So, we tried to make this really nice video tour of our new place, and we did it like 3 times and them downloaded it to blogger, or I should say, attempted to download it to blogger, and attempted and finally after the fourth attempt, we decided to take pictures and do a picture tour, if you don't care about what our place looks like, feel free to ignore this.
This is our family room and dining area, as you can tell it is much bigger than our last place, the boys love the room and run around all over the place.This is both views of our galley style kitchen and below is the washer and dryer area and door to the patio and car port.
Here are the boys enjoying some time playing with chalk on the patio, to the side of the lower picture you can see our storage room and also in that picture you can see the carport.

This is the boys bathroom and their bedroom.
Here is the extra room, you can see that we haven't done much with this room yet.
This is our bedroom with the lovely window seat, and below is our master bath, yeah, we have our own bathroom, no more waking kids when we have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. By, the way don't you just love the wallpaper, it is our favorite.

And there you have it, a tour of our new digs. We are enjoying the time off that Alan has from work and school and are anticipating some good years here. We love you all and miss you. We hope some of you will be able to come visit.

Cousins

We were able to visit with Bryce and Maile and family before we left for Texas, we had a fun time going to the park. Brady was a lot of fun showing Sammy and Jakie how to kick a soccer ball and to play at the park. At one point he had Jakie by the hand and was taking him around and talking to him, he followed him well and soon Sam had Jakie's hand and there was a little train of boys running around. Leilani was a doll and so fun to watch, you can tell she is trying to hold her own with her big brother. She has the most beautiful red hair, which I am totally jealous of, and she was very sweet. Thanks Bryce and Maile for getting together with us on your trip.We also had a new arrival to Alan's family, his sister Karen had a new boy, Caleb was born at the end of July and we are happy to have him in the family, congrats Karen, Chris, and Gavin.

All of the boys together, Sam, Gavin, Caleb, Jakie.

Jacob and Samuel's Birthday

The boys turned two before we moved, but we never had a chance to blog about their birthday. They received way to many gifts from very kind family members. Here they are enjoying their new car garage, it has had a lot of use already.
Alan of course had to set it up, the boys were trying to play with it even before it was out of the box, it was a little frustrating to Alan because he couldn't put it together with both boys running cars down the unassembled ramp.
They got a couple of new items of clothing which unlike most kids who get new clothes and throw them aside, Sammy and Jakie had to put all of them on right then, (Aunt Marisa and Uncle Robert they loved their new pooh and "ticker" shirts. Thanks)

The boys also enjoyed all the balloons they got to play with.


These are the cakes we made for their party (thanks Jane.) We made a fishbowl cake using two round cakes and cutting the top and bottom off the cakes to make the fishbowl shape, and then covered it with fondant, and also we made a cake to look like an ocean scene.
We want to thanks all those who were kind enough to send cards, gifts, call, or send their love, we appreciate all that you do for us and our little guys. We love you all and are grateful for you in our lives.

We've Just Been Hanging Around

I realized it has been a while since I have actually blogged anything, but, we have been busy. I spent almost a week with the boys at my parents house while Alan was finishing his senior thesis in Orem. While I was there I saw this painting, which my brilliant cousin Lana painted of the boys. Can you tell which is which? She is studying art in Saint George at Dixie college and I think she is amazing, thanks Lana.

As many of you might know, the boys really like trains, so we returned with Moma and Papa to the train museum to see the other half of the museum we didn't realize was there last time. This part was the actual trains, the boys loved the trains and were exited to see the new Frontrunner (an extension of Salt Lakes Trax) train leave the station.
After the trains we went out for ice cream at the famous Farr's Ice cream parlor in Ogden. Moma used to work here, so we had to get some shots of her in front of her old hangout.

The boys had fun watching the street get repaved in front of Farr's as they ate the ice cream Moma and Papa had given them.


We also had the opportunity to visit some great grandparents who live in Ogden. We visited Grandma and Grandpa Fisher (not pictured here, I forgot my camera) and Grandma Montierth who won over Jacob and Samuel's heart with her marble game, a favorite amongst all the grandchildren. Tracy, I hope you have fond memories of this game, Grandma thought you might remember this game.

Four generations.
Moma and Jacob outside of Grandma Montierth's house, looking at grapes.
Samuel and Papa doing the same.
Samuel and Jacob invented a game while we were there. It involved sitting on the fireplace and throwing a ball and then jumping up to retrieve it. I was quite impressed by their creativity.

Later we went to see Grandma Gunnell, who the boys have named Grandma Nell because they can't say Gunnell. They had fun eating her raspberries and playing with the toys she always has on hand.

Boppus and Grandma Jane arrived at Grandma Nells and the boys were happy to see them again. We had a good time hanging out with them and we were looking forward to coming back to Orem again.
We also had a great time celebrating Pioneer Day (it is a celebration of the Pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley.) We went to discovery park and had some KFC, I love picnics, and then a fun time running around and chasing the boys at the park. Samuel on the big big slide, it was a lot of fun, so much fun that we convinced Boppus (Val) to go down too.
Alan and Samuel hanging out in the space ship.
Jacob and Alan on the tire swing.

We had a lot of fun in Ogden, thank you Moma and Papa for all the fun things we did, and thank you Grandma Jane and Boppus for all you do for us. We love you!

No Stitches

Samuel had a little accident this week, he was running around with a blanket over his head and he ran right into Grandma Jane's cedar chest, (of course we tell him over and over again not to put blankets over his head, but he never listens.) He bit his lip and almost bit through the skin, but luckily it didn't and so there is no need for stitches, thank goodness. Anyway, I am glad Alan was there when it happened, I don't know if I could handled it if he wasn't there, I am not good with blood. But our Samuel is fine and his lip is healing. The day it happened he said "Mommy, Sammy lip hurt, Sammy fall Grandma Jane Chest." Of course it sounded funny because his lip had swelled to twice the usual size, but at least we know he is alright.

A Mother's Realization

I came to an important realization today while taking Samuel and Jacob to the park. They have always loved to swing, so whenever we go to the park that is usually the first thing they run too. Today the swings were occupied for a long time, so I watched and watched until I finally decided to go to another area where there was one baby swing and two other older children swings. I put Jacob in the baby swing and put Samuel on my lap and we were swinging happily until Samuel said, Sammy do it him self. I thought to myself, "you want to go on the big boy swing by yourself? No, you are too little." But, for some reason I was curious to see if he could do it. So I set him on it, and he knew exactly where to hold so he would stay up. I stood behind him and slowly pulled the swing back and forth making sure I was close enough in case he would fall off. He didn't. He was loving it. My heart kind of jumped at the thought that he had now graduated from baby swing to big boy swing. But I thought to myself "at least Jakie is still in the baby swings, he is a little more timid with stuff like that." So we were done there and went over to where we were originally. The swings there were now empty and my boys now ran up to the baby swings wanting to try those out, a sense of relief fell over me as the boys were swinging happily. Until, Samuel said "Other swing, Mommy," as he pointed to a big boy swing . My heart sank again, I took him out of the baby swing and placed him in the big boy swing and watched as his excitement increased. Soon, Jakie noticed how much fun Sammy was having, and said, "Other swing too." Now, I knew I was in trouble. So, as not to seem a mean mommy, I took Jakie out of the baby swing and put him into the big boy swing, he seemed a little timid about it, but was brave and stayed on for a whole five minutes swinging along side his brother on the big boy swings. Now, even though I have to admit I am extremely saddened to know that my babies are growing up (they will be two in a few weeks) I guess I need to be happy that they get to experience new things and they are good boys, not babies, little boys.Jacob
Samuel

Fourth of July

Our Fourth was a lot of fun. We spent Friday evening at a picnic that we had with Alan's Family at Nielson's grove. (If you are in Provo, you gotta go to Nielson's grove, it is the coolest park.) The boys had fun at the fountain, they were soaking by the time we left.Later in the evening we decided to do our fireworks a little early so that the boys could enjoy them. They were a little afraid of the loud ones.



Alan and Jacob (Evan in the background) watching the festivities.
Audrey and Samuel, Sam looks really interested in the fireworks, but I think they scared him a bit.
The boys eventually decided they would take refuge by the house and Sarah joined them.


Our little family
Alan and Evan having "Snap" wars.

We decided that we should attend the Fisher Family Reunion up at Oxford with Moma and Papa on Sunday, so we went to Pleasant View on Saturday and went with them up to Idaho on Sunday morning.

Our family on the teeter totter.
The boys playing at the barn
Alan and Samuel on the rope swing.Papa and Jacob on the rope swing.

The boys had fun running around the area, and eating all the fruit, we took a drive to Malad on apparently "the most beautiful drive in the world," It was pretty, but I wouldn't give it that description myself.
We had a great weekend, we hope you all are well!