Cabin vacation

We just got back from a week in Island Park at my parents' cabin. It was hard to come home! It was so nice to have more than just a couple of days up there. Highlights:

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Drove the "loop" around Yellowstone Lake and saw about a million buffalo

Lewis & Clark Caverns-- a personal favorite of mine since childhood. Yes we were a little nervous taking J-dawg but he was great! Biter biscuits are our new best friend :)

About to go down the "beaver slide" in the cave where you actually sit down and slide for six feet. Sorry, fuzzy picture.

Swimming at Firehole in Yellowstone National Park with family. Check out Isaac's sweet shades!

Panning for gold! Sean has been wanting to pan for gold ever since he and his friend Rob started watching this random show in South Carolina called "Gold Fever." It was like the lowest budget t.v. show of all time and had the sweetest theme song I've ever heard. It goes something like this, "Go Go Go Go Go Go Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Gold Fee Fee Fee Fee Fee Fee Ver Ver Ver Ver Ver Ver." Awesome, I know.

And no, we did not come home with any gold nuggets. Maybe next time.

Next-- the beach!

Mini photo shoot

My friend Courtney e-mailed me about a local photographer who is doing mini "playdate" photo sessions to help raise money to pay for her brother's medical bills. She is only charging $12! I figured, why not?! I am so glad I went because she took some amazing pictures that I absolutely LOVE. Here are my favorites:

I'm not even going to pretend to be humble-- I think Jackson is the cutest thing I have ever seen! And you know, I think that is how a mother should feel about her child :)

If any of my Utah buddies are interested, Carrie (the photographer) is planning to do another playdate photo session in another couple of weeks. For more info look here. Also, here is her official Web site. Thank you Courtney for passing along the info!

Seeing the fruits of our labor

Our garden is growing! Let's take a tour, shall we? We have tomatoes...

... and more tomatoes

...and did I mention tomatoes? (these are Roma)

...Bell peppers (yellow, orange and green)

... jalepeno peppers

...beans, zucchini, yellow crook-neck squash, peas

... and red potatoes, carrots and onions (no pictures, sorry--heartbreaking I know).

Seriously though, I am a bit amazed at the number of tomatoes we have. It's kind of frightening. Between the three plants, we easily have 80-90 tomatoes. I am going to be the lady walking through the neighborhood trying to pawn off her produce to everyone! I really am enjoying having a garden though and I am happy we are having success. Note to self: plant a pumpkin next year because every time you see the neighbors' you feel a pang of jealousy...

Lavender Days

We went to Young Living Farm in Mona for Lavender Days today. It was free admission and you could pay $5 if you wanted to pick your own bouquet. Anyway, it was beautiful and it smelled so good! It was like nothing I had ever seen. It was something kind of fun and out of the ordinary to do. Next year I am going to try to make it earlier in the day because I guess there is a 5K and you can sign up to make your own lavender wreath. Here are a few more pictures:

Having a taste (I figured he'd be fine since lavender is edible...)

Fourth of July in Idaho Falls

Sean and I have really been looking forward to the Fourth of July this year. He's worked on the Fourth the past five years, so we were excited to be able to spend the day together. Looking back, we both think this is our favorite Fourth of July ever. We did all of the traditional stuff-- parade, bbq, fireworks etc. I've always loved the parade and it was even more fun this year having Jackson and my niece and nephews there.

My dad has a 1915 Model T. and Jackson LOVED it. He was so excited during his first ride he couldn't stop grinning. I realize there are no seatbelts and the car seat is not compatible, but I don't even care. Don't turn me into child services-- I'm trying to create memories here people!

The famed Idaho Falls fireworks did not disappoint (nor did the kettle corn I scarfed down). We scored good parking and it only took us 15 minutes to get to the freeway after the show. I wasn't sure what Jackson would think of the fireworks. He was so funny-- just layed with Sean, looking up with his mouth hanging open in awe :) He stayed awake for the first 20 minutes of the show and fell asleep before the grand finale.

We finished the weekend off at my parents' cabin in Island Park. The weather was beautiful and the wildflowers were out in full force.

My dad and niece were on a four-wheeler ride and they found a lost puppy in the middle of nowhere. They figured he probably ran off scared during the fireworks from the night before. We honestly thought the puppy might have been a wolf because his coloring was so unique--my niece named him "Wolfy." Well, after my brother-in-law did a little googling, we determined it was a blue heeler puppy. Miraculously my dad found the owners and the puppy is home safe. Courtney, I was totally going to ship this little guy to you if we couldn't find the owner-- I knew you wouldn't turn him down :)

We hope everyone had a great Fourth of July!

More Idaho Falls fun

I stayed in Idaho Falls for a week after the reunion. My sister and her kids also stayed and we had a lot of fun hanging out with my parents.

Highlights from the week:

1. Going to the zoo with J-dawg, my mom and sis and my niece and nephew. Also, getting a snowcone at Funland. This monkey was really funny!

2. Going to my niece Remi's birthday party

Thank you Rachel for taking this cute picture at the party!

3. Swinging at the Ricks's
4. Getting a Hawaiian shaved ice (the kind with soft-serve ice cream in the middle!)

5. Slip 'n slide and kiddie pool at grandma's house
6. Seeing my niece Riley dance at her recital-- she rocked her duet!

7. Getting to spend the afternoon with my friend Andrea who just had surgery

8. Homemade strawberry ice cream (and yes, I realize a lot of my "highlights" involve food!)


Lowlights:

1. Accidentally ruined our camera. Still not sure what happened-- Sean found it on the driveway at the cabin and it had rained that afternoon. Doh!

2. Jackson blew out his pants on the drive home and I only had two wipes at my disposal to get the job done. We're talking he needed an entire change of clothes...

3. Came home to dry, withered plants on my balcony and in my window boxes. Thought all hope was lost, but alas, showing some improvement today!

Whittington family reunion

A few weeks ago we had a Whittington family reunion in Idaho Falls for all of the descendents of my grandma and grandpa. The last one was about a billion years ago and it was long overdue. Sean wasn't able to come because he was preparing to take the patent bar the next Monday, so it was just Jackson and I. We had a lot of fun and I saw a lot of cousins, aunts and uncles that I hadn't seen in a long time. It was in Tautphaus Park and low-key-- just the way I like it! Good food, good company and good conversation. Almost everyone was able to make it, though we missed Todd and Thomas who are both in D.C..

The whole gang:

My cousin Christina put together an awesome dvd of pictures for everyone and I thought I would post a few of my favorites.

Grandpa:

My dad with his identical twin brother:

Me hanging out in my grandparents' backyard that backs right up to Tautphaus Park:

Happy half birthday!

Jackson is six months old today! I can't believe how fast these few months have passed. My little baby isn't little anymore-- in fact, his two bottom teeth are coming in! When I saw his teeth I was excited but I have to admit it is bittersweet because I feel like he's growing up so fast. He's also sitting up independently now and moving constantly. He grabs pretty much everything in sight and it usually goes straight in his mouth. It's so much fun to watch him learn and grow each day. In six more months we'll all be celebrating New Year's and of course, Jackson's real birthday :) Here is a cute little video of him giggling and a few recent pictures: