4th of July Extravaganza

This year for the 4th of July Greg surprised me with tickets to Stadium of Fire again.  We went last year but we hadn't planned on making it a yearly event.  This year they had the Beach Boys which Greg loves and Scotty McCreary who won American Idol last year and we voted for him every week.  We were excited to get to go.  We decided to make it into a 3 day event.  On Tuesday we went up to Provo with Greg's parents truck and trailer.  We dropped the trailer off at my Aunts house and we went up to SLC and West Jordan to pick up a new toy kitchen and a playhouse we found on KSL classifieds for the girls.  Both went well except for the air conditioning cutting in and out in the truck and it being super hot and the girls being super tired.  We stayed that night at Auntie Helen's house.  My girls just are so comfortable there.  There aren't really even any toys but they manage to find something to do all the time that we are there and they just talk so comfortably with my aunt and uncle and just love visiting.  I love it too.  The next day we met up with my friends Matt and Jill to go to the Provo Parade.  This is a major big deal parade so we didn't exactly have front row seats but good enough considering the girls had their ears plugged most of the time.

 Then it was on to naps at Auntie Helen's while Greg and Matt went golfing, followed by a barbecue also with Jill and Matt and their 3 kids.  All the kids splashed in the paddling pool and our girls loved playing with their kids.  We had a great dinner with the most amazing hamburgers ever.  Then we hung around for a while before it was time to go to the concert.  Matt and Jill were amazing and offered to drive us to the concert and then pick us up afterwards so that I wouldn't have to walk so far in the blazing heat being pregnant.  Matt dropped us off 1 block away.  It was a perfect.  By the time we got to our seats (which were 4 rows from the top) I didn't feel like passing out or dying (good right).  We got the girls their promised slushes and found our seats and only had to wait a few minutes for the show to start.  What amazing friends.

This is how Allie spent the first hour of the show, ears plugged and in tears because it was too loud.  She finally snapped out of it after a while and only had to plug her ears again when the fireworks started and she actually had fun (thank goodness).  Brailie was happy as long as she had something to drink in her hands.

Both performances were awesome.  The best part was the energy of the crowd during the Beach Boys.  It was really fun and actually perfect weather too.

The fireworks really are something amazing.  They are loud and bright and huge.  The girls loved them but didn't like the sound.

Jill came and picked us up after the show also which was so good as the girls only had so many steps left in them.  They really did amazing and much better than we expected considering I really couldn't carry anyone and Greg had his arms full with bleacher seats and a blanket.  After a good sleep at Matt and Jill's we woke up to a yummy breakfast and rain.  Oh what beautiful rain.  The girls played in the rain and loved playing with each other.  It was so good to visit with good and dear friends.  Then we got ready to head back to Auntie Helen's.  There we had a yummy lunch and then Greg and Uncle Doug loaded up their dining room table and chairs which they were giving to us plus a huge load of wood.  Auntie Helen and I visited while the girls played in the rain buckets and got soaked.  It was such a great day but a long one too.  The girls were out fast asleep in 5 minutes and I think I gave it the old college try and lasted 10 minutes.  It was good to be home by evening even though we didn't have rain.  What a great little getaway.  Thanks to everyone who was a part of it.

Playing catch up

So I let the one thing that I always told myself I would never let happen...happen: GETTING WAY BEHIND!!  Now the thought of getting caught up is super overwhelming.  However since I would like to get this printed into a book for my birthday (hint hint honey) I don't want to miss out on the last month.  So sorry about the overabundance of collages but they are the easiest way to share the over 1000 pictures I took in the last month. 
Okay so here is the update.  My parents were supposed to come for Easter.  It was my dad's idea-which never happens and was a miracle in and of itself.  We had a list of all kinds of projects for he and Greg to work on together, we were going to go to arches for the first time since we have been married, my older brother was going to come too and we were going to have a family party for Allie's birthday.  A bit over a week before this my dad had been diagnosed with cancer but we had yet to hear results of what kind and how serious.  He had a lump in his mouth that he thought was from a tooth ache or a side effect of some nasal drops he was using.  Well it turned out to be cancer but my parents said they would just wait until they got back to do any treatments or things that needed to be done.  Then the week before they were to come they went to the doctor at which time they found out my dad had stage 3 B-cell lymphoma but the chemo couldn't start for over a week which still gave them time to come to Utah which the doctors said was fine.  The next day they called and requested an emergency MRI and before that even took place the doctor called my mom to say that they would not be able to leave to come to Utah because my dad's cancer  (now a stage 4) was advancing very rapidly and was approaching the fluid around his brain and he could have a seizure or something while they were traveling.  He would have to be admitted to the hospital as soon as possible and have chemo begin.  Talk about a blow.  He hadn't even felt sick-just this dumb lump in his mouth.  All of our plans were completely wiped out and I felt devastated.  My brother still had his ticket to Salt Lake so we decided that I would just take the girls and meet him at the airport and he and I would drive home to Sask where I would stay for a while.  Before any of that could happen I had Allie's birthday party/the basketball barbecue to host, bountiful baskets, the ward Easter Breakfast and a double baby shower to host at my house.  Then I packed our bags and we left Monday afternoon to pick up my brother that night at the airport.  Did I mention both girls were sick-ya they both got sick 3 days before leaving.  We got my brother at the airport in the pouring rain, drove for about 4 hours into Idaho and slept at a rest stop in the car.  This would have been a great plan if we had had blankets, no children traveling with us and it was in the middle of summer.  We however froze our butts off as Steven and I tried the best we could to cover up with 3 recieving blankets and a airplane blanket.  The girls were covered in their blankets.  They had fallen asleep prior to us stopping and then when we did stop Allie said, "where are we going to sleep?"  I said, "right here in the car."  Luckily she was so tired she fell back asleep without a question.  Thank heavens I am not homeless-how could you do that day in and out.  Anyway bright and early the next morning we continued on and made it home to Sask at 12:30AM.  We got to the border just minutes before it was about to close and the guard was super rude telling us how dare we get there right before they were about to close and that he may not let us across and that he was going to have to search our whole car because we were so late.  I wanted to say, "excuse me sir, but have you traveled with a 3 and 18 month old lately?  Do you know how many times you have to stop for potty breaks, running around breaks or when something just plain breaks?  Do you know that even when you tell them to hurry there is no getting a 3 year old to move any faster than the pace she has determined she will go?"  Luckily we were blessed with a tender mercy when I told him I was going to see my father who was just diagnosed with cancer in the hospital and I really didn't know how long I would stay, and the man let us across. 
And thus began our 3 week stay in Canada.  It was wonderful and heart breaking at the same time.  My dad was in the hospital the entire time we were there.  He did really well on his first 2 rounds of chemo but then they wouldn't let him leave because they didn't want to lose his bed so he had to stay until the 2nd and very intense round of chemo.  At first he was okay but then his blood count dropped really low and the side effects began.  His mouth was all chapped and bleeding and sore, he got sores all over his back, his legs were so swollen, he lost his hair and he looked very weak.  Through it all he always said he was fine.  I was just so worried that he might never get to leave the hospital.  Luckily after we left he was able to go home.  Between visiting him at the hospital the girls and I explored, we played with cousins Andrew and Jakob, we went shopping and to the Wild Child climbing place, Brailie mastered getting up and down stairs and learned a new word every few hours, the girls learned Andrew and Jakob's favorite game: empty out all the cupboards and drawers and through everything everywhere (luckily they have not tried this at home).  The weather was fair but we were sad to leave our shorts behind in Utah.  I was able to go to Brittany Racicots wedding in Cardston Alberta where I got to see Charelle and Tovah (my two best friends from growing up).  That was so fantastic.  My girls were sick for the whole trip-especially Allie who threw up the entire night we got there and most of the next day.  My mom didn't get to go to the wedding or even leave because she watched the girls so I could attend the sealing and then the reception.  Did I mention she is FANTASTIC!!!!We laughed that we drove 8 hours, paid $200.00 for a hotel room (a budget room at that-which we found out had nothing to do with the price-only the quality of the accommodations) so that my mom could wash vomit off of hotel blankets and Allie's clothes.  What a disaster-but the wedding was wonderful.  Anyway here are some of the picture highlights from the last month.


Playing in the snow.  Since we only did that once in Green River this last winter the girls were pretty excited to find a few little patches of snow to play in and Allie was very disappointed when the sun melted them away.



A deer shed Daniel found nearby



Throwing rocks into the water.  I think this game never gets old on the farm. 

Charelle, me and Tovah at Brittany's wedding.  It was so good to see them.  Love you gals.



Brittany and Aaron.



This was a super fun activity-driving around on Grammy's walker chair. 

Grammy found these amazing bubbles with spill reducing lids and the perfect bubble blower wand.  Brailie loved these and had them pretty much in a death grip the whole time.  I love her concentration in this picture.

Notice the pictures with a million cartons and containers everywhere-this was the game of choice by these four.

If I could have I would have brought this shopping cart home.  I have never seen one like this.  The car is built into the cart so you don't have to try and manuver a cart that is a mile long just so your kids will sit still.  The girls loved this. 

This was at a place called Wild Child were they have all kinds of things to climb, jump in, slide down etc.  The girls had a blast.

We explored Uncle Daniels combine and the old tractor as well as the old chicken coop, and hauling trailer.  The girls loved the combine the best.

Jakob, Brailie, Andrew.

This is called "taking care of business." (named by Allie) Grammy gave the girls new banks and man do they ever love the sound of money dropping into those.

Can't get enough of her cuteness.

Can't get enough of her sweetness.

These were our after church pictures.

The little white church is a church that stands on a cemetary on the way to Rabbit Lake.  When ever people would come to our house, as part of the directions my dad would say, "if you get to the little white church you have gone too far."  I took the girls to explore it.  The door is always unlocked and the inside is so neat.  Allie found a broom in the corner and immediately went to work sweeping.  They loved the echo sound it made in there.  Allie wanted to close the door and have us play in there; that sorta creeped me out so I convinced her to keep it open.

These were on our way home from Cardston after the wedding.  Allie was still really sick so she didn't want to do anything but Brailie enjoyed the little break from the car.

More of my beautiful daughter.

This beautiful one too.

Here we were waiting for Daddy at the airport.  Brailie was into me taking her picture but Allie was not.

4-wheeler rides.

We sure do miss these little munchkins.  I made them these shirts when then came to Utah to visit a little while back.

Jakob and Andrew

I have the cutest little nephews Jakob and Andrew.  We rarely get to see them but it so happened that my brother Daniel and his wife Jenny were in Utah very briefly to visit her family.  I decided since I only get to see my nephews once a year that I would take the girls and meet them.  Allie was very excited as we were going but pretty much turned into a cling machine when we got there.  Brailie really wanted nothing to do with anyone but warmed up a bit after lunch.  We played at a park, then went and ate (I paid way too much for the girls meal) and then played a bit at a mall.  Those little guys are so sweet.  I am sure that my brother and sister in law hate it when I ask who is who, but since I see them once a year and not many pictures in between I have no chance to get to know them and discover their individual traits so the honest truth is I don't know one from the other except on this day Andrew was wearing cookie monster shoes and Jakob was wearing Oscar shoes.

 The boys favorite part was the slide.  Jenny said it was their first time.  Andrew also figured out that it was really fun to slide down this bridge on his tummy.

 Here are the boys on the slide.  Andrew goes first followed by Jakob.  I love their sweet smiles and how they entertain each other.

This was at the mall.  

And here are a few more of my favorites.  I don't know who this is (can't see his shoes) but it looks like he is telling me a secret.

 Allie didn't want anything to do with these little rides at the mall.  I thought if I wedged (and I do mean wedged) myself in one it might help but she had a meltdown. 

 So Andrew came with me and Brai.

 Aren't they so cute. 

 Nothing is more attractive than a guy sucking on a binkie driving a convertible.

Playing with Grammy

We have had so much fun playing with Grammy.  She is leaving us now this weekend and we will miss her.  She is so good to play pretend with Allie.  They play people's, shopping, farm, school bus.  She has been on the floor rolling around, playing tag, up and down and around the house.  My mom has been such a good sport.  And any time my mom refers to herself as Grandma Allie says, "no-you're not Grandma.  You are Grammy."

Talking to Grammy

The other day (Monday the 4th) I think, I asked Allie if she wanted to call Grammy on the phone and she said yes. She usually says no. So I jumped at the chance and dialed and waited for my mom to answer and handed her the phone and she talked, and talked and talked for at least 10 minutes. She was so cute. She sang her some songs and told her what I was doing in the kitchen and the Brai was sleeping and told her about what she could see in her line of site. I don't know if my mom could understand everything she was saying or not but she was having quite the conversation. Today, the 8th, she asked to do it again and when I had the phone for a minute she said, "I want to talk to Grammy Konopelski." We might have to keep tabs on our cell phone minutes now if this keeps up. I love it. I think it is adorable and I know my mom loves it.

Family Photos

When we were in Canada this summer part of our big surprise was to get a photographer to come to the farm to take some photos of us all together. Here are my favorites from the shoot.

Allie isn't in the picture because she was super cranky and not cooperative.
I love these behind the barn.

Our little family.

Happier because we are now in possession of the cowbell

I have written previously about my feelings about trying to get a picture of the children all alone. This is not staged perfectly but I actually think it is really cute.
Probably one of my favorite pictures all together. So cute and tender, like they are saying, "brother-hold my hand I am sad."

My parents

Love the scenery

My dad wanted a picture where we were standing on the road with mostly sky behind us. The angle wasn't quite right but I love this picture too.

My other favorite-Uncle Steve with the nieces and nephews.

Grammy and Grandpa Sam with all their grandkids taken as Allie was trying to escape the scene. She had had enough.