Conversations with Abbey

Today after preschool, Abbey and Tanner were playing in her room. I went to put something in my room and this is what I heard:
Abbey: Here you go Tanner, this is for you (giving him a piece of paper)
Tanner: Thank you
Abbey: You're Welcome, do you want to give me a kiss?
Tanner: Yes
SMOOCH!!

I bit later I pulled Abbey to the side to talk with her.
Me: Abbey did you kiss Tanner?
Abbey: Yes
Me: Well, maybe you shouldn't kiss Tanner.
Abbey: Why not? His lips are clean.
Me: Well you should only kiss your mommy and daddy and sister. When you get married like mommy and daddy got married then you can kiss your husband.
Abbey: It's ok if I kiss Tanner, but I'm not going to marry him!

Labor Day in Utah

This weekend we drove to Ogden, Utah. Mike's Sister Kristy and her kids live there and her oldest Makenzi was getting baptized. Kenzi ask Uncle Mike to baptize and confirm her.

Little Miss Kenzi
Uncle Mike and Kenzi

The Cousins, Kenzi (8), Sean (3), Maddie (2), Abbey (3)

The Cousins with Hunny (Mike's Grandma)

The Scarletts and Evans

Mike best friend Randy and Janna came up from Provo and Randy stood in the circle to confrim Kenzi

Mike and Hunny. Mike is very close with his Grandma. She raised him and they talk and text every day. She loves our girls so much and we are lucky to have her.

Mike was so overwelmed at the Baptism that he forgot all the words he was suppose to say. He was all choked up. It makes me love him even more when I see how much his family means to him and how important holding the priesthood is to him.

On Sunday we went to church with Kristy and her family. As we were sitting in Sacrament meeting the conductor announced that there was a new Missionary service couple that was serving at the ward. Their name was Zaugg. Mike's Grandma Pat leaned over and said to Mike, "when I was about Kenzi's age we had a Missionary by the name of Zaugg, wouldn't it be funny if that were him?" Later in the service Elder Zaugg got up to bare his Testimony. He talked about when he had first served his mission some years back in the Colorado Pueblo Mission. His first assignment had been to Colorado Springs!!! HE WAS THE SAME MISSIONARY!!! That was 60 years ago! Pat met up with him and his wife and He invited us all over to their home. We had a great time. We met their Daughter and her family who lived next door. He is an amazing man with a ton of great true stories. We stayed for about 4 HOURS! Then for the icing on the cake they served us Pear Pie and cookies and cream ice cream...yum yum!

We had such an amazing trip, that the 18 hrs it took to get home was no bother at all :)

Abbey the School Girl

Abbey had her first day of Preschool Today!!! She was so excited and we counted down the days.

When I applied for her to go I was told that not all the kids that apply would get in. I was really hoping she would be able to go. I am babysitting a little boy whose parents also signed him up and we were hoping that they could go together. On August 1st I got a letter that said Abbey was not accepted. We were bummed :( Tanner the little boy did get in and would be going to the morning class. I was trying to figure out how I was going to explain to Abbey that she would not be going to school, but Tanner was going. Then a week latter we got another letter from the School. SHE GOT IN!!! She was in the Afternoon class. Honestly I wanted her in the morning class so that she could come home and go straight to a nap....hee hee. A couple of days later we got a call from her new teacher and she asked if we could move Abbey from the afternoon class to the morning class because another student needed the afternoon class. I was so excited!!! This was perfect. Both her and Tanner could ride the bus home together, and then on to naps :)

Abbey this morning already to go. (We had a crazy summer storm and it was pouring outside)

Abbey in the Hall at School

Abbey walking with her class, that's Tanner in the Cars backpack
Her class room
Her cubby
At the end of the day. Abbey and Tanner getting dropped off.

Park Fun

This summer we have been doing lots of outdoor stuff! The weather is great. Since we moved into a new neighborhood, the girls and I have done a ton of walking to check it all out. We have a park nearby and are able to walk to it. The girls love it and I love getting them out of the house :)

Do you see Maddie at the top?? That little daredevil!
Here's Abbey, ever the Drama Queen, posing for me.

Maddie in a big girl swing

Abbey Swinging all by herself!!!!

Mike's 30

The big 3-0! Mikes Birthday is today he is 30. Finally he can't say that he is still in his 20's :) He loves to tease me and tell me that he is SO much younger than me. We celebrated on Friday as a family by taking him to a great BBQ place. It's called Parker Smokehouse. It was so good. We ordered a 2 person meal and after the 4 of us ate all that we could we took the rest home and had left overs on Saturday and Sunday...yes it was that big!!!! Then last night my mom watched the girls so that I could take Mike on a date. We went on a picnic to Pioneer Park. It was so nice to sit and talk just the two of us. It was a perfect day, perfect weather and perfect company :) Then of course you can't have a Birthday with out Ice Cream so we headed to dairy Queen to end the date. Ahhhhhh Delicious!
Happy Birthday my Love!!!

My Green Thumb

I have always wanted a Garden! So I tried this year for the first time and look what I got!!!

Tomato Plants
Cucumbers

and Lettuce!!

California here we come

Nine months ago we moved from Riverside, California to Lincoln, Nebraska. This last week we went home to visit. We left Thursday night and drove straight through. Mike loves to drive, so he drove for 12 hrs and then we switched. I drove for an hour and then we switched again and he drove another 12 hrs. Okay so I'm weak and can't drive that long!!!! But I kept offering and he kept saying, "I'm good". We FINALLY got to Riverside, (we stayed with Mikes Grandma "Hunny") and this is what we were greeted with:

TRAFFIC!!!

Saturday I went to a Baby Shower for my Sister in Law Liz. She is having a Girl!!! Yay! (I had so much fun I forgot to take pics) Then Mike, Me, My Sister Melissa, Our Friend Sarah, My Brother Kent, Liz, My Mom and My Dad went out for Sushi!

Sunday we went to church and saw all the old Ward. It was nice to see everyone again. Then we went to see Mike's Cousin Natasha and Bryan her husband. They are having a baby in October. Then we went to have dinner with Mike's cousin Mike and His wife Stacy. Mike and Stacy Belton are such fun. Mike drives a concrete truck and Stacy works in a Doctors office.
Monday I went to my friend Melissa's and hung out with her and my friend Sarah. We have all been friends since the Moreno Valley Singles ward so it's always cool to all get together and let the kids play. From left to right there is Dylan and Luke Gargalis, Trevor and Hollie Herdan and My girls. They all had so much fun and played all afternoon.
Then for dinner Mike's good friend Grant Winn came over

Tuesday we went to my Aunt's home. From the left, Kyra (my Brothers Daughter) Abbey, Maddie, Uncle Al, Auntie (or Auntie Grandma) Me, My Mom and Dad
Then we went to Downtown Disney

Maddie, Kyra, and Abbey at Build a Bear

Thanks Auntie Grandma

Checking out the pond

Daddy and Daughter how cute!!!

Tuesday night we took Hunny out to dinner at Don Jose's. YUMMY! For a belated Mother's Day gift. (guess I was having too much fun again...forgot to take pics)

Then we went over to our friends Candy and Joey Marcroft's home. They have an adorable 2 yr old Sariah. We had so much fun chating and the girls loved playing together.

Wednesday we ate In-N-Out for lunch. YES!!!!!! So good.

That Night we went to my Sisters home, EJ, Danny, Abbey and Maddie

The Kids beat up Mike

Me and my Sister Melissa

Danny, Maddie, EJ, Abbey

Thursday I Hung out with my Sister in Law, till my Brother got home. Then we went and got pictures taken of the kids. Here's my Brother Kent (he totally hates pictures) and My Sister in Law Liz.

Before the Pictures we ate at Hot Dog on a Stick and got these way cute hats for all the Kids. EJ 4 1/2, Maddie 2, Danny 3, Kory 2 1/2, Abbey 3 1/2, and Kyra 4
Friday we packed up and drove to Provo, Utah. We said good-bye to Hunny and were sad to leave her and all the good cooking and great hospitality. (Seriously if you want to have a great vacation and eat like a King...stay with Hunny) Abbey threw-up the ENTIRE drive and we got a Ticket in Beaver :( But we finally got to Utah and stayed with Mike's Best friend Randy and His Wife Janna. They are Pregnant and are due in December. Fun stuff coming their way :)

Mike and Randy

Saturday we had lunch in Provo with another of my Mo Val Singles ward friends. Jen and Sean Gallacher. They have a little cutie Carson.

Then we headed up to Ogden to hang with Mike's Sister Kristy and her two cuties Kenzi 7, Sean 2 1/2.

Kristy and Mike

Me and Kristy

We took off from Ogden, Utah at 9pm Saturday and headed home. Mike drove till about 2am and then we switched. I thought I could do it this time :) I guess not because I stopped and 3:30 and we got a hotel room in Laramie, Wyoming(don't tell any of the Scarlett's....it's a big no no, they are all drive truck :) We left Sunday Morning. On the way home we ran smack dab in the middle of a Hail Storm!!! Holy Night SCARY! So after what seemed like a Thousand hours and a Million honks from Truckers as Abbey and Maddie pumped their arms to "make that truck honk" we were home. I'm glad to say that Lincoln, Nebraska is my Home. Life here is slow. The people are friendly. There isn't so much traffic. Everything on the ground is green and the sky is blue. After 9 months of being home sick for California I think I got my fix. Nebraska is where I belong...for now :)