Birthday and Bloodshed...

It's been a while since my last post and most of you know that it is hunting season out here in Utah, so being a hunting widow doesn't leave me much free time these days. At this moment, I am nursing and typing at the same time!!! The multi-tasking never ends...

Cameron had his 5th birthday on September 21st and he had a little "frog party" to celebrate. We invited three friends from his soccer team over and here are a few highlights:

This is (L to R): Cameron, Alex, John, Brendan, Andrew and Ryan

Here's the frog cake - I can't take credit for it. Smith's grocery store made this out of cupcakes!

Here's Cameron in his frog shirt from Aunt Louie and his new frog hiking stick from Hunca Munca and Pop Pop.

Here is his new ski jacket that he will wear this year.

The new foldable soccer goal for the soccer enthusiasts.

Here we are with our five year old boy!!!

Lucas is growing like a weed and is at such a cute stage! Here is the section for the grandparents and aunties!!!

Here he is in my favorite outfit that Aunt Louie bought for him.

Below you'll see a short video of him "ahh-gooing" and with small giggles.

Speaking of hunting season, Kenyon shot his "once in a lifetime" trophy elk on opening night this past Wednesday. He took it to the butcher and the taxidermist, and brought the antlers home until the taxidermist needs them, so here's the boys with his trophy!

Below is a very dark video of Andrew using Kenyon's elk calling tool like a pro. You can't really see him, but it is hilarious that a two year-old
can call an elk so well!

Home sweet home after his hunt, seen here with his real trophies!!!

This one is so cute of Drew with Daddy!

Summer Visitors for Lucas

We have had a wonderful summer filled with visits from family that live too far away and that we don't get to see often enough. My mom was the first to arrive, trying to time her visit so that she would be here for the arrival of our little Lucas. She came from June 19th to the 28th and was able to help me tremendously with my final uncomfortable days of pregnancy. On the night of the 24th when my labor finally kicked in, she was there for me through every moment until our sweet little boy made his appearance. Here are a few moments from her trip.

She took this the day before I went into labor - everyone was in disbelief about how big and out front Lucas was!

At the hospital - June 25th at about 2 a.m. Mom and I are trying to decide who Lucas looked like. We decided that he looks like Lucas!

This is later that day when Mom and Kenyon brought the boys over to the hospital to meet their new brother. Grandma couldn't wait to get her hands on this sweet boy.

During Mom's visit, my brother Jeff and his wife Andrea and their new baby Eva were visiting Andrea's family in Bozeman, MT (they live in Minnesota). They drove down to see us for 5 days in the hopes of meeting their new nephew also, but they left on the morning of the 24th and I went into labor that night. It was so fun to get to know my sweet neice though and the boys really enjoyed their new cousin. We had a great time and are looking forward to seeing them again in December.

Here is the new family at the park - during the few seconds that Uncle Jeff WASN'T playing with his nephews.

Here's me with Eva - trying to convince Lucas
to come out and meet her!

Here is a very recent picture of Eva at 4 months old!
Such a happy girl!!!

We had a two week break between when my mom left and when Kenyon's parents arrived from Pennsylvania for eight days. The boys call them "Hunca Munca and Pop Pop". Hunca and Pop Pop arrived with lots of fun things planned and had a very full trip here - they went bike riding, gardened together, went to Grand Teton National Park, had a bug hunt and cooked a meal together - just to name a few things. Here are a few highlights from their visit.

This is a shot from a bike ride - the metal circle is a piece of art
from the Olympics.

Here is Hunca and Pop Pop on a hike in Jackson Hole, WY. Kenyon and his parents took Brendan and Cameron on a quick overnight to see the Tetons and I stayed home with Andrew and Lucas.

Here's Kenyon with his mom and the boys in Grand Teton National Park.

This is Pop Pop teaching Cameron how to fish up in the Uinta Mountains just about 30 minutes from our house. We drove up there for an afternoon and the boys had a blast catching nothing and getting wet and dirty!

Another two weeks on our own and then Kenyon had to end his six week parental leave and go back to work - boo hoo!!! To help me adjust to caring for four children without him, my sister (my "sister-wife") and her two daughters came to visit for ten days. We went camping, hiking, shopping, walking, swimming and just hung out a lot (which we don't get to do since she lives in Illinois).

Amy was our camp chef. Here she is making Huevos Rancheros for breakfast - YUM!!!

Amy took this picture while we were camping. Amelia is on the left and Lauren is on the right. We were having "Mexican Hot Dogs" because I forgot to bring the ketchup and mustard, so we had salsa on them!

Here's the gang on the day we shopped on Main Street. Luckily, this is the only bear we saw on our trip.

Lucas got lots of time with his "Aunt Ah-maymee" as the boys call her.

We said a sad goodbye to Amy and the girls, but the very next day, we said an excited hello to my Aunt Mary Lou or "Aunt Louie" as all the great neices and nephews call her. We had not seen Mary Lou since Andrew was about six months old, so we were so excited that she took the time and made the effort to come from Atlanta for eight days. The boys all fell in love with her and made great memories with her. She also treated Lucas (o.k. mom) to a shopping spree at Macy's for some new clothes for him (he could easily be the KING of hand-me-downs, but isn't).

Here is how Lucas spent much of the week. Life is rough when you're a baby!!

Here's Louie with her boys... this was the last day before we
left for the airport :-(

I'm told that my dad and Angie are coming sometime in September to meet Lucas and visit with the boys, so I reserve the right to add some more visitors to the list. Thank you to everyone who made the trip out here - we had a wonderful summer and are thankful for each one of you.

Passing on the left!!!

Kenyon had a day off of work today and after the boys finished all their school work this morning, we decided to take them on our first "family of six" bike ride. We put Lucas' carseat in the double bike trailer with Andrew and off we went on a beautiful Park City day. Here are a couple of highlights:

We stopped at a couple of spots - one to climb trees and one to play in a stream.

We took off Andrew's pants because he inevitably falls into any body of water (I think there is some sort of magnetic pull from water to all two year-olds). So his underwear got all wet and muddy when he did fall, so we had to wash him off before putting his dry pants back on. Quite funny.

Brendan and Cameron hunting for sticks.

Andrew is wet, muddy and loving it.

The Sweeney boy version of a bath!

Also, the boys had soccer lastnight and I have a couple of clips of Cameron on video. One is very short of him shooting a goal and the other is just of him playing and loving it. I was consoling a fussy baby during Brendan's entire game, so I'll have to video him another time. This is for the grandparents:

Also, Monday was my birthday and thanks to everyone who took the day off in my honor! I had a nice day with my family and went out to lunch with some sweet girlfriends and out to dinner with all my Sweeney men. On with another year!

Here is a picture with Jenny (left) and Christa (center) and Sawyer (Christa's adorable 5 month old son) - and of course Lucas, in his usual pose!

And this one is for Amanda and Carrie. This is a picture of my favorite birthday present: new Keen sandles. I know you girls are saying, "I wouldn't be caught dead in those!" or "Laurie, I don't think those are in your palette!" BUT - out here in Utah, these are high fashion and boy are they comfortable (and also 40% off!). Don't worry, I'll leave them home on our next girls' weekend (maybe).

I hope this post finds you all well. My next visit will be a tribute to all of the visitors we had this summer (prepare yourself - we had a lot of company!)