Spring and Summer Where has the time gone?

Well, winter ended, spring came and went and now summer is half way over and I am just getting time at 5 a.m. in July to write on my blog. BUSY! BUSY! BUSY! Sadly I just lost over 100 pictures and 20 videos that were on my phone and I was trying to transfer to my computer, but they somehow got erased in the process. All well, hopefully I will learn how to use it better in the future. Luckily I still have the pics from the digital camera. I will give you a few highlights of our spring and summer so far. We will go from most current to January since it is easier to put the pictures in that way.

Most importantly, Coach graduated with his Master's of Education in Administration in May and can now officially become a school Administrator (Assistant Principle, or Principle) now we just need some jobs to open up! He is enjoying the summer break playing with Princess, reading books, biking huge distances (up to 50 miles in a day), Playing at seven peaks, taking starboy on burger boy outings, and holding down the fort while I am volunteering at the care center (I need 500 Rec Therapy hrs by December to recertify) and going to school. (I am taking a class at Salt Lake Community College also for recertification).

Starboy has had a fun summer with COUSINS!! He went to his Jensen Family Reunion in Wyoming and got to spend more than a week with his Jensen cousins, He got to go to Family Camp with Smith Cousins, and Baseball Games, Hiking and Seven Peaks with Hunter Cousins.


Princess has enjoyed spending lots of time with Daddy this summer. This Jeep stroller was Coach's Father's Day Gift. They have done a 5k together in the running stroller and ran up Provo Canyon. Princess has also ridden in the bike seat over 20 miles with her Dad. Princess misses Mom when she's gone, but is happy to enjoy so many ways of getting around with her Dad.

I got a new mountain bike also so that I too could join my family on their biking excursions. I am up to 15 miles in one day (part up and part down hill) Besides working at the care center, and doing my class, I have also been crazy enough to sign up for a Tri-atholon in Sept. with my sister. So I should technically be in training. I ran a 5k a couple weekends ago to prepare.

I just and hope that the 5k, 12 mile Bike ride, and 350m Swim will not be the end of me!! My goal is that my sister and I can be SMILING at the end, no matter how long it takes us to finish.

Starboy started Karate in March. Princess and I actually won a contest for building the best snowman (it was a princess snowman) and the prize was a free month of Karate at the facility just down the street. He did Karate til June 30th when the studio closed because of high rent. He earned his yellow belt.

We got a Thanksgiving Point pass this year making it so we can enjoy the Dinosaur Museum, the Farm and the Garden's as much as we want. This is the erosion table at the Dinosaur Museum
Starboy and Princess can spend hours building dinosaur islands and playing with the sand and the water.

My parents invited Starboy and I to join them for April Conference. It was a very special experience. The first time Starboy got to see the prophet speak in person.

Princess turned 2 in February and received a princess kitchen which she loves dearly. She had two birthday parties and a lot of fun. She loves to talk, sing, and dance!

Princess is still allergic to wheat, but that didn't stop me from making her a great birthday cake!

In February Starboy's school had a Luau with a dress up contest. Our team won. This is his friend from school that we dressed up and took with us. It as a fun night! Starboy even won a pair of shoes from it!

And that brings us back to January. The other notable things that occurred, since my pictures got erased...

Starboy

He played Jr. Jazz Basketball this year and loved it. He finished 3rd Grade and had a great end of school year!! This last Saturday he had his first Equestrian Vaulting Class (Gymnastics on Horses) and he was a natural... was doing a head stand on the horse while moving on the first day.. (wish that video hadn't gotten erased) Don't worry, there will be more on that in the future.

Nutrition Momma
I have begun writing songs on my guitar and on the piano. They are not amazing, but they are a great stress reliever for me, and the care center residents and my family are great audiences. I miss being with my family all the time, and can't wait till Aug 5.. when my class is over and I stop full days at the care center.

Princess

Princess can count to 13 and she loves to say big words like "frustrated" and phrases like "I want to stay here forever, it's beautiful" She paints, jumps on the tramp, loves to wear dresses, and HATES having her hair brushed.

Coach

He has been a lifesaver this summer and unlike me, wishes that it could last a while longer before he has to return to the halls of junior high.

That the catch hope, hopefully next time it won't be so long!

Birthday, Basketball and Bike Riding

We have definitely had a month of March Maddness! I have been working over at the house 2-3 times a week which equals close to 2 hrs in the car each of those days, always between the hours that Starboy is at school (so it will still be a suprise when we tell him next weekend). With the help of my husband, wonderful sister's and my nieces I have been able to paint the Kitchen, Starboys Room, The downstairs play/t.v. room, and baseboards up stairs. I have also torn out all the old dead plants and bushes, and planted new tulips, daffodils and other bulbs that may or may not bloom this year.

Princess has been quite patient and has to sit in her stroller while I work on projects. Some days she does better than others. I have done quite a bit of painting with her on my back in the beco carrier. I really need some pictures of that. She will fall asleep while I am painting and kind of hang there with her head lopping from side to side.

Because of trying to get all of this done before Easter when we take Starboy to the house, I have not posted for a long time. So, it is catchup time.

Princess's Birthday Party February 27

She recieved the Precious Moment Birthday Train set from Her daddy

Lots of fun toys from cousins, and Aunts & Uncles. Her pretty outfit was from Grandma and Grandpa S. in Hong Kong.
She wouldn't put down her "Big Bad Wolf" Build a Bear that her and Coach went and built.
From Mom Princess got a bike helmet and a new bike seat so that they can ride together. You'll see pictures of that later in this blog. It was a fun Party. She especially enjoyed her birthday cupcake.

Her yummy chocolate cupcakes had zuchinni, carrots, and spinich hidden inside and were sweetend with xylitol.

She loved them, and so did everyone else!




STARBOY -BASKETBALL SEASON

Starboy is in basketball season and HE LOVES IT!! He practices outside everyday and tells me "he is working on his moves" It 's really funny to watch 1st and 2nd graders play, because they are all ball hogs, and don't quite understand the concept of team work or guarding. They mostly just want to get the ball and try to shoot. Alot of the time airballs occur, but every once in awhile you will see a basket. Starboys team is finally catching on to the passing thing now that the season is about over. It has been fun watching him and the others improve each week.

They play on 8 ft hoops. There is no stealing allowed (which is actually one of the things starboy is good at) They are really nice about things like double dribbles, and traveling. They just stop the game and explain the rule and then have the ball thrown in again. They usually have 2 games going on at a time. The boys all think they are keeping score and both teams always think they are winning (No score actually kept). The teams practice for 20 minutes at the beginning, and then there is a 40 minute game.



PRINCESS's NEW TRANSPORTATION






Princess LOVES her new bikeseat that she got for her birthday. She has a helmet and everything. We have only gone on little short 5-10 minute rides so far, but as it gets warmer, we will try longer. She never wants to get out when we get home. I think it will be a lot of fun this summer especially. The ibert is rated as one of the safest infant bike seats available.


That is a little glimpse of our March Maddness.

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47 Weeks 11 months

11 months OH SO CUTE!!

Loves to eat her veggies WHOLE

SCRIPTURE POWER!

I want to be a missionary now!

This is Sister Ritchie's granddaughter that we take to play group each week. This week play group was canceled because of the snow, so she came over to our house. She is 3 and loves to play with princess

It is hard to believe that this first year is almost over. Princess walks all over the house

and LOVES to make messes in every room. We adore her anyway.

43 Weeks (1st Christmas)

Merry Christmas - 43 Weeks Old (10 months tomorrow)

Fun with Brother- I love my new Pajama's

Oooh.. A yummy pear in my stocking!

I want that ornament!!!

I can walk so fast with my new stroller. Watch me go!!

My brother loves to spin me around.. I think it is hilarious when I get so dizzy.

39 Weeks and 9 months old

39 weeks- and 9 months old yesterday. WOW time is flying so fast!

She still loves my cell phone and tries to hold it as much as possible. I love to hold her and kiss her chubby cheeks.

Princess and her cousin were having fun eating green peppers. I tend to feed Princess mostly raw vegetables. She loves to hold and eat sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, and green peppers. Now that she has 4 teeth she get to eat a lot more of them also.

Fast asleep in Daddy's lap with green pepper on the chin...

Big news this week.... walking with the cart. This was at Grandma H's. It was her first time walking by herself. (well holding on to something) She did it really good of course when I wasn't filming then I spent the next 30 minutes trying to recreate it. This was the best footage we got. She is so grown-up.

Cousin E. is so fun to have has a friend. At this point they like to take each other's toys and pat each other in the face, but eventually I think they will really enjoy playing together since they are only 4 months apart.

34 weeks (8months tomorrow)

34 weeks old and on the move! Princess likes to grab cords, open drawers, scavenge the carpet for small items she can chew on...it is quite a new adventure having a baby that no longer stays in one place.

She loves books, magazines, paper, and especially standing up.
I was drying apples....I had 2 huge boxes, Princess crawled over to the box and picked herself out one...now if only her mouth were a little bigger.
She still always has a smile for Starboy. He loves to play with her and is a great help when I am cooking or getting a project done.

This week Princess also met her Uncle K. who was visiting from Kansas. Of course I forgot to get the camera out. After a few minutes of warming up, she sat on his lap and gave him a lot of smiles. It was fun to have him visit for a bit.

Princess is doing a new thing where she wakes up every two hours during the night and wants to eat. She only nurses for about 5 minutes and then falls back to sleep. I think she is having a growth spurt. It makes me a little tired, but I realize that she is growing up so fast, so I am trying to see the joy of her needing me so much. I love being a Mom!

7 Months Old

7 Month Birthday!



HOORAY!! Princess's favorite sounds are GA GA GA and DA DA DA.

She always gives us a gaping smile...so full of wonder and excitement!


Princess is very wiggly these days and loves to bend and twist out of our arms and onto the ground where she can roll and scoot (mostly backwards).

Time is going so quickly. We sure are having fun watching her grow!

6 month Birthday Today!! (Target Photo's Sitting)

Princess -6months and oh so sweet!

Coach picked out her outfit- She was his striped, star, rainbow, butterfly fairy.


Tiny Toes--Love those leggings

Chipmunk Cheeks- You just gotta kiss them!!

Ahhh! So delicate!

She is very photogenic....at least I think so. Her personality is really developing. She snorts when she laughs, she makes this funny gurgling noise when she happy and she sqwaks when she is excited. It is so fun to be her mom!

Eat the Beads!

We got a few pictures of Coach and Princess together reading since Coach reads to her everyday. They have finished almost a dozen novels out loud. Mostly fantasy young adult fiction such as Fablehaven, Princess Academy, Spindles End etc...
Coach got this picture to put in his classroom (He is a reading teacher)

So excited to read!

Hungry for Reading?

21 Weeks/ 5 months

21 weeks- This week Princess started sitting by herself for long periods of time. She can even chew on her fingers while sitting and not fall over. Now that takes focus!

She has learned to sleep on her side. She will wiggle around until she gets comfortable and then sleep for hours on her side like this. It is so cute.

She loves to have Pooh Bear with her, especially in the car. She like to chew on his ears and his nose and just hold onto him even when she falls asleep.


We went to the OWLS baseball game for the 24th of July. We had fun watching the game with cousins and playing on the grass hill. Starboy was busy playing catch with other kids, playing on the playground and watching for fly balls to stop for a photo.

The OWLS won 5 to 1, after the game there were fireworks which Starboy loved, but Princess found too loud, Coach had to take her out of the park and further away so she would stay calm.

By the time it had ended and we headed out to the car, she was fast asleep on Coach's shoulder.

Picking up the Piano and only 5 months old. Wow, what talent! This was her first time ever touching the Piano keys and she seemed to really enjoy it. We might have a little musician on our hands.