This and That

This is me at 29 weeks! I'm feeling pretty good! A little smaller than I was with Oliver which is NICE!


This was this morning at 30 weeks!!


This morning we decided to walk to church! It was fun! When I told Oliver we were walking he said "WOW, that's AMAZING!!!" He loved it! And so did we! It was a beautiful morning!

We haven't had anything too exciting to post about lately! Today I'm 30 weeks! Yay only 8 or 9 more weeks until little Isaac joins our family! We're so excited!!

Here are just a couple of pictures!

A couple recent Oliverisms

Yesterday:
Me: "Oliver, did you have fun in nursery today?"
Oliver: "Yeah, I played with the kids."
Me: Did you learn anything? Did you learn about Jesus?"
Oliver: "Yeah."
Me: "What did you learn?"
Oliver: "Jesus is up there" (Pointing to the ceiling!)

He's got a point! It was so cute!

A few weeks ago we were in Salt Lake and drove past the Salt Lake City Temple. When Oliver saw it he said "WOW MAMA A CASTLE!!!"

Today:
Oliver was pretending he was a doctor. I randomly decided to say "I love you Oliver Cole." He said "NO MAMA, DOCTOR OLIVER!"

Things for baby...

I have a growing list of little projects I want to do for baby Isaac! First on the list is a blanket! I got the ADORABLE fabric above! I saw it and LOVED it and didn't buy it... after a few days when I was STILL thinking about it I decided to just go buy it! I love the puppies and the stripes coordinate PERFECTLY! I can't wait to see it all finished. Also on my list is a car seat canopy. I was thinking about making a whole new car seat cover for our infant seat ... but I decided that was just too much and that a little canopy would be the cute touch I was looking for and it would be easier AND cheaper! AND it would keep strangers, weather and germs off of our little bundle of joy! I also want to make some cute burp clothes and about a thousand other little things! Guess I'd better get started... and maybe should get a part time job to pay for all the fabric I want! lol! ;)

Movie Night at Capitol Hill

Last night we went up to Capitol Hill in Salt Lake and watched a movie on the lawn! It was so much fun! this is just one of the many movie at the park type things they have all around us all summer long! It was great! The capitol was a beautiful location and best of all it was FREE!!! Oliver had fun running around before the movie started! We picked Berto up from work and took a picnic dinner! It was great!! Here are a couple of pictures we took while we were waiting for it to get dark!

Two year old trials and finger painting

Since moving to Utah we've done A LOT! We've been enjoying having so many options so close by! It's been wonderful! This week has been no exception! Since my first trimester was so difficult and Oliver and I basically just sat around the house for four months, I decided when we got here that we'd do something fun together every morning after we drop Berto off at work. Most mornings we go hang out at a local McDonalds playland! He LOVES it! We call it the inside park and he loves to play with the kids. We were there a few days ago and there were some frustrating kids (who's parents were of course not doing their job). One little boy was into pushing and another one thought karate kicking was a good idea. Oliver handles things pretty well. He just gets up and walks away usually. (Sometimes he hits back but what can I say?) He's pretty good natured and doesn't cry or get nasty. One thing that Oliver does do is hit, but it's not to be mean. He gets SO excited to play with other kids (especially girls) that his hands start going and he "hits" the kids. It isn't hard and it isn't meant to be mean but it happens. We try time and time again to teach him that hitting is not ok, and are trying to figure out how to make our words sink in. Today we went over to Mc Donalds after dropping Berto off. There was one little girl who was probably 4 or 5 and her little brother who was probably 1. The little girl was so happy to play with Oliver... until a couple of other kids showed up. They were all four playing together fine until Oliver got over excited and hit the new little girl on the back. (I am not an irresponsible parent and I keep a close eye on what's going on and saw everything that was happening). I got up to have him say sorry and to remind him not to hit... WELL the first little girl comes up to me and starts saying that Oliver was hitting, kicking and pushing her. I was at the end of my rope and decided that it was time for Oliver and I to leave. I had him say sorry to the little girl he did hit and we left. Not without a fight of course. It was such a disaster. Oliver screamed his little heart out and balled his little eyes out. I guess I don't know exactly how to handle those situations. We're trying to teach Oliver what is acceptable but then he of course has the behavior he learns from all the other little kids... and then the nasty little kids that make up stories. I know this is going to be an ongoing battle of parenthood ... but any advice? What should I do? I know Oliver is only two and his behavior is completely normal and that part of the issue is kids think he's older because he's so tall and they don't really understand why he still acts like a younger kid. Anyway, once Oliver calmed down and we had a little talk I decided to do something fun at home with him...

So we attempted FINGER PAINTING!! We do art projects from time to time. And we've used paint... but I've always used paint in a very controlled environment because I haven't wanted to worry about a huge mess... well today I decided to get a little crazy and let him just go at it! Oliver had a BLAST!! We spread a big blanket out on the floor and I stripped him down to his pull up and he went crazy! He had a blast! He painted pictures for all of his grandparents, aunt Lianna, uncle Donnie and of course daddy! What fun we had... and clean up... well he just got his bath a few hours early!

Dino Museum

Waiting to meet up with our friends! (Nice face Oliver!)

The crazy boys! Oliver is the youngest! But look how tall he is!

Digging in the mud!! I think this may have been their favorite part!!



Digging for fossils... another crowd pleaser!!


The moms! We had so much fun catching up! It was like we just went to lunch last week not years ago!!

Today was the best day!! Oliver and I met two of my dear friends from high school (who I haven't seen in YEARS) at the dinosaur museum! We had a blast! The boys were all born the same year (I'm pretty sure) and they all had a blast too!! It was a great day!

Thanks Jen and DeDe!! We had a great day!!

Aquarium and Big Cottonwood Canyon

We've been enjoying all of the inexpensive and CLOSE family/kid friendly things to do here in UT! So we've been going a little overboard with activities. I think we've felt so deprived living so far away from everything that we're trying to get it all out of our system!

On Monday (Berto's day off) we went to the Aquarium! I was so excited! I knew Oliver would love it and he did! It was a great time! After we left Oliver conked out in the car (it was naptime) so we decided to head up big cottonwood canyon for a little drive! We've it was BEAUTIFUL!! We loved it! Oliver woke up during our drive and LOVED driving in the mountains and loved looking at everything. He would've been down for an impromptu hike... if only his big ol' pregnant mom had worn the right shoes! :)

Attack of the ducks

Last week one day we were at the park in the neighborhood here and we were visited by about 20 ducks. There's a little loche right next to the park that the ducks hang out at and I guess they decided they wanted to pay us a visit! We didn't have any bread or anything with us but decided to bring some to them the next night!

We had a pretty fun time feeding the ducks. They are crazy though! One pecked my foot two different times and one got Oliver's finger! And they were super mean to the little baby ducks! As fun as it was... we'll probably stick to feeding them through the fence at the canal down the road... it's a little safer! :)

Fourth of July Celebrations!!

(This is a horrible picture but we rarely end up with one of all three of us I had to post it anyway!)

On Saturday after we picked Berto up from work we headed over to Sugarhouse Park to watch their fireworks! We took a blanket and got ourselves seats on the grass! It was a neat park and there were TONS of people!! Oliver took every opportunity to run around and wear his dad out up until the fireworks began! Just before they started Berto grabbed us some yummy ice cream and we enjoyed some of that while we watched the fireworks!

This is the first year Oliver has really gotten to see the fireworks! His first 4th of July he was 8 months old and by the time the fireworks came around he was a mess so we took him home. Last year he conked out in the car while my mom and I (Berto was working) were on our way to try and watch them in Arizona.

We'd been hearing fireworks for a few nights before and when we dropped Berto off on Saturday morning at work he told Oliver when we pick him up that evening we were going to watch the fireworks. Of course I heard nothing but "mama, when sun going down so we can watch fireworks??" ALL DAY!!!

Well the fireworks did not disappoint Oliver! He loved every minute of them! He was saying the cutest things (I can't remember exactly what he said)! And kept pointing and smiling and laughing and yelling! It was so much fun to see the joy that the fireworks brought to our little boy!!

Just Had to Post this

We've been wearing Oliver out every single day!! But he's enjoyed every minute of not being cooped up hiding from the blazing Arizona heat! On Friday we took another trip on the Trax up to Salt Lake! This was after about two minutes on the ride back... he was out like a light!

Thanksgiving Point Petting Zoo

We've been keeping very busy since we arrived in our new home state!! Oliver and I have been busying our days with playing at Mall Playgrounds and Mc Donald's play lands! And since it doesn't get dark until after 9:00 pm (something that definitely is taking some adjusting too) after Berto gets home from work we spend an hour or so at our neighborhood park! We've been loving it!

Last week was a fun week! Berto's schedule was being changed so he now has Sunday and Monday off! (Yay he can go to church with us!!!) But since their new week starts on Sundays he had his previous Thursday/Friday off then worked Saturday and then had Sunday and Monday off! It was so nice to have so many days to spend together!

On Thursday we made a trip down to Thanksgiving Point to their petting zoo! Oliver loved it! (Big Surprise there!) It was such a cute little petting zoo! And he of course LOVED the two pony rides he was able to participate in! He'd never been on a horse and I wondered how he'd do... he did great! He smiled from ear to ear the entire time he was on the pony!!

We had a great day!!

What we saw today...

Near where our we're living for the next month or two they have this little Loche. It's so cute and there are always ducks in it. Well the Loche lets out into a little canal that goes behind the houses and under the freeway and down the street that we take to get two and from home. I always see people stopped on the side of the road feeding the ducks.

This morning Oliver and I were driving back from taking Berto to work and then running a few errands and I could see HUNDREDS of ducks, geese and on the banks GOATS!!! It was crazy! So we raced home and I ran in and grabbed a few slices of bread so Oliver and I could participate in the fun! It was so cool! There's a fence (probably so kids don't fall in) and some of the ducks were climbing under the fence and coming right up to us! Oliver LOVED it! I didn't have my camera and didn't want to take the time to grab it so I just used my cell phone to snap a few pictures!

We had such a fun morning feeding those ducks!

Our first day in Salt Lake

Oliver was such a trooper on the trip. It would be hard for any little one. We decided to reward him! He LOVES trains! So we headed up to Salt Lake and let him ride on the Trax! He loved it! You have never seen a more excited kid!!

Our Move to Salt Lake

This shot is out of order (I forgot to upload it and didn't want to have to rearrange all of my pictures) But this is what my pregnant feet looked like after 2 days in a big moving truck... not pretty... they have thankfully returned to their former slender selves!
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All packed up and ready to go! Salt Lake City Here we come!!!

We really were crazy enough to pull our minivan with the moving truck. It made for a long trip but Oliver was such a happy camper to be in the big truck with both of his parents!!

Somewhere along the way Oliver decided although the moving truck was super cool... it was way TOO loud!! :) He was such a trooper. He complained very little considering we were in that truck for two days and a total of 18 hours.

Our last look at Phoenix... we won't miss it!

After several hours on the road (I'm thinking around 5 or 6 we are almost to Kingman, AZ.. but we're STILL IN ARIZONA!!!

We made a quick stop in Kingman for some food and were back on the road. Once back on the freeway there were signs saying that moving trucks were not allowed to go over the Hoover Dam which was the direction our GPS was taking us. We had to reroute and go around. This took us through Bullhead City, NV and Laughlin, NV and added an extra hour or more to our trip!

We finally made it to the hotel in Las Vegas. We were all SO EXHAUSTED. Berto called a few days before to ask if there was room to park a big moving truck in the parking lot. Of course they said sure but neglected to mention that their parking lot was an L shape and had only one way in and out. We followed the parking lot around and got stuck. It took us about two hours to get unstuck. After trying to back the truck out with van and dolly attached (with no luck) we decided to unload the van, unhook the dolly, back out the moving truck and then hook everything back up going in the right direction. Thankfully towards the end a very nice truck driver (who wanted to leave and we were in his way) helped Berto and did a much better job than I did of backing him in to attach the car dolly. I wanted to snap a picture of the whole ordeal but was too busy holding Oliver's hand to keep him from getting squished by the moving truck! :)

Bright and early Saturday morning we hit the road! Bye Bye Vegas... Hello Utah!!

Gotta love the Virgin River Gorge! It's so beautiful!

More from the Gorge!
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Once you get through the Gorge you end get to St. George, UT! We made a lunch stop about an hour outside of St. George in Cedar City!

Here we are... almost there!... WE CAN DO IT!!!!!!

We finally arrived in Murray, UT on Saturday evening! It was two long days of driving but we survived! Since everything with Berto's transfer happened so quickly we had an offer from a friend to spend a month or two in her basement (Thank You Alisa!!) Instead of trying to figure out long distance where we were going to live. So we had a couple of guys meet us at a storage unit to unload most of our stuff for the next couple of months! I set up our account over the phone and we had a little mishap.. .they programmed our code into the wrong gate. Thankfully after an hour of waiting the storage unit guy showed up with a handful of friends and I recruited them to help unload the truck so it went pretty quickly! Then we headed over to Alisa's to unload our neccesities (beds, clothes and a few other odds and ends). Alisa lives in a little block of town homes and most of the neighbors are LDS and in our ward. When they saw the truck pull up they all cam out of their doors and started to help unload the truck! I was so grateful! It went super fast! I felt bad that I couldn't really help... but I can't lift much these days being pregnant and all!

All in all it was long, it was exhausting... but we're here and we're happy and we can't wait to see what opportunities are presented to us here in Salt Lake!!!