Melanie's First Time Bowling, Payson Temple Open House, And Hope Baby #2 Ultra Sound Pictures!

We are really lucky to live in a place where you don't have to drive far to see a little wildlife. One of our favorite things to do as a family is go for a Sunday evening drive and look for deer. Melanie loves it and when she's happy, I'm happy. :)

Cheap entertainment... Car washes. Haha!

I'm REALLY excited about this. I started our first little garden in our yard. So far it's just cherry tomatoes and strawberries, but hey... it's something. 

I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

Dallan's parents went on a trip to Hawaii not too long ago. Lucky ducks! Hahaha! :)

 They brought back a little something for Melanie. I've never seen such a cute hula girl! She rocked the coconut bra and grass skirt. 

A little bit ago we took Melanie bowling for her first time. Can I just say SHE LOVED IT!

She had so much fun.

And HELLO..... baby bowling shoes?! Come on, they are the cutest! 

She thought it was the coolest thing to push the ball off the ramp and watch the pins go down.

I love her face.

It was so cute to watch her get excited and give a little cheer when she knocked the pins down. This is definitely something we will do again. She had an absolute blast. 

The other week Melanie and I went to Wheeler Farm with our buddies the Hugies.

Just look at these two. They kill me. Haha!

Then off to lunch! Chinese of course. I think Madi and I may have a little obsession with Chinese food. 

A little while after planting, this beauty popped up. It made me happy. :)

One Saturday we went to the Payson, UT Temple open house with my family. Can I just say that it was absolutely beautiful. 

It was so great taking Melanie. She was cute about the whole thing. She kept saying, "We are going to Jesus' house and he loves me." 

As we went through the Celestial Room, Melanie said that it was "super sparkly and shiny." 

Towards the end of the tour, there was a large picture of Christ. 

I said to Melanie, "Look honey, it's a picture of Jesus." 

What she said back to me, touched me so much I can't even explain it. 

She said, "Mommy, I miss Him so much." 

It gave me goose bumps.

The fact that she knows that we used to live with Him amazes me. She's only two. Who knows, maybe she does remember living with Him before she came to this earth. I don't know. 

What I do know is that she humbles me and makes me want to be the best Mom I can be for her. She's so innocent and pure.

It was something I will never forget. 

On Mother's Day I was pretty bummed because Dallan had to work all day, but Melanie and I took a nap together after church and she gave me sweet little kisses when she woke up. I love being her mom. She knows how to cheer me up.

Our little tom boy with her Broncos hat that Daddy got for her. 

Here is a lady bug that she found. She decided to name him Tommy. 

Here's a close up of Tommy. Hahaha!

When she wears that hat, she reminds me of the "Little Rascals" movie. Whenever I hear Little Rascals, the first name I think of is Buckwheat.

Therefore, I call her Buckwheat whenever she wears it. Hahaha!

Melanie sure loves to garden with her Nana. 

Melanie hasn't been feeling to good the past couple of days. Abby helps me out with keeping an eye on her while I get things done around the house. This picture kills me. Look at how deeply Abby is looking into Melanie's eyes. It's like she really knows that Melanie is sick and wants to help protect and comfort her. Melanie shows appreciation back by petting her. My gosh, these two are adorable.

In case you missed the news and just thought I was getting fat... 

We are expecting baby Hope #2 in September!

 The hospital does not allow children inside the ultra sound room during the 20 week appointment, so we decided to do fetal imaging a week earlier so that Melanie could be apart of it. :) 

Dallan snuck a picture of them two looking at the ultra sound screen waiting to find out if Melanie was going to have a little brother or sister. 

Here is our other little squirt growing inside my tummy!

After we found out the gender we knew exactly how we wanted to reveal it. 

Drum roll please... Then slowly scroll down...

SURPRISE!

It's another little GIRL!

I think Melanie knew all along... 

She kept saying "baby sister." There was one time I even said, "Well what if it's a baby brother?" She responded, "No, baby sister."

Dallan and I couldn't be more happy. I know Melanie is going to be a GREAT big sister.

I'm going to do all I can to be the best mom I can be for these girls. I love them both with all my heart and would do anything for them. I'm humbled that my Heavenly Father trusts me enough to raise them. 

I sure hope I can make Him proud. 

More adventures coming soon. Summer time is full of them!

First Library Trip, Easter Sunday, Gardening, And Warm Weather Activities!

Took Melanie to the library for the first time the other week and she ABSOLUTELY loved it. She thought that it was the coolest thing she's ever seen. All the books in all the shelves were mesmerizing to her. She had seen and heard of libraries in her kiddy TV shows before, but she had never been in one. We went and she had the best time. 

This is one of Nana's (my mom) creations. Melanie had loads of fun in her homemade train. :)

Look at that smile!

Before Easter, we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Hope's house for the annual Easter egg coloring. 

Squish enjoyed dropping the eggs in the cups of dye. Most of the eggs she colored were blue... 

As of now, that's her favorite color. 

Then she did ONE pink one. 

A tradition that Dallan's family from his mom side does is called the Easter Roll. They all get together at Murray park and throw Easter eggs down the infamous egg rolling hill. They throw them and watch them roll all the way down. This was Melanie's first year doing it. I had to work so Dallan took Melanie. 

I'm glad he took lots of good pictures. :)

Walking up the hill is a struggle for a little person.

This is Logan. He is our cousins' little boy. He and Melanie had fun together chucking eggs down the hill. 

With so many little kids they had to have bubbles! :)

Melanie and Grandma blowing bubbles.

A few weeks ago Melanie and I went to my parents' house while Dallan was at school. She has fun with her uncle Ricky.

My brother Ben comes home next month from his mission so we made him posters for when we go and pick him up from the airport.

Then Easter Sunday came around and the Easter Bunny left Melanie something a little special.

Later in the day we went over to my familys' house for an egg hunt. Melanie loved it. Next year though, I think the eggs can be put in less obvious places... Hahaha! She found them all way too quick. :)

"Look Mommy, I got 'em."

Then in the evening Melanie had another egg hunt at Dallan's familys' house. 

Grandpa helped out a little. :)

We took Melanie to the Living Planet Aquarium. It was a fun day activity. 

Melanie and aunt Lauren checking out the otters.

She doesn't look too amused in this picture, but I promise she had fun.

Hahaha!

A little bit ago, Dallan took the day off work to stay with Melanie because I was really sick.

Looks like they had quite the adventure!

I love them. 

She sure does love bath time!

One morning Melanie was so sweet and picked this dandelion and gave it so me and said, "Here Mama, this is for you." 

It was nice and warm that morning..... Hence, the sandles. 

Get this... Later that day it snowed and it snowed hard. I swear Utah is like a snow globe and someone likes to give it a random shake every once in a while. Even if it was 70 degrees that morning...

Daddy got Melanie a matching Broncos hat.

She's adorable. Sometimes I want to eat her she's so cute.

So at the beginning of the year, Dallan and I bought a home. The plants in the front yard were pretty much dead not to mention hideous. So we took a trip and got us some bushes and flowers. I was sooo excited. I have been waiting for that moment for a long time. 

I love gardening and there's just something special about doing it for your own home. 

Melanie was excited too... Hahaha!

I've ALWAYS wanted to have flower boxes filled with my favorite flowers... DAISIES!

I finally got my wish!

Melanie and I went to temple square with my parents to check out all the pretty flowers and to enjoy the weather.

Melanie was a little grumpy in this picture.... Hahaha!

I think my dad said this was called a "double blooming tulip." Something like that. 

Anyways, it's pretty and I think I was to plant some.

Melanie has this thing with fountains. She LOVES them!

Here's the finished product. Our front yard looks really nice if I do say so myself.

Don't worry, the camping chairs didn't stay there. We got some nice patio furniture. :)

Love this girl of mine. 

Since Daddy had school at nights, Melanie and I had picnic dinners in the living room.

Melanie enjoys planting seeds at Nana and Tata's house!

I think it's safe to say that she has a green thumb. :)

One evening my mom and I drew this on their drive way. We used to do a lot with side walk chalk when I was a kid growing up in California. It's fun doing those things again with Melanie. 

I think it's neat passing those things that we did as kids to our own children. Makes for great memories.

Next blog post..... Gender reveal for baby Hope #2.

Stay tuned.