Summer Sno-Cone

First of all, I have a question.

Where oh where did my baby boy go? Where oh where could he be?



Who is this guy in new denim jeans,



and a red and blue striped hood-ie?


Seriously, I put this outfit on Luke and he immediately went from my little baby to my little boy.

A day or so later, I received this sweet sentiment in the mail from a friend. And so began a weekend of sniffling.

"Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow, for babies grow up we learn to our sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep...I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep!"

And when I read that, my mind shot to a comment my mother left on my sister's blog this summer. When I read it then, I cried. When I thought of it again, I cried. I cry a lot.

She said, "I know I'm missing the hassle part, but cherish the days---in no time you will be living on memories and videos."

And then President Monson's talk on Sunday morning of Conference was the nail in the coffin. I couldn't help but cry as he spoke. I would link his talk here, but the text is not available yet. Conference in general was wonderful to me. I didn't hear everything, of course, but I felt like I heard more than usual. I can't wait to read the talks.

Little Luke loved the music the best. Whenever a song would begin, he would run right over to the TV, mesmerized. On Sunday, during the congregational hymn, he started waving his arm around with the conductor.

It just seems like over and over again I am getting the feeling and reminder to enjoy every second of this season of our life, even if things don't seem that enjoyable sometimes. Every time I turn around, there is another little nudge, that reminds me that this time is precious.

This weekend, besides crying, we went to the county fair. It was alright, but now I am stoked to go to the State Fair next weekend.



Everyone's favorite part was the animals, I think.



Luke was very excited by the baby chicks.


But if he could have his way, he would walk anywhere and everywhere with no regard to time or person.



We paid $2 for a teeny little unidentifiable stuffed animal. He is currently living as a puppy named "Puff".




Luke had time to contemplate some of his deepest thoughts



while Ava rode the girly goose and snail ride, which went only slightly faster than real snails.



We couldn't leave without a pony ride. It was Ava's first and she loved it.



At one point she was as lopsided as her sunglasses but this nice guy came along and helped her stay on board.




We paid a visit to the horses.




Dan took Ava in the haunted house to her horror. Luckily, she was comforted by a cool treat on that hot day.




And I realized that when I look back on these days with my children, I will probably find that the time passed like the ice in our quickly melting sno-cone.