Weekly Update

With Arizona being SO hot, there is only so much to do.

Usually on the list-

WATER ACTIVITIES!

Auburns kids came over a few times & hung out with their

{new bff's} Zack & Max SHEPHERD.

They love wrestling & being rough- just like Riggs & Jax.

Ellie has such a crush on the boys in HP Ward, esp. these 2 boys! haha.. She could not help but join in the fun!

POSER!

Noah is a fish!

He did his own thing most of the time.

(Nice GOGGLES! All the kids fight over having their turn with these attractive goggles that belong to my husband!)

This is usually what I see now when I swim with Ellie.

She loves to swim to the bottom of the pool & go all over the place. She is a crazy girl & it always scares me when she takes a short breath & heads straight back under the water.

The Shepherd boys remind our family of the Gibbons boys so much.... see why?!?

Ellie learned to do a BACK-TUCK off that large raft (sp?).

Like I said, she is crazy! She goes straight up & down.

I have been trying to teach her to travel & explain that it is a "back-hand spring", so when she gets brave & tries scary stuff off the edge- she will know the difference.

{YIKES- I am not sure I am ready for this! SHE IS 4!}

... over & over...

This cute little guy came over for a bit.

This is Hudson. He is so easy going & he loves basketballs & Lance!

I love him!

.. I have been working on entering products on our website,

{www.shesgotitall.net}

coaching, and getting ready for birthdays & vacations..

Then on Thursday, we headed to the closest beach - VVL.

(Val Vista Lakes)

We had so much fun! Thanks Maile, Jules, Kanoe & Tony! We love the invite! Everyone had a great time.

On Friday morning, Ellie & I got to babysit my cousin Lacey's baby - DALLIN while our other cousin, Sophie got married in the Mesa, Az temple.

We loved it so much! (Congrats Sophie)

What a great surprise when Ellie woke up. We both just starred at him until he woke up. Ellie & Dallin watched some MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE,
then Elle fed him his bottle.
In the middle of eating, we could hear him filling his diaper.
Ellie was excited to help change his diaper. (Just like when she changes her pretend babies diapers - right??)
I put him on Ellie's bed & then we found out he had a blow out! Up the front & back - and green! SICK!

Ellie quickly changed her mind about helping out. She got a little grossed out and said:

"Mom, I don't want him on my bed right now. Can you move him?" ha ha

After we changed & bathed him a bit, Ellie fed him more bottle & she sang him her favorite Primary song. (I love To See The Temple) It was adorable. Dallin loved starring at her & smiling.

Ellie kept asking me why she couldn't bounce him & throw him in the air... then she asked why he can't play games with her.

I asked: "Like what games?"

Ellie answered "Like Dora Candy Land..."

I tried to explain because he was really little, but I am not sure that was good enough for her.

About an hour and a half later, he was just looking at us like he was bored. (Even though we were trying so hard to make him laugh some more.) Finally I realized that he was ready for another nap. I cuddled him on my shoulder & he fell asleep within 2 minutes. It was so sweet. (I know this is probably normal- but it has been so long for me.)

Thanks for letting us babysit Dallin. I wish he lived around here.

(We will be helping out with TILLEY next week! YAY!)

Over the weekend we celebrated my cousin Golden getting married. Golden & Joselyn are so cute & happy.

(Congrats to both of our cousins. YOUNG LOVE. SO CUTE!)

As soon as we got in the car from the temple, we got a phone call & voice mail from family letting us know something happened to Ellie. At first I thought she just bonked something & just wanted her parents .... but that wasn't all.

We are not quite sure exactly what happened, but here is what we heard:

The kids were playing around.

"A cousin" pushed Ellie off of the diving board.

Ellie hit her lip on the cement.

As she was crying/screaming, "another cousin" was laughing at her- (That part Ellie told me as she was crying, because it hurt her feelings. Of course as a mom that makes me sad & mad. But since I wasn't there, I don't know the whole story.)

Also as she was screaming, "an adult" hopped the pool fence to see what happened.

Apparently the kids didn't even know they did anything wrong...

When we got back in the car with my dad, I started crying because -

A) it made me so sad to see Ellie in pain &

B) the thought alone of what could've happened with no adults in the pool area.

"Kids will be kids" ... I get that. But freak accidents happen.

I might seem dramatic or you might think I am being an over protective parent - but I truly do not care. I am a parent. A parent with ONE child. I consider us so lucky to have her & I can not even start to imagine our life's with out her.

I just keep thinking of what would've happened if she got knocked out & if there would've been no adult in the pool area. IF kids would've even seen her, they might have thought she was just swimming for a long time. Or even if they did know something happened, there might not have been enough time to get help from an adult.

That night my dad heard about 2 kids drowning on the news & he also felt the same way...

That could've been Ellie.

It makes me sick to my stomach (literally) to think of kids drowning & how parents deal with that. My heart goes out to those families.

Please WATCH YOUR KIDS AROUND WATER- it doesn't matter the age- they are kids. Kids do things with out thinking, and accidents can happen.

.......AnYwAy-

Ellie's teeth were pushed sideways & backwards & she was so swolen. She must have bitten her bottom lip. Her gums were black & blue. It was so sad.

That night Ellie's teeth already shifted back & my cousin Rod Palmer (who is a great dentist) looked at her at Golden's reception & said that everything should be o.k.- no stiches, swelling will take some time, etc.

Also- those of you that have upcoming receptions- BE CAREFUL!

Someone came & stole the basket filled with the couples cards (filled with cash & checks) from The Wright House. They also went in the brides room & stole 3 purses. Rumor has it, this is happening a lot lately. THAT IS SO SAD & WRONG! AHHH! My mom got a call at about 9:30 at night from a lady on Mill. She said she found a basket filled with checks & envelopes. No cash was left. My mom had her call Alma's (Golden's mom) cell to let her know that she had them. The police were called. The exhausted parents of the bride & groom were at The Wright House until about 3 in the morning. The thief(s) got away with money, keys, a watch, etc.! These annoying people need caught.

That is our week in a nut shell....

Have a FUN & SAFE week!