there are moments like these that remind me what a sweet boy he truly is. They feel fewer and farther between but I know the terrible 3's can't last forever.