Little Fish

We had a fun first this summer...SWIM TEAM!!  Asher decided to take the plunge this year and give it a go, becoming an official Sea Monkey (our pool's team name).  It was a great experience for him and he really took to it.  It was every morning for an hour and he was genuinely disappointed on the mornings we didn't go.  The cold morning pool water didn't deter him either (he does not get that from me).  He absolutely loved competing in the swim meets on Saturdays too, mostly for the stack of ribbons he came home with each week.  He had quite a stack of silky ribbons by the end of the season.  The city runs things with lots of positivity which I love;  every competitor gets a ribbon whether they are in first or 12th place.  Asher had many different colors of ribbons of his own, some of which were blue, red and yellow (1st, 2nd and 3rd).  His best events were the backstroke and butterfly, neither of which I can actually perform myself so I was very impressed with his 8 year old skills. The extra energy he burned through was a bonus too!

  Beck ran around with all the other little buddies with siblings doing swim team too...finding roly polys, chasing rabbits, building imaginary fires, shooting water guns and eating snacks.  We also signed him up for a few weeks of tennis lessons since they're at the same place. Tennis was fun and something different and he looked so cute with a little racket in hand.  Beck also did some swim lessons right after swim team for a few sessions.  We are thinking next year might be Beckett's year to try swim team too...we shall see!  He's not sure about it yet.

At the end of the summer, Asher qualified for the City Meet.  He loved competing in it and came home with a second place medal for the relay!  He tried his best and swam his little heart out.

 

 I'm so proud of my little swimmers and all the progress they made this summer!

Third Grader

 
Wowsers.  Asher started 3rd grade today!  Third grade is one I remember and it was a fun one. I just can't believe my boy is that old already! He was really excited to go back and couldn't wait to get going.  His pick for breakfast was bacon, eggs and toast, we packed up lunch and backpack, took a few fun pictures by the door, and off we went!

My confident, handsome little guy excitedly headed to class.  I love that he loves to go to school, and he does so well.  It definitely makes a mom proud.  I walked him to class, gave him a hug and home I went with my buddy (only for a few more days) Beck.  This is the first year I didn't cry on the first day!  Big step!

After school I picked him up and heard all about his first day...what he did at recess and who he played with, what the teacher said, etc.  I had cookies and milk waiting for him and the boys gobbled down enough of them that dinner was definitely threatened.  His first day had been great, and I am so glad he likes his teacher, friends and school.  Here's to a great 3rd grade year!

Familly Announcement

On Sunday night, we gathered the boys together for a "family meeting and announcement." They came down and sat on the couch, awaiting what they thought would be an fhe lesson or a new prize of some sort.  Nope on both counts.  Corey and I (both anxious and a little giddy) told the boys that we would be having a baby!  I am now 12 weeks, feeling at least a smidge less bleh and starting to feel that this is happening. Asher's first response was great.  He assumed we were talking about a family friend, and started getting excited about that when we stopped him and told him that OUR family would be having a new baby.  WHAT? REALLY?! in a high pitched voice. He looked straight at my stomach then to my face, then back to my stomach in disbelief.  Beckett just didn't see how that was possible and, stifling a laugh, said to me "but mom, you're tummy's not fat!" With eyes wide and a huge smile across his face, Asher was beyond excited, definitely surprised and genuinely very happy about the news. So sweet.  Beckett just stared at us smiling.  After a few minutes, his comment was, "we need to be careful of our little Legos." Yes, we agreed.  That was a good idea. He also thought a baby brother would be good, and that babies cried a lot which was not so good.  Asher's mind was racing with ideas of all the things we need to do.  He thought Corey should quit work and stay at home, and that we should get a new car.  Then he started thinking of things we might need, and was concerned with where the baby would sleep.  Little comments kept coming up all evening that made it obvious that the wheels in their curious little minds were turning like crazy. Corey told them they could talk to the baby, so they both took turns at that too.  Beckett thought we might be teasing and kept asking if we were really having a baby and when I tucked him in to bed, he looked at me and said, "are you really having a baby?"  Yes, we really are having a baby!  Then he wanted to tell the baby good night, so he put his head within and inch or two of my tummy and told the baby good night:)  I think this whole thing will seem like an eternity to these two excited brothers, but they'll just have to patiently wait with the rest of us to meet our newest little Reitz.

Here's to new adventure, and a new little human to add to our clan. 

Family Vacation

Oh! What fun we had on our recent trip.  We went to Utah to visit family, Idaho for the annual LRP reunion, and even had a lil' couples only trip to Seattle for a few days for me and Corey. Our trip was loaded with family time...even grandparents, which we were thrilled about.

The first night we were there happened to be the reception night for my cousin, Tay.  It was a unique celebration complete with crowns for the kiddos, delicious food, lots of renaissance flair and even a unicorn.  My kids were in awe of that last one.  We were finally able to meet my Grandma's husband...they were recently married and he was so sweet.  The kids gobbled up food, especially Beck, who was near devastation when we told him we were on our way out...they were just serving up the cake.  We stayed a bit longer and he patiently waited for a piece, funny boy.

My dad, now a passionate biker, coaxed Corey into a nice long bike ride on one morning.  He loves the sport and wants everyone else to love it too, to the point of sponsorship if you buy in a little. It's too funny, but I think it's great that he has such a love for something that's great for you too.  Way to go Corey for trying to keep up with him (my dad despises being passed)!

In Salt Lake, we hit up the Discovery Museum with the boys, and then Temple Square.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed taking it all in. We spent a day there before heading up to the family reunion in Idaho. We visited with my Grandma and Grandpa Pettit for a bit before driving out of town.  They are doing great, and I love that my boys were with us.  It never fails, my Grandma always has a treat to offer the boys. It was a fun flashback for me as she sat them down at the counter and offered them Fat Boys (delish ice cream sandwhiches), which they readily snagged and gobbled up.  Creamies and Fat Boys always remind me of my Grandma Pettit and I love that she hasn't changed that habit.  So fun for the kiddos.

 After the reunion, Corey and I flew to Seattle for a few days to celebrate our Anniversary (15 years, wahoooooo!).  We had fluctuated a bit with our plans over the past few months, but with several important factors at hand, we decided on something close, beautiful and fun, not to mention the reprieve from the hot weather.  It was a wonderful trip...Cheesecake Factory, Top Pot doughnuts, Ivar's (I was bitten by a seagull, ouch!), P.F. Chang's, Ivar's some more, Museums galore (including the Chihuli museum...amazing!), the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, a Mariner's Game, a Duck Tour (the boys would have LOVED this), Pike Place Market, Harbor Cruise, lots of walking, Monorail rides, shopping.  Whew!  We both love Seattle and lived near it during part of our lives so it has a special spot in our hearts but we'd only been here once together and it was a quick stop off before heading out to the beach.  This was our first time to experience the city together and we enjoyed every second we had. We missed the boys like crazy and talked to them lots, but we also know that these getaways are so good to take!  Thanks a gazillion to my mom and dad for entertaining our crazy boys for those days we were in Seattle, we could NOT have done it without you.  Thanks so much!

When we came back, besides loving on the boys a bunch, we spent more time with my family and all the cousins.  We went to Thanksgiving Point a couple of times.  There's a new museum there called the Curiousity Museum and although it was ridiculously crowded as things in Utah sometimes are, the boys loved it.  We also went to Seven Peaks a couple of times, getting stupidly sunburned the first time and being smart enough to reapply sunscreen and avoid a sunburn the second.  SO, SO much fun.  Cannot wait to come visit with everyone again.  Thanks for making our trip so amazing this year!

LRP 2014

Idaho, baby!  My sister, Laurie, hosted LRP 2014 at her place in Ammon, Idaho.  We all had a wonderful time hanging out together and checking out the area.  Corey, who is not a road warrior, was leery of more driving after having just arrived in Utah, but, alas, he knew that Maddox was on the way there, which helped.  It's a gigantic steak place in a teeny tiny town.  The place is an institution in it's own right...serving up good food, and known for their steaks, rolls and raspberry butter (YUM!).

Once we arrived in Ammon, we were busy with all kinds of plans.  My sister painstakingly planned out the whole thing...meals, snacks, activities, even downtime, and the whole thing was great because of it.  She even had welcome baskets for everyone when they arrived!  Wow!  Day 1 was Bear World.  This place is great...a unique, tourist-y stop with little rides for the kiddies, a petting zoo (loved it), a gift shop, and lots of BEARS.  We drove through (with windows up most of the time...it's the rule), looking in awe at beautiful bears lumbering around, sleeping in the shade, staring back...you name it.  It was so cool!  There were a few other animals to check out, but the bears are the main event.  The cubs were a highlight...we couldn't stop watching those cute little furballs!  Adorable.

 

My sister's back yard is amazing....lots of grass and lots of space, so my parents rented a blowup water slide for the event.  The big boys aka dads couldn't help but join in, tipping the odds greatly in their favor.  They sprayed the kids incessantly while standing in the unlimited supply of water at their feet...not so fair, but the kids didn't notice and loved every second of it, running around spraying each other and the occasional unarmed daddy. 

 On one of the days, everyone geared up for a 'short' bikeride to a park for a picnic.  My boys are not avid bikeriders, nor are they adept.  Asher can ride, but not well, and Beckett could do it, but chooses to crash right away every time, so he opted for training wheels for this endeavor.  We were quite a sight...all twenty-two of us with helmets and bikes.  It was a cooler day which was nice and, amazingly we all made it okay after our SIX mile journey to the park.  Not a problem for the adults, but some of our smaller buddies pedaled their little hearts out to make it the whole way!  Then there was the return trip...equally as successful, thank goodness.  I did hear about a few very close calls for Asher, who was further ahead of where I was riding (bringing up the tail end with the training wheel kids), but my guess is there were angels holding him up on some of those crazy spots for which I was grateful!

The 4th of July was smack in the middle of the reunion.  In the morning, many of us went out for the 5k walk/run in town.  Usually for things like this we have a stroller to put the boys into the second they think they're done.  They both said they wanted to run it, so off we went!  Asher and Corey kept on going, but after about 2 blocks, Beckett was tired.  I tried to get him to walk fast, or at some points to walk at all.  It was tough times trying to get through and make it to the finish line, but we finally did it...something like 45 minutes later.  I still can't believe we finished at all!  That night we all went out to get a spot near the river for the big show.  It was great!  We were all exhausted by the end of that day though, and the kids were real troopers. 

We played games, made cotton candy, cooked meals, ate meals, played outside, roasted marshmallows, talked, laughed, ate yummy ice cream at a local dairy, played ultimate frisbee, rode bikes, watched the kids hanging out together, and had a great time.  I'm so glad we have families and I'm glad my parents and sibs think it's worth the effort of getting together.  Love you all and thanks for another memorable reunion!

Happy B-day Corey

 Happy Birthday, Cor!  We love, love, love this guy so much.  He's a great dad, a great husband, and he loves his birthday which makes it fun to celebrate.  We had a mellow backyard party with the fam, complete with his pick of Peanut Butter Pie for dessert. Yum.  The boys picked out an awesome card for him.  They are obsessed with the cards that play music, and when they opened up the 'NFL football theme' blaring out at them, they knew they'd found the one!  They just couldn't resist. We also hit up an Isotopes Baseball game the first chance we had, which has become somewhat of a tradition for his birthday...plus it helps the party to last longer (always a must when it comes to Corey's b-day!) 

Here's to another great year and to celebrating our favorite guy in the world!