When Daddy's away....we PLAY!!

Jon had to go to Orlando for a conference (poor guy...had to stay at the Disney Hilton Resort right next to DisneyWorld) I know....I know.....we should have gone with him, but it just didn't work out. Besides the money issue, we didn't want to take such a young baby and we didn't feel comfortable leaving him with someone when he isn't good about taking a bottle. Anyway, to make up for it, we decided to play all week. I literally didn't clean my house all week except to keep up on dishes and laundry. So here is what we ended up doing:

MONDAY:

We took Jon to the airport. Went to Costco. Played at the house. Then I randomly decided to paint my bathroom.

We had some leftover green from the baby's room that I really like so I used that. Here is the only picture I have of the bathroom before.

I let Shawn help me paint the wall. I thought this was so smart because it kept him entertained......until......I turned my back and he painted a different wall. His painting career was OVER!! Here is the after picture so far. I need to buy some new towells that are the same color as the rugs we have. I also need to paint the baseboards white and I want to frame our mirror with black molding.
After I locked up the house, put chairs in front of the doors (so I could hear better if someone opened one), and got a butcher knife from the kitchen, I went up to bed. This is what I found. I asked Shawn about it the next day and he told me it was so I didn't have to sleep alone. How thoughtful of him. :)

TUESDAY:

Tuesday morning I had a meeting. Then my freshman roommate, Heather, came over to have a play date. We went to the park and had a picnic. Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures, but we had a really fun time playing with her and her cute little Rex. That night Amy dropped off her kids so that her and Antoine could go out for their anniversary. We went to the park again with the cousins and then watched a movie.

WEDNESDAY:

We decided to go to the zoo with my friend Jen and her adorable little Millie. Shawn doesn't remember the zoo at all so it was really fun taking him there again. Being the amazing moms we are, both of our camera batteries died half way through the zoo. At least we got a few shots.

On the way home from the zoo Amy called and said that the fire station by her was having an open house. We toured the building, learned fire safety, saw the trucks, and watched them put out a fire in a fake house. How did Shawn enjoy this outing?? He HATED it! He didn't want to go in the truck, he didn't like the smoke during fire safety, and he thought the fire in the house was "rude". He told me he NEVER wanted to go there again! Amy was kind enough to take a picture for me since my camera was dead. You can see by Shawn's face how he felt about the experience.

I didn't notice when I was taking this picture how terrified Shawn looks.

He did, however, love the tiger statue

And so did Millie

Long necks, which is what Millie calls them

The only picture I got of Jen before my battery died. I think Millie pushed the stroller more than she actually sat in it.

We went on the carousal twice. First, Shawn rode the lion then. Second, he really really wanted to sit here.

THURSDAY:

We met up with Jenae and baby Sadie (Shawn still refers to her as baby Sadie even though she is two) to go to a pumpkin patch that is geared towards younger kids.

They had tons of these wood cutout things

There was a small corn maze, but we took the alternate route that has you walk in a circle straight around the corn maze.

There was a little area with things the kids could walk through and climb on

We all know how much Shawn loves Mickey Mouse

He wanted another picture with the big pumpkins (at least he liked the hat from the fire station)

We played on the inflatable toys, played on the playground, walked through the pumpkin light tunnel and then headed to Jenae's for lunch. Eating leftovers at Jenaes was the first real food we ate all week. I wasn't about to make real dinners when I would be the only on eating it. After lunch we had to feed the ducks that live across the street from Jenae.

Sadie was so cute, she would chase the ducks back into the water. Shawn would run the other way as the ducks came close to him. You can't tell in this picture very well, but Jenae is due in a few weeks with a baby boy.

And just so Evan doesn't feel left out that there aren't many pictures of him on here.....here is a picture of him playing at home.

Another fun weekend

Jon didn't have work on Friday (he gets every other Friday off) so we decided to try the Pirate Island restaurant and arcade place in Orem. We hadn't heard anything about it, but we knew Shawn would probably like it plus we had a coupon for a free kids meal. We were pleasantly surprised. We thought the place was really fun and decorated so well. I figured it would be a cute place, but sick food. However, everything we ordered was so good. It didn't hurt that they had red cream soda, which is my favorite. So considering the food was good, the place was fun and different, and we just bought a $60 gift card for $30 on KSL deals, we will be returning a least a couple times.

The entrance to the place- so fun

Jon thought I needed a picture with the hat on
Arr Matey (these aren't very scary faces)

Jon and Shawn playing a game where you fly an airplane. I don't know who enjoyed it more

Saturday afternoon we went for a drive up Big Cottonwood canyon to see the colors. I think we kind of missed the peak, but the yellows were still beautiful.

The path was wood planks like this the whole way. Evan was getting so bumped around that Jon decided to try holding half the wheels off the ground.

You probably can't tell but we are freezing. It was SO cold up there.

You can see how beautiful this spot would have been about a week earlier

This is how Shawn felt about taking any more pictures

The only red colors we saw up close

Hanging out in the car while Shawn goes with Daddy for a potty break

Evan's first time eating rice cereal

Sunday Morning: I didn't even know we had these matching sweater vests until I started getting them dressed

Midway trip and other things

First of all, here are some photos of Evan as he approaches 5 months. He is such a good natured and sweet little baby. He is so easy to have around. I feel like he is a very special spirit. We are so so happy to have him in our family.

Shawn loves his baby brother also. He regularly insist upon dressing in the same color as Evan.
We had a really fun conference weekend. On Friday we stayed at a condo up in Midway with Amy and her family and Tiffany. We swam and watched a movie and on Saturday morning we went for a fun walk all around some of the local resorts. Homestead was having a scarecrow festival on their front lawn which was fun and something different.

My three boys hanging out in the condo

Shawn and his cousin James on the morning walk

Evan enjoyed the walk even though he was getting tired and his little nose and hands were frozen

Shawn enjoyed the walk and the park we found

I wish I would have gotten ready for the day before our walk instead of wearing my pajamas and having no makeup. There were so many spots that would have been great for family photos. Wish you could see their little faces. They all look so grumpy. Don't know why.

Shawn and I liked the gazebo with the pond around it

Tiff walking down the aisle (I wasn't the only one in my pajamas)

On Saturday night we went to Gardner Village for the witch festival while the boys were at Priesthood

Tiff is so good with the kids and they all just adore her.

Trip to Ogden

Amy and I brought our kids with us to visit their Great-Great-Grandma C. in Ogden. Afterwards we headed to the local childrens museum to reward them for the long drive and sitting still at the nursing home.

I liked the Treehouse Museum way better than the childrens museum in Salt Lake for several reasons:

1. It was more fun for Shawn. It was focused on dress up and play instead of science experiments that he didn't understand

2. It wasn't busy and we could actually do the activities without kids pushing Shawn out of the way.

3. It was WAY cheaper. I think the one in salt lake is $8 a person and with Jon's work discount we got in for a total of $5.

4. Parking was free

I love my Grandma C. She is in her late 90s and still has a great sense of humor. Shawn wouldn't get in the picture and it looks like if Evan had the choice he wouldn't be in it either.

James doesn't hide his feelings well about not being the driver

Shawn's favorite part, by far, was the baby nursery where he could dress like a doctor and take care of the babies. James and Natalie went on the other things, but we were in this one section for probably 20 minutes.


Future president (actually I don't think I would want him to go into politics)

Let's not think about how many other kids mouths have been on that plastic watermelon

I love this picture

Water actually squirts out of the cow when you milk it

James and Shawn took school very seriously

A couple indians and apparently a pilgrim in a teepee

I thought this place was really fun and I wish it was closer so we could go there more often.