Favorite Things

Playing in the orchard while I was waiting for some photoshoot clients.

Love these two!!

Tyler and his most special stuffed animal, Morgan.

 She was so worth it!  (The difficult pregnancy)

 Relaxing so patiently with his Bluey and Morgan while I am snapping photos of another family.

Now this is the epitome of serenity.

 One of her favorite dresses (okay, one of many, she loves dresses) and her birthday butterfly wings.

 "Give me your best smile and we can be done!" I tell her...

Um, okay, we can be done. 

Tyson's Birthday on KSL

This is what Beth (Tyson's KSL co-producer) and I pulled off for Tyson birthday surprise at work this morning!  It aired halfway through the 6am newscast. :-)

The Cabin

On July 19th, a few days before Tyson's birthday, we drove up to meet his parents in their Island Park family cabin.  The kids were almost as excited to go to the cabin as Tyson was!  For Lydia, it would be her first time there.

 Tyson has so many fond memories and good stories to tell of his adventures here when he was growing up.

 Look, I'm in a field with a horse!

 Fondly watching his kids play by the same frog pond where he used to play.

 He loves taking pictures.

 It was a quick 2 night stay, but we did lots.  My favorite being rafting down the river and going to Sacrament Meeting in church on Sunday with close to 1,000 other campers.  How awe inspiring to see so many people not using vacation as an excuse to skip church.  There was a strong sense of the Spirit in the large log A-frame overflow building we met in.

 Our family getting ready to head home.  I also learned my tolerance for road trips is 3 1/2 hours, then I'm done.  I must be getting old.  Or I need better treats, a book on CD, and napping kids.

Anyway, glad we could go to Tyson's old stomping grounds and have him make new memories with his own kiddos now!

Sparkly Nails and Hand Dimples

Despite having to work, sleep, and go to school my entire birthday, Tyson made sure I was taken care of - sending me to my favorite restaurants all day and getting a pedicure.  When Lydia noticed my sparkly toenails a few days later, she wanted some too.  Her 1st foray into nailpolish was a hit.  She is quite proud of her sparkly nails (look at those cute little dimpled hands and tiny feet!).

Midway, UT Staycation

When I won a 3 night stay at the Zermatt Resort in Midway, UT we decided to go up over the 4th of July weekend.  I've always loved Midway, a little Swiss town tucked in the mountains up Provo Canyon, and someday would love a cabin or vacation home there.  While living at BYU, I remember the Zermatt Resort opening and wondered if I'd ever be able to afford a stay there.  Our rooms were impressive, indeed!  They gave us 3 rooms - a master bedroom and a standard bedroom, 2 bathrooms, a living room with fireplace, and a full kitchen.  The kids liked jumping on the beds, giggling until midnight with each other, cooking a pizza in our kitchen, and the swimming pool the best.

We arrived on the 4th of July in time to get BBQ at The Homestead (a sister resort across the street) and watch fireworks on their golf course.

We hiked to the top of the resident crater to see the view.  The kiddos made friends with people swimming and scuba diving in the thermal pool inside the crater.

At the bottom of the crater.

 While Tyson finished his work week at the station in SLC the next day, Tyler, Lydia, and I explored The Zermatt.  It has a carousel.  Every hotel should have a carousel.

 Tyler likes to bring a notebook and pencil with him.  Since he can't write yet, he draws the things he sees and the ideas he gets.

 With Tyson back and rested, we drove up the canyon to walk the Bridal Veil Falls trail.  Tyler found a friendly butterfly and was absolutely thrilled.  Good for him for being gentle enough to hold it.

 Dada and Lydia at the base of the falls.

 Tyler fashioned a fishing pole out of a stick and some pipecleaner (and I started humming "Big River" songs).  He didn't catch anything though.  Nuts.

 Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Jim drove up to meet us the next day for a hike up at Cascade Springs.  This is a perfect hike for me. Nice and groomed and pretty.  WIth just enough incline here and there to say I'm hiking. :-)

 In which I make an appearance in a photo.

 She had to stop at every drinking fountain.  And do it herself.

And stop at every sign.

Grandpa Jim with his grandkiddos. 

 Grandma Joyce knows what will make Lydia happy.

 Fun trip close to home!  At the end of it all, I asked her to sit at the bottom of the crater and be my model.  I do not know how she learned to pose like this, but it cracks me up!

 Awww.  Love it when they're friends!

Their Official Birthday Photos and Updates

Every year, we give the kids a birthday photoshoot (with someone other than their Mama) to track their yearly growth and cuteness.  

Tyler is 6.  He loves science, outer space, crystals, rocks, his blue blankey, Morgan (his stuffed beagle), Callie (his cat), bagels and lox, talking about important things with adults, science experiments with Opa, the Planetarium, making paper airplanes, our neighbors (the Toblers and Worker Man and Worker Lady), having books read to him (like The Magic Treehouse series, The Little House on the Prairie series, and anything else), otter pops, small legos, his Mama and Dada, his grandparents, his sister, Mini Man adventures with his Dada, camping, and snuggling with Mama while watching kids shows in the morning.  He wants to go to Paris someday.  And to be the first man on Mars and a scientist.  Tyler is so smart and thoughtful and sensitive to those around him, especially his Mama.  He takes good care of me and is proud of his Dada and his sister. 

 Lydia is 3.  She loves her family (Tyler, Mama, Dada, Grandma, Opa, Grandma Joyce, Grandpa Jim, Polly, Callie, Cousin Levi...I could go on...), climbing, princesses, playing with rocks and dirt, baths, swimming, snuggling, being read to, being sung to, singing, dancing, her Cinderella dress from Disneyland, playing with Tyler, swinging, diving into you with all her might to give you a hug, looking at pictures on phones, watching videos on Grandma Joyce's phone, playing with Opa on his ipad (yes, she will be our tech savvy child), the rainbow reflections that come through our glass door in the evening, medium and big legos, running errands, going to Tyler's Kindergarten class, and babies.  She can't wait for her turn to play soccer, dance ballet, and go to preschool.  Everyone should have a Lydia.  She has an absolute joy for life within her and she is not shy to show her absolute love and devotion for you.  She is so good for one's self esteem!  

Despite their squabbles, they really do love each other, they just need communication intervention at times.  Every day.  But, have them apart for a few hours and they desperately miss each other.

Photos by Melissa Burnett Photography