July 2012

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July has come and gone and now August is nearing an end, so I better get a move on with my blogging...

July was a great month for our family. We had several out of town visitors that made it great!

Early in July we made a trip to the hospital to spend lunch with Duane. It only lasted about 30 minutes, but it's fun for the boys to see where Dad works and to be with him. They always talk about this trip for days after we make the effort to be there.

 On the fourth of July morning we went to a park we hadn't been to. Pine Bush Park or something like that. 

 They have a large pond/lake where a few people were fishing. The boys tried skipping rocks.

 I've tried a lot of things to get myself out of the house and to "work out". One idea I had was to put Willy in the push and go buggy and then the other two boys were on their bikes. That worked pretty well, but there are several intersections so we have to stop frequently.

 Kalvin is having a hard time being confident with no training wheels and with the exception of this jogging path up the street from our house, the sidewalks are TERRIBLE so in a lot of ways I can't blame him for being scared.

 A whole line of puppies I have to choose from to buy at the puppy store!

Kalvin came up with this cute thing with Willy and does it fairly often with him. I happened to get a video of it.

The boys, especially Kalvin enjoy dancing and he's not embarrassed yet to do it. Not really sure where he's come up with the moves.

 My friend, Jen is a nurse and her husband was out of town for a bit. She doesn't have any children yet so I asked her to watch the boys while Duane and I went out. We had a good time. We went to a furniture store (something I've been wanting to do for about 18 months now (weird I know, cause I'm not interested in buying anything, I just wanted to go and see the furniture without chasing any kids)) then we went to 99 (a restaurant) and then saw a movie (Avengers maybe?). I forget. The highlight of the night was the food and alone time.

One day I walked into the bathroom and found Tristen putting water on his hair. I asked what he was doing and he said, "Me look handsome". He was so proud of making himself look so nice.

 Tristen went to bed fairly early one night that Duane was on call at the hospital and I was lonely so Kalvin stayed up with me till about 10.

 After building this masterpiece, Kalvin said, "And there's no Tristen to mess it up", in a very proud voice. I guess he's just got so used to Tristen messing up whatever it is that he makes or builds. It sat there all night undisturbed.

 A monster truck Kalvin put together.

After Duane got home the next morning we took a 45 minute drive to Saratoga where we went to the bounce place we have a pass for and saw Iceage as a family since Duane got good rates on the movie tickets.

 I'm pretty sure that the boys are not supposed to go down this way, but the women rarely watch to see that they're following ALL the rules.

 And I highly doubt they are supposed to go down together backwards. Oh well.

 They're happy.

Kalvin turned 5! Is that crazy to think? My goodness. Can I really have a 5 year old child? That is so weird.
I love Kalvin and most people do, I think. He's an easy to like kind of kid. He likes to be a helper, he likes to do what's right, he likes to have fun and rarely has a bad attitude. I think he's thrown a temper tantrum 5 times in his life. He does not know drama. Kalvin likes to make other people happy with sharing with them, or saying hi to a stranger (sometimes I get nervous he's gonna be too nice to the wrong kind of strangers and be abducted).
Kalvin is ready for Kindergarten! I have no doubts that he will make many new friends, he has no problems with that. Actually, at the bounce place (pictures above), Kalvin saw a boy about his size and went up to him and said, "Hi, my name is Kalvin, I'm 5, do you want to play?" I just thought that was great (weird I know, because it seems so simple), but I haven't really taught him introductions like that it may just be from the many people at the grocery stores that ask what his name is and how old he is. I just loved that he sees the good in people and figures that they want to be his friend. I hope he can always keep this positive outlook on life.
For his birthday, we skipped the friend birthday party because my parents were coming into town the next week and we were going to be driving up to Palmyra and Niagara Falls. Instead, we made a cake and he got to pick out a bunch of candy to go on top.

 He had fun decorating it.

 And Tristen talked him into letting him help too.

 Kalvin got to put on the finishing touch, the 5 candle.

And for dinner, his request was macaroni and cheese. I was happy to give him just that.

The Birthday singing wasn't near as loud or crazy as I remember them being in my own house growing up, but I think Kalvin still enjoyed it.

 Rain in Albany. Not too unusual, but never gets old! I just get nervous with the lightning (Duane thinks I'm a woosie).

So, 2 days before my parents came out, my brother Dallin came. I had heard that he was trying to get a job for the summer and was not successful so I offered to fly him out here if he would be our handy man for 2.5 weeks. It worked out pretty nicely and he helped us get a lot done while he was here including keeping me company, chasing the boys down at the store, pulling off all the old boards on our front porch, laying down quarter round throughout our whole main level (a 2 day job that we finished just in time for my parents to be here), put the floor tile down in the bathroom upstairs, and the night before he left we stayed up late and installed the toilet upstairs (that was his goal before leaving was to get us a working toilet so we didn't have to go downstairs in the night). It may not sound like we got a lot done, but we really did with all the in between steps we had. Duane has been very particular about taking the proper steps to waterproof the entire floor of the bathroom upstairs and the entire shower (since it will be a steam shower). The steps include putting a concrete pad down in the bathroom and shower followed by a waterproof membrane and then the tile can go down on top of that once it's cured. We had minimal time with Duane here to give instruction and Dallin's wake up time was 8:05 though I tried to let him sleep in some times.

When Dallin came, he had made a video for the boys to see where you videoed only his lips on his ipod then when he showed the boys the video he put it right in front of his lips so that it looked like he was talking to us. Anyway, Kalvin wanted to make one for Dallin too.

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We did want to do some fun things while Dallin was here as well.

 The boys loved having him here. It's hard to see because it was taken on my phone, but Kalvin and Tristen are holding hands with Dallin while we walked through Home Depot.

 Funny side story thing. One day I put the boys down for naps and a movie for Kalvin and left the house alone. It was the best feeling, EVER! I laugh because the first store I went to was Lowes. Just to look around, not that I had anything really pressing to get, but it was next to the whole sale store I needed to go to. What kind of woman goes to Lowes to relax without their kids?

So, just before I left for Lowes, I went upstairs to feed William. I was up there for about 20 minutes and Dallin called (thinking I had already left) and said that when I got home there was a mess I'd have to clean up. He wanted to know how soon I would be home. About 1 minute later I walked downstairs to find Tristen in the bathroom with the tub of vaseline. He had it all over in his hair. I washed his hair about 4 times but could not get it out. Later that day I took him out front to wash his hair again:

 It took several days and many washes before I didn't notice any more vaseline.

When I got back from Lowes I found that Dallin had been busy and made a cardboard rocket for the boys to play in. Actually they were just finishing the construction of it so I was there for the first time it was put on. Kalvin went first. You can see his toes stuck out he bottom and he waddled around.

Then we let Tristen go. His toes were completely covered so getting around was near impossible and soon he fell.

He fell flat on his face. Dallin laughed so hard. I don't know the last time I've ever seen him laugh that hard. He says that that made his trip out here all worth the hard work. Tristen thought it was funny to make Dallin laugh so he got up and attempted to walk again and may have purposefully fell again. It was pretty funny seeing him flail on the ground like that.

   

Grandma and Grandpa came! Yay! Kalvin and Tristen made them a card and put some taffy candy on their pillows (mostly Kalvin wrote the card and Tristen put down the candy).
 They got here in the evening and by the next morning Duane had come home from being on call and we were on our way to Palmyra in the rental van. My dad couldn't help but buy a map (having a GPS wasn't enough). Tristen loved looking at the map.

 Saddest story of Williams life: We were all rushing in the morning to get out of the house. While nursing Willy at about 8AM, I noticed he was poopy, but totally forgot to change his diaper. He had been teething so his poop was very acidic. We all got in the car and Willy should have been ready to fall asleep. He didn't. I was sitting shotgun with my dad driving and my mom was sitting next to Willy. At first he was happy but 30 minutes into the drive he started whining (he's not much of a whiner when he's in the car with his blanket). I didn't think much of it. I was talking to my dad and enjoying the beautiful drive. My mom was trying to help William. Willy then started screaming and after about 7 minutes of that I switched seats with my mom to see if Willy just wanted to see his mom. The second I got back there, I smelt his poopiness. I kinda freaked out and told my dad that he had to stop at the next rest stop. It was 7 miles out. Waiting that long to get Will out, was hard. I knew he was crying because his rear end was burning. When we got to the rest stop, I quickly got him out and cleaned him up. He little cheeks were actually bleeding. I felt so bad! My mom ran into the convenience store and bought Desitin for $7. The best money she's spent, she said. I let him air out for a few minutes before getting the diaper and Desitin back on him. This was pretty traumatic for me, I think. Willy was asleep within minutes of getting him in his seat without a burning bottom.

 Well, Kalvin had drunk too much soda and before long he was telling me how he had to pee so bad and that he couldn't hold it, so he got to use this cup.

On our way to Palmyra we stopped at a Mennonite store (kind of like an Amish store). I really like their sub sandwiches and it's fun to see the workers dressed up. Outside the store they have many play houses that they sell.

 Dallin liked the idea of getting a picture of showing how huge he was compared to the houses in NY to send to his friends as a joke.

 My mom picked up some Salt and Vinegar chips while at the store and that helped pass the time on the road for the kids. Here are their reactions to the chips.

 Tristen instantly fell in love with them and I think eventually took the whole bag.

 We met Larry and Karri in Palmyra at the Sacred Grove site. It was fun for the cousins to see each other!

 Here is my mom and I in the Joseph Smith Home. This is room where the Angel Moroni first appeared to Joseph Smith.

 Outside the Joseph Smith home.

 In the grove.

 Looking back, I wish we would have sent my mom and dad and Dallin off to go on their own so they didn't have little boys to distract them from the peaceful environment.

 Toward the end, Dallin took William, that was a great relief for me!

 Then Duane got a turn. He may have been sleep walking since he only had like 4 hours of sleep at the hospital the night before.

 That night we watched the Hill Cumorah Pagaent. It was so great! We've been each summer to see it mostly because that's why family comes to visit us is to see the pagaent, but this was the best by far. The weather was amazing, the seats were great and there weren't many bugs. Kalvin's friend Griffin, from the branch was there as well (we saved them seats since they brought our passports that we had left at home).

 Terrible picture, but shows just how many people come from all over the country and a lot from Canada as well to be apart of the production. They do a great job!

 That night after the pagaent we drove up to Niagara Falls. I had reserved 3 rooms at the hotel we stayed at last year. I really liked that it has a free buffet breakfast and I was betting that we would get a view of the falls since we were getting in so late (1:30 AM). Well, it didn't work out as nicely as we would have liked. I think the girl at the front desk was being dishonest with us, but basically the room they gave us was smoked in and Duane refused to stay there so he had us transfered across the street to another hotel. My parents and Larry and Karri stayed in this hotel, Embassy Suites and delt with the smoke smell, but had did wake up to a beautiful view of the falls! In the morning we came over and the boys had fun in my parents hot tub with LOTS of bubbles while we decided what we were going to do that day.

 They actually do this all the time at home, but get busted for it. Here they could do it, guilt-free.

 We finally got out for the day after a yummy breakfast. Duane and I have been to the falls a few times so we didn't feel a big need to do the boat tour, but my parents thought it would be fun and since kids 5 and under were free, both Kalvin and Tristen got to go with them. I was so glad they got to go because I think they had a lot of fun. I gave my waterproof camera to my mom and she got ample pictures and video of the experience.

 

 

 Looks like the rain from the falls washed the makeup of my mom's eyes, but I think it was worth it.

 Thanks grandma and grandpa for being so awesome to take the kids with you!

While they went on the boat tour Duane took the opportunity to do something we haven't done. The SkyWheel. It's a 175 foot tall Ferris Wheel.

 After the ferris wheel, we met Larry and Karri near the Maid of the Mist boat tour and then they went on the tour. Afterward we walked down to the other end of the falls again and got a picture all together. It was a beautiful day (the best weather we've ever enjoyed at the falls in our several trip there).

 Soon after, we had to leave to get our cars, most of us were hungry and we still had 5 hour drive back to Albany. We came down out of Canada through Boston and hit up the famous Anchor Bar "Home of the Original buffalo wings". It was pretty good food and the wings were actually pretty good (not super fatty), but they were close to $1 a piece as well... I wish we would have stopped to get a picture all together, but some of us were anxious to get on the road because of sleepy kids. I snapped a picture on my phone on the way out and got a bunch of strangers in the shot.

My mom went home with Larry and Karri from Boston to Pennsylvania and my dad stayed with us till Monday. On Sunday we went on a walk after Duane took Grandpa and Dallin to the hospital for a tour. I guess Duane did an ultrasound on Dallin's neck to show how they use it for placing needles some times and they both got to see one of the operating rooms (I haven't even seen one of them).

 On Monday morning we let Dallin sleep in while my dad and the kids and I went to Elm Avenue Park (one of the kids favorites).

 Then we went home and got Dallin up and then went to the museum.

 And ended that trip with a ride on the Merry Go Round.

 Tristen was actually really happy to be on a horse next to Dallin. It's amazing how competitive Tristen is. Even looking at the picture today, Tristen was saying, "Me horse bigger, well, Dallin horse bigger, me horse big too".

Here's another one of the projects Dallin undertook for us. He took the brown panelling off the walls of our front porch. The boys have been picking and tearing at it for a while now and you can see near the bottom where the crew that came to insulate our house, put holes in the wall to insulate there. So underneath the panelling is the original shaker wood that we get to clean up and paint. Actually after taking off the panelling, Dallin put calking on all the small nail holes so we have to sand it somewhat smooth and then paint. Before winter, otherwise it probably won't happen. *sigh* So much to do...

A mask to have some kind of filter from the lead paint dust from the yellow shaker wood.

We got to have Sonnet and Sela over for a day. They LOVE the baby!

 

 What's cooler than dining room table? A dining room table that is a fort!

 Dallin and Duane worked hard on the attic bathroom when Duane had free days. Toward the end of Dallin's stay, Duane nearly through out his back up there so he had to rest one day and give instruction on work instead.
Here they are putting down a cement layer before putting down the flexible orange stuff. I guess it prevents the tile from cracking.

 I found Tristen had taken a nap under the table.

 And when I came back up, Kalvin was helping out too. He loves helping out when he's aloud to! I feel like we are constantly trying to find things that he can do to help.

  Kalvin thought it was funny getting these square prints from the orange plastic. You can also see his scar from when he cut it.

Finally tile!!!

 Tristen's self portrait.

 Mailing something off to Grandma and Grandpa!

 I love Kalvin! And soft bread pretzel's.

 So, we couldn't help but get out one night while Dallin was here. We went to the Cheesecake Factory (I have never had dinner there before but was definitely impressed with their barbecue chicken salad). It was so fun getting out with Duane. We talked about our future. It was my kind of night. Getting out to have some time to talk without the kiddos. My phone is pretty poopy with pictures...

 Ended our dinner with a hot fudge Sundae (have you seen the calories for the cheesecake?!). In New York for the larger chain restaurants, it's law that they must post the calories of the menu. Seriously, some of the cheesecake pieces are as many calories as one should consume in an entire day!

 Willy is just too cute sleeping with his thumb in his mouth. I've noticed he only puts his thumb in his mouth when he's snuggling with his blanket. He is attached to this one particular blanket and nothing can replace it (though I did find him asleep a couple weeks ago with one of my shirts so I guess that may work as well). He has a very hard time falling asleep being held. Even when he wakes up at 5:45 each morning, after I feed him, he HAS to go back to his bed to fall asleep. If I snuggle up next to him, he'll just stay awake and cry till I put him in bed.

 I always get excited for the first time Duane gives our babies a bottle. I had pumped some milk for the night that Dallin would be watching him, but William ended up just sleeping the whole time so I let Duane give Willy the bottle.

 I don't know that Duane takes the first bottle experience quite as seriously as I do...

And, a little more work on the tile...

 And the big boys discovering the lower part of Willy's pack n' play.

 These are the only shorts that fall off Tristen, but I had a good laugh with the view.

 A little too big for the toy, Dallin?