The Cry

I was impressed with the speed I moved with last night (being 6 months pregnant and a little awkward) when I heard Eleanor fall out of bed. I can usually get her calmed down before she wakes Penelope up but this was a different cry. Isn't it awful when you can't make the pain go away? So we had a quick little trip to the ER to confirm my suspicions that Eleanor had broken her clavicle. The problem with a broken clavicle is there really is no fix. Just 6 weeks of healing time in an uncomfortable figure 8 brace or a sling. She is ok as long as she doesn't move too much, but how do you not move too much when you are 23 months old? Poor babe.

Parade of Homes

So, I got a call the other day from one of the hospital auxiliary ladies. Their major fundraiser every year is a Parade of Homes. They charge for admission to go into 5 different homes in the Shelby area and take a look at what people have done to fix up their houses. Really, really fun to go get ideas from the other houses, not so fun when you are the one being asked to have your home as one of the homes they will show. I guess the word got out about our kitchen remodel so on Sept. 26th our home will be on the parade of homes.
With only a month to get everything finished that has been sitting patiently on our "To Do" list for the past year, we have been a little frantic. We have been painting outdoor trim and doors, finishing the tile in the kitchen, finishing the crown molding in the kitchen and living room, reorganizing the shed and garage, painting the playhouse trim and door, finishing the porch roof. . . Do you get the idea that we had a lot of unfinished projects? Well, on top of that, we decided, or maybe I should say that I gently suggested to Aaron, that we do some other projects as well. Why not use the deadline to get things done right?
So instead of forking over $1600 plus shipping and handling for these cute Pottery Barn beds, I found some plans at knock-offwood.com and Aaron built them. So for less than $300, we now have some really cute beds for Penelope and Eleanor with lots of extra storage options. Thanks Aaron!

A hand-me-down from a friend that I repainted. Perfect for holding little shoes.I repainted the dresser to match the beds. We replaced the old ceiling fan in our master bedroom with a new, nicer one. The problem is that my wheat-colored paint turned to mustard yellow in the new lighting, so I naturally had to repaint. And while I was at it, I decided that the room really needed some architectural detail. It already had the two chair rails on top, (which always bugged me because I don't know why they put them in and I didn't like them) so we added the rectangles to the bottom and repainted the room. The rectangles are hard to see in the pictures, sorry.

I really need a pretty blue accent pillow. Oh darn, more shopping. :) (Aaron made the bed by the way, so I wasn't about to complain about it being a little sloppy.)

I think the room is looking really pretty. It is much better in person. And anything would have been better than mustard.

Aaron installed a new chandelier in the kitchen. Please ignore the library books on the table and the shoes on the floor. :)

There are lots of other little things that we have done that I haven't taken pictures of, so I guess you will just have to come and visit to see the rest.

Here are some other random pictures I thought I would include.

We have to enjoy every day that there is not snow on the ground. Rain or not.The girls love their playhouse and honestly, who wouldn't? So many hours of enjoyment from left over wood and supplies from our shed project. Look how tall our corn is! Can you believe it? Now we just need one or two more weeks without a freeze and we will have yummy corn straight from our garden. The only problem is that is has been awfully cold and wet. Please, please, please don't freeze

Wish us luck that our stamina holds out and we can get everything finished before the 26th!

Our Vacation to SLC

We had a fun little vacation at the end of July. We spent the first few days in Cokeville visiting my parents. We had lots of fun playing with Angela's kids and Janet's kids and we watched the parade in Cokeville and then we went to Bear Lake where my sisters Penny, Amanda and Stephanie and families joined us as well. Always a good time. As you can see below, the girls had a great time and totally zonked on our way home from the lake. Penelope fell asleep still holding her Capri sun. That is tired. :)

After we left Cokeville we did some much needed shopping in Park City for Aaron and Penelope and then we checked into a hotel in SLC. That evening we went to Red Butte Gardens up by the U of Utah. They do a family night show every Monday, so we got to see some performers doing Brazillian Capeoira. It was really fun and the gardens were gorgeous. We really want to go back again, when it isn't bed time, and explore the gardens. We went to another garden the next day. We went to the children's garden at Thanksgiving point where they have a lot of fun things for the little ones. Mazes, water fountains you can play in, blocks, sand, little stone animals. . . and yes, that's right, a stage.

We also went to the dinosaur museum while we were at Thanksgiving Point and I think Penelope was truly terrified of this gigantic shark. She looks like she is ready to bolt. The next day we went to Hogle Zoo in the morning, this is Eleanor and I on the train. Then we went to the Discovery Gateway children's museum with Penny, Katy and Isabelle, which was fun.

While we were at the Gateway mall, the girls played in the fountains. Eleanor stayed by my side the whole time, but Penelope just attached herself to Isabelle and they were completely soaked by the end.
We also got to see all of Aaron's family at the family reunion in Heber. We had a great time but I didn't take a single picture. I can't believe it! Good thing we got some family pictures taken while we were there, thanks Melinda.

Family Reunion

We went to a family reunion at Heise Hotsprings in Idaho this last weekend. It was our first experience tent camping with our kids. They had a great time and slept well in the tent, so we may have to attempt it again. :)

I didn't take very many pictures while I was there, I was having fun too. But the few I got were good ones. Eleanor has reached a cling-to-mommy stage, but that didn't stop her cousins from trying to get her to let them hold her. At one point Justin, in this picture, was holding Eleanor's pacifier and sippy cup hostage to get her to come to him. It didn't work, but it was sure funny to watch. I tried to convince him that in 6 months she would be over the separation anxiety and would be more than willing to go to anyone by then. I don't think he believed me. Penelope loved her cousins and took full advantage of the attention. She had so much fun that she wore herself completely out. This is a picture of her at about 9 in the morning, oblivious to everything including Aaron packing up all of our stuff in the same tent and cousins, Aunts and Uncles walking into the tent to get a better look at her.

Oh Baby!

Baby # 3 is on it's way! Had an ultrasound today of the little peanut and it looks like we will be having the first January baby on both the Heaton and Cox sides of the family. January 7th seems like a long way away, but it will come all too quickly I am sure. Lots of things just got added to my to-do list. :)