HAPPY 2 YEAR BIRTHDAY PORTER!

Porter turned 2 and we had a party! We had some of Porter's best friends and family over and had a blast. This is our birthday boy giving me "CHEESE" like a good boy should when Mommy has a camera.
Since it was a Disney's Cars theme party I thought it only appropriate to have a "race car" (go-cart) to give the kids rides on. Aaron took care of that and I know Porter appreciated it.

Porter's Aunt Rachael made snowcones for the kids (thanks to Ashley for letting me borrow the machine!) and at the very beginning of the party Aaron did face painting.
These are two of Porter's 'bestest' friends: brothers Porter and Dallin. They are all so cute together!


Porter LOVED all of his presents (he got some awesome toys and stuff) and he loved his cake. It was just a confetti cake that Nana frosted and Aunt Mir decorated. It was the last minute thing. =P But Porter loved it with Cars toys on top. He kept asking for "cakie". He also filled the day with shouting "DA-DOW!" which translated is Lightening McQueen's signature "Ca-chow!" A-d-o-r-a-b-l-e.

Porter showing off his messy hands after eating a cupcake.

We had Cars goodie bags with a red balloon attached to each one. (Thank you Chelsea for the helium!) We blew up about 40-50 balloons for the kids and to put around the house. We really appreciate everyone for coming and for making Porter's birthday special. And a big thank you to everyone who helped us out and made the day possible.

This picture was the day before his party. What a pose. Silly kid.

Late Summer Garden Update

These pictures are from a couple weeks ago during out trip out East. There's Porter "talking" on Aunt Stacey's phone and then Porter and I in a prairie maze at COSI.



As for my garden got happy and sad news. Finally getting some peppers! Just banana peppers but it's something. Still no green peppers and thinking it won't happen. Yesterday made Hawaiian meatballs and used stuff from the store (green pepper, red pepper, pineapple) but also fresh produce from my garden (banana peppers, carrots, and onions). It was so colorful and healthy! Sad news is all of my melon and squash plants died. Aaron blames bugs. I think it was that and heat. I had only gotten about 4 squash and 3 zucchini before they all died and never got any watermelon, pumpkins, or cantaloupe. So sad. =( So most of the garden is dead and pulled out including tomato plants which got huge but never produced anything. Only thing I have left to use is parsley, basil, carrots (will be gone soon), onions (also almost gone), some corn that's hanging on but about to die, and some pretty flowers.

Big Boy Bed!!!

We have some BIG news. I feel totally ambushed but Aaron took it upon himself to decide at 2 years old it is time for Porter to sleep in a big boy bed, so while I was at YW yesterday he turned the crib into a bed. It was a looooooong night. Porter got up at 1:30am, 6am, 7am, and somewhere else in between I think. Each time Aaron got up with him. That's right! We'll see if it sticks and if he does sleep and still take naps. If not, my vote is back to the crib for a little longer. What's the rush? Tonight he did ask to go "night-night" and when I turned out the lights he climbed into bed, laid down, and stayed there when I closed the door. Only heard a tiny protest but that's it. Let's hope he stays asleep for the rest of the night now.
This one where he's curled up looks like he's praying or sleeping. What only an insider would know (aka Mommy) is that he's actually doing his "business". Yup, that's right. A little TMI for ya.
Last post I told you how Porter reads Thomas the Train magazines during the stories at Story Time. This is him today doing just that...what a cutie!
Chancho took his afternoon nap (or napS) in a pile of dirty laundry I had on the floor yesterday. Funny dog.

More Story Time & Cool Dude

Porter did GREAT at story time today! He actually sat down on the rug several times for a minute or so each time. I was so proud! It's getting packed (about 30 kids today!); I really wish our branch did more than just the one time each day. Porter loved singing the library song and did the signs with it, loved singing "Where is Thumbkin" and did that one also, the ABC song, and of course the teddy bear song. During the stories he usually explores but has started to sit on the floor and read magazines. He looks for the "choo-choo" which is the Thomas the Train magazine. We'll look through that and I have him point things out. So cute!

While the librarian went through colors with the kids using a pop-up book Porter got so excited! With each color he could squeal "OOO!" and point to it as he stood up. He was just so thrilled! It was really darling.
Yesterday we went shopping and he loved wearing sunglasses in the store and my sunglasses in the car. Cool dude! If you asked him what was on his shirt he would say "Da-DOW!" In other words "Ca-chow!" which is what Lightening McQueen is known for saying on the movie "Cars".
We took our doggie friend for a walk the other night and this is how Porter ended the walk. When I took the water bottle his arm stayed in the exact holding position.

I get a kick out of the little things in life and this is one of them: when I have things that can go together to make reading more fun. Got this fun book in TN and Porter has this frog from his Nana that he got for his birthday last year, so when I read the book he can act it out with the frog.

Nashville/Ohio Trip-Part 2

This post continues our trip back east where we stayed with Stacey and Matt in the Nashville area and visited my parents. Porter and I LOVED spending time with Simon (my nephew, his cousin) and of course my beloved twin Stacey and her Mathew, and my Mom and Dad. Uncle Matt does lots of fun things like take the boys for a ride in the cooler. Whoo-hoo!
The Gilday's have two cats who Porter was fascinated with but they didn't appreciate the toddler attention so much. Whenever he saw them he would do the sign for "cat" and say "Moow" for "meow". Porter got too close to Maddi once and she swatted at him leaving two little marks on his arm. When we asked him where his "owie" was he would point to it, then Matt would go "Tough!" which Porter would follow by doing "muscles" as you see here. I love Stacey's cats; they are so cute and soft. They just get nervous around little kids like my dogs do.

While out there I was lucky enough to be able to attend the baby blessing of our newest nephew (Aaron's sister Rachael's son) Thadeus Park. It was awesome! I drove to Clarksville and had a wonderful visit with Luke, Rach and their cute cute boys. Rachael whipped up an amazing meal that we enjoyed after the blessing and it was divine.

This is cute baby Thad. Love this baby! Looks exactly like his handsome daddy Luke.
Porter having fun on a Sit n' Spin.
Porter had a lot of time in a car seat on this trip. We did a lot of traveling.
Playing at the pool at Grandma and Papa's place. Porter loved going over there; they have so many fun toys that he wouldn't even notice I left the few times I dropped him off. One of those times was a Thursday night so that Stacey and I could attend Institute (and for Porter to have grandparent time). It was such an amazing class! I learned so much.
Cousins taking a bath
Family Home Evening was fun. We had a "good ol' fashion" one just like when we were kids where we used the vacuum and an upside down laundry basket to form a podium/microphone. We sang primary songs, said a prayer, had a lesson, and had a treat. Great times! My nephew Ethan spent a couple weeks with Grandma and Papa (aka Mom/Dad) so he was around to have fun with us. The FHE lesson was on David and Goliath and Porter unexpectedly acted it out by "beating" Ethan up with a pillow. Ethan was a really good sport and would throw himself onto the couch all the while Porter laughed hysterically.
There are a few things we HAVE to do every time we visit the Nashville area and one of the things on that list is to eat at The Pancake Pantry. LOVE that place! Was introduced to it in college and have never found a better pancake place since. PP was even featured on the Travel Channel! It's really popular and there is usually a huge line to get in.
Stacey and I always get the best thing on the menu...sweet potato pancakes! They are award winning pancakes made with real sweet potato's in the batter and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. They are served with a special cinnamon cream syrup, and according to the website, are the most popular choice. Yum yum yum. Porter LOVES pancakes (probably because it's always Aaron that makes them) and calls them "cakies". He of course enjoyed these, even if not made by his Daddy. (Stacey and I dressed alike that day.)


After Pancake Pantry, Stacey visiting a friend and her new baby in the hospital, and a free McDonald's fruit smoothie, we went to Centennial Park in Nashville. It was a hot hot day (poor babies and their red faces)...actually every day out there was hot. There were extreme heat advisories the whole time I was there. Good thing I like it warm! Anyway, Centennial Park is Nashville's premier urban park that houses The Parthenon as its centerpiece. It has a re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is located inside the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals. Very cool.
This is Porter going "Hooray!"
Porter signing "baby" and then pointing to Simon. What cute, cute boys!

Reading to my boys. LOVE them!!!!!
Out on a stroll with the boys and a little girl Stacey babysits on occasion. Man the heat is intense when you add 100% humidity in there!
When we go to Stacey's we LOVE to go on walks behind her house where there is a nice creek and animals. Feeding the donkey's is fun for the kids.
Simon


Another one of our highlights was visiting Cannonsburgh Village in Murfreesboro which is a reconstructed Southern village. The village serves as a living history museum of early Southern life is such a neat place to visit. Papa (Dad), Stacey, me, Grandma (Mom), Simon, Ethan, and Porter battled the heat and did a self-guided outdoor tour of the village. And yes, again Stacey and I dressed alike. Our boys too; the four of us wore brown shirts and light pants/shorts.



We got to take a private tour of the new state-of-the-art hospital but we had to dress for business. It was fun dressing up in Stacey-accountant-business-attire! Didn't take any pictures of the hospital. Couldn't look like tourists.
Porter's job of feeding the animals. He loves it. Our dogs, my friend's dog, Stacey's cats...he loves it! Most of the time he will spill some and automatically go "Uh-oh" and pick up the food one by one.
We had a nice BBQ night and Grandma made Porter a birthday cake (was also Ethan's) with homemade cream cheese frosting. So yummy! Porter loves to blow out candles.
Snack Attack time! This was a cute idea and activity Grandma did for the kids; you made a man using snacks. Stacey and I went shopping for deals several times and loved when her second-hand store had bag sales where you filled a bag (books or clothes) for $5! Man we got some good stuff!
Time to go home. *sniff* Sure missed the Daddy (Aaron) and doggies (Chancho and Chia), but also loved time with family. Darn the distance.