Sept- Week 2- Dan's Camp Out, State Fair

More sweet smiles!

Tuesday I vacuumed our van.  Huzzah! ;) 

Snuggles or suffocating love? 

Wednesday was a normal day.  We played at the park while Ben went to his music class, though I forgot to have the girls grab shoes before we left.  McKenna was the only one who actually played;  Anna was too sensitive with her bare feet.  My mom came over for dinner that night.  

Thursday, McKenna lost her 5th tooth while at her music class.  She said it didn't hurt or bleed.  It was completely hollow and super ready! 

 Friday we went to the park in the morning with some neighbors then went to the church for a potluck lunch with the relief society.  Later that night, Dan went on a camp out with the teacher's quorum.  The kids and I had pizza for dinner and ice cream while we watched Back to the Future 3.  McKenna first watched it at her granddaughter sleepover and had been wanting to watch it again. Ben LOVED it!  

Some pictures from Dan's camp out.  Gorgeous view!

 He was pretty dang proud of his tinfoil dinner and dessert so he had to document them!  The dinner was ground beef, bacon, carrots, potatoes, snap peas, corn, cream of chicken soup, and salt and pepper.  Dessert was raw cake mix inside a hollowed out orange which Dan said cooked up perfectly in the fire. 

 Saturday morning, McKenna and Anna were playing with baby dolls and when they were done I found Bethany like this.  Which baby is real? ;)

 I made funny faces with Anna while Ben and McKenna had a "shop" outside selling bows and old toys.  We were also waiting for Dan to get home.  

In the evening we went to the State Fair!  I think we learned NOT to go on a Saturday ever again.  Pretty busy and crowded.  So far, every year we've gone, we have 4 things on the agenda: Little Helping Hands Farmers, try some of the fair FOOD, see the animals, and the Big Yellow Slide!  

Here they are as little farmers.  

 I got a Navajo Taco and Dan got a Pork Chop.   Both were so yummy! 

Over all, it was way fun, but too hot and crowded for our liking.  We stopped on the way home at Burger King for ice cream cones which, as you might imagine, were way cheaper than at the Fair.  

Sunday we had dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

These two sat down and copied each other with the pillows on their laps. :)

Monday I did some cleaning, laundry, and worked on painting Bethany's name to go on display in her room.  My mom also came over to hang out for the afternoon, then took Ben to run some errands.  She also stayed for dinner.  For dessert, we were planning to go to Hokulia in Sugar House for their last night of the season.  Unfortunately, they got rained out.  However, Sam brought Hokulia to us at Dan's parents' house!!  Dan was trying to make his brother jealous that he was holding his baby girl.  

 Bethany gave some great smiles to Grandpa!  

Sept- Week 1- Ben Preschool, Ward Camp Out, Mantua/Labor Day

Tuesday we had a fun and windy morning at the park with some neighbors.  We ate a picnic lunch there then we dropped Ben off at his first day of (2nd year) Preschool at Adelaide Elementary!  He was so excited!  Everything was going just fine until I asked him if he wanted a drink from the drinking fountain before we went in the classroom.  Well, he stuck his head next to the sprayer before pushing the button and therefore was quite surprised that the water came out so fast and hard that it sprayed over his face and hit the side of his head.  AND, his response wasn't the fastest so he got pretty wet.  Not a great way to start the preschool experience.  Thankfully, he stayed fairly calm and only cried a little.  I love Anna hugging him goodbye in the bottom left picture.  I'm also so glad that Ben has his friend Taggart in the class with him! 

Tuesday night Bethany slept through the night!!  To celebrate, here's a picture of another night's
middle-of-the-night feeding.  :)

Wednesday we ran errands in the morning and I attended Ben's music class with him in the evening.
Had to document one of Bethany's favorite snuggle positions.

 All of my kids have pretty expressive eyebrows.

Thursday we went to Grandma's house to can some peaches with Aunt Brynn and Sarah Jane.  The peaches were from the tree at Mantua.  

In the evening, we came back to Grandma's house to watch the Utah Game.  Aunt Lara made sure our kids were fully decked out in Ute gear.

(Dan was "allowed" to put the Ute magnet back on our garage.  I tell him it can only be on there during football season.  Ben was pretty excited to pose and flash his "U.")

Friday, Dan had an interview on the radio to talk about Foster Care.  He did a fabulous job! Ben had a playdate at a friend's house that morning.
We also started seeing some cute smiles out of this one! 

That evening Dan took McKenna and Ben on our Ward campout to  Hobblecreek Canyon.  Dan was unfortunately coming down with a nasty cold and hardly slept, but made the best of it.  The kids, on the other hand, had a blast and Dan said he really only saw and "parented" them at meal times.  Dan's parents and Sam and Lara went as well and provided a trailer for all the Websters to sleep in!
Some ultimate frisbee

Ben played with some of our fun neighbors and his pal Henry.

McKenna loved being with these girls!  She also had fun getting these burs out of her hair. : / Thank heaven grandma was there to help.

I stayed home with the little girls and enjoyed dinner out with my mom and dad and sister.  My dad finally felt that he had his health issues sorted out enough that he could return to Chile (the next morning).  Such a great yawn picture!

Friday night, while poor Dan was feeling miserable and sleeping terribly at the campout, Bethany was a dear and slept through the night again!!

Saturday morning I went grocery shopping and Dan and the kids got back from the camp out around 4pm.  We gave all the kids baths and then my mom came to babysit.  Dan and I went on a date with our friends, Ryan and Bethany Spencer.  Dan has known these two since high school.  They live in Bountiful but we rarely get together.  Time for that to change! We had a blast just sitting and talking for about 3 hours at the restaurant, ffollowed by treats at Ugurt.
Here are the two Bethanys together!

Sunday after church we headed up to Mantua to spend the night and play up there for Labor Day.

The kids enjoyed cookies after dinner and Aunt Swa read them a nice bedtime story.  

We tried letting the kids have a sleepover. It didn't work out so hot for the girls... too much talking and playing so they had to be separated.

After the kids were in bed the grown ups played games and ate too much candy. 

Monday Labor Day all of the grown-up boys went golfing except Dan (still recuperating from the previous few days). The girls did a little exercising, picking peaches, and weeding.  Then we had lunch and went swimming!!



Dan and Ben playing checkers is always a Mantua tradition.

We left at 4:30 then went straight to the Nelson Family Birthday Party for the month of September at the Lowder's home.

Aug- Week 4- Zoo Day, Baby Shower, Mantua, Bethany 1st Sunday at Church

Monday was a normal day of laundry, playing with kids, doing homework and piano/music practice.  Then we had Family Home evening about the lyrics to Come Follow Me.  

Tuesday, we went to the Zoo with the Stewart cousins.  It was HOT but not very crowded at all thanks to kids being back in school.  

 We were even there early enough to see the bird show.  

Wednesday, the girls were being cute as usual!

 In the evening I attended a baby shower for one of Dan's cousins.  Dan had church meetings so my mom was nice enough to come babysit so I only had to take Bethany.  You know you're at a Nelson Family event when there are so many babies! 

 These two Webster cousins got to bond!  Bethany and Amelia are only two weeks apart.  

And these mamas got to bond with each other's baby as well.  

 All the Websters in attendance.

I stayed after a little bit and Dan's dad brought out these shirts he had ordered.  I told him this is probably the only Utah shirt I will ever wear.  

"I married into this."

 Thursday I had my 6 week postpartum check up and my mom babysat Ben and Anna.  I had to show off Miss Bethany at the doctor's office.  

 Some tummy time later that day.  Not really loving it.  

 Too tired.  

Friday Dan golfed in a charity tournament raising money for his work.  

I attempted to nap with Bethany, though I'm sure I didn't sleep much.  I mean, just look at this face!

After McKenna got home from school, we packed some stuff and headed up to Mantua for an overnightter.  Jake and his family stayed the night too.

Swimming Friday night.  

Moon rise

Since Ben slept the whole drive up, he had a hard time falling asleep that night.  So he got some extra snuggle time with Bethany.  

Saturday at Mantua we swam, played, took ranger rides, then cleaned up and left by 5.  We met my parents in Layton for dinner at Zupa's on our way home.  

Sunday was Bethany's first day at church.  I put her in the same dress that Anna wore her first day at church as well.  

Anna's on the top, Bethany on the bottom.  I don't really think they look too much a like.  

More Bethany!

In the evening we went with my mom and dad to visit my Condie grandparents.  My grandma has the magic touch and put Bethany right to sleep.