HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY RILEY!

Riley turns "3" today!! Can you believe it? It is so crazy how time flies. His party was so much fun. He loved all his gifts and it was so fun to watch him open each one. He was so embarrassed to have everyone sing Happy Birthday to him. He blew out the candles through his nose...I dont think he understands the concept of blowing through his mouth yet!! We have enjoyed every minute with Riley, he has been such a fun kid and Jake and Kaycie really love having a little brother!

HAPPY 16TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

I just wanted to wish my husband a happy 16-year wedding anniversary. I can't believe how time flies. So much has happened in our lifes in the last 16-years. We were married September 25, 1992. Since then we have added 3 beautiful, fun, crazy kids to our plate. We bought two houses, sold them, built a house, remodeled it several times, and recreated our yard numerous times as well. We have traveled a lot. We have lost 6 grandparents, gained a sister-in-law and brother-in-law and 7 nieces and 3 nephews. I appreciate so many things about Mark. He is patient with me...when he shouldn't be. He knows how to have fun and not take things so seriously. And he is supportive...especially when I come to him with yet another travel plan!! Thank you for the last 16-years...I pray for many more!

REALLY...AND I THOUGHT RILEY'S DRESSING UP WAS BAD!

So let me preface this with, if you know Mark...this won't surprise you! So we're in Target shopping for Riley's birthday. And I am looking through the toys when Mark disappears. I hear someone yelling my name...oh yes it's Mark...fully dressed in footy pj's. He is dead set that he needs them and how cool they are, because not only do they have the footies...they glow in the dark! Mind you, this is in the middle of Target and he doesn't care that people keep literally walking back and forth to take a look at him...oh and by the way, I didn't let him purchase them!! Maybe I'll have to surprise him and buy them for his Christmas PJ's!!

THE FINAL GAME

I love the Yankees and today is their final game at Yankees Stadium.

In June, I was able to go to a game at Yankees Stadium. It was amazing to walk into the stadium knowing all the history that has occurred there! I feel so lucky to have been able to watch one of their many games and I can't wait to watch another one in their new stadium!

GO YANKEES!

WHAT DOES A MOTHER DO ABOUT THIS?

Okay so I was laughing my head off...I have to admit. I mean when your 2-year old comes upstairs from the playroom and has dressed himself up in this lovely attire...what can you do, but laugh...and maybe wonder a bit...

Wasatch Bull Elk

Mark was able to get his Wasatch Bull Elk last night. He is very happy with the Elk and he says he could have never done it without all of his friends. He had a lot of help! He had tons of fun as well!

IT'S NOT "JUST" AN ELK HUNT...IT'S A "ONCE IN A LIFETIME" ELK HUNT!

Elk also known as Wapiti, Alce, Elch, Orignal, Eland, Elg, 麋鹿,

ヘラジカ, лось

So if you haven't heard my husband drew the Wasatch Elk Tag (Rifle Hunt). Let the scouting begin. He is has been on and off the mountain almost every day for the last two and half months. When he finally found the elk he wanted, he started setting up camp...and when I say setting up camp...I am talking almost everything went up the mountain besides the kitchen sink. He left yesterday and the hunt starts Saturday. He has "MANY" friends going up there to help with the cause. What cracks me up the most, is that he set a camp and then two "dumby" camps to ward off any fellow hunters from coming into his territory. What is that all about? He also has a "backup" camp, just in case they don't get the "BIG" one! He told me he was so nervous that he was sick to his stomach. I just can't phathom that one! I will have to keep you all posted on the festivities. To be honest with you, I am truly crossing my fingers that he gets the big one. He has worked really hard for this and waited 10 long years. He deserves to not only have fun, but bring home the elk he's been waiting 10 years for!!

KITE FESTIVAL - SPANISH FORK

Nicky, my sister-in-law, called to see if I wanted to bring Riley to the Kite Festival in Spanish Fork. I met her at the Little Acorn and we had a good lunch. She brought one of her friends from William's Sonoma, who looks exactly like the lead girl in Mama Mia!! We then headed to the Kite Festival. It was really fun and quite amazing to me. There are actual companies who travel around and show off their kite skills.

Riley also had fun on the playground, he wasn't very happy when I made him leave...ask Nicky...he was screaming!!

MY TWO YEAR OLD IS RIDING A SCHOOL BUS???

Okay so I have probably told most of you...but for those who don't know...Riley started school. He is only two mind you, but I had him tested at Nebo School District and they diagnosed him as developmentally delayed. He seems to be at least a year or more behind on his speech and language. Which didn't surprise me in the least. He had tubes put in last October and several sessions of speech therapy. Someone told me about a preschool program the school offers and so I had him tested. He qualified and they told me he would need to ride a bus because that is "part of the preschool experience". I wasn't worried about the school part of it, but a bus...HELLO...he is still my baby. I couldn't wrap my head around why he needed to ride the bus, when I could drop him off at the school and my sister could pick him up. But the District was very adament that he ride the bus, because it gives him the social part that he needs to interact with kids his age...so I reluctantly agreed. So Monday was to be his first day of the bus/preschool experience. Well...he got sick Sunday night...with an ear infection...which got us here in the first place...kind of ironic. So Tuesday, he seemed to be feeling well. I got him up, he didn't fight getting ready for the big day. We got his backpack out and Riley loaded it up, with the Monsters DVD, a sippy cup, bag of Cheerios, a stuffed animal of Coco's, and fruit snack...he did this by himself. And then we waited for the "short" bus, as my husband calls it. Well it wasn't the "short" cute bus that comes and picks up the "WEE" kids it was the "long" bus (that NORMAL SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN RIDE, NOT MY TWO-YEAR OLD) came and I took Riley out to get on the bus. He started screaming at the top of his lungs, "MOM, MOM" I was a nervous wreck. They put him in the carseat and closed the doors and I could still hear him scream. I started to tear up. I felt so bad. I got a call at work from the bus driver, very sweet lady, who tells me that, "Riley sure has a set of lungs"...but that he stopped screaming shortly after leaving our house and that he was happy and played well at school. So my sister calls when they dropped him off at her house after school...and the funny thing is that he started screaming again, because he didn't want to get off the bus!! He did go again today and we did have the same experience as yesterday, I just hope that he gets use to it and it can become a pleasant experience...WISH ME WELL ON THIS ONE!