Camping at Elk Crossing

We broke out the camping gear! It's been soooooooo loooooooonnnnng! The last time we went backpacking, camping, or even hiking was in 2011- our last year of college in Idaho and the same year we spent almost every summer weekend (that we didn't have soccer games) out in the Tetons. I kinda miss those days. Okay, I miss those days A LOT. That's why when Pablo told me that we were going to go camping with some friends I was more than enthusiastic. Plus, there was the exciting factor of bringing our babes camping with us for the first time. I wanted everything to be prepared, ready, and easy to keep organized so we could really enjoy ourselves at the campsite.
We went to Elk Crossing Recreational Park, about 35 minutes away from west Omaha. It was quiet, uncrowded, and free!


PJ and L

Along with Pablo and I, there were two other couples and all of us have boys. Our PJ, who is 10 months, baby J, 8 months, and L who is 15 months. We pretty much put down a blanket for PJ and J to sit and play and L ran around kicking a soccer ball. They kept themselves pretty entertained while we ate and chatted.



This fearless toad sat next to the fire almost all night eating bugs. We named him "Caliente" :)

                                                                                                                                                              The kids started dropping off one at a time. J went first sometime after s'mores and it was L and PJ left. Then L nodded off and it was just PJ. It was NOT his night. A combination of staying up 5 hours past his bedtime, new environment, going to sleep in a tent, etc that just rolled into a very sleepy, and yet very stubborn 10 monther. It took buckling into the car and getting a flat tire on the gravelly road at 1:00 in the morning to get him to sleep. So we got to enjoy some card games with the others. But when we all turned in for the night, PJ woke up again. It was a tough night, haha.
Once he was out and snuggled in-between Pablo and I, we could appreciate just how beautiful it was outside. We had left our rain vestibule off so we could straight up into the stars and the night was warm enough we didn't need heavy blankets. We were thinking of camping in Idaho, where we bought hand warmers one time and placed them in the layers of our socks at night to keep our feet warm, haha. Yeah, this was definitely nicer, haha. And the morning was just as beautiful. I woke up to PJ giving me a cheese face and all the trouble from the night before just melted away :)

PJ and J

 It was a beautiful morning and the day was already getting hot. We packed up the tents and ate our breakfasts, Pablo changed our flat tire for the donut in our trunk, and the kids played around some more. On the way home PJ went out cold and I asked Pablo if he would do it again and we totally would. PJ will get used to sleeping and we know more the next time around too. We'll have to check out some more sites around the area and spend some down- time with friends before the summer's out. Well, that's our how our first-time-camping-with-our-kiddo story goes. I'm glad we can take the frustrating with the good and come out still appreciating the experience and the fun. I left the camping gear cleaned and organized on a shelf in the house- you know, for next time ;)

Louisville

PJ and I went lake swimming last week with Charisse and her baby, her sister LanaMarie and her boys, and their mom Lanae. Sandy beaches, cool shade, and comfortable water. You know how some water gives you a heart attack when you get in and you pretty much have to suffer another 10 mini attacks just to get in chest-high? Well, the water at Liousville was perfect- not too warm that its gross and not too cold that you break into shivers. I set PJ right where the water meets the sand and he sat and played. And crawled. The crawling was cute when he kept it on the shore, but the boy has no fear and would crawl in a straight line into deeper water. Once he figured out that he couldn't go farther without me holding him, he was pretty content sitting chest high in the water and splashing. We sat on Momma's lap a little bit once we got tired and then we all headed up to the beach, changed into dry clothes and relaxed in the shade. As I sat on the beach and watched PJ playing I started to worry about what I'm going to do in the winter. No more running outside, days at the lake or in the pool, no more walks to the park. *sigh* Take your time summer, we're in no hurry for you to go :)

Sunday

Our little man wore a suit to church yesterday. It was too cute to leave un-posted and we needed to mark this day with pictures anyway. That way, in 12 or 18 years, when PJ is passing the sacrament or about to leave for his mission, I can pull these cuties out and remember when he was so little :)

These two are definitely related. Can you see the matching ties? Love it! 

Momma shot :)

He gets to hang out with Mom and Dad in Sr. Primary the first hour of church. He got a lot of attention from the primary girls, haha. Anyway, just super cute and I'm obsessed :) 

 

Independence Day

Well, this year was just the four of us at the Omaha house: Pablo, PJ, my sister Jessica, and I.
We went and watched Shakespeare on the Green's performance of "Twelfth Night" on the night of the 3rd. I think I heard someone passing out brochures that they had 215 people counted in attendance. Crazy. Jessica, Pablo, PJ, and I had our picnic blanket spread out and a basket stocked with bread, cheese spread, grapes, cookies, and Doritos. PJ fell asleep for about 20 minutes or so, but he mostly flirted with the family next to us or played between us. He is such a good baby and I love that I can take him to things with us :)

 On the morning of the Fourth, Jessica and I laid around in our pajamas watching movies while Pablo took advantage of holiday pay and worked until 12 or 1. We filled up the backyard kiddy pool and started up the grill. What else do you need for the perfect Fourth? Haha. Watching Independence Day is a tradition so we couldn't ignore it and so we put the little dude to bed and settled down for an alien invasion and the sound of fireworks going up all around us. Fireworks are legal in Nebraska and everyone, really, I mean everyone, shoots off some pretty impressive and BIG fireworks. No need to go to a show here, just set up a chair in your driveway :) We did think he should at least watch a firework show for his first year and so we woke him up to walk out a block or so from the house and watch the Champions Club. I wouldn't say he loved them, but he was definitely all eyes. It was hard to keep his attention on the show because of all the fireworks going off all over the city. Got to love Omaha for that. People here sure know how to throw an Independence Day party :)

Grandpa and Grandma came home that Saturday after spending Independence Day in Williamsburg and Jamestown with one of my brothers and finished out the holiday weekend with us.

Outdoor concert with Grandpa

Little cheeser, haha. I call this particular smile his "cheese" face. Pablo calls it his "chicharron" face, haha.

So it was a great Independence Day and a great weekend. After Christmas, I think the Fourth of July is in pretty heavy competition for my next favorite holiday. Something about that red, white, and blue that gets my sentimental feelings for our nation all fired up.

 Happy Independence Day!

Oh, and a little side-note (since talking about red, white, and blue made me remember my lesson on Sunday) I am the Primary Chorister in our new ward. Haha! So I tried to avoid it, but I'm pretty sure the Lord has me pegged. But in all seriousness,  I love it and I get more creative every Sunday. Pablo is in primary too, as a teacher. So cool to be in our separate callings but still together, haha.

The Good Life

We are still here and moving, I promise :) I've gotten so into our life lately that to sit and blog about it hasn't been on my mind until I saw all the pictures piling up. Thank goodness for my husband's iPhone! It's so convenient to just whip it out when the moment comes instead of carrying my camera around everywhere.
So my days are pretty routine and I love it that way. It's not boring or averse to spontaneity, it's just so simple to give my days a structure that I can build around and count on everyday so that when something comes up I'm set-up and prepared because I know what my days are like. I don't even know if that makes sense, haha. Basically, I'm not boring, haha. I just like how I have things planned everyday with my boy to look forward to everyday.
I.E. Charisse and I are best buds. Since, get this, since 2002. Maybe 2003? Anyway, a long time. In high school during the summers we would run around the lake that is only half a mile from my house. Back then it wasn't "developed" much and to run completely around the lake (about 3 miles) we had to take overgrown dirt trails. It was SO MUCH FUN. Well, heavens to Betsy here we are 7 years later with husbands and baby boys. The lake caught up and now has a beautiful double-wide sidewalk all around for our jogging strollers to fit comfortably. Three times a week Charisse and I hit the lake - just like old times :)

And have swim play-dates twice a week. PJ is turning into quite the fish, haha.

 PJ has also started crawling and pulling himself to stand on his own for about three weeks now. I am so relieved! He would get frustrated when he wanted to play with something a foot away and couldn't get to it. I'm having to say "no" more than before as he's getting into things now but it's totally worth it to see him exploring and playing. AND its fun to see him crawl as fast as he can towards you. Makes my mommy heart melt when he comes from across the room to pull himself up onto my lap :)

Step 1...

Almost...

And he's UP!!

 The summer here is perfect. Hot and breezy during the day and mid- 70's at night. My sister and I go for a walk around the neighborhood when she gets off work around 6 and just relax. I am always, always, always grateful to be here in Nebraska. I've learned from living in Idaho and Texas that we're going to miss something about everywhere we've been: the mountains and hiking in Idaho, the family and food in Texas, and the friends we left behind in both. And the grass always is going to be greener on the other side. But for now I am pretty happy with our side. I've decided I'm a Nebraska prairie kind-a girl and I love the scenery here. I would have no problem settling down in a farm town just outside the city with corn and wheat fields as far as the eye can see :) Now how Pablo feels about the farm town idea, haha, well we'll just have to come up with something that makes us both comfortable, haha. But he loves Nebraska too and that just means the world to me. It would be hard to be completely happy if my best friend wasn't.
So until things change we are here for a good 5 years or so- thanks to school and Pablo's work. Couldn't be a happier family right now :)