Another fun weekend

So cutie, Maddy, Max, and Oscar
Riding the 4X4s
First roller-coaster (I think Davis liked this more than Carter)
Who's spoiled?

So we have survived another weekend. The dog party went fairly well, not as many attendees as I had planned but it was still fun. Next time I will do it later in the day though, it was quite hot. The dogs enjjoyed visiting with the other dogs and especially all the treats. I don't do these every year, but it's nice to spoil my dogs once in a while. Who else loves you no matter what, any time of day, even after you yell at them. They are such loyal, patient creatures. It may be lame, but I love my dogs!

After the party we went to the carnival again which the boys enjoyed. This one was more expensive than the last so the bubs just did 3 rides and then had cotton candy and sno cones. They seemed pleased enough with that. And today we went to the park with Cyndel but it was rather hot again. Tomorrow there are plans for a trip to the gardens, then Cynni has offered to sit with the boys while they nap so I can go see the new Batman with Lowell (it will be his second time) and then I think we will try the swimming pool after nap, here's hoping it hasn't been shut down due to poo in the pool again. Thursday is a holiday here in Utah, Pioneer Day, the anniversary if when Brigham Young entered the Salt Lake Valley and declared that this was the place. It's a Utah history thing. We honor those who sacrificed greatly to found this great state and it is obviously a religious holiday for us as well. I am in awe of those pioneers and what they went through in the name of their God. My family members are included in those numbers, as wagon and handcart pioneers I believe as well as I honor the pioneers in my family that came to Utah well after 1847, my dad's parents who came following the prophet's call from a war-ravaged Holland (my grandpa escaped from a Nazi work camp) in 1951. So to honor these folks, well, mostly I'll be working and saving up money for Yellowstone and Disney, but then we are having a BBQ with my family and setting off some more fire-booms.

We are continuing to struggle with boys who do not want to sleep. The stay up to late wake up late won't take a nap, over-tired at bedtime cycle is continuing. We have broken it a couple of times but they seem to get right back off. I am really at a loss, I can't figure out what is up with them. They need the sleep as they are cranky and uncooperative (more than usual) without the rest so we will continue to push for their full night's sleep and a nap. Some may say it is time to give up the nap but 1, mommy still needs it based on her work schedule 2, a lot of experts agree they should be napping past 3 years old and 3, my kids inidividually do need it based on their crankiness. I am a sleep tyrant as I know it impacts, mood, and mental/physical development. We'll just keep trying and hope for better days ahead. Maybe it is their teeth? P.S. I just talked to Lowell and his sister said my nephew went through the same thing, but he did get back on schedule and still naps, he's 5.5. So, here's hoping it's a phase . . .

So here's a fun story about our sleep struggles. Davis wanted to sleep downstairs and he sleeps better there so I let him. I got Carter down, I made dinner and then got in the shower thinking how ahead of schedule I was and that the boys were quiet. While I was showering I heard some little voices but I assumed I was hearing them through the vent because there are door locks on the boys' rooms. The voices got louder so I opened the curtain and there were my 2 jail-breaks standing there looking at me (they saw me in my nakedness and said, Mama funny). Turns out Lowell had moved the door lock on the downstairs room when Davis moved upstairs so Davis had just opened his door when he didn't want to take a nap and then marched upstairs and let Carter out so they could have an adventure. I got them back to bed and it wasn't such a big deal, just a big surprise for me and a bummer that I ended up being late to work after having such a good head start.

Thus it is in the life of 2 2 year olds, they really do team up on me sometimes. They are getting more verbal with each other recently, or at least more verbal in English so I know what they are saying. Sunday Lowell had to check his school so we let the munchkins run around a little and I had to laugh at their little talks. They were jumping off a little ledge about 2 feet up (Carter jumps off the trampoline and lands it no problem, such a crazy boy) and here's how it would go D: Tome on Tarter, jump! C:1, 2, 3 go! D: Wow, Tarter dood job. C: Thanks Dadis, your turn. Once they managed to jump into each other but they jumped right up gave each other a hug and said they were sorry, Davis patted Carter on the back and said, 'All better". They can be so fun, but this week with the sleep issue they are just being so punky. Today they wanted to play in the garage while I made lunch (it is fairly child-proofed, they were "cooking" by putting chewed up pieces of corn dog in the wet-dry vac) and every time I would check on them Carter would yell, "Do back in the house, shut the door!" We are having a resurgence of No in our house as well, just everything is No. And hitting mommy and daddy, my we have such fun. Again, hoping it is just a phase but trying to keep the limits firm as they keep pushing our buttons.

Well, back to not working, I hope you all have a good day! :)