We were lucky this time.

Once in a while, we like to tease Abbi about how it's time for her to take a turn to change Noah's diaper. She usually gets a little mad and says she can't do anything like that until she's 16. Well, we went camping. We were lounging around the campfire when Noah announced he had a "bad bum." Abbi said she wanted to take care of it. I let her help me and was telling her what order to do things in. For example, we don't open and pull off the diaper before we are armed with the wipes.

Flash forward to last night. Noah was wearing his new baby leash, which he LOVES, and was making Abbi walk him. Jake and I sent the kids upstairs to start finding their pajamas while we finished cleaning up dinner. A couple minutes later, Abbi came down the stairs and yelled, "I changed Noah's diaper!" She was so excited. It took a second to register what she said and then all the sudden she appeared again and handed me a heavy wet diaper. I feel so lucky it was only wet.

I was scared. Jake was scared. I gathered my courage and went upstairs to see what was happening.

Abbi did a good job for her first, unsupervised try. She really wanted to be a good helper because this week our goal is to earn a little money to donate to the temple fund. We paid her a little extra because she was really proactive with this task.

Retraction...kind of

If you have formed any opinions about how Jake and I joke that Jake is as helpful around the house as Dobby the House Elf, I want you to replace and/or balance those opinions with him acting like Creature. Creature is a naughty/mischievous House Elf.

Remember how I said it's my week to do the laundry....

Yesterday, I worked my butt off (nearly) to the bone doing laundry. When I was putting it away, I walked past our bedroom and did a double take. Why would Jake put on a polo shirt at this time of night? And why is he putting on socks? I went in to examine the situation...

Jake had on 3 pairs of shorts, 4 shirts, and was still working on socks. He had on 4 pairs, so far. Then he went in the closet and brought out my 2 stacks of pants and said he thought they could use another go around so he was going to put them in the hamper. Jake said he was about to put on his suit, too. I stalled that project so instead he got out 3 D.I. shirts, 1 t-shirt, 1 sweater, and 2 of my pants. Then Jake said they were all dirty and everything was going to have to go in the laundry pile.

He was causing as much trouble as Creature. I decided to laugh instead of cry.


p.s. today while I was at work, Jake finished the laundry, changed the sheets on all the bed, emptied the garbages, and did the dishes

It's my week....again

Unfortunately, I erased the horrific picture of the enormous piles of laundry we had a few weeks ago. Luckily, it was a Sunday when the piles were at their worst. Sunday is the changing of the guard for laundry duty. (I almost just spelled duty like dootie. It must be time that I get a new duty.) I'd like to say it's a fair exchange for the chore but I think my sisters would beg to differ. I agree with them that Jake is very helpful, but I don't think we should try to stomp out his desire to serve.

Anyway....it's my week again. I'm good at keeping the laundry moving from the hamper, to the washer, to the dryer. Then there's kind of a stick in my spokes. The infamous laundry-holding chair in my bedroom, becomes a monstrous, mountainous pile of clean clothes. I'd argue that a pile of clean laundry is convenient for picking out tomorrow's clothes.
Now on Jake's weeks, the laundry is washed, dried, and hung. Not only that, Jake tries to get my clothes hung how I organize them. He does the sheets too! I'm afraid the nickname and his impersonation of Dobby the House Elf is not temporary. I'm more grateful then I can express for all Jake does but my insensitive mouth dared ask him if I give him a sock, will he be free? Just in case, I hid all the socks.

Listen, the point of this is....I need help. Not the literal, do my laundry, kind of help. I just need to know how to find the motivation to finish the laundry when it's dirty again in a micro-second. Is there a laundry routine/system that I can believe in?

why are there dinosaurs at the zoo?

A. Three smiling Hansen boys in one picture is a rare photographic miracle.
2. I'm not really comfortable commenting on the merry-go-round pictures as I am not certain on the species of animal each child was riding on.
3. I think I can give a very fair recommendation for parking at the back gate of the zoo. Especially because all nine of us got in with the season pass Jake and I got for our wedding. I'm pretty sure that was a wedding/zoo miracle.
D. Just because the Hogle Zoo isn't a complete zoo, as half of it is under-construction, doesn't mean they should throw robotic dinosaurs around every corner. Especially the one that spits water. It pretty much ruins the zoo experience for Noah.

Riverdale Splash Pad

We had lots of fun with Jimmy's family at the splash pad. I was planning on taking the kids to the Roy Aquatic Center for Riverdale's free night but Jimmy's smart enough to think that if everyone in Riverdale is in Roy, then the people in Roy should go play in Riverdale.

Noah didn't really care for the water as much as he liked watching the kids play in the water. Near the end, he got a little wet. Abbi is completely opposite. I'm pretty sure she had a bucket of water pouring on her head the entire time. She loved it!

I'd like to point out that Jake's dream for Abbi's swim suit came true. It's pretty awesome timing that there's the new style of shorts and a shirt for swim suits. Abbi has one exactly like Marlie's but I guess we'll save it for Bear Lake.

Is there such thing as over-celebrating independence?

Our first 4th of July was a long, hot, absolutely fun day. I think everyone would agree that Old Glory Days is most likely the #1 favorite holiday of the summer. I enjoyed myself all day even if I may or may not have tossed/thrown my churro in a heated rage. I really hate being too hot.

Looking back on the holiday, I would agree that I did not fill Jake in on my/Riverdale's love for the 4th of July. It is an all-day event. And it's the best all-day event of the summer. There's nothing better than a celebration that includes carny food, family, friends, fun, and no gifts.

The kids had fun. I had fun. And Jake joined us.

Lesson learned: Wearing matching t-shirts is a one-time favor. (Lesson courtesy of Jacob O. Tracy)

The Friend Summer Reading: Week Four

Today, Abbi and I read a story about a little girl who is learning the gospel and prayed to learn if she should be baptized when she turns eight. Then we looked at pictures of children being baptized, baptism dresses, and some fun #8 birthday cakes. She's pretty excited. We still have the #7 birthday this year before we need to think about the #8 party.

The Summer Reading for this week said to draw a picture about being baptized after you read the story. Abbi drew one of her wearing a baptism dress.

because the house isn't crazy enough

WALTER the DOG