A year already?

From this ................... to this


My, how time flies when you're having fun and we certainly have had fun. Jonathan is something else. He is the epitome of boy.

He loves my kitchen cupboards and what treasures he can find in there. He even leaves treasures for me such as fridge magnets and play kitchen utensils. He loves to walk and run around with Hannah. He loves to play chase and is pretty quick with his smiles. It's hard to imagine when you love one how you can ever make enough room to love another kids but we certainly have. I think our love has more than doubled with Jonathan's addition to our family.

He is so fun and though I get frustrated when he has pulled my pots and pans out for the tenth time in a couple of hours, I love how silly he can be and how he loves to lay in my arms for a moments rest after he's been a little wild. He has grown so much and so fast. When he was born he weighed 8 lbs and 9 oz. Now, just twelve months later he has almost quadrupled that at 23 lbs. He can understand what I say to him most of the time and just smiles and laughs as his answer most of the time.

He loves to eat and he loves his big sister. They fill our home with giggles and sweet things. Today, Jonathan had his 12 month check-up at the doctors. I took Hannah and prepped her before hand for how upset Jonathan would b and asked her to be a good helper and try and help him be happy. When the doctor had to look in his nose and mouth, Jonathan started wailing. Hannah was right there saying, "O-tay baby, it o-tay. Oh baby, I wuv you."

Jonathan gives it right back like after their naps today, Hannah sat down to watch part of Cinderella. Jonathan sat there next to her for a good 15 minutes. He laid on her lap, then on her shoulder than he tried to sit on her. She just smiled and laughed at him. It's good to have a friend.

For Jonathan's birthday he had a special treat. Grandma W and Rachel were here with us. They made a quick trip down to celebrate his birthday. Jonathan started the day at 6:30 and we hung out and enjoyed our company and then had a breakfast feast while he took a nap : ) After nap time, since Grandma had to leave early we opened presents and Jonathan enjoyed a cupcake and his first bites of ice cream. His favorite thing was the paper.

We have a birthday hat that they get to wear and it has the number of years they are on it. We put that on and boy was he mad. Those 1 year olds sure hate the hat.

It was pretty low key but we had fun just reminiscing about Jonathan's arrival in our family and the events of September 4th a year previously. Our lives will never be the same and boy are we glad.

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

This comes a little late but, Happy Birthday, Little Bug! Hannah is everything a three year old should be and so much more. Yes, she is three. I babysat a little girl on Wednesday and I realized just how much she has grown in the last year. Most obvious is that I understand just about everything she says--she only has to repeat herself once occasionally twice.

She has proven to be a pretty good helper and loves her little brother. She loves to jump and climb and swim. Thanks to her boy friends and Grandma Wright (She provided the costume) Hannah wants to be Spiderman for Halloween, though she loves Cinderella, too.

Her favorite color is purple and if you ask her she does read. We've started her in a little Preschool Co-op with a few of her friends this semester and she loves that. They are a fun bunch with a lot of energy. It's fun to see her learn new things. The best new of all is that I think, for all intents and purposes she is finally potty trained.

Her birthday was spent at school in the morning and then lunch and a good nap. She got her finger shut in a door at school so she was a little upset. The nap was our lifesaver. Then when Hyrum got home from work we ate a quick dinner, opened presents and then we went swimming. Hannah had a great day. She loved all of her presents and if you ask her she'll rave over her train cake. In fact now instead of telling people Happy Birthday, she says, "Happy Cake!"

So with that, Happy Cake, Hannah!!

Amsterdam

It's about a quarter of ten in the evening, and I'm sitting in my hotel room, listening to the rain fall from the Dutch sky. It's one of those surreal moments at the end of a trip where I wonder if I've done everything I needed and wanted to do, and also wonder when I'll be back. As I listen to the thunder roll, and hear the occasional tram bell, I can't help but think that this trip has been much better than I anticipated.

The rain's coming down harder now.

Amsterdam offers quite a juxtaposition. The old-world buildings and charm, stand right beside new-world modernity and vices. A small city by most measures, yet rich in history and experiences. I expected to find a place where I'd feel uncomfortable, yet by exercising caution, I was able to stay away from the ill, and enjoy the better parts of the city. I've already thought a few times about what I want to do the next time I come, and what I want to see more.

My visit to Holland has been largely successful, and I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had to come. So tomorrow, as I climb aboard a plane and soar across deep blue Atlantic, there won't be any regrets, just an excitement to go home to wife and children, and a certain understanding that I haven't seen the last of this part of Europe.

The storm is letting up.

Pioneer Day Classic

It sounds kind of like the name of a race, huh? Well it is and I ran it. For some of you may be checking your eyes to be sure you read correctly but I assure you that your eyesight is fine.

About 6 months ago some friends and I started walking in the morning for exercise and it has morphed into running. I never thought I would ever be a "runner" and for some definitions I still am not but, I go jogging almost six days a week for about 3.5 miles. Reianna and I decided to run a 5k and while in Utah I decided I would just try it before we ran ours and I was pretty happy with my results.

I hate to run by myself because I'm not very good at keeping a good pace so my sister-in-law and brother were going to run it with me but they both backed out at the last minute. I was kind of disappointed but my parents said they would come and watch.

I ran and had a good time and my family had a great time too. Hannah jumped in a bounce house thing and Jonathan enjoyed the company of his grandpa and aunt, Kallie. It felt really good to know they were at the end cheering me on especially when I finally did reach the end. My time was 32:40 which I was pretty proud of. My goal is to run a 5k in 30 minutes so I still have my work cut out for me.

After the race I enjoyed some complimentary sorbet with fruit and granola and a massage. It was fun and I am excited to do it again in about a month.

Summer Roadtrip 2009--Utah, the Hogle Zoo

On Tuesday of the second week my parents took us all--my brother and his family, me and my children and my brother and sister--to the Hogle Zoo. Of all the time I spent in Utah through my life I had never been there. We got lost and turned around while getting there but we did finally make it. I found it to be quite a nice zoo though I don't have much experience to go from.

Most of the animals were up and walking around which made it nice for all of us but especially the little girls. They had a ball. The best part was the mountain lion that wanted to eat my sister. He prowled around following her as we walked by. Kallie would move and he would move. He sat there for a little while hissing at her too. It was pretty funny but I'm sure we were all glad there was a cage between them. The cougar would have won in a fight especially due to the fact that Kallie just had knee surgery.

I had the girls go on a carousel ride with Grandma H. At first they weren't quite sure what to think but by the end they were begging for more. It was a good day. We were sorry that Nathan and his family had to leave early but, what can you do. It wasn't even too hot and Hannah finally got to see a live bear.