Swingset

At the first of August we bought a swingset for the kids!! We were so excited to pick it up and get it put together. Needless to say, that is easier said than done. The picking up part was not too bad, thanks to the help of my very nice brother. The putting together was another story. It ended up taking us just about 5 days to put together because I had to wait until Scott got home from work and with the kids it was kind of tricky.

All of the many, many pieces

The sure was a lot of this too!

Jesse hanging out by the slide


Mya was super excited to have her own swingset, she was a very good girl and extremely patient.

The kids loved playing on the slide while we worked.

Not done yet, but we are getting there

We did put the swings up so the kids could at least have a little fun.

Jesse learning to swing on his tummy

I think that he liked it

Love this picture

Hooray!!!! We finally finished.

So HAPPY!

Mya really likes the binoculars. Whenever we hear an airplane, which is about every 47 seconds at our house, Mya runs up to the binoculars to check it out.

Slidin'

The slide is super fast and it is bumpy so Jesse basically flies off the end and lands on his bottom. He doesn't like it but I make him hold my hand when he goes down.

Got Day

Yesterday, was Jesse's Got Day!!! This means that one year ago yesterday we brought Jesse home. I cannot believe that it has already been a year and then I cannot remember a time without our sweet little boy. We have heard other adoptive families talk about their children's Got Days. Mya's Got Day is the day after her birthday, we have always said "It is Mya's Got Day today" but never really celebrated it. It has been very different with Jesse, because we didn't know that Jesse was going to be apart of our family until Jesse's Got Day. I LOVE Jesse's birthday and get so excited for it, but one year ago yesterday to me was the day that I finally got to be in Jesse's life! It feels like just yesterday that my caseworker called me to tell us that we had been chosen to adopt again and that we needed to be at the agency at 7 o'clock that evening. I remember Mya was taking her nap and I was talking on the phone to Scott when I noticed that our caseworker was calling on the other line. I remember our caseworker explaining that the baby was 5 months old and if we were okay with that. And then she told me that his name was Jesse, I started to cry, I knew that this was our little boy. After running around to find gifts, buying diapers and formula, meeting and visiting with Jesse's birth mother, we were finally able to have a few minutes alone with Jesse. It was an emotional moment holding Jesse for the first time. Jesse took a little while to get to our family but we could not be happier that he is here now. We love you Jesse!!

Mya loved Jesse from the moment the I told her about her little brother.

Isn't he just the cutest little boy that you have ever seen?

This is Jesse's new game, climbing on my bench and then sliding off the side.

Mya took this picture yesterday, she loves to take pictures!!!

Maybe Mya will be a photographer one day.

Playing with his ball!






















Last night we went to Cold Stone for ice cream to celebrated Jesse's Got Day!!
Love our kids! We are so blessed, I don't know if we deserve it but we are SO HAPPY these little spirit found us.

July 4th & 24th

I know the 4th of July was awhile ago, but I thought I would combine the two holidays. The 4th was kind of weird for us this year, being on a Sunday and all. We didn't know what parades and fireworks were when and so we ended up not even going to a parade this year. I was really sad about it too! I did grab a few fireworks at the local firework stand and we did some fireworks at our house on the 4th of July.

Mya and daddy getting ready to do some Snaps. I really think that this is Mya's favorite part of doing fireworks, the Snaps

Jesse really got into it too

Sparklers!!!!

And the real fireworks began

Me and the kids! Jesse was very afraid of the fireworks, can you tell?!? Jesse did not like them at all. Usually, Mya loves fireworks but when Scott lit up the one called Killer Bees, both kids were screaming with tears running down their faces. I feel bad even saying this but Scott and I were both laughing and thinking "why are we doing this if both kids are crying?" We realized later that Mya thought that there was going to be REAL killer bees coming out of that firework. Looking back, we feel a little guilty for laughing.

Such a cute girl!!

The next morning, on the 5th of July, Mya and I woke up really early and went water skiing with my brother and his family. Mya loved playing with her cousin Makena and riding in the boat. Thanks Shane and Malia for inviting us, we had so much fun!!

Mya and Makena in the boat

A little bit later we met up with my sister Jeanne and her family. By this point the water was so rough that we couldn't ski any more, so we pumped up the tube. Mya had a great time on the tube.

Jack, Annie, Molly, Mya and me

Mya had so much fun that she wanted to ride again but she did not want me to come at all. She wanted to go all by herself, such a big girl.

Molly, Mya, Makena and Aunt Malia

Mya and me hanging out on Jeanne's boat.

Mya did not want to leave to go home, so Uncle Shane let her drive the boat so she would be sad any more. Mya LOVED it!!

July 24th

On the 24th of July we were torn of what to do. We almost went to the Rodeo, but we figured that it would have been a pretty crazy night and Jesse probably would not have sat there very long. Next year for sure!! More fireworks at home but this time we had some company. Scott's family all came over, it was a lot of fun!!

Annabelle and Mya doing sparklers

Cute Annabelle

Silly Daddy

Jesse and Grandpa Al

Jesse is still not too sure about fireworks

Annabelle, Mya, me, Jesse and Heidi

Jesse would stand very still while the fireworks were going and then as soon as it was over he would run in place and clap his hands. He is so cute!

May and Daddy

Help!!!

I so HATE the new blogger design, I don't know why I changed it!!! GRRRR..... Anyone know how to fix it back to how it was?!? Any help would be appreciated!

What I have been up to.....

It seems that I have not had a lot of time to blog lately :( I am hoping this will change!! I don't have pictures yet but in June I ran the RAGNAR Wasatch Back Relay with my sister, Jeanne, and a few of her friends. It was SO MUCH FUN!! I hope to get pics soon so I can post them. I love running and this race really pushed me to my max. It was hard but so rewarding. Pictures coming soon!

Dance Recital

Mya had her first dance recital on June 22nd. Mya did a great job and it was so much fun watching her up on stage. We were not able to bring cameras to the actual recital but I did snap a few shots during the dress rehearsal.

Mya in her adorable dress

I was encouraged by the dance studio to put make-up on Mya for the recital. It was so weird doing Mya's make-up and I hope that we don't have to have the conversation about Mya putting on make-up for a LONG time. I have to admit putting mascara on Mya's long lashes was pretty fun though.

Pretty Girl

Mya and a few of her classmates patiently waiting for their turn to practice their dance, Baby Take a Bow.

Not everyone did what they were supposed to and Mya sure did notice.

Jump, jump, jumping!!!

And kicks!!

Such cute little girls!! I am glad that Mya is having so much fun in dance classes!

Thanks to Teacher Kelley for all her hard work.