Summer Schedule

So I have decided to start a new summer schedule around our house. With the heat and the thought of moving, I have gotten a bit lazy around here. I still make sure Dallin gets his reading time in and also his chores done, but, other than that, I have planned very little. This often leads to too much TV or computer time for my liking. It's not that I am against kids watch TV or playing computer, but the days he doesn't watch any he is such a more pleasant and easy to get along with child. Something about screen time makes him in a bad mood or down right rude all day.

Anyway, I digress. I found an easy and simple schedule idea for the summer here.  It breaks the days down to easy topics. Make something Monday, reading Tuesday, cooking Wednesday, thoughtful Thursday, and get out of the house Friday. Dallin actually really likes the idea. I was afraid Thoughtful Thursday would be something he would not like the idea of, but I was wrong. This time he thought it would be nice to make books for his cousins Bryn and Sky. (*Ash, that is what they are in case you are confused what Dallin sent.) He colored index cards and told me what to write. He then stapled them together and we mailed them off. He has so much fun doing it that he entertained himself all day yesterday and not once did he ask for TV, or computer, or say he wanted me to think of something fun to do. It was great!

Today we went to see the movie Brave for our outing. Dallin was pretty excited. He loves getting to go to the theater. He loved the movie. I liked it, but won't be a favorite of mine I don't think. He talked about the movie non-stop for a while there. He is finally outside running through the sprinklers.

I think this is a schedule will work out well for us. I am mostly worried about Make It Monday because that will actually make me plan something to create together. At least it is on Monday. I am always more ambitious at the beginning of a new week.

On another note, the loan was approved for the house we are in the process of buying. We should have a firm closing date pretty soon. We are shooting for the 16th of July. They are just waiting for an official letter from Thiel saying Russ passed all background checks and that he will for sure be starting to work in the fall.  Who wants to come visit PA this fall and paint???? :)

Father's Day Videos

Dallin answered some questions about Dad, Grandpa Albert, and Grandpa Clark for Fathers Day.

To Dad:
To Dad from Nicole Richins on Vimeo.

To Grandpa Albert:
To Grandpa Albert from Nicole Richins on Vimeo.


To Grandpa Clark:
To Grandpa Clark from Nicole Richins on Vimeo.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Gardening

Dallin has wanted a garden all year. I don't know where he got it into his head. I explained that we couldn't until we had a house and even when we moved this year, it would be too late to plant. So we decided to grow some herbs in pots as a starter. Dallin loved the idea. He even helped pick them out. We got rosemary, cilantro, and basil. Rosemary and cilantro I use all the time. He picked out the basil. I am sure I can use it more too. I am a little worried about the rosemary because it loves hotter climates, but I figured since they sold the plant, it might have fighting chance.

On another note, last night after Dallin showered, when he was suppose to be getting in his PJs, we found him like this. How can you get mad when he is reading instead?

Service Day, Swimming, Running, Abs

Last Saturday we had stake service day. Last year the ward was divided up to do service at different places. This year we all met at a local park. I only got a couple of pictures. I enjoy it, but that might because of the second half of it I was standing around talking to some of the moms. :)

Dallin is finishing up the second week of swim lessons. He has two more to go. There was non-stop crying the first couple of days, but we have now made it two days with no crying at all, so it is getting better.  I really like the swim lessons at MSU. It's a bit pricey plus I have to pay to park, but it is two week sessions, four days a week. We are only doing two sessions because of the move. The teacher/student ratio is awesome! Dallin's teacher has Dallin and one other girl. The most students a teacher has is 3. He gets a lot of attention. Sorry the pictures are so blurry. I am sitting on the opposite side of the pool.

Dallin is the one with the yellow noodle tied around him.

Kickboard

Practicing kicks

Getting ready to push off the wall

Took him a while to agree to jump.

So I have started to run regularly again. I have been running about 15 miles a week, but I want to try to up that to closer to 20. We shall see. This humidity is a killer when you run. I can't stop sweating for a long time after. Also, I am going to try a month long ab challenge I have seen on pinterest. I share only because I feel like if I put it out there I have to stick to it. I plan on 30 days, minus Sundays. I think the first week will be the hardest, but hopefully it will get better. I know my routine will suffer when we move. I always have a hard time getting comfortable finding a running route in a new location. When we moved to Michigan I think it took me a good 2 months before I started to run again and then it turned cold and I quit again. Let's hope this move doesn't have the same effect.

Family Photo Contest

So, long time readers remember one of my two favorite photographers, Veronica Reeve. She took pictures of Dallin when he was 6 months old. The following year we had her take our family pictures. She does awesome work and is so easy to work with. She is giving away a family photo session in Utah. How awesome is she? So I wanted to make sure that if I can't be the one to win, that someone I know does. Spread the word about it and let her know that you did so you can be entered to win too. I think it would be fun to have her take pictures of my family roasting marshmallows at my Mom's house. Smores are something we LOVE! Or maybe us sitting outside, reading. We love to read. Check out her blog!

I'm Still Here

Wow! I have been a slacker. Wonder if anyone still checks this blog. :) So what have we been up to??? Well...

Dallin is in a big boy bed. I feel bad I made him sleep in a toddler bed for so long. He loves it. We also found a great deal on the bed frame and headboard on craigslist. Now I just need to get him some bedding. I am currently making him a rag quilt for the bed.

Dallin and I did a fun project with a CTR ring he had. We soaked it in fingernail polish remover for about 5 minutes. I could then easily remove the green paint with a needle. After that we used red polish to paint it back in. It looks more pink because it I didn't have true red polish, but he doesn't mind. Now he has a green one and a red one.

Dallin has been loving that it finally got warm this last month. He is outside all the time. I showed him how to make flower crowns. He picks the flowers (all weeds of course) and I put them together.

I told him to smile and he informed me that when people are really happy and smiling, their eyes close, so I could not get him to open them when he smiled. (And yes, he is in his PJs)

Russ is teaching a summer class. It will be over in the end of the month. I have been packing some of the non-essential stuff (winter clothes, blankets, etc.) so we have been living with boxes stacked everywhere.  Also, for the last couple of months I have actually planned my meals out for the whole month. At the beginning of the month we go to the store and buy all the non-perishable or long lasting items we will need. Then I divide up all the meat, cook and shred all the chicken, etc. It all goes in the freezer along with items like hamburger buns, deli meats, cheeses, etc. I still go to the store one more time during the month to buy more milk, bread, and fruits and veggies. I got the idea from a money saving book I read, and I have to say that I think I do spend less. It is easier to stay in my budget and still have real meals planned. Let's just hope I don't get lazy and stop, because I will admit I don't like the big shopping day. I am lucky Russ is so willing to come and help out on that day. He's the best!

Chinese Food Night

Tonight was Chinese food night. We made orange chicken. Dallin decided we needed to decorate and use chopsticks.  Lucky for me we on;t have 2 sets of chopsticks so I got to use a fork. Russ is pretty good with them because when he went to China last summer it was the only utensils they provided at the conference. We rigged up Dallin's so he could use them pretty well too. He did eventually eat the rest of his rice with a spoon because the chopsticks were taking too long. 

On another note, today at the store Dallin was playing with a Whoopee cushion in the toy isle. I am pretty sure a guy who walked by the isle thought it was me making that noise. I could tell by the way he looked at me. The look said, "Really lady, you couldn't hold that in while in public?" I was on the phone with Russ at the time and he thought it was hilarious when I told him. After that Dallin was not allowed to play with the Whoopee cushion anymore.