Mr. Max

A few little Max stories - at 3 1/2 this kid keeps me busy.

I was up at my moms in September, my sister and her kids were up and we were just hanging out. I came inside and Max was watching a movie with my little brother (who is 21) and my nephews Bracken and Tytan. The girls were out back catching grasshoppers and I went into the back bedroom that is set up as an office with my mom and sister. I'm guessing I'd been in there between 10-15 minutes, my mom and sister left the room and I sat down at the computer. Not two seconds later I felt the strongest prompting of my life. "GO FIND MAX NOW!" I went into the living room and Max wasn't there. No one had seen or heard him leave. I hadn't heard the doors open but I knew he'd gone outside. I went outback to see if he was with the girls, but none of them had seen him.

Now my mom lives next to cow pastures, and barns, and sheds- but I just had a feeling to go out front. At first I was worried he was in the road but as I came out front I saw him in my car. It was about 95 degree's outside that day, I have no idea how hot it was in my car. Max thought he was pretty funny, he was pretending to drive - but when he saw me he knew he was in trouble. He dived in the back seat and hid on the floor. He had also locked all four doors and the keys were still in the car.

I got him to unlock the car door and as I pulled him out he was soaked with sweat, his shirt was soaked, his hair was soaked, his face was bright red. I don't know how much longer he would have been able to unlock the door, but I'm so thankful I listened to the Spirit that day.

After we got him cooled down I had a little nervous breakdown, I think I cried for like 3 hours. He was fine, but all the what ifs just kept running through my head.

Another Max story - when I ask Max to do something he'll either ignore me, or say "Ai Ai Captain." It always makes me smile. This morning I said, "Come here Maxi clown." he said "Otay mommy fly."

Max is still obsessed with Star Wars, he knows all of the characters names and really wants a Lando figure for Christmas. He also wants Luke's light saber - he has a red one but I guess it's not the right color. (Obviously I don't know, I'm sure I'm spelling all of these things wrong too.) At preschool he has a friend that he says his name is Obewan, his real name is Oliver.

He also loves to watch He Man on Netflix. From the other room he puts a smile on my face when I hear "By the Power of Greyskull!"

Max is kind and rough. What I mean by that is he is never purposely mean, but he plays hard and some times there are casualties. I have to remind him all the time to slow down. He is my sweetest child, caring and likes to give hugs. He is curious, mischievous and loving.

1st day of Preschool

First day of preschool pictures -

(That's my Boo Boo kitty I've had since I was born, Grace loves it.)

Grace and Max are going to Mrs. Palmer's preschool 2 days a week. They go Tuesdays and Wednesday's from 10-1230 and just so if I ever have another child I can compare what I paid, it costs $110 per month total. The first day I went with them and it was a short day, they did a craft, met some other kids, read a story and had a snack. Grace did not want me there - she was a big girl, she wasn't afraid and wanted to go by herself. "Preschool is not for moms!"

They have both done really well, they love going, the love picking something for show and tell each week and Grace is obsessed with doing homework. I love the 2 hour's of me time twice a week, I can't believe how much I can get done in that time!

Bear Lake

Well it's been like over a month since we went to Bear Lake, and I'm so behind, and the last two times I've tried I haven't been able to post pictures - but wallah, I can tonight, so even though its 1130 at night, here I am. Bear Lake was pretty low key this year, school had started and the condos were completely empty, I couldn't believe what a difference one week made. The water was as warm as I've ever felt it, and we had a couple really nice days.

Grace really liked the tube, she is so much more brave than last year. she was a total trooper about the initial cold water shock, and just loved being in the water. Next year maybe we'll try some water skies.

Max and I went over the front of the tube, I new it was happening and you can see in the bottom right hand picture the tube is starting to go under. It works much better with either one person or 3 people on it. I can't ski to save my life, but I do love the big tube!

Max loves driving the boat, he was so tired but he just wanted to stay on Grandpa's lap, after a few minutes he fell asleep with his hand still on the wheel.

The one scary thing that happened was when Grace was on the tube with me and Mike's mom. We had been on for several minutes and Grace said her arms were getting tired so I motioned to slow down. Just as I did we got caught in a swell and the tube flipped over. I tried to grab for Grace but couldn't get her, when I came up out of the water I couldn't find her. Ruth came up and still no Grace. I was scared to death. Those were the longest seconds of my life. I'm guessing about 30 seconds past and the tube flipped back over and there was Grace, still hanging on. She had flipped over the front edge but she held on. If she'd just let go she'd have floated to the top, but because she wouldn't let go she was held under the tube. Grace was screaming and I just knew the only way she could still be attached to the tube was if she was caught up in the rope, Mike went to jump in but didn't have a life jacket, his dad stopped him and jumped in after Grace. She wasn't caught in the rope, the little, stubborn girl was just hanging on for dear life.

I was shaking so bad, and she was so pale. Later I found marks under her arm where I tried to grab her and under the other arm where her life jacket cut into her skin, it pulled her so hard that it cut her under arm, and she didn't let go. I have no idea how she did it, but I'm so thankful we had angels on the water with us that day.

Mike's work Party

These pictures are from two days at Lagoon, the first was Lagoona Beach for the most part with our cousins on Thursday then Mike's work party on Saturday- and I have to say I enjoyed both days very much (minus the whole getting yelled at in the locker room, which even the thought of makes me giggle a bit).

I love that Max doesn't care who he rides with, there is no way Grace would ride with a total stranger, she barely rides with people she actually likes!

Grace & Daisy

Max thought these little cars were great, he thought he was actually steering them and making them go.

Oh the boats, they take forever,but I think every little kid loves them! Grace wouldn't let Daisy ring the bell, so Daisy got sad, and then Grace got mad because she tried to make Daisy ring the bell, and both kids were so tired by that point - but Max was so funny to watch. He had one arm on the steering wheel and one arm resting on the seat, totally casual.

(This is where they change to Mike's work party)

We rode all different kids rides that on Thursday - we rode the Haunted Houses and the Grace hated both of them, Mike says she burrowed into his side and wouldn't watch any of it.

They were both able to drive the bumper cars pretty good-

I remember these planes from when I was a kid, and with the gun Max couldn't stayed there all day. (Heaven forbid they ride together, even for a picture sake.)

We rode the Musical Express, and the whole time I just kept thinking - I'm too old for this, I hope I don't puke. And wouldn't you know it, that was the kids favorite ride. Mike went twice with Grace and I just couldn't do it again-

It was almost 100 degree's the day we went, and Rattlesnake rapids had a 2 hour line, so I let the kids get wet in the splash pad. They had quite a bit of fun, but wouldn't you know it 30 minutes later a storm from nowhere BLEW in and they were freezing. I'm glad I brought a change of clothes for them.

Then we had dinner in the pavilions -

We all loved the new Roller Coaster Bombora and the Sea Odyssey ride. In fact when the Bombora started Max looked at me and said "That's the Beach Boys!" I'm not sure how many 3 year olds would know that, but leave it to my kid! Overall we had two really good days and are thinking about season passes next year. (The last time Mike and I got season passes I found out I was pregnant with Grace a month later, so maybe not.)

Lagoona Beach

We went to Lagoona Beach one day with our cousins in August. I haven't been to Lagoon since Grace was one - and both my kids were really excited to go. We spent the first part of the day at the water park- I didn't want to take my camera to the water, so all of the pictures are on the grass by our lawn chairs. Grace & Daisy

Max

Grace just chillin

Max being blinded by the sun

Max, Tylor, Grace & Travis being squished.

Tylor -

Daisy showing some teeth.

So- when we were done we obviously had to change. I hate locker rooms, can they be more dirty, disgusting and gross? I changed Max and Grace at the lawn chairs and then went into change. When I got into the locker room there was a line to get in, think 10 antsy, wet ladies waiting to change. There were two open doors at the very end, I asked why no one was using them and the ladies told me there were backpacks in the changing rooms. Well, I wasn't going to wait. I moved one of the bags outside the stall and went into change. I was going to be super fast and about 30 seconds into my super fast change this lady comes up and starts screaming at me through the door. I had moved her daughters bag- I calmly said it was rude of them to take up two stalls while there were people waiting for the stalls and when there are 1000 people there and only 10 stalls you can't save the stall. She wanted to know where I'd read the locker room policy, and she continued to scream at me calling me pretty much every version of F-ing B. and that she was going to call the police because I touched her bag, and I better be careful because if anythings missing she was going to hunt me down and kill me. I'm not joking that she screamed at me for the next 3 straight minutes, I calmly walked out of my stall (wondering if I was going to be beat up, strung up, or something else) and walked out of the locker room, the last thing I heard was her still yelling at me at the top of her lungs from the next stall.

So, what do you think, did I break the law by moving her backpack?

Viva Las Davis Fair

We became fair people this year, and the Davis Count "Viva Las Davis" fair was our 3rd of the summer - Grace tried the hula hoop, that girls got mad skills, but not mad hula hooping skills.

Max waited for a balloon from Crazy clown Bill. He had some funny jokes, but he took FOREVER! We heard every joke 10 times, and we were only the 5th in line. He was so slow! He made Max a sword, complete with a belt and harness to hold it in.

Unfortunately we decided to eat before going through the animals, and they closed everything but the chickens and the rabbits. They closed the ponies on our way, they closed the fishing pond right before we got into the 4h building. Needless to say I didn't have the happiest kids when all was said and done.

We also were going to Lagoon the next day, so I wasn't about to pay for rides at the fair - yep - we ended up leaving frustrated! Just making happy family memories ;)

ZooX2

I'm sure you're all sick of pics to the zoo, but it's what we do. The kids love it and it gets us out of the house.

Mike's mom and I took Max, Grace and their cousin Daisy to the zoo last month. It was rainy and cloudy when we got there, but by the middle of the day it was brutally hot.

I took the kids last week also, they rode the train twice and the carousel 3 times. It was too busy! We'll wait a few week until everyone is back and school, and the people who waited until the other people who went back to school have all had their fill.

Right now the zoo has dinosaurs - have you been? They are actually much better than the ones at Dinosaur Park.

Why oh why do my kids want to ride the dumb peacock? It doesn't move, it doesn't go up and down-but they always want to ride it. Please take a moment to watch this video. Let it serve as a warning to all about the dangers of dinosaurs and little boys.