The Best

I've found Cole and Paige looking at books together a couple of times as well. So sweet.

Vacation Safety School

For the last week in July, Tessa was signed up for Vacation Safety School, and Cole was signed up for Vacation Bible School. 

I'm awful and didn't get a picture of Cole this particular week, but he had a great time participating and came home singing all kinds of praises. We were sad that the two weeks overlapped because Tessa really enjoys VBS as well.

Tessa signed up for Vacation Safety School way back in the spring with her friend Anna. What an awesome program our city's police department puts on. Tessa came home every day spouting off exactly how we could be safer and what to do in emergencies. 

Along with all kinds of safety fun and games at the police station, she was able to tour a fire station, ride the DART, and have a bicycle rodeo. She and Anna had a blast together.

The gals with the city's chief of police:

Graduation cake!

Note Paige on the right side of the picture doing her own praise song and dance for bites of Tessa's cake. It worked.
Community programs for kids rock.

Cole's 4th Birthday!

Cole had his first friend birthday party this year. He was so excited to have people over to celebrate with him. It was going to be a water party outside, but, of course, it rained. So we improvised and made the most of the hour and a half long party. We had a pizza dinner, made paper airplanes and had a contest flying them, played "Statues", opened presents, had cake, and then passed out candy bags and popsicles as parents came to get their kids.
Here's our cute little group of goobers:
Anna, Tessa, Ben, Cole, Charlie (who may be the nicest four year old I've ever met), Isaac, and Julie.

My children naturally, and thankfully, have low expectations for their birthday cakes. Cole mentioned that he'd like an Ironman cake at one point, so I thought I'd find an Ironman toy and stick that sucker right on the cake. I didn't find one at the grocery store and was not going to make time to hunt all over for one, so I did my best to come up with something...

 Cole could tell what it was and was very pleased with my handiwork, so that made me happy too.
When it came time to sing "Happy Birthday", Tessa, Anna, and Julie had come up with a song to sing first. It's a shame I can't get the video of it to upload here, but know that the clapping medley they came up with as they took turns to sing to Cole was quite entertaining --and sweet.
Here are the two party babies:

Sweeties Emmeline and Paige.

 We actually had Cole's party the night before his actual birthday since our Saturday was going to be hectic with plans, so we decided to have him open his family presents that night as well.
Way to pick 'em grandmas and grandpas! A bowling set, Avengers outfit, Ironman, and a nice recorder:

 Paige gave him superhero underwear (because it's not embarrassing at their ages), and Tessa gave him a Superman cup and a new toothbrush.

 Mom and Dad went for a helmet and a scooter:

 My cutest four year old:

Cole can be crazy, but he sure is a riot because of it. He has a great sense of humor, a curious mind, some hilarious facial expressions, and  can be really sweet. I'm always surprised at how a kid this skinny and full of boney angles can be such an amazing snuggle buddy. He loves music, superheroes, playing with his big sister, cartoons, bows and arrows, bowling, the Wii, playing with friends, climbing, throwing things, and messing with stuff he isn't supposed to mess with. He has also taken up wearing  his bike helmet whenever possible --we just go with it, and have gone with it to Costco. :)

Love you my big boy!

Cousins

On the last day of our trip, we were able to go back to Jake's parents house for one last hurrah before our flight. The adults were able to enjoy a lunch out together while the cousins all hung out at Gma and Gpa's house. Before we left, we were able to get a picture of all the cousins together:

Love these kids:

Happy Independence Day! 2013

Next on our trip, we headed to Idaho to see my mom and step dad. Mom had a fun BBQ on the 3rd planned with everyone, and I was grateful that Mandy and her kids and Jon and Chelsy with Jolynn could be there. Grandma and Grandpa D. even joined us for dinner.

After the kids sprayed each other soundly with the squirt bottles mom gave them, it was time to toss some water balloons. I did not win and beamed Jon and Chelsy's dog at some point. Typical. Breanna got a balloon right in the face, and, I must say, I was impressed that she laughed it off. Not every 14 year old would think that was funny!

Sparklers in the front:

Jon and Chelsy had to drive to SD the next morning for a funeral, so Jolynn stayed at Grandma Lori's with us. Although the circumstances were not ideal, we were very happy to spend more time with her.
Bath time!

Cole found an old bow in Mom's backyard and wanted to shoot bows and arrows. Jake and I went to King's and picked up a kid sized one for Cole and Tessa to play.
Papa Duke spent some time with Cole teaching him how to load and shoot the arrows. It was really sweet to watch them having such a good time together. And Cole got pretty good with that thing!

Tessa and JoJo:

The Fourth of July!
Brigham City fireworks.
I love this picture of Paige. It looks like she is high fiving the world.

The family:

Mom/Grandma, Jolynn, and Mandy:

Mandy's kids had to be with their dad for the fourth, but we were still lucky enough to be with Mandy.
Hanging out:

Breakfast the next morning:

Visiting at Great Grandma and Great Grandpa D's house! Tessa and Cole saw the watering cans and went right to work making sure the flowers got watered. Grandma D. couldn't get over how cute these good workers were:

Utah Trip 2013: part 3

It was time to move from Jake's parents to my dad and stepmom's house for a couple of days. 

The kids were able to play in the kid pool for hours and never tired of it -mix that with The Rescuers in the home theater and the ever fun toy room, and our kids didn't even mind if we were around...

We had a great visit with Camille and Brandon and their families one night and then with my siblings and their families the next. We were also able to get a nice visit in with my paternal grandparents.

Here is Paige and I relaxing on the swing. I am looking large and in charge and am sadly suddenly very aware of pregnancy picture angles...

 Emily, Andrew, Bree, Tessa, and Cole:

 We put Paige in the pool, and she just wasn't having it.

 The next day when JoJo came over!

 Yeah. They're cute.

 Paige FINALLY figured it was okay to be in the water with her daddy if Jolyn was there with hers.

 The cousins on my side:
Cole, Kaeley, Dallen, Paige, Tessa, Breanna, and Jolynn. (We were so sad to miss Breckin, who was in SD with his dad.)