Anticipation

We waited, waited, and waited.  Rachel was so excited.

But the fireworks were nixed by the weather.  Better luck next year.

Wheeler Farm (7/21/11)

Rachel, Joseph and I met up with one of my old college buddies at Wheeler Farm. Except for the decade and the gaggle of kids now at our side, it was as if we had only been apart for summer break.  It was fun to see our kids acting like old friends as well.


Cristy's 3 beautiful kids:


 

My buddies:



Rachel LOVES all things animal.  She was right at home.

Rachel wasn't afraid of anything.  So when this goose came around I wasn't sure what to do. 
 

It was approaching Rachel rapidly. 


My mind was locked in trying to decide whether it was friend or foe.
 

Just then Rachel tripped on a wayward root.  Her sudden movement scared the goose.
 

While Rachel recovered the goose ran over and pecked at our friend's clothes.   Hmmmm.  Foe.  In the end I was thankful for the root.  Our friend was scared but neither child was harmed. 
 

Thanks Cristy!  It was great to see you.  I hope it isn't a decade before we visit again.

Generations

I love this picture because of the scope of time that it represents.  "Papa" and Joseph's smiles span the past, present and the future.


Joseph was named after Doug's grandpa Joseph Goodwin (Papa's father).  Grandpa Joe had red hair.

Doug's 40th Birthday (6/28/11)

I've been having a really hard time focusing and writing some of the longer meatier blog posts.  Joseph is 5 months old and I still haven't posted about his birth.  I took some fun princess pictures of Rachel when she turned two but I'm having a hard time boiling down the essence of her at that age.  I don't want to miss anything.  So I avoid the post all together.  I also hesitate posting entries when I have a video in mind.  Now I have 1500 pictures from Disneyland.  The procrastination stops now.  I cannot work on Disneyland until I've posted about some of these amazing historic moments and other events that are fading into the past.  The exception will be the 12th of the month.  I hate trying to recreate those after the fact.  

Doug turned 40 this year.  Doug doesn't focus on birthdays.  I do.  I love them.  Any birthday ending in a 0 or a 5 is monumental and should be celebrated as such.  I tried to make this one as memorable as possible for Doug.  I found a deal on KSL for a night at The Homestead in Midway, UT.  The weekend before his birthday we asked Logan and Holly Mullins to babysit the kids, house and dog for the night. 

I had heard so much about The Homestead that I thought it would be a luxurious getaway.  I was disappointed by the musty smell of our room and the tired linens, decor and air conditioner.  However, they were welcoming and friendly.  We ate dinner at their local cafe and spent most of the evening walking around the beautiful grounds.

In the morning we went swimming in The Crater.  

 

According to their website, "It is a 55-foot tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock that nature has hollowed out and filled with 90° to 96° water."  They created a tunnel through the rock wall at ground level so that people can go swimming.  It's also one of the best places for scuba diving in Utah with a depth of 55 feet.

After swimming we hiked to the top to see if we could see down to the water.

On Doug's actual birthday I tried to throw a surprise party/open house.  The idea was just to set up the chocolate fountain (he'd wanted to do that for months).  Then people would just start showing up out of the blue.  There was one glitch in my plan.  I bought $50 of the best chocolate, 2 flats of strawberries, and other things to dip.  It was obvious that this wasn't going to be a party for 4.  So, I told him that his family had been invited.  He still knew that was an incomplete guest list.  It ended up being a fun evening.  We had many friends and neighbors show up.  I'm sure there would have been more if I hadn't thrown the party on a Tuesday and asked them to leave the kids at home. (The picture is of our fountain at our wedding open house.  I was so busy talking the night of his party that I didn't take ANY pictures.)

Doug is a wonderful man.  I am glad that I chose to marry him 5 years ago.  The following video highlights Doug's first 40 years.  I hope I get to experience the next 40 years together.
http://youtu.be/b1QHj3CiIGQ

Doug's 40th Birthday Video (Extended Version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmcaQDBIE58

The High Chair

Joseph is happy to be sitting in his high chair.


He can survey all around him from his new vantage point.
 

He is especially fascinated by all things Rachel.


It's easy to see that these two love being siblings.


7/22/11

Literal Translation

This is a 2 year old's literal translation of "please go put this jug in the laundry."

I'm glad it was an empty jug and not something else.

Ice Cream Cones

We went out to dinner with Rachel a couple of days before Joseph was born.  She ate her first ice cream cone by herself.  I love the notch she built for her nose.


One day, when we were feeling particularly adventurous, we let her try again.  These were the results.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSVry-2SHM



I guess there's no wrong way to eat an ice cream cone.