So Busy, But So Fun!

The past week has been crazy! Good crazy, but still crazy. :)

We took the Frontrunner Train last Thursday from Ogden to Salt Lake and spent the day at the Gateway. The kids (and adults) thoroughly enjoyed the train ride, water fountains, and the Clark Planetarium. Garrett LOVED the 3-D Imax movie about dinosaurs--he loves to tell everybody about it, complete with sound effects and hand motions. It's great. We also celebrated Karen's birthday with a yummy dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen.

The kids and I spent the night in SLC with Greg's parents and then headed down to Santaquin the next morning for a little PMS reunion. (PMS=Payson Middle School...my first teaching job.) Oh, how I love these ladies and how I have missed them! A little piece of my heart will always be with them at PMS. I love that place!

We had to get a picture of our old carpool. Rebecca, Amber, and I would carpool every morning to work. When it was my turn to drive, I often drove Greg's old '78 Ford truck. (He was working in SLC and it was much more cost-effective for him to drive our car.) The students would always love to watch us pull up and we even heard comments like, "Mrs. Phillips is so hard-core," or my personal favorite, "I think Mrs. Phillips drives Mrs. Reber and Miss Earl home in her big truck because they are drunk." Okay...

The kids and I stopped by my PMS BFF's house for lunch and a little more playtime. Mary has the most beautiful home and yard and we so enjoyed being there. Garrett loved playing with William and Milo and their fun toys and was very sad to leave. Mary had to bribe him with 2 popsicles to get him in his carseat.

William was so excited to show us some scooter tricks...

...and Milo can really tear it up on his Big Wheel. (Or whatever they call them these days.)

We still had some time to kill before we were supposed to meet Greg in Provo for my cousin's wedding reception. I was driving around Spanish Fork debating what to do. I considered taking the kids to see Cars 2, but wasn't feeling that brave. I had a stroke of pure brilliance and remembered my BYU BFF Megan lives in Spanish Fork, so I called her up and asked if we could come by for a bit. Talk about a surprise visit! (Sorry, Megs!) She was such a good sport and so sweet to let us just crash in on them. Our kids had a ball playing together and Megan and I loved the chance to chat for a bit.

We left Megan's and headed to Provo for my cousin Elisha's wedding reception. It was BEAUTIFUL. Seriously, WOW! I love weddings and this was a good one!

I forgot to pack Garrett's nice clothes. OOPS! Thankfully, Elisha's dad works for BYU Athletics and the majority of the folks there were mega Cougar fans, so this hat was as good as a suit and tie for the little guy. (The people hosting the reception had a mural of Cougar Stadium on their basement wall and an entire BYU memorabilia room, along with a BYU golf cart and all sorts of other stuff, so he fit right in.)

We finally made it home late Friday night and I left on Saturday for a baby shower in Layton. The kids had a fun day with dad. Here are a few of their favorite activities...

Abby is OBSESSED with shoes. I feel her pain. I also love them. She spends a good chunk of her time in my closet trying on my shoes and trying to walk in them.

They love to paint. This usually involves a few messes and elevated blood pressure for mommy and daddy, but we survive and they have fun, so it's all good.

They love to "hide" from mom and dad. Garrett will sneak in Abby's bed with her and wait for us to come looking for them. I can always hear them giggling under the covers before I even walk in the room--makes my day every time.

Our awesome neighbors invited us over on Monday for a little FHE on the world's coolest slip'n'slide. Seriously, it was amazing. I didn't get any pictures that really do it justice, but it was so much fun!

Abby wasn't interested in going down the slide, but sure had a blast playing on the playground.

BEHOLD...yep, it's rad. (And yes, I just said the word "rad." I'm getting old.)

You know what they say: "It's all fun and games, until..."

OUCH! Poor Garrett was playing in the treehouse across the creek from the slip'n'slide and somehow did this to himself. He does think these "big huge giant" band-aids were pretty cool, though and loves to show them to anybody who will humor him.

Our good friends, the Mitchells, came to visit yesterday and brought sweet little Atley up to ride a horse. (Greg and Alicia grew up in the same neighborhood and her family owns the Bear Lake cabin we go to every summer with Greg's family.) Garrett and Atley were so funny together and were quoting "Despicable Me" back and forth and finishing each other's sentences. It was so cute!

A little bonus...Abby has some seriously crazy hair these days. She won't leave her bows or elastics in for very long and it's always fun to see what she looks like after her naps.

Here's a little video of the slip'n'slide. So fun!!!