Family

I realize it's been a few months since I last updated my blog, and I had really great intentions of printing this sucker up at the end of the year so I could join the ranks of super-blogger mommies who continually update and improve their blogs so they can print off 200 page books so that their children have some tangible evidence of a super happy and extraordinary childhood, but I'm afraid I fall short.  I'm too busy playing dress-up and painting toenails and baking sugar cookies in the shape of elephants to be bothered with typing and uploading, so to all those who blogstalk, I apologize.  Turns out we're just boring old average folk that don't have anything out of the ordinary to blog about!  The last few months have been busy, don't get me wrong!  We played all summer- visited tons of neat places and saw some amazing things!  We spent most days outside, either in the pool, at the park, or planting our garden.  We met some new friends and hung out with our old ones.   We got to take care of our dying grandma and get to know her a little bit better before she went to Heaven.  We redecorated and ripped out carpet seeing as Swayzi caused hundreds of dollars in damage with a paintroller and a sharpie.  We learned to dance, started a quarter collection, and became gourmet chefs.  Overall, a very average summer by most standards,  but it really has been a great one!  Sorry we aren't better at posting pictures and updating our statuses!  And to our friends who email us with reminders to update our blog because we're lame- You're right!  We are.  Lame and average and tickled pink about it!  So here is a sum-up of our summer: average and awesome!  

You know it's kind of funny, when we were at my Grandma's viewing, she had an average number of guests.  Most of the guestbook went unsigned, and for the most part, it was just our family and close friends.  The funeral home we had my Omi's viewing at was a HUGE one, and the same night we were there, there was another family there holding a viewing for their Dad.  He was a government official and   his line of guests went out the door.  There were easily a thousand people or more there, most of whom barely seemed to know him.  They were doing their civic duty and paying respects to his family- which is great!  But I noticed the pictures that were hung around his viewing were mostly of him shaking hands with other famous people, speaking at important meetings, and signing pieces of legislature.  All of which is wonderful!  He really did a lot to change the world.  I also noticed as I looked around the room we were in with my grandma, all of the pictures had one thing in common:  Family.  Tons and tons of family.  Pictures of trips around the world we have taken, tying quilts together, christmas parties, girls nights, polka dance parties, graduations, recitals and just plain old every day sitting out on the porch pictures.  My grandma never signed a document more important than her green card application.  She never shook hands with anyone more famous than maybe the stake relief society president.  She did sew thousands (no that's not a typo, I indeed meant THOUSANDS) of quilts, clothes, hats, bibs, baby blankets and hankies for humanitarian efforts across the world.  She sold avon and became an active participant in the lives of all the women she adorned in hot pink lipstick and skin-so-soft.  She loved her friends and her family with a passion most people can only imagine, so Yep, I guess she never changed the world per say, but she certainly changed at least one persons world.  Turns out you need some average folk in the world in order for there to be un-average folk.  So yes,  my family and I are lame and average by most standards, but quite content to be so!  God bless you all!  Sorry for my very infrequent posts,  and here's a couple pictures of our summer and the things that have mattered the most to us:

Best Buddies

This is "baby Eddie"  as Swayzi calls him.  He is 11 months old and about 24 lbs.  Delicious doesn't even BEGIN to describe this little guy!  He is SO MUCH FUN and we are SO stoked to get to watch him this weekend.
  Thank you Stacey and Jayson!  

Last week, Swayzi told me that "gampy darn" is the best leaf boat maker she saw in her whole "yife"

No doubt it's true.

Swayzi holding hands with her gammy.  

They were hunting for "leaf fairies."

Aunt Rain: Balance Beam Buddy Extraordinaire!

 Sometimes she gives me a heart attack.

But other than that she really is quite perfect.

This picture is a little blurry, but it's of Swayzi holding her mimis hand, telling her how "it's ok, my lady doggy went to Heaven too!  and we'll come visit you there later"  I took this about three days before my grandma passed away.

My dad is the world's most patient piggy back ride giver!  

Aunt Hiddy's always up for a playdate!

This sexy man and I celebrated 5 fabulous wonderful rocky amazing difficult and phenomenal years together on August 11th.  Happy 5th baby!  5 down, an eternity to go!  Woohooooo!

Love love LOVE these girls!!!

Another culprit in the plot to spoil my child beyond belief!

Sweetest girl EVER!!!  Seriously she drops EVERYTHING when I need her!  Love this girl!

My very best friend!  Honestly I don't know what I'd do without her!  

Two of my very best friends!

Thank you Uncle Jason for introducing Swayz to cotton candy  :/

I have to sneak smooches when she isn't looking cuz if she catches me she says
"mom I'm big now, I don't need 40 90 kisses!!!"   Sigh.  

Turns out family is the only thing that really matters in life.