Family Camp Out

It was that time a year again where we all go to Palisade's Park and have the Family Camp Out with Tony's mom's side of the family. We left on Friday and came back on Sunday. Tyler was not feeling good at all on Friday and it was basically miserable for all of us. He would just cry and their was nothing that would make him stop. He wouldn't eat, he didn't really want to play. At first we thought it was just teething (of course he is getting two more teeth on the bottom), but then it was way too much crying just for teething. So then we thought maybe his legs hurt, like growing pains. I was going nuts. I just couldn't handle not being able to help him and make the pain stop. So I started getting emotional and frustrated, so Tony took him to the Walmart in Ephraim (good times) and got some Tums and other things that he thought would help. When they got back Tyler was still really unhappy so Tony decided to give him a blessing.
 After the blessing he took some Motrin and drank a bottle and he was then a very happy boy. He played and played in the tent. But once he finally got to sleep he woke up 4 times during the night just crying. Tony had to take him for a drive to calm him down...after a long day and night he had a poop and felt much better. So all that and the main problem (we think) was that he was constipated. So he drank lots of juice that next day and some more bottle and he was a lot happier. He still didn't eat very well the rest of the time that we were there, so we decided to go home early on Sunday. Good thing we did because he slept all the way home (2 hours) and then later that afternoon he slept another 3 hours. He really needed to just be home and get some rest.
Tyler is doing great today. He ate his normal breakfast of oatmeal, fruit, and yogurt and then we played all morning and now he is down for his nap. It is really hard to see your child in pain and not being able to do anything. I am so grateful for Tony and his ability to stay calm when things like that happen. I am definitely a woman, so emotional.
Besides Tyler's issues the camp out was lots of fun. It is always fun to hang out with family that you don't see very often. The kids got to play in the water, go on walks, play with the doggies, Tony played horse shoes (and did pretty darn good for only playing once a year), and much more. It was great to see everyone, but it is also great to be home.

Pioneer Day

I love Pioneer Day. It is almost like having two Independence Days. We went to the parade down town yesterday morning. I decided that I definitely don't need to go to that parade for many more years. It was fun, but not as fun as the Murray parade on the 4th of July. Their were tons of anti-Mormons holding big signs that said ridiculous things and other people handing out fliers for their churches. Very interesting thing to find at the "Mormon Parade."

After that we went home and Tyler slept for about 3 hours. He woke up really hot with a high fever. We gave him some Motrin and cooled him down. I think that he is getting more teeth. He is really slobbery today and acts unhappy. After we cooled him down we went to my parents for a BBQ and fire works. We had lots of fun looking at their new baby chickens, playing outside and eating yummy food. I got to do lots of "snakes". They are my favorite fire works. Then the men did the rest and a good time was had by all.

Tony and I are just getting the car ready to go to Palisades for his family reunion. We get to sleep in a tent and spend lots of fun times out side. I hope that Tyler does okay there while he isn't feeling very good. Hopefully it isn't too hot to. I heard it was suppose to be about 100. That is HOT!!!

Greatgrandparents and First Hair Cut

 Tyler is so lucky to still have great grandparents.  A while ago we went to visit Tony's grandparents in their home in Rose Park.  Tony's grandma Joyce isn't doing so well, so we wanted to go and visit her before she passes.  She was upbeat and we got a really good picture of Tyler with his great grandma and great grandpa.

Michelle and Tyler waiting to get his hair cut

Tyler also got his hair cut a couple of month ago.  It was getting too long, but I was waiting because he has such cute curls in the back.  He did a really good job for his first hair cut.  We took him to a lady that Tony has gone to for years, Shaz, and she did a great job.  Tyler was nervous at first, but was a trouper and did great.  Now he has no more curls, but he looks very cute.  Shaz did give me some of his cute curls to keep for Tyler's keepsakes.  So that is kind of fun.

Pretty curls before the hair cut

Shaz cutting Tyler's hair

A happy Tyler after his hair cut

It's nice to be home

Girls camp was fun, but boy is it nice to be home. The weather was good, the girls were amazingly awesome and a good time was had by all. They have only hills at the Heber Valley Camp. All up or down. My two least favorite things about hills. Well down isn't so bad. Needless to say, I got a lot of hiking done while I was there.

This stake doesn't sing the same camp songs that I grew up signing, so it is kind of hard going. Singing the silly songs is such a big part of camp, so it was hard for me not to complain every time they sang something stupid. They don't sing the spider web song, the chicken song, or the pioneer song, just to name a few. I guess it will be my job to teach them the fun ones.

I really missed Tony and Tyler while I was gone. I texted Tony everyday to check up how things were going. Tyler did really well at the Steenblik's house. They are SO AWESOME to take Tyler for the whole week. I really need to do something for Tony's parents to thank them. Tony did say that Tyler would go around calling my name and then going room to room looking for me. Isn't that so sweet. Tyler has been nothing but smiles and giggles since I have been back, it is wonderful. You really do need to get away every now and then to really appreciate what you have.

We went to Texas Roadhouse on Friday night. It was delicious. That is our favorite place. Their food is the best and the prices are not bad at all. It tasted especially good that night after eating in the mountains all week.

Well I didn't want this to be so long, so I will rap it up now. I love Tony. I love Tyler. I love that girls camp is over (until next year -- which hopefully I won't be there because I will have an extra bundle of joy).

Having Children

Tyler hanging out on his changing table

Silly baby

Having a child has been a roller coaster ride for me. When I first had Tyler I loved having him and he was such a good baby. But then at about 5 weeks I started getting anxious about the future. I would worry about how I would handle him when he was in the terrible two's and throwing fits. I think back and wonder why I was being so dumb, but at the time it was a real issue that was getting me depressed. I found that talking to people REALLY helped me and I got over that within a couple of weeks. Then Tyler developed so quickly. He started crawling at 6 months, walking at 9, and has been such a "big boy" ever since. It is amazing how quickly they go from baby to toddler. My mom told me when I first had Tyler to enjoy having a new born, because they aren't a new born for very long. So I did, and I am glad that I listened to my mom.

Thinking now to the future and about getting pregnant again, I have a lot of different emotions. I would love to have another baby, a little girl would be nice. I think that Tyler would be a good big brother and that they could entertain each other. Then I think about actually being pregnant. . . being sick all the time, being so tired all the time, throwing up all the time, being the most unattractive you ever are... yet at the same time you are growing a life inside of you... amazing. Tony wants six kids. That seems like an awful lot of kids to me. I am thinking more around four (that is a lot too). I guess we will just have to see what happens. I am afraid that I don't have the patience needed to have that many children. Some days I don't have the patience needed for the one kid I have.

Over all, I love being a mom. I love it when Tyler hugs my head so tight and gives me big kisses
(open mouth mind you). He is so active and really keeps me going all day long, but we have a good time. I keep my mind on the now and enjoy what I have. Having a baby has really changed my life, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Girls Camp

Lucky me, I am the girls camp leader for my ward this year. We leave on Monday and I just hope that I don't forget something really important. I went to Costco yesterday and bought all the goodies. If nothing else, there will be treats. Our ward is going to the Heber Valley Camp this year, so really my job is much easier then it would be if we were going to our stake property. It should be nice to sleep in cabins vs. tents. I have 2 other leaders and 14 girls coming. Most of our girls are really good kids, so it should be fun. Really I just plan on being silly with the girls to whole time.

Tyler is going to Tony's mom's that week. She is so nice to take Tyler all week, especially because Tony has school four nights a week. She is super Grandma, and I really appreciate it. Ton'y dad is really good with kids too, we are really lucky. My mom is good with kids, and my dad is working on it. He does seem to get better the more grandkids that he has, so that is good.

Steenblik Family Vaca in Southern Utah

Tony's parents wanted to go on a family trip will all the kids and grand kids and decided to go to Southern Utah.  We just got back on Saturday and we all had so much fun.
We stopped at a Mexican Restaurant in Beaver for lunch on the way there and it was really good food.  They had a sign saying that Beaver had the best water, so we had to check that out.  The water was pretty good.

We stayed in a nice condo in a small town.  The family is so big that we needed two big rooms.  It was Tony, Tyler, and I with Nate and Derek.  Amy couldn't get out of work, so she didn't come.

Each day we traveled to different sites.  We saw the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion's, etc. It was really hot, but a good time was had by all. We got to see some really amazing sites and we did a couple hikes as well.  I had never been to Bryce before and I was amazed at how you go from walking in a mountain type area and then all of the sudden there is this huge valley.  It is beautiful.  They even had a trails that we could take the stroller on.  Tyler mainly liked the stroller rides and playing on the rocks.

Tyler did pretty good for being in the car so much. He really liked the places that had water to play in.  He played in the water with Tony in Zions and then we also found a fun splash pad area that the kids all got totally soaked playing in.  It was so hot the water felt so good.  We didn't even care that Tyler didn't have a swim suit, we just let him get his cloths wet.

They also had a pool at the place that we stayed and we all LOVED getting in and cooling off.  It felt wonderful and Tyler couldn't get enough.  We played lots of pool games and Tyler liked floating around in the raft that Nate and Amy got him for his birthday.  It really was so much fun and we are very thankful to Tony's parents for taking us all on a fun trip.

I can't believe how big Tyler is already is. He will be 16 months on the 13th. It sure goes by so quickly. Tony is ready to have another one, but I still need a couple months before I want to start that process all over again. I guess we will see what happens with that.