My Last Night and Day of Freedom

Monday night was the last night that I didn't have to worry about getting up early the next morning for anything! I am REALLY going to miss that. Tomorrow I have to get up at 6 to get ready for my LAST SEMESTER OF NURSING SCHOOL!!! Is it obvious I'm excited? I just can't believe I am a mere 4 months from being done, although I still feel like I have so much to learn....so friends and family, wait five years to ask me any medical questions unless you want me to make up some bogus answer! So Monday night we went and roasted hot dogs up Payson canyon with our friends the Ellis's and their two boys. Had a great time!
I went up with the idea that I would stay away from the fire so that I wouldn't have to wash my hair which I had just washed and fixed. Ha Ha to that idea...I REEKED afterwards because there is just no way to roast hot dogs and marshmallows without soaking up that campfire smell.
Today (Tuesday) is my last official day of freedom. So I walked with Riley to One Man Band and we ordered a breakfast to share. Riley and "Tiggy" helped pick our order. Let me tell you if you want a nice, greasy breakfast...go to this place. It's good the caloric content doesn't accompany the food!
Open WIDE!!!
Does anyone else's kid drink the ketchup and the frysauce? I guess they ARE in little cups, so to a kid that says "Drink up!" He was putting ketchup on his pancakes too. What IS it with kids and ketchup?

Park City!

I LOVE park city in the Fall. In fact Ben and I went last fall and will probably try to go next month. But I was lucky enough to be able to go this weekend with some friends I went to highschool with. I must be truthful...I haven't had an overnighter girls night out since I've been married (except with my mom). We did a lot of shopping, and of course our kids all got a nice haul. Riley got some much needed fall clothes. It's amazing how nearly entire wardrobes need to be replaced when a child goes from 2T to 3T.

Slip-N-Slide On Steroids

You may think you have done the slip-n-slide thing, but you haven't REALLY done a slip-n-slide until you've experienced speeding down a very steep hill on a VERY long wet piece of plastic such as the one shown in the picture. There was no way to go down this slide without getting an enormous wedgie! It was the most fun I've had all summer (next to going boating, the cabin, my mom's visit, and the cruise).

Ben and Riley on their first cruise down.

Yes, it was massive!

I'm not real happy about the faces I make when

I am experiencing extreme fun or stress. Riley takes after me in this. He makes some pretty funny faces when he is freaked out, which makes it so much fun to freak him out :)

This is Ben playing the role of Mufasa, and Riley playing the role of Simba! (Lion King...get it?)

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, Ben did enjoy himself!
Thank you to Brian and Melissa for providing the fun!

Snake Cake!!!

This cake was for Riley and Kortley, since their
birthdays are just 8 days apart.




Would you believe that I made this!?
Every six years or so I get ambitious and
make some amazing cake. For Riley's 9th
Birthday I will maybe do the Eifel Tower.

Riley's Birthday Weekend

I titled this post Riley's birthday weekend since it seemed like even though his birthday was on Friday, there were mutiple little celebrations thoughout the weekend! Monday morning came and I mentioned something about his cousin Kortley's birthday and he snapped at me and said "No, no more Birthday!" Riley loves presents, and loved getting them, but if you know Riley...lets just say he doesn't do well under pressure, which includes being sung "Happy Birthday" to by more than one person. I think one of the pictures demonstrates his typical "on gaurd" face while my family was singing to him on the night of his Birthday. The funny thing is that apparently Ben was exactly the same as a child. If people would smile at him or pay too much attention to him, he thought they were laughing at him and he'd frown or run and hide. Sounds JUST like Riley :) Anyhow, it was a great weekend...and Riley got some really cool presents including a pop up cars tent from his Hansen grandparents. Just don't ask me to demonstrate how to fold it up....the directions say it folds up nice and neat just like a clamshell. Yah RIGHT a clam shell! None of us could figure it out. Today I finally got it to fold up small enough to fit halfway in the carrying case (hey, it's better than nothing). On the last step of the included instructions, there is a picture of a lady with the carrying case casually flung over her shoulder, and supposedly we are to believe that the tent is in the carrying case...but I'm not buying it. Not only that but she is SMILING as if the ten steps to closing up the tent were some sort of fun. I was definately cursing in my head today while trying to fold up a massive tent "nice and easy like a clamshell". Roger and Marrianne gave him some cute presents including a couple of little stuffed monkeys, which he now sleeps with. He also fell asleep tonight wearing his new Lighting McQueen hat, which was one of the things he got from my Dad and Laurie. He got to spend some time with Kortley, and we took them for a Jeep ride which put Kortley to sleep. I thought it was so cute that she fell asleep on Riley's shoulder!

Warning: Here is the mushy part.

My little boy turned three. THREE. I cannot believe it. I can't even reconcile the little boy I have now with the newborn I picture in my mind. I cannot believe how much I love Riley. When he was born, I became really depressed which clouded my feelings over and kept me from truly feeling the love I had for him. But after a couple months I was so in love with him, and it has just gotten worse! As he's gotten older, I love him more and more. I remember thinking when he was six months "I love him so much. This has to be the peak of my love for him. It has to go down from here." But then along came one year, and I thought "Wow, THIS is the best and I love him more than ever. But I bet when he's two, he'll really bug me and I'm afraid I won't love him as much." Well, you can guess the rest. As time goes on, I am realizing that no matter how old Riley gets, or how he changes, my love for him cannot possibly diminish...only grow. Simply because he is my child, and to me he is perfect. And to top it all off, I know Ben feels the same way. I see the joy he gets from Riley, and the joy we both get from Riley. Riley doesn't even know it, but he is truly our comic relief each and every day. Just tonight, not three minutes after we got him to bed, he comes into our room and sais "Good morning!" I think he really thought he could fool us. Happy third birthday Riley! We love you!

The Best Day

Today, Ben's brother Sam married a BEAUTIFUL woman named Stacia, and it was truly a wonderful day. It was definately an all day event, as the temple sealing, the luncheon, and the reception all seemed to string together into one busy day. But it was just a really, really fun day and I enjoyed it so much. It was nice to have the day with Ben and Riley, and to be reminded of how wonderful it is to be committed to the one that you love, and to support eachother and to love and support and uplift those around you. It was the coolest temple sealing I've ever been to, and the coolest reception. The place where the reception was at was beautiful, and for four wonderful hours we enjoyed being outside, mingling with family and friends, watching Riley run around free and happy with his cousin Kortley, and looking on at Sam and Stacia who are the neatest couple. I have posted several pictures of Riley and Kortley, and sometimes I feel like I post so many pictures of them but they are so cute together which allows for many photo ops that can't be wasted. And I know someday they will grow up, and while they will still be buds, they may not be as sweet and innocent, and there will be no more saying "Riley, give Kortley a kiss!" It is wonderful to look over and see Riley and Kortley running along holding hands and laughing.

I usually don't get mushy, but right now I'm so happy to have had this day to be with people that I really love and to simply enjoy life....free from the usual mundane everyday stuff. It's nice every once in a while to decompress and get back to what's important!

The family picture is priceless to me, mainly because the smile on Riley's face is.....angelic! And anyone who's every tried to take pictures of Riley knows that getting a good shot is not always easy! He tends to be a grump and play REALLY hard to get for pictures. I'm taking him to Kiddie Kandids for his three year old pictures soon, so here's hoping for a happy Riley!

Mom's Visit

My Mom came to visit me for my Birthday, and we had a great weekend! We went and checked out the Thanksgiving Point Gardens, and yes it was beautiful. HOWEVER...it was hot and humid. But kids never seemed to mind, so while us adults were dripping and whining, Riley was running around happy as ever!
Mom and I in front of one of the buildings. This was at the beginning when the heat actually felt good. Five minutes later, we were whining. I absolutely cannot imagine living in Arizona. Whenever it is really hot here, I can't believe that it is much hotter in other parts of the world. If I lived in Arizona, I would hide in an air conditioned basement all day! Riley and my mom had some major bonding going on this trip! She got to get in on the potty training (Riley actually asked her to "dab" him when he was done...if you know what I mean. Good boy Riley, I'm raising you right!) She got to take a trip down memory lane and remember how it was to have a toddler who assumes the bag of Doritos you bought is for him, and he MIGHT share with you. And all candy is rightfully his, and your drink is his drink. It was right up her alley!

Riley has a LOT to say lately! Even during pictures.

I really like this picture of my Mom and I. Isn't she georgeous!

I got spoiled pretty bad for my birthday. Let's just say it involved plenty of movies, restaurants, and cute new clothes. Riley was also spoiled by my Mom since his birthday is coming up. He scored a Mr. Potatoe head, race cars and his first racetrack, and some great non-spillable Diego bubbles. So yeah, Riley is pretty impressed with Grandma, and was missing her pretty bad when she left.