Texans In Town

My brother Riley moved his family to Texas last summer.  We have missed them SO MUCH!  This summer Mykelle brought her 3 girls to Utah for a whole month.  They spent a couple weeks here in St. George and it was a blast.  Eliza was in heaven playing with cousins every single day!

We went to Ariel

"Some Bastion" is her favorite.

 Splash pad

The Carousel 

Veyo Pool

She played so hard she fell asleep on the couch once.

That NEVER happens.

Hiking

Splash pad again

Movie outside

I failed to get pictures of all the slippin sliding and swimming they did- which was daily.  I only had to save Adelaide (the 3 year old) from drowning a few times. She just leaps right in the pool or hot tub whenever she's outside!

We had so much fun.

If only Kyson and Jada could have been here- it would have been perfect!

 Random Summer phone pictures

 Swimming with Kendall.

 

Waiting for her 2 year well check.

 Eliza's hair is the greatest.  I have to do a hair post at some point to document the craziness.

She had her first dentist appointment this summer.  

The only picture I took was in the dang bathroom.

We got to meet baby Ellison this summer!  She is my brother Riley's 3rd little girl.

Eliza was so gentle and careful with her.  She couldn't get enough.

My good friend Lyndee had a baby this summer.

Audrey Maud Gubler

(I LOVE her name!)

Beaver Mountain

We decided to head up Beaver Mountain for a weekend of camping.  It was just us.  It was just perfect.

Beaver Mountain has got to be the most beautiful place to camp.  The drive up there almost puts me over the edge (literally).  But by the time we are at the top it is breath taking and totally worth it.  

Ps obviously I was playing with my Hipstamatic App the entire time.

 Can you see the deer in that picture?  It's actually a funny story.

Craig had his scope out pointed away from camp on a mountain clear to the North.  He was spotting for deer and elk.  Craig had his eyes glued to the scope while I cooked dinner.  Suddenly Eliza says "ELK!" and squats down and points to the trees in our camp.  We look over and there is a deer right in front of our noses.  Craig was so proud... to say the least. "She's gonna be a hunter babe!".  

I'm sure she is.

Side note:  Did you know there are bears on Beaver Mountain?  I'm sure this is obvious to most people.  But for us people who didn't grow up doing ANYTHING out-doorsy (My family) This is news.  Bears are in Alaska, and Yellowstone.  NOT where I go camping (so I thought).  2 summers ago I was 7.5 months pregnant.  Camping on Beaver Mountain with Craigs entire family.  IN A TENT.  Peeing OUTSIDE every 2 hours through the night.  Freezing my HUGE hiney off.  (Did I mention it snowed?  And the zipper to our tent froze shut and I almost peed on Craig?  This was the "We are never going camping again unless we have a trailer" trip.)  I distinctly remember my wonderful Mother-in-Law saying "Make sure you don't have any food in your tent.  Not even a piece of candy.  Just leave it in your car or the motorhome."  Yes- I didn't want skunks coming into my tent during the night either!  This trip to Beaver my husband actually told me about the bears.  The ones the ranger had come and warned us about (unbeknown-st to me) two years ago when we were up there with his family.  They were right in not telling me while we were up there.  We would have left. 
This time I knew about the bears.  And I was paranoid.  And I'm pretty sure that is what managed to get into our cooler on the last night.

At least we have a trailer now!

My 2 Year Old

Stats:

22.9 Pounds (6%)

33.8 Inches (48%)

19 inch head circumference (85%)

Living with a 2 year old is the greatest thing.  She is hilarious.  She is so smart.  She is AMAZING!  Every morning I hear: "Mom!  Dad!  I wake up!  I wake up Mom!".  We eat breakfast together.  We play dress up.  We have tea parties.  We tell stories.  We watch Barney.  We eat Lunch together.  Sometimes we even nap together.  I am so lucky.

Her favorite show is Barney (bleh).  

Her favorite movie is Snow White.  

She loves playing dress up.  

She likes taking showers lately.

She does everything "by myself".
Every time I lay down on my bed or the couch she says "You head hurts mom?" and gets me a blanky and pillow.
"Cute pillow Mom" (When I put a new case on my pillow)
"Ready guys?" (Before she does...anything)
She counts to 12.
She does the stairs- and pretty much everything, by herself.
 Repeats everything- over and over and over again.
"We're Bef Frens" (Best friends... melts me.)
"Should I come with you?  Ok."
"Can I have this?" (Before she takes anything.  I promise she's an angel.)
She puts everything back where it goes.  She pulls my shoes out and wears them, then puts them right back where they go before she gets another pair out.  She does this with everything.  (OCD)
Sways in the mirror and says "I'm just so cute".
"Did you hear dat?"  (No what was it?)  "A cricket!"  (Really?  What did it sound like?) "Umm... A fire truck.
"Are you hot guys?"  (Fanning me with a book, her dress, a toy, anything) "Does that feel better?"
"Look at me" (Grabbing my chin and looking into my eyes)  "You're so cute".  That ones my favorite.
"Barney is so annoying".  Apparently she really listens to everything I say even when it's not to her.
"I don't like that salsa.  Maybe you should go get me a new one Mom."

I swear every day I could write a list this long- she is too dang fun.

 Eliza's 2nd Birthday

 We had a little family BBQ to celebrate Eliza's 2nd Birthday.

Swimming

Food

Presents

Cake 

After licking the the frosting off Cinderella, she put her back in, and she was done!

Fine with me!

Happy Birthday to my little Angel.

Salt Lake City

August 7-9

We took a quick trip to SLC to go to one of Craig's best friend's wedding.

Bronson decided to get married on Eliza's Birthday- so we planned on taking her to the 

Zoo the following day.

It was also a good excuse to see the Leggs.

Walking around Gateway. 

When we got there Sunday night things weren't looking very good for baby Legg.  (who is still in the NICU at The University Hospital).  They sent Kendall home to St. George, gearing up for a rough week.  Thank goodness while we were there they got some good news and things started looking up again!  Eliza couldn't figure out why "Kendo" wasn't with Adam and Cassidy- but she did have fun playing with all of Kendall's toys.

Craig went to a bachelor party and Eliza and I grabbed some food and headed up to the hospital to visit baby Jordan- who had doubled in size since we had last seen him.  He is starting to look like a miniature chubby babe.  So cute.

Monday morning we went to Bronson's sealing.  Jason and Whitney Shurtz were there with their little boy Bodi and new baby girl.  Bodi and Eliza quickly fell in love.

Please tell me they are the cutest things ever made.

Really though... the cutest.

They were completely entertained by each other the entire day.  It was so nice.

Tuesday we got up early and were at the zoo when the gates opened.  

(I wanted to be in and out before the heat)

She had such a blast.  She was dumbfounded at every animal.  At first she wouldn't even talk- but after awhile she was able to actually acknowledge what she was looking at.  So funny.

The first stop were the Gorillas.

She didn't want to get too close to the glass.

And yes.. that is a gorilla bum.  

She started warming up at the Tigers.  She was completely amazed.

Literally wouldn't take her eyes off them.

She still hasn't stopped talking about the Tigers.

This little monkey loved Eliza.  She wanted to touch her so bad!

We beat the crowds and the heat- it was so nice.

After the zoo we drove down to Cabella's (saw more animals), grabbed lunch with Uncle Jeff, then headed back to St. George.