Mom in Town

Updates on Clifton -
He keeps us laughing over here with his silly ways.  The other day he had a poopy diaper and I asked him if I should change it he replied, "No Mom.  It's dangerous!"  I agree Clifton, I agree:)  He also ran into a chair while running around.  He got a pretty big bump on his head.  I told him he had a goose egg on his head.  So he went around telling everyone "a goose put an egg on his head."  Seriously he makes us giggle everyday.
He went potty on the toilet!!!!  However it has been downhill since then.  He will sit on the toilet with some fighting but has not yet gone again on the toilet.  Not sure where to go from here?

This week we spent a ton of time in the bathroom.  This is us doing family scripture reading in the bathroom.  It makes me laugh!

Updates on McKay -
She too is keeping us laughing.  She is starting to make silly faces and silly noises. She has been making this new face, we call the surprised face.  It makes me laugh every time.  I have yet caught it on camera:/

Seriously love her!

 Alex's family put money together for his birthday so he could get a BBQ.

So now we finally are proud owners of a BBQ thanks to his family:)

This week my mother was able to come to town for a few days.  So we made sure to have a lot of fun things to do together.  First we went to Manchester beach - which I think is so beautiful.  I love the fact that I can see Seattle but not be in Seattle.

The boys had fun!

Then the foot ferry and a picnic at the park.

 Again more fun!

Then Friday we went over to Seattle and visited the Sea Aquarium.  It was everyone's first visit to the Seattle aquarium (well except Alex). 

Clifton really enjoyed taking the "big boat".

They were cleaning the tank so a couple scuba divers were in there.  Clifton thought it was cool.

Octopus McKay

Octopus Clifton

The octopus came out when we were there.  It was so cool to see the octopus out.  We also got to see it change colors.  Very cool!

Scuba Clifton catching eel McKay.

Clifton says his favorite thing to see was the seals.  They were my favorite too!

Riding a killer whale:)

Touching sea anemones.   A very fun morning in Seattle!

Saturday Bremerton airport was having a car and plane show.

 Clifton loves looking at cars.  He thought this car looked like Doc from Cars.

He really wanted to fly in the plane.  Wish we could have.

Another fun packed week here!  Loving the weather and spending time together as a family.

Beach Trip 2012

Updates on Clifton -
He loves to jibber jabber.  He has to feel comfortable around you to talk but once he does he never stops.  He gets that from his Dad.  He has been learning to use the words yesterday and tomorrow properly.  He often think before nap time is yesterday.  He will wake up from nap telling me things he did that morning but said he did them yesterday.

Updates on McKay -
She is still moving like crazy. Climbing herself up onto everything and crawling everywhere.  She is our smiley girl and is pretty happy as long as mom is near her.  She is a joy to have in our lives and we just love her to peices.

The big news this week is we got a new van.  We got a used 2010 Toyota Sienna.  I love it!

It is so nice to have more space.  The doors slide open so no more squeezing between cars to get the kids in.  The boys can get into their car seat all by themselves.  It has a DVD player and that has come in handy on our long rides.  I needed a van and we found a good one for a good price.

We had a real fun packed week this week!  The boys and I stayed real busy with going out and about and doing some art projects.  I love doing art with the boys and they enjoy it as well.

I got Clifton a stamp set.  And he loves it.  I will have to get more stamp pads and different colors.  He really enjoyed that.

For the first time this summer I took the boys on the foot ferry.  They loved it.  It has been about a year since they have been on it.  We went over to Bremerton and had a little treat and then came back.  A short but fun trip!

Then we went to the Kitsap County Fair.  We got free tickets from the summer reading program that the kids and I did!
 They had a little area where the boys could push buttons to turn on a siren and to turn on police lights.  They could have spent the whole night there.

 Put in jail for making trouble:)  Set free because they are cute!

 Then they had tractors.  They could have spent all night here too.

They are animals!  We went to look at all the different kinds of animals.

 Clifton is getting tall and so big.  They said he could not ride this one (which I think he is right on the 36 mark but that's ok).  There were still rides we could go on.

 Waiting in line to go on a ride.  I love my little man!

 He loved this ride.  During the ride he shouted, "this is awesome!"

 Also a good one.

 

Big slide!

 

Alex and McKay watching us go on the rides.  She is a good girl!

Peterson Beach Trip!  We got pretty lucky with the weather.  It was just a little under 70, but it was real windy.  However we had a blast.

It was McKay's first trip to the beach!

 Ice cream!

 We stayed at Alex's parents' house for the weekend.  So the next day we took a trip to go see Sand in the City.  It was pretty cool to see all the sculptures built.

This was Clifton's favorite sculpture.

We had the family birthday party at Alex's parents house.  For dessert Alex wanted blackberry cobbler. 

 So Clifton, Grandma, and Aunt Rebecca got busy picking blackberries.  Clifton really enjoyed picking the berries and did pretty good at getting the black ones.

The boys trying to finish up the painting job!

We also got to go to Alex's friend's wedding reception.  It was good to see old friends.

They had bubbles at the table.  Clifton liked trying to blow them.  Silly face:)

All in all it was a wonderful week.  We had a terrific trip and loved being together as a family.  I love my little family!

Go Sounders!!!!

Updates on Clifton -
Clifton's binky is officially gone!!!!  So so happy with this.  I was not sure the day would ever come.
My poor Clifton had Croup all week.  He was really sick.  When Clifton is sick he does not sleep but is super tired and really really clingy.  So it has been a long week.  He still has a runny nose and a little cough but he is doing better.

Updates on McKay -
She too got croup and still has a runny nose and a cough.  She actually slept while she was sick but I could not put her down and she would need a power nap about every hour or so during the day. 
McKay is pulling herself up onto everything.  She is our little mover.  I really have to keep an eye on her so she does not hurt herself.
McKay loves finger food.  I forget how messy babies are when they start to eat food.  Back to sweeping after every meal.

Knowing we would be stuck at home for a while with my sick kids I decided to go out and buy some games Clifton and I could play to keep him entertained.

He loves the fishing game and is pretty good at it.  He likes to catch the fish by color.  So all the red first and then another color.  (For some reason all the red is always first)

Due to sickness all week we did not do much.  But by the end of the week we all were feeling well enough to go out.

The library was having an end of the summer celebration.  They had games, ice cream, bubbles, and more.  Clifton enjoyed the hula hoop.

McKay, Clifton and I finished the ten hour reading chart.  So we stopped at the library to pick out a free book.  Clifton was so excited to get a book.  He is our little reader.  He loves looking at books and having stories read to him and retelling stories to us.  He picked out a bigger book.  He like Curious George and insisted this be the book he took home.  McKay got a cute little book too.

 Picnic time!

Trying to cool off.

Clifton loves to play with the hose.

Playing with water, buckets, measuring cups, and funnels.

I love my silly boy!

Hiking time.  We did not make it to the view but it was still a fun adventure.

Next time we will make it to the view or take a shorter trail:/  Five miles is a little much for toddler legs.

My mother-in-law came up to watch the kids Saturday so I could take Alex to the Sounders Game (his birthday present).  It was super nice of her to come spend all day with our kiddos.  The kids enjoyed having her there and we enjoyed being out just the two of us.

 Sounder sunglasses they were handing out at the game.  Love them!

 Good seats!
We also got to meet up with some friends who were at the game too and go out to eat afterwards.  It was a wonderful day!

 Ferry leaving beautiful Seattle.

Clifton wearing the Sounder glasses.

It was a crazy and stressful week with all the sickness but it ended wonderfully and I am excited for a new week and new adventures!