IV Real...

...my name is Kelly, and I have an almost 4 year old daughter who still isn't potty trained. Now that that's out of the way. I am a blogger who only blogs occasionally, mostly so my mom and mother in law can see pics of their grandkids and so I have some sort of journal! I have found when I only blog every few weeks, the only things that make it on the blog are the "cool" stuff. I decided I need to make sure I am also writing about my struggles. So, there you go.

Other than a few meltdowns (mostly by me, not the kids!), the last few weeks have been very enjoyable. This is the first summer where I have really stayed home most days. I have been very focused on getting my house in some sort of order and having the trampoline has helped entertain the little ones.

We only have one vacation planned this summer and we just got back! It was me and the 3 kiddos headed on a plane to CA. I was very anxious to see my family, and especially for my mom to see Bryce, since she hadn't seen him since he was 7 months old! He is at a very cute stage- the "toddling" stage. He walks about 10 steps and then resorts to crawling. Here is a recap of our week in the sun!

Pool- My aunt Marlynn's and her cute family. She has my dream backyard, and she is one of my favorite moms and a great example to me of the kind of mom I want to be.

Beach- First, I was able to see my awesome sis promoted to sergent! I am so proud of her! This was a very cool moment to be a part of. Then, we headed to the beach which is a mile from her house. The beach is my favorite place. It was also my dad's favorite place and reminds me of him, which I love. The kids played in the water, and Bryce really perfected his walking on the sand! My cool little brother taught the kids how to look for sand crabs. What a fun day.

Park- We love playing at the park next to my mom's work. We met up with a friend of mine and her kids, and Emily even met a new friend!

Fountains- Unfortunately we don't have pics from this day. I was able to meet up with 2 of my very best friends and their kids. The kids played in the fountains for hours while we chatted. It was wonderful catching up and being with friends who have known you forever. (And love you anyway!)

Lake- My mom was kind enough to take me and the kids to a lake near our home in the mountains. Dallin was able to go on his first real waterslide and Emily just played and played in the water. Bryce even took a little nap so I could go for a swim with a friend who is also training for a triathlon. Dallin had a blast hanging out with her boys. My brother's cute girlfriend ran into us and helped keep Emily happy. It was a very enjoyable day.

Beach- We went back to my sister's to hang out with the cousins. In the morning, I was able to go for a perfect 5 mile run along the beach. When I came back, the kids (and adults!) were still asleep, so I was able to take a shower. What an ideal way to start the day!

Legoland-I decided to brave taking 3 kids to Legoland! My friend Cherl was nice enough to join up with us for a few hours with her adorable children. After that we were on our own! The kids had a fabulous time. Dallin was just barely tall enough to not only ride by himself but also to take Emily with him as the "responsible" rider! My only complaint was that Bryce was not able to go on many rides, but he was a trooper and found ways to entertain himself! The splash park was a lot of fun and the Lego miniatures were incredible. Dallin was truly a daredevil on the roller coasters and Emily was thrilled to find princesses even at Legoland. This was a highlight of my motherhood memories, as there is nothing more precious to me than my children giggling out of sheer joy.

Visiting- I enjoyed the time I was able to spend with my mom, sister and brother and friends just talking and enjoying their company. I especially enjoyed the impromptu visit to my Grandma. I am embarrassed to say I hadn't really stopped to think about how much she must be hurting to have lost her son. It was wonderful talking with her about my dad and sharing some of those memories. It reminded me that I would really like to be closer to her in heart. I am going to really work on reaching out to her. (I love this pic of Emily- truly her!)


I had a wonderful time with my mom. I sure wish I could see her more often. I love you, Mom. Thanks for being such a great grandma. The trip went way too fast. Except for the plane ride home. I apologize to anyone who was on the plane with me. Yep, I had "that baby." You know, the one who screams nonstop.

We definitely missed Jeff while we were gone! He was able to take Dallin to a Red Sox game and they had a fabulous time. Jeff is so supportive of my visiting my family. If you need a reminder of just how supportive he is, check out my amazing birthday weekend. Love ya babe!
PS If you don't get the title of this blog, then you are not a true "So you think you can dance" fanatic like I am... (Crazy about Will getting voted off, isn't it?!)