June 2014 The Week Without Dad

This is how we do hair on Sunday mornings!

In trying to sell Grandma Joan's house, we went to clean up the flowerbeds and plant new flowers.

Dad entertained Melody while we worked.

What a cutie pie! And look at those chubby little legs!!!

Then we tested out the sprinklers!!

The first week of June, Pat went with the Young Men in the ward on a train trip to Nauvoo, so it was just me and the kids for a week. We started off the week by taking a walk then playing at the school playground.

I love the picture of these 3.

We spent another day at the Springville splash pad with Lisa and kids. 

I just stayed under our umbrella with Melody and let the kids play.

We also had a water fight with the hose and water guns. 

Our city started a new program called Play Unplugged. During the summer the kids can do a variety of activities that get them away from electronics.  When they do these things, we go to businesses around town to redeem our Brag Badges (we call them brag tags) and they put them on a lanyard to keep track of them.

This one was to take a picture with a flower!

We had to take pictures to send to daddy while he was away.

I guess we were playing so hard that Jaina just conked.

I love how she was holding her hands.

Melody is getting bigger, so I have to enjoy the moments when I have her sleeping in my arms, or on my chest.

This day I must have been in the mood for stripes, because I accidentally made us match!

Xander earned is Webelos badge in Cub Scouts!!

Last September, right after our trip to Colorado, the AC on our Van died. Because we were going into fall we waited to have it fixed. Now that it was getting warmer, we finally got it fixed by a friend of a friend. I had to take the van to and from Springville, so I enlisted the help of mom and Karri. In our transfer of kids to mom's car, Melody was very cranky and would not calm down until Karri played music on her phone. She put it on repeat and placed it on her. Only then did Melody calm down to fall asleep.

With the whole van excitement, we had to take it to the guys work to make sure that it was fixed properly. So we got up early on a Saturday, and sat at a car repair shop for almost an hour.  By this time, I was proud of myself that I was surviving without Pat, but I wanted him home.

After our van was all ready to go, I took the kids to Liza's house to be watched while Mara and I went to see Peter Pan at the Hale Center Theater in Orem.

The set and costumes were in a Steam Punk theme and it was amazing! I have seen this performed many many times (because I love it) but this was by far the BEST I had seen!  I wish that I could have a recording of it. The flying was beautiful, Peter and his shadow just wowed me, the pirates and lost boys were so funny, Hook was perfect, Peter and Wendy were endearing, etc

I JUST LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!!!!

We went with these guys and had a FANTASTIC time.

Sunday after church, we headed to Mana's so the kids could have a change of scenery.

This little one is just adorable and is really starting to play with toys!

I love being able to rock her to sleep and hold her in my arms, 

even when it makes me stuck on the couch for who knows how long.

We had fun with all the girls in the backyard.

I love this picture!!!!

Finley and Jaina had to swing with their popsicles. 

I love having an iPhone because I can take selfies with my kids.  

I don't have many pictures of me when my babies were little, so I love that I can get them with Melody.

We also spent an evening with Mana and Karri at one of our favorite restaurants: Taco Amigo!

Xander made a tower out of fry sauce while we waited for our food.

He also played with his dominoes a lot.

Finally, dad was on his way home, so we made a banner for him.

This was the only letter that Jaina wanted to color. 

She has a short attention span when it comes to art.

All ready for dad to be home!

He came home after midnight, so the kids saw him the next morning.