The things we've been doing

My sister Erin is in Utah for the moment and we've had the chance to hang out. Even though we don't really 'do' anything, the kids have been having fun just playing. Here are some cute videos we've taken of the kids playing. For kids who are barely two (or not even) I think they play pretty good together! Unfortunately, they were interacting just BEFORE we recorded this first one. Of course once the cameras are rolling, they stop. oh well. You still get a little side-by-side play, and a little 'Finding Nemo' recreation. :) Mine! Mine! Mine!



My sister called my Mom last night and we could hear these squeals coming from the other room. ..Had to go see what that was all about...



And last but not least, Eli ADORES Edward.

My new obsessions

I have had so much fun reading these books! I heard about them about a year ago when Stephanie Meyer was recommending it. I read the jacket cover and didn't really think it was my kind of book. A bit of future, and politics and kids killing kids. I thought - no thanks.

Well, a year later the hype is starting to climb and I figured I would try them out. I'm starting to wish I had just let them be for another year or two until we get more books. This whole 'waiting a year for the next one to get published' is NOT for me!!! How do you people do this??? These books are FABULOUS! I would recommend them to about anyone! And I'm absolutely dying. This lady has a way of ending a book on a cliff. AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!

So just to give you a little bit more of a premise, they do take place in the future so to speak. There was a big war in North America that ended with the "Capitol" being in charge and setting up 12 districts... well, 13, but thats not important. Every year, the capitol draws 2 names from each district - a boy and a girl (so 24 kids) to go into a large arena for the "Hunger Games". These are teenage kids and they basically fight to the death and the last one standing wins. It's a way for the capitol to remind everyone that they're in charge. Anyway, sounds morbid and disturbing and some parts are but it literally has everything. A little love story, a little political story, a little adventure story... whatever you want it has.
Just read them. And trust me. Then again, start reading next year after the 3rd book is published. I won't blame you. ;)

FINALLY!!! Now this looks like a movie I want to see

Layton Bridge comin' down last weekend

Because darn it, I just love a little demo :) (and its basically over within 30 seconds - I don't know why they let it run over a minute)



http://www.udot.utah.gov/laytoninterchangefiles/Bridge%20Demolition%20pics%20for%20Web%20site.pdf

My selfless little boy

So I picked up Eli from kindergarten today and on the way home he was talking to himself. I kind of shake my head and ask what he's saying. He says that he wants the sun to come back on him and not Nathan. He says the sun keeps moving. So I explain how the sun stays still and as the car moves on the road the sun will switch places. Anyway the rest of our conversation went something like this:
Eli: Well, keep driving straight because Nathan is in the shade
Mom: Why do you want the sun on you? Don't you get hot?
Eli: Yes, but if the sun is on me, it's not on him so he can stay cool
Mom: You want to be hot so Nathan can stay cool?
Eli: Yeah, I just want him to always be comfortable

My little boy is such a sweetheart. I hope he never changes.

Spaghetti Sauce

I did it! I made spaghetti sauce from scratch!!! We did fairly well with our garden this year (who knew neglect reaped success?) anyway we're winding down and I still had a bunch of red tomatoes. I figured I'd pick them and give them away again like I did last time, but my sister suggested we try to make spaghetti sauce. Lasagna was on the menu anyway, so we went for it. I always make my own sauce, but I used canned crushed tomatoes. This time I picked a nice bushel of tomatoes, skinned them, scooped the seeds and cooked it down, added spices, fresh basil, fresh garlic, onion, sausage and wha-la! Freshly made sauce... Cooked the noodles and put it all together for some lasagna and we had dinner. Man, it was not bad... took most of the afternoon, but not bad at all. I'm actually VERY excited to see what it tastes like tomorrow. Everyone knows lasagna is better the next day and I could already tell this one would be no exception. :)

First day of school

My baby started school (officially) today. He was so excited. This was actually a fun day for him. We went walking and he got to play at the park, he had a dentist appt this morning - which is what he wants to be when he grows up, AND he got to go to kindergarten for the first time. I know, I am an awesome Mom and just happened to plan that... (not!)





Doesn't he look so excited????? Wow, contain it a little Eli... ;) So lets see, its 2:55 and what did I get done while he was away and Nathan was sleeping...
-mopped the kitchen floor
-mopped the downstairs bathroom floor
-cleaned the downstairs bathroom
-put away the laundry
-took a shower
-blogged
And no, I will not be this productive every day. My sister is coming up to stay with me tonight, so I had to make sure everything was ready.

My own ped egg testimonial

So my feet are disgusting. Have been since high school and probably before that. When we were in Chicago, a bunch of us were watching Billy Mays and we were talking about the Ped Egg. They all said that it worked, but I had my doubts. I mean, seriously... that stuff started as "As Seen on TV". Well, when we got back I kept thinking about it and FINALLY ordered one on Amazon. I spent 2 hours yesterday scraping away my feet with this little mini cheese grater shaped like a cadbury easter egg. I did take before shots, but I am going to spare you because someone might be reading this while eating. (and yes, they were that bad) Holy crap this thing works. These shots weren't even taken right after I finished and lotioned and all that. It was about an hour (and one trip to work) later. Not bad - eh? They aren't 'perfect' yet as it was only my first time but if I keep it up through the winter, by next sandal season next spring I am going to have... well, still ugly... but dead skin free feet!! Yeah!! LOL!

-This is probably my grossest post to date. Sorry about that.

Layton Interchange is coming!!!!

I went to the open house they had for this new interchange and I am seriously excited! They're constructing a brand new road from Fort Lane to Flint Street called 750 South. The new interchange will be on this road. Its through the fields just south of Kings to Flint Street (obviously) just north of 900 South. But our bridge is officially gone. I drove past it today and it was already closed. Not that I use it all that often, but its the bridge to get into Kaysville - like if you were driving past Doug and Emmys going to Dairy Queen. Its closed forever and come Monday morning it will not even exist. Too bad it'll be 18 months to 2 years before this baby is open.

Here is UDOTs website for the project. You can take the survey for it to let them know your concerns or how you use the area. http://www.udot.utah.gov/laytoninterchange/home.aspx
I signed up for the email updates (they come from my company). They tell me when I need to stay HOME!

Just a warning though, they're narrowing up the freeway in the evenings and closing it at night from 11-4am. I am just going to avoid I-15 at all costs this weekend and call it good.

LIAR!

I am such a liar! I said that I would post when I got back from my vacation. Well, I didn't. Nor did I post after my next vacation, or my next! I missed Eli's 5th birthday, 2 camping trips, Chicago, and our numerous outings swimming, playing and enjoying the summer. I am so bad. I'm not sure whether to post about them now or just say 'oops' and move on starting with the present. Maybe I'll just post a few pictures and say that I had a good summer. I am not looking forward to the fall at all because that means that winter is right around the corner. I love the summer and the warm weather. ho-hum.

Ok, so here is the start of our summer... or should I say where I left off in my blogging world. Eli's 5th birthday was at Chuck E Cheese and he wanted his cousin Canon. Eli had fun even though it was stressful for me. We had our table and our pizza and cake and everything laid out, but since we were off playing games, they assumed we left and cleared our area. Yeah, we tons of leftover pizza, hadn't touched the cake or opened gifts or anything. Why would we have left???? They compensated and fixed everything, but it was a pain. This was also the day that brought "Lego Star Wars" into my life. LOL! Thanks Sara...

Camping trip to Bear Lake. I'm making popcorn over the fire.


We made our summer vacation to Chicago this year for a family reunion with Chris' family. This picture however is my family. Since Chicago is a bit closer than Utah, they decided to come out and say hi. It was so good to see them!

Hannah and Eli

Box fun...

4th of July at the Layton park as always. Thanks Sara for this picture.

Camping trip #2 to Rockport, Utah
Just a cute picture of my baby.
Ok, next is Eli's first day of kindergarten. It won't be till next week though. So that gives me a whole week before I need to post again. ;)

I have initials!

My name is officially Mary E. Porter, P.E.

I passed my test. WOOHOO!!!!!

(now forgive me for not posting. I'll do so when I get back from vacation)

Last one - the WORM!

I guess Nathan did this all the way across the floor the other day and we've been trying to get a video. This is just a short one, but you get the idea.

Tomorrow is Eli's birthday!! He will be 5 yrs old. I can't believe it. He is going to Chuck E Cheese with one of his cousins and he can't wait. Don't tell him, but he'll be getting a bike. Finally. Then the weekend after, we're going up to Rexburg for a wedding reception (Chris' niece) and then we're off to Bear Lake for a day or two camping. We've never been camping as a family before, and I'm kind of excited! Hopefully it won't take me 3 weeks to post those pictures.

The poor little picked on one.

Sunday morning while I'm sleeping in...


I know big sisters like to dress up their little bros/sisters. I guess this is Eli's version of dressing up his brother... I can't tell whether they're Star Wars or Spiderman underwear...

Nathan did this one. I honestly thought his eyes were covered at first. He ran all the way across the kitchen to the garage door and I thought he was going to bang into it. He didn't thank goodness. And no, he doesn't usually have his pacifier. I just took his crib bumper pads out and now he can just reach in through the slats and get it whenever he likes. Darn it!

Memorial Day

We never usually do anything fun for Memorial Day, but this time we actually did. Well, Chris and I did. His sister watched the kids while we hiked up to a waterfall. Don't ask me the name of the trail or waterfall, but it was fun. And hard. It has been a LONG time since I've hiked, and I found myself missing the trees, and the rocks, and streams, and everything. It was very nice. There were also a ton of people on the trail being a holiday and all - we even saw some neighbors. Anyway, about 3/4 of the way up was the first waterfall

And if you keep going up and up and up - you come to the 2nd waterfall.

Oh my heavens - look at my hair!!! LOL! I'm also soaked up to my knees. Just to the right of the right side of the picture is the trail, so you have to cross the water to actually see anything. And there is no crossing it without getting soaked. I was worried the trip home would be awful with wet shoes, but it was actually ok. There were a few spots on the way up close to the water - or crossing it where you tried your hardest to stay dry. On the way back though it was no big deal because you were already wet. So if you fell - who cares! :)
Anyway, thank you Sara for watching the kids and thank you Chris for taking me.

Soccer

Eli has finished his first year of soccer. He had a lot of fun I think. He was very much a follow-on-the-outskirts of the action type person, but he kicked it when it came to him and made a goal or two throughout the year. He wanted to do it again next year, so we signed him up. Can't wait to see if he makes any progress. ;)
Here is his cute little team. Very cute kids!



(And Windy, I just realized we didn't get a picture with YOU in it! You were the coach!!)

What to blog first...

Well, I have a few things that need to go up on the blog today, but overall we're all doing very well. The boys just go their shots today. It was Eli's 5yr check up (and shots for kindergarten) but Nathan wasn't able to get his shots at his 18 month checkup last month - so he got some too. Family Fun!! Nathan is now sleeping t off with an early nap. Yeah!

Fishing

Last night Chris took Eli fishing! Here are the 2 fish that Eli caught. Evidently Daddy only caught 1 fish, so Eli thought that was pretty neat. They didn't get home until almost 9:30 and the poor kid was dead on his feet, but they brought a pizza home so he had to have a slice. I think he almost fell asleep in his plate. Oh well. He had a blast.


(and I'm up to date on my blog) Hopefully it won't be another month before I stop by again.

Eating in the Porter household

Dinner in this house is a you eat what you get. I do my best to serve food that I know will be eaten by my kids and if it's not, you can have something similar. (ie when Eli was too little for fajitas, he'd get a quesadilla so we're all eating tortillas) Things don't always get eaten, which is fine with me and foods that were once loved will get a snubbed nose the next time (and vice versa). Case in point - Sweet potatoes. Eli can't seem to decide if he likes sweet potatoes. There was a few months where he didn't want me to make 'white' potatoes at all and only wanted 'orange'. Then a few months later he refuses to eat them. He'll eat them again thank goodness and we just go in our normal cycles that I'm sure every family deals with.

Nathan is no different. He has good nights and he has bad nights. Tonight he ate some strawberries from our strawberry salad and one slice of potato... not much. But other times (such as the photo below) we have a very definite good night with the sweet potatoes. LOL!

Faces of the Men in my life

How long has it been?

Oh my... It has been weeks. Yes, I am still alive though I have my days where I wonder if I am or not. The last thing I blogged about was my test. No, I don't know how I did yet, but I'm thinking not well. The morning part was good, but the afternoon was really really hard. There isn't much I can do about it at this point but wait. So that's what I'm doing. waiting...

Today is Mothers Day and I just want to thank my Men/Boys for giving me a wonderful day. Couldn't have asked for better day (I guess I could have asked my headache to go away) but we won't go there. Work has kept my very busy lately and I love it, but I miss my boys at night. It's fun when I can look on the camera though and see they were having a good time with Daddy. Man they love pudding... LOL