Camping

We went camping this weekend with some of Mark's family. We went to a campsite just north of bear lake. The kids had so much fun! Zach loved the fire and would boss everyone around to get wood for the fire. Friday we walked to a reservoir and the kids played in the water. Saturday we drove to Bear Lake. Zach and Grace love the water. They have absolutely no fear of the water. We had to keep a close eye on them.




At the reservoir we let just get wet in her diaper. Her diaper got so full she had such a hard time walking.

Grace ate way too much sand. She wouldn't seat long enough to eat so all of her food was covered in sand.
Zach loved the waves. He would lay down in the sand and wait for the wave to come up over him.
Grace is finally walking! She has been walking for about a week.

I know it has been forever since I have updated my blog, but I'm going to blame it on my mom's ancient computer. It is so slow and half the time doesn't upload pictures.

Here are a few pictures of what we have been doing the last month. Sorry, they are out of order.

Grace turned 1 last month. She is such a doll. We can't get enough of her. She isn't walking yet but with talk 5 or 6 steps from place to place. She is saying a few words. mama, dada, cat, uh-oh, and shakes her head no. She also will sign please, more, eat, and sleep. She loves stuffed animals and playing with Zach, but most of all she likes her mom and dad to hold her! She is so attached to Mark as soon as he gets home she wants nothing to do with me and all she wants is Mark's attention. It is really cute. plus I like the break from holding her...



Mom took us to the zoo. Zach loved the animals. This is the first time I think Zach really watched and like the animals. He said his favorite was the baby elephant. He also really like the reptiles. I think because he could get really close to the glass cages to see them.
As you can see my belly is getting quite big! For those who don't know yet we are expecting baby number 3. I'm really excited but to be honest have been quite sad also. I was really excited to run Grandma's Marathon, which was last weekend, and then the Spudman Triathlon in July. I guess those will have to wait until next year. One little complaint...I'm getting so big so fast. Really annoying. I already look about 5 months along. I guess that is what comes with the third baby and that baby being so close to the previous baby. Grace and the new baby will be about 19 months apart! Fun but crazy!


Zach turned 3!! He had such a fun day. I made these turtle cakes for him. I'm quite proud of them. I'm not very artistic so I thought they turned out pretty good. We had a little party for Zach Saturday morning (we celebrated it on Saturday since Sunday was father's day). We had a little water fight with all of my little brothers and then had a pinata, opened presents and had cupcakes and then went swimming. Which we do almost everyday. Zach and Grace love the water! Zach s so brave with his water wings. He jumps right in the deep and goes all the way under and kicks himself all over the place.








Mark planned a really fun Family Home Evening the other night. It was a water fight Hunger Games style. For those of you who have not read the book Everyone started out with nothing and there was a bunch of good weapons in the middle of the sports court to fight over and a bunch of water balloons and weapons hide around the yard. It was really fun!!

d

cute kids

I can't ever keep a bow, clip or elastic in her hair.
Zach is so funny! He keeps me busy cleaning up messes and chasing him. A funny story: The other day Zach came running up to me SUPER EXCITED. He then told me "I picked me nose and ate it and it was yummy! Daddy said it was icky but that is okay, it's not it is YUMMY!" I thought it was hilarious that he was so excited to tell me that his dad was wrong. It has been pretty tough convincing him otherwise now.

A few days a go Kelsey, my sister, was painting outside with the little kids and noticed that Zach wasn't painting rocks like everyone else but was painting our cat! The cat apparently didn't mind being stroked with a paint brush.

Zach has also found that he can get out of nap/quiet time if he poops his pants and if i put him back afterwards he will then wet his pants a few minutes later! I'm struggling with that one. I really need a few minutes to myself!
Grace standing up. She will stand up for a few seconds and has even taken a few steps.

Birthday

I think this birthday was the best yet. Jami watched my kids so I could meet Mark at his work for lunch. It was so fun to see where Mark worked and to spend a couple of hours with him. After lunch I hung out at my sister Jami's house until about dinner time. After dinner family spoiled me with presents!

(All morning Zach would make me pretend cupcakes and give me little presents)

This is what Mark got me for my birthday! He totally spoiled me! I love it. We went riding the next day. Way too fun. I want to go riding everyday! To bad that is way too hard with kids.

Growing up way too fast

Grace is growing up way too fast. I can't believe she is almost 11 months old. She is such a joy. (but does have a HUGE temper!) She has become quite a daddy's little girl. After Mark gets home from work all she wants is his attention.




Grace loves my families cat!


Playing with Daddy
Had to show the vampire teeth.

My 2 year old

Zach insisted on putting these bandaids on his eyes. (He has pink eye and they were bothering him.) He wouldn't let me put them above or to the side of his eyes. He wanted them in the middle. Zach keeps us laughing...

kiddos

I haven't posted in a while.....Here are some pictures of the kids.


Zach loves the warm weather. He could play outside all day. Especially when he has his cousins to play with.


Zach loves reading. Mark reads to him every night before bed time.

The Triplets

Jami (my sister) and I call these little stinkers the triplets. The wreck havoc on everything they touch when they are together. Zach loves playing with them. He is always asking where Sadie, and Raegan are. Anyway, this weekend Mark and I watched Jami and Layne's kids. The three 2 year olds were playing downstairs in Zach's room. They were playing super good and I figured nothing could get ruined in that room so I would go down there every 5-10 min to check on them. I went down there to check on them and could smell baby powder all the way from the stairs (other side of the basement). I opened the door to the room and the room was filled with a cloud of baby powder. I could hardly even breath. Everything was covered! I found the three little stinkers jumping on the bed NAKED, Zach with the baby powder in hand, jumping and watching the powder just fly.


My picture is so fuzzy from the powder. I went in and took about 5 pictures and came out and my camera was covered from all the powder in the air.

Notice all the powder on the carpet!

Grace and her cousin Jasher playing

Grace's fangs!

Life with the Valentines.

We have now been with my parents for two weeks!! Zach loves it! There is always someone to play with.


Zach doing a little paper craft. He was entertained for quite awhile cutting paper and taping them while my mom did her sharing time next to him.



We took Zach sledding in the back yard. I was a little worried he would be scared because the hill is steep and quite long. He loved it.
Mark is playing basketball with my Dad and brother Adam. Mark is the one in the green shirt and has the ball



Zach is obsessed with all of my brothers nurf guns. He constantly has one and is shooting people.


Grace eating peaches. If there is one thing that is similar to Grace and Zach it is food. They both love to eat!

Happy Birthday JAMI

I have the BEST sister ever. Today was her birthday and she let me and my kids come trash her house for the day. She fed us lunch and everything. This is one of the best things about living back in Utah....being able to hang out with my sister.

Happy birthday Jami. Hope you had a good day. I had super fun hang out today!


Sorry no pictures. Maybe someday I can get our pictures uploaded to the camera.