Getting Auntie Desha

Jeremy was on an overnight business trip in Chicago. He landed in Minneapolis at 1:00 on Thursday, Aug 15. So I drove the boys up to get him. We spent the afternoon and evening at IKEA to get some more things for the house and to kill time before getting Auntie Desha. We had a fun time chillin' and playin' along the way.

Dallin fell asleep in Jeremy's arms.

Tanner ran around the store with a stuffed ball that was on display. We just threw it from one area to the next to get him to move through the store. When we were in the big warehouse, I went to feed Dallin. Jeremy was loading our carts when Tanner disappeared into the giant shelves of boxes and crates. Jeremy called and searched for Tanner, but to no avail. Jeremy talked with the workers and they put out a "code blue" search for a little 2 year old boy. A few minutes later, Jeremy found Tanner 7 isles away, which is like a quarter of a mile, chillin' out on a couch with some strangers. The little punk!

Here we are waiting in the check out line. It was a long wait.

After IKEA, it was perfect timing to pick up Desha from the airport. We were so glad to see her. 

On Friday night, Jeremy and Tanner went camping with the church "father-son" campout. Desha, Dallin, and I went to Piggy's Blues, where they serve Hormel pork.

On Saturday morning, we left to go meet up with the camping boys. We were a little late, so everyone had left the campground except Jeremy and Tanner. We found them like this.

Dallin joined in.

Jeremy and Tanner showed us an itty bitty trail that they went hiking on. Tanner loved doing it the evening before with his Dada. He was a little chatterbox during their hikes on the trail over and over again. "I like hiking, Dada. Good hiking Dada!"

Then, we all went to the Zollman Zoo, which is part of the campground park. We went there earlier this summer, and Tanner loved it again!!

Watching the wolf.

Desha and Dallin watching the bear.

While sitting for a rest by the turkeys, Tanner wandered off. Jeremy called out, "Tanner, where did you go?" Just then, he saw a little face on the other side of the turkey cage pop up above the wooden barrier. "I'm right here!" Tanner was climbing the turkey cage!

And that's how our weekend of getting Auntie went. She stayed with us for 2 weeks, so there are more pics and stories to come!

More Summer Living

The Grush Farm

Some friends from church live on a farm that they bought last year. The place is gorgeous! They have lots of play area, chickens, huge gardens, horseshoe, play houses, fire pits, horses, etc. They had us over for Sunday dinner a few weeks ago, and we had so much fun! We went back again this week and they gave us tons of fresh produce!!

Hormel Nature Center

The nature center in town is AWESOME! I took the boys there a few weeks ago on my own. They have lots of taxidermy animals to look at and touch. The bear and bison freaked Tanner out. He was also uneasy about the live snake and kept saying "I scared, Mama. I getting scared." 

 They have a special room for preschoolers. Tanner loved the blocks made out of branches and trunks from different trees in the area.

They also had a sand station for learning about tracking different animals and identifying footprints, coloring and print making station, flannel boards, chalk wall, mini library, and look-out points to see birds and animals outside. After playing in the learning room, we went on a nature hike through the trails in the woods. I was so glad to find out the place is open all year long!

(Tanner's tower on left, mine on right)

 Bath time for Dallin

It is so fun giving Dallin his bath. He makes the funniest faces while I get him ready and put him in the water.

Just living!

August was a great month to live and enjoy our lazy summer days.

 Dallin is getting more active- rocking and rolling, grabbing things with hand AND feet, eating his fingers and fists, and bouncing his legs when we hold him in standing position. He coos and grunts and squeals up a storm to us and his toys that hang in front of him. I can't get enough of him!

 Tanner is very active, too. We like playing in the pillows on Mama's bed. Tanner crawls around and says "I'm a T-Rex, I'm a T-Rex." and "I'm a lion," or "I'm a hippopotmous." I love throwing him in the pile of puffiness.

I love having a home with a driveway and front porch! Evenings are my favorite because the sounds, smells and lighting is perfect for playing. The heat and humidity are just right!

Tanner's bedtime routine is working out really well. He goes potty, takes a bath, brushes teeth, gets in jammies, reads stories, says prayers, songs, rock, and then we lay him down to sleep. Sometimes he falls asleep while I rock him. If not, I tell him that I have to go do something and he lets me lay him in his crib and he quietly falls asleep on his own. I really enjoy rocking my children to sleep instead of walking away to hear them cry themselves to sleep. Tanner loves bedtime, too, and I think that me rocking him helps him love it instead of dread it. This month he has started to recognize when he is ready for nap or bedtime by saying "Mama, I want to read stories. I tired." We never have fights about sleep time.

 Morning time routine is much more lazy. 

Tanner wakes up, rests in bed with me and Dallin, then he watches a show while Dallin and I keep resting in bed. Then we change diapers and go potty, sometimes get dressed, then eat breakfast. Mornings are hard for me mostly because of my back pain. Ever since I threw it out last year, it's been giving me lots of trouble. Gotta get that checked out. But in the meantime, I will continue to take it easy, esp during the mornings.

 Beaver Lake

Exactly one week after Chicago, we went to a lake near our house with the Taylor family in our ward. It was so fun to be at a beach again!! Tanner was in heaven digging in the sand.

The waves of course were little, but still made a for a nice scene.

We got some good family shots this time!