Toddler Free weekend

On January 18th it would have been two years since the last time I went without having 'a baby' sleep in the same house as me.

I finally did it and left Taylor behind for a toddler free weekend in Utah. Taylor got to thoroughly enjoy herself at Ryan and Maren's.
Troy and I got to go to any store we wanted to go to, take as long as we want, look at one particular item for 20 minutes if we wanted to, because we didn't have a tired, hungry, grumpy, or impatient little one hanging with us!
We went to tons of stores (Bukoos, NPS, 2 camera stores, Gateway mall, IKEA, Hobby Lobby, Outlet stores in Draper etc)

We also enjoyed a nice dinner at Olive Garden and walked around Temple Square to see the lights.
Maybe it's the mother that has a child prone to ear infections coming out in me, but I thought it was crazy seeing so many people out shopping at the Gateway with their little ones while it was raining! And walking around the Temple while it was snowing! It wasn't really 'cold' but when I saw one family that had about a 3-4 month old outside in the snow I about died! Hello...can you say RSV season???!!!

I did wake up at 3:30 am totally missing my little one and worrying about her. I continued to toss and turn until it was time to get up. I continued to miss her while we drove to breakfast, but it soon faded when there was a couple there with 6 kids (oldest looking maybe 9 years old!) and they were jumping all over the place and making alot of noise. It was nice to actually eat my meal!

After a little more shopping I was ready to hit the road and get to my baby, but it was absolutely FABULOUS to spend some alone time with Troy and get ALL of my Christmas shopping done without having to drag Taylor around with me!

P.S. Sorry to all you IKEA lovers out there but....not too impressed! We went through the store so fast and only left with a cute little tent and pop up tunnel for Taylor. Maybe it was because the 'craftsman' or the 'I hate Chinese Junk' man came out in Troy while we were there??!! But I don't see me wanting to go back anytime soon.

P.S.S. Don't take your husbands into Hobby Lobby with you! Leave them behind or in the car! I actually told Troy when he went to find the bathroom not to be afraid to get lost for awhile! I still love you though Troy! Even though you drove me crazy in the store! :) *Muah!*

Niagara Falls

Seriously, there is so much stuff to do in Niagara Falls that we could have spent all week (and all our money!) there! We went down into the main part 2 days and a couple times for dinner. Not to mention the Marine land that is just a little ways away! But if you want to make it a vacation I have been "told" that to have the best time you have to go into the Canada side. The U.S. side is kind of ghetto!

The first day we went there we did alot more which means we spent alot of money! We ventured behind the falls, rode a HUGE Ferris wheel that you can see all of Niagara, shopped in a few gift shops and went into a "Celebrity Wax Museum." And ate at some pizza place. We stayed out until 11 and the little ones were so well behaved but so tired! Taylor crashed on my shoulder on the walk to the car and was out for the rest of the night!

(I separated all the wax museum pictures because when they were all in one collage it made you dizzy just looking at it...too many heads!)

We all REALLY wanted to go on these jet boat rides.....

but 1)we would have to find a sitter for the kids and 2) Ashley is pregnant and no pregnant ladies allowed! Since Gina didn't want Ashley to sit out alone she said she wouldn't go either 3) It was $56.00 a person!!! (Canadian, U.S. conversion was $50 but still!) We decided it was a no go, but on our list of "some day". :)

Palmyra

When my sister was naming things off that we could do the second she said Palmyra it was settled! I was totally excited to go and see things that I have only read or looked at in pictures.

Actually the pageant there is "usually" the weekend we were there but for some reason they changed it back a week! Bummer! Sorry if you have been there before and saw all of these, but I couldn't help but share! :)

Hill Cumorah

Smith's Log Home

Smith's Home they later built & walking to the Sacred Grove

Some of the places the Plates were hidden

While walking to the grove both Taylor and Wyatt were both really fussy and acting up, but the minute we walked in and left the sound of the snakes, bugs and "life" behind they were both quiet and very behaved! Not to mention it was so spiritual in there!

How wonderful it was to experience some of our church's history! Next stop...Nauvoo! :)

-K- That pretty much sums up our vacation (in a nut shell!). It was way fun and next time Troy is coming with us! Maybe a few less family members too! haha

Marineland

We took one day to go somewhere that the kids might enjoy a little more than driving, eating or looking at sites. We chose Marineland in Niagara Falls. We went on one of the kid rides...Wyatt loved it and of course Taylor cried. I was worried she would. She is not a fan of movement like that, I think because she has had alot of ear infections. She did however, start to enjoy it about 10 seconds before it stopped!

While Melissa, Ashley and Craig rode a ride we let Taylor and Wyatt run around on the grass. The birds were so brave and would fly so close to your head. Taylor loved to chase them and thought they were pretty cool.

One of my Mom's ankles started to swell about 15 minutes after we arrived at the park so we rented a wheel chair for her, it was funny to see/hear her in that thing!

It was really cool to see the killer Whales...

And the Beluga Whales...
(They were feeding so we didn't get very good pictures. The picture with Taylor crying is basically what she did when you tried to stand her next to the glass)

We went to one of three (if not more) shows. It was really cool to see the people interact with the animals. Taylor loved clapping for them.

Taylor enjoyed an ice cream cone...mostly eating the cone!

Last, we went to a HUGE caged area where you can interact with a ton of deer. Taylor loved them! She would chase them and constantly wave/pet them! She was funny! I think she thought they were dogs, because she kept saying, "Pup Pup" and "woof woof".


Here's a video of her petting the deer, I go in really close and get just the deers neck. I did because I am getting her hand out of her mouth! Yuck!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sorry this blog was super long, pretty much all of the next few will be because we did so much! Be prepared! HAHA

I have videos of the show, if you want to see them let me know and I will get around to posting them-

Neighbors? Or No Neighbors?

When I first got here to my brother's I thought it was so fun that there were so many neighbor kids that his kids were able to play with. They live on a street where there is not much traffic so it's pretty safe for the kids to go from house to house and ride their bikes wherever. Bright and early for the past 2 mornings little ones have come to get their friends to play. How fun! That definitely won't happen for Taylor when she gets older! The joys of neighbors.
But then this morning as my sister in law was trying to get her house cleaned, little children would constantly go running in and out. Always leaving the front door open and never a "down time" of them being quiet or not getting into things they shouldn't. Let me tell you they are ALL BOY! Having to constantly check up on them and see who's house they are destroying now!
I don't think I would do well with neighbor kids I decided. Too much going on and too many messes to have to clean up! Just not for me!! ;) Taylor especially liked the little kids (mostly just watching them) but always entertaining. I go home tomorrow and it will be nice! Love going to visit my family but love going home to my hubby even more! :)