Poopie?

Jess stepped in something.

Not sure what it is.

Can't get it off her feet.

Rylee thinks it's "poopie".

She told us that several times.

I tucked her in last night.

She whispered in my ear a final time.

Mischevious smile on her face.

"Daddy, it's poopie".

Who knows, maybe she's right....

Or maybe she just likes to say "poopie". Who doesn't?

Slippin' n Slidin'

Jess brought home a slip n slide. Even Jayson tried to join in the fun.

Jayson

Still getting to know this little guy. Not even a nickname yet.
I do know he is the happiest little boy I have ever seen.
He is so content. Only cries when we take him out of the swing.
Pretty determined to get things he wants, when he wants them.
Loves to help mom with the dishes, cooking, and everything else.
Definitely a momma's boy.
Doesn't really crawl any more. He bear crawls. Looks like he's prepping for football two-a-days.
Loves to giggle and laugh with whoever will play with him. Ticklish everywhere.

My Rylee Pot Pie

My Rylee Pot Pie--
Oh, where to begin. Not sure whether we should really call her "Naughty Pot Pie".
She can be the sweetest, cutest, best cuddler in the world.
Or she can be a terror. Yep, in the picture above she is sassing me.
She knows when she is being naughty--whenever she is caught in the act, she puts herself in time out. Saves an aweful lot of time."I go timeout" she says as she runs into her place on the living room sofa.
She has such a sweet heart. She also knows just how to tilt her head and smile sweetly. Makes daddy's heart melt. Saves her from a lot of time out too.

My Lil' Tay

Just a few thoughts about my Lil' Tay.
She has always been my biggest helper. Since she could walk she has been out in the yard with me, digging, mowing, planting, and cleaning up after Rylee.
She is such a sweetheart. Always looking after the best interests of her siblings.
At random times she will tell me she loves me and give me a huge hug--sometimes two or three.
She loves when we are together as a family and hates when we are apart.
She loves Princesses, climbing, running, dancing, soccer, and teasing. She loves to play jokes on the rest of us. Her laugh and giggle brighten my day. I love you Tay!

Fathers Day

Fathers Day was the best!
Started the day with a royal breakfast treatment. Six course meal to start the day.
Short church schedule.
Picnic afterwards with my family at Farmington Pond.
It was awesome.
Here are some of my favorite pictures from the picnic.

Here is Jayson headed for the camera. Again.



Two seconds left before I get mauled.



Rylee and Tayler kept running down the hill as fast as they could. This was one of the few times they made it to the bottom without one of them falling flat on their face or back. Not so good at putting on the brakes yet.



They are the best of friends. The other day Jessica asked Rylee if one of the neighbor girls was her best friend. She answered, "Tayler's my best friend". They are so lucky to have each other.



I am a very lucky Dad! Thanks Sweetheart, Tayler, Jayson, and Rylee for a great day!

Um....Daddy....Are you really sure this is a good idea?

Changing Jayson's diaper Wednesday night while Jessica was at Enrichment, I realized we had a real problem. I thought the University of Utah sweatshirt was only put on for pictures. But here it was again.

I gathered the girls together for a mini-family "Cougar Club" council. While I was putting on a fresh diaper I asked them, "How can we let Jayson suffer wearing this sweatshirt? You know he must really hate it. We have got to get rid of it. Don't you agree?" Both girls adamantly agreed.

Tayler, will you take this and throw it in the outside garbage? (Thursday morning is garbage removal time for our neighborhood). She hesitated. "You do it dad". Rylee quickly volunteered, "I do it dad!" Tayler decided she better help her.

As they headed for the front door Tayler double checked, "Um.....Daddy....Are you really sure this is a good idea?" "Absolutely!" I reassured her, wondering myself what the outcome would be when Jess found out (I was pretty sure I was strong enough to take responsibility without throwing the girls under the bus).

Thirty seconds later I heard Rylee crying from out front. "Tayler, why is Rylee crying?" The answer came swiftly and confidently, "She wanted to throw it away all by herself but I did it instead". Well, what did I care, the damage was done. Then a strange thought....I better check and make sure. When I lifted up the lid-----no red sweatshirt. "Tayler, where is the sweatshirt?" No response. "Tayler, where is the sweatshirt?" No response. "In the garage," said Rylee, still teary-eyed. "Tayler, where is it?" "In the very back of the paint shelf". Sure enough, I found it wadded up in a small ball on the back of the paint shelf.

It frightened me how quickly she had come up with her little lie about why Rylee was crying. But then, I'm the one who put her in an awkward situation. 'Was I to blame?' 'Of course not', was my follow up thought 'she learned that from her mother'. (JESS--think VISA). Yeah---VISA.

"Tayler, Rylee, when mom comes home and asks where the sweatshirt is you say, "Ask Dad". Got it. Two head nods--one blond, one brunette. "Good. Ask Dad. Nothing more".

Sure enough, "Tayler, where is the Utah Sweatshirt?" "Ask Dad" came the reply. "Tayler, do you know where it is?" "Ask Dad," I heard again.
'Good, this girl is a fast learner' I smiled to myself.

Then, an unexpected (somewhat tearful) tattle "Mommy, Tayler wouldn't let me throw it in the garbage all by myself." Oh crap! The weak link......
Thanks Rylee.

No harm done. Somewhere in Clearfield there is a sanitation worker with a slightly used Utah sweatshirt on his little boy.

Either that, or it's being used as a rag to clean the dipstick after he checks his oil.