September Birthdays!

September and February are always busy months with back to back birthdays in the family. February Natalie (Johann's sister) and I celebrate our birthdays and in September Bryan (Natalie's husband) and Johann celebrate theirs.

First we celebrated Bryan's birthday on the 4th with pizza, presents, pass the pigs and cake.

"Party Central"

Henry giving Uncle Bryan some birthday love

Probably Bryan's favorite gift of the night: two tickets to see Blink 182 compliments of his great wife Natalie.

Birthday victory achieved.


Twelve days later we celebrated Johann's birthday with dinner, presents, green cake and Beatles Rock Band:

Johanns Birthday morning discovery

I told him to look surprised...I think he was mocking me.

After Johann got home from school we took some time to go play at the park.

Johann requested a green birthday cake and so I made one. He said it kind of looked like a goosebumps cake.

Bryan and Natalie at Red Robin for Johann's birthday dinner

Birthday boy and family

Henry is a regular Beatle huh?

Bryan got an Ethier shirt and Johann got a Pierre one so now they can be matchy matchy. Tender.

If the guitar was turned around he would have looked like he was rocking pretty hard.

Celebrating birthdays are great! Hopefully Bryan and Johann enjoyed them thoroughly, I know I am thoroughly glad to have been able to celebrate them together!

Since we've been in Utah

Before school started for Johann we decided to take Henry for his first trip to Temple Square:

Pioneer log cabin

Church History museum, Johann is napping in one of the beds from a boat that brought converts from England to America.

I don't know if this area has existed for long in the museum but they now have a childrens section. Henry LOVED it. Above he is in the nursery play area.

Having fun in the rocking chair

Touching a part of President Hinckley's walnut tree

Henry the Shepard. He really liked his robe and kept it on the majority of the time he was there.

Walking the straight and narrow path.

He really liked carrying around the "River of Filthy Water" sign...

Henry giving a conference talk

A display of all that President Hinckley has done.

Salt Lake Temple

Henry slapping me in the face while trying to take a picture in front of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building...motherhood is always so tender...haha.

Reflection pond

We've been enjoying morning walks, Henry is all ready to go!

Henry is ready to head to school

Really back at BYU and embracing it.

Highlights from the Summer I

Fathers Day. Three generations of Simonds.

Having a backyard was definitely a highlight. Henry loved his swing!

Fourth of July. Henry finally tried some watermelon and loved it. Above he's crying for yet another piece.

Excited to be at the LA Zoo.

Zoo with Grammy, waiting for the tram.

Who wants a churro?

LA Zoo

Norton Simon Museum gardens. I managed to get chided by the security for multiple infractions, this surprisingly was not one of them

Polish honey cake that Lena taught me how to make. I made it for our family friend's return from a mission to Poland.

Golden Gate Park

Met up with Lev and Lena at Golden Gate Park.

Inside the Flower Conservatory.

Henry's first merry-go-round ride on Pier 39.

Visiting family in San Franciso. Henry got to meet my cousin's son, Gavin.

Henry and Gavin playing at a water park.

Perhaps my favorite place we visited this summer: San Juan Capistrano Mission. It was beautiful.

More of the mission

Mission

With Grandpa and Abuela

Really, I am making sure to go again next summer.

The whole group

Henry giving my cousin, Briana's daughter Isabella a hug.

Briana's older daughter Tessa and Henry

We went to San Diego to visit my Uncle Jim and when we were getting into the cars to head to dinner, Henry ran to Uncle Jim's miata and jumped right in.