We should have lived in Beachwood!

This is the Beachwood community pool. Seriously. Yeah, I think we moved into the wrong neighborhood. Usually you can only have the privilege of using this pool if you are a resident of Beachwood City, but since the Thornton Pool closed a week early this year, Beachwood was kind enough to admit Shaker Heights residents this week only. It was awesome!Aaaaand THIS is the kiddie pool. Sweet!

Bryan flipping off the high dive.

Andrew and I had a blast on the water slides! I felt like a little kid again running up the stairs with him to the top of the slides, shivering while we waited for our turn, and then racing side-by-side to the bottom. Then we'd swim, giggling to the edge of the pool and do it again.

One Last Summer at Thornton

I've started thinking a lot about how this is our last year here in Ohio and all the "lasts" we have coming up - our last summer (Thorton pool, Kirtland, green trees, fruit picking), last fall (Patterson farms, beautiful fall colors, school year at Lomond, Halloween), last holiday season (Thanksgiving and Christmas with friends, lights at Lake Farmpark), last winter (thank heavens!), last spring , and then we will be moving. Most of these things I'm really going to miss. I'm sad to think of leaving.

We have a great pool here in Shaker, a place where we've kept cool on many hot humid days. The kids love coming to this pool and meeting up with friends from school and church, and I have loved meeting up with my "mommy friends" to socialize (miss you, Carissa!). There is a big fenced-in baby pool (Hannah and Mommy's favorite), spray ground, big pool with diving board and water slides (Andrew's favorite), and a lazy river (Logan's favorite). I think it will be hard to find another community pool quite like this one!

Mommy and Hannah dipping our toes Hannah at the baby pool

LoganAndrew and Logan running through the Spray Ground
Andrew flipping into the pool

Andrew loves the water slides!

Girls' Night Out

...at The Melting Pot!

Happy Pioneer Day!

In celebration of Pioneer Day, Andrew and I attended a special tour of the Kirtland Temple and Historic Kirtland geared especially to the cast children of This is Kirtland. It was a great reminder of the faith and sacrifices of our pioneer ancestors long before they made the trek West to Utah.
Andrew at the Chagrin River where many of the early Saints in Kirtland were baptized. Andrew was amazed that people even got baptized in the dead of winter when the river was frozen over.

The children listen to a sister missionary at the original N. K. Whitney store.

We were reminded of the opening scene of the show when the Whitneys prayed to know the word of God. Joseph Smith then arrived at the Whitney store and uttered the famous words, "Newel K. Whitney, thou art the man. I am Joseph the Prophet. You prayed me here, now what do you want of me." It was so exciting to see "the lights come on" when the children connected the things we portrayed on stage with the actual events and places where they occurred. There were a few moments like that including an especially sweet one in the School of the Prophets when Jon and the children sang, "He Lives." We also got to sing "Coming to Kirtland" on the steps of the Store and the children sang "Education" in the old schoolhouse.

Andrew and his stage dad, brothers, and sister, "the Rigdons."

The Feast Dance

This is the dance from "The Feast" scene in This is Kirtland. Definitely my favorite part of the show! I haven't had the chance to dance much since college, so this was so fun for me. I was glad to get to dance with Chris again, who played my husband and dance partner when I was in the show two years ago. He was a great dance partner - strong, sturdy, a fast learner, good rhythm, and a sense of humor when I messed up. Plus, we were already comfortable dancing together, which made it much easier.

You can see Andrew dancing with the children on the far right wearing the blue shirt. Thanks for the video, Mom!

This Is Kirtland! 2009

Andrew and I have been pretty busy the last couple of months rehearsing for our stake musical, This Is Kirtland! This is the sixth year of the show's running, and the second time I've had the opportunity to preform in it. The show depicts the lives of early Mormon settlers in Kirtland through beautiful music, dancing, and costumes. I feel so blessed to be just a small part of this great show and feel so much love and gratitude for the early Saints who lived right here. It's been especially fun to have Andrew in the show with me this year!

Andrew with his family, the Rigdons

Jason and Summer as John and Rebecca Tanner

Heather and Rich as Thankful and Parley Pratt

Summer singing in her pregnant scene

The women - I love these ladies!

The men chasing the young women at the feast - love the expressions!

Summer and Chris dancing at The Feast Cartwheel!

Woo-Hoo! (Summer, top center and Andrew, lower right)

Andrew (front right)

Joseph and Emma singing, "Dear Emma"

Tom as Joseph Smith

Laura as Emma Smith

School of the Prophets

Singing "The Spirit of God" at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple (Andrew, front left)

I Melt For You!

I had to come up with a really "cheesy" title for this one!

Yesterday Bryan told me that he had a lecture/dinner at the hospital that spouses were invited to. Instead, he had gotten reservations at The Melting Pot to surprise me. I have been wanting to go to The Melting Pot for years - ever since the one in Salt Lake City opened - so I was so excited! Since we were at such a fancy-schmancy restautant, we were on our best behavior! Really, it was so nice to just sit, talk, look at each other, and eat our food without a highchair, kids menu, or crayons in sight!

The cheese fondue was awesome!

Quattro Formaggio Cheese Fondue
Fontina, Grùyere, and Gran Queso cheeses blended with roasted garlic, basil and tomato pestos and fresh mozzarella Perlini. -mmmm! (yes, that was straight from the menu. I know, I'm a nerd.)

A salad was the second course, followed by the entree (veggies, chicken, steak, salmon, and shrimp) which we cooked at our table. The best part was, of course, the dessert!
Our "Flaming Turtle" chocolate fondue (milk chocolate, caramel, and pecans) was delicious (and on fire!)

It was fun to do the whole 4-course meal, but I think if we ever go back, we will just order a cheese fondue and a chocolate fondue. Those were, by far, the best parts of the meal.

Thanks Babe! That was such a sweet, thoughtful surprise and I had a great time with you! THANK YOU, Carl and Nancy, for Bryan's birthday money that paid for it! And last but not least, THANK YOU, Shupes, for watching the munchkins! We don't get out just the two of us very often, so this was an extra special treat!

My School Musical 3

I hope you will all come out and support Bryan and me by coming to see our new movie!

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100 Things I LOVE

(in no particular order)

Fall leaves - especially my neighbors' tree
lemon desserts in the spring/summer
pumpkin desserts in the fall
The Rocky Mountains - I miss them!
Hannah's smile
Logan's eyes
Andrew's curls
Bryan's hugs
singing in a good group or choir
dancing
Ju-Ju-Be
Ann Taylor Loft
finding online deals
window shopping
alone time
pedicures
new haircuts
my old Skechers flip-flops
pasta!!!
Mexican food
chocolate covered pretzels
talking on the phone with my Mom
my Dad's voice - makes me feel little and safe
photos of my kids
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
babywearing
being outside at daybreak - cool, fresh, and dewy
walks in the Fall - cool crisp breezes and leaves crunching underfoot
driving through "tree tunnels"
taking my kids trick-or-treating
going out to eat
dates alone with Bryan
Disneyland!
Pixar movies
planning parties
cake stands
The Office
a good day at church - when I can actually listen
cinnamon
The Salt Lake Temple
breakfast foods
my new living room rug - I am in LOVE!
reading , reading, reading!
B&BW Peppermint lotion
Burt's Bees lip balm
watching my kids learn and succeed
hearing my kids sing Primary songs
sweaters
the first flowers in the spring
4th of July in Delta, UT
wearing skirts in the summer
yoga
Niagara Falls
a clean house - rare!
visiting a farm in the Fall (hay rides, apple picking, pumpkin patch)
fresh pineapple
farmers markets
Christmas music
craft fairs
rain
lightning/thunder storms
board games
reading to my kids before bed
Pottery Barn catalogues
musicals
my ever-changing favorite color - right now, it's GREEN
soft baby skin
re-discovering holidays through my kids
Snowbird in October with my family
cruises
Harry Potter
home-grown tomatoes
funny things my kids say
being crafty
chatting with a few girlfriends
living across the street from Andrew's school/playground
the comfort and peace that comes from the Gospel
a baby snuggled up on my chest - the greatest feeling in the world
Rascal Flatts
"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"
the smell of a clean baby after a bath and Baby Magic lotion
receiving packages in the mail
home decorating
lists
campfires
scented candles
reminiscing about childhood with my siblings
the Internet
praise after working hard on something (who doesn't love that?)
hot showers (or cool ones on really hot humid days)
ice water
my Grandma's china
when my kids get really excited about something
my Mom's homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Bryan cheering me up with his goofiness and Nesquik
open windows
blogging
new bedsheets
sunshine coming through my window
toddler giggles

Andrew's LOST tooth

About a week ago, Andrew announced that he had his first loose tooth. It surprised me how proud and excited I was about it! (I guess it's a Mommy thing!) So he's been working hard on it everyday, trying to wiggle that tooth out! When we offered to help pull it out, he said, "I think it's better to let it come out on it's own!"

Then, this morning at breakfast, I noticed Andrew had a new little "window!" I said, "ANDREW! Where's your tooth!?" He looked at me like I was kinda crazy and said, "It's in my mouth, Mom." "Are you sure?" I asked. He ran to the mirror and came back with a look of pure horror on his face! We searched his bed, but no tooth! We finally came to the conclusion that he must have swallowed it during the night. Andrew, of course, was VERY concerned that the Tooth Fairy would not come and leave him a surprise. So we decided he'd better write a note to the Tooth Fairy, and maybe she would still come. (I helped a little with the spelling. Ü)

When we told Nana (my Mom) about what happened, she reminded me of when I was in Kindergarten and dropped my lost tooth in my 70's pink shag carpet in my bedroom. Now, this was the type of shag carpet that could eat small children, so of course, we never found my little tooth. She said I wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy and she came anyway. This comforted Andrew quite a bit! I guess we'll have to see! We'll keep you posted. --Summer