My Big Truck Book

Finn has become obsessed with trucks and buses. Car time consists of him yelling "GUCK, BUS, KUEL BUS, LELLOW BUS, BIG GUCK, ORSIE (horse), NEIGH, LELLOW GUCK, BYE BYE GUCK!!!!"

He knows that in the mornings when we pass Walmart, there is always 2 school buses in the parking lot, so he makes sure to look and point them out.

I love it, I think it's hilarious. Maybe at some point it will be annoying, but for now I encourage it and point them out to him. I love hearing his excited, sweet little voice and anything that comes out of his mouth.

Feeding his obsession is this book:
He loves it and we use that to our advantage. If Finn decides to wake up at 6:30, he will gladly sit in bed for another 20 minutes drinking his milk and reading about gucks and buses while we shower and get ready.

Only problem is at this point, getting him OUT OF BED and getting ready. Trying to PRY this book out of his hands is like trying to take drugs from an addict. I'm not sure what he loves more, his binky or his book..... well OK that isn't a fair battle. The binky always wins.

My poor battered child

Poor Finn. When I picked him up from daycare on Monday I was warned by Kimmi at the front desk that Finn had an accident. Apparently he was pushing a toy around, tripped and landed face first into the toy. I could tell it was going to be bad since I was prepped before I even saw him.

Yesterday my mom was nervous to take him into the grocery store because of all the stares she was going to get.

I guess he isn't a real little boy without some bumps and bruises.

Word of the Day - Lellow

Lellow
–adjective
1. A color like that of egg yolk, ripe lemons, etc.; the primary color between green and orange in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 570 and 590 nm. Otherwise known as yellow.

I think Finn learned this at school yesterday. Last night he pointed out that the mango was yellow (kind of). I was very proud. Apparently today he has been pointing everything yellow out to my mom. The yellow bus, the yellow truck (guck), the yellow flower.

It might just be his favorite color, I think mostly because it's the only one he knows.

Jungle Baby

Finn gets a little wild sometimes after bath time if we let him run around unclothed.
"Roar, I'm going to get you!"

Vivie and Vince's Birthday Party

On Saturday we went to Vivian and Vincents first birthday party at Jungle Jim's. I cannot believe they are one and Finn is almost two!

Finn had the time of his life eating ice cream and playing hard with some friends.

Playing with Uncle Jake

Jake was entertaining Finn yesterday while we made dinner. Finn is such a little boy now. He runs, kicks, talks and drives his car around.



Shortly after this video was taken, we came outside to find Finn riding his car in the middle of the street with Jake by his side. When asked, "Why are you letting him play in the street, you aren't setting a very good example." he replied, "well Finn headed straight for the street, he seemed like he knew what he was doing, so I thought it was OK." Jake, NEVER trust a 2 year old.

We love you Uncle Jake!!!

Sunday at the park with the Dickersons

Sunday Ben's brother's Jake and John (and fiance Kelsey) came over for dinner and to play. It was a beautiful day, so we headed over to a new park close by. It's not technically open yet, but everyone was playing on it anyways. Just a quick jump off a pier onto a sandy beach and you are in.

This is probably the best park I have ever been to. It's a big kid park, and there wasn't much for Finn to do there, except play in the sand, which he was happy doing.









Me looking down on Jake and Finn.


There is this spinning thing that you hang on to. Ben and brothers were getting it going really fast and kids were flying off. Pretty much the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Himalayan Kitchen

Last weekend for Teri's birthday we headed to The Himalayan Kitchen for some Indian food. It was a very fun and eventful night for us.

While there I discovered a few things:

1. I really love Indian food (I guess I already knew that)
2. I really loved the Indian food at Himalayan Kitchen
3. Finn really loves MILD Indian food, not a fan of Medium or anything hotter. He made this EXTREMELY clear. (He also loves iPhones)
4. Ben is allergic to something in Indian food. We've never had this problem before, but I'm pretty sure he won't be heading back to The Himalayan Kitchen anytime soon.
5. The Himalayan Kitchen has a lunch buffet.

The only way I will be going back is without Ben. So who wants to go????

My short love affair with Bowie

Not David Bowie. Bowie the dog. Ben has wanted a second dog for a while now. He found one online that he fell in love with so we drove up to Park City to check him out. He is a really cute dog and so sweet. Furburbia does 3 day trials with their dogs which I think is a great idea. So I gave in and brought Bowie home to see how he'd do with Oscar and Finn.

He is great with Finn and Finn loves "Buwee" so much. Bowie and Oscar on the other hand do not get along. Oscar is what you could call a hyper dog. He plays hard, but luckily for us, also sleeps hard at night. Oscar has wanted to play non-stop for two days, but Bowie would rather cuddle on the couch with his new "parents". Anytime Oscar would want to play with him, I think Bowie would feel under attack and Bowie would growl and attack back.

Within these 2 days, Bowie has already become protective of his parents and if he is laying with us and Oscar walks up, he growls at him.

Oscar got up temporarily from "his spot" in bed, and Bowie ran over and curled right up in his spot. Oscar wasn't mad, just kinda walked over to him, and Bowie growled and snapped at him. Second night went a little better, Oscar just laid down by him and didn't give up.

So after 2 days, we've decided to take Bowie back to Furburbia. I have felt bad that we are constantly getting mad at Oscar for "playing". I feel sick to my stomach and very sad about this. He is really good, well mannered dog. Very friendly and cuddly. Just the complete opposite of our crazy dog who is our first priority (after Finn) and the love of our lives.

So if anyone wants a very cute, small, non-shedding dog who is mostly potty trained and absolutely LOVES his humans (including toddlers) meet Bowie, the ChiYorkie.

Home Owners Association

Just in case any of you out there don't know how to pick up after your dog, here are step by step instructions sent to me by my home owners association. I thought it was pretty funny how detailed they got. Really? Is it this complicated? Tip #6 is especially important.

Why pick up your dogs waste???

Diseases found in dog waste that can be passed on to your dog:
Parvo virus, Whip worms, Hookworms, Distemper, Hepatitis, and Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis.

Diseases found in dog waste that can be passed on to you:
Round worms, Tape worms, Giardia, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium.


How to Pick Up Dog Poop

Whether you like it or not, you are responsible for cleaning up after your dog. Not only is the waste not a pretty sight (or smell), but it’s also a breeder of germs and disease. Dog feces plays a significant role in water pollution, especially in cities, and the bacteria that makes its way into streams, lakes and the water table can make people sick. Here are some ways to minimize the unpleasantness of this task.

Steps

1. Take your dog for a walk, Keep them on a leash, and bring a plastic bag for yourself to hold. You could also tie the bag onto the leash.
2. Walk and enjoy the day out, but once the dog stops and smells the ground, be ready start removing the bag from your pocket, and start opening it.
3. Hold the leash with your one hand, as you maneuver the bag with the other. Or, if you are not alone, ask the other person to hold your dog’s leash. Put your hand into the bag, grab the bottom of the bag with your fingers, and pick up the mess on the ground.
4. Use your other hand to pull the top of the bag over your fist, retaining the poop inside the bag.
5. Tie the bag tightly, and dispose of it in the nearest trash receptacle.
6. Continue to enjoy your walk with your dog.
7. Wash your hands thoroughly when you get home.

Tips

1. Always carry more than one bag.
2. Some pet supply stores have doggy bags that are scented. You may want to try some!
3. If you can’t bring yourself to handle the poop, even through a plastic bag, purchase a commercially made “Pooper Scooper”. These usually consist of a handle on the one end of a long arm, with a double-sided shovel on the other end.
4. When picking up with a plastic bag: On Grass, make a claw like circle with your fingers-get as far under the poo as possible, then lift.
5. Plastic grocery bags work great for picking up dog poop. These bags do sometimes have a tear or two, so it helps to use two bags – one inside the other.
6. Holding your breath until you’ve picked up the poop and tied a knot in the bag helps a lot.
7. Assert yourself when you see an irresponsible or unprepared pet owner who fails to pick up their pet’s poop by offering them one of your own extra bags, and if they don’t take the hint Contact the Daybreak Community Association at 801-254-8062 to report the incident.
8. Violators will be immediately assessed a $25.00 Fine per occurrence.

In order to preserve our beautiful parks and open spaces and for you and your pets health, the Association is taking this seriously and violators will be enforced appropriately.