Camping

Chris and I were brave enough to set out on camping trip with our two year old a couple weeks ago. It was so much fun that we are already planning on going back. We got there later than planned and packed way too much food but all in all it was a good time.

Dinner time.....we bagged the idea of tinfoil dinners the first night because we were all too hungry to wait and instead had Frito's and chili.....in the bag. I had never had them this way. My sister Melynda swears it taste better in the bag but it was all the same to me.

My little pyros. The one thing I love about camping is the fire. The one thing I hate about camping with a toddler is the fire. She was far too fascinated for my comfort. I spent a lot of time worrying that she was going to trip and fall in it. She made it back in one piece though.

Chris and Kate were both miffed because I kept taking there pictures while we were eating smores. It was so dark that the flash all but blinded them. Oops.



Lounging at the lake. Kate has somehow managed to end up with a sucker and my ice cream cone. She is pretty good!

Playing in the gravel.

Trying to be like dad.

This was our craft. We painted rock bugs. We met lots of bugs up there and Kate was fascinated with them all.



Heading home. We all look pretty ragged but were so glad we had the chance to take Kate on her first camping trip. There will be many more to come.

Thank You Elmo!

My little Kate hate has hated bananas since we started feeding her people food.....We went to the library the other day and picked out a couple of Elmo movies because as of right now he is her favorite thing of all. We picked one out about Flowers and Bananas. Last night we put it on to watch while I made dinner. Chris sat down with her to watch and Elmo starts talking about bananas and how great they are. Then a giant banana comes out starts talking to Elmo. Well I guess this did it because Chris come in the kitchen and tells me she keeps asking for a banana. I tell him he can try, I have before, but she doesn't like them. He gets one and takes it to her and she is so excited. Then she proceeds to take a huge bite and ends up eating the whole thing as she watches Elmo. I love that little, red monster. I am still reeling from the shock. Moms I guess know nothing about what is good but leave it to Elmo to tell you what the finer things in life are. Now I just need to find one for peaches, pears, and celery.

One of My Favorites!

Squeakers....that's the noise they make and that what they are called. We have received so many comments and questions about where to get these shoes I thought I would blog about them. Grandma Holly got them for Kate and they are hands down her favorite shoes. They have squeakers in the heals so they make noise when she walks. The company is based in Utah so some of you have probably heard of them. Back here everyone ask where they can get them and I found the link: squeakers.com.



These flower ones Kate has and the poke-a-dot I have on my wish list. Her other pair aren't on the web site yet so I'll post a pic later of her modeling them. If you have a baby learning to walking this is a great way to get them to because they love the sound. The best part is when we got out we never lose her. We always know if she is running away or has stopped to look at something. They best part is you can take the squeaker out when you say...go to church or just need quiet. They have super cute boy shoes too.

If any of you really are interested let me know because I can get a little discount from the owner. These definitely are my favorite baby thing.

Happy Fourth of July!!!

We woke up and went to a morning breakfast. It was really fun. They do a big patriotic show and have really delicious food. It is really fun on the 4th here because it seems like everyone takes it so much more seriously because there is so much history around us. Our breakfast took place just 20 minutes out of Gettysburg. Very cool!

Our town has a really fun celebration. They have live music, kids rides, craft to do, and lots of food to eat. It reminds me of Cherry Days but a lot bigger. I loved Cherry Days as a kid (If you live in North Ogden you understand). I hope this can become a tradition.

They had a petting zoo there and Kate was also able to feed the animals. She is admiring the baby bunnies here.

I took Kate shopping to pick out her outfit. I had this really cute dress with stars and such on it and then we found this very patriotic dog on a shirt. Then I couldn't help but let her pick which one she wanted to wear. Obviously dogs always win over wimpy stars. I bought both hoping she would change her mind but I guess I have to take her cute dress back now.

Halfway through the afternoon it started to rain so we took cover under the trees. After a half hour we gave in and went home.

Of course it was during the long trek to the car that the torrential down pour came. It actually was really fun! We were able to play in the in rain. It beat the tornado warnings we had last year.

We hope everyone had fun. Happy Independence Day!

Kate!

I usually don't post like this but I have to share with all of you, my fellow blogging family, my recent heart ache. I can't explain to you how difficult these last few days have been. Maybe a few of you have faced something similar to my experience. I have recently been alerted to the all too near future of girlhood facing my daughter. Lately I have been receiving several comments (don't worry no one on this blog) from those whom I love the most and are the closest to about my sweet little girl. The troubling part for me isn't that people are making these comments it is more that fact that I am realizing at the tender age of 2 my baby girl is already having to start thinking about how big her little round thighs are and if she really should eat that cookie. My baby of 2 years still looks like a baby. I don't know how else to put it. And those of you who know my family know that is how we are. She is actually perfect weight and height for her age (as she always has been) but she still has her little roundness of an infant. I think one lady referred to her as looking like an "over-developed one year old".

After a culmination of all this I have started imagining the road laid out before her. It truly breaks my heart. I remember as a 4 year old feeling like my thighs were too big and being self conscious. I remember in high school my friends and I always talking about our weight or at least talking about how skinny the other was. For me it was always really a reflection of how I felt about myself. Which was because I was unsure of myself at the time. I felt like I had been taught to fit into a certain category, but of course I never felt like I did. The point of my biggest hang up was when after realizing with both her father and my genes she is bound to be babyish for a few years. I didn't lose all my baby stuff until I was a junior in high school. I had a boy, Ben Read, so kindly remind me of that in 9Th grade. Chris hung onto his up until he was 11. As a parent I think ourvery wish is to save our children from any pain we have experienced as children. Since these memories are so vivid in my mind it broke my heart to think that someday she may feel the exact same way I did and with so many outside influences how could I help it. My struggle became how can I raise a daughter who learns that it isn't how we look but how we feel and what we do that matters most.

I decided I didn't want Kate to have to face that. I never want her think she has to look a certain way to be accepted. It is an ideal that no one can live up to. There isn't a women I have meet to this day that hasn't thought something was wrong with her. I realized there is something wrong here that needs to change and then I realize I, as a mother, can change it. I can't change everyone around me, but I sure can teach Kate different things than what I was taught. I can teach her what matters most about individuals. And that every body is good, special and a gift from God no matter the size.

I really have taken inventory on myself. How I view myself and even talk to myself. Which in all honesty isn't always they best. Everyone has there days. As my sister Melynda put it, "Even if you don't say it they can tell how you feel about yourself." Kate mimics everything I do and I realized she would someday mimic this too.

After much thought and prayer I know now I that I have more effect on how she feels about herself than anyone. Now we have started to talk about having healthy bodies and being strong and exercising and she gets it even at 2 years old. My goal is to never let her hear fat, diet or any other nasty word from my mouth, because I realized if not someday she will say it to herself. My other goal is to instill in her the feeling that comes from being healthy, exercising and eating good foods. Trying to focus on the positive and the possible.

I just wanted to share my experience. I can't quite put into words all my feelings but as hard as this experience was I feel very blessed to have had it. I hope we can all teach our children the true meaning of an individual and how important it is.