A visit from Shelley and Justin

Our good friends Shelley and Justin came out to visit last weekend and we had such a great time! Shelley and I are friends from Mizzou and I am so thankful for the friendship that we have maintained even with all the distance between us. I love her to death, and also love that her husband Justin and York are great buds too. Lucky for us, they usually visit once a year in the winter around Sundance time, but this was there first Utah summer experience. Coming from Missouri, they loved the hot but not humid weather, and we spent most of the weekend doing stuff outside.

They got in late Thursday evening, and we spent the night out by the fire pit (that wasn't working, dang it! I swear that thing only breaks when we have guests!) with drinks and snacks just catching up. Friday the boys went skiing (yes-snow) at Snowbird, then played golf - just to say they could! Shelley and I spent the morning at the pool with the kids and the afternoon at Nordstrom. That evening we were back at the pool for my niece's birthday party, came home, put the kiddos to bed, and back out to the non-working fire pit we went. On Saturday we played 9 holes of golf, had dinner at Mandarin, and then out for drinks and late night pizza in downtown SLC. Sunday we had lunch at Taggert's Grill and enjoyed the beautiful weather and scenery there. It was definitely a full weekend, but FUN!

Justin on the ski lift at Snowbird

Shelley and I after 9 holes of golf at Oakridge

On the patio at the Green Pig

The boys in downtown SLC

Shelley and Justin:)

At Cheers

Lunch at Taggarts Grill

Father's Day Weekend

We had such a fun Father's Day weekend! On Saturday morning we went to the zoo, then Jack and I got to golf 9 holes with York, Ty, Sue, and Brit. Unfortuneltly, rain on Sunday kept us from taking the kids golfing, but York got to play for a bit, and we spent the afternoon/evening at his parents.

York is such a great husband and dad, we are so blessed to have him in our lives. He loves our kids more than anything, and they adore him. He is such a fun, loving husband, I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else! Thanks for everything you do for us, we love you babe!

Here are a few pics from the weekend...

Happy Father's Day also to both of our dad's whom we both look up to and love very much!

Introducing the newest member of our family...

After months and months of begging for a pet, Mady and Sophie are now the proud owners of Softy Quiet Sharp Claws...or wait, maybe its Good Boy Paul-either way, it's their first pet! And mine. So, Softy-Quiet (or Paul) is our guinea pig...both literally and figuratively. (And, it's a good thing I didn't have a say in naming him, or initially it would have been "great another thing to clean up poop and pee after-Y").

The girls are having so much fun with him and spend a lot of time huddled around his cage in Mady's room. As I work on my "pet phobia" he pretty much stays in his cage unless York is home. I have to say, it has created major bonding time with the girls and their daddy. With York supervising, they love to hand feed him treats (fruits and veggies), take him outside to play, and they both get lots of holding him on their laps time before bed. Mady and Sophie are so good with him, it amazes me. So, even though I've never been a pet person, seeing how excited and happy they are, how could I not be supportive?!

Mady asks me everyday "Mommy are you used to pets yet?" I'm really trying, and any reservations I had in the beginning are (slowly) fading away. And even though I have yet to hold (or even pet) Softy Quiet Sharp Claws/Good Boy Paul, I'm sure that in no time I'll be the one cuddling him on the couch when all the kids are sleeping, or toting him around town with me in one of those "pet purse" things;)

Videos of Mady and Soph holding their pet:

Sophia Frances Yates...

Sophie, Sophie. My little princess. When Jack was first born I couldn't get over how much of a baby she still seemed to me. In the last month or so though, she is seeming so much more grown up, and I just can't get over it! She is always trying to keep up with her big sister, and always loving on her baby brother. She loves to color and paint but she is probably the happiest when she's outside-jumping on the trampoline, at the park, swinging, looking for bugs with Mady, or swimming. She is such a silly girl, always making us laugh, and whenever she's not biting, hitting, or pulling Mady's hair, those two are the best of friends. Everyday when I put Jack down for his morning nap, I close them in their playroom together, and before I open the door (and after I've checked e-mail, cleaned up breakfast, and maybe made a phone call;) I listen to them play together, and it is just so sweet. I really hope they will be best friends forever!

Mady has had swim lessons at Oakridge everyday this week, and lucky for Sophie-and me-she was able to swim in the baby pool during Mady's lesson. She is so comfortable in the water and one happy girl while she's in it!

Jack is 6 months old!

Well...actually he's 7 months old now, but I wanted to share some of his 6 month pics taken by Paige Davis because they are just so dang cute! (OK, THIS time I'm really going to keep up with this thing;)

Jack is seriously the BEST baby ever. Not so much in the sleep department still, but when he is awake he is just the sweetest, smiliest, most content little guy. I cannot get enough of him and am constantly cuddling, kissing, and loving on every inch of his chunky little self. He loves to sit up and play with toys and is constantly observing his surroundings.

Paige got tons of great shots, but here are a few of my favs...

And here are a few pics of Jack as a 7 month old...

Mady's Dance Recital

Mady started dance this past year back in September. She had fun, made some new friends, and I really enjoyed getting to know all of the other moms. Class was only 45 minutes long, so every Wednesday I would wake all 3 kiddos up from naps and we'd go to watch Sissy's dance class. Only, we never REALLY got to watch her. The kids played, the moms talked, and eventually it was something I looked forward to every week (besides the waking up the kids part!)

Mady would sometimes complain that she didn't want to go to class, but she was REALLY looking forward to her recital. I'm not sure where/when she got this idea in her head, but anytime I mentioned the recital she would ask, "are people really going to throw flowers at us on stage?". Well, that didn't happen, but we did bring flowers for her afterwards and she was so excited. Utah Grandma, Britney, Aiden and Lola all came to watch her, which made her night. It will be nice to have a break for the summer, but I'm really hoping she wants to do it again next fall!

And here is Mady in action...