Sunshine and Summertime

It has been a wonderful summer and a busy one at that. I suddenly find myself with a couple days of down time and don't know what to do with myself!

Since I last posted we have done so many things!

 Sophie loves her Jolly Jumper!

 First time on a swing.

 I love my cuties!

We started off with a Rory-less trip to Spokane Valley, WA. It was a great trip. We dropped Rory off in Cardston at Grandma and Grandpa Beazer's and drove with Sophie to Cranbrook, BC. We spent the night in the tiniest, most sketchy little motel ever! (Thanks Hotwire!) I was so glad that I had brought a separate bed and bedding for Sophie. That is how sketchy it was. But it had good cable and was just a place to lay our head for a couple hours and to give Sophie a break from her carseat. She was SO good! Early the next morning, we packed up and headed to the states. We spent some time over the next couple days checking out Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Spokane Valley and Spokane. There was some great shopping, beautiful lakes and mountains and crazy thunderstorms. Our second hotel in post falls lost our reservation (Thanks Hotwire!) and right on cue Sophie got all fussy and they felt really bad and upgraded us to a king suite! It was so much more space than we needed but it was a really nice! It was just a simple vacation, a chance to get away and spend sometime together alone (with Sophie obviously, as I am still nursing). I am so grateful to have such an awesome husband! He is my best friend. Our lives are so busy that we don't really get to spend a lot of quality time together. This trip was a perfect break for me and my bestie.

A couple weeks later we packed up our tiny car and took the girls on a camping trip to Two Jack Lakeside in Banff, AB. My parents met us there. We spent two days enjoying the beauty of the mountains. I love the mountains and am so grateful to live so close to them. I grew up spending my summers running around national park campgrounds and I plan on giving the same wonderful memories to my girls. So far, my kids have exceeded my expectations. They are natural campers! We had such a wonderful time!

 Home away from home. 

A bit squishy with four but thats half the fun!

 All ready to explore!

 Daddy and daughter ready for the lake.

 Rock throwing!

 Rocking the bandana!

 Kicking back in the tent. Bug free zone.

Off on an adventure!

Bear! 

Sophie totally enthralled with Papa's harmonica!

Camper girl!

 Mmmm Shmellows!

 Stealing all the cookies.

 Grandma and the girls.

 Checking out a spider web.

 More rock throwing.

 All tuckered out!

 Ice cream!! From the Cow store no less!

 Breakfast! Sophie was so ready for solids but I held out on her until we got back from camping. Nursing is less messy. No bear bait baby!

 From the mind of Rory: girl's bathroom to the left, boy's bathroom to the right, so what in the middle? The bear's bathroom of course! She was also obsessed with the fact that all the bugs in the girl's bathroom were girl bugs. So cute!

 And more rock throwing!

The first week of August we went up to Edmonton to visit my family and my grandparents who were visiting from Arizona. We had a great time. We took the girls to Heritage days and swimming in the pool at my aunt and uncles house. We also had a scrumptious raclette and crepe dinner!!!! Mostly it was just great to spend time with my family! I miss them, especially because I'm the only one that lives far away!

 Face painting at Heritage days.

 Swimming at the McMullins! (We didn't have her swimsuit so she went in her panties!)

Cooling down with a bath in grandma's sink. What a chub!

With August came my sister in laws wedding! We went down to Cardston two weeks in a row, once for Hannah's shower and the Cardston parade and again the next week for Hannah and Dean's wedding. The first weekend was a lot for fun. My mother in law planned the cutest shower and then watched the girls so Matt and I could go see the new Batman movie at the little Cardston theatre. The next day was the parade and Matt's 10 year high school reunion. He's so old!!. He even rode on the float! (jokes, he was riding in the truck, but thats close enough). It was such a cold day, but Rory had a blast once she realized that people on the floats threw candy! We still have a bucket full! The following weekend was the wedding and the time in between was spent preparing. Rory was the flower girl so I helped her practice her "walking down the aisle" moves and her hair style, and made Sophie's headband, as she has no hair. I also sewed sleeves on the girls flower girl dresses because modesty is of huge importance to me! Matt was asked to speak at the wedding. He was to say a poem or quote about the symbolism of the sand ceremony. So like to good wife I am, I wrote a poem for him, that turned out quite nicely. I was asked to accompany him on the piano. Not one of my better talents, but I practiced really hard and I think it turned out okay. I was decent at least. It was a beautiful ceremony on a beautiful day with a beautiful bride!! Hannah was stunning in her dress! I'm so glad she got to have her happily ever after!

Practicing her flower girl responsibilities.

 Chilling in the hotel in Cardston.

 Pictures at the Beazer's before the wedding.

 Best family one we got. Oh kids!

 Love these girls!

What a gorgeous girl!

Around all those major events we also had company almost every week we were home, all summer long! The partially finished bedroom and newly moved queen bed in the basement have been put to good use over the past four months!

With all this business, Sophie has been growing and growing!!! She has rolled over a couple times but her terrible temper and strong dislike for tummy time usually escalade such moments into dramatic tantrums. She sticks her arms straight out to the side to stop the rolling motion that would save her from the horrid stomach time! But each day, she gets a little better, a little stronger. She can also sit up on her own, but only for short periods of time. I started her on solids a couple weeks ago. She loves rice cereal, bananas, sweet potato and teething crackers, she tolerates oat cereal and carrots and does NOT like applesauce. If I mix it with something else she'll eat it but its too sour on its own. I really enjoy seeing her reaction to each food. I am making all the baby food from scratch and I enjoy how much better it looks, smells and tastes, not too mention how much cheaper it is! 

 Very first time eating rice cereal.

 Carrots! Not her favourite.

Monday night I was also surprised to find two little bottom teeth poking their way through Sophie's gums. Crazy! I remember checking earlier in the day and seeing nothing!

Now that fall in approaching, things will start to calm down around here. Or will they... I am looking forward to the exciting things that are happening in Calgary this fall! The Calgary Temple open house is coming quickly and Matt and I are blessed to be able to do tours in October, during the open house! I am really excited for this opportunity to share the beauty of this sacred house with those who would otherwise not be able to enter. I am also extremely excited to show Rory the temple and the sealing room where she will likely get married someday. I remember the day my parents showed me the sealing room in the Edmonton temple and even at the age of 12, I knew it was something special and sacred and was determine to live my life in a way to be worthy to be married in that holy house. What a wonderful time to live in Calgary!