Campin

It was time for us to head out into the wilderness with Ruby and Owen.  Okay, so "wilderness"  is a stretch...  especially as you take a look at our hunormous tent that can hold TWO pack n plays AND a queen sized air mattress.  It was awesome.  So far we are very happy with the return rate on the purchase of the second home. Ruby and Owen did really well- went down for bedtime in their cribs and everything...until mom and dad came to bed.  They just knew we were in the same room, woke up, and slept with us on the mattress for the rest of the night.  It was fun for all of us and no habits were formed.  They went down great in their cribs again when we got home. Phew.

Here is the view of the inside of the Weathermaster 6 from our, that's right, screened in front porch.  Owen looks really happy about the accommodations.

Our first trip, to "work out all the kinks", was to the Unitas for a night.  It was freezing.  No really, there was frozen water on top of some of our gear in the morning.  The babies slept amazingly well despite Ruby not keeping her hat on.  Mom and dad's sleep was another story.  Ruby got my thermarest (lesson learned- bought the queen mattress for second trip) so mom slept basically on the ground and both of us were stuck in the same position for 11 hours due to cramped quarters and trying to keep the babes under the down sleeping bags (again- lesson learned- down COMFORTER for trip 2...we were really roughin   it!).  The weather was pretty good aside from when it rained on us (hard) at two crux moments- setting up the tent, and cooking dinner.  That was awesome because keeping two babies happy while trying to take care of regular camping activities is not enough of a challenge for us.

These two still put everything in their mouths, so on both trips, they often were quarantined to playing on a tarp...which didn't stop Owen from crawling off, but at least bought us time to grab him before the sticks and dirt became his next snack.

Kickin it in the camp chair in the screened in porch.

Don't let my smile fool you.  Making formula is one of my least favorite baby chores at home, let alone camping.  Powder gets everywhere, I have to make sure I use the right water, and then our little ones still like their bottles at least luke warm, so it just seems like a major process to get this all together every four hours.  But we figured it out.

Ahhh...finally, the City of Rocks, ID.  We joined an annual trip that a bunch of our friends here have done.  The kids outnumbered the adults by one- it was wild.  (clockwise) Above you can see Justin corralling kids off the ledge and back to camp, Chris and Stephan helping Gretta climb a sick route, and the whole gang hangin out at camp.

The scenery was stunning.  Seemed like were on another planet.  This place is definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the neighborhood.  For this group, this trip is traditionally a climbing trip, but this team DuRoss did three really beautiful hikes and spectated a few climbs.

Two young climbers- Gretta and Finn.  So cute.

Owen helps dad make coffee in the morning (adult formula).

Owen and Ruby take in the sights with their pals.

Ruby is just starting to get interested in crawling.  So, she is a little rough on the sitting up to tummy transition.  This is what happens when you try this transition in the dirt and kinda eat it.  She almost never cries when she falls (MUCH different than Owen)...she just takes it in stride and keeps on keepin on.

The Weathermaster's view at the City of Rocks.  We'll be back.

"How is it that one match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box of matches to start a campfire?"  

~Christy Whitehead

The last of August

The end of August brought us to the end of our time with Oma...for now. :)  Wow, I am not sure how to capture how grateful we are for her help and love.  From laundry and helping with the endless rinsing of bottles and dishes, to weeding our yard, making baby food, and babysitting Ruby and Owen so mom and dad could get out together..she did it all!  I felt like her visit was our "summer vacation".  Kids went back to school here in Utah the day she left, the weather  is a little cooler, and it is really beginning to feel like fall now.  Ahhh...it was a great summer.

 Ruby loves to hold little books and "read" them.  I love it.  She looks so grown up!

 This little man is insane!  He has started crawling, pulling up on anything he can get his hands on, and now says "mama" (to mama's delight- this is after Ruby started saying "dada" a few weeks ago).  The two of them are getting to be a handful in lots of new ways but we are figuring it out and having a blast with all the new energy and tricks.  Every day is a new adventure.  Videos of some of the fun to come.

 Sleep is so interesting.  Just when you think you have something down, they change.  They both have mostly dropped all night feedings and are sleeping for the most part (still having to get up to pop several binkies a night between the two of them) for about 11.5 hours.  And then, someone decides to pop out a few more teeth, which means more waking, crying, difficulty going down, etc. etc.  We do heart Tylenol though.  It seems to work miracles.

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 Gosh.  Love these three more than I could have ever imagined possible.

Ru and OT are eating a few "popsicles"- a summer evening snack while Oma and mom weed the garden.

 More fun flowers in the garden

 The new ride.  Safer for this family of four than the Mazda we traded in.

 A hike to Ruth Lake before Oma heads back east.  Great weather, great company, and great lunch with a view!

I just love this picture.  Nice self portrait, Chip.  You captured the lake reflection in the background and Ruby's skeptical look about the driver she has been assigned. ;)

Gastronomy

 We spend a lot of our time focused on food around here.  I spend a good deal of my day and energy preparing or giving bottles, making baby food, planning and packing meals, and feeding these two little munchkins solids.  This summer we have gotten out and about a lot, especially with the help of my mom here the past five weeks.  We were eating on the go so often that we started keeping a list of all the places these two have "dined out".  The following pictures capture only a few of the places Ruby and Owen have eaten this summer. The rest will have to be represented in a list only.  

 So, this picture was probably taken at home, but I just couldn't leave it out.  When it comes to eating solids, Ru and OT are pretty amazing.  They eat most things with gusto...including asparagus, brewer's yeast, egg yolks, and tofu (which my mom often reminded me is gross). And, they love trying to use the spoon to get food in their mouths...or just to bang on the tray in front of them.  

Owen and Ruby have dined at SLC farmer's market and the outlet mall (both pictured above), in the car on the way to sushi, at the bike shop in Park City as we prepared for a family ride, on the floor and in the stroller at the Sweetwater condo, outside the aquatic center, at a park in Duchesne, UT, at the Pinebrook Park, in Master Muffler's waiting room (wish we had a picture of that one), in the Costco parking lot, in our garden at home....

at the Copper Moose Farm (pictured above- where Owen could hardly get a meal down because he was so distracted by the roosters)

next to Ruth Lake in the Unitas...

   and in Toll Canyon...in the middle of the trail...no where else to go...

and on the ridge to Summit Park Peak.

Oma was an invaluable help when it came to many things the past five weeks, and making baby food is at the top of that list.  For about ten days straight we make a different food every day, freezing lots and lots of cubes for future consumption.  Asparagus, carrots, green beans, mangos, more mangos (they were on sale), peaches, plums, more mangos, split peas, and beef.  

I am pretty sure that Ruby and Owen will only eat hot dogs and pizza in a few years (or earlier!), but I am enjoying their willingness to eat anything, anywhere for the time being.  Keep up the good work, kiddos!  

"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices:  take it or leave it."  ~Buddy Hackett

Family Vacation

Well, the family vacations continued as Oma, Chip, Ruby, Owen and I got in the car for our first road trip...to Steamboat, CO!  Aunt Mindy lives there, owns a VERY cute townhome, and graciously put up the five of us for a few days.  We strolled around town, went to the park, ate dinners with friends, and mostly just soaked up the beautiful weather and energy of Steamboat and Mindy and Bo's place.  Ruby and Owen enjoyed the swings and especially loved scooting around on Aunt Mindy's wood floors (they are newly finished and therefore have this really nice stickiness for a scooting baby... as opposed to our old slippery ones).  Our trip back to Park City proved a little more difficult than the trip out...only to figure out the next day that Owen was getting his first two teeth- bottom two, same as Ruby.  

Mindy and Bo followed us back to Park City as they headed out of town for a road trip of their own.  On their way back they stopped in Park City to stay with US for a night. Tina, John, Evan, and Madeleine ALSO arrived via airplane from PA for one grand reunion night of the Mulliken/ Voss/DuRoss clan!  Mindy and Bo continued home the next day.  The Voss family followed them and also spent a few days in Steamboat checkin out the new pad before returning to Park City to hang out for most of the week.

 We had a blast doing as much as we could around town and in our neighborhood with two 7 month olds in tote.  We ate lots of great food out on our deck and at the condo, we did nails during nap time, went swimming, visited the farm, and even went biking for an afternoon.  A highlight was hiking up to the Summit Park Peak Ridge.  Everyone made it despite the steep climb and challenging trails.  This is hearty bunch!

Ruby and Owen LOVED seeing their Aunt Tina again. Another highlight for Ruby and Owen, was getting to meet some more of the family they hadn't previously met (John, Evan and Madeleine).  Evan and Madeleine were stellar cousins.  They played with the kids constantly, they were eager to learn how to hold and feed them, and they were SO responsible with them- always making sure they were in the shade when we were outside, making sure they didn't have dangerous things in their hands (or mouths), and checking that they were seated in safe places.  Chip and I have always enjoyed our time and relationship with Evan and Madeleine, and this trip seemed to just take it to a new level.  So special.  Thanks you two for being so awesome!  Oh yeah, and John, they liked meeting you too.  (inside joke, people)

 And, again, I will probably add another collage as Tina has some of the best pictures on her Iphone, of all things.  So, we are working on getting those, but for now, I wanted to document while it was fresh on my mind.  Thanks to everyone for making efforts to get together.  We had a blast and look forward to next time!

This is a repeat from a long time ago, but I love it.

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.  Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."  
~Jane Howard

Summer

Just some randomness.

 Another one of Chip's creations in the kitchen.  Gotta love summer eatin.

 We try to get into the sandbox and/or pool every day.  Keeps things interesting for all of us.  Ruby still insists on putting most things in her mouth...even in the sandbox.  Just love her sandy protruding bottom lip here.

 Oma is back!  For another five weeks!  We are so stinkin fortunate.  She gets in the sandbox and the pool with us.  She pretty much does whatever Ruby and Owen want to- silly faces, singing, books, toys, on the floor, in the highchair, in their crib...she does it all!  Love it.

 On to some shots in the pool.  Oma got Ruby this ruby red swim suit that I adore.  

 Owen likes to try and catch the water.

These are a few wildflowers from our yard.

A little photo shoot with dad.  Ruby and Owen are quite familiar with the camera.  They start smiling when they see it pulled out- total hams.

Teeth are in the house!  Ruby got two just before turning 7 months old.  You can see the jagged little suckers coming up in the middle on the bottom.  Owen got the exact same two teeth in about two weeks later.  He does not show them off as much so we are still working on a picture.

Here is our very sophisticated little teether (notice the raised pinky on her left hand while holding her teething ring).

Chip loves to put our hats on the kids and take pictures.  I can't get enough of it.

Wow- these are late.  Here are the paintings Ruby and Owen did for dad for father's day.  Just wanted to make sure we have their first masterpieces recorded.