Feeding Time

Sawyer is at the stage where he has decided he likes to feed himself. I am not so sure I like this stage.  Eating was messy enough for Sawyer.  Sawyer is very charitable though and he not only likes feeding himself but also likes feeding those around him.  Dad is such a good sport to eat Sawyer's slobbery second mashed potatoes. 

Seven Peaks, Salt Lake

Since the thermometer had been reaching summer temperatures finally we decide to take advantage of the warm weather and head down to finally use our Pass of All Passes.  If you haven't heard of them, they are awesome.  Ours are for Salt Lake so we got season passes to Seven Peaks Salt Lake, formally known as Raging Waters.  We were a little worried at first because when we went down to get our passes the park looked a little run down. I had looked up the attractions for this park though and they were awesome and scary at the same time.   

We headed down on Friday the 15th for our adventure.  It was a lot of fun.  We were able to get into the park early due to passes.  It was fun getting there early but the water was so cold, particularly in the baby pools.  I thought that was a little backwards but whatever.  Sawyer was not excited about the cold water.  He cried and cried but when we went into the wave pool he began to be the water lover that I know he is.  Some of the slides were pretty scary.  When we go back again, I need to be a little more brave.  It was hard with Sawyer and no babysitter or nobody else to go up the slide with.  I feel I do better when I have a little peer pressure.  

 

 Travis taking Sawyer on his first slide of the day.  Travis was really good to take Sawyer on the slides.  I was not a good on the other hand.  I had a hard enough time myself keeping up right and the water out of my nose.  I know pathetic.

Sawyer loved the wave pool.  

 This is Sawyer about 2:30.  He had had enough.  He was so tired.  Water does that doesn't it.  He kept falling asleep in his tube.  He would do the head bob and hit the water with his nose.  It was so cute and funny.  We had a great day and only got a little sun.  Travis got the worse sun burn because I didn't rub the lotion in without giving him splotches.

He just got rudely awakened by his nose touching the water.  Poor little guy

Sawyer didn't even make it out of the parking lot before he zonked out.  We decided to stop in Layton at 5 Guys Burgers, we had never been there before.  It was so good, but nothing really beats a good burger.  A perfect ending to a great day.

Independence Day

Well we survived last week, July 1-9.  It was exhausting but it was so much fun.  Now to recount the details of the week.  We headed down on Friday, such a long drive. Sawyer woke up about half way down and talked and talked the rest of the way.  

Saturday we headed down to St. George to go through the temple with Vanessa.  It was so much fun to be with the family in the temple.  I am so happy to be blessed with a family that is supportive and loving.  I loved seeing all the cousins, some of them I hadn't seen in 4 years. After the temple we headed out to the Olive Garden for a little grub.  I forgot how busy those places get on Saturdays. 

Vanessa and Cressa 

 On Sunday we spent the day down in Minersville with Travis' family.  We played games and visited with everybody.  It is fun to just sit around and shoot the breeze.
Monday we were awakened by the dynamite going off at 5:30 AM.  What a great little tradition right?  We headed down to Minersville just in time for the parade.  It didn't last too long but for Sawyer it was long enough.  He wanted to get down and get the candy with all the bigger cousins.  After the parade we headed up to the school for the little program.  Sawyer was so funny at the program.  Whenever we would clap he would stop everything he was doing, get as serious look on his face and start clapping like it was the most important thing in the world.  Minersville always does a luncheon at the park after the program.  It is fun to sit and visit with everybody.  The real fun begins after the luncheon.  This year they did a Minute To Win It game for the adults.  Travis was chosen out of the crowd to participate in a game.  He had to use scuba flippers to flip a tortilla up on his head and catch it.  He actually did it twice.  It was so funny to watch all those who participated.

Minersville always has foot races for the kids, and adults if you want.  Sawyer was so tired, hot and overwhelmed when it was his turn to race.  He refused to even stand up by himself.  Apparently he does not perform on command. Spectators were killing me in the crowd.  They were treating the races like they were life or death.  I was dying inside laughing.

Debbie and Kenneth had a BBQ at their house for all of the Hollingsheads.  There were so many people. It is always a lot of fun and a lot of chaos.  There are kids running to and fro and adults playing games from their youth like, Andy I Over, running over the small children.  The wives even started arm wrestling which lead to the guys trying to prove who was the toughest Hollingshead.

I spent the rest of the week down in Southern Utah with my sisters.  We had a lot of fun together.  Tuesday Sawyer and I headed over to Circleville to visit my Grandparents.  We actually caught Rowdy before he headed back to So. Cal.  Sawyer actually got his second black eye while over there.  Poor little guy.
Wednesday we had a bright idea to go walking.  (I am still paying for that bright idea.) We were just going to walk the bike path in Beaver but Mariah's boys had a party that we decided to walk them to.  We ended up being gone about two hours which meant two hours in high elevation sunlight.  I put sunscreen on Sawyer like a good mom does but forgot to put some on me.  I got fried.  I am now peeling for the second time in my life.  I look awful and I itch.
Thursday was a busy day.  We helped Cressa get some decorations for her wedding.  We almost lost the decorations and Mariah and I in transit but we had some great laughs.  Mariah and Vanessa had a softball game and Spencer had a soccer game.
Friday was an awesome day.  Cressa and Heston got married.  They are such a cute couple.  They looked so happy.  Again it was awesome that we had so much family support for this new couple.  Despite being hot and humid it was a gorgeous day in St. George. The picture on the temple steps better turn out for Cressa, I thought we were all going to melt away.  The luncheon was so good.  Thanks Farnsworth family for all that you did.  The reception was in Allison and Jim's backyard.  I was a little worried because they are having early monsoons down south.  We got rained out about half hour before the reception was over.  The reception was so much fun though chatting with cousins and people from town.  I love the people from Beaver so much, I forget how loving and kind they are. All in all it was a great week.  Thanks for letting me stay down Travis.  Sorry to leave you alone.

We were all so tired and hot after the day in St. George

So grateful for nap time. 

Sawyer's favorite part of the reception.  A stick and puddle.  A little boys favorite toys. 

I Would Rather Be Fishing........ well Travis would be.

The Hislops invited us to go fishing with them to celebrate Colbie's 2nd birthday.  Of course, we would never say no to fishing, well Travis anyways.  It was a lot of fun.  We caught five but only brought in 4.  Dustin got one on with his first cast which is pretty much amazing.  We had a really good time.  Hopefully we will do it again, because when you reel on of those fish in it is worth sitting around with a line in the water. 

Look at my handsome husband.  First Muskie for Travis of the evening. 

What a big fish! Watch your fingers! 

First Muskie for Dustin.  You can't really tell by the photo but there is a big drop off  that is right below Dustin. 

The picture does not do this fish justice. 

Sawyer helping me reel the fish in.  

A family affair

38 inch Muskie.  Biggest one of the evening.  It was quite the fighter.

It was such a gorgeous night, until the mosquitoes came out.  

Date Night

When I got home from running I found this trail of words.  I know it is a little hard to read but the blocks say "Laraine I luv you."  

I then found this note, sorry it is sideways.  

I have such a thoughtful husband. 

We had a lot of fun on our date.  We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse, snow cones, then dancing.  It was so much fun dancing.  We are a little rusty though.  We did a move called the knee throw, where I jump from oneside of Travis to his opposite knee.  He then holds my hand and throws me off his knee into the air.  Well our hands slipped mid air and I went flying into a couple of nearby dancers. It was pretty funny.  We really need to practice more.  Thanks Travis for a great night out . Thanks to our babysitters too.  Poor Rachelle had to deal with some really gross Sawyer stuff. 

Eating Dirt.....and Rocks

This weekend, since the weather was actually supposed to be warm, we decided to go camping with our neighbors the Rowleys.  I was little nervous at what my one year old would think of camping, but of course he is a boy and there was dirt, rocks and sticks everywhere camping so he was super excited.   Me on the other hand when he started eating dirt like it was a Fun Dip candy packet realized camping with a one year old is stressful.  However, there is the saying "God made dirt so dirt don't hurt" so I just let he eat it after awhile.  I guess he will be good on his iron intake for a while.  

We had some great food while camping.  Is it just me or do hot dogs and marshmallows just taste ten times better when surrounded by wilderness?  

Waiting for the grub to get done

I was a little worried about sleeping outside with Sawyer too.  Honestly, it was the warmest I have ever slept camping though.  I shouldn't have been worried. Sawyer's only problem was he kept trying to roll all over the bed but two big adults were blocking his movements.  He totally takes after my sleeping habits.  

Happy as a clam with my stick and Daddy's hat

Such a good cook and cute to boot. 

Sawyer kept trying to eat his shoes.  Should I be worried? 

Happily playing on the bed. 

What a crazy sleeper

"I want my milk and I want it now!!"

Kiss the cook

I love dirt!

 I wish you could see Sawyers face too.  It mirrors my expression.

The whole family

All in all we had a great time.  We will have to do it again this summer.