My Mom

My mom turned 61 this year! It's been so fun having my family move so close. My kids absolutely love going up to Grammie and Papi's house.

So for my mom's birthday that's just what we did!

The Birthday Girl!

We all went to dinner...not the best shot but the best of the two we took!

My mom really is the best. She always tries to make everyone happy and do kind, fun things for all of us. We're so blessed to have her in our lives! Happy Birthday Mom!

After this Julia and I went to see the midnight showing of the final Harry Potter! So fun...!

Some July Happenings

This fall we enrolled Etta in preschool at Kids Village (first day of school picks coming soon). As part of their summer programs they do various summer "camps." We sent her to one titled the Enchanted Kingdom!

So we got her all fancied up and she loved it...as is not evident by this picture.

Or this one...

This is more like it, holding her goblet (with pinkies up of course) shouting skumps!

While she was at camp me and this little boy hung out...

Oh, come on...

Love you my sweet darlings!

Strawberry Days

Man, we did so much fun stuff this Summer it's taking me forever to catch up!

These pics are from Pleasant Groves Strawberry days back in June. The kids, Julia, and I had so much fun scarfing strawberries and cream, riding rides, shopping, and getting our faces painted!

I'm not sure what in Etta's thought process made her think she'd like this ride but when she asked I was all about it. Needless to say as soon as it got going she regretted her decision which was much more true to form. Poor little bug was terrified the whole time, I only wish you could see her face better. In her defense this was probably the worst first roller coaster experience, it was the jerkiest thing I've ever been on.

Etta was so excited to get her face painted...

She sat sooo still and never opened her eyes, she did awesome!

And this lady did the best job I've ever seen!

She couldn't stop looking at herself and shyly smiling.

Sooo cute!

Trying to get a pic of all of us looking these days is impossible!

My sister and I got two buckets (like 40 balls!) and of course the 3 yr old with 5 balls is the one who gets a fish!

She was so excited she hardly knew what to do...

Unfortunately "Fishy" (as she so creatively named him) passed away just this morning.

As far as I'm concerned he had a full life being loved here at the Neilson home for over two months...not bad for a tiny fair gold fish.

Etta was sad but not overly upset. For a while she tried to convince Rob and I (via skype) that she "had an idea how to make him move again!" It did not work.

Farewell our Fishy friend...I will miss cleaning your nasty bowl every three days.

Speaking of Birthdays...

Etta turned 3!!

CRAZY!

So we got all dressed up and went to Grammy's to celebrate...

(this is the face I get lately)

(and if I get a smile it's something like this little gem)

(of course Cinderella needed to come)

And we went up to park city with our cousins!

And celebrated all weekend with no dad :( but lots of family!

It was Ethan's bday too...

and I continued my obsession with mini cupcakes...

and we also celebrated Christy!

Then dad finally got home and what do you think we did? Celebrated again!

We had a huge neighborhood party with three pools, two slip n slides, and a pinata!

Etta got TONS of presents which deserved TONS of hugs...

and we were so grateful to have all our friends and family there!

The pinata proved quite well made for $7.99...

After at least 20 attempts by the kids (and the poor thing falling down twice) I had to step in and help, which of course I was super excited about!

And we took that sucker down.

Then we finished off with popsicles!

All in all we had soooo much fun having a birthday week of celebrations for our bug. She lights up our lives in so many ways. She is so funny and observant, I just love hearing all the things she has to say lately.

She's still completely obsessed with all things princess, still loves to read, sing and dance, and above all she loves her friends and family (who she talks about all day everyday).

Thanks for all your love and gifts in more ways than one.

We love you bug!!

Parties!

This Summer Etta has had lots of fun parties to go to and it seems like the older her and her little friends get the pinker their parties get!

We had very fun pinkalicious party...

And a very fun fancy nancy party...

and Etta started her new trend of not wanting me to take pictures, we'll see if I can fix that...

Cupcakes, fingernail painting, games, making flip flops, candy, singing, and fun fun fun!

We love it!