Cabin Fever

We were so excited that we could spend this last long weekend at the cabin with Coby's family. We had a great time!

I think one of the highlights of Alayna's day everyday we were there was taking a "tubby" with Brayden. They had so much fun - both of them don't mind getting soaked by each other so it was a good arrangement. Alayna would poor the cup of water on Brayden's hair, then Brayden would dump his on top of Alayna's head...and back and forth...they loved it!

Our campfire the first night we got there - Alayna loves to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, but usually just ends up eating uncooked marshmallows. Coby loves to sit by the fire - he spends hours out there just chatting with his dad and whoever else.

Alayna had to make sure that Brayden was getting enough to eat too.

The cousins got to battle it out with silly string and lots of it...it entertained them forever.

Kadin took Alayna and Brayden for a little motorbike ride (if you could call how slow they were going around a ride).

Alayna and Brayden loved catching horny toads - they would let them go then come back a few hours later and find more (or the same ones?). Brayden named them - Alayna, Brayden, and Karter...Alayna named them Alayna, Brayden, and Mo.

Alayna was so brave and loved to hold them all by herself - we did worry a little bit she was squeezing them a bit too tight.

Alayna and Brayden had so much fun together - they played nonstop!

Alayna was the official water balloon loader into the launcher - a job she did with pride.

Brayden was the launcher - Grandme Kelli would spend forever filling up water ballons just so these guys could have 15 minutes of fun. We were really tempted to try and hit the many 4 wheelers always driving by...

Brayden is probably the only kid in the whole world who will eat raw red onions by themselves.

Kadin's birthday is this week so we gave him his b-day present early - who doesn't want a snuggie and a head massager. Kadin claims he was embarrassed and wouldn't look at the camera (so I posted the pic anyway!), but he has already been caught lounging in his snuggie and enjoying it!

Swinging the afternoon away...

Alayna and Brayden thought it was great being pushed around on this dolly.

The ping-pong was more than intense at the cabin, but Kadin was named the official champ and Kasey had the most welts...(from sting pong).

Alayna loved helping Dad build the fire - she even helped gather sticks and throw them in...

Coby got to drive and handle the skid loader - he loved it, of course, and if medical school doesn't work out - he thinks he has a back-up plan.

We have been canning green beans like crazy - we did 51 pints in one day! Yay - for food storage. I'm hoping to get some peaches and pears done this week...

Enjoying the last few days of summer!

Grandma and the Girls - last Monday my mom gave a great FHE lesson.

Of course Alayna and Madeline had to start jumping about half way through it.

We had KFC for dinner - the girls loved picnicing outside...Alayna dove into the gravy for round two. Anyways - my mom's lesson was a KFC lesson on Kindness, Forgiveness, and Christ. Then we discussed becoming centered on Christ, being committed to Christ, and becoming consumed by Christ - it was an excellent lesson and a great reminder on what is really important and what our focus should be.

And no night is complete without a gravy dance!

Alayna is really into washing her hands - and this was probably the coolest sink we have ever seen - so she had to drink out of it too.

As I mentioned earlier Alayna and I went to Farm Country with Tifani, Madeline, Moira, Kali, and my mom. Alayna was so intense when she rode the horses - I loved it! She has never rode a horse before and took an instant liking to it.

Tifani and Kali took the girls on this horse ride around Thanksgiving Point - since Madeline didn't brave the real horses - maybe next time.

Thrown in jail - super sad.

This lamb was actually behind a fence and the girls climbed under the fence to ride it - so Kali helped them out.

Alayna actually got to ride the horses twice and both times she picked this one - the biggest one.

This cow was so cute and just loved to lick everybody. Kali put baby Moira's feet over by her mouth and Moira's feet got slimed...then when Kali pulled away - the cow thought differently...

Alayna put her hands up there and got licked over and over again...she laughed and laughed.

Feeding the Llama - Madeline was really cute she just lined her kernals along the cement for the llama to eat. Alayna usually dropped hers by the time the llama started licking her hands.

Posing with the cow...

Tifani, Madeline, and Moira left on Wednesday to go back to Indiana and won't be coming back until next summer. We had so much fun with them while they were here and wish they lived closer so we could see them all the time. Meanwhile, we are counting down until we see them again!

Too much fun playing in the pool!

A Beautiful Blessing

Last weekend when Tifani, Josh, Madeline and Moira where here...we went up to Ogden and had baby Moira's baby blessing since Josh's family was getting together for a wedding and almost everyone could be there. Here are Alayna and Madeline admiring the chickens at Josh's sisters house.

The happy family (minus Madeline who was very busy playing with Alayna)

Baby Moira and I - I just loved holding her...she is such a good baby and looked absolutely beautiful...there is something about being around a new baby - heaven seems a little bit closer.

Aunt Kali and all of her nieces - she couldn't be happier.

Crazy Cousins!

My Dad turned 50 on August 20th and we had a quite celebration together. It was a lot of fun - Alayna was lucky enough to be able to open all of Grandpa's presents.

Getting ready to blow out the candles - Alayna is always practicing, but when it comes right down to it - she is just a little scared of the fire. Speaking of fire - if we would have used 50 candles - our delicious ice cream cake would have been an ice cream puddle by the time we got all the candles lit up. We love you Dad (and Grandpa)!

Alayna is thrilled whenever she can have a "tubby" - since we don't have a bathtub - and nightly baths with Madeline made it even better. Madeline usually would get a little fed up with Alayna pouring water on her head...and have to get out before Alayna was ready to.

Enjoying an ice cream cone around the fire together.

Here is Grandma and baby Moira - about 2 weeks old. We were so lucky that Tifani let us hold her pretty much 24/7. I don't think she was ever put down while she was here.

Alayna loves Grandpa's fire pit and is always begging for a "hot dog on the fire" - which she always loves. Madeline loved it too!

Alayna meets her new cousin baby Moira...she loved her and wanted to give her lots of kisses...she'll be a great big sister. Alayna is all potty trained - Happy Day! She is doing great -the first couple of days after I took her diapers away and she wore her big girl panties - I took her to the potty about every hour and we had very few accidents and now she tells me when she has to go and we even made it through church and nursery yesterday! What a relief - now we will just hope and pray that everything continues to go well!

Who doesn't need a little rum punch?!

This week we went to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point with with Tifani, Madeline, baby Moira, Kali, and my mom....Alayna loved riding the horses and had to have the biggest one of course. She was thrilled that she could do it all by herself and exclaimed after that she wanted to be in the rodeo...we'll just have to wait and see...

We made homeade rootbeer at my parent's house this weekend and someone told Alayna that we were making rum punch. To make a long story short....a couple of weeks ago Alayna looked at me and said, "I need rum punch." It took me a few minutes to think about where she got that from - then I realized and asked her, "Who else likes rum punch?" and she said, "Mary Poppins likes rum punch!" It was so funny - now she says it all the time. So when we made "rum punch" she was ecstatic...seriously this movie is too cute not to watch! (We didn 't let her do this for very long.)

I am just not creative!

So I have thought and thought and thought about how I would make this post unique - but I have been busy and it seems like I am just not having any creative inklings.

This last week on Monday Coby and I found out that we are going to be having a little boy to welcome into our family about January 13. I am 19 weeks along and doing very well. We are really excited, but Alayna still insists she is having a baby sister. This last week I have just started to feel him move around - in fact, he moved the entire time during our ultrasound and it was very difficult for the technician to get the pictures he needed so our ultrasound lasted about 70 minutes - and half the time we watched our little guy doing flips. I was hoping for pictures from our ultrasound to post, but I must have got a bad disc because it won't open to let me view the files on our computer. Every time Alayna and I talk about the baby she tells me the baby is in her belly and I tell her it is in mine and this goes back and forth several times....so yeah for a baby in my belly!

Take the Cake!

This weekend was a busy one, but a great one. We celebrated Grandma Linda's birthday...she didn't even have to blow out her candles - Karson did it for her. Thanks Grandma Linda for everything you do for us. We love you!

Alayna and Grandpa Brad...getting ready to enjoy some cake and ice cream.

I made Grandma Linda's Birthday cake - it is a German Chocolate Cake made completely from scratch - and I do have to say it turned out delicious...my mouth is still watering...

Earlier on Saturday we had the Stewart family reunion. We had a great time reminiscing with everyone. Here is Alayna, me, my dad, and his parents - posing for a little four generation picture.

Last weekend we went to the farmer's market up in downtown Salt Lake. Alayna got her favorite things a balloon animal and kettle corn, but I was severely disappointed to find that the Belgian Waffle maker - wasn't there this year...my only reason for going...I'm still craving one.

On Friday night - was my friend Jen's baby shower...she lives in Texas so we were so excited to have her here so we could rub her belly! It was so fun to get togther with some of my friends - Jennifer, Ashley, Kristin, and Jen -we go all the way back to 6th grade. Crazy huh!

On Monday it had been one year since Coby's Uncle Dustin had died in a car accident. Here is Alayna, Brynnli, and Wyatt at the cemetary by Dustin's headstone...Coby and I feel privileged to be part of such an amazing family.