September in a Flash

September seemed to fly by, I couldn't seem to remember where it went or what I did in that time, luckily I had some photo proof that I had done things and not just sat in my room for the whole month. I thought that I had uploaded these pictures in order but they didn't seem to stay so, so I apologize for the even more sporadicness of this post. 

Kyle flew in for a week at the beginning of the month, on his way to a conference in Boston. It was fun to see him although between me being at work and him going to Idaho with the rest of the family for a quick trip to a cabin I felt like I didn't get to see him that much. One night when I got off work we did get to go on a bike ride, he used my old heavier bike and even though I had an unfair advantage it felt good for not being the slowest one for a change :)

Sarah headed off to BYU-I and we wanted to all get together one more time before she left, we all met up at Zupas and hung out there what seemed forever just talking. When we were leaving we decided to go to Sarah's newly discovered park. Sarah, Derek, and I climbed to the top of pyramid but Michelle stayed down at the bottom. It was a fun night with us being at the park until after midnight.

Kayla and I were bored one night, we were trying to what to do, I told her about this chalk festival I had read about and asked if she wanted to try it. So we headed down to Riverwoods and found that this festival was bigger than we thought, they had blocked off the whole parking lot and people were each given a parking spot to draw their picture. I couldn't believe the talent that we saw, these are just two pictures of the amazing things we saw. Besides chalk there was some other things going on (probably would have been more if it wasn't so late at night), but I was definitely attracted to the art and I would definitely go again next year. 

After the bike race Derek, Kayla, and I were on our way home when I went over a pothole and all of our bikes and the rack fell off my car. One of my rims got bent so bad that it couldn't be repaired so I had to order a new one. Derek was super nice and helped search and find a good replacement rim for me and when it came he taught me how to change it. Apparently I am just in a learning streak about tire related things. It was a hard week or so without being able to bike (Derek had taken my other bike so his brother could look at it, tune it up and make sure that everything was ok with it) and I was so happy to have it back in commission and to go out again. 

Michelle texted Kayla, Derek, and I saying she wanted to hangout with us, Derek suggested that we go up AF Canyon and have a bonfire. It was so nice and relaxing. I hadn't realized how nice it was to sit in front of a fire, with your feet up to keep them toasty and just talking with friends. I want to go again and it's getting to be the perfect weather so that it will be even more appreciated. 

We welcomed a new little boy into the family. Joel and Becky had a new baby and just from the pictures he is precious! I so wish that we lived closer so that I could cuddle him. I can't believe how much he looks like Parker. The more I look at the pictures I realize that I may just have to plan a trip out there soon so that I can hold him and other cutie pies (of course to New York as well where there is another cute new baby to hold). 

I don't know why but I really like this picture and one other that I took that day. I thought that my hair looked really cute and I felt skinnier that day. 

We've been doing lots of different fun projects at my job but I loved the way that these turned out. They were talking about the letter D in preschool and on Monday's my art and craft project has to focus on what they are learning in preschool. I cut out a bunch of different shape pieces and let the kids design their own dinosaurs. 

I had lots of different bike rides this past month. One day I came home from work and was especially needing the release of the bike ride, I needed to think and clear my head. It had been pouring rain pretty much all day and I was determined to go no matter what because I knew that I needed it. As I pulled my bike out of the garage I looked up and saw a double full rainbow, it was a great beginning. I felt blessed because the rain stopped just long enough for me to ride, as soon as I got home it started raining again. 

The next morning I went on another ride and everything seemed determined to stop me, I tried to go one way and the road was closed for construction (it was completely dug up--no way to try and ignore the signs) and then I went down this super long steep hill to try and get on my path that normally goes home and was riding into the sun when all of a sudden this showed up, my trail seemed to be gone! I also had my first dog chase me while riding and I think there were a couple of other things that happened, it was definitely my most adventure filled ride. 

I watched Isabel one morning so that Sonia could go to institute. She spent the first part of it throwing a fit with me, I wasn't too concerned because I could tell that it was an angry cry and not a sad/scared cry. I quickly found out why she was screaming when I went inside to put my bags down and came back out to her totally zonked out in the car. What is it about sleeping children that is so cute/sweet? I love walking by the napping room at work and watching those sweet spirits. 

I just realized that these last two aren't actually from September but oh well. Last Wednesday Kayla and I were just out and about when I got a notification from Facebook that someone in my moms ward had posted on the neighborhood facebook page that they had tickets for Saturday afternoon session of General Conference and asked if anyone wanted them. I asked Kayla if would be something that she would be interested in going to and she said that she had never been before so I quickly responded before anyone else could (I replied a minute after they had posted---I'm that good :D). It was such a good session (as conference always is), I can't wait to reread all of those talks. 

Friday night Kayla and I randomly decided to go bowling, when we got there we found out it was only $15 for unlimited bowling. We played for almost three hours, it was so much fun. I realized that I'm a terrible bowler but it was so much fun :)

I'm sure that there is much more that I did with my time in September but this gives me an idea of where the month went. 

Adventures As a Child-Napper

With all of my time spent with kids (young to old) there is something that I've learned...there is good, bad, funny, not-so-funny, happy, irritating moments. And you have to learn to smile and laugh through the good and take deep breaths (and remember the good) during the bad. As I watch Allisyn 3 days a weeks and Emily/Addy 2 days a week I have many opportunities for funny things to happen. I'm sure that there are many more but these are some of the ones that I can remember at the moment...

...several weeks ago Allisyn started making a new noise, it sounded like she was choking (which of course greatly concerned me). Every time I would look over at her she would stop making the noise and act like everything was ok, I picked her up to make sure that everything was ok. I told her that she shouldn't make that noise, it made me concerned that something was wrong and that she couldn't breathe. Her response...sticking out her tongue at me :)

Yesterday I discovered while playing hide and go seek it's probably best not to play right after it has snowed outside (unless playing with a 2 year old like I was), the snow is a dead give away to what direction you have gone for your hiding. But because I was playing with a 2 year old it was probably good because it made it a little easier for her.

With little girls your purse is free game. A couple of weeks ago I was sitting on the couch minding my own business when Elle (friend of Emily) took my purse and every item somehow became a gift for Emily on her birthday (each item was taken out one at a time and given to her and they would talk about each thing).

I forget the things that are said while little girls play dress-up...(heard from Elle while she and Emily were playing pretend several weeks ago---Elle had a pillow under her shirt so that she looked pregnant), "Pretend that I heard the baby crying in my stomach and I started bouncing up and down because I knew she liked it."
While on campus with Allisyn we stopped in the bathroom and as we were walking out there were two girls sitting by the couch's talking, as I passed them one randomly turned to me and complimented me on my stroller. I kindly said thank you and as soon as I was out of the bathroom started laughing (*no offense to Erin and J.J.'s stroller, it is cute but it just made me laugh).

Potty Training

I babysit a two year old...she is mostly potty trained but she is still a two year old and has problems sometimes. Last week we had an episode where she had wet panties. Later that day we were getting ready to go outside and play but I explained that I needed to go potty before we left, she didn't understand why I needed to do that and so I explained to her that I didn't want to have wet panties (the ways of explaining to a two year old :D), after I went to the bathroom she was very concerned about whether or not my underwear was wet and even offered me a pair of hers to wear (very sweet and rather funny at the same time).

Yesterday we were in the middle of playing a game when I told her that I needed to run to the bathroom really quick, as I was shutting the door I hear "is your underwear ok?" That's the last time that I try explaining something to a two year old! ;)