Its crazy because I always look so forward to blogging but today I just can't get to excited about it. It was a pretty uneventful week though, two or three days we didn't even leave the house (thank goodness for the sandbox) and then we try to be creative and made a slide out of the crib mattress...but it didn't work very well. Sunday was ward conference, I wish the stake leaders came to my Sunday School class every week, their presence, spirit, and comments, make a difference-a very welcome one!
One of the guys Isaac home teaches needed some help mowing his lawn, my boys were all over that one morning before work :) Cannon keeps wanting to go back (plus they had  a dog) After this week Cannon also prefers the Flowood Walmart and wants to go back there since there is cool equipment to watch right next to the parking lot. I hear a fair amount of "Walmart, back ha hoe."

Loved that he couldn't be bothered with turning his head for a picture. Duh mom!
And when Little Ceasars A: Cooks dinner then B: gives us a balloon. We put it to good use. We definitely have some form issues to work on with that swing. I don't know why but he loves to be cross handed, or have them stacked on top of each other and dipping that back shoulder already :( I've got my work cut out for me. But we had fun, and that's what counts!!!

Oh and one more thing, I swear I've read it before, but I ended up starting to read Elder Hafen's book "Covenant Hearts" this week. I've definitely been enjoying my re-read. Its solid! We have our days of wedded bliss around here-but-here in the real world- we also have our days of, well,  not so much. Maybe I'll end up reading the whole thing, maybe not, but I think I'd recommend at least the first part of it to pretty much anybody (with the catch or suggestion that when he starts getting to too deep-or the Shakespeare quote is much too long for my liking- I just skip a few paragraphs and then start reading again) But, its good, and I'm confident that it was no accident that I picked it off the bookshelf :) I am grateful for the perspective adjustment, it not like things were way bad, but I needed a little re-alignment.

Bout it, I guess, unless I get ambitious and edit this post later.

Well it turns out its probably a good thing I didn’t get to the blog yesterday, it was pretty much a bummer day.  30 or so texts to Grama is nice and all but it’s just not the same as being able to talk to her in a face to face conversation. But today we had a fantastic Home Depot birthday party that was so fun. We (I) needed a little post-grama’s visit fun! (I know its 3 weeks late but we had a hard time coordinating schedules for when our favorite Home Depot worker was working so we went with it.)  It was a blast and it turns out Memorial day weekend was the BEST time to have it. Besides the party they had free snow cones, hot dogs, and ice cream. It was great! I’ll get back to that but I’ll start with the week: words, pictures, even videos can’t do justice to how much fun we had with Grama here. (but I’ll try)

A little History:

When I was in high school my mom gave me a picture that hung it my room that said “A daughter is a little girl that grows up to be a best friend.” SO TRUE!

When we were going to move here I cared if I got to go home and visit but I didn’t really care if my mom (or dad or anybody) ever came here. What on earth would you ever want to go to Mississippi for? But that was one of the first best things. It was just really…comforting? For lack of a better word… to know my mom knows where we live! She was so good about finding positive things about Mississippi too. Even though it turned pretty hot and nasty humid around here for her visit-UG, it hadn’t been like that yet and they say we’re just getting started. It's gross. OH and it really was the first time we’ve had to have our air conditioner on but it blew none stop for 2 days-no cool air. Welcome to Mississippi grama, again Sweaty and YUCK, but Monday morning the maintenance guys came and recharged it, so I hope that means we’re good to go for the summer because seriously-unbearable without AC.

Saturday we went to Vicksburg, it was pretty cool because it was the 150th anniversary of that battle. There was extra hoopla stuff, which we missed but still it was pretty cool. Cannon had a blast on the Cannons.

Sunday was church and we had some of the people Isaac works with over for dinner.  Pretty much every day my mom did something to fix up our apt. She was going to surprise me and come back in March, when we moved into our new place to help us get all settled in, but it didn’t work out. But that was still kind of her excuse-or reason-or whatever for coming. OH MAN, a week later there is evidence of her touch everywhere, it’s awesome.  It makes me happy, it makes me smile, but it also makes me sad, and long to live closer to family again.

We have pictures up, (and a sweet new pic of Pine Valley -bottom left on collage- Ky took it, she gave us the canvas print) we have hooks in the bathrooms, and for the keys, we have a place to put our knives, we have flowers, we have a mock head board (our real one is storage in Utah-thank heaven for my brother's garage...a lot of our furniture is there) we have a new patio chair (and Cann has one too)…and so on. My mom is a doer! She just does things that need to be done. Like if the dryer buzzes, she goes and folds the clothes right then…I should be better about things like that. Our little apt stayed so tidy while she was here, it was great. I need to do better. Other things like the mud hole just off our patio-she went to home depot and bought "pavers" she called them, so we have a little place to step. They weren’t expensive, they aren’t fancy but they make it SO MUCH BETTER. Oh and she even cleaned out my nasty vacuum, it sounds So much better now-apparently there’s more to cleaning those than just the brush…at least every 5 years or so-my goal is one year for the next go around (don’t hold your breath). Just lots of stuff! But we definitely played hard too.

Oh and we toured the hospital where little brother will be born too, that was a good thing. With all the little projects and fixing things up we taught Grama how we roll with 3 trips to Walmart a day :) Some days, its just what we do to get out of the house.  I don’t know if it was the funnest vacation ever for my mom, but lets go with yes because it was for Cannon and I. We miss her.

Known fact!: I have major separation issues. Dang. I miss her (I’m missing those 2 extra hands for everything too)

Then there's the Birthday party stuff. I thought I would just tell the story with pics...I was so happy with everything I might like Home Depot as much as Cannon does!

And a movie...

Of course he and Henry were racing after they finished their projects, the probably went around and around that table for the better part of twenty minutes. I don't know about Henry but Cannon had a great nap!

In other news...Cannon's 2 year molars peaking though-oh and speaking of teeth 5 penny’s for his piggy bank is totally worth no fight on brushing his teeth at night. The kid is very bribe-able.

When Cann starts eating the sand in the sandbox-we have to go in. Gross. The pool opened Friday, Cann was slow to warm up to it but then loved jumping in. And of course a few pictures of daddy time.

 I'll try again later on the Vicksburg pics-and then just a couple movies from the week:

One of Cannon's favorite things to do is look at pictures or watch videos of himself. We've done it enough this week he knows which ones are there and asks for them. I can get him to do anything on video (this week anyway) as long as he's sure he's going to get to see it right after.

Little Mr. Independent is into "NO, mom!" Its what I hear if I try to help him with some missing letters in the alphabet or read the story when he wants to read it himself or a long list of other things. As much as I wanted him to be a charming little 2 year old...they call them "terrible twos" for a reason. Oh man it seems like he's always on one. But we have good times too, I wish I could remember some of the dialogue between us that is random throughout the days, even if he's on one a lot, he sure makes me smile a lot too. Of course in the moment I think of course I'll remember that one for the blog, but I don't. The only one I can remember is at dinner he putting his hands over his eyes and then shouting "WHOA!! Dark!" just for fun.

He's also been scrunching up his face saying "I go to Grama's House."(in the whiniest voice possible) Its cute/pathetic/sad... I say sorry its going to be a while but Grama is coming here!!!! (Today) and then he pretty much has a list "Poppa Chip?...Sugar?... Poppa Great?" He just thinks everyone should come to him if he can't go there. But then he still just wants to go, he'll remind me "Me poppa play hard."

Mothers Day my mom made sure I didn't have to cook. That was a nice treat. Here's my flowers. I am a sucker for flowers even though I know they are just a waste of money and they just die, I still just like them!

Truthfully, the day was not the best day, but oh well it happens. Later in the week I read the blog of a friend from back in the singles ward and thought...oh yeah, that did suck, I have a lot to be grateful for even if they day was less than perfect. The cute and fun part was a whole week of Cannon just randomly singing to me "Happy Birthday to Mom...Happy Mothers Day!" Isaac got me a maternity swimming suit for the long hot Mississippi summer. (something I never thought I would want but I did) My mom was so impressed that he thought of it. HA HA, yeah right! I totally told him what I wanted and that I was going to order it myself :) That's just how we roll. He does a lot better in the gift department since I figured that out  ;)
Thursday we got to go to the Saints Unified Voices presentation, which is the choir directed by Gladys Knight. It was Awesome! And I think even better because we are in the South. I expected something completely different but it was really good. She and her husband both bore powerful testimony and talked about how they were raised and the culture and all the the rich heritage that it brings as they joined the church and (he especially) addressed a lot of concerns that a lot of Southerns, and specifically African Americans have. It was so so SO well done.  Our biggest regret was that we didn't find a way actually escort the some of the people we had invited to it. Blake had invited a couple of he and Isaac's professors and Isaac looked and looked for them there but didn't see them. There were a ton of people there though, it was cool.

For all the picture overload last week I sure didn't take very many this week. (Just a ton of video that we usually just watch and delete.) But here's Cannon in the sandbox, they built him a headless horse.  I'm sure we'll have lots of fun pics from our week with Grama  next week though.

MAY 4TH!!!
Oh we had a such fun Fun FUN day. So Fun in fact that Cannon was still singing "Happy Birt-dee, to Tannon" on Thursday. Oh we love this little guy, he brings us so much joy!
On this first collage check out the progression of him getting right over the top of the candles to get the second one blown out. After breakfast it was off to Home Depot.

While there we got the material for Cannon's Sandbox. A birthday project with Dad! Does life get any better than this? Monday morning they went and got sand, Cannon wouldn't go with Isaac for the second load  because he was too excited to play in it. (They were filling Cannon's toy buckets that we'd emptied and put into the back of little green...possibly the first time its been a little inconvenient to not have a truck, but we made it work.) Oh but speaking of the new car (so fun for me it was like my birthday!) but Cannon asks for little green EVERY time we drive it, I tell him Daddy has little green, and he says "Daddy new car." Funny kid.

With Home Depot and everything we didn't get to presents until after his nap. (I guess that's part of being the oldest and only 2, I never could have waited...but Isaac could wait forever so who knows?) Anyway I had them all stacked up for him when he woke up but then he just treated them like blocks stacking and re-stacking them. It was pretty cute.
Eventually we did open them, it was fun. He got to help put his trike together, and somehow the picture of Isaac wearing the football helmet didn't make the collage, darn, it was hilarious.  Anyway here's the little box stacker...

Up until now though all of Cannon's toys except a few trucks that we park by the side of it, have fit in one tote. Not anymore and its driving me crazy. I've got to get rid of some-at least stash them who knows where- until little brother is old enough to play with them.

And finally the "Cake" that wasn't cake at all it was rice crispy treats. After Cannon fell in love with the backhoe at Grama's last week I knew what I wanted for a birthday cake, its not the prettiest thing but it was fun and I loved hearing him call it is "Back-ha-Hoe Take" The Nielson's came over and he and Ayla picked at it while we all ate caramel corn and visited. It was fun. You can see by his face what he thought of Ayla trying to drive HIS backhoe, but contrary to picture evidence they did have fun with together touching the frosting and licking their fingers and such.

Above is our quick birthday family pic and below...the random birthday fun. Friday night I took both of my boys to the dollar store to buy wrapping paper-mistake! Isaac didn't want to put Cannon in the cart and just chuckled as Cannon squealed with delight running like a wild man through the isles getting into anything and everything. Finally I put my foot down and said "HOLD HIM, or I WILL, or get a cart!!!" He did hold him, and the next thing I knew they were both trying on Hats and Sunglasses and...who knows what. The next pic is him trying to climb on the present tower he was building. In the third frame he got a new out outfit from my mom, I put it on thinking it would be fun to wear his new birthday clothes on his birthday only to hear him say "Ought OH...SHORTS!!!!" a few minutes later while he was watching his dad clean off the porch (for the sandbox) he's too skinny! I took them in a little and now we're good to go though. And finally, trying to open the present with his multi-use backhoe.  

 

As for the rest of the week: Isaac started work so we're just getting used to the new schedule. Its pretty good, we just see our dad for a couple hours in the morning instead of the evening. I'm afraid tomorrow (Saturday) is when both Cannon and I are going to realize it really sucks, but we'll make it work. Here he is playing with his dad one morning. The reason for the next pic, Cannon had to get shots (well a shot) but they asked me all the developmental questions including if he could stack 5 things...ummm YES since this was later the very next day I took a pic. I knew he was fine developmentally but here's the evidence.

 They didn't ask if he can ride his tractor over his stacks...but the answers is yes. He's been really into having 2 silkies this week...one for his head. Crazy kid. And the first 3 nights of the new work schedule were great. We were reading stories by 7:45, in bed by 8:00 and he was out by 8:05. I was totally digging the routine aspect of things... thinking I was on to something...

And this was his triumphant pose the at 9:15 the fouth night. Looks real tired doesn't he? I lose! I guess he really just wanted to to stay up and see his dad. When I did give up he was excitedly running laps around the island in the kitchen. Thankfully Isaac got home shortly after. (oh and just for the record-because that's all the blog really is, recording or our life, but Cannon calls these his "Home Nemo" jamas. I guess Nemo and Depot sound kind of similar, and Nemo is orange...)

Oh we had so much fun. (I have tons of pics...so lots of collages, its been a long travel day, but I don't want to get behind on my blogg'n we've been looking forward to "May forf" for so long) 

Cannon just plays so hard when we're in Utah. Saturday we got spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa Ison as well as Uncle Coy and Aunt Loxie, it was fun we had a great time. I did feel bad that Isaac missed out, he would have loved it to.

There is so much to do that I never feel like we do everything or see everyone but we definitely have fun so-we'll take it. We did make it up to the Ivins park and got to see the Stouts, Parlee let Cannon drive her bike pretty much all he wanted so even though it was nap time he was a happy camper.  Cannon asks for Ann and "Poppa" just about every time he wakes up either in the morning or from a nap. He asks for Ann and when I'd tell him she'd come in the morning he'd say "And Elsie?" And I would say yes, but the only reason he wants Elsie to come his so he'll have someone to pick on. He is a bully and he just gets a kick out of it. We had a lot of "time outs" for pushing and or tackling Elsie. Little stinker, he just gets this little look in his eye and he is in full blown antagonist mode. He's not much of an eater, especially when we're in Utah because there is so much to do -unless he thinks he's getting it away form Elsie, then he'll eat, he ate her strawberries, you could tell by the look on his face he didn't like them he was just trying to make her mad, and drank her whole cup of juice. So far I've been totally unsuccessful at trying to teach him to be nice. I'll keep trying!

He's pretty cute about check'n on Grampa Great too we walk in the door and he yells "Hi POPPA!" Its so darling but often times Grampa was a sleep and missed it. Before we left Grampa told him he needed a hug and he was all about it. (somewhat remarkable, the Gramas can't even get that...part of it had to be that he wasn't tired yet) He has so much fun in the toy drawer up there...and when Poppa Chip turned his back for 2 seconds the some of the inside toys-made their way OUT. (After all, he needed a loader out there to go with the old dump truck.) But Cannon loved playing in the back lot at Grampa's house!

 

I think the pictures of Cannon with my Grandparents are so precious! I loved he and Grandma Cottam reading stories. I wanted to catch a picture of him and Grampa Great too but...the one of Grampa trying to relax and watch him play was the best (and only one) I got. I'm glad I snapped it though, it didn't last long, Grampa said that tired old lawn chair wasn't much of a bed!

Cannon added the swather to the list of cool things Grampa Chip let him drive.

 

They made sure to make the most of the last few evenings in town. It is so cute, it melts my heart! They drove the Rhino and the Mini and the Tractor, I think the only way Chip gets him off of one is if they head to one of the others until he has to give up cuz its dark. I just love the way he yells "Mom" when he comes in door afterwards. (However sometimes he's pretty cross for tubby time, stories, milk, and brushing teeth because he's just sooooooo tired.)
Here's a few more random pics. Boots & Gloves to go with  his and Jamas first thing in the morning. Possibly a look only a mother could love :) -or Grandmother- Playing with Sugar, and "Swimming" -or just playing- up at Moore's pool. The weather was just beautiful the whole time we were there!
Then we got back here and its freezing-our heater just kicked on, IN MAY I can't figure out the weather here for the life of me. Maybe I have too much St. George in my blood-No way, no such thing!

This was my favorite picture (So far) this week. We went to Zion (partly to make good use of my mom's free pass but it turned out it was "no fee" week anyway) but it was absolutely gorgeous! Just kind of one of those deals where I sigh and think how did we not come here more when we lived here. 

Oh the week. I can't remember much from the weekend, Saturday family naps are always a highlight. We went to a park and Blake and Isaac played wiffle ball/home run derby. The kids ran around and had fun. Sunday Isaac ended up going on visits which was kind of a bummer just because we took off Monday and won't see him for almost 2 weeks but that's one of the things I love about him, he's so willing and happy to go. It was a long time but really when he got back we had so much fun talking about some people he'd met, and what they already knew about he church and all that fun stuff. It was good. Monday we had a pretty good travel day-we had to wait an extra hour at the Shreveport airport because they were replacing an engine sensor...just a sensor but still when they say something about the engine over the PA system it makes ya swallow kind of hard. Cannon's getting the sequence down pretty good. The things he ends up saying are: Drive Shreveport, Airplane, Las Vegas, Grama, Grama's house and such. Then I ask who will be there and he says "Poppa Cheep (Chip)", Ann, "Poppa Drreat (great)" When we told him Grampa Great probably wouldn't be there that he was up to his house he said "Oh,...Darn!" it was SO Cute! But good news for Cann Man he actually had come down to see him so he was here when we got here. Cannon was so excited when we walked in the door he didn't know what to do. Play with Ann? Give Grampa Great knuckles? Play with the dogs? Or Maybe Grampa Chip? He was so excited and had so many options it was too cute and to funny. Cannon still loves the dogs, the feed yard the Rhino and everything but this trip he totally fell in love with the little metal backhoe, he'll hardly let it out of his hand.

He liked it just 3 weeks ago when we were here but this time its like if he's going to watch Curious George he has to have it on his lap. He's spent hours digging with it out back, one night I brought it back in and sprayed it off and convinced him that he should get in the bath too because the backhoe had already had a bath. Oh he gets so dirty-just filthy especially when he and grampa go drive the tractor -for hours- and stir up all kinds of dust and the kid is just in HEAVEN. Naps and eating are bothersome events that mom just insists on and keeps nagging him about there is just too much fun to be had! I only have pics from when he convinced me to take him to the feed yard but that's not really when the fun times are, my dad is so awesome, he comes home from work and Cannon knows the fun is ON! They feed the horses and check on Grampa and Drive Drive Drive the tractors and who knows what else but they're usually gone at least of couple hours or else make an least a couple of trips (in the Rhino, with the dogs, per Cannon's request...or insistence) 

Fun with Ann: a walk to the park, "shaking" with Sugar, and a few episodes of Curious George

Grampa's (well Klem's) piggys. 

Other events from the week.
Grandma and Grandpa Ison got their mission call and they are going to Columbus OHIO!!! (ps I guessed right on the guessing game)
We got in on one of Klem's Stir Fry's. MMMM and we got to visit with Coach Allen, we just chatted and chatted about anything and everything it was so fun.
I got a new phone. Yeah
Isaac went to OKC and got our new car :) This is really the only pic I have but I'm so excited!! He had to drive through Shreveport to get home and offered to leave it for us but I declined. But, if my initial excitement is any indication-we're going to love it!

He's busy with school-even though I think he only has one in class final next week, then the week should slow down for him. We have plans to "see" little bro :) and Grama and Granpa Ison are going to sneak down tomorrow. So we're just soaking up the fun and the beautiful weather and enjoying life!

 This kid just always makes us smile...

Saturday we went to the Kid Fest up in Ridgeland, we had a good time. 

I loved the one where Isaac got him to wave on the Carousel. There was a "monkey rodeo" and big machines to drive as well as a shark (how did I miss that pic when I was making the collage. Oh well.) And it turns out Cann Man isn't sold on "Monkey George" when he's bigger than mom. 

One of our favorite things was the little drawing booth they had were basically you could just could just catch some shade and let the little man color but the guy who was "Man'n" the booth asked if Cann Man liked Elmo then drew him his own special picture of Elmo saying "Hello Cannon" he then gave us the great idea to make copies of it and let Cann Man color away-he was so nice!

Of course we had more Saturday Projects, the last one is our version of a linen closet these days-I'm so happy to have it. 

Oh we love hair cut time! Cannon is such a helper-and Hair cuts are no different. 

Isaac leaving his tie out...not uncommon, but Cann Man loves it, and I think him playing with them is so cute. 

Isaac sold Big Green on Monday, and we're buying a car. (I'm pretty excited about it.) The truck just isn't going to fit us anymore, Cannon was so cute saying "Bye big green, bye daddy's truck" Isaac will sell anything (except me he assured me one time) but I get attached to things, I was kind of sad we won't have a truck anymore but then I think -oh yeah new car, see ya big green. The new car is in Oklahoma City Isaac has to go pick it up but I talked him into waiting until Cannon and I are gone again anyway so we were a one car family most of this week. And as it turns out he's going to do a whirl wind trip anyway but...it will all work out. Anyway, I know there's lots more I intended to post this week but -some of it was just "pukey" -so maybe we'll just be glad I can't remember and go with it.

We think he's pretty smart-here he is showing off :)