One more day before Daddy gets home

Saturday morning was a bit crazy. Etta woke us up at 7:00am. So we did our usual routine. Change all diapers, feed all of us and get us dressed. Then I started packing for Seven Peaks. I also was packing for Gibson because he was headed to my mom's house. Not to much fun bringing him to Seven Peaks with out Andy. My plan was to be at my mom's by 10:00 and feed Gibson again. Then hopefully leave by 10:45 to reach the park around 11:30. To my surprise that is exactly what happened except when we were one street away from Seven Peaks I realized I had forgotten towels for Etta and me. Off we went to the Family Dollar store and grabbed 3 small towels that worked great.
Chari and Amy were saving great spots for us. I was able to play and give Etta my full attention and she loved that. Melissa, Jen and Baby Chase joined us around noon and we all had a great time.

We headed home to get ready to spend the evening up in Park City with Melissa, Jen and Chase.We got home at 3:00 and were going to be leaving around 5:00. 2 hours isn't much time to change, shower and get ready myself and 2 kids. And of course we had a few set backs. Etta Pooping in the tub while bathing. Then I got her out and was draining the tub she peed all over the floor. Luckily I had finished feeding Gibson and he was sleeping. (He can be such a good little boy) After cleaning up the accident Etta and I both showered together which she did not like at all. We then got dressed, made sure all car seats, the stroller and diaper bag was ready. Just then Melissa called and said they left Lehi. Great just enough time for me to get my hair done.
Heading up to Park City was so much fun. I didn't take any pictures except for Etta in the very back of Jen's pathfinder.

We eat at Red Rock, Shopped until the stores closed and then meet up with Nalani and her family. They were great and I enjoyed meeting all of them.
This weekend was great because of great friends to help stay busy and wonderful phone calls from my husband on his motorcycle trip to tell me he missed me and loved me. That is what helped me through about 4 days of being a single mother with 2 children.

Sunday afternoon was a wonderful reunion when Daddy came home!

Another day just playing

Friday we woke up and got in our swim suits and went over to a friends house to play in their pool. They have a 4 or 5 person pool and it was fun to talk to an adult while Etta played with her friend Emily. Gibson slept right next to the pool and would wake up when he would get splashed on every now and then. After returning home and grabbing some lunch we headed off to the Living Planet Aquarium. At the beginning there is all sorts of information and fish that live here in Utah. Etta was really liking the information displays.

We then headed into the sea life with Jellyfish, seahorses, sharks and millions a beautiful fish. Etta wanted to play in the sting ray water but couldn't reach any of the sting rays. Of course she loved it anyway because it was water. At the end they had a small little play area that was the coral reef area. Fun tunnels with fish swimming around the toys.



It wasn't a huge Aquarium but is always fun with my kids. After a long day out we stayed in the rest of the evening. We went to bed early because Saturday was going to be another long and fun day.

When Dads away Mommy and kids will play

Andy headed off on Wednesday evening on a motorcycle trip. They went up to Montana and through Yellowstone and returned home on Sunday. So while Andy was gone I tried to keep us busy.
Thursday we went to the Discovery Gateway. Etta had a lot of fun but I think she will like it more when she is a little older. She played in the water works section for most of the time and came away soaked. She loves water.


They had a little center just for children 3 and under with a cute little beaver den, bird house and fake lake. She was the only kid in there for awhile and just explored at her on pace with out having another kids push her or grab a toy first.


They also have a studio where you can pretend to record an album, a radio station, and a TV set to tell the news. Etta enjoyed the knobs and keyboards.


They have so much to do there. We also went to a farm where you could feed horses, plant a garden and gather eggs. And on the top of the building is a Life flight Helicopter that you can play in and look at all there controls.
So, for the first day Daddy was gone we did keep busy and had a lot of fun at the Discovery Gateway.

Snowbird in the Summer

Saturday we went up to Snowbird to play not ski. They have a lot of fun activities to do in the summer time. We arrived around noon and bought all day passes for Andy and I and three fun jumping passes for Etta. We then headed over to the blown-up castle and slide for Etta to play.


She had fun jumping by herself and then a little boy about 4 came in and started pushing her and jumping on her. She was fine and just like "what the heck" and then he did a flip right at her and smashed his big mean head right on Etta's eye. (she ended up with a small black eye) I got her out of the castle and she cried a bit and then Daddy took her to the Alpine Slide. They went together a couple of times. I waited for Melissa and her family to arrive so we could have a fun time with everyone.
Melissa, Jen, Chari, Amy and all their families came. Momacoates is great she watched the little ones for us while we went on the rides. I loved going on the Alpine slide with Etta. She is just the best little girl in the world. There was lady taking pictures and Andy thought they came out great (I did too) so he bought them.


After the slide we rode the bull and then went on the Tram to the very top of one of the mountains. It was beautiful. Melissa's dad and brother-in-law didn't believe that there was snow on the mountain side, so they took a long hike to find out. Most of us didn't wait for them but we heard they made snow angels and even brought their hats filled with snow back from their hike.

We had a ton of fun and are glad for great friends.

More Pictures

As I mentioned in the last blog. Our friend took some great pictures of my family. I love how he makes them look soft and fresh. This is a great shot showing that Etta does really love her brother.
Andy told me that we should all wear white. So, I just grabbed some plain white shirts. I wish I would have grabbed nice white shirts. Our family picture is great it just looks to me like we are all getting baptized. I do love the background.

wikked lil' girls

A good friend of Andy's does some professional photography and we go see him every now and then to get some great pictures of our family. His wife dressed Etta up like a little cowgirl and they took some amazing shots of her. He just emailed Andy and sent him this picture. He made a CD cover for a CD he made and named it "wikked lil' girls".

Here is MY"wikked lil' girl"

Coming soon are more pictures he has taken of our family. You can also see his work at http://www.flickr.com/photos/skrike/
and past pictures of our family at http://www.flickr.com/photos/skrike/sets/72157594453153710/

My children share clothes

Andy doesn't mind buying clothes as long as they are androgynous. Etta has a few camo, cream and blue shorts, along with some blue crocs. I of course want the pink shorts and shirts and other girly shoes.
The other night I was getting Gibson ready for bed and pulled out some pj's for him to wear. I noticed they were ones Etta wore when she was little and we had a picture or two of her in them. So I popped out the camera for a comparison. Can you tell who is who?



I guess the pacifier and blanket give Gibson away.

For now I won't care so much because Etta looks cute in the boy clothes. They will continue to share a few items until she has a say in what she wears.