First Stop in Our Trip to Idaho: Salt Lake City - Temple Square

My mom and I recently took the kids up to Idaho to visit Joel's parents. Yes, the same parents that live 4 houses down from us in the fall. :) Grandma and Grandpa bought a condo in Idaho Falls (where Grandma is from) and plan to spend the summers there. Joel and I took Carter a couple of summers ago and had a great time, so we were really looking forward to our trip.

We decided to break the trip to Idaho up a little as it's quite a bit to do in one day. With two kids. No naps. A GranJan. A pack-mule...er... mom. Two flights... And a three hour drive to finish. But don't worry... we had THREE dvd players.

That being said. We flew from here to Phoenix and Phoenix to Salt Lake. This trip was actually MUCH better than the last time we flew. The kids were great. A little wiggly, but... geez... they're 18 months and almost 3. Way better than expected.

ANYWAY... we spent the night in Salt Lake after we finally found our condo (no thanks to the Garmin that never picked up a signal until we were in the parking lot of the condo). Everyone eventually went to sleep (Laney - who wanted to stay up and chat and play until 11), and we had some time the next day to venture around town the next morning before finishing up our trip into Idaho Falls.

We walked over to Temple Square as it was literally about 50 yards from the condo. Beautiful, beautiful grounds. There were brides having pictures done left and right. I've never seen so many girls in gowns! Wow...

Anyway, here are a few shots from the morning:

Seriously, the flowers and landscaping were gorgeous. So different than here. Things actually GROW in the summer!

I thought this office building was interesting. It was super tall.

The reflecting pond (I guess that's what it was) next to the temple was so pretty. I was just able to get the whole reflection in the water. Unfortunately, I was also able to get the little construction truck that had been cleaning the windows as well. Ugh... oh well)

I had to include this picture. I'd like to think this phase is now over (as I type), but for a while there, Carter never left the house without his entourage. Usually, this included BB, Penguin, ambulance, piggy key chain, a plethora of cars and/or dinosaurs, and whatever the item-of-the-day happened to be. We could only take so many things on the plane, so this picture just includes him with the 'traveling squad.' His collection did grow, however, after we got to Idaho Falls and he saw all the toys in the basement.

i heart faces - photojournalism

This is my first post for 'i heart faces!' This week's challenge is photojournalism: pictures that tell stories. I'd like to think they all do, but some definitely more than others.

This pictures tells so many stories for me.

The picture is so bright and warm, but so was the day. A child concentrating hard to make the "little helicopters" fly. A grandmother cheering him on. A young life full of things to learn. An experienced one with many things to share. A long, summer day. A quick glimpse into their fun.

It won't win anyone over on technical points, I'm sure, but a fun day with grandparents that we'll tell stories about for a long time.

I'll post more from our trip to Grandma's soon...

Check out iheartfaces.com for more from this week's challenge!!

Hope This is NOT an Indication of What Her Make-up Will Look Like...

Do I really need to mention that I clearly wasn't paying attention when this happened? It was all fun and games until it wouldn't wash off and she had to go to playgroup looking a little cat-like.

Weddin' Bells and Bike Trails

Don't want to spend too much time on the 'Big Hills,' but I did want to mention our last get-away and how much fun the kids had with grandparents...

Joel and I got to "escape" a few weekends ago with his family to cousin Ellie's wedding in Elk, Washington. It was nice to get away and catch up with family. Aside from Joel's immediate family members (who are all here), his mom's family is scattered from Vegas, to Seattle, to Idaho Falls. Needless to say, it's not often we are all together. This was certainly a treat!

Here is a picture of almost everyone...

The wedding was beautiful! Ellie did a great job with all of the details, and we wish Ellie and Miles all the best!

We did get a chance to play a little, too. That Sunday morning, we all headed to Montana - Janet, Mike, Aimee, Ray, Justin, and Lauren - for the Hiawatha Bike Trail. It was a little overcast that day, and we were up higher in the mountains than we had been. I actually bought a long-sleeve shirt (yes, this did happen in August) for the beginning of the ride (and the first tunnel that stays around 45 degrees). The weather cleared, and the sun did come out though. We couldn't have asked for a better day to ride. Beautiful, beautiful country. Huge trees, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles... breathtaking views. Here are a few of my favorites and the link to the rest.

http://libbiehill.zenfolio.com/p183612251/slideshow

Don't worry - the little ones were in good hands. Daddy Dave and Sheryl came down to stay with the kids and dogs while we were gone. I got lots of updates on how much fun they were having, and I was a little worried they may be sad for us to come home! My mom and Adrian watched them the last day. So nice to have family close, and I am always glad for the time grandparents get to spend with the kids.

The Latest on Laney...

So I've missed her 18 month mark by a few weeks (August 4), but better late than never. I need to write down what she is up to these days, as I forget so quickly!

My sweet, little, content baby girl has turned into an active, chatty, social butterfly. Where to start...

Laney talks up a storm. She tries to repeat a lot of what we say. It's pretty funny to hear her quote us at times. Other times, it's not so funny! Some of her favorite phrases and words are:

Where's Dada? (or brother, mama, etc...)
I don't know (sounds more like 'I know')
night, night
bye bye
I do it (or 'I do dit')
I pick (got this one, too, from Carter. She has to pick her own yogurt from the pack, crayon, etc...)
Elmo, Dora (Dodo), Boots
Aw, maaaan (to quote Swiper)
(whatever it takes to fuss at the dogs)
More
Down (though it's sounding lately like 'I want down')
NO!
Bro-bro (for brother)
Gigi
Baba (grandma/grandpa)
Bapa (Papa)
Where are you?
Come on (m'on) - with the hand movement, too!

The other stuff she says is just a result of her being a little parrot. We really have to watch what we say!

Laney is a great eater - still. We call her 'our little carnivore.' The child can put away meat faster than I can cut it and have it on her plate. She definitely has her Daddy's eating preferences as she is a big broccoli fan, too. Blah... but she eats it plain by the handfuls. Like her brother, she LOVES berries and drinks lots and lots of water and milk. Sometimes she steals brother's juice if she can't get her own.

Also like Carter, she was a late(r) walker (just before 15 months), but Laney starting running immediately after - and hasn't stopped since. The often play chase around the house, and she is known to just take off as soon as you put her down. It's usually the opposite way you want her to go.

She will say 'hi' and 'bye' to people until she gets a response. If this means turning the volume up a bit, so be it. Usually we leave the grocery store with the next 3 people in line all waving and shouting 'bye, bye!' Pretty cute. If I'm not paying attention or just can't hear her, she'll grab my face and turn it or grab my leg to make sure she has my attention.

Laney is a snugly little thing. I love it. I started making her rock with me at night a couple of months ago (I know, I know...) I don't know if there will be another baby, so I take every chance I get with this one. She will pat my shoulder and just babble while we rock. Or, she also likes to sing 'Pat-a-Cake' or 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' before bed. She can't say all the words, but she has the motions down! If I get up to put her down before she's had enough 'mommy time,' she'll tell me 'no, rock.' It's really sweet, and it melts my heart each time.

As much as she loves to snuggle with me at night, she is her daddy's little girl. She looks like Joel, eats like Joel, LOVES when Joel comes home... just wants to be with him all the time. He's pretty smitten with her, too, to say the least. So sweet to watch them together.

Carter and Laney have really been playing together well lately. He is starting to realize that she can do more and more things, and they will look for each other as soon as one gets up from napping. Carter will ask to hold her hand when we're walking or check to see if she wants something in his sweet little voice. Can't describe it in words, but hope to get a video of it before too long. Of course they have their typical brother and sister moments, but I just love watching them interact with each other more and more.

As the doctor said at her 18 month check-up, "she's 35% weight, 50% height, and she still has a big head." Maybe no WNBA star, but I could think of worse things in life than being on the lean side of things.

Laney has 14 teeth: 12 that she's had for what seems like FOREVER and two that have recently come in.

She likes her Pinky, though not quite as much as Brother likes his BB. I do often find it balled up underneath her while she's sleeping. As of now, it still resembles a blanket - unlike its blue counterpart.

I really can't describe how much we are in love with this little one. She is such a happy baby and you just want to smooch her each time she walks by. She has the sweetest little smile and a laugh that is so contagious. I'm trying to hold on to the last baby days, but they are going so quickly. She has changed so much, and we are so thankful for the little girl Laney is growing into. Joel and I have been doubly blessed with our kiddos, and we thank God for the honor and privilege of calling them ours.

"You are my sunshine,
my only sunshine.
You make me happy
when skies are grey.
You never know dear,
how much I love you.
Please don't take my
Laney away."

Love you, Bugga Bugga