San Diego

   We drove down to San Diego to visit Grandpa Dawson in July and stopped to stay with Ezra and Lori in Las Vegas. Addie and Wyatt had so much fun swimming and playing with Vivian.
San Diego was filled with the beach, visiting with Grandpa and checking out the sights and of course, the swap meet. We went through the USS Midway and probably could have spent the whole day there, it was so huge. We can't stop in SD without visiting the Mormon Battalion museum, the tour is so fun. We also had a campfire and watched fireworks on the beach one night. Addie loved swimming in the pool although we are still coaxing both children to enjoy the waves. Beach yes, water coming and going, no. We had a picnic one day with Uncle T and it was fun to meet Grandpa's brother. One of these days we'll have to make the pilgrimage to Scotland to meet any other relatives that are still alive.

Pregnancy the third time around

     I figure I better document this pregnancy just a bit. I don't feel like any of my pregnancies have been extremely different, just a couple things here and there. I feel like I was the most fatigued with Addie; I would come home from work and lay down, then eat dinner, then go to bed. But I'm not sure if that was partly because I was working full time.  With Wyatt I was pretty tired and nauseous early on and then had lots of fun leg swelling later, but I think that was partially to do with the heat of summer.
     With this little one the main difference is the cravings. I don't know if its because I never really indulged my cravings with the other two so I felt like I should live a little this time around, or if they are just stronger this time. I have been craving junk food mostly. I went through a period where corn dogs sounded delicious, so I caved and bought a box. I would wake up in the morning wondering if it was too early to eat one.  And I'm pretty sure I ate more than the kids did.  I've also been craving soda. I really don't drink soda, maybe every six months typically but I've been drinking it every couple of weeks lately. There is a little drive up drink stand that has mango Mountain Dew and while I don't really drive over and get one, I would gladly drink one if someone picked one up for me. The other thing that always sounds good is a baked potato. Mmmm.  I also can't remember how I was with the others, but I feel like I'm always hungry. I will finish eating and be stuffed and then a couple hours later start hunting for a snack.
     The other difference this go round is that we decided to be surprised and not find out the gender until the baby is born. I figure we have one of each and we saved baby clothes so we pretty much have what we need besides diapers. I also think that watching Call the Midwife may have put some romanticism into the idea. It really hasn't been too tempting for me to peek at the envelope that has the gender in it, although it was hard during the ultrasound when I just wanted to watch the whole time and the tech kept telling me to look away.
      I do wish that I had taken more pictures documenting how big I got with the other two (technically with this one too since I have maybe two of me that Addie snapped...) so I could compare. I feel like I'm sticking out a lot more but I am not sure if its just because there are several ladies in my ward that are due in February that pretty much look the same size as me, or the fact that there are ladies due a month after me that don't even look pregnant.  I guess mine don't have any where to go but out.
      I am missing riding a lot more this time too. I rode for longer this time around and I had been taking jumping lessons with Carly and having so much fun doing it that I am feeling the void.  I'm still tempted to hop on but whenever I do I feel it after. I'm hoping to get back into riding sooner after this one, but I think it will also be a balancing act to sort out having three kids and being able to ride more than the physical aspect.
      I am excited to see this new little one, what they will look like, and crossing my fingers for a happy, calm baby that loves to sleep and chill. I know Addie is excited and she's already suggested Fixit, Snowflake Jinglebells and Lightning for names. She is convinced it will be a girl and Wyatt says he wants a girl too. Those two looked so different when they were born but I feel like as they age they look more similar, so it will be fun to see what comes next.

Horses

This year I headed up a 4H group again. There were several kids that leased horses and showed. Normally the shows are held just up the road at the rodeo grounds but due to the drought we got to load up and drive to Eagle Mountain. I was quite proud of all of them, tears were shed, and patterns were messed up but in all they did quite well. Pretty much all of them were bugging me about doing the stock parade for Lehi Roundup Days. I balked in part because parades are full of scary potential-yelling kids, people running and throwing candy, asphalt-and all of the horses have been pretty much hanging around the farm for the last several years and, honestly, parades are long hot ordeals. But I figured I could take one for the team and hey, I could show off Addie and her cute pony, Ginger.  All of the horses were really quite well behaved and I think everyone had fun. It was incredibly hot, Addie was sweating profusely before we even started, but there were quite a few shady spots and we got free candy. I am kind of hoping to do it next year. I hope I have a good baby and a supportive husband.

Addie also showed Ginger in a couple of POA shows.  She did lead line and was so cute. She loved it when the announcer called her name. She ended up being Reserve High Point for lead line and it was fun to watch her get her belt buckle. I'm glad that she likes to ride like her momma.

Starvation

Don and Fran had Hailey and Jade for about a month and we were able to spend some time playing with them. We headed to Starvation Reservoir with Jamie and Matt and took the girls with us. At one point on the drive up all the kids were asleep in the back. The water was really cold so we mostly played on the beach and took the canoe out and had fun at the campfire with glowsticks. One afternoon Wyatt laid on me pretty much for hours as he had a fever and wasn’t feeling good. It used to be that he would be sick for pretty much all our trips but I think this was the first year that really felt good most of the time.  Don and Fran came up and joined us as well. It got really windy the last day we were there and we left a bit early.

Goblin Valley

For spring break we headed out to Goblin valley. I’m sure I went there as a kid but don’t really remember. It was a super fun place. The Dawsons rented a yurt that was nestled up into the monuments and we were able to hike around and explore. We went to somewhere that had some narrow slot canyons and it was an adventure hiking and squeezing through with the hiking backpacks full of kids. Ben and Chelsea came with us so we had Addie, who mostly hiked, Brooklynn and Wyatt, who mostly were packed and Lincoln, who was carried in the baby bjorn. I would love to make it a yearly trip. We’ll have to see if we can convince Ben and Chelsea to come with their baby twins! And our new baby…the two and three year olds can hoof it this time J We actually met up with the Colborns near Mona and camped again and rode ATVs. It is much easier to camp when you have a trailer. The kids are still wired and never fall asleep until waay past their bedtime but so much more doable.

Summer time

As I sort through all the pictures that I've forgotten that I had taken, I debated whether or not I should go back and try to document any of it. It may be sporadic and slightly out of order but I'd like to get some of it down.
We had a super fun summer filled with lots of trips, visiting family and friends. Our first trip was with the Dawson's up to Lava Hot Springs. We camped at the KOA and swam at the pool. Fran watched the kids while us big kids went to the hot pools one night. It was a short fun trip and it was fun to be back. The last time I was up there was when Chops and I were dating and we slept in a house that was being built with a huge group of people.