Fall Break 2010 {UTAH}

For the kids' school Fall Break, we decided once again to escape the heat and head up to Utah to visit family and friends.

A huge *THANK YOU* to my Uncle Scott and Aunt Charla who are always willing to let us crash with them for a couple days! Our kids love them so much and remember the littlest details of our visits with them.

Preston gets snuggles with Aunt Charla before heading out the door.We visited my Grandpa Adams then made sure to stop by the cemetery to "see" Grandma Adams as well. It's just not the same without her there. *sigh* :(Then we took the kids to Park Discovery to wear them out. This park is pretty incredible, giving the kids lots to explore and use their imagination! (My camera battery died so not many pics here...)On our way North, we made a quick stop for lunch with my Grandpa and Grandma Sorensen, whom were THRILLED to see us!

It's really important to me that the kids get lots of pictures with their great-grandparents since we never know how long we'll have them here with us!Then on we went, up to spend the remainder of the week with the Barneys, our friends from optometry school. I'm so glad that we've been able to maintain a good relationship with them, even though we are separated by 700 miles. This marks the 4th time that we've managed to see each other since graduating from school 2.5 years ago, which I think is pretty amazing!

We had just the right amount of play mixed with chill time while we were there. Wednesday morning, Jennie and I were able to escape and get pedicures. Wednesday afternoon, Matt visited Craig Poulter's practice (another classmate). Thursday, Matt went with Weston to work all day so Jennie and I loaded up all our kids and met Trenda and her kids at Discovery Gateway children's museum in SLC. I think we spent a good 5 or so hours there, with a little lunch break in between!!!!! All the kids had a blast.

These tubes sucked the balls up and around in tubes. This was the very first thing you come to in the museum and I think my kids would have stayed here for an hour!Gavin the builder manPreston couldn't get enough of this car!
We'd go play in a different area of this floor and he'd keep running back to it!Preston and Hadley at the water play area.
Amazingly, these two played together pretty well the entire trip!
Preston calls her "Haggie," which is stinkin' adorable. :)Brooklyn conquering the rock wallTwo darling cowgirls, wanting to be alike in every way! They wanted their hair done the same, clothes to match, etc. Cute Sydney even cried when it was time to say goodbye!There was a whole table full of these Magformers that kept these two occupied for a LONG time! You better believe that these went straight on my, errrrr, the kids' Christmas list!! ;) Gavin, Ambree and Macey hard at work drawing.

All three were born within 5 months of each other. :)Taking at "ride" in the Life Flight helicopter. Preston was in H-E-A-V-E-N!!!
"Heli-cockers" are one of his current obsessions!Co-pilot with big sisThe whole crew between the three of us - Ambree, Cade, Brooklyn, Hadley, Sydney, Preston, Blake, Gavin and poor Macey having a little meltdown off to the side. LOL!

Weston took off work Friday so the we all met up with Trenda and kids again, this time at the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine, one of the largest in the world!! It definitely was an interesting sight to see, this gargantuan open-pit mine.

Cade, Blake, Brooklyn and Sydney peering through microscopes in the visitor's centerPreston loved all these trucks! I'm just glad they were behind glass and not open display! ;)Brooklyn eyes the precious mineralsTaking a closer lookThis is one of the tires from the massive dump trucks used to haul ore out of the mine!!!!!Crazy kids!This was a common sight -- if Jennie was holding Hadley, Preston wanted to be picked up too! In fact, I think he even referred to Jennie as "mom" once as he leaned to her as *I* was holding him!!!!!! Little stinker! At least it's a good workout, Jen!

After the mine we headed to a park to each lunch and let the kids run while the mom's chatted. Matt and Weston fished in a little pond up the hill and Matt reeled in this little sucker. Preston's not too sure about it...Saturday morning we had a delicious breakfast then Matt and Weston were off to have some manly time at the golf course. When they got home, off Jennie and I went to Tai Pan Trading to do a little home decor shopping. I like that place!! Saturday evening we had dinner get together at the Barneys, including the Poulters and the Underwoods (whom we also met while living in California). Look at the brood of kids we have combined!We had plenty of good chats, laughs and even shared some sick germs. ;) We're hoping to continue the tradition of meeting up with the Barneys at least once a year, whether it be in Utah, Arizona or somewhere inbetween. I love that we can pick right back off where we left off the last time. I'm glad to have such good friends that really were our family through grad school. Thanks again, Weston, Jennie, Syd, Macey and Hadley for letting us invade your house! Can't wait until next time!!!

Where to Start??

Oh Preston. Sometimes I just don't know what to do with you!!! Can't be left alone for ONE second! Always into SOMEthing.

+ Two Sundays ago, I was sitting on Preston's bedroom floor, getting everything ready to dress him for church. I knew he needed his bum changed. I turned my back and Blake yelled, "Mom, Preston got one of his poops out!" I turned around, completely horrified that Preston had POOP on his FINGERS!!!! This is my FIRST diaper-digging child experience and this better be the LAST occurrence!!

+ Monday night before we got into bed, Matt checked on the kids and came back to me, bustin' up laughing, saying he had to go get the camera. He then informed me that Preston was naked. This is what I found upon checking for myself--- {September 29, 2010}If my memory serves me correctly, we had a similar instance with a certain older brother of his....

Yep, here is Gavin in the same situation!!! { September 30, 2007}Oddly enough these pictures were taken almost exactly 3 years apart TO THE DATE!!! Coincidence?? Or just plain CrAzY?! ***Note to self, stock up on duct tape and onesies ASAP.

+ Yesterday, Preston had followed the kids upstairs, which I am being a little more lenient about. Obviously I shouldn't be!!!

Showing me his artwork

+ Spraying Shout (my laundry stain remover of choice) all over his own face while I'm upstairs trying to get ready. No pictures of this as I went into full-on panic mode and hosed his face down in the kitchen sink for 5 minutes! Thankfully no harm done.

Then there are the things he does that crack me up!!

Future paprazzi?

He came out of the office one day with this draped around his neck!

Preston has witnessed every one of Blake's karate lessons for the past 1+ years. Apparently he's learning a little something too because recently he started showing us his own moves. I got some on camera today! I guess it's kinda like a two-kids-for-the-price-of-one deal! LOL!

Even though he has a penchant for naughtiness, I sure do love him to bits!!

After every bathtime, I snuggle him up in his towel, look in the mirror and say,
"Who's my baby?"

And just a little side note~ he actually referred to himself as "Presty," not "baby," for the first time today!

A Momentous Day Indeed!

Preston is *officially* a forward-facing carseat rider!!! Just shy of 21 months, I decided that it was time to turn him around. Although it was nice to have Brooklyn and Blake in the backseat to entertain him, I was over the fact that he would scream practically every day for 20 minutes while we were waiting in the pick up line to get the kids from school!

As we drove down the street to go pick up the twins today, he wasn't quite sure what to think about his new view. I'm pretty sure his eyes were wide and there was a little smile behind his bink. But he was lovin' being able to see me while we waited for big brother and sister!! :)

Hi Mommy!!Gimme back my binky!Sweet boy{p.s. he normally isn't allowed to have the binky out of the crib. but i had dragged him out of his crib while he was sleeping so i allowed it today}

Matt thinks I'm a little nutso about carseats, but he's a sweetheart, has learned to keep his mouth shut and let that be my domain. ;) He has been commenting here and there for months that Preston needs to be turned around and when I texted him that I actually did it this morning, this was his reply, "Hail Lindsay the car seat ___. I am high stepping right now." LOL! (I'm pretty sure he meant to say QUEEN in that blank, right babe?)

MVHS Class of 2000 ++ 10 year reunion

Has it really been 10 years already????! Sometimes it feels like high school was an eternity ago, but at the same time, it's hard to believe that 10 years just flew right by!

Friday night, there was an unofficial class reunion family gathering at a park in Mesa. It was very low-key and casual and there was a pretty good turnout! Nothing near our entire graduating class of 800+ students, and I was hoping to see a few more people that I associated with in high school, but it was good to see so many familiar faces. It is rather awkward seeing people again after 10 years has passed, wondering if they remember you, or even care what you have been up to. I didn't approach too many people because of that. Matt did have 3 cousins and a sister that graduated with me as well.

Last night was the "official" reunion at the Marriott in downtown Mesa. Tickets were CRAZY expensive ($90 per PERSON) and with hard economic times, a lot of people just plain couldn't afford that. I'm lucky that the cost wasn't an issue, but consequently, there was a less than stellar turnout, which was disappointing. I'm glad we went, though, because I would've always wondered what I missed. Now I know I wouldn't have missed much! LOL!

My babe and me

Again, I'm sad that I didn't get to reconnect with more acquaintances from back then, but good thing for Facebook, I guess! There were three band girls there that represented ;)

Me, Nicki Robbins, Kathryn Koniuszy
(excuse my fatness next to these skinny minnies!!!)

And just for fun, if you will, a walk down memory lane; some pictures from my senior year :)

Band was pretty much my life!!! I was head drum major for the marching band. Some of these are scrapbook pages for a book I never completed. Oops!

Three drum majors- Sara Rosenhan, Anthony Jimenez, Lindsay Hamilton, October 1999

^^Mr. Burgener (band director), Anthony Jimenez, Lindsay Hamilton, Sara Rosenhan at the State Marching Festival where we won a Superior rating for our band show (patriotic theme)

Professional drum major picture

Friday night football games -- On Toros On! State Championship football game

... me & Lindsay Peterson, ^ picture from underneath, me conducting the Toro fight song

Lindsay Peterson & I (best friends) at Disneyland on band trip, April 2000

Me & Lindsay Peterson at the end of the year band banquet, May 2000Dad, me & Mom at graduation, May 2000

Senior pictures

Looking back, I wish I had more, BETTER photos of my senior year. Too bad digital wasn't the "in" thing yet! High school was an awesome time in my life and I have some great memories tucked away from those days. It'll sure be fun to look back again in another 10 years from now!

BIG D, little d, what begins with D?

This last week was my turn to teach for our preschool co-op group on Tuesday and Thursday. We are following the letter of the week curriculum and my letter was D. Plus I was given the five senses to cover, going along with our monthly theme, All About Me.

I was a little nervous, not quite knowing what to expect, but I have to say it wasn't that bad!!! Six preschoolers (plus a busy toddler) can be a little crazy, but as long as I kept them busy, we were good!

I'm gonna back up a sec and post some pictures of our very first preschool field trip, to
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, which so nicely went right along with the letter of the week. :) We got to get a behind the scenes peek at the doughnut production process then had a treat afterward.
So on Tuesday, I introduced the letter D, we sang "Do as I'm Doing" and Five Little Ducks," I read Go, Dog, Go & Dinousaur Dinosaur. We practiced writing the letter D at the table and put together a little paper booklet about things that started with the letter D. For our craft, we made Dog-ear headbands, which also went along with our hearing segment.

After our snack, we talked about the senses of sight, hearing and touch. I read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? We looked at things with magnifying glasses, listened to different sounds while blindfolded, and touched different textures. I had a mystery box that had an object inside that each child had to guess what it was just by touching it. We wrapped things up that day by playing Duck, Duck, Goose.

On Thursday, we were wild about Dinosaurs!!! We reviewed the sound D makes, how to make a D in sign language, then I read How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? & Danny and the Dinosaur. We moved to the table for practicing our letter Ds, did some beautimous dot art with the letter D. Outside, the kids became jr. paleontologists while Digging for Dinos! Our snack for the day was a dino-shaped sugar cookie and a {dino} bone-shaped Jello jiggler. Next, we started our awesome dinsosaur skeleton pasta craft, which the kids loved.

Near the end of our time that day, we shifted gears a bit and finished up our senses by talking about taste and smell. I was mean and had the kids see if they could taste the difference between sugar & salt, vanilla yogurt & sour cream, and oranges & lemons. Then for the rest of the time, the kids played with scented playdough (strawberry, orange, mint & lemon) that Gav and I made the day before. It was a HUGE hit!!!

I'm so glad that I get to be a part of this group and that Gavin has this opportunity to go to preschool and learn through different experiences. Next time, the letter I (should be interesting!) with a monthly theme of Gratitude (November).