Terrifying

Today I had one of the scariest experiences of my life. We went to the new Riverdale Park splash pad.

(SO fun, by the way.)

We had been playing on the splash pad and then moved over to the park. I was talking to my friend while I kept an eye on Aiva. I hadn't seen her her for a couple minutes, but you know how kids move in and out of view when playing on the slides and such. It'd been maybe 2 minutes, and I thought I should go check on her.

She wasn't there.

I checked the other park area, and she wasn't there either. She also was not at the splash pad. By this time I was panicked. I checked the parking lot, and everything else once again.

Nothing.

I enlisted the help of some other moms to help me. They sent their children around calling Aiva's name. By this time I was in tears. I have never been so scared in my life. All I could think was, "Is she okay? Is she scared? Is she crying somewhere?"

Finally I spotted Aiva, sobbing, with another woman. She had wandered away to the opposite end of the park to where we had put our stuff earlier when we were playing at the splash pad. She had started crying when she couldn't find me and asked the woman for help. (We always tell her that if she gets lost to ask another mom to help her.) Aiva and I were both crying as we hugged.

I have never been so scared in my life. I will never forget that sinking feeling in my stomach.

Lewis Family Reunion . . .

Mike's mom's family got together for a fantastic reunion at Camp Atoka this week. It started Monday with activities and crafts and then an auction and talent show. Then we split up for the night. A lot of people stayed at the lodge, but we decided to rough it in a tent. I'm sad, because I didn't get many pictures. I'm bad at getting those impromptu moments with my SLR. I need to get a smaller one that's a bit more portable. I didn't get any pics of the first day and it's activities. Just a few of the next morning. Anyway, here's the very few moments that I did capture.

Emma and my niece Jaycee

A not-often captured expression on Emma's face that we love.
Such a bright expression.


Monday evening after the talent show, a lot of the adults got together to play volleyball while the kids played. I would have love to have played, but lately I've been having to watch Emma like a HAWK. She was OBSESSED with eating the grass and weeds. She's not quite mobile yet, but she always manages to pull the blanket out of her way so she can get to the stuff. So I sat by her taking plants of her hands and mouth time after time. She is a grabby little vacuum, this one.

Such a cute picture of my niece Courtney. She is a good example of how dirty we all were by the end of the reunion. Check out those gorgeous eyes!

My sis-in-law Sarah (Court's mom) and Emma. I'm so lucky that my girls have such an amazing aunt to look up to, and to have one of my sister-in-laws also be one of my dearest friends. Sarah also celebrated her birthday on Tuesday while we were there. Happy Birthday Sarah!

Just before everyone took off to go home, all the kids from the Cole's side got together for a swim in the river. So fun!

Mike and Aiva

We had such a fun time! I feel so grateful to have married into such a wonderful family, full of wonderful people. Before I married Mike, I had always thought of family as people you tolerated, and I thought it was so weird that Mike's best friends were his family members. I have learned so much from him and his family. Now both his and my family are the people I'd choose to be with over anyone else. Love you all!!

24th

This year for the 24th of July we went to Ogden City's parade. We love that one! I didn't take any photos of the parade itself, but our favs are always the draft horses. And Aiva can't stop talking about the guy dressed up in a super-hero costume. I love Summer, just for events like these. Summer has become exponentially more fun since we've had kids! :)

There are two very strange things that I've always wanted to experience. Having a black eye, and losing my voice. Don't know why. I just always thought it might be kind of cool. Like how you were always jealous of the kid with the broken leg that got to play around on crutches all day at school.

I broke my nose once. Aiva head-butted me. It was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. I was quite upset when I didn't get my black eye out of it. What's a broken nose for, if not to get a cool black eye?

I started getting a sore throat a month ago. Then last Thursday, it morphed into a raging, awful one. One doctor I work with at the hospital told me I probably have mono. Another told me it's probably just a wicked virus. Then yesterday my voice sounded like someone else. Like a man. Mike called me "Beuford". Today my throat still hurts like the dickens, and my chest is tight. It hurts like crazy to cough, and my voice is . . . gone.

I'm in the middle of full-blown laryngitis. It hurts. Is losing your voice supposed to be painful?? I didn't know this was part of the deal. Anyway . . .

. . . laryngitis sucks.

I want my voice back.

Dressing Up

Aiva LoVEs dressing up lately. My sister-in-law had an interesting suggestion. Her little girl kept asking to wear her blessing dress, and to prove to her that it wouldn't fit, she put it on her and . . . lo and behold, it DID, in fact, fit perfectly. What the?! So we decided to try it out. So here is Aiva in her blessing dress!!

Now moms, go put your sweet little girls in the best dress-up outfit ever!

Does anyone else do this???

I promise we had a fun 4th of July weekend. We did our own fireworks and also went to Layton City's fireworks display. (They were awesome, by the way!) We went to a splash pad with the kids and to a family reunion. I had my camera with me almost the entire time. But guess what? I didn't take a single picture. Not a one. Shame on me.