What a fun fall week it's been! On Wednesday, we met up with Marinda and her two youngest to walk around Gardner Village. Marinda and I have been doing these playdates quite frequently for the past THREE YEARS, and let me tell you, we know how to pick the days that everyone else in the world picks to go out, too. Needless to say, we didn't last long there! We headed to Chili's for lunch afterward for what had to be my favorite part of the week: Alaina was eating corn on the cob with her elbows up. Alton jovially poked her in the ribs and she jumped. She very deliberately put her corn down, turned to him and said incredulously, "People are trying to EAT here!". So funny coming out of a 3-year-old's mouth. She was genuinely offended!










Connor has been bringing home loads of lovely art projects from school and insists that they be viewed gallery-style. Anthony and I marvel all of the time the interesting quirks that surface in our children that are so easy to attribute to one parent or the other. I used to hang all of my drawings that I deemed worthy on the back of my bedroom door just to marvel at them in all of their glory. There's something about viewing your own art at standing eye level! (Oh, and that's his baby "Olivia". He takes great care of her!)


The kids have been expert fighters lately and refuse to nap. Anthony told Alaina to just stay on our bed for five minutes while Connor had a five-minute quiet time in his room. Who wouldn't fall asleep in a sea of comfy pillows?


On Saturday, we went to Weber State's homecoming game! There were some moments that REALLY stressed me out (e.g. having to take the kids to the bathroom in a porta potty. I haven't used one since a traumatic episode 12 years ago when a beast of a Young Women leader made me push all of the poop to one side using a stick as punishment for leaving camp early so that I could attend a mandatory 4-H obligation --Oh, the injustice! I know we are supposed to forgive and forget, but I will NEVER...FORGET...). However, barring the potty thing, we all had great time!


I loved the golden light of sunset contrasting with Weber's purple. Beautiful!


Photo taken by Connor. I'm telling you, this kid is a natural.


Today, we went on a drive hoping to find some fall colors. Did we ever! Millcreek Canyon is absolutely, breathtakingly gorgeous right now.


About .05 of a mile in, we had to stop for a snack break. I don't know if other people's children consume as much as ours, but I'm having a hard time believing that all children are hungry this much, despite the meal they had 30 minutes ago. We're not talking about a couple of goldfish crackers; in this sitting they ate a protein bar, a nutrition shake, and an apple. About 15 minutes after that, they ate granola bars and yogurts. When we got in the car, they both ate another apple each, and then we had dinner as soon as we got home! Food insanity!





Running while eating. Mom of the year!


Connor is in his element when he is out in nature. Absolutely loves everything about it.



I've always loved the patterns that bugs eat through tree bark. I remember sitting in Aunt Cynthia's bunches of scrub oak, pretending that I lived outdoors, and finding a branch with this on it. I thought I had come across petrified wood that had writings of an ancient civilization on it! I was convinced that I had made a huge archeological discovery, excitedly showing Stephanie and making her take a vow of silence until I alerted the media. You can imagine my disappointment when Cynthia told me it was just the makings of hungry insects.




Proof I was there. Thanks, Connor!





This is so indicative of our family. Connor MUST be in front. Alaina dawdles, then has to jog to catch up. Anthony walks with purpose, and I hang back to take pictures of leaves.







I love you, October.

This week flew by, as they've been doing for the past 4 or so months. We got a little taste of the cold weather that's in store for us, and now that it's warmed up a bit again, we resolve to enjoy the sun while we can has been strengthened. Over the past couple of years, we have spend countless hours at the park. Connor MUST get out of the house every day or no one's happy. He's identified each one by the predominant color, except the neighborhood park, which speaks for itself. The blue park is just down the road, the red park is over the highway, the castle park is up the street from Grandma and Grandpa's, and the orange park is over the highway up in Kaysville.

We spent a couple of hours at the blue park yesterday. Alaina's favorite activity is the monkey bars. I'm much too short to be able to support her, and I'm sure Anthony will be quite happy when she learns to do them by herself!


Connor thrives when there are a bunch of kids at the park. Alaina doesn't like it when she has to take turns on things, but Connor just eats it up. I pointed it out to Anthony that Connor was having a great time yesterday, and he said that it's because our little man thinks that all eyes are in him. Right at that moment, Connor tore by, quite obviously showing off for a little girl. :)


Swings!


Alaina is a little daredevil in the baby swing. She likes us to twist her as far as the chains will let us, then push her so that she swings and twists at the same time. She and I have many fun years of rollercoaster together ahead of us, while Anthony and Connor, the non-adrenaline-junkies, do some boyish (boring) thing together. :)


Tag on the pipes, aka the shoe killers. Both kids climb all over these things, scraping the toes of their shoes. I can finally explain the holes on the tops of their feet! Can you find Alaina?



More hill rolling. We could pay to take our kids to expensive family-themed places, but I think they enjoy the simple pleasures more. Either that, or I'm just too cheap.


If there are flowers around, watch out, Alaina WILL pick at least one. She always says the same thing: "Mommy, I got some for you!"


...and here's where it gets a bit mean. Alaina and Connor had been eating ALLLL morning. They shovel at least three meals in by the time I am ready to even think about eating. They both noticed these luscious-looking crabapples and asked to eat one...


I obliged, snickering in an evil way. I expected Alaina to take a bite and wince, but she just kept eating. Asked for more, even! We don't call her our little garbage disposal for nothing!


Connor described them as, "Good, but not very good."


Here's where I should wrap up my post with something reflective or funny, but by the end of putting these things together while the kids are yelling in my ear for 20 minutes, my brain is about as fried as it gets. The end.

I feel like I've been MIA in the blogosphere, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Pictures are still being taken, memories are still being made; I'm just short on time to write about them!

Ever since our visit to Colorado in March, Alaina hasn't gone a day without Bootsie by her side. It's gotten to the point where she WILL.NOT.SLEEP without her little yellow giraffe. Anthony and I began to panic a bit after she cried for an hour and a half while Anthony overturned everything in the house looking for Bootsie. I jumped on ebay and luckily found a replacement (what would I do without ebay? The original Bootsie was purchased 5 years ago when I was pregnant with Connor!). It was supposed to be a secret, but we have to bust out the new Bootsie on occasion to get us through a night. The kids prefer the newer, brighter Bootsie, but there is a soft spot in my heart for the old one with her lipsticked face, torn out nostrils, and tail that's been chewed off by a dog.


Sometimes we let Alaina play with both (only for a minute!) and she is in heaven!




Like most of the women on the internet, I must profess my love for Pinterest. At first, I have to admit that it served as a way to compare my life to others', and we all do too much of that anyway, so I contemplated cutting it out. But then I discovered all of these fun kid activities and my days with the kids have been so much more fun and gratifying. Painting with shaving cream, making our own playdough, making marshmallow shooters and having mallow wars, balloon ping pong, and painting on bread have been highlighting our days and we are all much happier spending time together. Thank you, Pinterest!




Papa's new region includes Utah and over the past two weeks, we got to spend some quality time with him! We are so grateful for this new development! Papa brought the kids and Anthony into my work to sit in my section while I was on the floor (so fun!), the kids got to spend the night at a hotel, Papa got to see Connor off to school, we tried a new pizza place by our house, shot Papa with our marshmallows, and grilled outside two nights in a row. It was so nice to see him; next time we need Nana to come, too!










I'm having an emotional battle with the kids growing up so quickly. They're at such fun stages right now where we can go and do fun things without having to worry about diapers or real school schedules. I love all that we're able to do together. However, I am heartbroken that they are not little babies anymore and that we're not really in a position to have any more at the moment. It's an exercise in both treasuring this time in our lives and patience for the next couple of years. Can you believe how old she looks?!


Luckily, I still get glimpses of them as babies. Like this day, right out of the shower. The tear was caused by the cedar chest lid dropping on her finger, but in this moment, I like to believe that she looked just like she did two years ago. Crying just to cry. I don't miss those unprovoked tears from Alaina, but I do wish I could have her babyhood back for just a couple of days. :)


Is this kid really 4? Because I could swear he looks 8 here. He's got a hollow leg and is growing in height so quickly. He weighs over 50 pounds now. I remember weighing 56 pounds in third grade. I can't dead-lift him anymore, and it makes me sad. I feel so bad telling my 4-year-old son that I can't carry him home from the park. Such is life, I guess.


...and then all it takes to remind me that he is four is his utter fascination with a grasshopper.


For size reference, here is Connor with another 4 year old. It's funny to see how their sizes affect how they run. The little guy is spry and quick while Connor kind of lumbers and it takes him a minute to reach max speed. Connor's so sweet to other kids in his preschool and really only beats up on Alaina (typical), but watch out. A little kid came up to Connor at the park yesterday and started punching him in the arm and back. We diffused the situation before anything happened, but all it took was one deflecting swing of Connor's arm and the kid was thrown off balance. Don't pick fights with the gentle giant, weird kid. Remember that story about the scrawny kid who constantly picked on the bigger kid and finally the big kid retaliated and drop kicked the little one? That'd be Connor if provoked. :P


I'm thinking that maybe we shouldn't tell Connor when Papa is on his way. It is just torturous for him.

I've always liked the idea of "A Day In The Life" posts, but I've never been able to commit to one. It is my personal goal, however, to take more photographs of our every day life and not wait until a "function" to pull out my camera. There are so many things about this stage in our lives that I don't ever want to forget, even the negative things, because I know that our lives will be drastically different just a couple of years from now.

Tonight, the kids and I headed to a new park. Our visit started off with trying to take some pictures for Grandma's frames. See, Grandma? I really am trying...I'm just so picky that I haven't felt like I've taken the holy grails of Dietrich children photos yet! :)


I'm a little freaked out by how old Alaina looks on the far left. Slow down on this growing thing, girl.

...And then, if you know my children, you could guess that Connor would tell me he's thirsty, then Alaina would have to follow him to see if there was a puddle to be stomped in near the fountain, then Connor would find the wall spout, and Alaina would end up soaked. There are two possible outcomes of this situation: Alaina crying and yelling, "Donny dot me wet!" or her switching into her silly voice and saying, "Mama, my shoet is all wet!" Luckily, we got the latter.


After taking turns being onstage and singing songs in the pavillion, Connor discovered a huge hill. There was much rolling.




When it was my turn, I handed the camera over to Connor, and promptly rolled straight into the bike gutter.


After I regained my composure (I had completely forgotten how fast you can roll and how dizzy you'll be afterward), I noticed that the kids had beaten me to the swings.


I had forgotten that their shoes were soaked from the water fountain, so we got these. I contemplated not showing this picture, but it DEFINITELY is part of our everyday life.


Connor loves to twist on the swings and Alaina loves to get underdogs to "doe weal fast" (sometimes so fast that she just can't keep her saliva in her mouth)!




Gotta love these fall evenings!

Connor's first day of preschool, part deux!

On Thursday, Connor started school at a new elementary, and we are over the moon regarding his new teachers, the location, and the time slot! Connor loves that he gets his very own locker (most of the kids have to share..."Carson" is in the afternoon!), the toys are SOOO much cooler than his last preschool, and the classroom is filled with natural light instead of being a cave!



Ready to go!


He couldn't hide his excitement!


Hanging up his backpack for the first time!


Connor jumped right into his day. It was cute to see how hard he was trying to impress his new teacher, Nikki.


We were a little worried about first day jitters, but Connor had none. Alaina was the one that had a hard time with it. We had attended the family open house a few days earlier and Alaina had gotten to play with all the toys. I think she was under the impression that she was staying, too. She cried, "Where's Donny?!" the whole way home.


After a fun day at school, and me not getting called in for a standby shift, the kids and I took some September pictures.




Please ignore the "enter logo" corner. Photoshop template layers are still new to me. :) I thought about re-editing it, and I will for our family photobook, but it's mistakes like that that let me see how I grow. :)

When the pictures were over (and it didn't take long...the kids were not too fond of the little grasshoppers all over the place), we had an impromptu visit with Grandpa. As always, Grandpa knows how to please and let the kids have first dibs on the few ripe plums on the tree. Connor even got to pick some "nettaweens" and the both enjoyed having Grandpa push them on the swings.