Summer Review

Marshall got potty trained!!! Sheppard was a great helper, showing him the ropes of how to pass the time while "working things out."
The boys at Jackson Lake, with the Tetons in the background. We made a trip with Lou Lou and Pampa, the lake was a little too chilly to swim but the boys had a great time throwing rocks and going on little adventures.
Row, Row, Row your Boat. Lou Lou took the boys out on a ride in the raft. We felt very spoiled having Grandma and Grandpa all to ourselves.
Sheppard and Pampa on a hike at Jenny Lake.
One of our local favorites, Big Jud's Burgers. Our whole family can split this one hamburger.

Yellowstone Trip #2

On this day-trip we had many adventures along the way.

Marshall has this small obsession with throwing rocks into water, usually this is a fun and simple way to pass an afternoon, not so in Yellowstone. See at Yellowstone you spend your day hiking and looking at pools of water, and there are millions of rocks to choose from along the way, but there is also a $1000 fine..try explaining this to a very determined 2 year old whose favorite pass-time is throwing rocks in water. We stopped to watch some Buffalo by a river and Marshall had was in heaven throwing his rock. To get him to get back in the car Aram gave him a rock for our next spot. Our next spot was a hike to hot pots. I tried to get Marshall to give me his rock, he wouldn't. I tried to get him to throw it in the trees, he wouldn't. Once we got to the hot pot I tried prying the rock from his little hands, he's got a very firm grip. When he saw his chance he chucked the rock, but luckily it ricqoched off the fence. I swept up the rock before Marshall could get it. This was the beginning of a very long tantrum. As we continued on the hike we passed a small stream I gave the rock back to Marshall and told him to throw it in the water. "NO, big water." He wasn't going to settle for a measly stream when there were bigger fish to fry. So we were back to square one, trying to get the rock from Marshall before Marshall got the rock into a hot pot. Once again luck was on our side...if you call being on a hike with a tantrum throwing two year old luck, the hot pots were too far off for him to make it and so he catapulted the rock over the fence and fell short. He was pretty upset that it didn't make it into the water and set off to find another rock. At which point we decided to carry back to the car.

The next Sigfred and Roy???

We have made many trips to the Tauphaus Zoo in the short time we have been living in Idaho. From these pictures you would think that the boys were totally crazy about the Tigers, it's not true don't let them fool you. On our first visit in May I was holding Marshall as we were watching the Tiger, then he let out a very mean, hungry growl, it made me jump. I don't know if it was my jumpiness or the actually roaring but now Marshall has a major aversion to Tigers. Every time we go to the zoo now he freaks out when he know we are getting close to the Tiger cage.

Yellowstone Trip #1

Aram's parents were so kind to come and watch the kids while we did some house hunting in Idaho Falls. On Sunday we decided to make a trip through Yellowstone and down through the Tetons and back again. It was super cold, it was like we went back to February. It was difficult to coax the boys out of the car to see the Buffalos and mud pots. I especially enjoyed out picnic in the snow. I don't think the boys saw much on the hikes because the wouldn't take their blankets off their heads. I haven't been to Yellowstone for years, and it was like the first time for me, I got giddy when I saw the hot pots bubbling over and the Old Faithful.

An Update

Here's a quick update on life since last I wrote, so much has happened to us in the last five months that it seems overwhelming to blog about it. But I will do a quick synopsis and then start blogging fresh from here on out.

-We found out we were pregnant, a total surprise baby. We are super excited but had to make some changes in plans we had made (changing my registration for the Ogden Marathon from a full to a half.)

-Had a miscarriage scare when I was about two months along. Much to our relief it was pain caused most likely by a cyst. And baby was fine!!!

-We made a trip to St. George to see G.G. and Papa Don and our Auntie Brady. We had a great time hiking, swimming, and catching up.

-Sheppard turned 4 years old in March. I can't believe how old he is getting. We went to Chuck E. Cheeses for his birthday with our little family. And, in true Sheppard fashion he freaked out about the animatronics and all the noise (kids), but once he realized there were video games there he snapped out of his fit.

-In April Aram started to look for a new job. There were a number of factors involved with this decision, some of which were he really wanted to get back into the food industry (it's much more regulated than the vitamin industry which is a big bonus when you are interested in Quality), his company continued to take things from employees despite record profits, health insurance was a big one and no raises company wide for two years. Aram loved who he worked with and made some great friends there, but he felt it was time to move on. As we began looking for new jobs we worked through food industry recruiters. Many of the jobs he was applying/interviewing for were East/West coast. So, we were really excited when he got an interview with Basic American Foods in Idaho. He landed the job, Quality Assurance Manager, and here we are 6 weeks later living in a hotel (short term) in Rexburg, Idaho. So far he is really impressed with the company and is excited about their commitment to producing a quality product, and really likes his job so far.

-We worked hard getting our house ready to put up for sale...it's officially on the market for a screaming deal. So we are crossing our fingers that we can get our house sold so we can move on with a house in Idaho.

-We have been house hunting in Idaho Falls...which is super fun trying to find a place that is a good fit for our family/lifestyle.

-All four of the girls in my family were pregnant. The day before mother's day we had a girl's day at my parent's house. My sister Lindsee was on bedrest at 29 weeks because she had toxemia, and my sister Kelsie was about 37 weeks along and seemed to be a bit miserable. We let them relax and we were just hanging out, we decided to take our blood pressure just for fun (what we pregnant girls do for fun). Lindsee's blood pressure was through the roof, and I am sure all her crazy sisters made it go 20 points higher. She ended up having to deliver her baby that night. Baby Elli is our miracle baby, she was about 2 1/2 pounds. She still is in the NICU a month later but she is progressing really well. The day after Elli was born Kelsie went into labor and had cute little Cormac. It was a crazy mother's day weekend. We went from four prego sisters to two in two days.

-Sheppard finished his first year of preschool. We sure had a great time doing our co-op with Ephraim, Walter and Neal and their fabulous Mommies (teachers). We will miss you next year.

-Papa Dude and Gramma Judy came to help us on our house browsing trip. We did a road trip up through Yellowstone, down to the Tetons and through Jackson and back; it was a long, memorable day. I will never forget our picnic in the snow, or Marshall's reaction when he first saw a hot pot (he just giggled and thought it was hilarious.) The boys had a great time with their grandma and grandpa.

-We are currently staying in a hotel in Rexburg. We will rent an apartment for the remainder of the summer once our temp housing is done and hopefully by then we will be able to buy/move into a house in Idaho Falls. But, for now we are enjoying our food allowance, the pool, not having to make our beds. To be honest I feel a little bit guilty, it's like we are on a perpetual vacation. But, I am trying to put the guilt aside and really enjoy this time I have with the boys, without all the distractions of home life. I really have the sweetest boys in the world, as of late Marshall has been calling me "Mama" and it just about melts my heart along with his constant hugs and loves.

I know I missed a million little moments that really make up the fibers of our life during the last five months. But, those are the high/low lights, and I will try and do better about recording the small moments.

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Role Reversal Bedtime

We have changed to 1:00 o'clock church (oh joyous). Due to this, Marshall's schedule is thrown totally out of whack. Today he didn't get a nap, so we put him down early for bed. About a half hour later Shep accidentally woke him up. So Marshall's mind and body were acting like he had taken a nap. After several attempts at trying to put him back in his bed we then asked him if he wanted to sleep with Shep. He snuggled up to him, and kept saying "Shep's a baby" and rubbed his back and head, and gave him lots of kisses. He then went on to cover his older brother in pillows. I thought he might eventually fall asleep but soon I heard the noises of a lively farm. Marshall was up and about "mooing" his little heart out playing with the Little People's Farm.

Plan B failed, onto plan C. Aram laid down with Marsh in our bed. After about five minutes of cooperating Marshall thought of a new plan. He thought to turn this into bedtime for Daddy. He tucked him in, gave him kisses and went on to follow our routine with him. He said "SHHH, stay here..." then went to the door and said "I going to shut da door", he opened and shut the door about four times and repeated this several times. On his last time he said, "Stay there, love you, shut da door." That was the end of it, Aram was officially tucked in by his two year old son.

So, here I am at 9:50 p.m. writing on my much neglected blog with the small sounds of two year old gabbing to himself as he lie in his bed. I must note he originally went to bed at 6:00. If he is true to his nap schedule he should fall asleep at about 11:30 tonight (bedtime is about 5 hours after naptime).

Nursury Rhymes

We have been learning nursury rhymes in preschool for the last couple of weeks. Shep loves to retell them to me. He has his own versions of the old classics.

Shep:"This Little Piggy went to the market, this little stayed home, this little piggy had roast pee, this little piggy had none..."-I don't know about you, but roast pee sound pretty nasty to me.

These next ones come from a nursury rhyme book we were reading, I would read part of each rhyme and he would finish them. He was looking at the pictures to find the right words, this is what he came up with.

Me: "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is..."

Shep: "Laying in his bed."

Me: "Rub-a-dub-dub, Three men in a..."

Shep: "Bucket"

Me: "Little Miss..."

Shep: "Muffin"

Me: "Sat on a..."

Shep: "Tuffer"

I don't think he quite gets the rhyming thing yet.