Here's our update this week. We've been swimming and playing and nursing our baby dolls. It's been HOT and we feel like we're running out of indoor activities (okay, maybe just me!). Let's see...Paul and I played a musical number in Church a few Sundays ago. Paul is amazing at the piano. I'd really like to just sit and listen to him play every day, but we're not sure our neighbors would like it if we bought a piano. We don't enjoy their 4am DDR rehearsals, but whatever! Aislee and Olivia had come-a-parts when we went up, so we spent the rest of Sunday trying to calm them down and reassure them that we weren't going anywhere. So much for independence...we've got separation anxiety like nobody's business! Ewan is teething. He's getting his two bottom in this week. Other than rosy cheeks and a drippy nose, he's as pleasant as ever! He's starting to figure out that I may be somewhat important and gets a little nervous when I leave the room, but he seems to warm up to most people. I'm hoping to run the Cedar City Half-Marathon in September with my dad. I'm into my third week of real training and ran 7 miles today. Since I was up at 4:45am, I decided that we were going to go on a picnic for breakfast. I packed Bagels, yogurt, Kix, and milk, woke everyone up around 7:25am, and headed out the door. It was 90 by 8am. We got pretty warm playing at the park, and we were ready to come home by 8:30. Sorry, no pictures. That was something I forgot with all my packing! Blast!
Well, here are the latest pics.

Olivia has joined in with the nursing of the baby doll. Could this be a peek of the future? I hear twins usually have babies due around the same time. That'd be neat!

Ewan's new swimsuit and swim shirt.

Yes, I was splashing them. It was hot! I was trying to help!

Paul told me to smile.

Breakfast at the Burkinshaw household

Yogurt! YUMM-O

They walk better in my heels than I do!

I told you, they do this a lot!

Something new

Well, I am trying something new. I usually do huge posts with lots of pictures every once in a while. I'm going to try to do smaller posts, more frequently. The kids are all napping, and I am just sitting here, left to think...about life. Today is my oldest sister's birthday. Megan would have been thirty today. I don't normally use this blog as a sounding board. But, I miss her. She was a very good wife and mother and sister. While living in Alabama for school, I would drive to Chattanooga almost every weekend to be with her. Being so far away from my mom was hard, and Megan had always been my second mother. I miss that. Now that I'm a mother with three kids (two girls and a boy, just like she had), it's hard not to want to call her for advice and recipe exchanges. It's hard for life to seem like it has moved on, especially on days like today. Since her passing, I've gotten married, become a mother, and moved away from my immediate family. There are days when I feel alone and tired as a mom and want to call her and ask how she did it (how do you get them to eat? how do you discipline? will they ever stop saying NO?). Being a mom is hard, but it's easier when you have a kind husband who encourages you on the days you feel inadequate and reminds you that you're still learning and so are they. I am grateful for Paul and for his listening ear, smiling face, and positive attitude. I am grateful for my sister Arianne, my sister-in-law Mary, my mother-in-law Stacey, and my mom for helping me be a mother and being good examples. I am also grateful for a wonderful father-in-law Jeff and a wonderful Daddy. Much of this probably does not make sense to anyone but me, but that's okay. This is something new. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.
Now, on to the pictures! Shall we...!

Ewan is sitting...well, sorta. New trick!

I can't wait for him to be able to eat what the girls eat so I don't have to rescue him from the fallen piece of cereal!

These are new pajamas! I think they're probably the cutest pajamas ever (Target). It's getting warmer (104 today!) and the girls needed shorts with their pajamas. They've also discovered YOGURT! YUMMO

He's just happy. Not really a new thing, but it's a nice thing!

Ewan tries to pull himself up from this position. He's got some killer abs under all that...

A different shot of the pajamas, and Paul. Isn't he handsome!?!

Summer time and the livin's easy...!

We are surviving our second summer here in Tucson. It's HOT, but it's not too bad. We like going to the pool, eating Popsicle, and taking walks in the evenings. We look forward to the fall and winter!

I was trying to get a picture of all three of them in the tub that didn't show too much. This was the best I could do with them moving around so much!

Aislee's bed-head

He's rolling over in the tub now. He loves it!

On our way to the pool.

Yellow popsicles stain! These are slow-melting ones with a little bit of gelatin. Would not suggest for anyone else. They stain.

Olivia with her purple popsicle.

We go for drives to get out of the house. By 8am it's like 85 and too hot for us to go to the park. They have to have shoes on and their hair done.

Tired! oh, they were tired!

Aislee thinks she's the mom sometimes.

We watch a movie while we wind down from the day after dinner and baths. I think this was the Heffalump movie. Right now, we like UP.

Paul throwing Olivia.

Pretty good shot, I must say so.

Ewan floating away.

I'm neither as strong or as brave as Paul. Aislee doesn't mind!

Still floating around.

Swimming after their duck and frog.

Oh the day they'll be more independent...!

Aislee

Olivia

I've been trying new hair styles, besides a pony tail.

It works if I can get them to sit long enough.

Just watching our evening movie.

Kissing owies.

Just my happy kid.

Aislee the hair dresser

Secrets...!

Braids

Kisses

Olivia

Before church

Our hike up Sabino Canyon. It was a nice morning, so we decided to take a hike up the canyon. The road is paved and there's a trolley that takes people up and back, but we decided to walk it. We didn't go the whole way. It's 3.7 miles up. I'd like to run it before I do the half-marathon in September.

Olivia taking her turn in the stroller with Ewan.

Aislee on daddy's shoulders

Aislee taking her turn with Ewan.

Olivia on daddy's shoulders.

a little late is better than never...

Yes, I know. I promised another post. We got a little busy with life. Sorry 'bout that. So, we went to Utah for a week to see Uncle Joel off to the MTC. He will be serving in Tokyo, Japan for the next two years. We also wanted to see some grandparents and meet cousins we hadn't met yet, (Azure and Rou). We had a pretty uneventful drive, until we got to Page, AZ. I had just finished my turn at driving and was pulling into the gas station. We had driven through a pretty windy part and the girls had had a little too much milk, I think. I stopped the car and Olivia exploded! Poor Paul! We were making great time, but this little event put us on hold for an hour and a half while we cleaned her up, sprayed off her seat at the car wash, and bought some towels and new dresses. She felt much better. We made it to Cedar City Friday afternoon and played in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard with the Uncles. (oh, to have a backyard...!) We spent the weekend in Cedar City taking family pictures, playing in Grandma's sandbox, eating lots of yummy food, and enjoying family. Monday afternoon, we headed to Provo/Salt Lake to see Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Matt who kindly let us crash at their place. They even let Paul and I go to the Salt Lake Temple on Tuesday morning. It was really neat. I had never been to a live session. We also got to be the witness couple. We relaxed with Matt and Chelsea, visited Grandma and Grandpa Burkinshaw, and then headed to Provo to say " Sayanora" to Joel and see Grandma Stevens, and Karma and Hal. We had a good visit, shed a few tears, and gave lots of hugs. The kids did pretty well. They had sad moments when they thought Arianne was "Mommy", and she left, Luke the dog ran them over, and when they were told they couldn't thrown the sand out of the box. But, we had a good time and are looking forward to seeing family again, soon. (that means we expect a visit!) Ewan did really well in the car. He keeps himself entertained and sleeps most of the time. I forgot to take my camera to most of the places we went, but here are a few pictures.