So for the past 4 days Lukas has stopped what he is playing with/doing and gone to the bathroom to go #2 all by himself. I didn't even ask him too. He just told me "Bathroom mama. poo poo. No help. I do it. I do it." Then he runs and opens the door himself (he just learned how to open doors about 2 weeks ago. Now his bedroom door handle has been turned to lock on the outside of his room so he can't come out during nap time ;) Matt is so smart.). Even gets himself undressed himself and then up on the toilet. All by himself. What a big boy. Yesterday I couldn't find him and then I heard something from the downstairs bathroom (the door was shut). guess who it was?! Yep, Lukas on the toilet and done going #2. *Sigh. I'm in heaven.
On a down note, my best friend Shayna has moved home. Today. I'm trying to keep busy cleaning like crazy (before we go to UT on Fri) just to try not to think about her being gone. I miss her already. She helped me so much. Not just with the kids, which boy did she ever, but I miss talking to her all day. Her insights are fantastic! Her spirit so bright and her attitude very contagious. We never thought we'd have the chance to live together since I got married shortly after she got home from her mission. Well I'm VERY glad we did! Thank you Shay for everything. I love you chica!!!
Our friends the Armour's on their favorite ride - the Aerosmith roller coaster. The beginning is super fast. Its great!
Look at how close the animals were on the Safari ride! They have a ton of acres and just have the animals roam free. The ride just takes you through the area without fences or anything. So awesome!
Can you see my fangs? (Watch out I now have 6 teeth!)
Lydia got stuck for a second in this awkwardly small position. How this girl gets herself into these spots I have no clue. She always seems to get herself out. Very determined little girl, I'm telling you.
Right after getting herself out of this stunt she somehow squeezed her little self over some major obstacles to get behind the TV. I found her there with a lady bug in her mouth. YUMM! ;)
Lydia can now pull herself up to standing and is learning how to cruise along furniture quicker. Watch out world! My little girl is going to start walking. :0)
Lukas had some obsession for a week or so with ties, mittens, his Elmo slippers, and putting things on his head. One time he stuck his drum on his head and was banging on it. We tried giving him a cracker which he took and tried to shove in his mouth....only to his the outside of the drum that was covering his head. HAHA. It took him a second to realize he needed to put his hand (with the cracker in it) under the drum to get it into his mouth to enjoy. ;)
Obsessed with helping Mommy and Shay (oh yea my best friend Shay has been living with us since the end of August. So fun. Luke calls her "wa wa" for some reason. hehe) in the kitchen. He's actually a VERY good helper.
One day he stuck mittens on his hands, Elmo slippers on his feet, a tie around his neck and a laundry basket on his head. hehe. He's such a goober.
Obsessed with ties. Making a funny face for the camera.
Lydia's crib music player was broken and I put it on the stairs for Matt to fix, which ended up staying on the stairs for almost a week. A couple times I'd catch Luke in this position. He'd turn the music on and lay down and pretend to sleep. hehe.
Caught Lukey playing with mom's makeup. Isn't he SO cute?! haha. Oh yea and notice the tie. Can you say OBSESSED????
Lydia is a following in Luke's footsteps and becoming quite a goober herself.
Its sad to say that we don't really have a good family picture of all of us since Lydia was born. I know, pathetic. But we finally did it thanks to our good friends the Armour's. Thanks guys for getting us in gear. I think they turned out well. Lukas looks fake but its still cute. Lydia just woke up from a nap and wasn't smiley yet. haha. Oh well, we are all looking at the camera and that is remarkable for us! ;) Excited for Thanksgiving this week!
I know its been a while and I have a TON of pictures to post...but for now you get Halloween stuff. After going to Disney World in September (yes pics will come soon) Lukas has been obsessed with Mickey mouse. When I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween he quickly responded with "MICKEY!!!". So here's my cute Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse (of course Lyd had to be Minnie ;) ). I was in charge of the ward Halloween Trunk or Treat. Matt got a little carried away with the trunk decorations. He won first prize. The skeleton was set up in the back of our van with the candy bowl in between his legs. When people put their hand in to take some candy the skeleton would move and scare the kids (compliments of Matt hiding behind the curtain). I can admit that it was pretty good...even though I don't do ghorry (sp?).
At the beginning of July we had the privilege of going to Rochester, NY to visit Matt’s grandpa Doug and grandma Betty. It was our first time (including Matt) visiting them at their home and boy was it FUN! We went to the Strong National Museum of Play, which was incredible. Seriously, every town should have one of these. It was full of hands on things for kids to play with. They had a whole section of Sesame Street things, a full kid sized grocery store where they got hands on experience from shopping to checking out, a fairy tale section, and a butterfly house. I don’t know who had more fun, Luke or the adults? It was great.
We then had a fun filled day at Niagara Falls where we went to the aquarium (not very fun because there was only like 3 things to see), the park, and even got to experience the falls up close and personal (thanks grandpa and grandma for watching Lydia so we could go!). On the way home we stopped by a wharf and had some great seafood. Yummy.
The third day we were able to go see the church history sites in Palmyra. It was incredible to walk through the sacred grove, see the replica of the tiny log cabin where the angelMoroni visited the boy Joseph, and the large Smith home that was 80% original! It poured on us (and boy do I mean poured..and thundered and lightening) halfway through but it was still fun. Matt, Lydia and I tried to go to the Hill Cumoruh Pageant that night (thanks once again grandma and grandpa for watching Luke so we could go). By tried I mean that we got through about 70% of the show before it POURED on us. Of course we left the umbrellas in the car and so poor Lydia got a bit of rain before I stuffed her in my jacket. Unfortunately, they cancelled the show because of it. (For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Hill Cumorah pageant it is done outside on a huge stage that is on the hill Cumoruh where Joseph Smith got the gold plates. It is an amazing top notch performance of segments of Lehi’s time through until Christ comes again to the Americas and then the restoration of the gospel.) It was one of the most amazing plays I’ve ever seen. Wish we could have seen the end. Good thing we know how it really ended though. I love the gospel!
On the way home we took a slight detour to Harmony, PA to see the Hale’s and Smith’s home (well foundation since the original homes are no longer there). This is the place where Joseph Smith translated most of the Book of Mormon. Joseph and Emma’s first born son was buried in the cemetery adjacent to the property. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized in the SusquehannahRiver (which we walked down to and is beautiful). They also had a large statue representing the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods being restored there. So lots of church history there as well which made the detour well worth it. Oh and we got to stop by Scranton, PA on the way home (the town where The Office is suppose to be located). J Matt was giddy.
We had a blast visiting you grandpa Doug and Betty. Thank you so much for your hospitality. We love you guys!
So these pics are a little backwards....
Matt doing a quick photo shoot of Lydia. Harmony, PA
The monument in memory of the Aaronic and Mechizedek priesthoods being restored. Harmony, PA
This is the Smith family home that is 80% original. Matt and I couldn't believe how modern it looked. Apparently Alvin Smith was an accomplished carpenter and decided to build this modern home for his family. He was able to complete the foundation, framing, roof, exterior walls, and part of the interior himself before he took ill and died suddenly (the church believes it was due to a ruptured appendix - according to the elderly missionary there). Unfortunately the Smith's didn't know how to build a home like Alvin so had to find someone in town to help them finish it. The man who helped them finish it ended up stealing the home from the Smith's by paying the last $100 on their mortgage and took the deed out from under them. He then rented it out to them for a couple years before his oldest daughter got married which he intended to give it to her as a wedding gift. The Smith's were then required to move back into the small log cabin down the street with Hyrum and his wife. 11 people in a tiny, tiny cabin because of a greedy man who stole their house. So sad.
Replica of Smith log cabin. This is the room that the Angel Moroni appeared to the boy Joseph Smith.
Sacred Grove
Yes, that is me getting soaked. Believe it or not it was really scary to go on that. They put up those bridges every Spring and take them down every fall. So kind of scary to think about how rickety they are. But Matt dared me...so I had too.
