Aaron Family Blog: Springtime Antics & Animals

Joshua's apple antics

An attempt at taking a picture of the kids and Temple Square, but they hate it when they're facing the sun for pictures (I don't blame them!)

One of Joshua's latest obsessions is the "kids' vacuum". We bought it for about $10 a few years ago at a Black Friday sale to be just that-- a kids' vacuum. It's been so much better than a toy one, and amazingly enough for such a cheap vacuum, it actually sucks up some dirt! Joshua gets it out of the closet, plugs it in, turns it on, and takes off! I love that he is feeling useful around the house. He has even learned how to empty out the canister in the trash. The only problem is when he has it going for 15 or more minutes at a time!

Rachel is getting better at her reading all the time! She is still reading everything out loud at this point, and asking for help with some of the words, but I LOVE that she will read out loud to her brother.

More of Joshua's antics

Substituting Mr. Potato Head glasses for his own-- what a clown!

One morning right in the middle of the get-ready-for-school craziness, Joshua announced he had "googies" in his nose. I just figured he needed help wiping his nose, but quickly realized that he had actually stuck something up there! It turned out to be a tiny cannon from our Playmobil Pirate Ship, which is incredibly detailed and full of choking (and nose!) hazards. It was shoved up high enough in his nostril that I was not able to work it out by manipulating the outside of his nose, and I didn't dare try anything that would cause him to aspirate it. So I put him in the car and zoomed down the street to our pediatrician's office (which is luckily only 5 minutes away), and waited a few minutes for the office to open. It turned out that the doctor wasn't in that day, but luckily a nurse practitioner had come down from Salt Lake. She was about to recommend that we go across the street to the ENT office, but decided to give it a try with a tool she had. After holding down a screaming Joshua for a couple minutes, out it came (along with some blood-- the cannonball was grooved on the sides to fit in the barrel of the cannon). It was pretty traumatic for him-- until the nurse handed him the cannonball taped to a tongue depressor along with a sucker. Then it was fascinating. We had a good talk about NEVER putting anything in your nose or ears, and afterwards he would point to the doctor's office every time we drove by and remind me of "the place where they took the cannonball out of my nose". Aahh, the adventures of 3-year-olds!

Joshua showing off the cannonball that was finally free from his nose!

Rachel on the last day of Kindergarten

Farm Country

It was so great to have Bill & Aftin and their kiddos over for a visit in May. They had sold their house in Arizona and were preparing to move to Michigan. We loved that they could sleep in Rachel's new guest-friendly bedroom. Since we don't get to see them super often, our kids had fun getting to know their cousins a little better. They decided that while in Utah, it would be fun to head over to Thanksgiving Point to see the animals.

Joshua checking out the llamas

Can't miss the pony rides: Elizabeth

Rachel

Emma

Matthew

Joshua

With Spencer and Aliyah on the wagon ride

Aliyah and Russell

Spencer

I love how his eyes almost disappear behind that adorable grin!

Joshua's main obsession is still cars of all kinds. This Fisher Price car garage has provided many hours of play for him.

Spring Dance Recital

Elizabeth's dance class performing. It was so fun for her to be in the same class as her cousin Ashlyn this year!

Rachel had a lot of fun in the recital, too--

she was just being a character about taking pictures afterwards!

Elizabeth

Matthew's 6th Grade Graduation

Sorry I don't have better pictures! Matthew's school did a great job of honoring the sixth graders and making them feel special. They had a big celebration afterwards. Matthew has come such a long way just in the past couple of years in school. He has had a lot of challenges to overcome, but he is so bright, creative, and talented. We are so proud of all he has accomplished and learned. Next, on to JUNIOR HIGH!