We love to see the Temple

This past weekend we took a little roadtrip down to Portland. There, we met up with my parents. They babysat for us while Jacob and I attended the Temple. (If you would like to learn a little bit more about LDS Temples, click here.) We had not had the opportunity to attend the temple for quite a while. We truly appreciate my parents providing us with the opportunity to be together in the temple for a couple of hours. It was a good to be there together and reflect on our marriage, our family, and our relationship with our Savior.

Just last week, for our Family Night, we looked at a picture of the temple, sang a song about preparing to go to the temple, and then built our own temple out of legos. It was somewhat spontaneous and it cracked me up when Sawyer got out the little lego Sir Topham Hat and told me he was going to go to the temple, too. Seriously? Kids are sponges. They really do soak up what you teach them and the behavior and habits their parents and peers model. Anyway...it was fun that we could take Sawyer to the temple and let him explore a little bit of the beautiful grounds.

We had a great time, albeit pretty whirlwind, visiting with my parents. It's nice we are able to see them from time to time. Sawyer sure loves to see "Grammie and Granpa!" We also went to the pumpkin patch...but I'll save that for another post.

Whether of the LDS faith or not, would you all agree our temples are beautiful? Anyone have a favorite? I've always really loved the one in San Diego...it looks like a castle from a fairytale. But really, they are all beautiful in their own way.

Swingin' into Fall: 8 months old!

Has another month already passed us by? I swear every month I pose the same question: how does the time fly by so quickly?

The answer surely must be: when you're having FUN!

Fun we are having...but I still can never get over how fast time seems to be slipping through the hourglass these days. Does anyone else feel like it goes faster the older you get? I sure do. And according to wonderful people beyond me in years - it just keeps getting faster. Yikes!

I remember being a kid, when a day seemed like forever. I miss that. All the more reason, though, to be with my kids and love them and play with them and cherish them each day. I feel so blessed to be able to "stay at home" with them. Staying at home often means...walks to the park, playing at the beach, outings to the zoo, etc...lots of fun!

So on one of our walks to the park by our home this week, I snapped a few of Aspen (something I try to do each month the first year, if you haven't notice already :)

Dearest Aspen,

As you rounded the corner to 8 months, all of a sudden you just don't look like quite such a "baby" anymore. Well, of course you are a baby (and, just like your brother, you will always be my baby!), but you know - not quite like such a very young baby. Maybe it's the hair clip? Of course, I only put it in for pictures, because it's too small and you would surely eat it if you got your cute little chubster fingers on it.

I am thoroughly enjoying you being my baby.

A few things about you this month:

LOVE sucking on things and putting things in your mouth.

(there have got to be some teeth in there somewhere, anxious to erupt...but I'm not complaining - no teeth means no biting while nursing, ha ha!)

You have abandoned your army crawl for speed crawling.

You also decided you like to stand up. Any chance you get, you are pulling yourself up to stand. Please not yet! I just know I will blink twice and wish you a Merry Christmas and you'll be walking and we'll be serving you Birthday cake. Please wait to walk, just a bit longer? Pretty please?

You had your very first diaper rash. Poor girly. Poor little bum. Not sure if it was from changing the detergent I was your cloth diapers in, or from trying broccoli for the first time. Either way, diaper rash is the pits for cute girls like you!

You tried your first "real" solid food - finger food (oh, besides those puff things) - cute up banana. Yeah, having teeth will help with the table foods, but you sure enjoyed gumming the banana. Yummy stuff. This week I'm going to see how you like avocado. I have enjoyed making your baby food. And you seem to love all of it! You make the cutest little sounds, like it tastes just divine :)

Speaking of noises - you can be very noisy! I swear you are trying to imitate your brother - you have this cute gruff little voice and you try to make the car noises he does. You also make some really girly noises, which are quite delightful.

Overall, my sweet darling, you are delightful! We couldn't have imagined a happier girl. Or a cuter one, for that matter!

Doesn't she look SO BIG in the swing? Must be those 'jeggins. Yup. I can't believe I got a chubby infant a pair of skin tight jeans/leggins, but that I did. She has gotten many compliments - I mean, COME ON, peeps, they show off her curvy, sexy thighs so well!

Anyway...in case you think all I do is focus (pun intended) on my daughter - don't worry, her brother is always close at hand. He has discovered a way to "fly" on the swings.

Just call him SUPER SAWYER

and you'll get this big grin.

LOVE THIS BOY!!!

Yes, F-U-N. That is how time flies!

Seven Months

-The army crawl got her where she wanted to go, but she's traded it in now for her hands and knees. She actually does the "downward dog" really well, too...future yoga instructor, perhaps?

-She says "Mama" but I'm not sure she really means it...yet. She makes the cutest little noises and has such a sweet little voice. (I should also note that while some of her noises are cute, sweet, and little, she has also learned how to screech and make some pretty loud noises thanks to her big bro.)She now gets upset (and voices it) when Sawyer grabs a toy away from her. We've been working on sharing and trading. She now has a few of her own cars to share and trade with her brother (I tried to pick out girly cars...pink cadillac, purple cruiser...)

-She continues to be fascinated with her brother. She loves Sawyer. She watches him and laughs at him and follows him around, everywhere. It is sweet.

-Food has never been a problem with this girl! I started making homemade baby food and she loves everything from Asparagus to Organic Peaches. She also likes those little "puffs" and is really good at grabbing them and putting them in her mouth. She has also learned how to drink water from her sippy cup. No signs of teeth, yet.

-It is getting difficult to change her diaper and her clothes...we call her Miss Wiggles...she likes to wiggle and roll and crawl away.

-She loves water. She loves having bath time with her brother.

And she is SUCH a little FISH! This summer we went to family swim once a week and she has no problem being dunked or thrown up for a big splash or kicking or back-floating. She makes very happy noises in the water and she flirted with way too many lifeguards. I love that she loves to swim!

-She loves playing outside, and going for nice long walks. She loves singing and reading stories (still have to watch out that she doesn't eat the book...) She also loves dancing.

-She loves playing with her brother's cars...and the duplo legos are a big hit, too. The better to suck on, I suppose!

-She loves when Daddy comes home...she books it towards his voice as he comes up the stairs in his biking gear. She gets giddy to see him and it warms my heart. I think he likes it too :)

-Sleeping...she still sleeps and snuggles right between us. We love waking up to her big smiles and little legs a kickin' to start a new day!

Overall, she continues to be the happiest and most chill baby I've ever met. She is content and sweet and we love her bushels and pecks! (I hope she continues with her easy-going and lovable temperament through her teenage years as well!)

"buildin' it"

Well, it was time. I mean, who has a business with "Little Red Wagon" in the name and doesn't actually own one? That changed when the doorbell rang last week and the Amazon delivery guy delivered my new, yet classic, Radioflyer. MMM HMMM. You might say it was a gift from my dear Grandpa Millard and Grandma Iris. I think they would have approved. I know it's kinda funny, but it means a lot to me, thinking of this as a gift sent from them, since they were such a huge part of my life and the beautiful memories of my childhood.

Just like his Great-Grandpa Millard (who was a Master Mechanic on everything from planes to trains), Sawyer is a guy who is intrigued by things that move. He is pretty much obsessed with cars, trucks, planes, trains, you know. SUCH A BOY. The new wagon sat in the box for several days and Sawyer kept asking about it. I told him we needed Daddy to help us build it. Well past bedtime last night, we all went outside in front of our garage and got to work. My heart did a little flip when I saw Sawyer helping his Daddy.

Me: I think we're ready to put the wheels on now.

Sawyer: (as shown above - carefully sets each wheel on top of the wagon, then announces:) I built it, Mommy, I put the wheels on!

Me: (heart doing little flips to see my son holding a tool in one hand, so proud of himself) Good job, Sawyer!

Sawyer: very proud smile. very proud. big. huge. smile :)

Anyway, we did build it. We built it, and then I pulled Sawyer around our driveway. And then Sawyer pulled Aspen around our driveway. And then, Daddy pulled Mommy, Sawyer, and Aspen around our driveway.

I am happy to have acquired this wagon to use as it as a mascot and prop in my Photography busines...but, more than that, I am so looking forward to the memories our family will create pulling this little red wagon along during their childhood. I imagine it will be the kind of thing that one day our grandchildren will love, and their parents will tell them about riding along in Mommy's wagon. Because that's what Sawyer calls it: Mommy's wagon. You know, I'm still just a kid at heart anyway. A kid kinda grown up, with kids of my own, but still just a kid. I think I pretty much always will be, if that's okay?

If anyone wants a ride in my new wagon, come on over!

Uwajimaya Treats for Lunch

A few nights ago, we had the pleasure of meeting some friends for dinner in the International District. We had Cantonese food and it was DELISH. We don't go out to eat very often, so it was a welcome treat to spend the evening eating good food with great company.

We were trying to get a good parking spot, and couldn't find one very close to the restaurant, so we decided to park at Uwajimaya, which is this awesome Asian grocery store. You get 2 hours of parking for free if you buy $15 worth of groceries. It's a good deal, considering if you pay to park you get nothing but...a parking spot.

So, after dinner, we went to select some fun things from the market. Of course, we had so much fun looking for things to buy, we ended up exceeding the 2 hour limit - so we got to pay $7.50 for parking and $15 for groceries. I guess it was kind of an expensive parking spot, afterall!

Yesterday for lunch, Sawyer and I dug into the goods...

Good stuff! I was especially excited about the big "bubble" colorful tapioca beads we got. I cooked them then tossed in a little honey and Sawyer loved it. It made me crave BubbleTea, which we haven't had since June. Oh how I LOVE BubbleTea! (it's really not like tea at all for those who haven't tried it - more like a fresh fruity smoothie! the big tapioca beads are considered the "bubbles")

Anyway, here is Tysha signing off on another kind of random post. But good stuff! If you live near a Uwajiaya - go check it out!!! (just keep an eye on your watch so you don't pay too much for parking!)

PS - The RED BEAN MOCHI ICE CREAM IS TO DIE FOR!!!

PSS - We also got a HUGE bag of brown rice to put in our food storage - not just all sweets! :)