Mowing The Lawn!

June 29, 2013

Jer was finally able to mow the sod! It seemed to really help it green up and grow faster! After two weeks the  sod has started to take root and I can finally breathe a breath of  relief because when we first laid it, it was very yellow and we weren't sure it would thrive.

Digging a race track!

June 28, 2013

Tonight after it cooled off, I went outside to see what the kids were doing. They were building a race track for Mason's new remote w-wheeler! I giggled when Mason gave up using the metal tonka trucks for a shovel. I guess he wanted to make more progress, faster! He he!!!

It makes me happy that we chose to keep this side of the yard dirt. I love that the kids can get dirty and really play and I still have my nice yard too!

Mason turns 7!!!

June 27, 2013

My little Mason isn't so little anymore! At 7 years old, he is 4' 1''. Mason enjoys lots of things including Dinosaur books, soccer, baseball, all things Dinosaur actually...

He loves to draw pictures of sharks and our family. He loves to play outside and to cook with Mom!

Mason loves to be funny. Sometimes we struggle with how sensitive he can be but it also means he is sensitive to others and is always the first one to give mom or dad a hug when we are upset.

For his Birthday, we invited Mason's Grandma and Grandpa Mo and also the Lucero family to come and celebrate his big day!

Because we gave Mase a dirt-bike bicycle, I made a dirt-bike race track birthday cake! Janae was here to help me make it and between the two of us, we made it look pretty good!

Happy Birthday my second born! You are still my sweet baby no matter how old you get.... Just sayin'!!! 

The Reading Program!

June 26, 2013

This summer we have been reading up a storm! 

A sweet sister from church reads with Mason every Monday and Tuesday morning. Then, on Wednesdays we go to the Akron Library for Brooklyn and Mason's reading program.

At the reading program, they read stories, make crafts like this jelly fish Mason made and copper bead tree brook made. Then they check out books and win prizes for so many hours of reading.

I also read with the kids during the day and of course our family scripture reading counts too! Brook and Mason are really improving! 

Just Enjoying Our New Yard!

June 21, 2013

This week we have really been enjoying our family time outside. What a world of difference the grass has made! Even if we couldn't run around on it, it really cut down on the dirt flying around and our shoes don't seem as messy when we come in from the chicken coop! 

I just love summer sunsets!!! So beautiful! 

Potty Training!

Dallas is really catching on with potty training!

Let me just say, I may have potty trained 2 kids already but each one is so individual!

I have learned a lot about my little Dallas and  about myself.

The best words of advice I could give anyone potty training a child is...

patience,

enthusiasm, 

and consistency! consistency! consistency! 

Dallas would not go poo in the potty for anything! We finally bought him a nerf gun and told him that he could have the gun only when we made it brown in the potty. Every day Dallas asked for the gun. Everyday I told him he needed to go poo poo in the potty first. 

I must have washed a ton of soiled underpants until one day Dallas just did it! I hadn't even said anything that day. He just went in there and went!!! It still amazes me that no matter how many times I begged and pleaded he just wouldn't go until HE made up his mind to.

Its not perfect but its lightyears better than it used to be! We are getting there!!!! Yay Dallas my big boy!!!!