St. George Trip

Adam trying to re-enact the scene from Mission Impossible 2.

Adam and me.

Natalie and me.

The four of us at the beginning of the hike.

Down in the caves.

Last weekend we went to St. George for a little rest and relaxation with the Millers minus the kids. This is the first time that Adam and I have gone away without the kids ever. Well, I guess we did leave Makenna overnight with Grandma Osborn once when she was like 4 months old, but that doesn't really count I don't think. I was a little stressed about leaving the kids (if you ask Adam, I was a lot stressed) but everything went okay and hopefully the kids weren't too much work for Grandma and Grandpa Pace. Luckily, Makenna is pretty easy, but as Grandma Pace put it, Cole is just in perpetual motion. You really have to keep your eye on him, or he will be gone.
It was a quick trip, we left on Friday afternoon and came back on Sunday afternoon, but it was enough time to get rejuvenated and have a little break from everything. We ate at the Pizza Factory on Friday night and enjoyed a late night movie before heading to the condo. Saturday morning we got up and went to Snow Canyon for a little hiking followed by lunch and shopping. Natalie and I hit the Old Navy and the outlets, I think Adam and Jason were ready to scratch their eyes out in pain after about two hours, but we got some great deals and if Natalie and I plan it just right, we may even wear the same shirts on the same day!! Saturday night we went to another movie and then a late dinner at Olive Garden. Sunday we relaxed, went to In-n-Out for a hamburger and headed back to SLC. It was a lot of fun, hopefully the Miller aren't too sick of us since we have now been on two vacations with them this year. Adam got some relentless teasing about his soda consumption, but he survived.

New Outdoor Toys!!

Cole on the slide, he loves this!!

The rocker/teeter totter, Cole is scared of it.

Cole crying after having to come inside to get dressed for church

I have wanted to get the kids a slide of some sort for quite a while, something that we could use indoors and outdoors, but they are expensive!! I have a hard time paying $75 for only a slide (which is about what they run...) I have also wanted to get the kids a sandbox and the one I want is like $79, too much for me as well. Well, Adam's work had a garage sale on Saturday and one of the guys Adam works with was selling a bunch of his kid's outdoor toys and we got a few new things for the kids. The sandbox that I wanted at the beginning of the summer that was $79 we got for $10! We also got a sand and water table, which I know the kids will love for $10 and a rocker/teeter totter for $10. The best thing of all is that we got a climber/slide combo for $75 which normally sells for $260!! I am so happy with our new (gently used) toys. They are all in really good condition and the kids LOVE the slide. It is in the garage right now since the sod was just laid on Saturday in the backyard. We have to go out there several times a day to play on it. I think that we will move it into the basement for the winter. Here are a few picture of the kids playing yesterday morning right after breakfast, they couldn't even wait to get dressed to go and play on the new slide.

Am I a bad mother?

Today was Cole's two year appointment with the pediatrician. I trekked off to the doctor's office only to discover that BOTH of my children have ear infections. They have both had a runny nose and a little cough for the last two weeks, but no fevers, no crying about sore ears, nothing. I was actually starting to think that maybe they had allergies... Nope, Cole has an infection in one ear and fluid in the other and Makenna has an infection in one of her ears. Way to go Mom, I get the loser of the day award.
Not to mention that the pharmacy had problems with Cole's insurance, so I will now be making trip number two to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for cough syrup...
On a more positive note, Cole is not quite as big as I thought he was. He weighs 27 pounds 14 ounces and is 35 inches tall!! He is tall, but that I knew, I was planning on him weighing like 30-33 pounds. He feels so much heavier to me than Makenna, but I guess that he is just more solid or something, who knows. They do almost look like they are the same height and I get asked all the time if they are twins, but nope, they are 17 months apart and I love them ear infections and all!!

Cole turns TWO!!

Cole handing every tiny bit of wrapping paper to me, he likes to keep things clean.

Makenna and Cole laying on the basketball hoop box from Grandma Pace, maybe it's a bed?

GeoTrax, more for Dad than Cole

Blowing out the candle...

Enjoying some cake and ice cream...

On Saturday, Cole turned two. I can't believe that he is two already. It kind of makes me sad that my youngest is turning into a little boy and I no longer had a baby. He definitely acts like a boy. He had a great birthday with lunch at McDonalds with Mom, Dad, and Makenna and a party with family that night. He got great new toys that will hopefully keep him entertained at least for a couple of days (that's about all they last, right?) and some new clothes for fall.

Yard Work

Well, there hasn't been too much new going on in the Pace household lately, other than we are putting in our backyard. I guess I shouldn't say "we" but more like Adam is putting in our backyard. He has been working every night after work until about 9:00pm for the past several weeks and all day on Saturdays trying to get the yard done. I can see a dim light at the end of the tunnel. We are getting top soil delivered today and hopefully laying the sod next Saturday. The kids love going out in the yard with Adam to help him work, even though they make is worse on him when they are out there. I try to keep them busy while he is working so that they don't want to go "help" daddy. Here is a picture of the kids trying to help Adam fill in the trenches. Makenna is already asking for a swing set, at least three or four times a day. One thing at a time, we need grass first. We keep trying to explain to her that we will get her one next year, but I don't think a three year old grasps that concept. Oh well, only seven more months and she can get one...

Is he ready?

So, my son has decided in the past week to seriously take an interest in the potty. He will willingly go to the bathroom if you ask him and he needs to. He also will sometimes go in on his own. However, he doesn't quite grasp the concept of only going on the potty and thinks its okay to still go in his pants if he feels like it. The first time he actually went on the toilet I thought that it may be a coincidence, however, he went four times on Sunday and a couple times yesterday. So, what to do? Do I try to potty train him? I am thinking I just may... It would be so nice to not have a child in a diaper! I never in a million years thought that Cole would want to be potty trained this early. He turns two on September 13th. I guess he is ready? We'll see!!