lagoon 2011

The Bell family went to white trash Lagoon and of course loved it. Wes took a few days off of work for Halle's birthday and we were lucky enough to have Grandma Nimer in town. We had a pre birthday celebration and took the girls to Lagoon with Ryan and Tara. All Halle could remember from last year was a ride named lady bug bop that takes you up high and falls down quickly. She was terrified last year, but that was the first thing she wanted to do this year. So we took her and she was even more terrified. Even her little adorable cheeks were shaking every time the ride dropped. We didn't go on that ride again. The great thing about Lagoon are all the little kids rides that only the little kids can fit in. Halle felt like a big girl going on all the rides by herself.

I love when little kids actually think they are driving the cars. I'm sure we all thought the autopia cars at Disneyland were for real at one point.

The girls and dad. Can we retire yet and just do stuff like this all the time?

Bulgy the whale: always a good time

Grandma and Lily throwing out the peace sign. My those baby cheeks are delicious.

Lily and Mommy.

I think my favorite part of the day was watching Grandma and Halle ride the fishes. This is the one ride we made Grandma go on and it happens to be one where you get wet. She screamed the whole time...not Halle but Grandma. Halle still tells me about the ride when "grandma screamed like a little baby."

Ryan and Tara were so sweet to tag along with us while halle rode the kiddie rides most of the day.

When the Nimer family used to go to Lagoon many moons ago we would head to that old timey picture place and have our picture taken in old fashioned garb. Grandma convinced us all to do it this time and the results were hilarious. Before we even started Halle had picked out the dress she wanted and we was thrilled to be holding a frilly umbrella and Lily is our little pioneer baby.

Too much fun!

fourth of july

Things we liked: breakfast at IHOP, Grandma Bell's delicious barbeque, watching fireworks with Rach, poppers with the aunties, sparklers, home in time to see the Thanksgiving Point finale.

Things we did not like: sparklers after Halle burned her finger.

st. george 2011: tuacahn

One of our favorite things we did in St. George was watch The Little Mermaid at Tuacahn's outdoor theatre. Halle was so excited to be seeing Ariel on the stage. Grandma Nimer treated us to some great seats and a wonderful night together. She even babysat Lily. I had forgotten how beautiful the Tuacahn stage and it's surroundings are.

The musical was fantastic! The costumes were amazing and the singing was excellent. Halle especially loved seeing Prince Eric fall off his ship and Ariel's transformation into a human. It was very well done. Sebastian was hilarious and Ursula was just right. We need to take advantage of this great place more often.

The only issue with toddlers and Tuacahn is that they start the play around 8:45 at night so it is not so hot and so most of the stage will be in the dark as it progresses. By 11:30 when the play was over Halle was practically delirious. She started crying on the way home about nothing and then shouted, "But Grandma Nimer doesn't have any boogey sticks!" Boogey sticks are q-tips and I had no idea she called them that and yes, grandma has some and Halle didn't even want one when we got home even though she cried about it the whole way. That girl needs her sleep. Thank you grandma for the enjoyable night out with the kiks.

st. george 2011: fun

a few random bits of fun

*harry potter glasses

*driving the big truck

*going out to dinner and lunch with dad

*not pictured: the many nights and mornings spent playing michael jackson: the experience with halle. it was all she wanted to do and now she can do the thriller dance with the best of them.

*not pictured: fake poop in dad's cereal bowl

st. george 2011: lily

I have discovered that I am a hoarder. No, not the type of hoarder that collects urine in old juice bottles or the kind that is walking on three feet of garbage because little pieces of trash are sentimental to me. But I am, in fact, a picture hoarder. I snap lots of pictures hoping to catch at least one where all the subjects are looking at the camera, the lighting is right, smiles are good, eyes are open, etc. But, later when I go through the pictures intending to delete most of them and keep only the ones that turned out right I find that I am slightly emotionally attached to almost all of them. Especially of our sweet Lily. I can't bring myself to delete pictures of her that may have only a slight change in expression or a slight movement of thehand or the head. I am way too emotionally involved in each one. I find something to love about them all. The way her little monkey ears stick out, the way she always has her toes curled, the little smirk that turns into a grin, the look of her head on her little neck, or the way her eyes get big when the flash is on. These pictures may look all the same to you, but not to me. I need them all. Lily is one of my favorite subjects because she can't run away like Halle.

She seemed to do a lot of growing up when we were in St. George. She chunked up and started holding herself up a lot more. She bats at toys, smiles constantly, and is developing some grabby hands. Her giggle melts hearts. She became reacquainted with Grandma Nimer and loved bouncing with her on the big red ball.

She travels like an angel, sleeps all night, and is possibly a mama's girl (I'm crossing my fingers!).

She is an absolute little bundle of heaven.

My name is Megan and I am a picture hoarder.

st. george 2011: cousins

Every morning after Grandma sweetly makes Halle some scrambled eggs for breakfast, she usually asks if baby Jake and Hayhay can come over and play. (PS Jake is really not a baby and Hayhay is what the kiddies call Haylee) These cousins enjoy running around the house, whoopie cushions, playing outside together, playing thomas, and afternoon movies with popcorn. Halle usually ends up screaming at high and loud pitches I have never heard come out of her mouth a few times during the day because of toy issues, but that's what family is for right?

They loved playing with Grandma's pirate ship water table.

Jake liked drinking the water and then spitting it out and Halle liked dumping the water on her head.

Always has to be some toy snatching going on.

I rounded up the whole gang of cousins for a picture.

They are just the most adorable children ever. Cousins are our favorite friends.