July- Each Kid

Natalie:

We all love our new cozy furniture! 

Another special discussion to prepare for baptism down! It really is impressive how much she knows and understands about the gospel, and how strong her faith is as we teach new principles. 

Running around crazily as we wait for swim lesson time!

She decided this will be a new tradition- to take a picture of her feet where ever she goes! 

While hiking with cousins they told us about this movie called Echo about an alien owl thing and so Kent and the kids watched it (while I sort of watched but mostly worked on scrapbook catching up!) and Natalie LOVED it and started carrying around this little owl key chain EVERYWHERE. She is already obsessed with videos (the movie is "filmed" by a kid, like he uses his own footage to tell the story) and begs me all the time to become a daily vlogger or to get her a camera so she can vlog herself everyday. One day I even let her use our old camera and she used up ALL the memory on the card before the day was over. Some of her videos were hilarious!

Like she needed another reason to love owls! 

The other obsession of Natalie's has been the American Girl doll Grace Thomas, who gets to visit Paris and open a bake shop business. She begged me for literally weeks to let her do an outrageous bake sale. After I finally talked her out of the eclairs, we made the announcement to the neighbors and got to work! She made flyers and business cards and handed them out all over the neighborhood.

She (and I!!) worked so hard! Some of it we were able to do the night before, like the BONBONS. Oh yes. Brownie bite bonbons people. And they were dang good if I do say so myself!

The morning of was hectic to say the least. This is ALL we did that day. Make stuff in the kitchen without cleaning up as you go= hurricane! 

We made fudge for the first time and honestly I may never made it again. I didn't know it until Kent tried it later, but they said to use superfine sugar for a reason and no, "a couple seconds in the food processor" does not make regular sugar into superfine sugar thanks for nothing internet answers! 

After the bonbons the croissants were definitely the most involved. You guys, it was ALL I COULD DO to just stay calm and not grab the rolling pin away from them as they haphazardly pushed the dough around. If you have ever made croissants you know it is an extremely delicate process and the final product showed that small hands made them with such love but little experience. =o] I learned that no matter how many tips and explanations you give, sometimes you just have to get the feel of a technique for yourself. I can't tell them how to do everything or show them how and then have them try and copy it or even put my hands over theirs and do it together; every one of us has to make our own croissants.

At first we set up in front of the garage for easy access to the fridge and freezer items but it looked too ghetto for her cute shop, and it was too HOT! 

So we moved it onto the porch. It was great except it meant a TON of literally running back and forth to the kitchen for me. Seriously, it was crazy!!!

Here are all the things she sold. Oh and not pictured is raspberry lemonade and regular lemonade. 

I was so glad her first customer was Kent. It was so sweet of him to support her! Especially at the very beginning when things were slow and she worried if anyone would come. 

The next couple HOURS were a blur as literally dozens of neighbors and friends stopped by to purchase her products. She looked so pleased! And aside from the fudge, which ironically sold out first, it was all delicious! My friend took this picture as they came up the walk. 

That evening after dinner Kent and Natalie counted up the money and set aside 10% for tithing and then he explained the importance of "paying yourself" by saving 10% as well. She went along with it all until he said "and now you need to pay off your debt to mom and dad for all the stuff we bought for the bake sale". She flipped out. Seriously, for like 20 minutes and through Kent trying to explain it several different ways she just kept sobbing and saying things like "I'm not in debt to you! You didn't tell me I would be going into debt! This isn't fair because you TRICKED ME into going into debt!!" I was actually kind of hurt by this reaction because initially I felt like she was being greedy and not appreciating how much I did for her and her little dream to come true, but as the time wore on and she persisted with her stance I felt like there was an underlying issue because this was so unlike her. I went upstairs and prayed to know what to do and a minute later when she followed me up still crying I just sat with her on the bed and gave her a hug (for 20 seconds!!) before asking what was actually wrong and why she was responding this way for no reason. She explained through her sincere tears that she didn't mean to go into debt because the prophet told us to not go into debt and she didn't want to make a wrong choice she just wanted to have a bake sale. Sweet girl. I hugged her even tighter and assured her that this was just a huge misunderstanding. We got it all sorted out and then explained what had happened to Kent. So she cheerfully handed over a dollar for each of the items we had purchased for the sale and went on her merry little way. What a sweetheart!

We also had the chance to crash a family reunion with our friends the Hyers! It is so fun to live in Utah and catch people as they go through! We are so grateful for Maren and the friendship she and Natalie get to continue! 

Caleb:

Caleb is quite the character! This is so typical of him, and yet so is running around crazily covered in mud! 

He is super skinny but so strong and flexible!! I took this one night when I was teaching them some yoga and he made up this move. =o] 

Here he is as they ran laps waiting until swim lessons!

Caleb's half birthday was this month. You will find he is quite the negotiator if you talk to him long enough. He decided that instead of our past tradition of going out for ice cream and getting a best friend t-shirt with a friend, he would rather have a razor scooter and just go play at the park with a friend, because "really, they are probably like basically the same price". True! So we did it and he was in HEAVEN!!! 

The Saturday before I took him to a skate park I had seen (because Kent was going to be out of town on the actual day and so it wouldn't be a "special date" if all the siblings came!) and he and his friend rode around having the best time. They both fell tons of times but would get right back up all cool like nothing happened lol!

Then on his actual half birthday he begged to go back so we did with everyone this time. 

We brought along the scooter he had received years ago and Jenna and even Seth had fun taking turns riding it around. Only Natalie had a horrible time because she didn't have a scooter of her own (which is "SO NOT FAIR!!!!!!") 

For his not-cake he asked for jello! He helped to make it and between the four kids they ate the ENTIRE bowl by the end of the night! 

We are so glad to have a 5 1/2 year old Caleb in our family!!

Caleb can tackle any monkey bars at any park now!

Jenna:

Her head wound has healed and is now a scar. 

She too enjoys reading on our comfortable new couches!

Jenna's Queen Day was this month and she had such an awesome day!

She wanted to go shopping to get a new princess nightgown.

She wanted to try the Blueberry Lehi Roller Mills muffins instead of the raspberry ones we normally have. They did not disappoint!

We got to play outside in the BEAUTIFUL weather while we waited for the cousins to arrive.

For her queen day Jenna wanted to play with Owen. They are best pals!

Here they are playing "mom and dad and baby"- Jenna's favorite game ever!

She even shared some of her special princess goldfish crackers with him. LOVE lol! 

We had lunch with the cousins and after a brief quiet time we woke up Seth and went to Thanksgiving Point to meet some friends who were visiting from California. This is just the sweetest picture I captured as we waited for them. 

And of course she had a fabulous time, because that is what Jenna does everywhere with everyone!!

For dinner she wanted to go out to eat at a restaurant where she could eat whatever she wanted, so we met Kent at the Golden Corral. Way to be Utah on the all you can eat buffets lol!

She also got like five different desserts, so it was a win on many levels!

She also wanted me to take a picture of her running "quick quick" while waiting for swim lesson time. Crazy kid. 

Ever since Caleb got his new scooter she has been using this one more and more and is actually getting pretty good!

This is a crazy circle ride thing at a park that she was brave enough to try. It goes all the way around!!

Little Miss. She is too brave and strong for her own good sometimes I think!

Seth:

Seth is become more and more kid and less and less toddler every day!! His stride is changing as he runs. I can see him figuring things out in a logical, troubleshooting kind of way. He is helpful. And kind. We all adore him!

He is also just as crazy as the rest of them!

He LOVES trucks. One day I realized I had never even pulled down the whole truck container for him to just dive into and man did he have the best time! He kept pulling one after the other out excitedly shouting "TRUCK!! TRUCK!!!!" over and over. For the WHOLE container! =o]

Another little crazy runner ready and waiting to swim! =o]

He loves this homemade jam we got from a friend in California and this is the last of our last jar from her. I felt sad and grateful at the same time. 

Another thing Seth loves in slides. Have I mentioned this? He will go down and then up around seriously 50 times until I can convince him to let someone else have a chance. 

Seth also had his King Day this month and had a total blast! I obviously had a lot more say over went on, but it was fun to really think about what he would love and then make it happen. 

One of Seth's favorite things each week is to watch the garbage truck from our front window, so today we took him OUTSIDE to get the full experience!

We actually took this a step further and acknowledged our overworked under-appreciated waste management force. The guy was super surprised when I ran down off the porch to talk to him and handed him this!

While talking to him about what would make his job easier he mentioned that we could put our trash cans farther from the curb because our neighbors always park on the street so he can't get to ours very easily. Done deal Sir!! 

Seth was in absolute HEAVEN getting to be up close and personal with this process! It was loud and fascinating for sure!

Such a fulfilling way to start the day, right?

Then we made his favorite breakfast- German pancakes!

During breakfast I was telling the kids the schedule for the day when Seth started freaking out trying to get out of his chair. I let him down and he ran in the family room, sat down and kind of bouncing while sitting said "oowee! truck!" over and over. He had heard me say we were going to watch Mater's Tall Tales and was ready to go for it!!

This kid doesn't get much screen time. Most of the time the kids earn theirs during his quiet time, and then every once and a while we have a movie night as a family. So when he wasn't shouting "Truck! Truck!!" at the top of his little lungs he was glued to the screen! 

They don't even care that they are all bunched up and turned sideways lol!

I think it's a new favorite. =o] Even the older kids enjoyed it actually because we hadn't watched it in so long. 

Then we went downstairs and played trucks!! 

Then we got ready to go to a splash pad for lunch and visiting teaching. While we were waiting for it to be time to leave, Seth and I did some yard work. He loves to help, especially when it involves equipment! 

My new friend lead us to the best possible location- a farm themed splash pad and park! I didn't get a picture but the play place was all tractors and trucks and Seth LOVED it! So did I because I LOVE visiting teaching! It is such a fulfilling role and I am grateful for all I learn and the friendships I have made that I know will last for forever because of this program! 

When we got home Seth took a nap until dinner time! It really was an eventful day I guess! Then he got to help make one of his favorite dinners which is also one of his favorite things to do. (Oh and Jenna insisted on getting to stay in her Ariel swimsuit lol!)

I would say that they were both just hungry enough to eat anything, but actually they ask for a piece of frozen vegetables every time they are around when I make them. And I gladly consent!! =o]

After dinner we went to play at the park with dad. Super fun!!

We had ice cream for dessert. The way Seth says it is so cute! I need to get it on video because trying to spell it out just doesn't do it justice. 

And then, since he had taken an almost 4 hour nap, we let him watch an episode of Thomas the Train. I hadn't thought it was possible for him to be more excited than he was that morning during the truck movie experience, but this was definitely a tie!! And ever since then he has LOVED trains just as much as trucks! =o] He had such a great day and we love him so much! 

There are still two more posts about July. Why is it the middle of August as I post this? *Sigh* I need three of me!!!