July 29 - August 4 2018

August 06, 2018

July 29 - August 4 2018

Friday night movie (Coco). Before the movie starts they play fun music that everyone dances to.

I told him to make a face like he's in love. Ha!

This was a scary movie night. Because they watch Coco a lot at home, they were pretty antsy during this movie. Toward the end, we decided we should leave because we couldn't keep Eleanor on our blanket for the life of us. We took the Little Atwells up to the benches that face the amphitheater (they have lights so we could see while we got everyone's shoes on). I stayed with the littles while Daniel went and grabbed our stuff. The littles decided to walk on this wall that had a short drop off to a grassy area. I was just about to go tell them to get off because I knew they would fall. Just as I was heading over to them, Dalton and Eleanor both fell off the wall. I went and got them and plopped them on the bench while Maylee ran over to see what happened. They both had scraped knees. I kissed Eleanor's and then kissed Dalton's. Dalton asked for a bandaid and I told him we could get one in the van. I turned to the girls and they were gone. Gone. I looked in ever direction and couldn't spot them anywhere. Because the benches are lit up, it makes it impossible to see into the amphitheater. I started freaking out because there is water everywhere in this place that is not fenced off. I was terrified that Maylee was trying to get to the van with Eleanor. There is a bridge you have to go over, but it is pitch black and I was worried sick they would miss the bridge and go in the water. I ran to a man sitting on a bench next to ours. I asked if he'd seen two little girls. He said no but offered to watch Dalton while I ran and looked. I ran to the bridge and yelled their names. Nothing. My heart was pounding in my throat at this point. I ran down the amphitheater to grab Daniel and tell him I couldn't find the girls. He had just finished getting everything together. We ran up to drop our stuff at the bench by Dalton and ran in different directions to find our girls. It seemed hopeless. It was so dark. Just as my mind was thinking of the worst possible cases, I looked back and saw Maylee walking to Daniel. I ran over and while I was so incredibly happy, I was so incredibly sick that Eleanor wasn't with her. I took Maylee from Daniel and he continued to look for Eleanor. I asked Maylee where Eleanor was. She pointed toward the dark amphitheater. I walked through it looking everywhere. This place was crowded with people. I told Maylee to point to where she and Eleanor went. She pointed one way and I followed. I didn't see Eleanor for a while. At last, in the distance I saw a little girl walking up the amphitheater toward the benches. I ran as fast as I could through all the people, blankets, and lawn chairs praying my heart out that that was in fact Eleanor. It was! I was so relieved! I swooped her up and ran to the benches. I put them down and just hugged and kissed them. I cried too. I was shaking, just a total mess. I looked up to find Daniel. I saw him and waved him down. He ran over and picked up one of the girls. We walked over to Dalton who was just wailing. The man who was with him told us that Dalton had said the sweetest little prayer. We thanked the man with all the thankfulness our hearts could muster. We then sat on the bench as a family and hugged our littles. I thanked Dalton for praying and he looked so sad. He looked at me and said, "My family left me. Mom, you can't leave me. Don't do that again, it's not okay." I felt horrible! He didn't realize what was going on. He just knew that Daniel and I ran away from him! I felt so awful! We explained to him that we had to go run and find Maylee and Eleanor. I'm not sure he really understood because even after we got out to the van he sadly and heartbrokenly said, "My family left me." It was a rough night. We said a prayer as soon as we got in the van. I think it helped everyone.

Daniel and Eleanor:)

There's a new park/splash pad here and it is legit. We went this week and the Little Atwells were very happy. Dalton had gotten his feet all sandy at the park and I told him to go in the water and it would make him clean again. He said, "That's a great idea, mom!" I had to laugh because this is how he looked when he said that:

Notice his sandals are between the wrong toes. Ha! :)

We got in the van and had a little dance party while we cooled off from the heat!

Daniel cut Dalton's hair for the second time. It went really well until it was over and Daniel put Dalton in the bath. He was NOT okay with that!

When it was all done he let me hold him:)

I was going to take the littles to the library, but we were passing the new park/splash pad and they were insistent we go there instead. So we went. The Little Atwells must've been inspired because we came right as a camera crew was there and handing out $10 Target gift cards to all the moms. Each mom received a $10 gift card for every child she brought! (I had to sign a waver) I was a happy camper. This company had put up the playground equipment at the park and wanted to get pictures/videos of children playing on the equipment to put on their website. They were handing out the cards to the mother's who allowed them to photograph their children. However, we got there as they were finishing up. So, we got the gift cards and no pictures..which I'm kinda okay with!

Eleanor searching my bag for food:)

Eleanor pretending to be asleep on Daniel so we wouldn't put her down. She knows he's a sucker for that kind of stuff:)

She thought she was pretty clever:)

Some screen shots I took of quilt ideas. I have a vision in my head of creating a quilt (with no backing) of the Manti temple. I want to frame it and put it up in our home. I liked different parts of each of these quilts and want to incorporate them into mine.

Eleanor being cute:)

Dalton said something cute so I took these pictures to remember, and now I've totally forgotten what he said!! I'm so sad!

*Update* I remembered! We were watching this movie on Amazon about a lady bug and two ant colonies at war. They loved it! There's no talking so I wasn't sure if they were really understanding what was going on. Toward the end of the movie, you see the ladybug get reunited with his family. Dalton told me, "Mommy, the ladybug found his family! (He pronounces family: famimy) That is so sweet! He lost his family and now he found them. That is so sweet!" I love him:)

Maylee at the new park:)

Hanging out in Ella's room.

On Saturday when I went to go pick up our groceries, an ambulance drove by while I was waiting. I took some pictures and videos to show Dalton when I got back home. He thought that was pretty cool:)