Tech-spoiled Porter

Aaron LOOOOOOVES his iPad and so does Porter. Porter is always asking to play games (says something like "ga's" attempting to say games) and loves to touch the screen and see things move. A matching game is one of his favorites along with a train game and drawing. This blessed device does keep him entertained during times where he needs to be still and quiet. He also watches some of our home videos and loves watching himself play sports with Daddy. But how spoiled is this child and this generation when it comes to technology??? Let's just say I bought an Etch-a-Sketch at DI week before last and took it to church last Sunday. I showed him how the knobs work but he kept tapping the screen waiting for something to happen...just like the iPad. Oh boy.

Pioneer Day

July 24th is Pioneer Day which is a state holiday here in Utah. As a family we aren't doing anything special to commemorate but I did want to put a post in honor of the pioneers. Pulled some random pictures off the Internet. I personally am very grateful for the pioneers and what they did to follow the prophet and what they sacrificed to be free from persecution and worship God. I can't even begin to imagine what they suffered and endured to cross the plains but they did it. I pray that I am as faithful and strong as those early pioneers.
(Here in Utah this day is celebrated like a 2nd-4th of July with fireworks and everything.)

Little Cool Dude

Porter took swim lessons at the Rec Center last week and this week (Parent & Tot class)--it was so much fun! He did so good except for the days he was too tired and said "all done" half way through and was fussy the rest of the class, but that only happened about 3 of the 10 classes. He is fine going under water and LOVES to jump in. He also did great swimming to get toys and kicking his feet and sometimes blow bubbles in the water. This picture above is Porter as little "cool dude" in my sunglasses after a swim class this week. Below is Porter tonight when he fell asleep in the car before we got to our friend's parent's house to swim.
Porter wanted to ride the dog at Old Navy yesterday. What a cute kid! We also went and fed ducks with friends yesterday which was really fun. Afterward we just hung out and talked and talked...and talked and talked and talked...

Good news & Announcement

Good news in our household: Porter has gone 5 nights (starting Saturday night) without his binki and hasn't had it at all since Sunday at church. Awesome! Think he has learned to fall asleep without it--even if it does take a little longer some times--and has only asked for it twice day before last and once yesterday. I'm hoping he just forgets and loses interest. I'm afraid what will happen when he sees another kid with one though. As for our announcement we have a new addition to our little family...a third dog! Looks just like the two we have only this one is much quieter. =P No name yet. (From DI for $.75-the Taco Bell dog.)Pioneer Day is coming up this weekend. This is the extent of my decorations. Wish I had more.
Monday Porter got a very much needed haircut from Daddy. (Aaron is a very good barber.) Doesn't Porter look cute in a garbage bag?! A squirt bottle is one of his favorite toys. He will just squeeze that trigger all day even if it's pointing toward him and he gets soaked.

Porter Summer Help & Fun

Mattress slide!!! These pictures are weeks old (last month) when Porter got sick and canceled our camping trip. This is in the evening after a morning of throwing up and by this time he was feeling much better. That mattress is usually layered with 4 sheets and protection in between each one. He went through them all which is why it ended up a naked mattress.

These pictures (above and below) are from today. Porter and I went to DI (he put that hat on himself btw) and at Jumpin' Jacks playing on the carousel. Today was the first day I put money in it so it actually moved and he wanted off seconds after it started. Now come on! We did have so much fun though on our Mommy-Son date night for ice cream at Artic Circle and Jumpin' Jacks. He had so much fun and was so good all day!

Porter LOVES to help me vacuum (what a weird-spelled word) and he got teddy in on the help too! These pictures are from last month.

Porter likes to think he is playing Wii. What a little stud.
I love Porter wake-up-messy hair!
Carrots from my garden! Had to thin them out more so the rest could have room to grow. Very tasty. =)

Youth Conference & Girl's Camp Recap

As you already know from a previous post we went to Manti in June for Youth Conference and saw the pageant. Here are a few more pictures. I've only posted pictures of us leaders. Can't, and shouldn't, really post pictures of the youth; they're not my kids after all. Porter doesn't have a choice since I'm his parent so I can post as many pictures of him as I want...and I do. =P
Loved having matching shirts for everyone; really made us look and feel united. We were easy to spot in a crowd. The front had a little shield and the back had a big one with the scripture Joshua 1:9-"...Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest." We were supposed to sleep outside on the seminary lawn so we got all snuggled in and *WHOOSH*! The sprinklers came on and ruined those plans. We ended up sleeping inside which wasn't nearly as fun and no stars on the ceiling. This is me, Heather, and Alisa. Don't we look comfy?! It was so nice outside and we were under nice trees and a beautiful sky and with the temple in sight.

We had the perfect amount of play time, relax time, and planned events. Wandering around and touring some historic sights was really fun and the pageant was phenomenal. We missed the youth who weren't able to come and the leaders who couldn't come (Henderson and Estridge). The testimony meeting was a definite highlight of the two day journey. These youth are really amazing and I love when they are honest and share their true thoughts/feelings and their growing testimonies.
Girl's Camp was also in June and it was in Pinto. The theme was countries around the world and we were Egypt. This is the pyramid (mainly thanks to one of our leader's husband) and decorations a few of us made the night before camp.
Camp was absolutely fantastic and we had some GREAT experiences. I only went for two of the four days since my wonderful husband's work schedule took him out of town the exact same days camp was held. Thankfully Porter has a Nana who loves him and took him so I could go at all! There is no better way to get to know your friends and girls than in your raw natural state of no make up and no showers.

Pictured above: Pugmire, Mathews, Fuchs, Sandberg, Hardy, Estridge, me, Armstrong and Henderson. (Just missing Ence who just went the first day.) We did have some tragedies of broken tents, snapped poles, and battled the fierce wind and cold (Friday--Wed & Thurs were hot). The best part was of course the testimony meeting the night before the last day. Incredible.
Me and one of my 'besties'! Around the camp fire with our friends and wonderful girls...representing Egypt...in her Canadian chairs.... *head scratch* =P

Summer Fun

These are all pictures from last month. Porter devouring a sub sandwich (or at least making an attempt), playing with Daddy in the yard, and fun bath time hair. We have had a great summer thus far and it's not over yet! =)



Porter loves his trains and cars right now. He wakes up in the morning and first thing out of his mouth is "choo choo"! He lines them up everywhere and it's funny to see the random places they end up. He is really at a great age where he will play by himself for awhile. He is also really starting to say a lot more words (or at least a version of the word that probably only I can understand). Here is a small list of some "new" words in Porter's vocabulary: up ("uh"), mail (sounds like "may"), strawberries (berries), pancakes ("cakie"), slide (side), eat ("ee"), outside, juice (his version is "duice"), walk (today he said "walkie" because he wanted to take our dog-friend for a walk), baby, boots (boo), where ("wee" as he puts his hands up), again ("agay"), banana ("nana"), this ("deese"), spoon ("boom"), and ice cream (says "i-ceam"). There are more, just can't remember them right now. The oldies are milk (milkie), binki (says "bin-ti"), daddy, mama, doggie, duck (duckie), snack (snackie), truck, please ("pease"), drink (dink), swing (swin-swin), balloon (baoon), ball (baa), sock (sockie), shoes (oose), rock (rockie), monkey (mon-tee), teddy, night-night (ni-ni), bye-bye, go, jump ("dump"), hat (haa), all done ("ah-du"), nana, papa, hat (haa), and thank you ("tant you"). He knows a lot of animals but doesn't say the names, just does the sign and their sound (monkey, dog, cat, lion/tiger, elephant, fish, etc). The other day he signed chicken all by himself! Learned it from "Signing Time" and Aunt Stacey in May.

Porter is really good about doing his chores (diaper duty, "dirties" in the laundry or sink, picking up bath toys) and has a new one: making his bed. Before he gets out of the crib he straightens his comforter and wa-la! Bed is made. He started doing that one on his own (just like diaper duty which is putting his dirty diaper in the Diaper Genie). Guess he just saw me do it enough times. He is good about helping me get him dressed (putting his arms through or holding onto me while he lifts his legs out). I am doing swimming lessons with him again this year in a Parent/Tot class and I love it! It's at a late time for him when he should be down for a nap so half way through he is signing and saying "all done" because he is tired but I make him stay. He is doing so good kicking to swim and blowing bubbles. Last year at 9 months he didn't do much but look cute. He does great jumping in the pool and doesn't mind when I dunk him under. I am so proud of him! One cute thing he does is say "bye bye" to everything. When I let him flush his business down the potty he waves and says goodbye to it. When I get him out of his crib he waves and says goodbye to his bed as I walk away. Last week one day he was playing for a bit after he woke up in the morning but he soon came and found me, grabbed me by the hand, pointed to the kitchen and signed "eat". He was telling me he was hungry and wanted to eat! Oh how I love him!
I went with a bunch of friends to see the Twilight movie "Eclipse" on opening day June 30th. It was really fun! (Thanks for sharing the picture Erin!) No I have not read the books but the movies are good. I'm not obsessed but I'm not a critic. For me it's just pure entertainment.

Bleeding Red, White & Blue

Warning: You are about to experience an overload of red, white, & blue. You have been warned--you may proceed. We had a WONDERFUL 4th of July weekend! "Happy Birthday" America and God Bless America!


Saturday night (3rd) we went to the Police Department to watch fireworks with friends. We love our Heppler's and Henderson's!
Sunday I wore red & white and Porter wore navy blue pants and tie. Doesn't he look thrilled?

Monday (5th) we went out with family to the lake (Sand Hollow) and had a blast. We really missed those who weren't there--work, distance and golf kept the rest from joining us.

Present at the lake: the Sherman's, Bergquist's, Lenore (Mom/Nana), and Holmes.


Matt, Char, Aaron and I took the kiddo's on the tubes. It was so fun and cute! My brave little Porter wasn't scared on bit and loved it.


























Porter got to drive the boat! (Or so he thought.) That's what happens when you walk away Uncle Spencer...Porter takes over and honks the horn. =P

We played on the beach (frisbee, football, snacked, got some sun), on the boat, and ate watermelon. Good times had by all.

I love my boys!!!!














So the garden 'produceth'. Squash and zucchini! Had to showcase the garden grandeur.