Full Blown June and July up to now

Okay, okay. So I am cheating again. The news I wrote up for the family newsletter has everything in it! So I am just going to copy and paste it. Hope you enjoy it!

As a family we have been keeping busy with day to day activities. William has been working full-time at CradlePoint, Erin has been watching Sam, and Sam has been playing and making messes just like he is supposed to. We celebrated Sam's birthday on June 16th with Sam's friends from nursery and a few other friends of the family with basketball cupcakes and popsicles at Ivy Wild Park. We have been keeping busy with traveling on the weekends to several places including Utah for the Tour De Cure in June, several times to Gooding to finish the front porch (which is almost finished!) and to Buhl for the Fun Run on July 3rd which William ran with Mike, Nathan, Karen and Vance. Then on top of those travels we also were in Wendell for the Despain Reunion and then in Glenn's Ferry for the Grover Reunion. It has been a lot of fun traveling but it is also good to take a break for the rest of July and probably a good portion in August. Erin is getting a smidge to close to travel very far with out her feet turning into watermelons. We are all looking forward to meet the baby sometime in the next month, but still have no clue when it will occur, although we are wagering close to the very end of July or early August.

William has been very blessed to be working full-time hours. When he gets home he gets time to play with Sam before bedtime and occasionally even gets to work out in the garage on his boat rack that he is constructing. He is getting closer to being finished but it may take another day or two depending on the amount of help Sam wants to contribute. With the Tour De Cure (which he rode 100 miles for) and the Buhl Fun Run (which he ran a 5k) done he hasn't had much motivation to get out the door and continue riding or running. He is looking for another event in the near future that he can train for. He has not lost much weight but he is more toned and a slimmer waist line to help with fitting in all of his used to be tight around the waist pants.

Erin spends a majority of the days trying to find something to do other than sitting at the computer, taking naps and chasing Sam. She is still involved in the Relief Society Committee to plan the monthly activities and gets to participate in 2 planning meetings then the event each month. Erin has also finally agreed to turn on the A/C in the house instead of sweating it and

keeping the power bill down. The warmer temperatures has also helped her make the decision to switch to the pick up as her mode of transportation since it is the only vehicle with A/C. Where ever it is coolest is where you will most likely find her. This last week she finally got to use her Mother's day gift of an hour long massage, which has improved her mood and almost completely stopped the groaning from getting up and down and lifting. When we are rich (ha ha) she plans on making it a monthly occurrence.

Sam is now a big 2 years old! With his birthday he has started having a couple of tantrums each week that start off with some small things like taking away deodorant or closing the bathroom door. After 20 minutes he goes back to normal and wants to help clean up toys, kiss mommies tummy or cuddle on the couch. He is still fairly relaxed and stays out of most things that are "naughty" and is a big help and throwing garbage away when asked or when he is finished with his snack. He loves nursery and is always helping with clean up and stacking the chairs in the corner after class, as well as coloring many pictures and participating with play-doh and the lessons. Sam is working on potty training mostly by himself when he wants to sit on the potty he strips off his diaper and sits on his potty. We are not pushing him because we have heard the most kids revert back to diapers after a baby comes and starts taking away mommy and daddy time. A few things he has mastered is opening doors (bedroom, bathroom and the fridge)

Sam enjoying his slice of cheese that he got out of the fridge himself.

as well as saying please (in sign language) thank you, and hi/bye at the appropriate times. He loves visiting family and getting attention from everyone. His favorite past time is throwing rocks, playing in the dirt and watching bugs with an occasion foot stomping to get them to stop moving so fast.

Yesterday as a family we floated the Boise River in a small raft. It was Sam's first time and he seemed to enjoy it and even had a short relaxing nap on Daddy's chest for the last ten minutes. We all made it okay except for Erin who didn't think to put sunscreen on her knees which were sticking up above the raft for a majority of the ride with Sam sitting between her legs. She got very badly burnt and is having a hard time walking, sitting, laying or bending without groaning or making noise.

Life continues to throw us curves, hills and trials that are not easy to face but as we struggle through them as a family we can feel our bonds strengthening. We love all of you and hope that the trials of life will be kept in a perspective of something that can be conquered.