I saved many things of Taylor's - but I never thought the witch hat would actually survive to a 2nd child AND a move. Somehow it did.
Katie and I went to our MOMS Club Halloween party today. When she discovered that there were lollipops, it was all over. She loves these things. The only candy Taylor had had at this age was Smarties. Oh how things change for the 2nd child...
Katie and I on the stationary hay ride wagon.
And to go back in time a little - here's Taylor with the same costume. Do they look related or what?
Today, we packed up the kiddos and headed to the Utah State Fair. It was a nice overcast day and we needed to get out of the house.
They had the only traveling Sea Lion show in the US. We missed the actual show but saw these fellas lounging peacefully.
Aussie Experience - complete with kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos and a Kookaburra. Even an albino kangaroo ! Nothing like seeing them in the wild that the Hoovers are experiencing.
Did you know that a kangaroo can travel at speeds up to 40 MPH and cover over 30 feet in one jump?? That's faster and further than even the world's best Thoroughbred !!
This goat was not satisfied with his "in the pen" view.
Sweet Cow
Cow Bathing Time
This wagon had these Meats and Bugs as choices. Buffalo is about the only one I would try !
Taylor in a tractor race on the Walmart Farm exhibit.
Taylor as a Future Farmer of America.
Taylor and I going down the Giant Slide. It was lots of fun and Taylor squealed the entire way down. Scott thinks the whole entire fair could hear her !
Here's what the fair did to Little Katie - wore her out. I love the video monitor - can't live without it now. Soon, it will be even more helpful when she is out of her crib... Please say some prayers that that will be many months from now though.
The weather here is changing fast. 2 weeks ago, it was 90+ everyday with a couple 100 degree days right at the beginning of school. They even have schools without AC out here still. So, on one of these hot days, a large piece of metal from our swamp cooler flies off the roof. Luckily, it didn't kill anyone landing in the back yard. This particular piece was one that is required by the swamp cooler to get cool air into the house. When the repair man arrived, Scott negotiated a sweet price on installation of air conditioning. Now, we just leave the windows open and there's no need for any type of cooling. (Thus, snow will be here way to soon. Ski season passes are selling fast)
And our TV decided to die tonight just when I went to turn it on to watch 9/11 coverage...
Hello everyone - this blog will soon be revived and put back into action ! Marie here. I plan on posting on our everyday life in Salt Lake City so family and friends can keep up with us and the growth and changes in Taylor and Katie. I warn you - I will not be nearly as funny as Scott.
To get us started - here are some recent photos of Taylor and Katie.
Taylor and her friend Alexandra while riding the train at a local amusement park.
Taylor and Katie doing some driveway art.
Katie climbing the bookshelves at the Sandy library.
Taylor on her first day of 1st grade - she is in red and not looking too happy. The day went well so I guess it was nerves.
Katie enjoying watching Thomas the Train at the Greeley, CO train museum.
Taylor at the sculpture garden (post to follow with more photos) the day she lost her 1st front tooth.
Our family is relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah. I've been offered a fantastic job and we're going to take it. Today Marie, Katie and Isabel (the grandmother) boarded a plane for Utah.
Taking care of a five month old is tough. Taking care of one at 30,000 feet for four hours is enough to scare the hardiest of folk. But we are prepared! Ok, we weren't.
It started with my alarm clock going off at 4:15 am. Normally this would not scare me to death if it was at 5:30 am. But there is something about the alarm clock going off that early that scares the wits out of me. I jumped up and grabbed a shower hoping that I washed everything. Zzzzzzzz.
We all loaded up in the car and for the most part nothing went wrong. Parking was great. So was ticketing. Then came security and we blazed through it at record time. Jesus was cutting me a break today. Katie got on board the plane and was a doll the whole trip. You can't ask for more. Well, maybe you can. You can ask for all FIVE pieces of luggage that you gave the agent back in Atlanta, instead of just four. At least you can ask for the single most important piece to show up and just lose Daddy's stuff.
DELTA - Delivering Excuses Liberally To All
They lost the infant seat. The infant seat is the baby bucket that you carry the child in and the device that fastens it to the car so that she's not the first thing to fly through the windshield when you crash. It is VERY important, especially when you have a grumpy wife pointing her finger at you and yelling "so just what are we going to do now Mr. world traveler?"
Luckily Budget Rent a Car had one that we could rent for $13 per day. The number 13 is NEVER a good number, so I paid him $14. Marie and I sat on the concrete in the rental care pick up zone and tried to figure out how to work it. Finally we just duct taped Katie to the seat and left it at that.
By this time the mommy was quite hungry (read ANGRY) and was pissing me off so we stopped at Fuddruckers for a designer burger. Two of the three designer burgers went back to the kitchen with a thousand apologies from Senior Manager. Takes a lot to screw up a burger so bad that you send it back.
Did Scott sent his burger back? Well, he should. But the baby had puked on his shirt while on the plane and then grabbed his soda and dumped it on him at the restaurant. I was cold and hungry and just didn't feel like fighting. So I ate probably the worst burger I've ever eaten.
The rest of the day went smooth. We left Izzie with the baby and drove all over Utah. It is a wonderful place and the mountains are fantastic. Marie directed me to neighborhoods and we took in the sites. Neither of us can wait to look at houses tomorrow.
Katie was getting hungry, so we went back to the hotel and fed the baby. I found out that the model train store was only two miles a way and snuck out a window with the van keys. The damage was $55 and I made a new friend of the manager. Nothing like my best buddy Mike, but I'll take what I can get.
It's getting dark and Marie and her mom have left to go get dinner. They'll bring me back something later, so I'll just sit hear and stare at my precious daughter sleeping soundly.
The moon is full. Clouds drift over the sky casting eerie shadows. Even the crickets are quite.
This is when Zombies walk the earth.
My daughter is five and still has to wear a pull-up to bed in order to keep her bed dry. We've been trying to help her learn to get up and go to the pottie. The doctor told us that before we go to bed we should wake her up and take her to the pottie. That way she can empty her bladder and get used to getting up on her own. Easier said than done.
I sneak into the room. Taylor is sleeping upside down (head at the foot of the bed) with a blanket around her feet and her stuffed "Horsie" horse-shaped baby blanket on her head. She is out cold.
"Honey, let's wake up. Time to go pottie."
I rub her back gently but get not response.
"T, time to get up."
I remove Horsie from his position on her head. Eyes are closed tight. No movement.
"Cutie, let's get up and go to the pottie."
I tickle her feet. No movement.
I kiss her check. Still, no movement.
"Taylor-pie...time to potty!"
Gently I move her around on the bed.
ZOMBIE EYES!
Her eyes are large and glassy! Fixed in position. There is no happy child smile on her face! She is a zombie.
I pick her up and she is functional enough to drop her landing gear and stand up on the carpet.
"Let's go to the potty."
Zombie turns around and crawls back into bed.
"No, lets go to the pottie sweetie..."
I pick her up again and put her on the floor. Gently I take her hand and lead her into the hall. She turns and moves toward the office.
"Taylor, let's go this way to the bathroom."
We march toward the bathroom. Her Zombie eyes see the baby's room and she redirects herself to the door to Katie's room.
"No Sweetheart, its this way."
Meanwhile the mommy has gotten out the I-phone and has started a video so that we can show Taylor her sleepwalking.
Taylor changes course, passes by the bathroom which has its bright light on and walks to our bedroom. I just let her go. She climbs up into the bed, puts her head on the pillow and is asleep again.
"Honey...no, we need you to go to the pottie."
I pick her up and put her legs on the ground, but Zombies are stubborn if you happen to know anything about Zombies. I've dated a few in my past so I'm an expert.
The Zombie moved toward the door, turned 180 degrees and moved for the bed again.
"No, no cutie...this way" and I gently pick her up again.
Finally the Zombie child makes it to the potty. She stands there for a minute, turns around and climbs onto the pottie backwards facing the tank. She still has her pajamas on.
"Mommy, go help the Zombie."
After a few minutes we finally make pee pees and head back to bed. I put her back in bed the right way with her head on the pillow. Ever so carefully I put Horsie back on her head and cover her with a sheet and blanket.
The mommy and I agree that this is not the right way to potty train a Zombie.
l
