Saturday, August 8, 2009

Happy Birthday Claire Bear!

Our big girl is two, but she says "I'n a baby" if asked about the whole thing. We are having cake & ice cream with our families tomorrow so today we had a day with just the four of us. In these photos you will notice something different about Claire--SHE GOT HER CAST OFF! To spare the details, we took her to the doctor Wednesday and they rexrayed it and did not find a break. Hallelujah! The doctor did call yesterday to say the radiologist report found some inflammation in the shin area suggesting a healing injury but she is walking okay so we will just keep an eye on her.

We took Claire to Build-A-Bear and Rainforest Cafe for her birthday. She was so cute picking out a horse, which she named "Neeah" (neigh) and the outfit for her hosey.
Checking out the clothes she picked
"Bathing" her horse
What is notable in the photo is that Claire has the horse's shoes on. She insisted on wearing them and kept them on until we were on her way home. I even questioned her about them as I was changing her diaper and she said "no, my shoes."
She fits right in!
She was a bit "concerned" when the animals started moving at dinner, especially since Danny said "they're coming" but she got used to them after a while.
Best birthday meal ever--pizza and milk:)

We told Carter that we would get a chocolate volcano for dessert but we were too full so we bribed him with the purchase of balloon animals and a ride on a little car outside of the restaurant. Here we attempted to take a picture of them with the elephant and butterfly:
Riding a rocket.
Claire climbed in another car and wanted to go for a ride again. I told her we didn't have money. She quickly replied "I have money" and started digging in her pockets. I said "where is it?" She said, "hiding." Our girl is TOO smart, TOO passionate, TOO reckless, TOO fun, TOO kissable, TOO sweet, TOO busy, and TOO caring. Happy Birthday to our TWO year old! We love you!

Carter Family Reunion

My parents and I drove to Utah with the kids for a quick weekend trip and to attend the Carter Family Reunion (sorry to the friends and family who live in Utah that we didn't see, hopefully we will have another trip soon). Danny's first big presentation at work was the same Saturday as the reunion so, unfortunately, he wasn't able to come with us. His presentation did go very well though. Once we made it to Utah Friday afternoon we had tickets to meet all my aunts and uncles for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House. I was excited for the kids (Carter especially) to see inside a temple and a get a better picture of where mommy and daddy are when we go. I really like the location of the temple as it is up on a hill and overlooks a beautiful valley.
Carter waiting to go inside
Claire wanting in on the fountain action
I didn't realize that this temple was full sized so Carter was pretty tired by the time we finished but he did enjoy it and even Claire talked all about Jesus because of the beautiful paintings. This is Carter at the reception provided afterwards. He found himself a seat to be comfortable while he ate a cookie:
He was very anxious to get back to the hotel to go swimming. We were glad Eric & Sydnee made it that night to swim with us and we ordered in some Pie Pizza--yum!
Rob & Laura flew in late Friday night and we stayed up late talking (that was a trend--I think we all came home tired). The next morning my dad & I went for a run in Cottonwood Heights (we stayed a Residence Inn there) and more fun pool time before heading to Riverton for the reunion.
Claire giving her second cousin Natalie a hug
My cousin Shanna was the only girl in her family growing up and wanted to name her son Carter just like me. They had three girls and thought they were done but
six months before we had Carter they had a boy and named him Carter. This is the first time the second cousins met. Carter Gray, Carter Todd, Morgan Blackburn
Aunt Kathy planned Bingo with fun prizes for the afternoon
More bingo excitement
My dad and his siblings (L to R: Jeff (my dad), Jenny, Gene, Tracy, Scott & Jerry). It was fun to hear them reminisce about life in Morgan, UT where they grew up.
Someone said "act sexy" for this photo and this is how it turned out. Gene and Jerry are twins and turn 70 this year. I am grateful I got to see them all!

My cousin Greg and his wife Christine came back to the hotel with us after the reunion and we got some delicious Cafe Rio and then stayed up late talking again. We all were laughing so hard! On Sunday we went to Temple Square and saw the International Art Competition and then walked over to the Joseph Smith Building where we went to church.
Our camera is acting up so some of these photos are pretty blurry but I had to include them anyway.
It was so nice to have so many helping hands with the kids and we are excited for baby Colin to arrive in October to join in the fun!
This photo is from after church. Super blurry but at least we remember it;)
On Monday we started our journey home after we said goodbye to Robbie & Laura and stopped in Provo to see my mom's roommate from Provo. She told us the coordinates to meet "at a park that had ducks." We arrived and I said, "this is not a 'park', this is Rape Hill." If you went to BYU and lived south of campus you know the famous steps up to campus. The kids loved the ducks and it was fun to back in Provo. It took me back 10 years to being a freshman. I told Carter that just a few blocks away is where I met his Daddy. Carter said "I see my future here." He sometimes comes out with prophetic, unprompted statements as this...we will see if this one comes true.
We stayed in St. George that night and then made it home Tuesday. It really was a great trip we just wish Jake and Amy were there too (and of course Danny)! My dad was a saint and drove most of the way so I could sit in the back and take care of the kids (which also meant I took naps when they did--that is the best way to take road trips:))