How About You-You-You...

Grandma, my only reader, told me today that I need to update my blog, and she is right! I need to purchase a new computer cord someday. Without it, I am falling way, way behind on all my journaling... not just my blog. Scott has his computer at school three times a week, and there's no way I'm going to sit on the computer blogging on the nights he's home! 

So I will play a wonderful game of catch-up once I've sorted through my memories. So much has happened in a month! We took Johnny and Alyssa's engagements... we saw fireworks at the Country Club on the 4th of July after hosting a BBQ at our house for our family... we've gone swimming over a dozen times... we've gone to the zoo a bunch... Lynne and Rick stopped by on their way from Canada... Margy and Oliver stopped by on their way to New York... We took Peter on his first trip outside Utah up to the ranch and Jackson Hole... and I did my first post-heart failure/respiratory failure hike! So much to talk about! And we will talk... and talk... and talk...

Or maybe I will just talk.

In the interest of starting somewhere... I'll go with the most recent. We had a fun day with the cousins. We went to the zoo to see the polar bears and the bird show (which Peter LOVES). I should bring the real camera to document some of these excursions, but the cell phone ones give us the general idea. 

Peter loves his cousins, and he has so much fun feeling like he's a big kid whenever they're around. He wants to do whatever they're doing, and I can tell he knows exactly who they are. They are all so sweet to him... hugging him, reading to him, sharing their toys. I know they will always have a very special bond because of how close they all became during Peter's earliest days.

These kids crack me up, and it was a blast to spend the day with them (we spent Monday with them too. I am so SO lucky my sister lives so close with her awesome kids. I grew up being really good friends with my cousins... so I'm glad we can provide that for Peter as well. Nothing compares to having family nearby).

Always good to know you've got a cousin like Ben who can show you how to make the best rhino faces.

We had lunch at Cafe Rio (Cafe Rio beans are Peter's favorite food right now besides fruit) and then spend about an hour at Grandma Joan and Grandpa George's. We sat in the back yard eating popsicles, exploring their yard, playing the drums on buckets, and visiting with each other. I love my grandparents. I love living close to them. I love getting to see them so often. And, best of all, I love that Peter knows them, loves them, smiles at them, and will have relationship with them. That is so special, and that relationship with his great-grandparents may be one of the most important gifts I give my son. I didn't take pictures today... but I got some video. Sometimes that's more fun.

Peter and I rounded the day out with a sewing project during nap time and some weeding in the backyard. Peter dug through the bucket of weeds and got nice and muddy. He threw such a hilarious fit when I pried his hands off his bucket o' weeds when it was time to go inside. It was so funny... I had to be a bad mom and pull out my phone to record it. It was just too funny, Scott had to see it! I think Peter learned some new angry noises from one of two sources: his cousin Sarajane... or the screechy parrot at the bird show (Sorry SJ). Anyway... he loved the yard work, and I loved seeing him covered in dirt... especially after a long weekend at the ranch; we are all about dirt around here. Peter just gets cooler and cooler every day. How is that even possible?