Highlights

Monday: a fun family night on one of the many nature trails that run through Madison County. I guess there's like 85 miles worth of bike/walking trails that all connect somehow. I really need to get a bike and carrier to get more use out of them. We just brought the stroller and Kenny and I took turns running to get a little workout in. Then Ty played on the park and had lots of fun!

Tuesday: I got to get away for a little while and go to a Relief Society Jane Austen dinner/movie night. It was great to be able to get to know some of those awesome ladies better. I didn't stay for the movie because I didn't bring Brynlee with me. It's amazing what even a 2 hour break from both kids will do for me. On the way home I saw a couple deer a few feet from my car. They were bounding through this field and the sun was setting and it was so beautiful. Kenny's a great dad and had tyler already bathed and in bed when I got home, and he was giving Brynle a bath too! I think that's the first one he's ever given her. What a guy! :)

Wednesday: Heather and her 2 cute kids came over and hung out for a few hours. We swam in the little pool in the backyard, played toys, and just enjoyed having company over. and it was her birthday! Happy B-day Heather! She's been such a great friend to me from the first time I met her. We really appreciate the Porters.

Also, Wednesday night was the night I saved Kenny's life. Or at least that's the way I like to think of it :). We went on a family walk down to the lake just like always, to let Ty throw rocks and sticks in the water. Kenny had been rustling through some bushes/trees to get some more sticks for Ty. I stayed back on the grass to keep Bryn in the shade, and thankfully tyler had just come back for a second to stand by me. (Only like 10-15 ft. from Kenny) Well Kenny got some sticks and then turned around to walk back down the dock, and tyler started to walk down after him when all of the sudden I realized there was a HUGE SNAKE slithering right after Kenny on the dock! I SCREAMED "Kenny! Kenny! There's a snake!" He jumped up so high as he looked back. the snake slithered off the dock and into the water as he was jumping up. (this all happened very fast by the way). And Tyler had turned and bolted back over to me. OH my gosh it was so scary. I have no idea what kind of snake it was, or if it was poisonous. I didn't really get a chance to sit and stare at it. I just reacted, and I'm so glad I was behind him so that I could see that. Normally we're all down there on the dock together so it was a miracle. Tyler was so scared, he turned around and told us itw as time to go home right then haha. I think I gave poor Kenny a heart attack by screaming like that haha. Stupid snake ruined that place for us. We used to go there almost on a daily basis. I've always loved going there because there's something so calming about water for me. But snakes are anything but peaceful and calming. Anyways, that was quite the family walk :)

Thursday: the kids had their first doctor's appt. with their new pediatrician. It went very well. Tyler is in the 97th percentile for height and weight. She said he was the perfect weight for his height and that made me feel better. She gave me a lot of tips on how to help him eat better. But unfortunately it wasn't anything I hadn't heard and tried before, so we'll just press forward and keep trying every day to help him eat healthier. Brynlee is a little over 50% for height, and 70 something for weight. :) that's my girl haha. I love that I have chunky babies. We also ran a lot of errands. Tyler got a new hat, it's Cars (with Lightning McQueen--he's really into that right now) and he likes to put it on backwards and it's so cute. Oh and the doctor told me to go ahead and give Bryn a second "meal" during the day. The week before I had started giving her a bowl of cereal at night before she went to bed. But now she has baby food for a lunch, then another meal at dinner. She LOVES it and eats it like a champ, usually opening her mouth for the spoon and everything. She was definitely ready for it.

Friday: Kenny got to go to the temple. He left from work and went straight there, and didn't get home until a little after 10, so he didn't even see Tyler at all the day. But we were both glad he got a turn to go. I also finished reading Wuthering Heights. I loved it. Next is her sister's work, Jane Eyre. I know I can't believe I've gone my whole life without ever reading these classics too, that's why I'm repenting now :). I got those two books and Little Women at a Yard Sale, all 3 hardback and great condition for $1.50!! Oh, and I made the best dang carrot cake you'll ever taste.

Saturday: After mowing the lawn and cutting Kenny's hair, we all got ready and headed out to Fairview Heights to go shopping. We all got some new clothes and used the gift cards we had and it was a great day. I hadn't been shopping in SO long, and I love my new clothes. What could make a girl feel better but a new outfit? After the clothes shopping we got some groceries and finally made it home. I went running, then Kenny went running, we bathed the kids and put them to bed and watched our Redbox movie, "Inkheart". It was alright, a good kid show I would say. Kenny made some delicious blueberry milkshakes for the movie. I was glad to spend some time with just him.

Sunday: I made some waffles with a yummy strawberry sauce and whip cream. The good thing about having church at 11:30 (even though it totally screws up nap time for Tyler) is we get to take our time getting ready and have a nice big breakfast and the boys get to sleep in. Church was wonderful. Brynlee was hard all day, and she had slept horribly the night before, waking up a ton. I gave her some tylenol and just couldn't figure out why she was so cranky and being such a horrible sleeper. Anytime we laid her down she would wake up crying. Then it dawned on me--an ear infection. So I called my friend Terra from my ward (because I knew a mother would be able to help) and she told me where the closest InstaCare was and we took Brynlee in. Sure enough, she has an ear infection in her right ear. So we got the antibiotic prescription filled right after and then headed home. Poor little girl. I hate when she's not feeling well. It made me SO grateful for people that work on Sundays, 24 hr. pharmacies, and modern medicine. Especially after reading Wuthering Heights, which was in a time when everyone would catch a cold and die, I felt so grateful for the time we lived in. not the best note to end on, but it was a great week. We are so excited for this week, we're going down to Houston for the 4th of July weekend. Can't wait to see my family again!! Tyler is SO excited to see Papa, bama and everyone else.