Memorial Day

I just love holiday weekends- and this was a perfect one! Saturday we spent the day working in the yard mostly and trying to get the pool all ready to open for our Monday BBQ/Pool Party. Chase is a great helper in the yard. My mom bought him his own tools- or tootles as he calls them. Chase worked diligently along side us digging holes and helping to plant flowers and water them. The kid loves the watering can. Ben and I are really hoping that this work ethic continues through his teenage years when it's actually helpful! Saturday night we went with my parents to a wedding reception for a gal in the ward. For the first time, I left Hudson with a babysitter! (Who wasn't his grandparent) Jenna Franks is babysitter extraordinaire! We love her, Chase especially loves her, and she's the only real babysitter I've ever left him with. Apparently at one point Hudson got fussy and Jenna was holding him and trying to calm him down. Chase ran out of the room and came back with my nursing cover, which he handed to Jenna saying "Here!" Obviously the nursing cover wasn't much help to Jenna, but I love Chase's thought process! He knows what we do to make Hudson happy!

Sunday after church we went up to the Ogden Cemetery to put flowers on my grandparents graves. My mom's parents both died a long time ago. They were wonderful people and it was great to remember them. I was explaining to Chase that they weren't here anymore, that they live in heaven now. He asked where heaven was, and I told him that means they live with Jesus now. Sweet Chase kept repeating, "They're in heaven. They are with Jesus." I love the sweetness of little ones!

 Monday morning we spent getting the pool ready. We were all pretty ready for a refreshing swim. It wasn't super warm, but my dad decided to put aside his inner Scrooge and heat the pool (just this once, he says). It was like bathtub water! We took Hudson for his first swim! I thought he looked so cute in his little swim suit here with my beautiful mom!

 Chase warmed right up to the idea of swimming again and luckily likes his new life jacket!

 We had the Franks, Petersens and Newbolds over for a BBQ and swimming. Here is Chase with Jenna, his beloved babysitter and her little brother Sam. Chase loves both of them and they kept him so entertained the whole time!

 Huds didn't last too long in the pool, although he was a good sport for a good half hour. Then he got all nice and dry and snuggled up with Unky Nate who came home this weekend!

 With our dinner guests:

Ben, Dan and Morgan Newbold (Kate's brother and wife), Kate

and Will, Nate and Chase-

 who is too interested in the brownie on Nate's plate to look at the camera

 My mom, and the rest of the Franks family- 

Sam, Cori, Aaron, Jenna, Nanni and Bompa (Aaron's parents) and Shaylee

 My dad with Huds, Marly and Kelly Petersen and 

Bruce and Lisa Newbold (Kate's parents)

 After dinner the braver, more cold-tolerant ones went back into the pool. Of course, Chase could not let this opportunity pass him by! He had a blast playing in the water with his super uncle. Will and Ben helped Chase jump off the board over and over again (Ben was out of the water helping him get up, Will caught him in the pool) This picture doesn't show it, but he was grinning from ear to ear!

After the party was cleaned up and most of the guests left, we settled down in the basement with Will, Kate and Nate to watch Sherlock- a seriously addicting show Nate now has us hooked on. I stayed up way too late for someone who has to get up multiple times a night to feed a baby- but it was worth it. It was such a fun weekend!