Baby it's Your Day!

Whenever someone has a birthday at our house, we do whatever they want to do that day. We spent yesterday celebrating Aeris’s 2nd birthday. We ate her favorite breakfast, Cheerios. We went outside so she could swing on the swings. We blew bubbles. She had oatmeal with peaches and milk for lunch and then had a nap. That probably wouldn’t have been on her list of favorites, but she slept for three hours, so it was much needed. Jade and Logan played in the little swimming pool with her until dinner. We ate pasta with tomato sauce and lots of cheese and garlic bread. We finished the day with a cookie and a walk to the park.

Happy birthday baby girl! I can’t believe you’re two years old!

I love the way you laugh whenever someone else laughs.
I love your dimpled chin.
I love the way you pick up on musical tunes and start singing along no matter where we are.




We ate cake at the park with family last week.

Too Old for Lagoon and I'm Glad Movie Theaters are Dark

Jade talks about Lagoon a LOT. We went twice the year Aeris was born, but then didn't go last summer. It was nearly unforgivable, so when discount day arrived for our church ward, she wouldn't let the opportunity pass her by. I used to love Lagoon. I'd invite my most favorite of friends and we'd see how many guys we could pick up on before the end of the day. Well, now that I'm married, THAT side of Lagoon has lost it's charm and without that, you just have the fact that I'd probably throw up if I rode anything. So, being as nothing will make Nate throw up, he had the honors of taking her.

As a consolation for missing out on "Lagoon Day," I took Logan and Aeris to see a movie. Deep down, I guess I knew how it would go taking a two-year-old into a movie theater, but it was an acceptable replacement activity as far as Logan was concerned, AND it was out of the heat. We arrived part way during the previews, so the theater was already dark. Aeris wasn't sure what to think at first. She clung to me for ten minutes or so, peaking out of my shirt just enough to see that something was showing on the screen. Once that wore off, she wanted out. Out. OUT. She fussed and complained, and climbed. I finally took her in my arms, assured Logan that I'd stay close by, and stood in the aisle with her. That lasted about ten more minutes. After that, it was pure torture. She walked up and down the aisle, giggling at herself. She found her way around the back of the theater and noticed someone else went out that way. She banged on the door. I proceeded to hold her some more, until she'd squirm her way out of my arms, then it was back to walking up and down the aisle and giggling. Oh, and while all this was going on, Logan kept turning around and standing up on his seat to see where I had gone. As soon as the movie was over I grabbed Logan's hand and told him to RUN. Thank goodness for the protection of darkness. No one from the theater will recognize me or my unruly children.

Nate brought Jade home before 10 pm suffering from a major headache. Maybe Lagoon has lost its charm for him too. Apparently Jade ran him from ride to ride ALL DAY. And now... well she's talking about Lagoon more than ever.

Restaurant Review: Asian Star

Click here for location & online info

http://www.dininginutah.com/asianstar.htm

Dishes ordered:
cashew stir fry with assorted veggies and chicken
sweet and sour pork
hot and sour soup
egg flower soup
*both dishes came with soup, rice, fried shrimp, egg roll, & cream cheese wanton

We ate here for our anniversary this past weekend. Nate had been before with some friends from work, but it was my first time. They have a very small parking lot, so they offer free valet parking (tips optional). Otherwise, you have to park across the street. They seated us quickly and had water on the table within seconds of us sitting down. The waiter came immediately behind the person delivering the water to give us menus and take a drink order, which came out seconds later. Within minutes of taking our order, we were brought our soup. It was hot and delicious! I had the hot and sour soup. I have no idea what was in it, but I could have eaten that and nothing else! It’s a good thing the soup portions are small though, because the dinner portions were HUGE! Nate and I used the extra plates on the table to share the meat dishes. The cashew chicken was LOADED with cashews. It’s a good thing I love them! The veggies were carrots, zucchini and celery. I’m glad I ordered a dish that had veggies, because the sweet and sour did not have any. Between the two of us, we probably ate about a third of the food. It warmed up nicely as left-overs the next day. If you come with a large group as Nate did, you can order several items from the menu and rice ala carte and then eat them “family style.” We saw the table next to us do it that way.

The service was super fast. In fact, I almost felt rushed. This was not a place to sit and stay to chat. On a Saturday night, we were in and out in less than an hour.

The food was so delicious, of high quality and came in large portions.

The price was expected for the amount of food. It’s a little more pricey than your fast-food Asian restaurants, but well worth it.

What I will try next time: lettuce wraps. I’ve heard they’re amazing! We just didn’t have any more room in our bellies this time!

Chocolate Relief

Picture this: kids fighting, yelling, for the upteenth time that day. Me, hiding in a closet to get away from the fighting, yelling, and eat a chocolate treat of some kind because it DOES make me feel better and somehow gives me the energy to manage the fighting, yelling while still maintaining my cool.


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Celebrating Independence Day

Parade

As you can imagine, by the end of the parade, this little trailer was loaded with treats. Aeris was quite content on the ride sampling each one as they came in!

Aeris was facinated with splashing in the water puddles on the tarp under the water slide.

Aeris showing her cousin Will how to make a splash.

Lining up the fireworks.

Don't get too close to those fireworks little girl!

Preschool Grad

I'm a little slow posting about Logan's big preschool finale. The last couple of months has been hit and miss with preschool attendance thanks to that long drive back to our former neighborhood. The graduation was the culmination though of those pre elementary school years, and I wanted to keep taking him (even if it was only once a week) until that finishing moment. It makes him seem more ready for kindergarten.

His teacher shared a few of their favorite things as she presented their certificate of graduation. Following is Logan’s list. It cracks me up that whenever my kids make up this kind of list they mention several things that aren’t what I’d call “favorites.” It’s just something they did that particular day.

Food: Cake
Color: Red & Gold
Animal: Panda Bear
Game: Light Bright
Song: “Popcorn Popping”
Book: Easter Eggs
Toy: Cars
Cartoon: “Word World”
Movie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Holiday: Easter, “The Easter bunny lives at my house” – Jade has a big stuffed rabbit. She has Logan convinced that it comes to life on Easter to deliver all the eggs.
Season: Summer, “I love to be hot!”
Favorite part of Preschool: Snack time

Before the graduation we made our half-yearly visit to the dentist. No cavities! And Dr. Johnson removed Logan's thumb-sucking appliance. Our results have been true to the research. The habit is totally gone. Hooray! Now we're REALLY ready for kindergarten!