The best part about storms?

EVERYTHING...
but especially hoodies and afternoon naps

the PLAYground

So does anyone else think that the playground is madness?? I have come to analyze the playground on a daily basis considering Oliver and I are there like everyday. Basically my thing is that kids should be able to play at the "play"ground. Like if he roams up and down the slide, fine he is playing and exploring. Some moms may say, slides are for sliding down, but why? Safety, I know I know, but sometimes sliding down is more dangerous:) Why does there have to be rules! A lot of moms are just constantly barking orders and warnings at their kids. Ok so I know there should be an element of teaching and safety for kids, but it doesn't have to be always. Kids need to be kids, and this means learning through play. In the parenting class we teach this method called "Child's Game". Essentially it's the idea that the kid is not controlled in their play at all. You as a parent just sit and watch, not instructing or directing the play. Kids just get to play without being taught. In fact, kids will start to direct you in their play. I have seen some moms totally lose it when their kid pushes another kid or tries to take a toy. Like sometimes I feel like if I'm not freaking out other moms are like did you just see what your child just did?! Actually Oliver usually is being picked on more than doing the picking, but even then, I know that kid is just being a kid and Oliver will probably turn right around and do the same. I played with some of Ryan's little cousins last night for like 2 hours and I just realized why I love kids so much. They are so quick to love, like as soon as they started trusting me they start holding my hand or wanting to be held. They are so honest, they don't care how things may seem, things just are. These are the kind of people I can appreciate. I love the honesty and vulnerability of kids. Aren't they just the best! And I love to rediscover how creative I can be and how fun imagining is. So anyway, my lesson today is that I always remember to let my kids be kids, and not always direct or control, although there are times I will need to teach, it doesn't have to be all the time. Here's to playing!!

Weekend with the Winsteads

So this past weekend my sister Regan, her husband Pete, and thier little girl Noelle came for a visit from SLC for the labor day weekend. Of course this weekend excursion had to include a trip to the nickelcade. How is it that you can spend like 20 bucks at the nickelcade and come out with a laffy taffy and some friendship bracelets and you feel like you won the lottery? So worth it. and Oliver loved DDR, Ryan's worst nightmare:) We also paid a visit to Bridal Veil Falls which is so cool and one of the perks of living in Provo. There was a huge thunder storm while we were up there, my favorite thing ever. It was the most glorious day. Noelle and Oliver were a little apprehensive by just how big the waterfall looked but they loved it, even in the freezing cold water. Kids are so funny. If there's something cool enough going on, they don't even have time to pay attention to stuff like that. Oliver is officially obsessed with Noelle. Everytime she's around he insists on putting his arms around her and holding on, even if that means going down with her while she's trying to escape his grasp. He definetely has no concept of personal space, it was very sweet and funny to watch. I'm so glad my family will have all these little cousins who love each other, how fun. Anyways we love the Winsteads and will take full advantage of them being close this year cause who knows where we'll all be in a few years, sad:( So here's a few pics from the weekend, enjoy!

Park City is fun

As we passed this store, Ollie saw these wooden bears and walked right up to give them hugs. Let's hope he doesn't do that when he sees a real one:)

Those are two very good looking boys if I do say.We love each other.

Here Dad, I found some trash I thought you might enjoy.

I wish I had those eye lashes!
If there was a place in Utah for us, Park City would have to be it.

I love when Ollie gets thrown. He arches his back and throws his arms up, like a little acrobat.

What to do with crabby boys...

So it seems Oliver is quite upset at our return to Utah. Seriously though, for some reason he has been quite the sass and really it's getting kinda old. He has decided his room, specifically his bed, is his least favorite spot when before he couldn't wait to go to bed. We have finally gotten the crying down to a minimum, it's gotten a lot better, but sleeping through the night is not really on target. Let's all keep our fingers crossed. It's so funny how quickly you forget how bad it was, until it's back again. So as you can imagine, I've had to get creative with this kid lately so he doesn't drive us all nuts with whining. Cue the sink...

Smart Family Reunion in Escondido

The Facer Family in all their glory (just imagine Austin's head somewhere in there:) This was Nita family's reunion. Her maiden name in Smart. All her family came in from Utah for the festivities. Our family shirt's said "Called to Surf, Called to Serve" with a surfer and missionaries, nice work Nita!
Ryan getting back to his roots.
I thought this rock was darling. Meg and I stood out of the rocks to video the boy's sesh.
Aaron and Meg, one of the cutest couple's I know!
Ollie running toward the ocean.
Boys and their golfing, who knows.

Do you think this board is the right size for me Dad?
Ollie and Jeff sporting thier new do's, what do you think?

I It totally looks like animation but that is really a dolphin behind Olls.
The eel cave was by far the highlight of Sea World for this kid.
I loved the bat rays. Oliver got a few good swipes at them, good thing those stingers don't work.

So I thought the eels were the ugliest things ever. Oliver, not so much. He probably would have jumped in with them if he could have:)

Ryan cruising a wave. It was a small day but still fun for the boys, especially when you're coming from Utah. Lookin' good babe!!! Thank you Facer family for this awesome trip, we had so much fun and loved seeing all the people we love.

Laguna Beach Sisters Reunion!!!

Mom, why don't we live here?
What if the sound of the fan was replaced by waves? I'm ok with that.
Ollie found a hidden treasure. This is probably the beach we came to the most as kids. We would always come through this and cross over a death defying gorge to get to the other beaches, where the Kelley initiation was done:) This involves jumping into a dark crevace of reef while being nearly killed by the oncoming waves. A true test of courage indeed. One day Oliver, you too will join.
The view from our balcony. I live to hear the waves from my house.

What a coincidence!
Chelsea and I, everyone says we are starting to look more and more alike:)
Amanda and sweet baby Katherine, I love these girls!!!
We got some really cool stuff from the Sawdust Festival. It's cool to see people's passions through art and they can do what they really love.

Just a cute picture in Balboa Islan. This was a very fun day.
Me, Laura, and Chels in front of the beach below our place. If you haven't been to the beaches at the Montage resort, you should. When we were kids, we went here when it was just a mobile home park and we stayed at a friend of my Dad's. It was called "Treasure Island". So now they have a small park called Treasure Island in memorial to once mobile home park people loved there. I do have to say the resort is a little nicer. Laguna is getting so touristy but I still love it.
Shopping in Balboa.
These trolley's run all summer for free around Laguna. They are so darling and old fashioned. It was one of my favorite perks there. Ollie loved the fact that he wasn't in a seat belt and could basically throw himself out the window.

My mom planned this wonderful trip and it couldn't have gone better, it was SO MUCH FUN! What was even better was that Oliver got to stay with his Facer grandparents and then his grandpa Kelley so I got some free time to hang with my sisters. He came for the last few days which was really fun cause he is totally a beach babe and was soaking it all in. I have a great story about Oliver's stay with my Dad. Let's mention first that I specifically told my Dad not to cut Oliver's hair, cause I know he wanted to and I knew it would be a disaster. So when I went to get Ollie out of the car upon their arrival, I noticed his sad hair. Dad had not listened. He tried to cut his hair and was surprised that a year and a half old child puts up a struggle during such a task. So needless to say, Oliver's hair was quite embarrassing and needed to be fixed. So we took him somewhere and a hairy sucker later, he had a grown up boy haircut. He looks so big now! When Ryan saw him the next week he couldn't believe how big he looked. So it cute and now I see what Dad's plan was all along. What a rascal.