Improvising

Apparently past behavior is not necessarily an indicator of future behavior when it comes to a toddler.

Last week for Cub Scout pack meeting they were having a water softball game that included a slip 'n' slide. Since Lydia has shown absolutely no interest in playing on the slip 'n' slide at play group on multiple occasions, I assumed she would not be getting wet at this activity and therefore we came with no swimwear and no towel.

Naturally this would be the time she wanted to get adventurous and slide.

She had a great time! And was soaked head to toe in her clothes and her now 20-pound non-swim diaper. No big deal, I thought, since the weather was still pushing 100 degrees at 7:30 p.m. But all too soon I had a teeth chattering shivering little girl on my hands and nothing to wrap her in.

Fortunately I had a T-shirt on under my required den leader scout shirt, so we ended up with this.

Motherhood... isn't it about improvising?

Cabin time!

There is no better time than July to get out of St. George and head for the hills: to higher altitudes and cooler air.
Once again we kept our little Larson family tradition of spending several days at my family's cabin and we loved it!
Over the years our cabin time has evolved from endless relaxation, reading and sleeping in (pre-Lydia) to thoroughly enjoying watching her explore nature and reliving my own childhood cabin memories through her... and squeezing in some reading and relaxing after she goes to bed.

This trip included:

* Lydia's first experience playing the marble game (a lasting favorite in my family)

* Throwing rocks in the creek

* Hiking as a family

The perfect size hiking stick for Lydia :)

* Sleeping in a big girl bed!

* Staying in PJs most/all day

* Taking cabin naps (which are somehow better than regular naps)
Here's Lydia waking me from mine. No, she did not sleep in there with me.


* And eating lots of yummy things. There's no picture... but trust me... we ate :)

When I wasn't enjoying all the aforementioned activities and basking in family time I was glued to my books. I finished two during the trip. One for my book club (I joined a book club and I'm really excited about it!) and another book just because I had time.
I love the cabin life!

Siren song and the land of the free

I love the Fourth of July! It's one of my favorite holidays. Something about the combination of celebrating our great country and spending time with loved ones just always makes me happy.
Our Fourth of July celebrating came on the tail end of the trip we made to Brigham City for my Grandma's 80th birthday (see below). We stayed in Cedar City with my parents for the rest of the weekend, partly to celebrate the Fourth with them, partly so we could see several Shakespeare Festival plays for my job.
On Monday morning we went to the parade. It was similar to what I recall as a child it was so fun to see Lydia enjoying it.
With one exception.
I'd like to go on record that the people who think it is a good idea to have every fire truck in town wailing its sirens for the duration of the parade route should be locked in a room with these same sirens until they beg for mercy.
Who came up with this anyway? Surely a quick honk or two would suffice. And this is not a Cedar City thing. I've witnessed this atrocity in parades in multiple locations. I'm thrilled there are emergency workers (such as firemen) willing to risk their lives to save homes and land, but I would honor them much more effectively during a parade if I didn't have my hands pressed over my child's ears (wishing they were pressed over my own) until Derek finally just walked Lydia a block from the route to preserve her hearing.
This is not a worried mom thing. I've always hated the sirens in a parade.
But I digress.
After the entire Iron County fleet of fire engines passed by, the rest of the parade was good hometown fun. We didn't go to the park for games afterward (we should have... maybe next year) instead opting to hang out at home until my mom and I went to see "The Music Man" at the Shakespeare Festival that afternoon and Derek and I saw "Midsummer Night's Dream" that evening.
Sandwiched in between the shows was a fun BBQ with my parents and my brother, Brian, and his wife, Leslie Ann.
Happy Fourth of July!

Although this picture is not a good one of my dad (he didn't know he was in the shot) I have to include it to prove he was there. He's not a parade fan (he agrees, if not inspires me, on the whole siren thing) and probably hasn't gone to a parade willingly since we -- his children -- were marching in the parades ourselves with marching band, dance teams and what have you.
Ah, but when there are grandchildren involved this old softie is more than willing to sacrifice his hearing to the fire engine gods and enjoy a good parade with Lydia. Thanks Dad!

Grandma and Lydia. Take note of Lydia's outfit. I, the unprepared mother had somehow overlooked purchasing a Fourth of July shirt or anything for my daughter to wear. Bright and early Monday morning my mother was at the store picking something out for her in time to wear it to the parade. What a good Grandma!

Happy Pioneer Day

Although we took this trip at the beginning of the month, it seems fitting to post on Pioneer Day about our trip to Cove Fort.


Having driven by this historical landmark many times on I-15, Derek decided it was finally time he see this piece of Utah history, since he teaches Utah history to his fourth graders and all.
We made the stop on our way to Brigham City for my grandma's 80th birthday (see post below) and it was a really nice way to break up the six hour drive.
The fort itself is interesting and includes a nice video and tour. Lydia was enthralled with the "windows" in the fort walls where the guns could shoot out.


Sites like this are always a good reminder of the pioneers who settled our great state and the sacrifices they made so we could be safe here.

This is Lydia enjoying all the extra room in the backseat since this was our first long distance trip in our new vehicle.

80 years!

My grandma, Wilma Petty, celebrated her 80th birthday on July 3, so for the Fourth of July weekend we made our way to Brigham City to be with her.


It was a really nice party -- put on my her children -- and included all but one of her siblings, their spouses, and the grandchildren close enough to make it.
After a nice lunch at Maddux and a short program with tributes by her children we went back to her brother's house for homemade ice cream and visiting with everyone from her ward/neighborhood who came to celebrate the day. Everyone who came (and many who didn't) wrote memories and tributes for her which we compiled in a book. It was neat to see the kinds of things people remembered about her life.
She is an amazing lady and has accomplished so many things. I'm grateful for the heritage left to me by people like my Grandma Petty.

Happy birthday!

Lydia watching over the gifts at the open house.

Reading through the memories

Playing the days away

What would summer be if it didn't include all kinds of play? We've had a blast this summer making memories and trying to stay cool.

First time down the hydro tube!
Daddy was good at keeping her head above the water on the exit. I was too chicken to try, so I went down ahead of them and made Derek hold her on the slide.

Relaxing in the city pool at the ward pool party.

Lydia on her "bike" at the Cub Scout bike rodeo. It was SO hot! Just look at her rosy cheeks!

Derek helping Lydia on her friend "Meemee's" (Amy's) bike. It's too big for her but Lydia thought it was pretty cool to try to ride big kid style.

Playing play-dough with Mom.
I remember my mother making this homemade play dough when we were kids. It always felt like it took SO long to cook and to cool so we could play with it. In reality it takes no time at all. Ah, the difference between adult and child perspectives.

Town Square river and splash pad with Dad and Mom.
Such a fun family Saturday night out. We picnicked at Town Square and let Lydia explore the river and splash pad.

Fun day at home.
Lydia's games never cease to entertain me. Here she insisted on wearing her apron (most likely because I was wearing one) and then she loves to get out all these plastic water bottles and line them up in various parts of the house and just sit by them.

Ward play group.
I am so grateful that our ward play group just happens to meet on Thursdays -- which is one of the days I am home with Lydia. This way I still get to be part of the stay-at-home mom club, even though I work part time.
Here we are at one of the girls' homes with a slip 'n' slide and kiddie pool.

Saturday morning with Dad.

Springdale tourists for a day

{June 24, 2011}

Even though we live just 45 minutes from Springdale (the tourist town leading into Zion National Park) I always feel like I'm on vacation when we're there.

Derek won tickets on the radio to go see Parachute in concert at the OC Tanner Amphitheater just outside of Zion. I had also received some tickets from work so we invited our good friends the Cottams to join us.

The day of the show Derek found out he was also the winner of backstage passes, a restaurant gift car, Parachute CD and poster. Way to go honey! So we had a whole afternoon/evening date ready to go.

We only made it to the last few minutes of the band meet and greet but I didn't care. I'm not really one who needs to meet the musicians, particularly when they're only mildly "famous," if at all. Still, we posed for a picture with the band and then went to kill some time in Springdale's quaint downtown.


Our favorite stop was the Springdale Candy Company which was recently purchased by a relative of mine. Thanks to the family connection (I guess) Dwight -- the owner -- invited us to come back and help pull the peanut brittle when it was done.
I've never pulled peanut brittle -- nor did I know it needed to be pulled -- so Derek and I excitedly reported back at the appointed time, donned the special gloves and went to town. It was so fun! Plus we got a helping of fresh peanut brittle as a thank you. It was delicious!

Dwight and one of the employees pouring the peanut brittle

This is us posing for a picture after the work was done. There was no time to take a photo when the actual pulling was taking place. It was kind of intense! Candy making is serious business.

We met up with the Cottams for dinner and then headed to the concert. I didn't know much about Parachute before the show, but the concert was a blast. The music was great and the people watching, even better. (Isn't it always?)

What a view!

Such a fun way to escape for an evening while staying close to home.

New wheels!

{June 23, 2011}

After a little over a month of shopping and more than two months since my Honda was totaled, we finally found ourselves a new car!

We were looking for a mid-size crossover to give us a little more room. After working with a friend of mine who works for a car dealership and not finding anything that fit our criteria and fell within our price range, this Saturn Vue pretty much fell into our laps thanks to a phone call from Derek's mom's cousin who heard we might be looking for a car. I felt bad not buying from my friend since he'd been so good to help us, but money talks and this was a better deal.

My relief is two-fold. Not only am I extremely happy with the car, its condition and the price we paid, I am also thrilled not to have spend our free time on Saturdays or evenings car shopping.
I get very little pleasure in the process for some reason.


We've already taken one trip in it and it was so nice! We are so grateful!

iDad

{June 19, 2011}

I have an amazing husband who is also an amazing father. Like the rest of the world, we celebrated his amazing-ness on Father's Day. Unlike many of you, I am totally behind in posting about it.

With his many other hobbies, Derek has become more and more of a computer nerd in the last year or two. This year, Lydia and I embraced his penchant for Apple computer products with a shirt that I thought was just perfect. It simply says: iDad.
Love it! And love him!

Although both Derek's dad and my dad were out of town for the holiday, we had a blast making a big fuss over Derek as the only dad present at our gathering that included Derek's Grandma Noma, my Grandma Grady, my brother Brian and his wife Leslie Ann and of course Derek, Lydia and I. Derek picked the menu of homemade macaroni and cheese with the usual applesauce and peas on the side (in the Grady family these items are always served together and I've almost got Derek thinking they have to be served that way too), with homemade ice cream for dessert.
Yum!

I love my honey! And Lydia loves her daddy!