So this week marks a year of living in Mississippi for us, kind of crazy to think about. By time Cannon and I went home in Sept, for Grama Frei's funeral in Oct, for Christmas in Dec, Grama came to Shreveport in Feb, then our spontaneous trip the end of March, in April for his birthday, and in July, we've survived living so far from family...but I just don't know if 6 trips a year is sustainable :( We'll do our best though!!
So the week:

 

Saturday was Home Depot Day! YEA, and Isaac's last day of work, YEA!!!! It was great when Cannon would say "No Daddy doe work." This week to be able to tell him he wouldn't have to. They've needed and had some male bonding this week. Isaac's been talking to him about being a big boy and not being the baby, I think its super cute. And he loves helping!

Helping Dad cook breakfast, and do visits!

Sunday we had the Nielson's over for dinner and Cann Man set the table, we had a great time and fun visit but life really got good for Cann man when we decided to go for a walk and it turned into a "frog hunt" **in his underwear, he does have clothes I promise...oh well.

 

I've been pretty lazy this week and Isaac's been great to help, its been nice. Its definitely weird though because he hasn't been around and we have different parenting styles on some things that have definitely shown up. Oh well, I'm sure we'll settle in to a routine soon, as the week's gone on its got better...
Oh Wednesday Ayla got a new baby sister so we got to help out a little and Cannon got some good friend time. Both times he woke up from his nap and asked "Where Aya bug at?" So fun for him...so sad they are leaving. Thursday night we went to the baseball game with Isaac's new Brazilian friends from school, and we've hit the pool a few times.

I told him he could "lick the bowl" whoops...I needed to explain.

I complained last week about the power going out, this week it was an afternoon and all night with out AC. UGGGG, it was awful, and the fans just don't cut it. Its so sweaty and sticky and gross. Anyway. I taught sharing time and it was fun and went well but, dang, the next week comes quick. Little brother's coming along, I didn't get a commitment out of the Dr. as far as next week but I'm good with that too, I don't want to rush him! I'm all for him getting any last minute instructions he needs I'm just hoping he gets those instructions before he's the size of a toddler! Its way crazy for me to think he could be here before I did another "Friday post" Am I ready?... Is there such thing as ready?

And today's goose egg from "running the bases" in the house but not picking up the coloring book off the floor first, which led to a wipe out into the couch. Bummer. Thank Goodness for those silkies, they make everything feel better.

Happy to report a better week of potty training, not perfect! Some frustrating accidents, like when he went clear in the bathroom climbed up on the stool-then peed all over (not 20 min after I'd cleaned the bathroom) but we are plugging along :) actually this morning after dry all night!!! he wanted to watch the tablet, so he got up and used the potty then got his dad up to watch it with him, and since dad grabbed his glasses, Cannon had to have his glasses too, I loved it. So cute.

Saturday we ventured over to Clinton to the stake pioneer day activities. I wasn't sure I wanted to make the trek but when Cannon found out Ayla was there he was sold. The activities were set up around the gym leaving the middle wide open, upon arrival Cannon did not stop running for at least 20 minutes...so maybe we don't get out much :)  Blake said "he's a wild man" and boy do I know it! Speaking of Blake, check out this cute pic he sent Sunday when he got stuck with a little baby sitting job out in the foyer.

 (I can't get pics that I load from my phone to center-its driving me crazy)
But anyway, back to Blake, its good news bad news. I've known for a while but Annie put it on their blog this week so I'm safe to put it here. They are moving too! Sad enough for me but I'm old enough to get it, poor little Cann Man still thinks he's going to get to see Henry and Asher at church and now Ayla is leaving too!!! Its a bummer. A while ago on one of our visits back home a good friend of mine (knowing Blake and Isaac are...exceptionally...good friends -there's a reason I occasionally refer to him as the first wife) asked me if I liked or got along with Annie, I answered that we were friends before we moved to Mississippi but when followed them out here it was like an instant best friend. So as the Nielson's depart, we all lose a best friend :(!! The good news in all of this is that Blake has a job after only 3 years (and one summer) in the program. So that is totally silver lining! Even though I still think we have 3 years left, its still a good thing. And we are very happy for them, just bummed for us.
On Tuesday Isaac and Cann Man came to the Dr. with me so they could "see" little brother. Cannon was so cute about saying "see brudder, TV" anyway they are watching little bro pretty close because he's not so little. I'm 35 weeks and if that ultrasound is accurate (which is no guarantee) he's already 7lbs 10 oz. UG, so when the Dr. saw that he said we'll shoot for the 37 week mark instead of 40. That's great news but AHHHH its so soon, only 2 weeks away. So looking fwd to NOT being pregnant though-oh please-can I not wake up a billion times a night sweaty? Here's to hoping! I started making sure all the little baby clothes/blankets and such that were in storage are washed, oh wait when I run our dryer it shuts our power off. TWICE this week, and seriously the hot/humid mugginess is unbearable without the AC and when the power goes out I can't even turn a fan on. It wasn't fun. They replaced the breaker and I'm hoping its fixed!
Wednesday the YW (leaders) threw Annie and I a baby shower, it was so fun and the BEST BEST treats oh my goodness, they were to die for! Good times and tons of people came and they were very generous, so nice! I didn't get the best pics, but it was great!

Cannon was sure people gave us diapers just so he could build towers with them, then try to climb on them.

Throughout the week he'd say things and I would think-oh I've got to blog that but most of them I don't remember. However, the cutest thing he said this week was after being a wild man and throwing a fit about getting dressed (just for fun)  exasperated I gave up and sat on the couch...30 seconds later he came over and said "Sorry mom, made you upset" melted my heart! I laughed and talked him out of a hug and we moved on. Cute little man. I learn a lot from him too.
Thursday we made it to a Braves game, yea!!! He sat there pretty good for 6 1/2 innings, its fun because he loves it and we talk about whats happening. He only tried to be wild once, I think he could have made the whole game but my fat belly and I with him on my lap, we were done! Plus I see all those people drinking and I'm happy to leave a couple innings early just to make sure I'm not on the road with them in case they don't have their designated drivers :)
Bout it.

AHHHHHHHHHHH I have had it with stupid potty training! Last week, even with our struggles I would have still said we were probably about 70% there, after yesterday-How about a big fat 0% and why did I even try this stupid game. I'm back to being the worlds biggest fan of diapers. Really it started Wednesday with "Mom, I pee underwears." and I answer "No, NO. Buddy STOP, lets run to the potty." So we run in the bathroom...Nothing. 3 minutes later. REPEAT. Exact thing. 3 more minutes later same start-but by time I got in there he had peed in his underwear and all over the floor. I decided when I knew he needed to go I wasn't going to let leaving the bathroom without going be an option. Move on right? WRONG! It just got worse worse worse. Apparently Isaac's ridiculously stubbornness is hereditary, oh and it turns out I can be a little stubborn myself. So the next morning when the jig, and all other signs, were going on, it was seriously 30 minutes in the bathroom tears and carrying on before I finally won. But I haven't won at all, I just wasn't about to let him think he could throw a fit like that and get out of it. But seriously, it just sucks, we're back to square 1. I'm at the end of my rope, and Isaac does just put a diaper on him, which I feel like is totally conceding. Whatever. Seriously in 2 days,  all the work, totally down the toilet-too bad the work is not what I want down the toilet!!!
So lets see, what else this week.

Sunday, I went to my first day of my new Primary calling. YIKES, its been a while! But it should be fun too. Then the Takishita's invited us over for dinner, it was really fun and Richard let Cannon drive his little lawn mower "tractor" Cannon thought he was pretty cool but then said "I wanna go to Grama's house, go feed yard, drive big tractor, drive big mini!" Sorry buddy. That also made it into his prayers this week, it was so stink'n cute. I was trying to help him but I just get "No Mom say it!" So I said "Okay well tell Heavenly Father what we're thankful for then." And he said "Thankful go feed yard with Poppa, drive big tractor drive big mini" Anyway Monday Isaac fixed Bro Blalock's van, Cannon wanted to "Help" so we hung out at the church where it had stopped. Sometimes I forget to be thankful for just how handy Isaac is (with the help of his dad) on that kind of stuff. Isaac was so tired when he came home from work Cannon just wanted to play baseball but as soon as Isaac ate dinner he was out on the couch-basically in a coma, it was so sad but funny too. Cannon would wake him up between every pitch. "Here dad, Batter!" I tried and tried to figure out how I was going to get a picture of it but never did cuz ya really needed a movie to see the whole interaction. 
Tuesday we snuck over to the Water park in the morning then Isaac just worked in the evening. It was sheer delight for Cann Man. He had so much fun. Isaac was as sport to do all the chasing, I pretty much just sat there.

That's pretty much all I can think of for the week though...then Wednesday  the demise of potty began. UG UG UG.
But I must admit after I originally typed it out and vented a little, he did okay-while his dad was still home, even with the diaper on, took it off to go!! And one time after he'd gone to work. (It was almost like he forgot to throw the "I don't want to" fit, just went like it was no big deal.) But its with me he's struggling. I think it has a lot to do with little brother being right around the corner and my little man knowing and sensing that our days with just the two of us are limited. Hopefully we'll survive it!
As much as I hate some of the things Cannon's been saying lately i.e., "I pee underwears." "I don't want to!" "don't like it" "Because." "No" "No" and "NOOOOO" just to name a few he's also says a lot of cute things too, I love it when he says "My favorite" he's been saying it a lot lately, his favorite plate, or animal, or anything. He definitely has a favorite on little brother's name too. Other cute things he says are "Looking Good" "Be awesome!" (we were building towers together) and an excited "I do it!" sometimes we get a  "I did it" or "We did it!" too.
A few pics from the week, this first one was before potty training fell apart, its a look we see a lot around here, just underwear a baseball glove and maybe a hat, if his hat's on backwards like this its his "Catcher Mask" Usually Isaac or I have the football helmet on and its the "Umpire Mask" and we are supposed to sit behind him! 

And we get food in him anyway we can!

Here's a little taste of family pics, just off Grandma Ison's camera. I cropped it so you can't see quite how big my belly is :)  (But you can still tell its big)

Its small but how about Cann's pained face for the cousin's pic...little stinker. He climbed up the stairs and threw his hands in the air with a big "Cheese" shortly after and really for being 2, I thought he did great for the family pics-leading the "Cheese" and all. Truthfully we vetoed having our own little family picture taken...we'll wait 2 months and get little bro in it. I liked that plan a whole lot better! But that's why we're all squinty eyed, it was just a quick snap so Grandma will at least have one of us.

So lets see, Friday was worse for Isaac than I even knew-just that besides having to drive to Shreveport to fly to Dallas, I didn't know he had to fly to Houston first then Dallas-such a nightmare. The One Travel Company that we bought the ticket through emailed wanting feedback-they got it! Anyway we did have so much fun swimming and playing with the cousins and Uncle Shawn Friday night, then Saturday was family pics.

We stayed with Grandma Kenworthy, but just landed there late Friday night and got up early for pics. We did swing back by to visit for a few minutes after pics before we headed to Huntington. Cannon sure loved Dolly dog (and Tiger -the cat- too), Dolly, not so fond of Cann Man. Poor dog, likes her peace. He was so busy pestering the animals we really didn't stay long but it was great to see Grandma and Grandpa Bob too, we always enjoy visiting with them! 

We grabbed some lunch and it was off to Huntington. Tarra and Aaron's dogs were there so more fun for Cann Man. Grandma has a nice selection of equipment and sand pile (well maybe dirt or mud pile, the cousins had been trying really hard to make concrete the week before, Eric was relentless quizzing Isaac about the details of it while we were swimming the night before) but it was fun! Such a great babysitter too! And there is lots of fun stuff to "ride" on at Grandpa Ison's. Cannon wanted it all started up, "turn it on, turn it on...pease!"

It was fun, Isaac's whole immediate family, plus a Uncle Coy, Bob, and Herb, Aunt Loxie and Permela plus some of Isaac's cousins too. Sunday we enjoyed the Not "Homecoming" Not "Farewell" meeting. I thought Ralph, Karen, and Shawn all gave really great talks. It was a nice meeting. Afterward we enjoyed visiting and a little luncheon at the park, with the same big crowd plus more from the Daley side. Grandma and Marjorie came down, Larry and Linda, Danny (Isaac talked and talked to him, Saturday night too, Isaac loves to visit with his family -emphasis on his, with mine, he hardly says a word-  but I think he enjoys talking to Danny and "extra-lot") anyway, Steven and Allison were also there, it was good to see them and their kids again too, I always enjoy visiting with Allison, she is so nice! 

Coy and Georgette brought Zi the babysitter, I swear it was a stroke of genius when Coy handed Cannon the handle to the little leash thing. Zi babysat both Cannon and his 2nd cousins Joel and Livvy, talking turns was a bit of an issue but other than that they were all three in heaven!

Then naps a few last visits and we hit the road. I told Isaac I wanted to be on the road by 4, so I started getting ready, and we did get out of there around 4:30 which isn't too bad. Isaac just goes into this subconscious defiant (I think and hope its subconscious) but its his "You will not rush me!"  Mode. For example, we're driving through Emery County and he says, "I'm going to call Buck, just to see if by chance he's in town." I just took a deep breath trying to remember that while I got 2 weeks in July he was barely getting 2 days of a vacation, well really, not even that. Buck wasn't in town and if he had been it would have been great to see them, we had just hit the time that I wanted to be on the road headed south. Its catch 22 because it drives me crazy but I know that me rushing him drives him crazy. Anyway I just have to write it down, its the family journal. In 50 years we'll either look back and laugh...or look back and say "Nothing's changed." If our first 3 years are any indication...probably the latter. 

On account of pregnant me we have to make lots of stops driving home. Luckily we found some cool equipment to look at on our first stop. Isaac had told Cannon if he went to the bathroom in the big toilet he'd find him a dozer, so I was glad we did. (Potty Training...that got put on hold a little and we're paying the start over price...he's still doing ok but its just hard to have lost ground) I don't know about Cannon but I was impressed with how big the equipment was.

We made it to St. George and Poppa Great was still up and wanted to see us so we snuck up and watched an inning or two of baseball and said goodbye to him, Cannon didn't sleep at all on the drive and ran himself ragged playing with the dogs one last time then ended up asleep in the little grandkid chair next to Grampa Chip. Monday was another long travel day. Check out the help I got from Isaac at the airport... truthfully I loved the progression of the pics, on his lap, then pushing, then riding from behind. The other people waiting were laughing too Isaac didn't know he'd hopped on for a ride. I missed the pics of him climbing up trying to play with the slot machines-oh brother.

Really it was nice to have his help, and have Cannon tromp him instead of me. I just get a little embarrassed by some of the "Help" they have fun though, that's for sure. As soon as we landed in Louisiana I was back to sweating! Welcome back to the south! Its been a pretty slow week around here. Just trying to get back in the swing of things I guess. I feel bad when we don't even leave the house though, that's got to be brutal on Cann Man after running free at both Grandma's houses.
That's about all I can think of for now...

St. Geroge Pics (mostly playing with Ann)

Catch, Poppa Great's, Riding Grampa, the Slip and Slide, the feed yard, corn for the horses, driving the tractor, and of course Cannon's two best pals Sugar and Samps...boy did we have fun!

Whoops, trying to pic out the cute pics I ended up with the same one the bottom. Oh well.

 

Now that we're back I hear a lot of "I want to go to Mamaw's house" at first I told him we'll go at Christmas but that was breaking my heart too, it just sounds so far so now I tell him we'll go after little brother is born (who knows when but hoping for cheap flights...and even if it doesn't happen it sounds way better than saying Christmas) anyway Cannon's answer back is "I wanna go first!"
He'll also just say things in a random matter of fact way such as: "I live Mississippi, Ann lives in Utah" its so cute and while it sounds good it doesn't mean my 2 year old comprehends 1600 miles.  Oh well.

What we've been up to.

My Big Plans of constructing -at least most of- our Friday Blog post Thursday evening, because Friday was a travel day for us were quickly thwarted when stink'n American Airlines called me that evening with the information that Isaac's 6:00am Flight from Jackson to Dallas Friday morning had been canceled. What? And of course I bought the cheapest flight I could find through one of those stupid internet travel companies (the "cheap" one was still double what it cost Cannon and I to both fly into Vegas) but anyway the first leg was American the next 2 legs of his trip were on Frontier. American was like sure, we'll refund your $$ but Frontier-not so much, not their problem. Anyway after a long stressful evening Isaac ended up driving the Shreveport (like us) and -sigh- I'm just happy it worked out. It was 24 hours of travel headache-both Frontier flights ended up delayed so he missed the connecting one in Denver but he made it! that is the good news! Maybe it happened for a reason, who knows. Isaac just kept telling me not to worry about it, he'd take care of it, but...I worried. I was high strung for a long 24 hours there. I learned my lesson-no more One Travel for me, and I advise any of my blog readers to steer clear! Anyway, I have pics and stuff...later!
We had ANNimal the ANNtaginist. Holy Cow! She was going to be gone the WHOLE time we were here so instead Ky brought her home and we helped tend. I'm not going to lie, it was hard. A little too late for me to be re-thinking the whole 2 kid thing. Oh my goodness, and I'm not a very nice pregnant lady. When I was getting after those 2 (all week) I remembered being not a very nice pregnant teacher either. Again, Oh well. We did have some fun and do some fun things and as much as they fight they are best friends and totally love each other so I'm glad Cannon got to see her and play for more than the 2 seconds swimming that first day we were here. But seriously I heard enough "My dad!" "No MY DAD" "My Poppa!" "NO MY GRAMPA" etc etc to put me right in the looney bin! Cannon's not innocent in this either, he knows just what buttons to push to get and keep her going. He is however MUCH quieter than her!
Other fun things, we got to visit with Coach Allen, I went to lunch with by best friends from high school, Grampa played super man and took them BOTH to drive the tractor so I got a little break in the evenings. Friday our long drive to SLC was nothing compared to Isaac's travel day but it was still long! Cannon had a blast playing with his cousins at the pool at Grandma and Grandpa's hotel that night.

MORE -and pics- later!

Blogger's Giving me Grief

I just typed up everything we'd been up too and lost it. UG. Of course it warned me first and I still thought it had been saved. So frustrating. Oh well, here we go again..

We definitely look fwd to Sunday's and getting to see Isaac, this last Sunday morning Cannon and I had switched places, it happens occasionally-he comes into our bedroom and I'm too tired to take him back to his own so I just set him in bed between us then he crowds me out and I end up going and sleeping in his room. But this last week Cannon woke me up in his room by getting right in my face and saying "Mom frog hunt daddy." So he'd been up and exploring around our room and found the flashlight and Isaac told him that's what hey could do with it, go on a frog hunt that night. (Basically a walk around the apt complex at night.) Cannon was so excited all day. They heard lots but didn't see any though, bummer. I guess they are going to have to work on the fine art of frog hunting.

Looking high (tree frogs) and low for frogs

Monday we made the journey across the country. The 4 hour drive to the Shreveport airport was pretty brutal on him after we had picked my mom up at the Jackson airport that is so close to us when she came in May. As we started out I asked him if we wanted a drink of milk, he said "No, drink milk airport" I told him he could drink some there too later and I listened to "Where airport at?" all across Louisiana. When we finally got to Vegas we had to wait 30 minutes for our stroller that we gate checked, its usually right there as we get off the plane. Then it was "Where my Grama (Mamaw) at?" The whole way through the airport until we could get to her at baggage claim, where we waited another 2 hours for our one stupid bag. UG! It made our long day of travel just too long. On the way home from Vegas I bet he asked "Where my Mamaw's house?" more than a hundtred times. The poor kid was ready to be here too, but the good news is we made it :) Let the fun begin. 

Tuesday we went swimming with Ann and Elsie first thing because they were leaving town for the week(s) that afternoon.

The sign at DHS said 119 degrees that first day, so its pretty hot, but not sweaty and sticky and nasty, just a good desert hot. Cannon is oblivious to the fact that its sweltering. He just loves to be outside. He has a little dirt hole that he digs in at my moms house that he calls his "Sandbox" luckily it has pretty good shade most of the time.

He's constantly begging to go up to Poppa Greats to play in the back yard and to the feed yard. The real fun of course is when Grampa (Poppa Chip) gets home from work. He loves going anywhere with him and takes being Poppa's Helper pretty serious. The  bribe of getting to go with Grampa is pretty much the only way I can get him to eat. Don't let the picture on the horse fool you, he talks a big story about wanting to ride Monty but cried the whole 45 seconds he was up there. Oh well.

They have a good time together.  Its so cute and my dad is so cute with him and I just love it. When my mom asked what they got to do one of the days he said "Drive Tractor, my favorite." He was pretty upset I didn't bring his boots, that's what Grampa wears! They feed the horses, went out over the hill looking for cows, and he got to help drive the swather while they cut hay down in the field. If Grampa needs to do anything without him he has to be pretty sneaky, and we say "he went on an errand" He's taken to calling Chip's dogs "My dogs" and especially "My Sugar dog" He got up Thursday morning after telling me "Mom I all done yay (Lay) down"  and found the dogs and sat down by Sugar and was singing "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" to her while patting her head legs and paws. So cute. He also tells the dogs everything he knows. "Sugar, TV Broken" I tell him no buddy the TV's not broken its just turned off. So then he turns to Sugar and says "Sugar TV Battery died" its just funny. He even shares his silkies with them...that's a pretty big deal!

We watch a little Curious George here and there but he would rather play than watch the TV or the tablet pretty much all the time so that makes me super happy. We've had a heck of a time finding a baseball game on TV but luckily they found one at Poppa greats.
Today we got to go visit, play, and go swimming, with the Allred's we love them! Cannon was a little slow to warm up but then I think he would have stayed there forever. He and Trey are pretty good buddies!

We are having a good time. We miss Isaac but he just works all the time anyway so it really is a great time to be here and we will get to see him next weekend so that will be fun. 

Bout it...
Oh wait, possibly the cutest thing is when Cannon says prayers by himself and says he's thankful for the frog hunt, driving the tractor, swimming, the feed yard, and anything else he's done that was fun. Its too cute to sit and listen as his little mind remembers the good things of the days and weeks. He'll sit there for a long time too and just try to remember more, even though I get a "No Mom say it" every time I try to help I have to help him start to wrap it up. We do have so much to be thankful for, my little 2 year old is a good example to me!