HAIRCUT!

Joshua got his haircut. Morgan has been after me to let him cut Josh's hair for several months now. I had trimmed the front, back and ears when Josh was about 6 months so that they weren't hanging down and that bought me 4 more months. (Josh is 10 months). But with Morgan's constant nagging (this is my blog, I get to exaggerate) and the fact that Josh's hair was getting long and beautiful and I want my boy to be seen as a boy I gave in. I told Morgan that I would probably let him cut Josh's hair after I got back from Jacob's wedding.

So we get home Saturday and before the evening is over Morgan has Josh downstairs with the buzzer cutting off his beautiful locks. I'm okay with it. It still takes me a second to recognize him sometimes - especially at church, but he is still a handsome little boy.

BEFORE


DURING
AFTER

Happy Birthday ELI!

Eli is three years old. His birthday was Saturday the 25th. (I got home from my trip to Utah late Friday night in order to celebrate with him.) We had a really great day. In the morning he went disc golfing with Morgan and his Uncle Guy. Then we had Papa Murphey's pizza for lunch followed by presents, playing, then birthday cake.

Eli was very concerned that Josh was going to get his presents and had to keep them out of Josh's reach. He also was really cute and stopped to read the book from Grandma and Grandpa Lasley before he would open any other presents. The tractor and chairs from Guy have been a big hit, as has the cow bowling ball set from Aunt Amy. Eli also got Hungry Hungry Hippos and LOVES to play it. As loud as it is and as crazy as it is, I am glad that we picked it out for him because he enjoys it so much.

Eli just returned from Papa Murphey's showing off his sticker.

Birthday Lunch! We let him have all the pop he wanted. After a little while he told us his belly was full (it REALLY was) and that he needed to go poop. I helped him onto the toilet where he let out a big BURP and then he said we was done and ready to play again.
I just think this is such a sweet face. We were singing Happy Birthday to him before
we opened presents and he just stood there smiling.
As soon as he saw Clifford while opening this present, he says, "It has Clifford on it!" Then he had to sit down and read the book.

Eli got $ from Grandma & Grandpa Palmer, we're going to let him take it on our vacation so he can buy whatever he wants.
This is what Eli did when we asked him to hold up the presents so Dad could get a picture. Why kids cover their face, I don't know.
Horray for Hungry Hungry Hippos!
The new tractor
Bowling for "Cow Tanks" as Eli calls them.
We had to play the game.
More gaming
CANDLES!
The big blow.
Mmmm, good.

At the Reception

The reception was held in my parents backyard. This was ABSOLUTELY wonderful because I could put Josh to sleep when he was tired and didn't have to worry about him or really leave the reception. It was great to see so many friends and family. I am putting a lot of pictures up, but not nearly as many as I took. As, by way of apology, I'm not the best picture taker and I seemed to catch most people in the middle of a sentence or a sneeze. My apologies.

Kimberly and Jacob
Dad, Mom, Kimberly and Jacob


Josh and Grandma playing.

Josh and Grandma

The Benjamin and Melinda Palmer family with the bride and groom.

Beautiful Hope and Jaxon playing together.

Josh found a friend at the swing.

Cheyenne and Hallie

The get-away car.

The back view

Kimberly and Jacob leaving. (There were sparklers, but they were going out quickly.)
Also, as a side note to anyone who noticed, my family does not do or allow mean things to happen to the get-away car. A couple of the first weddings in my family had some really mean and time-consuming cleaning-wise things on the car and it was really frustrating to the
'happy couple', so no more. We park the car where the family can keep an eye on it and assign certain members to tastefully decorate the car and keep any 'friends' from going crazy on them.

At the Temple

Jacob and Kimberly were married in the Manti Utah Temple Thursday July 23rd at 10am. It was wonderful to be there with all of my family. Jacob was the youngest so all of my brothers and sisters were able to be there too. (Morgan was the only one missing.) Here are some pictures of the wonderful wedding day!

All of the Palmer Kids!
Oldest to Youngest: Cherie, Rachelle, Benjamin, Matthew, Cheyenne, Melissa, Daniel and Jacob
Palmer Family
Look at those Kissers!!
Horray for Kimberly & Jacob. (This is my whole family)
Josh mouth open to eat the flowers!
Josh checking out flowers.

Melissa and Josh
Kimberly and Jacob with the Palmer nieces and nephews.

Visiting Puppies

While we were in Utah Josh got to play with my sister's dog Oliver and my brother's new puppies. I loved to see the puppies, I wish we could take one home...maybe in a few years when we have a house of our own.

Josh going in for a kiss.

Checking out the puppy.

Watching Oliver

He has to know where the dog is at all times.

Plane Trips

Both the flight to Utah and back to Iowa were pretty good. For the return trip I asked the gate attendant if there might be an extra seat for Josh. I think she was crazy busy and flustered that day because she never got back to me until they started loading. When she gave me the boarding pass it was for the same seat I already had, I just figured that the seat next to me must already have been empty. Anyway, I went to sit down and there was a little girl there, with the correct ticket. After a little craziness we got settled in the plane. Josh was great, he ate a little during takeoff then just sat in his seat for about an hour before falling asleep.

Here are some pictures of Josh enjoying the flight.

I'm In Utah

That's right, I am in Utah right now. I am here for my brother's wedding. My youngest brother and the last in our family to get married. That just seems so crazy! The wedding is tomorrow and I am pretty excited about it.

Driving to the airport was quite a story. We loaded up Monday night to go to Ames and spend the night there before my 6am flight from Des Moines. We go about halfway and I realize that I don't have my wallet...no ID, no money, no Temple recommend. So we go back home and pick it up. Then I have Morgan drive to Ames.

We get there after 9pm and set up for bed. I don't think we actually got into bed until 10:30pm and then Morgan and I had to get up at 2:30am. I was watching the clock from 12:30am on just looking and not being able to sleep.

We get up, get Josh ready and go. Morgan printed directions to the Des Moines Airport from Google Maps. We were a little concerned when the city signs said to take Exit 7 for the airport instead of Exit 4. But we decided to follow GoogleMaps.

Technically GoogleMaps did get us to the airpot. It was just across a big fence with barbed-wire. It was crazy. They had us going on a gravel road through deer infested woods. Not exactly a bad thing, but there was no terminal in sight. So we drove around until we actually found it, and leaving so early it wasn't a problem about getting to my flight. In fact I was there before they opened the gates to be able to go through security.

As for the flight to Salt Lake City, I didn't have any layovers which was WONDERFUL. And the flight was not full so they gave me a seat for Josh. We were on the very last row of the plane, so we didn't have a window, but I was able to load the plane early and the flight attendent helped me with my bags and then I was the last one off.

All in all, it was good. I just hope the return trip will be as good too!

Into Everything

Josh is moving around like crazy and finding new places to hide out. The other day I found him crawling in under the bassinet. What a fun kid! Of course then Eli had to show me how cute he is and do the same thing.

Josh trying to get out the hard way.

Eli climbing in.

Silent Movie

Walking

Silent Movies

Peek-A-Boo!

Swings

Outside