Groceries, Snow, Birthday, and Knives...

This is how we spend a quiet afternoon...

Our favorite grocery store opened a new location downtown, just a couple blocks away from Dan's office.  We love Harmon's.  Yes... we love Harmon's.  Dan headed down on his lunch break the day after they opened and had a look around.  A co-worker went with him and at laughed at how giddy he was...

This picture is from the second floor near the cafe/housewares/cooking school/gelato bar/coffee bar/sushi station.  Any wonder why this is our favorite store?  (That and they have drive and load so we can just worry about getting the kids in the car and have them load the groceries.)

For Christmas Uncle Bart and Aunt Lori gave the kids sleds.  They were thrilled!!  But this winter had yet to be sled worthy.  We've had a dusting of snow now and then, but nothing worth a ride down a hill.  Until last weekend...  A decent storm came through the area and the golf course down the street from Bart and Lori's beckoned.  (Well... Bart and Lori beckoned with promises of hot cocoa and other scrumptious treats they had purchased at the new Harmon's - see, everyone was excited about the new store.)

We all took turns riding down with each of the kids.  It was a wonderfully beautiful day and we all had a blast!  Then fingers got cold and it was time for the walk back to Bart and Lori's for treats and warmth.  If you are near Harmon's we all recommend the apple tart!

Lexi's birthday was last week.  There was cake!  (From Harmon's!)

Caroline and Hayden both love to help cook.  Caroline is an "I do it!" kind of helper.  She really wanted to cut the zucchini herself, but we have to draw the line somewhere...

Harmon's, if you are listening, we would like some sort of kickback for all the kudos...

Time Flies

Two weeks gone by already!
Pre-Super Bowl, Dan spent most of the week in Colorado. No one is really sure why he was there, but he really appreciated the opportunity to have dinner with his parents. The only thing we know for sure he did was take a private tour with his group of the Coors brewery in Golden, Colorado. Dan claims it was a team building activity, but we have our suspicions. Not sure what all the pictures are, but he says there are of a whole lot of grain, a whole lot of malt, a whole to of copper things, and lots and lots of beer.

Then there was the annual Super Bowl Funness!  It was great to have friends come over and watch the commercials, err... game, with us.  Caroline entertained with song and dance! Any talent agents read this? Next year's half time show?

This week began with a bang!  Literally!  Dan and Lexi both had horrid commutes on the train.  Dan's train arrived just after the accident.  He subscribes to UTA's twitter feed and had more (and better) information than those on the scene.  There was much chaos, but Dan, the intelligence gatherer, was above the fray and was standing on the platform when the next train arrived (everyone else was a block away waiting for the promised bus bridge).




The rest of the week sailed by with lots of cuteness...

 

The weather has remained spring-like so the sandbox was unearthed and the kids played outside for awhile.

We have decided to stop catering our meals to the youngest of our family. Sunday night Lexi prepared an amazing meal of homemade soup and scones (not the Utah kind). The opportunity to pause, and appreciate the small comforts is amazing and changes our whole outlook!

The sweet smell of chlorine

It was the last week of this session of swim lessons.  It's a little bittersweet...

The kids LOVE swim lessons, but Tuesday and Thursday evenings have been less than relaxing.  So we (Dan and Lexi) are taking a break and skipping the next session.  

On the last day of lessons the instructors turned on the slide and let the kids have at it.

So sorry for the sideways video - just tilt your head to the left a bit...

A while ago Dan and Lexi began thinking about getting Caroline out of her crib and into a big girl bed.  A few obstacles stood in the way and Dan and Lexi liked that she was "confined".  She couldn't quite climb out so it was still safe.  But with the advance in potty training (BTW: dry at night too!) it was time.  As Lexi took apart the crib she realized that the twin bed did not need to be lugged up from the basement, but rather the crib could sit on the floor with the sides simply removed!  Yeah simplicity!

Of course there is a learning curve.  As stated before, the crib offered confinement.  Of the twp naps Caroline was put down for only one resulted in sleep, but not before she explored her room and dumped the contents of every bin on her floor.

Yes, she is fast asleep on the floor...  Clearly the bed is optional, why do we bother?

It's Spring!

The weather here has been... hummmmm... let's say less than frightful; at least until yesterday! Old man winter finally showed up (looking more like a big spring storm) and we used the opportunity to get out of the house and teach the kids that snow can be fun!

 

At least for a little bit. Their interest didn't last long. So in a desperate move (and being unwilling to drive ANYWHERE), the kids enjoyed some hot cocoa and a rousing game (is that the right word?) of dress up ensued (Caroline makes a great Santa!). Please feel free to copy, keep, and blackmail Hayden with the below (we plan to!).

In all fairness, this weekend was actually very effective. Dan and Lexi got many projects done and the kids behaved well! After all, Dan and Lexi decided to make it a three-day weekend! We now use an antenna to watch TV (how quaint?). Did you know you could do that? The picture is crystal clear uncompressed HD. We also decreased out Internet speed. Essentially we made some changes because we think that our money is best kept with us (or in our kids' 529s), and not with Comcast (bastards!). That, and we want to buy a 2012 Subaru Impreza by August (woot! woot!).

Lexi, snapped this picture on our way to Target. Sometime Utah can be beautiful.

We may have a winner!

The week started out unremarkable. Then there was Wednesday... Hayden was acting more cuddly than usual (which is REALLY cuddly!)  Eventually Lexi felt the back of his neck and realized that the boy had quite the fever. It has been a while since anyone in this house had a fever.  After a bit of searching we came up with an oral thermometer (the rectal one was easy to find, but he's 4...).  After a dose of ibuprofen and a cool bath, Dan was sent to the store for a better temperature-taking option (we opted for temporal one because we could take temperatures without waking the kids).  So it became a 5-day weekend for the kids!

Dan and Lexi took turns taking the day off work.  Dan had first watch.  On Lexi's day Hayden was feeling a bit better.  Somewhere along the line he asked to watch Wonder Woman.  Thank you Hulu!  Hayden, Caroline, and Lexi spent a couple hours watching Wonder Woman episodes from long ago.  Hayden asked (and asked and asked and asked (he's 4)) why Wonder Woman never wears pants and gets to run around in her underwear.  Then he wanted a Wonder Woman costume.  Lexi was able to put together Wonder Woman bracelets.

Hayden fascination about underwear wasn't unique. Dan and Lexi were forced to get serious about potty training Caroline.  She always wanted to watch Potty Power (a potty training movie with obnoxiously catchy songs about "sittin' on the potty" and saying "bye bye to diapers" as well as songs that teach kids to "wipe your bottom front to back") and always asked to poop in the potty, so it was time.  She has been a champ!  As expected, there were a few accidents as she learned the time delay between "I HAVE TO PEE!" and making it to the toilet, but overall she's been quite successful.  (Why did we wait?? - probably because we had a boy first...or we are lazy...)

Way back in 1998 Dan bought his first car - a Pontiac Grand Am.  The car has been good to us but it needs to rest.  For some time Dan has been researching new cars.  He and Lexi have their favorites, but with the kids it would have been a marathon to go from dealer to dealer and see each.  Enter the Utah Auto Show (dun da dummm)! Lexi thought it would be a great one-stop way to see each car and a great indoor playground for the kids on a freezy day.  Yeah, yeah... all the cars were looked over and Dan and Lexi got tons of questions answered, and have in fact have pretty much decided on a winner; but the kids don't really care! 

They spent the day rolling around on the floor between exhibits and "driving" to various relatives' homes. (Did you make the short list for a visit? Check back next time and find out!)

The smiles after:

Just as we were leaving Hayden saw Tow Mater!  (It's Disney - if the marketing didn't work we'd be surprised!)

After all the fun the family came home to rest (Caroline did a great job on that one...)  It was also time to train to Jezebel on her muzzle.  She has a nasty (and costly) habit of attacking other dogs.  After other training options failed, it was time for a muzzle. She did quite well and loved putting it on (because it meant lots of treats and love)!

Swim Lessons!

It all began last Fathers' Day...  Somehow Lexi got it in her head that swimming with kids would be a fun activity.  Since then, Hayden and Caroline (especially Hayden) have begged to go swimming every time the word pool is mentioned.  This presents a problem as our house is half a block from the park with the indoor and outdoor pool...  These kids needed swim lessons - Dan and Lexi were not going to carry them around the pool as teenagers.  Now each Tuesday and Thursday evening the family heads to the pool.  

They are fish.  Really!  You take them out of the water and they start flopping back toward it.  They are going to shame Michael Phelps.  Yes, they are!

Happy New Year!

Resolution: BLOG! Here we go...

New Year's Eve is fondue night! Dan and Lexi carefully chose a "kid-friendly" fondue (cheddar with apple cider) with baguette, apples, and (of course) hot dogs for dipping.





Dessert was beignets with lemon-orange dipping sauce.  The deep fryer had been collecting dust for some time...










Both the fondue and the beignets were BIG hits!  (Of course they were - who doesn't like dipping?)

After dinner Dan and Hayden broke out the wishbone from the Christmas Eve (free - thanks WinCo) turkey.  Apparently free turkeys have different wishbones.  Dan and Hayden gave it a tug and the top (wish portion) went flying into the air and each was only left with half a bone...  Everyone decided that this meant both wishes will come true.  (It took some time, but the top portion was finally found under a bookcase!)