Last night at midnight, Mike returned home from serving two years in the Bangkok Thailand Mission. While his flight’s arrival time wasn’t ideal, it was surprising how many of us actually made it up to the airport at that hour.
Kate was sleeping in her stroller, but we got her out to hug him and she just fell asleep on his shoulder, we’re not sure how much of that she actually remembers.
Today the whole family got together to celebrate Mike’s return with lunch at Mimi’s.
Kate loves Grandmas!!!
Kate has made a habit of asking, “What are we going to do today, Momma?” This repetitive question leaves me straining my brain each night in bed trying to think up our next adventure.
So the other day, Ricks and I took the girls bouncing at Classic. While Kate was happy to oblige with the jumping, she very much wanted to skate. It didn’t happen. So the next day she wanted to skate. And the next. And the next, and so forth. Finally, I took her (it’s just so stinky there).
Kate had her own skates, while the pregnant lady rented hers. We (I) probably looked pretty funny out there with all the tweenies playing “Snowflake" and jamming to Kidz Bop 99, but one can’t ashamed when spending only 1 buckaroo for a whole hour of skating ecstasy! Plus, Kate was able to score some prizes from the arcade games (which proved to be quite tricky seeing as how most machines stole your money with no play in return).
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Our next adventure we did as a family. We took a trip to my old (and probably yours) School Shopping venue, V.F. Factory (those were sad days), which is now home to the Incredible Pizza Company. It’s your new Chuck E.Cheese, if you will…food that tastes like poo, but fun that goes unrivaled. 
Who rules at mini-bowling? Oh, yeah.
The machines don’t spit out tickets; instead all of your points get loaded onto a card Vegas-style.
After cashing in, Kate earned herself this princess diary, which is one of her latest obsessions. --A special thank you to Ry and Dren for thinking up our ‘INCREDIBLE’ night (pun intended).
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And last, yesterday me and my boo, Tisha, took the kiddos to the Utah Museum of Natural History at the University of Utah. While I kind of figured this would be a snooze, it had to be confirmed. HOWEVER, I guess if you like places such as the John Hutchings Museum in Lehi, then you’re in for a REAL treat.
The museum has a lovely rock & minerals exhibit, (see below):
a working paleontology lab, a bug exhibit, a small animal exhibit, Native American artifacts (and artifictions as demonstrated below)
and a pretty cool paleontology exhibit (I’ll give them that).
But nothing was quite so engaging as their Dino Show featured below.
I guess it runs only a few times a year…I’m just not sure why that wouldn’t run all the time; sweaty man presenting, another man dressed in large dinowear…Kate and Mck were certainly speechless.
Because I love learning and matter of facts, I will shed a little of my newfound knowledge that I picked up from the museum: apparently T-Rex specimens had only been uncovered in the northern states for years. Tooth fragments were the only thing found in Utah to indicate that a large Tyranosaur could have roamed here. Well, then in 1993 paleontologists from the U uncovered T-Rex skull bones, proving that the animal did, in fact, live in Utah!!!!—So, I know you liked that tidbit every bit as much as I did. That’s just a little treat we can all savor for a bit.
Anyway, turns out if you’re in good company, any activity can be exhilarating.
You know what? We had a great weekend. We joined in on much of the Steel Days festivities. And, I’ve got to hand it to good ol’ A.F; it was seriously, a good time.
First item of mention…the carnie.
Sure, this is one filthy, disease-contracting, creepoid hotspot, but what? Should we let those things get in the way of fun? This year we saved big bucks by buying our tickets early. The only problem is that we bought way too many tickets. Dave and I got a little bored, but Kate had herself a lovely time.
On Saturday, we hit the Picnic in the Park at AFHS. One of Dave’s assistants had a steak sandwich booth with her family so we wanted to go support them. Along with lots of vendors and food, they also had a kiddie carnival with slides, jumpers, mini-rides, face painting, and lots of games & prizes. We were amazed that they only charged $2 bucks a pop to get in. Once again, I think Kate had the time of her life, but it was even a lot of fun for Dave and me.
Later that night, we went to Annette’s house, which is right behind the high school. She hosts a little party each year with endless food and fun. When it’s time for the fireworks, we go out her back gate and sit by the baseball fields to watch. This year was truly awesome! The fireworks were right over our heads, and was the best firework show I’ve seen in years. I told myself I was going to write A.F. City to compliment them….but, um, still working on that, though.
And last, our little Kate has been the best little swimmer for the past two weeks. She’s taking swimming lessons, and while I know she has a blast, I’ve probably loved it even more than she has. It’s so fun to see her being brave in the water, learning from her teacher, and making friends with the other 2 kids in her class. Everyday she gets to pick a treat after lessons and I always get to tell her what a good job she did. Yesterday, she beat me at complimenting and said, “You did a good job watching me today, Mom!” My heart melted. I love this stage in my life, being a mom and watching Kate learn and grow.
This bathing beauty has had a busy week. She started off on a high note testing out her new beach ball sprinkler with her cousins. I’d say the sprinkler caused a few sad shrieks and fights…but at the end of the day, the kids were still friends.
Then there was Tuesday night. She woke up crying around 1:00a.m. Thinking it was only a bad dream, I ran into her room where she was screaming, “I have yucky all over me!” Soothing Me replied, “No you don’t have yucky all over you.” And I leaned over and kissed her head, only to kiss wet, sour hair. Ummm, yeah, she did have yuckies all over her…and her bed. We got her bathed, replaced linens, put on new jammies, and tucked her back into bed. But that wasn’t the end of it. Joy. We had several more wake-ups and cleanups. Finally, Brilliant Dave left a big bowl by her side and we finally got some solid sleep around 4:00am. By morning, we learned that leaving the bowl with her was actually a very wise thing to do.
Our sweet girl spent the next couple days in the position above----kind of nice, actually, because I could love and kiss on her all I wanted.
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Friday night we met up with Brian & Andra’s family and Dave’s parents at the family cabin. It was built by Dave’s grandpa in the 70’s and is more commonly referred to as the Love Shack.
This was Kate’s first visit. So explore, she did…
Discovering the loft with Mom’s help
And last, getting a family photo opp, eating dinner and playing Yahtzee. It was a happy weekend event.
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And what would the Fourth of July be without Mrs. Carrie Underwear herself?!!
The Stadium of Fire.
Thank goodness for the American Idol contestant, because the rest of the entertainment was not so much entertaining at all.
The fireworks
Again, the fireworks, but through my 3D glasses. Uh, huh, you heard right.
1. Tiptoe upon an unsuspecting bug…
2. Pick up gently with tweezers and plunk into a green and pink plastic bug keeper…
3. Inspect and analyze your bug carefully, but mostly, admire your amazing bug busting abilities…
4. Give your bug a suitable name (like Patches, for example) and place in the kitchen for your viewing pleasure…
5. After a minute or so of observation, the guilt will soon set in and you’ll ask your mom if you can let him go. She’ll concede. And, last, you’ll exonerate your bug so he can get back to his important buggy duties…
Oh, to be a kid again.
Nothing screams “hick” quite like a visit to Lehi’s rodeo. Last night we put on our cowboy gear (in spirit, not in reality) and saw a great show. Dave used to frequent this rodeo annually as a kid, but it was a first for Kate and me.
The announcer and clown were great (the hard, tin bleachers were not). But the best thing, hands-down, was the motorcylists (what do motorcyclists have to do with a rodeo anyway?) These guys were fearless in their jumps and totally entertaining. I don’t think anyone liked them better than Kate though. What a pill! 
*****
Speaking of a good time, potty training is going marvelously. We’ve had our share of trials and tears (mostly from me), but we’re moving onto brighter pastures. How did we do it? Below is the pathetic, but oh, so brilliant strategy devised by Kate’s desperate mother…the basket o’fun. Kate has taken well to opening a present for every “kid that she successfully drops off in the pool” (that and going commando under some summer time dresses).
She’s scored many finds including a cooking set, glow-in the dark bracelets (pictured below), a watering can, a Donald Duck wall climber, and there’s only more dollar store prizes where those came from.
There was one gift, however, that Kate requested that could not be found in the basket…The new Justin Bieber C.D.
This child of ours is strangely obsessed with the teenybopper. Where she learned his name and his song, “Baby, Baby” we will never know. The other day I turned on the Today Show where he was performing and Kate piped up, “Ooo, Justin Bieber.” I was completely floored, but even more so once she started singing along. Since then, she talks about him all the time, points him out on magazine covers, and sings, sings, sings the Bieber ballads, and we have yet to find the source who introduced her. After yet another success on the throne the other night, Dave and I rewarded her with a trip to the Best Buy for her heart’s most desired C.D. She is totally 3 going on 13. Are we bad parents because of it?
