So I can't believe in all the posts I did about our month long excursion in Utah that I didn't mention our new baby-not once. Not Porter, but our new car.
We are both so absolutely ecstatic with it-and that is sooo unusual for us.
It has everything both of us could want, for me; the leather, the captains chairs, 2 dvd players, and it's pretty. For Chad-it's a 3/4 ton, he got fancy gauges for it, he's planning on putting bigger tires on it and other stuff I don't get, plus he can do all sorts of 'manly' things-like tow and pull stuff with it.
It get's horrible gas mileage of course, but I think to be that happy with a vehicle, and to get such a great deal on it like we did, it's worth it to pay a little more at the pump.
Added bonus-it would take one heck of a deer to total out this bad boy!
Our other new thing is this trampoline that we got off Craigs list this week. We got a great price on it, since the lady was moving and just needed it out of her backyard so the house would show better. It has a safety net included that we still need to put up, so they shouldn't be able to get too hurt on it. They couldn't be more excited about it.
...and when I asked Christopher who did it, he proceeded to tell me that dad did it, Bekah Hewlett (that is how he refers to her now) did it, Porter did it, Zach and Ryeleigh did it (yes they are in Utah still-but what talent to get crayon on the wall from there), 'friend' as they call the girl next door did it, grandma did it, and a whole long list of other names did it-if you are reading this, you very well may have been blamed for this crayon drawing. He stood in time-out after the first-dad did it-and stayed in time out until he ran out of people and finally said; 
"Me did it mommy, sorry" with the biggest grin on his face you've ever seen.
The little stinker.
I made him clean the smaller of the two messes with a magic eraser (thank heaven for those things! I should buy stock in them!).
He moaned and groaned the whole time, he couldn't scrub very hard, so it was taking quite a long time. It might have been a little strict and hard for a 2 year old to handle, but I was already at my wit's end with him for all the little fibs he was telling, and for not eating his dinner and spilling the whole bag of gold fish crackers on the living room carpet just minutes before discovering the crayon.
Chad came and helped him with the last little bit by pushing on his hands while he scrubbed, I think he really might think twice before doing it again though-he was miserable cleaning it up!
He wouldn't let me take a picture of him on the front doorstep, like I wanted, so I had to use his first day of kindergarten picture, (isn't he 
This one is a Christmas card, I jacked my own work, from a Christmas album I did last year:
Inside:
Maybe you need a closer look. Go on, take it. 
I guess they thought their time would be better spent rolling and bathing in dirt then picking up apples. We have a whole backyard full of grass to play on. They choose the small patch of dirt. 
Typical Kids!
We have saved a couple and they actually taste really good-there are just SO many, we aren't bothering looking for the good ones, just trying to get them off the lawn. Next year we should have a pretty good harvest though-and maybe we can do some canning and be like all of you canning fools out there.
This is just a quick little snapshot I took of my kidletts today on the way out to the backyard-I don't know if I ever really thought of this door much, it's just on the side of the garage-but it is really cool. I love my house and all the quirky little things I keep finding in and about it-lots of great places for taking pictures! I will have to remember this door...
A reminder of what that is for us-when we lived in Utah we didn't really get out and do anything that Utah had to offer-you know the things people come to Utah for. For instance Chad has never been to Canyonlands or the Arches and I have never been to Lake Powell. Not once. I know..pathetic right?
We had no problem getting Topher to try the berries-and this is what his hands looked like after a few minutes-he also had them all over his face and legs and feet...I swear this kid can get so messy-so quick!
There were also these orange wild plums, I think they were, that were OH SO GOOD! I want a tree of my very own. The kids probably ate 50 each. I'm sure I ate twice that!
Porter slept in the snuggly the whole way up until the last 2 minutes, so he had pretty perfect timing. He loves being in the snuggly or the sling.
Me and the kids in front of the river. Such a fun walk-the kids can't wait to go back, and I'm excited to have something so fun so close!
