Five on Friday

1. On Monday Peyton was lucky enough to get a free balloon while we were running errands when Corbyn was at preschool. I should have asked for one for Corbyn because of course he was crushed when he saw she had a balloon and he didn't. The next day he was still whining about the balloon, so we stopped to get him one on the way home from preschool (and Peyton the lucky duck got another one). Best $2 I ever spent.

2. Rog changed our air filter and somehow in the process flipped a switch that turned off our air conditioner. Soon after we noticed that our air conditioner wasn't working. He tried flipping that switch a few times, but it didn't seem to solve the problem. So the next day we had someone come look at it. Sure enough it was the darn switch after all. In case you were wondering, that was not the best $59 we ever spent. To make things worse, he tested our Freon while he was here and said it was low and would need refilling in the spring. Awesome.

3. My mom and I had planned on canning peaches on Wednesday, but I didn't get around to buying the peaches until Wednesday morning. We soon discovered they were not ripe enough, so we canned 10 half pints of peach jam and decided to wait on the others. At least the day wasn't a total waste.

4. To our great delight, a new season of NCIS has started and along with it, NCIS New Orleans. As Rog served his mission in Louisiana and spent a large portion of his 2 years in New Orleans, we have no choice but to watch that as well. Tuesday night laundry folding just got a whole lot better.

5. Even though it has still been hotter than hades here during the day, it has been cooling down quite nicely in the evenings. (We're supposed to get some actual fall weather this weekend and I cannot wait!) We've been pulling the slide out front and letting the kids play after dinner. But even with the slide, bikes, and scooters, their favorite thing to do outside lately has been to play with the Duplo Legos. Something they could do inside, go figure.

A Hot One!

Jared and Cailey were out of town last Saturday meaning we had 2 extra tickets to the Virginia game. After Corbyn's epic meltdown when he didn't get to go to the Houston game, we figured we'd let the kids use those tickets instead of trying to sell them.

For our tailgate, we had pulled pork sandwiches and ice cream because we knew it was going to be a hot one!

I had been mentally preparing myself for the heat, so I was able to grin and bear it. But the kids were just plain miserable. Luckily Grandma had stayed close to the stadium, so she came to save them a little before halftime. Next time we'll bring them to a game that isn't so hot!

The second half was a lot more enjoyable with no melting children, a snow cone, shade for the 4th quarter, and a win (41-33)!

Ironically Sunday was cold and rainy which worked out well because I had planned to make Tomato Basil Soup for dinner. Instead of church we attended the Ogden Temple Dedication and got to enjoy another Sunday with dad home.

Five on Friday

1. Last week I needed to spend a couple more dollars on Amazon to get free shipping on an add-on item. I bought the Talking Words Factory for the kids and it has been a huge hit! They want to watch it every single day and are always singing songs from it.

2. I picked up the kids' Cosmo Kids Club tickets and shirts while I was up in Provo for my doctor appointment. Corbyn's shirt isn't too terribly large, but Peyton's is ginormous on her. That didn't stop her from wearing it all afternoon over her clothes and to bed that night as a nightgown.

3. I saw that maxi skirts were $15 at Downeast Basics this week. Remembering that there will soon come a time when my regular pants don't fit, but maternity pants are too big, I ordered a few so I won't look like a slob wearing pajama pants all the time. They came yesterday and after trying them on I am thinking I made a very good decision.

4. This week has been oh so hot and not at all like the autumn weather I feel like we should be enjoying. So instead of making pumpkin treats, I spent the week eating popsicles and lemon ice in our air conditioned house and making ice cream for our tailgate party tomorrow.

5. This weekend Wood Connection had a housewarming party at all of their stores to celebrate the opening of their Layton store. My friend Kelli and I went this afternoon and then on our way home we stopped at Swig to try their famous sugar cookies. I do have to admit that was one delicious cookie and the perfect way to finish off a fun afternoon.

Baby Phillips #3

We are excited to finally share our big news! Peyton won't be the baby of our family for much longer... Baby Phillips #3 coming March 2015!

Baby's official due date is March 25th (which ironically enough was my due date, although I came 3 weeks early on March 5th)! He or she will likely be born on March 18th (when I'm induced at 39 weeks). I'll be 13 weeks tomorrow and I'm more than ready to have the first trimester behind me in another week. I've definitely been nauseous, but have only thrown up a handful of times (after swallowing my prenatal vitamins - life has been much better since I bought gummy ones).

I'm pretty positive it's a boy based on how sick I've been (and how sick I was with Corbyn versus Peyton) and the initial feeling I got when I found out I was pregnant. We'll be happy with either although I'm a little terrified at the thought of another 10 pound boy! I could already tell you the names we have picked out either way as well as how the nursery will be decorated, but I'll keep that a secret for now just in case we change our minds (like I did with Peyton).

We tried to wait a little longer to tell our families than we have in the past. Although I told Diana early because I had a question for her and then Jared and Cailey asked about it, so I told them. We finally told my parents at the tailgate last week. I replaced the fortunes in fortune cookies with a fortune of my own using this tutorial. Turns out they already knew because my mom saw a note Rog had left on a shopping list to the pregnant lady... Oh well! We told Rog's parents while we were talking to them on FaceTime the Sunday before we told my parents. 

I was totally overwhelmed with the number of likes our announcement got on Facebook and Instagram. Close to 100 people "liked" the picture and many more commented on it on Facebook. Same story on Instagram - many likes and comments. I didn't expect such a large response because it's probably not all that surprising that we're having another one - Peyton will almost be 3 when this one comes! It was nice to feel so much love through social media.

I was delighted to find out at my first appointment (at 9 weeks) that my doctor's office routinely does an ultrasound at the first visit now. So I got to see the little heartbeat fluttering on the screen and then hear it again today at my 13 week visit (beating away at 160 beats per minute).

We are so grateful to be experiencing this miracle again and can't wait to welcome another baby into our home in March!

Weekend Adventures

Friday night was our wards' Fathers and Sons Campout.

Rog and Corbyn had a great time eating hamburgers and hot dogs, roasting marshmallows, and doing all the regular camping stuff - including sleeping in a cold tent.

What campout would be complete without a Batman photo shoot?! (Corbyn lost his cape for awhile and recently found it, so his love for it has been renewed.)

Back at home Peyton and I took dinner to our friends who just had a baby, went to the park to swing for awhile, did bath time, and then finished off our girls' night watching Cinderella.

In our ward it's technically the Fathers and Children Campout (so Peyton could have gone too), but we prefer to do it this way.

On Saturday we went to dinner at 5 Guys because I needed a night off from cooking. And then we went to Riverwoods to check out Chalk the Block. No surprise, our favorites were the Disney ones!

We didn't get to stay too long because we had to rush home to make it to the adult session of stake conference. 

We finished off the weekend with regional conference. We got to hear from Elder Scott and Elder Nelson and enjoyed having Rog home all afternoon long - a rare Sunday treat!

Five on Friday

1. I'm loving the routine Corbyn's preschool is creating for us. If I don't have something scheduled for the morning, we end up being lazy and it's noon before we're all ready for the day. With preschool starting at 9:15 every morning except Wednesday, our lazy mornings are no more! 

2. Peyton's hair is long enough to go into a single ponytail now and I think it's about the cutest thing ever!

3. My Grandpa got a BYU flag with our football ticket order and he let us have it. So if you were to walk by our house on game day, you'd see it proudly hanging in our window! Go cougars!

4. Last night was the first home game of the season. My Uncle Kevin declared our tailgate party the best we've ever had. (I made Honey Sesame Chicken and I do have to agree, it definitely hit the spot!) When I broke the news to Corbyn that he didn't get to go, he had the world's hugest meltdown. (I'd say that means we're doing something right!) We beat Houston (33-25), but we were expecting more after last week's game, so it kind of felt like we were losing the whole time. But a win is a win, so we'll take it!

5. This morning while Corbyn was at preschool and my dad and Rog golfed, my mom watched Peyton for me, so I could get my hair cut. It was getting sooooooo long and I could hardly stand blow drying it anymore.

End of Summer

Rog went back to school August 25th. That week was a light one because a few of his classes (the Tuesday/Thursday night ones) don't start until the very end of September and his job (working as an ambassador for the MBA program) didn't start until the next week.

I was challenged by my SIL, McKae, to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. I figured if Mitt Romney could do it, so could I. I still was getting over my cold, so I sound like a total dork.

We decided it was time to put down our sweet Cuddles. He was a wonderful addition to our family for 18 years - such a good cat! We'll miss him! I went with my mom to take him to the vet and held him in my arms on the way there. I'm glad I got to say goodbye!

That weekend we had a reunion of the Horrace and Nellie Ririe family. Friday night after watching the start of the BYU football game, we had dinner at Golden Corral. (We listened to the end of the game on the way home. We beat Connecticut 35-10 - a great way to start the season!)

On Saturday we had a pool party.

Peyton couldn't get enough of the diving board.

On Sunday Diana and Jason blessed Skyler while everyone was together. 

After the blessing we had a picnic at a park and took family pictures. (These are all the great grandchildren of Horrace and Nellie Ririe that were in attendance. I am the second oldest great grandchild - my cousin Alisha is the oldest, but she wasn't there. So that makes me the oldest in the picture! Yikes!)

Our kids had a great time running around and playing all afternoon long.

Monday morning (Labor Day) we had a pancake breakfast up Millcreek Canyon. We forgot Corbyn's jacket, so he had to wear my extra jacket. (He was so upset about it until it warmed up a bit and he could take it off!)

We enjoyed one last visit to Seven Peaks and kissed summer goodbye!

Corbyn started preschool the next day. He is going to the preschool put on by the high school students at Spanish Fork High School 4 days a week - Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. He wasn't very excited about going that first day, but has enjoyed it so far. I'm enjoying having some one-on-one time with my Peyton girl. My favorite part is only having to push one kid in the running stroller. And a close second is how excited Corbyn is to see me when I pick him up! 

The Hobbs stayed a few days after the reunion. Peyton and Blake were the best buddies the whole time they were here.

We made sure to get a picture of Grandma and her 4 grandkids before they went back to Colorado.

Last weekend we got to go to the Ogden Temple Open House.

We took our turn watching the kids for our date night exchange - we had 7 out of the 10 there this time.

And we rounded out the weekend watching BYU beat Texas 41-7! 

Last year I didn't want to see summer go, but this year I am so ready for fall! Bring on the cooler weather, football games, pumpkin treats, soups, and Halloween!