7 weeks of family reunion

The last two weeks of June were Paul's vacation...we loved our time in McCall...and I had to add this video that I forgot...



At the end you can hear Hattie say, "Ah, she has chemicals!" Here's the back story: About 8 months ago we were swimming at our local pool. Hattie, joyously floating in her tube, kept drinking a ton of pool water. I warned her over and over, but being three, she didn't listen. Later that evening around bedtime, she puked. I explained to her that the water had chemicals in it that made her tummy sick. Now she thinks all bodies of water (even the bathtub) have chemicals and doesn't dare drink anything that doesn't come from a cup.

Once July started, Paul hit the books, studying in my parents basement for step 2 of his boards. That's why he is pretty much absent from the rest of the pictures posted from the summer...he was in the basement while we were playing.

We spent a few days with most of my family and some of my cousins in Donnelly, Idaho, and Hattie actually got the nerve to go tubing. From my scaredy-cat little girl, I was shocked. This the girl who only recently learned how to get in and out of a crib. But with Uncle Jonny beside her and her parents cheering her on (we didn't have swimming suits).Anna loved the boat ride...she also loves jet skis, even though you get no reaction from her while riding. I ask her if she's having fun and she barely shakes her head...but when you take her off, she immediately begs for more.
Back at my mom's house, some baby kittens were discovered in a nest in a tree (to keep them safe from the hawk). They became a favorite and Hattie was constantly asking if she could play with the kitties.
And Anna turned 2! Hard to believe that it was two years ago that I was casually hanging out at my parents house when she decided to come 6 weeks early. Now she's a happy, healthy toddler who never stops running around, loves playing with her big sister, and wants to be a part of everything. She is finally getting more verbal and has mastered the word "please." I think she knows already that it'll get her anything. Anyways, we had a great party, especially since Uncle Jonny, Uncle Mark, and cousin James all celebrated their birthdays the same week, so it was a big party.Of course she didn't really know what to do with the candles, and didn't appreciate the smoke.
And she finally understands what it means to open presents.
Here she is cuddling her new gifts: a pig pillow pet from Hattie, a baby doll from Grandma, and Minnie Mouse from Mom and Dad.
As you can see she loves them. And never lets them out of her sight. Even now that we are back in Lubbock and she has reunited with her old toys, Minnie and Baby are always with her.Together with cousins Sophie and Jonas, they made play-doh birthday cakes.
I think the knife is a candle...?
One of the highlights of Grandma's house is the pool of course. Cousin Claire was Anna's best friend...seriously, Claire has a natural gift with children...all of the toddler's love her and Anna would ask for her by name...we miss you Claire!


Hattie waiting her turn for the slip and slide...
...on the run......and she jumps into the pool. I could quite get her to figure out the whole sliding thing.



And Rachel was just too cute.We also made it out to the Malheur County Fair. After overcoming her fear of the huge cows, Hattie loved it...but not as much as Anna enjoyed her sucker.


I just love this picture of Anna. One morning after cleaning up breakfast I found her on the patio just enjoying the sunrise.
During my last week there, Lisa, Val, and I took the kiddos to Lake Lowell.




And we decorated yummy cookies at Aunt Lisa's house.
At the beginning of August, Paul left Oregon and head for Salt Lake City, where he spent the entire month of August doing a radiology rotation at the University Hospital. I originally planned to stay with my mom during August, having assumed that his rotation would have the usual ridiculous hours in medical school...but instead of working 14 hour days, his schedule ended up being a normal 8 to 5 job with no weekend call! So rather than staying in Ontario another 3 weeks without a husband, the girls and I decided to join Paul in Utah. This meant that I suddenly had no time to visit the friends that I had been planning on seeing during those three weeks. So if you are reading this from Ontario and are bummed that I didn't see you, please know that I am too! I really was planning on it, but we decided it would be better to stay together as a family.

We even had one day where everyone was there...except Spencer on his mission of course. The greatest part of the weeks spent in Ontario was being able to be with the sisters and brothers I love, spending time with my wonderful parents, and that those of us who live far away are able to come at the same time and all be together, helping our kids become friends and creating memories for them.
Still not done covering our trip...next time: 2 weeks in Utah!