Ekins Express: July to August 2013

Or the end of August back to sometime in July. My pictures are backwards and it's hard enough playing catch up. So this will have to do!

Rett turned four years old August 26th! He is our drama king, lover of all things, and ray of sunshine. I can get really mad at him one minute and then adore him one minute later.

A gift he wrapped just for me!

Birthday party at our house - dinner, dessert, gifts, and piñata. Friends Carter and Ty and their moms and younger siblings came over.

Rett and Abby's attempt, in that order, at "Minions"

He couldn't wait to see what Grandma sent him in the mail!

Just one of his many "grandma's" gave him a puzzle,

and another a boat.

Mom and Dad took him to lunch at Appleby's while Abby was in school.

Mom and Dad gave him a Lego garbage truck

This temple was built using Popsicle sticks - each one representing a name submitted for ordinance work by members of our ward (about 4,500 names)! So sweet to be able to participate in just a tiny fraction of this. The youth of our church are amazing. This work is amazing.

The kids playing dog on a leash around the house. Reminds me of when my little sisters and I would play Santa and Rudolph.

Rett's second day of Preschool they celebrated his and friend Ty's birthdays. He wore his Birthday crown all week!

He wanted to play Scrabble with me one day, so, well... we tried it. It didn't last very long before we switched to CandyLand

This girl loves bread!

And she loves snuggling with Teddy while she sleeps.

I found Abby snuggled up to her favorite bunny one night,

And her Lalaloopsy's like this on her nightstand.

Ty's birthday party with his bestie Rett

My dear friend and Ty's mom Lou. She always knows how to show the boys a good time.

Trying to get this girl to take a bottle was nearly impossible! I was somewhat forced to wean her at 8 1/2 months because she had 8 teeth! It took her two full days and me forcing a bottle into her mouth for 20 minutes to finally take! I still had to hold her arms down for a week while feeding her.

A family tradition every July 4th of 24th is to go to our favorite breakfast joint Bear Paw. So yummy!

We enjoyed several weeknight boating outings this summer with Grandpa David's boat. Just one reason we've enjoyed having a truck!

This just goes to show how much kids follow a parent's example. Rett looks just like me in this picture whenever I'm trying to find zits to pick on my face.

Abby started the First Grade in the Chinese Dual Immersion Program - half day only Chinese is spoken, the other half English.

Matt's morning workout on a beautiful summer day. Using Rett's 40+ pounds for weights.

Jumpin' Jacks with Abby's bestie Sophie and favorite babysitter Kaylee.

She also loovves bananas

Steak and ice cream the night before the first day of school.

Abby trying on her new school goals and practicing making her own lunch.

Happy 11th!

Watching Dad play in his summer softball league

Face painting - thanks for the idea Hillary!

Tom and Liam in a hammock at Grandpa's cabin. Life doesn't get much better than this.

Lava Hot Springs

All vacationed out!

One of my favorite places to go with friends while I attended Ricks College.

It was fun to spend one of our two nights with the Garner's at the cabin.

Good Morning, Beautiful.

We were playing games while the kids were sleeping.

I once sat in this same high chair. Rett and Cohen believed the two of them were going to carry this canoe down to the water.

Old Faithful and the traditional huckleberry ice cream while we watch

Rett only cared about one thing

Beauty and the Beast at The Playmill Theatre - another favorite stop

Dinner at this 50's diner - the same place Matt and I ate on our honeymoon.

Bear World

Picture on left circa 1994, picture on right 2013

It was fun to spend the afternoon strolling Ricks College - now BYU-Idaho. A lot has changed, and yet so much of it remains the same. Best two years of my life... well, before marriage and kids.