Four

 The older I get, the faster time passes.  To celebrate Ammon turning four is like my life flashing before my eyes.  Whenever I think of Ammon one word comes to mind....BUSY.  If you have ever read the children's book "If you give a mouse a cookie," that is Ammon.  He's the mouse....I"m the little boy that chases him around.  For instance, just yesterday he wanted to make puppets. He dumped baby powder in his lizard's cage along with a big Title of Liberty flag that he got from primary.  I found plastic bags in my sink full of water and a bread bag in my family room with bubbles in it.  He carried two suitcases from the basement to my room, moved every rug I own on the main floor to a different spot, tied a rope from the fridge to a chair...and the list goes on.  Every room in my house screams "Ammon has been here!".  Sometimes I find myself giving in and picking my battles very carefully with him. Just looking at him you can see the wheels turning. As I write, he is drumming on Porter's stomach.  Every sentence he speaks is a question and starts with why?  I practically have to put him in a strait jacket to get him to lay down and go to bed and by the time that comes, I'm exhausted.  Nope, it's not the baby that's doing it to me...it's my now four year old....and I wouldn't have him any other way.  He's a spicy guy but then again....I've been accused of that too!

 For Ammon's date we took him to lunch and then to see the movie "Ice Age".  He had us laughing the whole time.

 I pulled out the camera and away he went with the posing. 

 Matt told him that all the Captain America suits were gone.  Ammon cried and I gave Matt the evil Mom stare that told him to "back off". He was pretty excited and so was I....now I don't have to figure out a Halloween costume.

I'm sure that we are all in for a fun year with this kid and on just a side note, I am seriously thinking of home-schooling Jacob because he does a great job playing with Ammon which makes life a little easier.

Cheeks

Hard to fit in those cheeks

July....So Far

 This is my baby that is now seven months old.  Sometimes I just want to yell "STOP! you are growing too fast."  I just love to hold this cute little chub in my arms....preferably sitting down because he is one heavy dude.  Porter has been thus far THE BEST baby ever!  He is so relaxed and happy.  He's a great sleeper and I just can't stop kissing those cute cheeks of his.  He makes my life so happy.

 He is just barely starting to get the sitting up thing down but I knew this would be the case.  The nurses in the NICU told me to just plan on him being 6 weeks behind schedule but that he would eventually catch up.  I'm not worried....the less mobile he is the better. Sometimes though I look at him and can't believe that he was actually pre-mature.

 O.k. so I warned Matt, Emily and Brandon the night before that I would be taking pictures of them in their pioneer clothes for trek....I thought I had my basis covered.  Brandon was a good sport....Matt and Emily gave me grief.  I said good-bye to them and just said a prayer that this would be a good experience for them.  Since they are currently still there, I am anxious to here how everything went.

 July brings many things, one of which is the hub's birthday.  We had to celebrate really fast as he was on his way to a youth activity.  We even have to squeeze birthdays into our lives.  I tried my best to make it fun while it lasted.  A few of the kids bought presents...Ammon picked out sour patch kids for Rob to which I say "hmmm.....I wonder who those were really for?"

 Best chocolate cake ever....I'll just leave it at that.

 Best husband Ever....I feel like a very lucky girl.

 The birthday crowd....plus an extra and minus Brandon.

 We are so excited for our Temple that opens very soon!  It is beautiful.  Rob and I had a chance on our date night one evening to walk around just after they took down the fence.  It brought tears to my eyes.

 Thanks to my new hobby Pinterest, I found this festive cake for the fourth....fruit pizza.  I was pretty impressed with myself.

 Rob and I ran a 5k on the 4th.  It was fun and I placed third in my age division which makes me laugh because I am not fast at all (there were more than 3 people that ran too!)

 And of course what would July be without boating?  We got a new tube and thus can have not only tube wars, but more kids out at a time.  The record?  Five on one tube.  So fun.

This is a typical look for him.