Z-O-O

I told Nathan last night we were going to the "Z." I didn't want to say what it was because if something came up they would never know we were planning on going. Lucas said to Nathan "I love the Zoo, I want to go!" We both look at each other and say what? He said "you know Z-O-O" (gotta love those catchy commericals)

It wasn't a free day, but I wanted to go before Lucas turned 3 and I had to pay for him. I couldn't believe that it was $12.00 to go to the zoo! It must have gone up in price, because that seems like it is WAY more than it used to be. Any who, here we are. Having a fun time. The last time we went it was for our annual zoo lights trip and we didn't really get to see any animals. Lucas and Noah were very into checking the map and Bridget was so excited to see "man-ee-mals." We also made sure we checked off the map, and Lucas really wanted to bring his field journal (diego) Maybe I will make him one for Christmas!

Here is the Mandrill. It was so close to the glass Lucas looks like he is trying to kiss it!

Ah, yes the drums.


We can't go to the zoo and NOT ride the train. I almost stayed back and sat with Scarlett but, I am glad I didn't.



I almost ALWAYS seem to get great shots of everyone else's kids, but never my of my own. So, if you want nice pictures of your kids invite me somewhere! Haha. Here is a great one of Elijah. I think he liked the train the best.

Bridget was very happy to see her favorite Elephant and 'Raffs.

Scarlett was happy as a clam the ENTIRE time.

She didn't even need her binky!
The polar bears were out swimming again. It looked so nice in there!

It is so nice to have cousins so close together because we swapped seats in the stroller several times. It was nice to play in someone else's stroller I think.

While we were loading in the car I told Lucas we would see Noah again next Friday. He looked puzzled and said "how come?" I said your party is next Friday and he said, "really?"
"I am so happy to have a party" After we passed them on Colorado Blvd. Lucas says "you know those cool Sea Turtles mom?" Yes.

Lucas: "I think I need one of those for my birthday."
I said: Grandma Horn already got you one.
Lucas: "But I want one that swims in the sea."
I said: We can't fit one in the house.
Lucas: "When I am 15 I will move out of your house and get one for my house."
I said: Let's talk about it later.
Lucas: "Yea! When I am 15!"

*Note to self*
Do not mention Sea Turtles in 2021!

Siblings and Suds

The kids had so much fun with Robert and Tanner this morning, that it inspired them to continue the fun outside. Well, they were FILTHY when they came in for dinner, so they got a bath before dinner. It worked out because our HTs came over at 7 and we would not have had time to bathe them and put them down for bed.

They all were so cute. Scarlett is almost sitting up all by herself, this is normal for my little Witte's. Lucas and Bridget both sat up by 4 months and Scarlett is well on her way!

Scarlett doesn't necessarily like the bath, but she does like to be with her siblings.

I love this picture (above) click on it and look at those lashes!

I will admit that these particular pictures were from a few days ago...good thing because this is what Lucas looks like today...

Why is it that EVERYTIME I set up a photo shoot for my kids birthday they always seem to get banged up before the day we are supposed to take them? On Lucas's first birthday he had a little black eye, on his second he had scraped up his chin, now right before his third he hit his forehead and lip. Sheesh! Bridget subsequently had a black eye on her first too...you should see the Florida pictures, she has a huge bruise in every picture. I guess I should just keep them in helmets and face masks the month before. We will have to see if Scarlett is the same way next March. Aaah!

Oh and in case you were curious...I do have the most chill baby on the planet...

Keep on doing fun

We went to the ward park day which is in my subdivision. I asked for it to be on the list because it has a lot of great features...

1) NO WOODCHIPS

2) BIG GRASSY AREA

3) COVERED PAVILLION

4) SWINGS and SLIDES

5) WALKING DISTANCE FROM MY HOUSE

6) NO WOODCHIPS

I was worried that no one would come because let's face it, there really isn't high attendance this year. Last year we had a consistent group of mommies and kids come and this year it seems like one or two families show up. I will admit that I am a park snob and that I will not go to one particular park on our list because I loathe that park, for many reasons...BUT I try and make it to every other park on time. Okay enough of that.

Today we get there and...THERE WAS A GREAT TURN OUT!

Five other moms with their kids came! It was awesome. Except for the mugginess, yuck! It was so humid, it made me glad I didn't live in the south! :)

On our way home Lucas shouts "I need to keep on doing fun" and Bridget says "swimming" so...that is what we did when we got home! :) I love Summer.

Bridget has no fear.




They were having so much fun jumping in.


I think this next one is hilarious...

Isn't this what summer is all about?

Swinging soaking wet, and running around the grassy backyard?

Spitting up because mommy pushes the swing too fast, only 15 minutes after you eat?
Either way I am glad we came back home to "keep on doing more fun!"

Rogers Fun

After setting up a play date with Desi, I decided I would bring our art project to her house. Emily and Mordecai would like to paint. So this week we did Plexiglas Smush Painting. Don't you like the technical terms?

You need Plexiglas
Drawing Paper
Paint
Paint Brushes
Willingness to paint

There are two ways to do this, thanks to Emily and Lucas we figured out which way was better.

You can apply the paint with a brush, and then lift it off with the paper, or put the paint directly on the plexiglas and smush it with the paper. Peel it off and there you go.

I took the finished products home so I could cut and laminate them and make magnets out of them. See this is how I get to go back to Desi's, to bring her the magnets! :)

After the paint fun we let the kids go wild in the back. Desi and I sat on some chairs and watched all of the fun. On the way home Lucas told me how happy he was to see Emily again, and how he likes her house better than ours. Haha.

Then I fought a hail/rain storm on the way home and went straight to the RS Visiting Teaching Conference.

After our dramatic start of the afternoon (see Lucas's head) it ended nicely with fun, friends, and popsicles. :)

Garlic and Sorry

Two things that don't usually go together right? Last night I made Butterscotch Brownie Cake for Father's Day. Mmmm. While I was taking pictures of it Bridget had her eyes on it. Licking her lips, her mouth was watering and just as she was reaching for it I told her, No that it was for Daddy.

We ate Mexicali Chicken, a Bainbridge recipe that I changed into Mexicali Pork. That little cake I made for the recipe blog and for Nathan's lunch. There was a larger 9 inch cake that we were going to eat over the course of the week. We sliced it up and enjoyed it.

So that brings us to 10:30am today, Monday. Lucas asked if he could get a string cheese for himself and Bridget. I said sure and finished wiping the counters in our bathroom. I put Scarlett into the laundry basket (her new favorite spot) and then went upstairs to answer the phone.

Lucas comes running upstairs and says "Mommy I need to tell you something"

Usually its a joke or something important.

"Mommy this is serious, you need to take your camera down da stairs"

I am thinking something cute is happening or he built a tower, so I grab the camera.

Then I see it...

Lucas says "Mommy who is Garlic?"
I said I don't know what you mean.

"Bridget keeps saying Garlic's name"I look at SCARLETT (Garlic) and see...

I scream (like AAAH)
and then look at Bridget

What you can't see is that she has eaten the entire other side of the cake with 11.5 teeth!
I say loudly (because I won't admit to yelling)
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
She says to me "Cake for me and Garlic"
I look at SCARLETT again...

and think to myself I am going to kill Nathan for not taking that cake to work!
I say loudly "NO!!!!"
and Lucas says to me "But mommy you can't get mad, she was sharing!"
Bridget then says very softly "Garlic (Scarlett) sorry"
I said "What about you?"
her response...
"Nope!"

We had Butterscotch Brownie Cake and Milk for lunch...
I didn't feel like cleaning up after her twice. I suppose my father would call this
payback. I don't know why though I was a perfect child.

Someone on Sunday described Bridget as a girl who will NEVER color in the lines.
I wonder if they were right. I never did find out what happened to the String Cheeses, I wonder if I should ask Garlic?

Fadders Day

We usually don't do anything spectacular for Father's Day. I make a special meal with a special dessert, the kids give Nathan a book, and we watch a movie. Last year we did something out that was special, but this year because the weather has been so wet and rainy we decided to stay in. When I mean in, I mean camping in the backyard! Nathan and Lucas couldn't go to the father's and son's outing because it was like 2.5 hours away and because he was in West Virginia, but we improvised and it worked out swimmingly!

So we ate BLT's for dinner and then straight outside to set up the tent...

After everyone was ready (8:30pm) I put Scarlett down for the night in her crib and brought everyone a special treat...

I opted not to do a campfire in my backyard on my baby grass and we did popcorn instead.

Nathan read them a few books and then it was lights out.
In the morning we decided to do cereal in the tent.

We love to camp. It is one of Nathan's favorite things to do actually. We have gone camping while I was pregnant several times and we took Lucas camping with the Youth when he was 4 weeks old. This is something that we just do, but Scarlett might have woken the kids up with the dumb neighborhood dogs or something, so we let her sleep inside...it wasn't a big deal since we have a monitor and she sleeps through the night in her own crib. We had fun hanging out in the tent and in the morning we brought her down and let her chill in the baby sleeping bag that Lucas and Bridget have both used in the past...

While Lucas was searching outside for bugs we just layed in the tent and relaxed.

We made funny faces with the flash light and then Bridget went outside to hunt with Lucas.

While Nathan and I were in the tent we observed Lucas and Bridget experience the best thing about camping...


"peeing in the nature" (as Lucas calls it)
I think it's funny Bridget thinks she is the same as Lucas...even when her diaper is still on!
So far we've had a great Fadders Day how about you?