Hail King Taylor!!

We kicked last weekend off with an amazing discovery: MELLOW MUSHROOM. Our favorite hippy-dippy, Southern-bred, whole-wheat pizza loving chain right here in Denver. I know!!! I'm so excited too. We ordered our favorite pizza-- the Caesar, as well as the amazing whole wheat Parmesan pretzels.

Yum! I'm so happy we found a little piece of the South here in the Rockies. I caught Jon with his mouth full, but I think his face says it all. I'm sure we'll be back many times.

The following morning Uncle Taylor flew in to visit from Boise. Jon picked him up at the airport, got his dental work figured out, and then we headed to lunch at Chipotle. My kids were so so so excited to have Uncle Taylor here! He's so funny, and fun to be around, they all fought to get to sit at the table with him.  

Next we went to Sky Zone, which is an indoor trampoline park. Waaaay better than Monkey Joe's, my kids (minus Leah who was being cranky) and Jon and Taylor had a total blast bouncing around on all of the trampolines-- and their favorite was jumping into this foam pit. Here's Taylor diving right in.

Jon going in feet first!

Lucy doing a spread eagle right into the pit! It was so funny to watch them all--especially when they tried dodgeball! Zach tried to copy whatever Taylor did, but mostly unsuccessfully. 

All tuckered out after our 60 minute jump time! Ever since we moved to Colorado, Lucy's had a really hard time breathing. Whether it's due to the higher elevation and thin air, or allergies to new plants, her asthma-like symptoms have been a little scary. We finally got it figured out with a doctor and she's got some new inhalers to help her out. Phew! 

We got to enjoy King Taylor for a few more days-- Jon and Taylor attended a Rockies baseball game Saturday night, we attended church Sunday, played lots of Mario Kart, Tay helped me drop off the kids at school, run errands, play baseball, shop at the Castle Rock outlet malls, and Monday night we got dinner at Maggiano's. We got an enormous slice of chocolate cake for dessert and Zach's reaction was priceless! If you know him, then you know he has a HUGE sweet tooth, and chocolate is his favorite. Getting to eat it with Taylor there too, was a dream come true! Thanks for coming to visit Uncle Beans!

Back to Babies, Back to Colorado, and Back to School!

Okay, okay, okay... Now that we're back in Colorado, and I'm well on my way to being almost 16 weeks along, it's time to make it official:

WE ARE EXPECTING BABY CARDON #4

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, right?!? To say this baby came as a surprise would hardly justify it. Total S-H-O-C-K, is more appropriate... When I took the pregnancy test (just two weeks before our move date), I literally had to lay down on the bathroom floor for 30 minutes before I could even call Jonathan to tell him-- every time I tried to stand up I'd almost black out again! Ha!

We certainly weren't trying for a baby-- and mind you, this was all taking place in the midst of buying our first house (so STRESSFUL), Jon exiting the military and preparing to start a practice with his brother in Colorado (so STRESSFUL), packing our whole house and getting ready to move across the country (so STRESSFUL), the kids finishing school, and the emotional weight of everything that goes along with all of the goodbyes, trying to find schools and doctors and church information in Colorado, and cleaning and preparing our rental house so we could check outta there... Sooo, why not throw a new baby into the mix, and do ALL OF THIS while battling migraines and morning sickness?!? Ha ha. Life is sure funny. Seriously, just read through the last 5 blog posts or so, and picture facing all of it sick, tired, feeling crummy, and being a hormonal wreck. BUT, we did it! And that's what counts. Now that things are FINALLY settling down a bit, and I was able to figure out our insurance and find a doctor, we can actually focus on how exciting it will be to have a new little baby, due February 4th!! This baby was ready to come and we are ready to welcome HIM or HER to the family!!

Although there was about an 85% chance this baby monster (Leah) was going to be our last baby, we are officially heading BACK to babies, and we're also now BACK in Colorado. The morning after we got home from Idaho, Jon's parents flew to Colorado to visit again. We picked them up from the airport and they took the kids to Cold Stone for some ice cream. I think Leah was a little overtired and in need of a nap, don't you? Look at that pouty face! 

They spent the first week at Jeremy and Kylene's house babysitting cousins Sophie and Isaac, while Auntie Kylene was out of town. While we'd been in Idaho, the carpet guys finally delivered our brand new, beautiful, clean, cat hair-free carpet to the entire first floor. Woohoo! That meant we Jonathan (I couldn't lift anything heavy) could finally move all the furniture up from the basement and into the bedrooms. After 2 months on an air mattress, my bed never felt so good! We headed to IKEA and bought Zach and Leah-- who are sharing a room, some brand new bunk beds.

Jon's parents came to stay with us for the second week, and were so good to let Jon and I go on some much needed dates. Monday night we went to the new Mission: Impossible movie, and Tuesday afternoon we went to the Denver temple.

We hadn't done a session together in a long time! It was great to see a temple we'd never been in before, and of course, get dinner at Cafe Rio on the way home!

Wednesday morning we got to use Kylene's Science Museum pass and take the kids to the many fun exhibits. Leah was feeling very brave to climb up on this dinosaur in the kids' play area!

They have a really cool exhibit on Mythical Creatures, and my kids love all things fantasy like Harry Potter and dragons and unicorns. 

 Zachary with the dragon! He's not afraid!

 Lucy and Sophie wanted to take a digital picture with JUST them, nobody else. They are so cute together and get along really well.  

All of us being burned up by the dragon! Yikes!

Thursday evening we (except for poor Jon who was working) all met at Chili's for one last dinner together. Jon's parents left back home for Washington the following evening and I'm sure were glad to get back home. They've spent the whole summer traveling! Aren't these cousins sure cute together?

We've been adjusting to all the new things at our house-- including the garden that the previous owners had started. They left us some amazing raspberry bushes and Lucy recently picked our very first ripe one!  

Some very playful prairie dogs right by our house. My kids think they are so cute when they pop their little heads out of their holes and look around. They want to catch one for a pet. (Yeah right).

Last weekend we finally got everyone in for a check-up and cleanings at Jon's new dental office. It was pretty fun to go see the dentist since it was their dad and all. No cavities for anybody!

We followed up our dental appointments with a trip to a local pool with a couple different water slides to try out. We just had to celebrate the end of summer! The kids had a blast as they kissed their very last weekend of freedom good-bye. Man! It went by SO fast...

I had been thinking and thinking of how I could tell the kids I was pregnant, and I finally decided to bake some cupcakes and put little plastic babies inside each one. When they ate them and discovered the baby, I asked them why they thought there was a baby inside, and then asked who they knew that might also have a baby inside???

Lucy thought about it for a second, and then exclaimed, "Mom! You're pregnant?!?" They were TOTALLY surprised! They've been pretty excited since then and have had lots of questions, and every day Zach asks me "how big is the baby today?" He is such a sucker for babies! They are all SURE it's going to be a boy.

Bright and early (well, not as early as in NC, thankfully) Tuesday morning the kids started their very first day of school at Frontier Valley Elementary. I love the way Leah is looking up at them in this picture! She misses them so much while they are gone all day. I think I am a poor substitute for a playmate.

My sweet Lucy started 3rd grade with Mrs. Younge, and loves it so far!

This handsome fellow started 1st grade with Mrs. Gerace. He has come home with lots of funny stories and has already made new friends. I'm so proud of how brave he is and how well he's adjusted to his new school and just gone with the flow... 

And this little Wee-Wees stays at home and keeps mom company! I'm glad to have her. I think if she was in preschool already I'd be lonely at home all by myself! I don't know what I'd do with myself after 9 years straight of babies and toddlers and kids at home. She'll be in school herself before you know it, just like the other two and growing up way too fast. Happy BACK TO SCHOOL wherever you are too!

Boise Bound!

Besides coming to help us get settled in the new house, Grandma Joanie also came to help me drive back to Boise for a little R&R. We'd been going through life since about the beginning of April at the speed of light, and the kids and I needed some serious vacation time. We left for Boise early Monday morning, intending to do the whole 12 hour drive in one day-- and we made it to Boise that night around 8:30 p.m. Did I mention yet that we're all reeeeally sick of driving?? 

Whitney and Grandpa Tom Tom were there with a warm chocolate bundt cake to welcome us out of the car-- I mean, what a way to set the tone for the next two weeks! We had our traditional Girls' Tea Party, and had fun using all of Grandma's fancy china, making cute little tea sandwiches, crudites, and girly desserts. 

With Grandpa and Uncle Taylor at work, poor Zach was the only boy and had to stick it out as our "Butler." He willingly sort of helped each of the ladies to their seats, and poured the tea and passed around food. What a good sport!

Cheese! Leah was happy to be a part of the girl party!

Lucy, Grandma, and cousin Eva (Sophie and Auntie Sarah were there too), 

Wee-Wees with her best friend Auntie Whitney, drinking our "Russian Tea" (hot water with lots of fresh lemon and mint).

The dessert tray! Lemon shortbread cookies, cake balls, and homemade suckers. Yum! 

Of course the rest of the day involved swimming in Grandma's pool! This was Lucy's newest cool trick she learned from Whitney this summer-- going down the slide head first.

Leah discovered this puddle-jumper and was able to float all around the pool without any help and she could keep up with all the other kids this way. She was so cute to watch"swimming" like a big girl!

We got to go for a bike ride on the Green Belt and have a picnic at Veteran's Park one afternoon. Poor Sarah (who was also 8 months preggo) had the thankless task of organizing the bike ride and finding enough "loaner" bikes from neighbors and friends so that everyone got one. 

Here we are! Halfway through our ride down to the Boise Zoo. The kids did AWESOME on that first leg....

By the last leg though, Zach decided he was hot, hungry, and utterly exhausted. Ha ha! We got back to the cars and he collapsed into a heap on the grass. 

That night just the adults (minus Grandpa who had a Bishopric meeting) got to go to dinner at my all-time favorite restaurant, Goodwood BBQ. I love their chicken sandwich and mashed potatoes! It was nice to relax and leave the kids with some babysitters from my mom's Mia Maid class.

 Sarah hosted everyone for dinner up at their house in Hidden Springs one night (in the Boise foothills) and the cousins had a blast riding bikes and playing on the slip n' side.

Ice cream is always a favorite for dessert! 

Taylor took the kiddos on rides on his moped (named "The Ruckus") and they LOVED it! Even Leah was a speed demon as long as Taylor was holding onto her very tightly.

We had tons of fun playing with Taylor, who we didn't get to see much last summer because he was working up at Red Fish Lake. My kids adore him!

We also had lots of wonderful bedtime stories read by Grandma Joanie.

Friday dawned cool and a little overcast, but my kids had heard about the Boise Hydrotube from cousin Eva all week, so we decided to go anyway. They had a blast! Leah loved cousin Sophie and they had a great time swimming in the kiddie pool.

Lucy loved jumping off the diving board.

But the highlight was definitely coming down the Hydrotube! I bought them an unlimited ride pass, and they literally went down it 20 times. They'd come out, climb back up, come out, climb back up, etc. etc.etc.

Even Zach-O loved it! He's so brave!

Jon flew in late Thursday night and met us, so that Friday night we got to go on a little dinner date for some yummy Mexican food while the others had roasted hot dogs in preparation for their "Grandpa Camp-Out."

Since we didn't have time to actually take the kids camping, my Dad decided to do a faux Camp-Out in the backyard. They started with hot dogs, and then went for a nature walk near my parents house.

Jon and I got back just in time for the campfire and s'mores. My parents have a great little fire pit in the backyard, perfect for telling ghost stories and teaching the young folk about "if the log rolls over, we will die." Don't ask...

Those are some happy campers with chocolatey faces!

That night Grandpa slept out in the tent with Lucy, Zach, Eva, and Sophie. What a fun memory! (And besides, that's MY kind of camping!)

Saturday morning we headed back up to Sarah and Devin's neighborhood to take family pictures. Leah was pretty much awful and non-cooperative, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of pictures Sarah was able to get, but at least they all matched and looked cute!

We had an EPIC swimming party that afternoon with the whole family since Sarah and her girls had to leave the next morning for a family reunion up in Canada. We're glad we caught them before they left!

Sunday evening my Aunt Kay and Uncle Ken drove up from St. George, in preparation for the big 5-day hike to the Frank Church Wilderness and Bighorn Crags. Before they left, the girls snuck in a quick pedicure that morning.

Here the brave hikers are! Before setting off for adventures in the wilderness and leaving civilization behind (Jon's Man-Post with pictures to come!)...

That night we honored Lucy's favorite tradition and walked to Delsa's for FHE and got ice cream. That little ice cream shop has been there since I was a kid and we seem to go every summer!

Our last week was filled with MORE picnics,

a splash pad or two,

a lunch date with Taylor,

another picnic,

and some playtime at the park!!

We even got to see construction started on the new Meridian, Idaho temple out near Eagle Island State Park. It'll be beautiful!

Of course there was lots and lots more swimming time!

My cousin Missy's kids came over to swim one afternoon, and Lucy got to see her friend Ellie. This was their little hiding spot from the boys. 

Zach loved playing catch with Taylor, and finally got the hang of running and jumping into the pool while catching the football. Nice!

Of course every pool party ended with popsicles for everyone!

Friday, July 24th, was Pioneer Day. We got pizza for lunch that afternoon at Costco. Leah's face cracks me up.

My mom borrowed these Pioneer Day outfits from her neighbor Sister Carr, and Lucy's was actually made to be a Laura Ingalls costume, which was PERFECT, because Lucy is reading and loving those books right now. She was thrilled.

At the church party that night the primary kids went on a parade around the building. It was sooooo HOT that night!

Then we had hamburgers for dinner provided by the Stake. Happy Pioneer Day!

We got to go shopping, out to eat at some of our favorite places, spend time with great grandparents (Grandma and Grandpa Charlie) as well as grandparents and aunts, uncles, and cousins, and mostly, just relax and have a break from moving and unpacking before school starts. We're so thankful we are able to DRIVE (and not FLY) to Boise to spend time with family and make some wonderful memories! Here's to next summer!