Out of Town Visitors

Since the end of June, we have had a ton of fun visitors here from out of town.  We have been busy, happy and having a ton of fun.  I think we are all suffering from a bit of a party hangover but we really would not have had it any other way.  More for me than anyone else I want to document some of the highlighs of what we have done this month.  

*Hung out with Carrie, Lincoln and their boys for the afternoon, talking, playing with paper airplanes and just enjoying being together. (here between moving from Boston to Seattle)

* Double date with Lincoln and Carrie,  went to dinner at Citrus Grill and the went and saw Get Smart at the theater.  We were giddy being out, it felt so good to be out with couple friends, that we love.   

*Going to the Sweet's Candy Factory with my cousins, Mary, Anna and Jenna. We went on the tour and ate yummy taffy.  Noah laughed hysterically that even Sofia had to wear a hairnet.  Sofia loved getting passed around with the girlies.  Noah is their little king and loves playing with them. (here from Dallas Texas)

*Playing at Grandma S* running around the backyard with the girlies.  Talking and enjoying being with my aunt.

*Playing at the park with Stone and Grey,  eating yummy Chinese food with Mara, while the boys ate McDonalds.  Walking along the bridges and talking.  Wishing the boys would just play and being so hot.  

*Going to lunch at Training Table with Kieran for her birthday and playing in the park afterwards.(they live here)

*Taking Noah and Lily to see Wall-E at the theatre.

*Hanging with Mara's family for the 4th of July and eating yummy food and talking with her family.  They are such comfortable people.  Talking books with Mara's mom Diane  and lighting fireworks and watching the joy in Noah's face with the sparklers and the colors of the fireworks.  Luckily the noise did not bother Sofia that much. (here from Vienna, Austria)

*Visiting with Rainer, Moni and Jan and Clemens that first evening.  Noticing the similarities between Kersten and his uncle,  Loving how much joy Moni found from life and loving her laugh. (here from Austria)

*Nodding and smiling while everyone around me spoke German, pretending like I understood a little bit.

*Watching my children making connections with their cousins from Austria.  Noah is used to people not understanding him.  He, Jan (11) and Clemens (9) started playing pretend swords and guns right away and jumped on the mattresses.  It did my heart good to see that they liked each other.

*Treasuring the moments when Jan plays with Sofia.  He laughed at everything she did.  He just marveled at her babyness.  He just loved her.  

*Going to Murray Park with Mara.  While she took pictures of my children.  She is so talented and has a magical way of capturing what my children are like right now. I loved having that afternoon just to be with her.  

*Kersten hiking up Donut Falls with Rainer and the boys

*Having lunch at Cafe Rio with Rainer and the boys with Jason and Verity.

*Noah and Kersten going Miniature golfing at Mulligans with Rainer and the boys.

*Endless hours of playing video games with Josh, Jan and Clemens.

*hanging out with the old gang.  Dinner at Cafe Trang with Matt, Mara,Ryan and Kristine.  Walking around Gateway talking.  The boys going to a Manly Movie while the woman go back to my house and talk late into the night.  

*Kersten and Noah going to Southern California on Vacation with Kersten's family and Rainer's Fam.  They got to hang out in downtown San Diego,  Go to Sea World.  Two days of Disneyland,  and see Wall-E and hanging out.  Lucky them.  Missed them a lot.

*Having a sleepover with my best friend Carrie.   This was so needed.  We had dinner at Hires.  talked late into the night.  Watched Kate and Leopold.  Had muffins for breakfast.  This was the best.  

*Hung out with Alicia and Brady (they live here) for an afternoon.  Watching Brady play and laughing with Lish.

*Christopher B-day party at the park

*Sadly we missed the BBQ with Sharon, Rich and their fam.  Their kids got sick and that was the night that my boys got home.  We are so sad we did not see them.   

*We also missed Polli.  We talked on the phone quite a few times.  The two afternoons I was not home while the boys were gone were when she stopped by.  I still am so sad about this.

*Sofia and I going to see Mamma Mia with Aunt Verity and Aunt Virginia on Pioneer Day.

*Going to my Dad's 60th birthday party on Pioneer Day.

*Visiting Todd at the hospital 

* Seeing the Cannons at Katie's wedding.  It was beautiful Hawaiian orange, so lovely

*Going to Noah's swimming lessons the first two weeks of July and starting them again tomorrow.

We are so lucky to have such good friends.  We love all of you so much.  It was divine getting to know Kersten's family better and seeing our dearest friends again.  So sad we missed some of you.  We love you all

Sofia-7 months old

My girl is growing up way to fast.  Sofia is 7 months old today.  She has had a really big month.    

She is such a talker.  Making noise all day long.  She loves to gargle in her throat.  It makes her laugh.  

She is quick to say hello and smile at people she recognizes and loves.  But if she has given you one smile she has now moved on to looking around and doing other things so do not expect her to smile much more.  She really is a happy baby.  She just has a lot to do and learn so she seems a bit intense.  She loves to be social and is happiest once we arrive at any social function.

She is so close to moving it is scary.  She rocks back and forth on her hands and knees ready to take off.  She scoots on her belly and launches herself across things to get to what she wants.  My little impatient baby,  she is going to be trouble when she starts really crawling.  She has to know how everything works.  

  She is a  very thoughtful girl.  Thinking about everything around her and what it does and how it fits into her world.  She watches Noah with a surprising intensity trying to emulate him and what he does.  

She loves food and so far has liked everything we have given her.  She prefers fruit especially apples and peaches but will eat anything.  

She  loves playing with toys.  Especially music toys or things that light up.  If there is a book she lunges for it.  Her favorite books are Mimi toes,  Big Machines, That's Not My Monster and anything that Noah is reading. 

Home at Last

The boys got back on Friday night.  It has been so nice to have them home.  Everyone is back and all is right in the our world again.  They had a glorious time in Disneyland.  Noah was tall enough to ride Star Tours, which he keeps talking about. Noah did get to see Jedi Academy.  Darth Maul is a bit scarier in real life than on tv.  He did not get called up to fight them.  He was frustrated with the kids fighting style,  Kerst said that Noah kept yelling at them to do it differently.  He built a double bladed lightsaber and got some squeaky Star Wars toys for Sofia.  She loves chewing on them.  They went and saw Wall-E and ate yummy crab.  

Noah gave me hugs over and over again when they returned home.  Sofia lit up and kept laughing at Kerst and Noah.  They had a really hard time falling asleep.  Sofia kept peeking over her bumper pad to see if Noah was still there. We have had so much fun just laughing and being together.  Sofia really is just so happy.

 I did get Sofia's dresser painted and it turned out better than in my head.  At first it was scarier then it turned out great.  We set it up in their room last night.  It is yellow and I love it

Kersten Dad Heinz gave us his old camera to use until we can save to get a new one.  So we still will be able to post new pics of our kids. So that was a relief.  Hooray.  Thanks Heinz

We went and visited Todd today at the hospital,  who technically is my stepbrother.  A couple weeks ago he had 3 strokes.  We have been really worried about him and his progress.  He is only 34.  He is doing well and it was really good to see him today.  He still is himself. I can't even imagine being Amy his wife.  His brother Brett set up a blog about his progress called Diff'rent Strokes.  I have it on my sidebar under (Todd-Diff'rent Strokes).  They have totally been in my prayers and thoughts everyday.  I could not blog or think about it to much.  Todd was my senior prom date my junior year of high school.  They are good friends of ours.  I am really glad we saw him and he remembered us.  He is such a fun guy to be with and it is still fun.  We love you guys

Outside it has been so hot.  I long for central air.  There is nothing worse for me than to be hot.  I want to run around in my underwear.  Although that would not be appropriate. It has been such a good weekend.  My boys are back

My boys and their adventures so far

Oh, I miss this boy. 

 It has only been 3 days and I miss hearing his chaos around the house.

Sofia keeps looking for him. 

 In the car she keeps looking to where is is suppose to be and then looks at me accusingly.

   He loved Shamu in Sea World yesterday, 

 before he left he kept talking about the dolphins and they did not disappoint.

  And called me right after he saw the penguins.

  He said he missed me. 

 Noah scraped his foot at the bottom of the pool

so he is having a rough time walking around.  

I miss him and his little dog Pal too,  they have such silly antics together

I miss this smokin hot husband also.

So cute yesterday, he kept calling to keep me updated on their fun in Sea World.

He is really enjoying the time he has with his family. 

I was really sad that I was not going. 

And I had a really positive attitude about all I would do when they left.

Now I am a bit lonely, trying to get to much done.

Enjoying my Sofia so much,  having lots and lots of quiet moments

that I treasure with her. 

 She gets bored quickly without Noah to make her laugh.

Her dresser has the first coat on and darn that

 I did not have a camera to take the before pic,  

The after pic will be none existant also for our camera broke yesterday for Kerst.

Sad, sad days.  It was on it's way out anyway.  

Gone

My boys are gone for a week to beautiful California.

They left at 5 am,  way to early for a late riser like Noah.

I am sad I am not with them.  They went with Kersten's family and his uncle and fam.

I wish I was there to see Noah when he goes to Jedi Academy at Disneyland 

and when he see's the dolphin at Sea World.  Those are the two things he keeps talking about.

Noah says he will miss Sofia the most.  He was mighty upset she was not going.

I am going to have a marvelous week to myself with the baby

I am going to paint Sofia's dresser.

Finish our scrapbook for our California trip two years ago

Have a sleepover with my best friend 

and read a lot.

Those are my plans.

Don't they sound Heavenly?

Before and After: The History of Hair

Noah got a haircut today.

He is getting heat exhaustion a lot.

He is leaving for California on Saturday.

I think with his long gorgeous locks he would  die 

So I called my wizard of a Sister Amy

And the angel came and cut his hair.

Before:  Pic taken a couple weeks ago

After

It was a bit shorter than originally planned

He has a lot of kalics so it stuck up in weird places

I have never had his hair this short

I like that it sticks straight up.  

He looks so handsome

I think him and Sofia look even more alike now.  

Memory

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.