42nd Street

Every year TUTS puts on a free broadway show at the Miller Outdoor Theater. Every year I'm there no matter how hot! I was very impressed with this year's production and enjoyed the tap dancing and singing. The best part though was watching my 88-year-old adopted grandma tap dance and sing in the street on the way to the car. She kept saying that the doctors have taken the spring out of her step with all her operations. All I can say is I hope I have as much spring in my step as she does when I'm 88! When my dad got out of the car, he decided that he should join her in a tap dance on the street. Where was my camera?!!! They put on a priceless (and maybe a little embarrassing) show.

New Accomplishments

As I'm getting my food storage built up, I finally purchased wheat. After going to a bread-making class, I have started making wheat bread. My family loves it, and I can't tell you the satisfaction it gives me to watch Dallin eat my bread that I made for him. Zane had a stomach-ache after the first time I made it, but it was probably from eating five pieces in a row. I doubt his body was used to that much wheat.

My second big accomplishment was setting a new running record. As a part of our 4 mile run/walk, my sister times a mile of it through the trails in the forest near my house. The neighborhood has marked out each 1/8th mile which really helps when you are racing for time. The problem with this race is that my sister has the watch with her which motivates her to run faster. I never stay with her because she is way faster than me so I have trouble motivating myself to really push it. I usually let her leave me in the dust and run a nice, even mile. Over the July 4th weekend, Zane joined us on our run. Although Zane loves running (he was a very good sprinter in high school), his only exercise now is walking to and from his car. When we approached the mile, Zane, while pushing Dallin, chose to speed up with Haley and try to stay with her. I set a goal for myself to beat my 9 minute time and let them go without me. When I reached the 6/8 marker I saw Zane up ahead of me. He had lost steam and had slowed down. I realized then that I could beat him. I felt great because I wasn't pushing the stroller and sped up to pass him. I finished off with a great sprint and ran a 7:40 mile! I probably haven't ran that fast of a mile (that's fast for me) since high school. Now the only problem is to try to do that again! Haley now tells me my time to beat is 7:40. Unfortunately, I'm already back to doing 9 minute miles. I need Zane to push me!

Wipe Out

Zane has started watching the TV show Wipe Out and now Dallin joins him. Dallin has never been interested in TV but now he watches Wipe Out and Baby Einstein. It is hilarious to watch it with him because he laughs and laughs at everyone and he is glued to it. The problem with watching this show it that it is giving him new ideas such as jumping off the couch head first (luckily we caught him) or jumping into the water at the pool. We have started going to a different pool in my neighborhood that has cooler slides and a diving board. I swear Dallin watches the other kids jump off and his little mind is trying to figure out how they do what they are doing so he can copy. When we first started the diving board, Zane caught him. But now, he will just jump in even if we are not there. Thank goodness for floaties. Oh, and he has no problem with the slides anymore either.

He loves it!

Oh What do you do in the summer time when all the world is...HOT!

We are having extremely hot weather, even for us, (upper 90's to 100 degrees with humidity). So what do we do when it is this hot outside...stay in air conditioner or in water.

Playing at the pool

Going boating over the 4th of July.

A wave or a call for help...not sure!

Playing in the water fountains. After Dallin gets wet, he has started running around the water fountains discovering new things. This week he discovered a butterfly (look closely on the flowers)

Ahh, the child-like innocence.

Mmm, mmm good

The other night Dallin stood in front of the freezer stamping one foot and saying mmm, mmm (this means he wants something.) When he doesn't get what he wants, the mmm, mmm becomes a little louder, kind of like screaming. Zane asked me what he wants and I told him it is the ice cream in the freezer. Whenever I open the freezer, Dallin rushes over and tries to pull out the ice cream. Sometimes he is successful in pulling off the lid and then he will use his finger before I can catch him. I think this is his new favorite food. No matter how you try to distract him, he will eventually find his way back to the freezer for ice cream. Zane asked me how Dallin knew where the ice cream was because he assumed Dallin rarely has ice cream since he hasn't seen him eating any at night when he is home. A few days later Zane got his question answered.
He caught Dallin and me sneaking ice cream after being outside. It is sooo hot right now!!! We needed a refresher!

More brawns than brains

Super cute, mischievous boy sporting his Astors' gear

Dallin is in the phase of "more brawns than brains" to quote my friend. He is constantly getting new bumps and bruises (notice the cut on his elbow) because he fails to think before he acts. For instance, Dallin threw the couch pillows on the floor and the next thing we knew, he dived off the couch and did a belly flop on the pillows. Luckily he landed just fine. I as his mother have thought through every situation that could go wrong with this stunt. Dallin though just sees how fun it is.

Second example: He stands on a chair as he "helps" me cook. (Help meaning anything and everything around him looks like it should be thrown in the mixer to get mixed up.) He figured out the other day that he can climb up the back of the chair without thinking that his weight can tip the chair over. Ahhh!

Third: He is a daredevil in the swimming pool. He just jumps in even if I'm not there to catch him. It is imperative he has his floaties on every time!

And finally, if you are laying down, he will jump on you. It doesn't matter if your big or small. A poor little girl in church had Dallin land on her while she was laying in between her daddy's feet. Older kids think this is hilarious and purposely lay on the ground and call Dallin over to them.

Caleb minding his own business and playing with his trains

We have many more examples, but I have concluded that boys are born having boy characteristics. This isn't something learned. They just are mischievous "little terrors" who we all love but have to watch constantly. This would explain why when Dallin was given a princess to play with by a little girl in church that he looked at it for a second, turned it around in his hand, then raised his arm to chuck it. Luckily I caught it first. I'm learning.