The boys made up a game that Kaitlyn loved.  In fact, she laughed so hard that she fell down.  Unfortunately, she didn't do that while I was taping.  But this video is cute too.

Cereal

Kaitlyn has a new way of eating her cereal every morning.

She starts by pulling every single piece out of the milk and putting it on the counter.

Then she drinks the milk.

Next, she eats the cereal.

Smiling at Daddy.

Love Letters

Every day, the members of Aidan's class choose one person to write a note to.  Everyone chooses someone else, so each person goes home with a note.  This one was so adorable I had to share.

 

I read this a couple of times, and couldn't figure out what Gracie was trying to say.  Then, I finally figured it out.  It says, "Dear Aidan.  You are nice and fun and awesome, so awesome.  From, Gracie."  (Don't you love the star dotting her i?)

Cute Little Stinker

This morning, I bit off a little more than I could chew.  I was: making cinnamon rolls because it is a conference tradition, making bread because we had been out for days, making Cafe Rio knock-off for lunch because I had a friend coming to visit and eat with us, attempting to clean the house for the same reason, and then Kaitlyn reminded me that she was hungry.  I hurriedly gave her a yogurt and a spoon, erroneously thinking she would carefully eat it.

I was wrong.

I had to give her a bath when she finished.

Thursday night was Pack Meeting. (Christian is the Cub Master.) It was a special day for Ethan - he got his Wolf Badge! (Every year the boys are eligible to receive a new badge, and they have to do numerous things to earn it. He won't be able to start working toward his Bear until he turns nine.) Ethan is really excited to be earning so many badges, belt loops, and beads!

Our Family

The Boys' School Pictures

This morning, I went on my morning walk as usual (listening to music, Kaitlyn in the stroller), and when I came home I started doing stomach crunches as usual.  Today, however, Kaitlyn had different plans for me.  She wanted me to read her a book.

Kaitlyn learned something very cute from her brothers.  However, they keep their Pokemon in their binders now, so I didn't get any video of them doing it to show you how exactly she learned it.  It's still very cute nonetheless.

The boys had to give her some of their metal-lined Bakugan cards, because she loooves cards, but tends to bend them and crumple them up.  But Bakugan cards are pretty indestructible - except for the two she peeled the corners back on and turned the card into two laminated cardboard pieces and one piece of sheet metal.

Yeah, she has also started coloring the walls with pencil, and running away from us when she has something she knows she isn't supposed to have and we ask her to give it to us.  The Terrible Twos are going to be exciting.  And long.

(Oh, and you also get to hear her say Mmm mmm and shake her head no, even though she actually means yes.)

Cindy Loo Who

Yesterday she woke up with the craziest bed head she's ever had.  It was awesome.

Things Kaitlyn Loves

Kaitlyn loves to slide. (Yes, that's the basketball hoop turned on its side.)

She loves to play in the sandbox.

She loves her dog that plays music.

Is this the cutest little outfit you have ever seen?
Gymboree clearance rack.  Happy sigh.

Today, Kaitlyn climbed into this little bus/wagon and sat down.  So I took the opportunity to pull her around the house.  She was fascinated, thrilled, and didn't want to stop.

The boys were watching a cartoon, and Kaitlyn climbed up onto the couch and made herself comfortable...

Josh and Kacey

Josh Jensen has been my friend since 8th grade.  We were close in high school, as evidenced by this picture taken in my parents' basement, me being around age 15 or 16, wearing my oversized Paris t-shirt/pajamas.

We have kept in contact on and off over the years, but the last time we saw him and his family was when his oldest child was baptized six years ago.

Josh called a couple of weeks ago and said that his family would be driving through Cedar City on their way to Disneyland, and could they visit us on Saturday the 10th?  So Josh, Kacey and their five children got a hotel here in Cedar Friday night and Saturday night, and we spent the entire day together.

We took them to Cedar Breaks and Kolob Canyon,

 and then we brought them back to our house for lasagna, breadsticks, and cake and ice cream.  Then we took some pictures to compare how stupid we were back when we were 16ish to how we are a little bit less stupid now, (no, those aren't my garments, it is the pocket of the shorts) (I apparently still don't know how to take a flattering picture of myself)

 

and we took a picture of us with our spouses.

 

We had a wonderful time, getting to know Josh and Kacey's children, and it almost felt like no time at all had passed since we last saw them. We will have to do that again soon.