why you should baby proof your cupboards

So, I was on the phone yesterday, very absorbed in a conversation with my sister-in-law, Carrie. Weston was toddling around sort of entertaining himself. He must have been out of my sight for, I don't know, maybe 60 seconds. One might think, "what could possibly happen in one little minute?" Then I glance over at him. There he is, sitting on the kitchen floor in front of the cupboard under the sink. He has a bottle of glass cleaner in one hand, another bottle knocked over, and a lather of something all over him. I immediately realize (to both my relief and dismay) that he has spilled almost our entire bottle of Fruit & Vegetable Rinse all over the kitchen floor. I was relieved because it is a completely non-toxic product, but sad because that bottle of concentrated product usually lasts me almost an entire year. And, it's not going to break the bank to buy another bottle, but I hate wasting quality products! It's like throwing money away.... or in this case, like lathering it up and smearing it's stickiness all over my baby before rinsing him off and watching it all go down the drain. I still haven't been able to completely remove the residue from off of the kitchen floor, but I decided that as accidents go, this was a small one. So, I laughed about it and took some cute pictures instead!

Bear Lake, Part Two

Warning: This post has a LOT of pictures (mostly for the benefit of grandparents who actually want to see them all)! We had such a great time in Bear Lake... these first few pictures were taken with the horses. We thought it would be fun for Weston, who was somewhat hesitant at first - I don't think he knew what to think. After a few minutes his anxiety melted into curiosity, though I'm not sure he was ever actually comfortable touching them. Jason feeding Missy grain

My brother, Mike
My dad - he discovered a currant bush there by the fence - have you ever had a currant before? I hadn't... they're pretty good. Weston finally enjoying himself (though you'd never know it from the expression on his face!)
This is a family heirloom. Apparently my great-grandpa Jones made it for my grandma when she was just a little girl - 80 some years ago! Dad brought it for Weston, who LOVES it!

Weston and Grandpa One of our favorite things about visiting Mike and Carrie: Shooting. Weston made himself comfortable hanging out in the back of the pickup.
For some reason this silly picture of my dad makes me thing of the movie Sandhill. I really don't even know why.

On Saturday we went to Bloomington Lake. Now, you may be thinking, "why on earth drive 45 minutes to a lake when you LIVE on one?" Well, Bear Lake is indeed gorgeous. But, we happened to be there during Raspberry Days when there were tons of people visiting. We went to Bloomington Lake to sort of get away. Ironically, a lot of other locals had the same idea so when we got there it was actually kind of crowded!

It was a little bit of a hike from where we parked to the lake. On our way back, Carrie and I took turns carrying Weston on our shoulders - and he held tightly onto that flower the entire way. We arrived back at the truck before the guys since they were carrying the canoe, so I decided to take some pictures of Weston with Chaco in the back of the truck. It was a beautiful day with breathtaking surroundings - what could be a better combination?
Just look at that grin :) Sunday was the most relaxing day I have had in months! After church, we spent a long time just visiting in the back yard. Weston had a great time playing with Grandpa in the grass...
It was hard to say goodbye, but we were grateful for the visit...

Bear Lake, part one

Yes, I have so much I want to say about our trip, that I have to divide it up into two posts. I realize this may seem silly, but I am using the opportunity to say things that I want to say. I am new to this blogging thing, but find myself resisting writing new posts for a variety of reasons. Firstly, everytime I do it I feel like I should be doing something else - like mopping the floor or folding a load of laundry. Secondly, there are things I want to write about that I figure will be of little interest to most people, mostly because I tend to be, uh, a little verbose. But alas, I realized that most people don't really care what I write that much anyway.
So, moving on...
We took a trip up to Bear Lake where my brother and sister-in-law live. My dad (who lives in Nebraska) was in town visiting them, so it was the perfect opportunity to visit. It also happened to be Rasberry Days - a special weekend event held every August in Bear Lake that brings in thousands of visitors. (Thousands is a lot in Bear Lake)

On our way up we stopped in Provo for a picnic lunch, and to give Weston a chance to roam around and get some of his pent up energy out!

Aahhhh, Provo. It brought back (as always) so many happy memories for both Jason and me. To get out of the scorching heat alone was divine. Everytime I drive through Provo my mind is flooded with memories of roomates, classes, and endless good times. I did go through some hard times there, but the good memories are so abundant and overwhelming that everything else is crowded out. I always leave with a keen sense of longing. I don't long for being single, and I certainly don't want to turn back the hands of time. However, Provo never ceases to elicit a sense that I want to return to some of the things I hold most dear - friends that I have lost contact with, good-old-fashioned carefree fun (is it possible to be carefree as a mom?), the constant intellectual stimulation and growth offered by my education at BYU... the time to be social and silly and soak in the beauty of the place.

Anyway, while at the park we thought Weston would want to head for the playground. He took off in that direction, with what seemed to be some determination. We soon realized, however, that he was headed for something else. It looked like he was off to be with the huge group in the orange shirts. He is, after all, a social kid. It turns out we were wrong. He was actually after a ball just beyond the group of people that he had spotted from clear across the park. That's our boy!We finallly coerced him over to the park where he enjoyed a mid-day swing in the fresh happy-valley air.

We were finally on our way, but not after one last cute pic: We were thrilled to arrive at about 5:00. Here Weston is, talking to the dog shortly after arriving. I wonder if Chaco (the Border Collie) understands Weston-ese? Because so far, we don't!

our electronic "woobie"

Just to start out, I have to know, do people still use the term "woobie?" It has been so long since I've heard it that I had to actually look it up to make sure it wasn't just a figment of my imagination! The exact definition, according to a highly respected source (a.k.a. whatever random website popped up first in a google search) is: Something very precious and snuggly, like a bunny wunny or baby bankie. Another states that a woobie is a beloved object, often carried around for extended periods of time.

From my observation, most small children have one. They carry around some kind of worn out blankie or stuffed animal or dirty sock (just kidding), and when they are upset, it brings them comfort. Well, Weston has never had anything of the sort. He never even wanted a pacifier.

Then, just this afternoon I had a realization. I was putting Weston down for a nap when I noticed he was "cuddling" something... something hard and shiny that he seems to love more than anything.

It was a phone.

That is when it occured to me that phones - especially of the cell variety - are like his woobie!! A phone can always bring him comfort and happiness when nothing else will, and although it's not cuddly like a "bunny wunny or a baby bankie," it is, to him, a beloved object that he definately carries around for extended periods of time. But, what really sealed the deal is when he cuddled himself to sleep with one.

Due to the fact that nothing calms him down quicker than a cell phone in-hand, Weston has acquired a few of his own. That's right, because he has broken them and they are now of no use to those of us who actually call people on the phone. (Although that is not completely accurate come to think of it because Weston has been known to dial a few numbers!)

At any rate, here are a couple of cute pics of Weston with his beloved electronic "woobies"

Chillin' with Grandma (and her phone) to the left.

Cuddling with Auntie Shae-Leigh, his favorite balloon (well, it was his favorite that day), and of course, Uncle Trevor's phone.

He's really telling them how it is in this pic!

A lot of times he'll hand the phone to us and want us to play along. Jason usually starts carrying on a conversation that he says is with a "cute girl baby" who would like to speak with Weston.