July

Alot happned in the twins 5th month from July to August.  We had so much to do to get ready to build, so much to do to get Dallin registered for pre-school and so little time.  It just flies by.  Joe's back was steadily getting better, but he still couldn't lift more than 10 lbs, or bend over.  So anything with the babies was a no go, besides feedings.  He was able to start helping me with feedings again and that was a life saver!!!  He helped me when he could before, but now he was able to wash the bottles and get them ready.  You have no idea how much this little thing meant to me.  He also started helping me pick up the house with his niffty picker upper thing.  You know?  Those tweezer like things with the long stick attachment you see every person over the age of 70 carrying around?  Yeah, that thing rocks.

In July was pretty much hung out at home a lot and at the beginning of August dared to make a trip to Yellowstone for a week long Hansen family reunion.  More on that later.

 Blake

 Matthew

 The twins were just really coming out of their shell.  Blake was rolling over sometimes and all smiles.  Matthew was starting to really roll around like a ball and was super chunky!  He was more mellow and cranky at times, where Blake was all smiles!!  He is ultra happy baby.  

They both were starting on soft foods.  They didn't take a liking to oatmeal cereal or carrots.  But slowly they are starting to like them.  They are still learning to swallow it, without it all just coming out of their mouth first.

Dallin is changing so much everyday. He started Preschool about a month ago and just loves it.  He is seriously so smart and so endearing.  He loves to make his brothers laugh, loves to play on his slip n slide and loves to make jokes.  Here he is puffing up his cheeks and smashing the air out really quick with his hands to make a funny noise.  He could do this for hours and does (literally) some days.

At the beginning of August we made the brave trip up to Yellowstone.  The 5 hours drive turned into 9 or 10 with twins and a hubby on the mend.  But we made it, two bad blowouts and three melt downs later we arrived in Yellowstone.  It was pretty, but I still love the Grand Tetons the most.  Blake sitting up for the first time on this trip was a highlight for me:)  He could stay in a sitting position without assistance for the first time on August 6th.  He looked soooo big to me in this instance, almost made me cry.

 Joe's mom and dad so graciously gave us their room in the cabin that had an extra little room connected to it for the twins to sleep in.  I do not sleep well with them in my room and the other rooms were just too loud or too far away from us, so they let us have their room.  It worked perfectly.  I think the twins actually slept better there in that little dark room than they ever have!  So nice of them to do this for us, especially since they really didn't have to.

 Grandma Hansen with Matthew

 Blake looking sad.... those eyes get me every time!

 Dallin and his Daddy playing in the loft

 Matthew showing off his "I'm Happy I'm a Hansen"  Onesie.  We all had matching shirts saying this.  Even the twins:) It was super cool.

 We went to a gorgeous river and bridge.  It was breathtakingly green.  Loved to hang out there after attending church with all of Joe's extended family.  It was a great day filled with the Spirit and great views of nature.  So pretty.

 Smily babies.

 The water was ice cold!!! I couldn't keep my feet in it for more than a second.  Mostly because I am allergic, but most importantly because I am a wimp....LOL

 We went to the Grizzly and Wolf Center and saw some awesome bears fighting.  Here Dallin is with his grandpa's binocular's.  He carried those around the entire day.

 My muscly "men".  Showing off their guns!

 We also took a trip up to Mesa Falls.  Gorgeous I tell you.  Simply gorgeous!  I couldn't believe how green and beautiful it was.  It actually has it's own micro-climate containing plants and fungi that only grow in that one part of the state.  Pretty cool.  I felt like I was in Oregon, but in the middle of Idaho!

 Daddy and Blake

 The family.  Minus Dallin's face, who is hiding behind daddy's leg.

My boys:)

It was a great trip, though at times extremely stressful for me, we got through it.  We ended up heading home a day early because problems with our house getting funded were on the brink of making us go crazy and Joe's back was on the fritz.  Nothing like a long trip and a bad back to make Joe really want to go home.  Like a trooper though he made it back home without complaining even though I know his back was just killing him.  As one who doubted just how much pain he was in for so long, witnessing what he has gone through and how much it must hurt, and yet he hardly ever mentions it, I know now that I was wrong about thinking he was ever exaggerating his pain.  I know I could never endure what he has with his back and still have a smile on his face about it all. 

This month was crazy and fun and so worth the work.  We had so much fun watching the twins interact with their cousins and watching the cousins play with Dallin.  We only wish family lived closer so we could see them more and so Dallin could see his "other brothers and sisters" as he calls them.  :)

Great times.