91% Eclipse of the Heart

 

The Eclipse of 2017 did not disappoint! There was mass hysteria prior to the event because so many people wanted eclipse glasses and they were no where to be found. Some people were smart and bought them in advance only to later find that they weren't approved for direct sun staring. Lots of people were heading to Idaho and Wyoming for "totality" where there was 2 min 30 seconds of blackness. I waited in line the week prior and paid $6 for two pair (figured we would share) and we planned on heading to the viewing party at the library. While we waited, already had purchased glasses, hoards of people waited for free ones. Well, 10 min before the eclipse started they walked around with HANDFULS of glasses and handed them out for F R E E (of course). Oh well. That meant we all got our own.

It was super awesome to watch the moon move in front of the sun! Our shadows got all fuzzy and it was actually quite surprising to feel the temperature drop as the sun was blocked (even at 91%).  I guess there will be another eclipse in 2045- I'll be knocking on 60's door so it only made sense to take the kids now to see something that doesn't happen every day.

The Hulk Smashes Pre-K

 

And just like that, all three of my kids will be in school! When I found out Enzo would be starting August 8th, my heart sank a little. I was ready for him to start at the end of the month with the other two kids. His orientation with Miss Amy was awesome! He found a garbage truck and some "diggers" in the sandbox so, his ramp up period was 1.5 seconds. Ironic story- there was a cute girl there and her and I chatted about how our sister in law recommended this place and she took all her kids here- coincidentally, we were both talking about the SAME sister in law (Rachel Ball). 

Enzo picked his Super hero shirt to wear on on the first day. He barely made it to being potty trained three weeks before school started (yeah!) and he was SO excited to go. Armed with a blessing from Daddy for his first day and a darling bag embroidered with his name, he was ready. While he was in school I took the older to to see $5 Tuesday movie- Emoji Movie- that ended with just enough time to go and pick him up.

Enzo and Miss Amy.

I also volunteered to be the August mom and was tasked with making 12 Troll headbands. The theme this year is the movie "Trolls". Miss Amy sent this picture- 1) I was happy that the headbands stook up straight (except boy in the bottom right corner, can't win them all). 2) That Enzo actually wore one because you can see boy top left refused. 3) Enzo NOT smiling and playing with his stomach. Awesome.

We are super excited to watch him grow and develop this year. I think he is going to really excel and do well here. I got a little misty on the first day- he didn't even seem to care that I was leaving and he seemed so tiny but he was SO excited to be there I couldn't be too sad to watch another Last of the Firsts slip away.

St Geezy 2017

A little trip down to St George with G & Chris is ALWAYS a welcomed summer activity!

We went down for a long 24th of July weekend and had a blast (like always). The lake day was awesome! It was super hot but the water is SO nice and cool (85 degrees) and the kids have a blast swimming, tubing, jumping on and off the boat and just being in the sunshine. We had sandwiches on the boat and spent most of the day on the lake.

Boating kids.

Thumbs up

Grandma Chris and Enzo- this was excellent progress :)

Me and Mc on the tube.

Mr Williamson swears he reapplied sunscreen but, from the looks of it, his leg hair didn't do much for sun protection.

We rented a movie, played games, saw G & Chris's new house in Hurricane, went to dinner, built Legos and of course hit the Ace Hardware store.

On the way out of town we decided to stop at the Wildlife Museum (or as some call it the "Dead Zoo" because it is so full of taxidermied animals). We thoroughly enjoyed it! The kids loved looking at all the animals and the stories behind the animals were pretty cool too. There were deer with fangs, the worlds largest and best Big Horned Sheep specimens and lots of animals I've never even heard of or seen in my life. A fun little stop and always nice to find new things to do when we are down there.

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Deer with fangs.

This is the fastest animal in THE world (faster than Cheetahs and the likes). It's nose is adapted to help it process cold air (heat it) so it can breathe quickly.

On the way home, we stopped at a cookie dough shop in Orem that sells raw cookie dough by the scoop (pasteurized and safe of course). It was delish but 3 scoops was about all I could handle.

With not too many vacations planned for this year (as we just bought a house), it was nice to pad a few days of summer with a mini getaway. I love the sun, love spending time with my kids and on that note, we can really start pushing to go back to school!

'Merica

The 4th of July Williamsons

We love us some 4th of July! It was fun this year to share fireworks with our new neighborhood and have SO many people huddled around the $500 worth of fireworks that Tyler bought. I love being able to fit everyone in my house too!

I am so thankful to live in this country. Thankful for all those that went before to ensure that I can worship how I want and that my kids can grow up in a place that has no limits to their potential. I love sitting back in my lawn chair watching fireworks, listening to Ray Charles on the Bose speaker sing, "America" (Sandlot style) and letting my kids stay up until almost 11:00 PM running with sparklers and laying in the grass. It just feels like summer.

Baby Noah & Britty

sometimes being married is scary

 

Since our wedding anniversary this year seemed to get lost amidst all the boxes and craziness of moving, Mark took it upon himself to schedule a weekend getaway for us in July. I think it was perfect timing and I most appreciate his stealthy planning and covert operations to make it a fun weekend. Mary Ann was an angel and watched the kiddies for us. Mark booked us a night at the Anniversary Inn- the Kahn Mansion room was nice but we had to laugh because we spent about 10 minutes looking for the thermostat, called the front desk (he asked if our room was too cold- um it was 108 outside) and ended up sleeping with a box fan. Not too far off from our first apartment. 

Dinner at Benihana- we were the first people in the restaurant but it was rather delish. We had some time to kill before our Ghost Tour so we wandered Deseret Book and Temple Square. 

We booked a downtown Ghost Tour a few months ago and it was SO fun! Just nice to do something different. We saw a few creepy buildings where people had experienced tragedy, the Salt Lake Municipal cemetery where some people believe the real Butch Cassidy is buried, the Federal Building and the Rio Grande. We were on our way to our last stop, Hatch Family chocolates (the best chocolate dipped cinnamon bear of my life) when the truck broke down! It was already struggling, the A/C was barely working...awesome! Makes for good stories.

EMF tester. Felt very Ghostbuster-ish.

We had dessert at our favorite- Gourmandise and then went to see Spider Man. While in the parking lot, we saw a daunting yellow envelope which means we got a parking ticket at Gourmandise! DANG! We have parked there a million times and never had an issue but ended up with a $35 ticket (called and disputed and ended up paying $5).

first glance- getting a ticket at 9:20 didn't fit into the Mon-Fri 9-6 PM. L A M E.

Saturday morning downtown means the Farmer's Market and mint limeades. One of my favorite things of the summer. So much awesome produce, local art, two of the hugest dogs I have ever seen, people watching and French pastry.

It is always nice to get away with Mark. We are still getting back to "normal" and it's wonderful to have him present and engaged. We laughed and talked until late in the morning. Weekend getaways are top of my list and I can't wait for the next one!

Enzo THREE Niels

What I wouldn't give to go back and snuggle this tiny, scowly baby just one more time! I know that Enzo is our last baby and sometimes, that makes it infinitely harder to watch him grow up and get bigger every day.

You love snacks, riding your motorcycle and new Mercedes car. You can do an awesome "fwip" on the tramp and do everything with ferocity (hugs and punches alike). We have mastered potty training as of this week- one diaper left in the house and when I told you they were gone, you said, "you go to the grocery store and get some more". Only one accident in almost a week- SO HAPPY! And yeah that you will be ready to go to preschool in the fall. I can't believe you will be going to school two days a week! My last first day of preschool.

At three you said that Mac and Cheese is your favorite food, you love candy, Paw Patrol, daddy, Tyler (not sure which one) and riding your bike. Enzo Niels, you march to your own drum. You are self assured, strong, a bull in a china closet, Baby Hulk and we love you bunches and bunches.

Matching remote control cars from uncle Brayden & Aunt Alina.

35 lbs & 46 lbs

So big!

The Hulk doesn't do birthday selfies.

A pound of strawberries left unattended on the counter, gone in a flash.

The Hulk's feet every.single. day. Scabs, dirty....

My mom gave me this plant when Enzo was born. For the past three years, one bloom has opened the week of Enzo's birthday.