Summer Recap

Well, I've been totally neglecting our blog... and I'm only doing it now out of sheer guilt. I haven't even been consistently taking pictures of what has been going on this summer. I'm such a loaf. Anyway, here is my recap:

In July, we went to Siesta Key Beach, which just happened to be the perfect beach for Kaitlyn. The parking lot was close to the beach and the first 10 yards of gulf only came up to your calf. She could easily make her way in and out of the water without needing someone hovering over her. There was also a clean public restroom nearby and a reasonably priced snack bar.

Just the girls went: Aunt Bekah, Katie, Aunt Bethany, Nana and myself.

We started to work on potty training. We've given up for the time being, but she knows what is supposed to happen. Obviously, she's been paying attention to others and their pottying habits.

Bekah turned 12 this summer and we all went with her on her first Temple Trip with the Youth.

Later in July, I turned 26 and Bethany made me a really scrumptious chocolate cake. It was so rich!

Kaitlyn, being the observant 2 year old that she is, decided she really likes dipping. It doesn't matter what is being dipped or what it is being dipped into, she wants to dip. "Dip, dip" she says. Oreos and milk are an obvious favorite.

Kaitlyn also started flipping herself over the edge of her crib to get out, so we went ahead and got rid of the retracting gate and now she has a "big girl bed." She isn't consistently staying in bed when we put her down, but she is getting there.

My mom took me on a trip out to Utah with her to go to Temple Square and Education Week. It was a blast and I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about it!

We stayed in Helaman Halls and hiked it up and down campus all week. Needless to say, I was quite out of breath most of the time. By the end of the week, I ended up just spending my day in the Marriott Center listening to Brad Wilcox, Susan Easton Black, David A. Christensen and John Bytheway. Then, I would meander out to the rest of campus in the evening and go to another class or two.

Temple Square was gorgeous! Their plant beds were exploding with blooms! I'd never seen anything like it.

We went to a live session and got to see all of the Brides and wedding parties. There were 50 weddings go on the Friday we went to the Temple. Crazy.

Saturday we went to Welfare Square and DI to see the tour. They have really yummy cheese and chocolate milk samples at the end of the tour. On our way to the Lion House for lunch, we passed a park downtown that was having a Farmer's Market.



Our favorite tent was Pierre's Country Bakery. I could have camped out and ate there all day. Of course, I would have spent a fortune. Mom and I split a strawberry and blueberry tart that was $6. It was melt in your mouth delicious. Everything under their tent made your mouth water just looking at it.

When I got back, a couple days later Aunt Ashley and Cousin Gwen came for a visit. Grammie & Poppa Crosby had rented a beach house on Anna Maria Island and we went for a visit. Too bad my camera wouldn't stop fogging up on the beach.

Then, over Labor Day weekend, we went and rented a townhouse in Haines City at the Regal Palms Resort and Spa. It was nice to get away, relax and hit the Labor Day sales at the outlets. They had a fun pool with a slide, lazy river and zero entry section for the kiddies. We mainly ate and lazed around.

However, Ellen's birthday is coming up, so made sure we celebrated with some yummy cheesecake!
Happy Birthday Ellen!

Well, that was our summer.
Now I'm counting down until the last day of September when I can decorate for Halloween! Muwahahah!