A Camping we will go!

Aiden went on his first camping trip yesterday!

We found a campground that was not full up Monte Cristo and started unpacking.  The managing couple told us to go take the spot in back of them, so we repacked and went to a gorgeous spot!!!

Our little pop-up tent.  It is a 4-man tent that was very cozy.

The first injury - was loading the car before we even left the house!!

It took Mom about 2 hours to get the campsite put up because Mister didn't like to be left out.  So Mom would do a little something, come play with Mister, do another little something, come cuddle, etc....

Got the fire going.  Sheesh.  It has been 14 years since I was at Girl's Camp and worried I wouldn't be able to start it by myself.  TAKE THAT, HATERS!!!  I still have it...

Then Hobo dinners cooked in the fire!  - Mom even remembered the BBQ sauce.  Reminded me of old times!

We are both gross and hot.  But dinner was yummy and we were ready for...

SMORES!!

Slightly addicted...

Then the best part of the night! 

Okay, so I had a stock pot and put it in the fire with water.  Then, added cold water until we had a perfect bath.  The bucket is the best $5 purchase from WalMart EVER!

Look at the Smores face...  Awesome!!!

Aiden did great.  He slept like a rock and Mom finally woke him up at 7am because she had to go potty.  He was a wonderful camping buddy.  We were going home, but there was a head-on collision at the bottom of Monte Cristo canyon, so we had to go up to Evanston and home - a 3 hour detour, but it was lovely scenery.

This was truly one of the best experiences that I have ever had with Mister.  He slept really well and I just stayed up thinking.  It was a beautiful night and we slept warm and well.  I am glad that I can do these things with Mister because we are starting a lifetime of great, great memories.  

Aiden's favorite part?  Going into the biffy while Mom went potty because his voice echoed when he screamed.  

Awesome.

Busy baby

I hate working.  Don't get me wrong.  I love what I do.  I love the people I work with.  I just hate working because I miss so much of Tater's life.  I love being with him, even when he is "Senor Grumpy Shorts" like tonight.

When I picked him up from Aunt Kari's, they were at Aunt Lisa's swimming (Happy Birthday, Kelle) for Kelle's birthday party.  Lisa has 5 boys and was gracious enough to lend me a swimming outfit and swim diaper.  I had the hat.

Cousins Tyler and Jessica.  Both so good with the baby.

Has it really been 14 years since Kelle was born?  Just yesterday, it seems, we were calling her Peach Fuzz due to the unruly hair.  Yeesh.  It goes by so fast.  

Then, Aunt Lisa volunteered to help me buzz Aiden's hair.  It helps that she has 5 boys and is a pro at this.  He didn't move.  She even knew how to trim the cowlicks in the back.  *sigh*  I have a lot to learn.

We went to dinner with Uncle Chris and relaxed and talked, but Tater blew through a diaper and outfit - and I didn't have a spare.  Bad mother.  Sorry, Uncle Chris.  

Aiden has started doing this sound... 'Lllllllll ut.......llllllll ut"  and I could figure out what he was saying until I started singing our "clean up, clean up"  song.  He is saying "Clean UP.  Clean Up."  Then he puts toys in the bucket.  So funny!!!

Then bath, books, bottle, brush (teeth) and bed.

Love little baby bums!!!

Cheap Fun

Our day was full of cheap fun.  I made bread for what I figure is about 60 cents a loaf.  Then, we had dinner (shephards pie on the cheap) and enjoyed homemade popsicles (see above) that consisted of water and a dash of apple juice.  Tater loved it!!!  Then we played with his 44 cent Walmart matchbox cars and finished off with a game of "Mom puts the letter magnets, Tater takes them off and throws them".

Good day.  

And Happy Fathers Day to all the men who have made an impact on my life and all those men who will make an impact on Aiden's life.  I thank you.

perfect day!

My sweet boy!

Today was a great day.  Okay it wasn't great until about 1:30pm, but it was great after that!  After a long and "not feeling well"  morning, we packed up and headed to the zoo.  However, after many many rounds trying to find a parking place, we decided to forget it and drive across the street and go to the Pioneer Park.

Tater had string cheese and pureed mangoes for lunch.  I had SuperTarget sushi.  It was not bad.    He loved his.

then we rode the train up to the top of the park (I totally cheated...)  He loved it.  LOVED it.  It may be because he watches Thomas the Tank Engine and the whistle sounded just like Thomas.

Inside the train!

Then, we went on a wagon ride.   HOLY crap!!  He loved it!  He screamed and giggled the whole time... each time the horse would take a step, Aiden would shake his hand in excitement.

Then, down to the pony ride.  He looks so small.  But he had a great time.  He rode it twice.  This pony's name was Drunkard.  Funny because he did walk a little... off....  

When we got home, Tater helped me plant these cheesy 50 cent herb pots from Target.  Cilantro, Basil, and Daisies.  Even if they don't grow (c'mon... 50 Cents each...)  it will be okay. 

Done!

Then, I finished handing my curtains and pictures.  I will add a rug, then this room is done.  (Picture layout and curtains courtesy of Amanda.  Thanks, Amanda...)

I am pooped and Aiden did not have a nap today.  Not one.  Not a single moment of a nap.  So, we will call it a night!!!!

The gals and the day at the mall

Cute gals.  Can you tell where we are?!

Okay so Shiree is not engaged... yet.  But we really needed her to start looking so when Derek does ask her, she is prepared -and so are we with a card with stock numbers and ideas of what she likes.   So, yesterday, I met them at the mall to start the looking.  There is nothing like a good bling-fest with young adult ladies.  We found three styles for Shiree and one for Jessica.  Not that Jessica is engaged, either but she has Tanner.....

Anyway.  It was great.  It was fun to see them both excited and see how life progresses on naturally for both of them.

Shiree's pick #1.  Pick #2 is in White Gold.

Pick #3 - it is white gold, but hard to see that.

Jessica's pick. Lovely.

Then, Aunt Kari took Aiden for a ride on the escalator... Okay, okay.  We played for a while on the escalator.  It was fun to go down...

And back up!!

And then eat lunch at the food court.  Fun day!

Then, last night... I gave Aiden Sweet potatoes and yogurt to finger paint with.  All over... him.  me.  the high chair.  the floor....

The old house

I love my friends.  There is something about a friend who does not share your blood nor beliefs, nor lifestyle.  But is a good friend just the same.  I have blogged before about my friend Sam. Sam and I hated each other when we met in Symphony at Weber State.  He is a cellist, I am a cellist.  He is artsy fartsy.  I am not.  But over the years, we found that our interpretation of music is pretty similar (with the exception that I tend to play in tune and Sam, well, does not really care about that....).  We have never ever ever had a romantic relationship (ew...... and anyone who knows Mr. Sam knows what I mean...) but a very close friendship.

So, tomorrow, Sam and I are playing cello duets for a work thing of mine.  (I secretly volunteered so I don't have to mingle).  And so Sam came over tonight to run through the old set of tunes. He played his music love - contemporary piano trio groups (for those who are not familiar - it consists of a pianist, a violinist, and a cellist.  By contemporary, I mean it sounds like cats on a piano and a whole lot of angry string musicians making noise) - and I listened.  Some was interesting, some was strange, some was beautiful.  We played some of the baroque cello duets and I realized that, while I used to play Sam under the table, he is much much better than me and that is okay.  He is patient with my mistakes and I am tolerant of his lack of being able to count to four.  Or play in tune.

It really was like old times.  We laughed, played music, ate a great dinner, he talked to his fiancée, drank Diet Pepsi, and just chilled.

But when he left, I realized that it was like going back into a house that you used to live in.  You are familiar with all the walls and the floor plan.  You know which stair creaks and you laugh about the time when........   It has great memories, it was a place you learned things, got hurt, felt love, but it is strange. It is not your home any longer.  It feels slightly empty because you no longer live in that place and your soul is somewhere else and has moved on.

That is how I felt tonight.  It was a step back into another time.  A happy time with good friends and fun music.  But when I stripped my little man nekkid to dunk into the bathtub, I realized that this life is where I feel happiest.  My soul is here.  We snuggled and, instead of gushing over the latest interpretation of a symphony, I sang a simple Primary song to my son and loved it more.    My hands can no longer fly up and down my cello like they used to, but they can play Eensy Weensy Spider with Aiden and it is more fulfilling for me.

So, even though I love the "old house" that was my life, it is fun to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there again.

My Wee Little Laddie

Today we went to the Scottish Festival in Lehi.  It was very cold, overcast, and ... very, very fun.  Oh, we had so much fun.  Aiden and I have season tickets to Thanksgiving Point and totally were going to the the Scottish Festival.  But then we found out that Shiree had a bagpipe competition at the same place, so we HAD to go.  So, we picked up Uncle Chris and Shiree at 6:30am.  It was great.  Shiree did great.

Shiree did two solo competitions - won first on one, second place on the other.  She did great!!!

It was cold and we bundled Mister up with three great big blankets, but he still had to say hi to Shiree.

Haggis?  Meat Pies?  There was even a stall that sold a full leg of turkey or a slab of beef - Renaissance style... so what did we get?  Hot dogs and fries. Very, very non-Scottish.

This is me!!!  I am part of the MacFarlane clan.  Cool huh?

So, at the beginning and end of the games, all the pipers from all the bands got together and played Scotland the Brave and two other ones I didn't know.  It was so cool - over 100 pipers all playing and marching together.  One giant fighting force.   Loud and very, very cool.  Do you remember the fighting scenes from Bedknobs and Broomsticks?  Kinda like that.  If you don't remember the scene, you better watch it again.

Trying to stay warm and dry out of the 25 minute deluge.  Otherwise, it was dry all day.  It really was like being in the Scottish Highlands.

Shiree's pipe band

Crashed.  He slept through the cannon fire that started the games.  He slept through over 100 pipers playing right by his stroller.  But the chaplain said the prayer and he woke up.  Go figure.

It was so great to get back to my roots.  My family from both sides come from Scotland.  One family member was even Nellie MacFarlane.  Great!!!

We got home at 9pm.  Tired.  Very tired.  But very fun.