Columbus....

So on Thursday we headed down to Columbus for a little 24 hour vacation and temple trip. It started with Andy and I going to take turns at the temple and then we would hang at the hotel, swim, and do whatever, but then turned into hanging with friends, and Andy and I being able to go to the temple together.

We have recently had confusion about Andy's vacation and he was feeling bad so he planned for us to stay at the hotel after going to the temple. Well the temple is in Columbus where his best friend from high school lives, so Andy called them to see if they wanted to get together for dinner or something. Jeremy called us back and offered to watch our kids so that we could go to the temple together. So we loaded up the kids and luggage and drove down to Jeremy and Jordan's (and they have the cutest little girl named Adalynn), quickly dropped off the kids at their house and went to the temple.

The temple was amazing! It is such a beautiful and peaceful place.

Afterwards we picked up the kids and found Porter in heaven as he was playing the Lego Star Wars game with Jeremy on the X-Box, Jordan was holding a un-happy Tessa (I am a bad mom and forgot to leave her food in the bag), and Carlee was playing with Adalynn. We went back to the hotel and Andy took Porter and Carlee for a quick swim before they had to go to bed.

The next morning we woke up and ate the most amazing continental breakfast ever. It had bacon, eggs, sausage, fruit, juice, make your waffle, and doughnuts. The kids were in heaven. After eating we went swimming again, and then Jeremy, Jordan, and Adalyn came too. After hours of being in the pool, we got out, got ready and went back to Jer's house. They invited us to go and shoot Jeremy's new graduation gift(he graduates from med school this week). It was such a beautiful day and we had so much fun being outside watching Andy and Jeremy shoot the gun. I had a great time talking to Jordan and getting to know her better and watching the kids pick up the shot gun shells. After the shooting was over we loaded up and headed back home, un-loaded the van, and went back out the door to the drive in to see UP (a very cute movie). The kids were exhausted by the time we got home at midnight, but it was all worth it.

Thank you Andy for providing us with such a wonderful 24 hour vacation and thank you to Jeremy and Jordan for watching the kids and for hanging out with us, we had a great time.

Hanging Out....

We had a great weekend just hanging around together and doing things in the yard. Andy is off this week and it is so nice to just do whatever. Although, I have been feeling overwhelmed by it a little bit, like we have to be doing something every minute that he is here, we cannot waste anytime. Anyway, back to the post, we spent a lot of time outside working on the yard. I planted 30 something red and white Begonias and we are laying 125 bricks around the west side of the house.


You can see the Begonia's and the solar lights that Andy got for me for Mother's Day.


Porter likes to do what he calls "paint hand" like face painting which he also calls paint face.




I busted Carlee picking the neighbors Lilly of the Valley flowers which smell amazing.


My litte Tessa May, she is already 10 months old!! Her teeth are so cute, she is currently working on tooth number 5.

Cut....

So today Andy was home for a little bit which was perfect because I had a haircut scheduled. It had been since November since my last trip to Studio Blazon so I think it was time. It amazes me how I feel guilty spending $40 to have a haircut and my eyebrows waxed, why should I feel guilty, it's a haircut, I have to have one, and Porter gets one every 6 weeks and I have no problem spending $12 for him, oh well.

Anyway, I like the haircut, it is the shortest haircut I have ever had in my life! When Andy first saw me he put his hand over his mouth and did the little Andy laugh, so I knew he liked it. Porter said that I didn't even look like myself and Carlee said that I wasn't mommy anymore. I think it may have been a bit drastic, but a little change never hurts, (like I haven't had enough change in my life already.)

Porter's Last Day of Pre-School....

Porter had his last day of school yesterday and he was so excited!! He said that now that school was over he would be able to go and do things with Carlee and I during the day. It was so sweet and made me realize that he really does miss us while he is gone at school. I am looking forward to the summer and warmer weather, going to the pool, hopefully traveling and seeing family, and spending time with the kids.

Porter made a book of himself so I scanned a few of the pages to share.






I love Porter's answer's on this page, for what do you like to do the teacher wrote play video games like Emerald Crossing, it's supposed to be Animal Crossing. I also love how he said Andy fixes people and that I clean stuff, funny and yet totally true.


It was Indians day at the school and Carlee wanted to wear her shirt too.


Porter and his teachers, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Fay, and Mrs. Witt.


Porter, Logan, and Charlie were best buds.


After school all of the kids met at the park to play and have popsicles. This is Porter and his friend Wiliiam.

Tessa's Trick and some Soccer Action....

I love this first video. It is showing Tessa's new trick, she now knows the word "no" and Porter loves to practice with her. We are getting him to work on "yes", which I have seen her do a few times, and waving.



This video is one of Porter's soccer goals. Seeing him play soccer and love it is so much fun. He really enjoys it and he asks me everyday is has soccer that day or not. And of course Andy and I think he is one of the best on the team, but doesn't every parent.

We are now gardeners....

We have been talking for a while now about planting a mini garden, but Andy and I have no idea about any of that, so we just haven't. Saturday after Porter's game we went to Lowe's and bought wood, dirt, and some plants and just went to it. Andy built an amazing box, which conveniently he had to buy a new saw to build, and I did the planting. We planted strawberries, broccoli, tomato's, and peas. It was so fun to be outside with the kids the whole day doing something together as a family. I could not believe how much Porter helped me to till the ground and Carlee loved her little kid shovel we got her and she went to town planting flower seeds. Now that we are done with our part, I can only hope that the deer and rabbits stay away from the goods and we can get some produce.

"A Great Monday"....

Last week we had a good Monday, the sun was shining, it was hot, and we were busy. It started with Porter going to school and then when I picked him I told him that we were going to the zoo, he was so excited. I love surprising him like that and it saves me from the "are we going to the zoo yet?" questions. It also brings back memories of when my mom would surprise me on the way to school and we would end up at Disneyland!! It was the best! I know the Cleveland Zoo is not the same as Disneyland, but still I felt cool.









After the zoo and recovering from the heat at home, we surprised Dad and took him to 7-eleven for a Slurpee. In Utah 7-eleven's are everywhere and we took advantage of always having one close by and we really miss that. I think Slurpee's are one of Andy's favorite things. When we were dating we would always go and get a Slurpee and then go to the park and swing and talk, didn't everyone. We took our Slurpee's to the Rocky River park/beach and just played, it was so fun.











Later that night when I was talking to Porter about how the day went he asked "Mom, what is today?" I said "Today is Monday Porter." He then said "Today was a great Monday." And a great Monday it was.