Sunday, June 26, 2011

Little Salesman

At our garage sale this weekend, Hank made $16 selling chocolate-chip cookies and Koolaid! I'd like to claim the credit for his sales success since I made the cookies, but I'm pretty sure Hank could sell ice to an eskimo with that perfect-angel smile and his charming little personality. Hank was quite pleased with himself and, after holding out a tenth of his earning to pay tithe, Hank used his very own money to buy a new garbage truck.

#14 Picnic at Dad's Work

Well, "Picnic At Dad's Work" probably wouldn't have made my Top 5 list of exciting summer activities, but Hank suggested the idea and we aim to please.....so, we had a picnic (kinda) at Aaron's work!


The boys and I picked up Subway sandwiches and brought them to Aaron's office after work on Friday. Since Aaron's building doesn't have any grassy picnic areas, we improvised and ate our picnic in the conference room. Hey, spinning chairs and a view from the window of the pump fleet? Good enough!


After our picnic, we took the boys to see Cars 2. Although it probably wasn't the movie I would have chosen, it was really fun to watch a movie together, in the theater, as a family.


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

#6 Icecream Man

Good Grief! Icecream Man? More like highway robber! Have you seen how much the Icecream Man is charging these days for a popcicle? Its nuts! Oh well, small price to pay for the fun memory, the sticky fingers and red-stained tongue, and these smiles:








Tuesday, June 21, 2011

#13 Slip 'n Slide

With today marking the first official day of summer, and the weather actually providing us with some sunshine, we got off to a good start, tackling #13 on our summer to-do list--the Slip 'n Slide:

What fun thing will we do next??

Getting Busy

For Family Night on Monday, we upheld our family tradition and created our Summer To-Do List. Under the rules of our tradition, all suggestions are added to the list, even the most ambitious suggestions, and we try our very best to accomplish everything on the list. In summers' past, I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of items that we have been able to check-off our list with a some advance planning and a little creativity. Looking forward to another summer loaded with fun!

Switching It Up

After fourteen months of having Ben sleep in a bassinette beside my bed, we decided it was time to make some changes. First, in order to vacate the nursery which was still being occupied by Max, we decided to bunk up Hank and Max in these beautiful bunkbeds that Aaron and his Dad MADE. The boys love climbing on their bunkbeds, wrestling on their bunkbeds, and playing together on their bunkbeds...now if we could just get them to sleep in their bunkbeds we'd be set.


With Max moved out, Ben spent his first night in his crib in his own room last night. Ben was snug as a bug in a rug and slept really well in his new room. I, on the other hand, burned a path in the carpet between his room and mine checking on him all night long. I'm certain that Ben is ready for this big change, I just hope I can get used to having my baby sleep down the hall instead of at my bedside.

This was the good morning smile Ben greeted me with when he woke up this morning.

Have You Been Working Out?

Why yes, yes I have, thank you for noticing. Now, I'm no fitness expert. I don't go to the gym, I don't work out, I don't lift weights. But I do lug around a 32lb one-year old everywhere I go, and I've got the biceps to prove it! Check out these mommy muscles:

For comparison, this is my non-baby carrying right arm--nothing special, right?

Boom! How 'bout them guns!?

Stones in the River

Perhaps one of the things about summertime that I look forward to the most is taking long walks, enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors....so therapeutic, so invigorating. The other day, I happened to get home from therapy in time to join Hank, Max, and Nana Grover on a fabulous walk along the trail to our bridge, where the boys entertained themselves throwing rocks into the river below.






Sometimes it really is the simple things...

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Daddy's Day

Who else can cause a riot every single day simply by opening the front door and arriving home? Who else has a small entourage following two steps behind during even the most ordinary of tasks? Who is the strongest/tallest person on earth? Who else can fix anything? Knows everything? Can do anything? Our Dad. Aaron, thank you for being our Super Hero. We love you. I hope you enjoy the homemade motivational posters the boys and I made for you:)



First of Many

After work on Friday, Aaron raced home, packed up the gear, and took Hank and Max on the first of many Father/Son Camp-outs. The boys were so excited to spend some special time with Daddy, and I won't lie, I was pretty excited to have a little "me" time. As the boys arrived at the campsite, set up camp, sat around the campfire, and bundled down for bed, Aaron would text me a quick note with a picture, telling me how much fun they were having together.





 At 3:30 on Saturday morning, I got the text, "Rainy. Wet. Coming home." Apparently, Aaron's tent was lacking a rain fly to keep out the pouring rain and the boys woke to find themselves sleeping in a lake--and so the camping trip was cut short. Aaron threw the gear in the van, buckled up the sleepy boys, and headed back home...where everyone slept, warm and cozy, in their own beds. Even though the first camping adventure was a bit of a bust, the gang is already planning the next family camping adventure....oh goody (note sarcasm)!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Hank is 5!

Wow! Hank is 5! Five means that Hank is old enough to go to kindergarten in the fall, old enough to buckle his own seat belt, old enough to dress himself and brush his own teeth, old enough to count to 200 (and count to 10 in spanish), old enough to know his address and phone number, old enough to ride a scooter, old enough to pee standing up (we held off teaching him this for purposes of cleanliness), old enough to skip taking a nap, old enough to offers his own prayers without being told, old enough to stay up until 8:30 on a good night, old enough to climb the monkey bars, old enough to write my grocery list for me, old enough to return the cart at the grocery store, but.....never, ever, too old to be my sweet Hanky boy. Our family was blessed five years ago when Hank was born--Hank, you are one in a million! Happy Birthday, Hanky boy!  


Hank's special day started with a breakfast of his favorite: pancakes with chocolate chips, served on the special-day-plate.

Hank had quite an impressive cheering section for his soccer game: Mom, Dad, Max, Ben, Nana and Papa Z, Uncle Adam, and Nana Grover all came to cheer on the Birthday Boy.

Hank made fast friends with his Uncle Adam, sitting on his lap, inviting him to sit in the back seat of the car with him, holding his hand, pillow-fighting, and lots of playing with toys.

The Birthday Party started with some bowling with a few of Hank's friends. Although at times the bowling seemed to be in slow motion (picture very little boys trying to heave a very heavy ball down a very long bowling lane....not exactly fast-paced action), the boys all had a good time bouncing their ball down the bumpered bowling lane.
My favorite little bowling ball.

The party finished off at our house with presents and treats.
As usual, Hank was very spoiled and received many fun gifts: transformers (we're still trying to figure out how to put them together), a tow truck and police car, nerf sets, and a slip and slide.



At his request, I made Hank a giant cookie instead of a cake. Non-traditional maybe, but boy was it tasty!

The party ended with Aaron treating Hank and his friends to a special surprise.

The remainder of Hank's birthday was spent enjoying the beautiful sunshine in the backyard. The boys tested out their new slip and slide while we barbequed and visited.

It will be hard to top this birthday: lots of love from both Nanas and Papas, a fun activity-filled day complete with special surprises, plenty of sunshine and outdoors, loads of presents, and all kinds of birthday treats. Hank, you are a special boy and I hope you felt very loved on your special day.

Q & A with Hank
  • What are you most looking forward to about being 5? "I'm looking forward to getting a big, red crane."
  • Tell me about your family. "I love everybody. Mom, Dad, Hank, Max, and Ben."
  • What do you like to do? "I like to play with my toys, go outside when its summer and play with my summer toys, play in the sandbox."
  • Who is your best friend? "Everybody I know."
  • What is your favorite thing to eat? "French bread with nothing on it, pasta with parmesan cheese, and pancakes with chocolate syrup and chocolate chips."
  • What is your favorite color? "Red, blue, orange, green, yellow, black, and purple."
  • What would you like to be when you grow up? "A garbage man, then a fireman, then a tow-truck driver, then a policeman, then a missionary, then I'll just be a dad."
  • What is the best thing about you? "I am kind of kind, I be nice to brother sometimes, and obey."
  • Is there anything that you are afraid of? "monsters."
  • What is your favorite toy? "Don't have it yet but next time when I turn 6 I'll tell you what my favorite toy is when you ask me."
  • What is your favorite movie? "Return to Neverland."
  • What is your favorite song? "Follow the Prophet and Mary, Mary"
  • What is your favorite Book of Mormon story? "When Nephi whacks the bad guys head off with a sword."