Uncle Natey is home!

Yeah! Uncle Natey is finally home. Over the past two years that he has been gone on his mission in Micronesia, he has achieved Rock Star status with all of his nieces and nephews. Uncle Natey is the only one left that is not married so he still loves playing and roughhousing with the kids and they sure have missed that. Yesterday, he came home and there was quite a party at the airport waiting for him. He came home to three new nieces and nephews that he had never met before. Danyn, Thatcher, and Spencer, below...

Henry has been so excited that for the last week every morning when he wakes up we asks "Is TODAY the day that Uncle Natey will be home?" Nate served most of his mission on the island of Chuuk (which we pronounced incorrectly as "Chook"). In his prayers Henry has said every night "Please bless Uncle Natie on his mission in Chook." So when we were in the car yesterday on the way to the airport Henry says, "I sure can't wait to see Uncle Natie and Chuck when they get home." Apparently Henry though Chook was a person this whole time and expected him to come home with Nate yesterday. It cracked us up.

The kids were all decked out in the "Chookese attire" yesterday in honor of Uncle Natey. I think now that the kids have the island wear, we need to make good use of it and head to Hawaii soon!

Welcome Home Nate, we have missed you and we are so glad to have you back.

First Day of Preschool

Today was Henry's first day of school. Well, technically preschool. This is his third year at West High's daycare/preschool but now he is officially a big kid. There isn't even a diaper changing station in his room anymore. That is BIG.

He was so excited to get back to school to see his beloved Miss Linda that he was up at 6 am this morning, ready to go. Eight o'clock couldn't come early enough. I have struggled having him in daycare (even part time) but I am so grateful for all the wonderful teachers there. It has been a great experience for us and how can I feel bad when he is chomping at the bit to go back?

Farmer Henry and Summer Veggies

This is Farmer Henry enjoying corn. Granted, this corn was purchased at the Farmer's Market and graciously given to us by Rich and Kristl. But Henry is enjoying it even though it didn't come out of our garden. You have never seen a kid more excited about growing his own food than Hank. This love was fostered at a young age by Grandma and Grandpa who always grow grape tomatoes. I'm sure he has some of my dad's gardening genes as well. My dad is the only person I know that might rival Henry's interest in gardening. Last year when we moved into our house, we grew "Henry's tomatoes" in our front flower bed (yes, it was a little white trash, but oh well).

This year Kevin and I decided that since we have a big backyard full of dirt we may as well make the most of it before we landscape and plant a big garden. Henry has been enthralled. The first thing he asks when he wakes up from his nap is "Now can we go out to the garden?" He eats as many cherry tomatoes as he can stuff into his mouth and then helps me pick peppers, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, and whatever else might be ripe at the time. The kid's favorite snack is a cut up green pepper or cucumber from the garden.

The garden has been good for me as well. I have been having to plan my meals around fresh veggies and I have discovered some great recipes. We have SO many tomatoes that once they come on I am going to have to hone my canning skills...hmmm I know I should be excited about that, but it sounds hot and tiring tonight. Good thing grandma has a killer salsa recipe.

The picture below is up at our property. Henry and Maisie planted a garden of their own outside the play cabin. Henry will tell you they are only blossoms, but they will surely turn into something delicious with a little water and sunshine.

Henry with the first squash and zucchini of the season. The sweet taste of victory!

The Dreaded Swim Lessons

Henry looks really happy here, doesn't he? He was a big talker yesterday..."I'm going to go under the water and swim like a big boy." That was moments before his last swim lesson. Confident and ready to go.
This was the result once his teacher actually submerged him. It was all downhill from there. In order to pass level I the students have to be able to master a set of skills and I don't think Henry mastered even one of them. He won't put his face in the water, he won't let go of his death grip on the teacher, and he won't jump in to his teacher without mom or dad having to push him. So much for my visions of him swimming under water by the end of this summer. Level I here we come...again.

Concert Season

It's concert season - Woohoo! Although I am tired of the heat by the time August rolls around, I do love the month for one reason...it seems to be the month of great concerts. We kicked off concert season last night by seeing James Taylor. This is our third time seeing him and even though it was my least favorite show (too many covers James, stick with the stuff we know and love) it was still fantastic. For a 60 yr old guy, he is still so "cool". Maybe it was his mention of the missing decade (the 70s) that he can't remember due to drugs. That shouldn't make him cool but it does.

My mom has a crush on James and I have to say, I do too. He is the right combination of talent, humor, and bad boy, all rolled into a handsome, classy package. I will never get tired of that voice. Thanks for stopping in Salt Lake City James.

We enjoyed the concert last night with Kerri and Teag, Kevin's Mom and Dad, and my friend Kristen. The only pictures that turned out though are the ones of Kevin and I and Kerri and Teag (below).

On Sunday we plan to hang out just outside of Red Butte Gardens to poach the Greg Brown concert and then at the end of the month we head back to Usana to enjoy Dave Matthews. I guess August isn't so bad after all.