Birthday and Memorial Day

It's been a busy full week so far full of holidays. It is fun to have a birthday near a national holiday because you usually get an extra day off and can plan fun things with the family. I did work Saturday on my birthday but that really worked out nicely. My co-workers are so sweet, everyone came in on their day off to bring me treats and gift cards. Aren't they wonderful? I have some issues that are still resolving here, but for the most part we are a happy family and I am so so blessed by my choice in jobs. Lowell also brought me lunch (Kneaders-it was SO good) and my sister-in-laws came by and visited and brought me a cupcake. It was so sweet, just how I like it--low key, not a big affair but a chance to visit and EAT! Yes the food is the priority! Once home I wanted to just spend some time with happy kids, so we cruised over to the children's garden. We were the only ones in the whole place (I love playing in the afternoon/evening) and the boys were loving the new sandbox area. Yes, we have a huge sandbox in our backyard--but this one is cooler apparently. We experimented with making a moat, ever so much fun!

Lowell let the boys pick out my cake, a funfetti cake with candy on top. It was perfect.

They also picked out these flowers for me, sweet! After we got the boys down Lowell and I went to Tucano's for dinner. It's a brazilian BBQ for those who don't know, basically an all you can eat meat fest with a great salad bar too. I was SO full, but it was worth it. Yum. I can use pregnancy as an excuse to over-eat right?

Sunday we had dessert over with my family and a nice visit.

Monday was Memorial Day so we had Lowell's family over for a lunch time BBQ and swim. It was *finally* (briefly) warm enough to swim. Well, it was almost 80. But now that the pool is up they can play in it whenever it does get warm enough for long enough. It was the best food ever to me. Giant kielbasa with ketchup and relish, chips and dip, cheeseball and crackers, a big pile of watermelon, and popsicles. Just screams summer huh?

Carter eating his lunch in his shark floatie.

All the cousins eating popsicles in the sun. We also had the entire Penrod clan present, it's always neat when we get everyone in one place. We're glad the Spencers are able to spend some of their summer with us.

Tuesday we pulled out our caterpillars since they are all nicely in their cocoons.

Cool, but also creepy. I was surprised by this process, I have never "grown" butterflies before. Somehow I thought they would make the chrysallis from materials outside their bodies, but no, they just hung upside down and their body slowly expanded and hardened. We're patiently waiting for the first butterfly to emerge now.

Wednesday the boys were dead set on going in the pool even though it wasn't very warm. I made them wait until it hit 72 degrees then we headed out.

Davis ready to go Find Nemo, they are all about snorkels this year for some reason. The goggles didn't work well though, need to pick up some different ones.

Carter spraying Davis

Best buddies, they climbed in the conjoined tubes themselves and started hugging. Sweet!

Later I was working with them one on one doing handwriting worksheets and sight word books when they decided to create quite a mess outside of my view. They were taking my spices one at a time down to the basement to make a "recipe". I only saw the sesame seeds go, and I thought that couldn't make too much of a mess. The recipe was water/milk a full jar of cinnamon, 9/10th of a jar of paprika (why did it have to be the red spice?), some sesame seeds, and some oregano. I'm sure it tasted great :p. They mixed it into a paste and then promptly spilled it on the floor and then dripped it across my clean white clothing. Then Davis came up to refill the glass and that is when I found the mess. Oh my goodness! A good scrubbing still has not gotten the red from the carpet and who knows if my shirts are salvageable. But I had the lovely aroma of cinnamon on me the rest of the day!

I also got to spend it birthday shopping with my mom, so a good chance to cool off. We went to the Park City outlets to the Motherhood Maternity outlet and I was able to pick up a few cute, well priced items. I need a couple more things yet, but at least I have something to wear. Not that my normal clothes don't fit, because they still do, but probably not for long. Of course we spent plenty of time shopping for the munchkins too--I love kids clothes! Got some great deals too. We then met up with my family for a b-day dinner at Spaghetti Factory. It was a good meal and nice that all my siblings were there (thanks guys!) but I missed my Lowell who had already put the boys to bed. The boys probably wouldn't have done well there anyway, but I still missed them immensely.

Today the boys modeled some of my shopping scores:

Charmer Carter

Cool dude Davis

And then we went to our twin club play date at Canyon Park in Spanish Fork. What a nice park and the boys were even surprisingly well behaved. They even got in the car without complaint, almost a shock for me--we often have quite the kicking and screaming battle. I also got to hold a little 8 week old for a while, so sweet. I can't imagine having another little one in our home, but I guess she's not so far off. So, good day.

Still deciding what to do tomorrow, I should go to the gym so that's probably what we'll do. And then pick up my free Coldstone to undermine my efforts! I still need my Red Robin and Baskin Robbins after that, then I should have all my freebies redeemed. That will be Saturday. I think we might also go to Dog Days at Thanksgiving Point and watch the Splash Dogs competition. No soccer this week and T-ball is a few weeks away yet. And I'll go to Lagoon on the weekdays now that it is open then, so Saturday will be open again. Lowell will be thrilled, he'd much rather stay home and work in the garden.

That's all I have for now, loves to all!