Utah celebrates Pioneer Day. Which is awesome because it's just another day to enjoy family and friends and no work and BBQ and fireworks! So we went to Jon's parents and had a BBQ and then watched as Anthony lit fireworks. Kingston loved them!

I also got to snuggle baby Zander which was so fun!

The past couple days I've had school trainings for our new math program and I spent some time in my class room today organizing and getting things ready for school to start. I only have two weeks left of summer :(. But that's okay because I probably have the best job in the world so it's all good.

Any other news? I guess I'll just post some recent pics and call it good :)

Weekend was good. Batman was an excellent movie.... Despite the recent events. My heart goes out to all of those affected by the shooting. I know that God loves his children and I find comfort in knowing that those people who died were needed in heaven. It doesn't make it any easier on those they left behind, but a work greater than us is in store for them!

Jon and I are about to embark on our third year of marriage! I can't even believe its only been that long. I feel like we've been married for at least ten years! Ha ha. Having a baby so quick will do that to ya. But really, I love my hubby. I was just saying to our friends at dinner the other night that sometimes you look at your spouse and you're like "well I wouldn't mind being far away from you for a couple hours" ha ha or maybe that's just me? But then there's those times when you are so happy and so in love with your partner. I am in that place right now. Jon is my guy. He's a piece of work ya know but he does deal with me. And he's pretty dang cute. And he's probably the best dad in the whole world. Little K just loves him. Which makes me love him a little more too.

Home!

Well today I've done five loads of laundry and changed three dirty diapers. I'd say it's been a success!

Tonight Jon and I are going on a legit date Kingston free. We are going to see Batman with some friends. But not before we go dine on some dang good Tex-Mex at Los Cucos. It's the best!

Also last night Ally picked us up from the airport and we matched... Unplanned! Love her :)

Family Vacay

Well we had an awesome trip to Michigan City with my side of the family.

Besides the way there of course. We pretty much flew to Europe, rented a boat and paddled our way there. When we finally arrived though life was good.

My whole life growing up we use to go to my grandparents house which sat on a lake. I kinda want the same thing for my babe (ies). Some of my favorite memories of my child hood are from that house and the lake. I used to sit in the front of the boat and sing Mariah Carey. Maybe I pretended to be a mermaid. Maybe Ally wore binoculars and said she was going on a safari in the grove of trees around the house. Maybe sitting on my grandpas lap was my favorite. He used to ask me how many boyfriends I had and I would reply with none (of course I was only 7) and he would laugh and say "good, I'm your only boyfriend and it better stay that way."

Although my grandpa isn't here anymore, and there is no boat at the beach houses my grandma so graciously rents our entire crazy clan of kids cousins and spouses, it sure was a blast! Jon got to meet the rest of my family and Kingston got to play with all his second cousins. We also discovered that Kingston does have some Mullin genes in him because that blonde hair and blue eyes of his looked alot like my cousin Sammy.

We also discovered that Kingston is a beach baby. After testing out the flavors of the sand, he decided to stop eating it and just play in it. The water was perfect and it was so relaxing sitting on the shore with the water coming in on my feet. I loved it!

I was terrible and I mean terrible at taking pictures. I rarely had my phone and when I did it was so dead but I will post what I have. Mostly I have about 210 pictures that Maddie took around the house when she got ahold of my phone. Love that girl.

But now it's back to reality. Which really is just fine because my reality is going to the pool and hanging out all day. I still have another month of summer until school starts! :)

Ps, a few of these pics are taken my Maddie! She didn't do half bad!

Seriously?

So we were flying to South Bend and halfway through the flight they tell us there's a maintenance issue and so we are turning around to go back to Atlanta to get it fixed.

New departure time: unknown.

Remind me to never travel again.

Traveling Curse

Just wanted to stop in and let everyone know that when Jon, Kingston and I travel together as a family we are always cursed by the travel gods.

Last time we tried to get to my parents we ended up having to fly to many parts of America to get there.

Trying to get to Michigan yesterday didn't work out either! We got stuck in Cincinnati and now I'm sitting on a plane getting ready to head out to Atlanta and then South Bend, IN here my dad will pick us up.

I do have to mention how great my hubby is though. We are separated on the plane right now and he insisted he take Kingston with him in his seat. Just a gem!

Also, Kingston may have woken up about seventy five times last night to adjust his sleeping position between on top of Jon and sprawled out around the bed. Being a mom I of course woke up each and every time.

I'm tired! Wish us luck getting to the fam reunion today!

My son is craze!!!

Kingston is usually pretty easy to take care of. I mean he loves to eat an play and throw his plethora of balls around the house. He's getting to the point where sometimes he'll be in his room just entertaining himself!

That Kingston that I just spoke of does not exist today.

He is destroying everything in his path. He threw about twenty blueberries at me during dinner. He keeps popping out of nowhere and scratching my leg!

I love him!

Saturday

Ally and Dan are living in Suncrest, which is at the tip top of a mountain here in Utah. They have an amazing club house and pool. Theres a slide and a lazy river, not to mention the awesome baby shallow end. They even have a snack stand with healthy treats and they always have music playing. Its awesome! So today little K and I decided to go meet Ally and swim! As soon and we get there, this crazy whistle was blown and everyone had to get out of the pool. Because someone got the runs! Gross. They said it would only be an hour or so to shock the pool. So I let Kingston crawl around, we got some drinks and then they told us the pool would have to be closed for 12 hours. BUMMER!!! So now I'm at home, Kingstons napping and I'm looking up stuff on pinterest. But only a few more hours until Josie gets here and reveals to me what her babe is! I'm soooooo excited. I'm kinda baby hungry. Is that normal when you have a one year old? He is a handful but hes also starting to really grow up. Example, today I needed a shower BAD. But Kingston was awake which is usually a dilemma because he will get into the toilet or even worse rip open the shower curtain while I'm showering and think its hilarious when he gets sprayed with water. So I look at him to decide what to do with him and he was sitting calmly on the couch watching Yo Gabba Gabba. He doesnt really watch TV for longer than 2 minutes, so I put some laundry in the dryer and then came back out and he was still there! So I booked it to the bathroom, semi shut the door, took a quick shower and came out to check on what he was destroying. But he was STILL sitting there. Adorable. So what I'm trying to get at here is that I could handle a new born and my little boy....right?! He did hold baby Zander and give him a kiss on the forehead. But he also loves to wrestle and pinch people. Either way, I think the Stoddard family should start thinking about growing a little bit bigger soon :)

Boy or Girl?!

I just got off the phone with Josie. For those of you who don't know who Josie is, I wish you did! She is so funny and easy going and has been such a good friend to me over the years. But this phone call left me in complete anticipation for time to fly by so I can see her tomorrow!

See my BFF is prego. And she wants to surprise me and tell me the gender of her baby in a fun way! So now I have to wait until tomorrow!! The Chinese baby calendar I often reference says boy! So we shall see tomorrow!

Also, I may have spent two hours on pinterest last night. That site is so amazing, I love it! It has come in handy so much.

Example: Just last night I was painting my nails on the living room floor (which if you know me is NOT a good idea t o begin with...I am a spiller) but I wanted to watch TV while I painted. Low and behold there goes my bottle of paint right into the almost brand new carpet in our condo. I looked at Jon (who hates the spiller/stainmaker in me), throw a cotton swab over it and run to get my ipad where I KNOW I pinned a stain removing pin. BAM! A little hairspray, rubbing alcohol and water later and there is no pink polish left in that carpet! Now only if I had pintereest while living in our apartment when we first got married...

4th of July

I sure do love holidays! Our 4th was great. BBQ with fam and friends, an excellent carnival in which Jon won Kingston two stuffed animals and i saw tons of mullets which is always fun, and then a firework show! It was kind of weird watching fireworks while right behind us flames are burning up the mountain but I love the fourth! It always reminds me of how blessed I am to live where i do and have the life that I have. God bless America!!

It's official! I am on summer break. Not going to fib to ya, June was a rough month to be teaching. My kiddos were losin it! I mean they just wanted to play outside and act like seven year olds. We did alot of review games and playing outside.

When the last day finally came, I was totally ready! I have never gone through the last day of school before because last year I had Kingston before I could say bye to my class. But I found out I'm that emotional teacher. I had them sit in a big circle and we were about to play this game when I just lost it on them. I started crying! Which then made me laugh because most of them starting crying too! Then we all just laughed and played our game. I am so so glad that I am able to have a job that I love. I am so lucky.

Day one of summer has been great. I've cleaned, done laundry and even met up with the hubby for lunch. Now I'm about to attack the laundry room. It is in need of some hardcore organizing. I keep just throwing stuff in there but it has now gotten out of control. So I'm on it! I'll post a before and after picture when I'm done. :)

Until next time! Oh and some pics of course! Kingston with baby cousin Zander, him and I, swimmin with dad, and hanging out gettin some rays!