May Fete Parade

This morning started off with a super sweet birthday call to my mom and a crazy long walk from our car to the 90th Annual Palo Alto May Fete parade. I love when there are fun events on my mom's birthday because I feel like we're celebrating her, even if she's far away.

We were able to walk in the parade this year with the Palo Alto library and it was so much fun. We were running a little bit late and parking was horrendous so we are grateful that we made it in time.

 The Library Group, Mother Goose & Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee

Comfort looked AMAZING in her dress and face paint...and Rowan's tiger face and Cedar's pumpkin suit was awesome.

Note to self: Next time the library gives cute candy favors to the kids walking in the parade, DON'T let them carry said candy while walking in the parade. We learned this the hard way when T dropped his jar on the parade route and it shattered in a million pieces and he cried because he couldn't eat the candy. Bummer.

T wanted a picture with the cat, but was a little nervous to hold it's hand. He was, however, ok with holding Rowan's hand and taking a picture all together.

The super cute Viles family, minus Frankie. Poor kid runs and covers whenever he sees me coming around with a camera.

 Me and my boys at the fair after the parade.

I pulled some fruit snacks and crackers out of my bag of tricks and it kept all the kids satisfied for a long while. While they were munching, I was rocking out to the band who sang Adele, Beatles and even Katy Perry--they were phenomenal!!!

They also had a car show and had lots of awesome old cars. This super nice man let T honk the horn on his cherry red Model T. It was be-autiful.

We finished the day with some Mexican food and an ice cream cone (although my throat is sore so nothing went down as well as I wished it had). Happy Birthday Mom...glad we got to celebrate you today!

Mormon Helping Hands

When I was in Sacramento we helped my parents with the Mormon Helping Hands project in their area. I don't know that I was any help in the park...but I tried to be a cheerleader with two crazies in tow!

After the service project we all went over to the Big Wig's for a BBQ and pool party. It was delicious and relaxing and a really great time. We LOVED seeing Kate too and we're glad she's home for the summer.

May just got so much sweeter...

Because this little doll is my newest niece.

Love you little Avery!

Elder Uncle Chase

I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with T when my brother Jordan left on his mission. Talmage only knew him by the letters I would read to him and the pictures he saw. We called him Elder Uncle Jordan and they met for the first time when T was nearly two.

It's weird to think that we are nearly repeating the situation--this time with an Elder Uncle Chase and an Evie that will only know his uncle by letters and pictures. Talmage on the other hand, he is very aware of his Uncle Chase and is going to miss him terribly. You should have seen my boo-boo lip the size of Texas when Chase mentioned that when he got home from his mission that T would be 5. FIVE? That's insane. And Evie will be T's age. They LOVE their Uncle Chase and I'm so grateful for the example he is setting for them.

Today was the day that things became official. My parents made the trek to Utah and dropped Chase off at the Missionary Training Center in Provo. He will study there for three weeks before heading to Ogden. He has shown so much maturity in preparing and receiving his missionary call and it's awesome to see his understanding of what missionary work is all about. He will do a great job teaching people about the love of Jesus Christ because His light emulates in Chase's face. 

I am so excited for him and proud of him!

We went back to Sac for the weekend so we could hear him speak in church and say goodbye. We were almost late to church because I was snapping pictures (and making Jim snap pictures) in front of the house...whoops! At least we got some good ones with that cute little brother of mine!

Me and my Mom after a fun morning of dress-up ;)

 I'm so sad Evie's not in this picture. He was sleeping. 

 President Taylor and Chasey

 We love you Elder Uncle Chase.

T's Surgery

As if Lucile Packard doesn't see enough of us with Evie's heart, we decided to throw T into the mix with some ENT trouble of his own. To make a really long story really short--Talmage has always been prone to bloody noses, but in the last three months or so it's gotten beyond intense. He has been having at least one, sometimes two bloody noses a day. After trying every remedy our pediatrician suggested we were finally sent to a specialist at Stanford. This doctor saw that a blood vessel in T's nose was bulging and decided it needed to be cauterized. So this morning we headed to the OR for T's surgery. When we showed up to the hospital T had a mild panic attack. He was really upset and kept saying, "No, dis is not my doctor. Dis is Evie's hospital where dey fix him. Dis is not where I go." It made me so sad and made me realize how much T really understood. It took Dora the Explorer in the Surgery Center Waiting Room to calm him down. He was given a sedative and then put under with general anesthesia, but he was only out for about an hour (if that). He woke up peacefully to a popsicle and Cars 2 and doesn't remember a thing. SCORE! They can only cauterize one nostril at a time and I am hoping and praying that round two goes as well as this one. 

Quite a few people in the surgery center recognized me from Everett's surgery and took extra special care of Talmage because of it! At one point he had four nurses admiring him, bringing him juice and adjusting his TV. He was supposed to ride to the car in a wheelchair but they went out of their way to get him a wagon because he REALLY wanted one. He was still a tad bit loopy...but all smiles!

We spent the afternoon watching movies and eating snacks. He started on jello and juice, but by this evening he was eating popcorn and macaroni and cheese. I'm glad that this surgery is over and am hoping that our days of bloody noses are gone.

New Camera Love

James got us a new camera for our anniversary. He never cared much about our old camera (which has been slowly dying for the last few months), but since he spent so much time researching and plotting the anniversary surprise he is suddenly very interested.
 

I mostly just want a camera to take cute pictures of the kids. Especially cute pictures that aren't overly fuzzy...and preferably ones that don't have a giant smudge in the middle of the screen.

I also like to capture the random moments. Like when T and Bryce marched around the courtyard with cones on their head. 

James is suddenly becoming super artistic. I will find random pictures of pine cones and buildings on the camera. I love it!

Hats, Goggles and His Scar

The Stanford hat has not left this kid's noggin since it was bought. 

Except for maybe during swim lessons. But he got to wear his new goggles, so that made up for it.  

 He touched the bottom of the pool. Twice. And is really learning to swim to and from Jeff.

 Jeff is singing "Twinkle Twinkle Dinosaur"--one of T's favorites. I really need to learn the words because he requests it often.

 Next week I need to loosen up them goggles a little bit. Whoops. 

 I don't know if you noticed...or maybe didn't notice...that Evie's scar looks AMAZING! Seriously, gorgeous. His smile too.

Lunch with Daddy at Wah School.