finishing up summer in Utah...

Do you stop and read this blog every once in awhile? I hope so. I am just going to jam pack it with random pictures till we get ready for back to school pictures.

Bear Lake with the Chambers. This is a Chambers tradition and I am so glad B-rad was able to be with us. The lake was up higher and the weather was so nice and the water was the perfect temp. So...

Here is the family with Great Marie.

Brad and I have wanted to go to Minitoka cave for a long time. We tried last year but it was closed and so we got everyone psyched for this year...turns out you probably should get there early. We had to wait several hours to get to go. We opted not to with the lake calling and the sunshine. But we walked down to the front of the cave. 

 In front of the cave.

 inserted random picture: Chloe is starting to get her 6 year old molar. She is pretty excited to start losing teeth not get more:)

 My cute Brad.

 His Mel.

 EZ is perfectly content with all things boy.

 Movie nights.

 Melinda. Do you know anyone who has done a gajillion ragnars? This girl has.

 Always time for lots of games. We learned a card monopoly game. Loved it, but mostly because Jeff and Holli dominate.

 This is a great picture.

 Chloe is a fish. Here she is knee boarding behind the row boat which is how all the Chambers kids learned. I perfer on ski to kneeboarding so hopefully she will get the hang of that one day, too!!

 These 2 are so fun and the best of buds. Swim lessons. I enrolled EZ before he was 3 because he almost drowned the week before and after being pulled out by the lifeguard all he had to say was, "I want to do that again"So, the instructor made an exception. Plus, Chloe is so self sufficient in the water that he has some catching up to do! Anyway, he dominated. They both did.

 Chloe was in the class with the big kids. Swimming back and forth a dozen times. She made it the full 50 yards by the end of class. This kid will always rise to the "challenge" when given one. They also taught them to dive off the blocks and the diving board. The olympics have been so fun with her this year because she is so "inspired" for lack of better word at what the athletes are doing. Me, too!

 And finally, it rained! Sweet rain.

 After this beautiful, natural scene we heard the not so natural sound of the icecream truck. And we bought one...their first icecream out of a truck (with bars!) We could only afford 1.

 Our new house has this beautiful blue wall. Look at Chloe? I am so proud and in awe and in love with my sweet 5 year old big girl. School is soon on us.
Me: "Ez, don't open the door, you will fall out of the car and you could die"
Ez: "okay, mama."
Chloe: "if Ez dies and you have another baby will you please find out if it's a boy or girl this time."

Happy Birthday Brad. I guess if you're a resident doctor you have to do this this where you work 28 hour shifts (or longer if you get home whenever you're done) I feel so sick when I think of working that long. But it kind of worked out because Brad's birthday was the day he came home and was supposed to be sleeping. We started his day with delicious cinnamon coffee cake and made him wear an "i am special badge". We barbequed on our new (well, new to us) grill. On Saturday we went to this fun water place.

 And pistachio cake and waffle cookies for desert.
Mel:"everyone pretend to blow the candles out for the picture"

Okay, so it was an amazing summer. I am glad to be settled in our new house. We still have our wrecked van in the shop and Brad's cell phone broke but soon we will all be "complete" in our sense of the word. Soon it will be back to school and new adventures await us.
A couple of things:
I'm loving Bruno Mars lately.
I think i'd like to be an Olympian. 300M hurdles, Giant Slalom, long jump, high jump, synchronized swimming (who knew!) The Olympics are inspiring. As i've been out doing my runs I have their triumphant images in my mind. What about Oscar P the double amputee from South Africa. Forget it! Man, i love being so inspired.
I've been making some delicious treats without chocolate because I tried to be better and now make treats and so I didn't buy chocolate, but then I just figured out other treats. I am in the process of gathering all of the recipes and other stuff and put it into a craft/whatever blog i'm working on.
The End.

I threw Brad's clothes away!!!

Yes...along with all the other things we've been up to these past few weeks one important thing I forgot to mention was that I threw a bag of Brad's clothes away. Now considering other than work clothes the guy has about 2 bags total of nice clothes. So, when said wife throws one of those bags away, the bag with perhaps the cutest of the cute and nice clothes, it was pretty lame. He was great and didn't even get phased by it. But, we did get to go out on a date and choose some new clothes for him (which was fun for me cause we don't have money to go shop ever so this necessity shopping trip was fun)

And...my Brad-with help from our awesome friends-moved us from one house to the next with a broken rib. Such a guy.

Several years ago my parents took us all to this heaven of a place called McCall Idaho. Well flash forward several years and 3 chambers kids later and they planned the trip again. I hoped with everything I had that it would somehow work for me and the kiddos to join the rest of the Nelson clan. The stars aligned and we made it for the trip (no Brad...boo) but it was awesome and I am so so so glad I took the kids and joined them. I can't even thank my sweet parents enough and my great siblings and their kids. It's super hard to be on a vacation by yourself with your kids (even though you are surrounded by people) and they just stepped up and helped me and loved us and it was such an amazing time. So here is the picture journey: 

McCall is in Idaho. The pretty part of Idaho.

Here is Grandma Ruthie and Grandpa Robert with the whole group. I'm loving this picture.
                                       
Plenty of time for games. We love Ticket to Ride, Legretto, Play Nine, Kings go Wild, puzzles, and Pit.

At night. This cabin had a bedroom for all 6 kids and their families.

 Icecream in town. Ez's fell off the cone the second they handed it to him. Don't worry, i picked it up and we ate it anyway...dirt and all.

 Lola got lots and lots of love. My cute neice Sadie asked her mom is they could keep Lola and then her mom could get pregnant and give the baby to me. Nice plan!

 All the cousins before we left.

 So glad I borrowed this baby Bjorn. It saved me as we got on and off the boat and up and back to the water.

 Uncle Brett and little EZ.

 Best cousins.

 The pontoon boat.

 In the day.

Most of the group went river rafting.

 We stayed back and had our own good time. That's my cute neice Morgan. She is in India now improving the world!!

 She is so talented at doing their hair.

 The Chambers family!

 Cute mom and dad.

Perhaps next time we go to McCall Brad will make it and we will be living closer!

We like a lot of pictures.

Our kids are so lucky to have such a fun place to spend a big portion of their summers. Here are some of the highlights...

We went to Liberty Park canyon water area. This picture is all EZ. Always checking out how things work.

Took a ride on Trax with Em, Sadie, Grandma Ruthie and Grandpa Robert.

Went to a Disney radio train ride thing.

It is tradition to take the kids to the spot I first heard "I love you" and the spot we got engaged. Here I am retelling the story.

All things pioneer!

A hike with a brother to a picture perfect mountain spot. I love you mountains.

Some good good friends and their sweet kiddos.

Cousins.

Sleepovers. We went on 3 mini vacations in the one big vacation. Lola is now sleeping like a crazy person since our return because I had to wake her so people could stay sleeping but you know we wouldn't trade it for the world.

We were there for father's day. We missed Brad but glad to be with my dad.

Gma Ruthie's birthday. I haven't been there to celebrate with her in person for a long time. I made her a cake with simple forget me nots on it because she loves those and cake!

We skipped out on church our last week after sacrament meeting and headed to temple square. Such a perfect place.

Plane museum.

And since we've been back...we moved out of one place and into another about 1 mile away. wrecked the van. Sold some couches. Bought some couches. Had no tv for 4 weeks. No internet for 3 weeks. Still no couches to sit on. Diagnosed by the Doctor with mono (for both of us) finished 2 weeks of swim lessons. Watched movies. Popsicles. Explored the neighborhood. Hopeful thoughts of exercise soon. What else?? Just lovin' summer and our new place.

She is growing

We have been on a month trip to Utah. It was amazing. Remember my last post when I talked about how I hoped the plane ride would go? Well, I think I "planned" for everything but..Ezra getting violently ill on the first leg of our flight. The kids had been up since 4:30am for the 3 hour drive to St. Louis, then the shuttle ride from the parking lot with all our luggage to the airport where we went through you know, the airport stuff, then sat and waited for 2 hours (we were a little early but I'm never going to be left by a plane again). We got on our flight and my little man was in the fetal position on his seat. Not typical behavior for a 2 year old. Turns out from that point on he cried and moaned and was beside himself with a fever and congestion and I think a little motion sickness. So we land for our layover and I am left with a little guy who only wants me to hold him, a baby who can only be held, Chloe (thank goodness) and our luggage. Thankfully, I had the worlds greatest flight attendant (go American Airlines) and she carried all my stuff (which was 3 bags) while I followed. Miracle 1 we had no gate change in Dallas. She said "this never happens". So we just found a comfy seat looking out the window and she got us settled and had to scurry off. Miracle 2...by my first point of tears a sweet man came up and said, "i can tell you need some help. What can I do?" Then he had to leave after a while. I was still in need of help so I said a prayer. Immediately miracle 3...I saw this angel woman and went over and said, "you don't know me, but you look nice and I need some help." She she came over and sat with me for the 3 hour layover. She held the baby, talked and played with Chloe, calmed me. She was truly an angel who Chloe remembers he name being "Grace". Whether or not that is true she was truly an answer to prayer. She didn't just come over and sit for minute till we were settled she sat there, uncomfortably at a point, for the whole 3 hours. Then she helped me on the plane, almost switched her seat, then helped me get off and took us all the way to my mom who was waiting. I'll never ever forget her and hope to always pay that kindness forward.

So...you're more interested in Lola. Here she is at 4 months (she's 5 months today but that will come later) 

She loves to suck her two middle fingers instead of her thumb now.

She is 13 lbs at 5 months. No longer my 9 lb chubbers.

Her first time rolling over came in utah when I hear my dad and brother say, "Lola just rolled over you may want to come see!" 

She is so happy.
She is ticklish in between her back bones just below her neck.
She has the softest most perfect head and the bluest eyes.
She hold my face in both of her hands.
She has started to hold a toy in both hands but gets bored quickly with them or they fall out of reach.
She drools and always wants something in her mouth.
She goes with the flow thank goodness.
She doesn't seem to appreciate her carseat like the other kids did.
She likes to nap in her bed and will nap very long.

Well, we're moving. As of Wednesday we finally found a place...not bad considering we were having to leave our current place by Saturday! It all worked out in the end and I just kept packing knowing it would. I'm assuming stupid AT and T won't get us service till the end of the month but keep checking back.
Happy summer.