The Thatcher Life: Festivities

Sawyer

Whenever Sawyer crawls his way into my bed in the early morning hours, he now asks to "look piiiictuures?" and then very specifically, "Pa Steve? Tratsher." He gets so excited when I show him and he tells me all about the picture, his dad, Papa Steve, the tractor and how the baby (Sawyer) is sad. Often when we watch a show together Sawyer will lay in front of me, or across my lap, on his belly and then reach around and point to his back and ask, "Be soft?" which means that he wants me to tickle and rub his back. I drove the boys by the Cedar City temple so I could see the progress that had been made and, ever since, Sawyer asks to "go find temple" every single day. So we go. Because his excitement is just so endearing. He squeals and points out the car window, "Temple!" with a big grin on his face and then asks to turn around so he can see it again. His excitement made me decide to get three open house tickets so that we can bring him along. Fingers crossed it goes relatively smoothly.

Dawson

Dawson got his last monthly post here because he hit the one year mark which is just so crazy. He's been a more willful, tough baby than Sawyer was and sometimes the days dragged, but then all of the sudden he's one and I'm over here like, "What?"

Dillon

Dillon wrapped up his fall softball with his men's team. I didn't make it to any of his games because they were usually at, or after, Dawson's self-determined bed time and it just wasn't worth it to me to drag an ornery baby to the ball fields. But Dillon and I were talking about the team one night and discovered that I know most of his teammates and/or their wives. In fact, there are a couple of the guys that would have no idea who I am..but I know who they are because I'm friends with their wives on social media. So funny. So awkward.

Dillon is now fully immersed in all things football. He's in three fantasy football leagues, a weekly football pool at work, his Madden games, and watching the NFL. I'm going to admit here that football season is not my fave. Not that Dillon is one of those neglectful husbands during the season, not at all. I just find it exhausting that there about fifty games a week that, apparently, need to be scrutinized and discussed to the very last detail by seemingly everyone. It's just not my thing. So I'm glad Dillon has people that he can talk to about it.

Dillon is really digging his new work schedule and you can just tell that he physically feels better because he's able to rest more and isn't bone-tired all the time. Still so grateful for his work related changes and how they've blessed us.

DaNae

I was able to glean a surprising amount from General Conference considering our two children were conscious for most of it. I wrote down some things that stood out to me and need to put them somewhere besides for a page from Sawyer's coloring book so..1. Service is SO important. It doesn't always needs to be on a big scale or far reaching. Serve those close to us. 2. What makes you think you go...(to church, the temple, activities) for what YOU get out of it? Sometimes you are there to help OTHERS with what they need. 3. Families have eternal purpose 4. Gender has eternal purpose 5. We each have divine assignments in this life. We need to live in a way to be able to complete them. 6. Be consistent and persistent in following prophetic counsel. 7. Read the Book of Mormon.

After such an uplifting weekend it was terrible to wake up to the news of the Las Vegas shooting. Sometimes I think there's a disconnect even as we read about terrible tragedies. It's sad but, now what? One of the survivors had a video from the shooting she had taken on her phone. I decided to watch it and while there wasn't any graphic content directly in her video, she was clearly terrified. It hurt to watch and listen to her voice. And it was amazing how a group rallied around her to help her because she had been attending the concert alone and didn't have anyone to turn to. It brought me to tears and I absolutely wish everyone could watch that video. It makes it more real and personal and human.

Dillon and I decided that week that our date night would be attending a blood drive in our town that was only a couple days after the shooting. We weren't certain that our donations would go to Vegas, but knew they would help someone in need. While we were there, one of the workers told us that, in fact, all the donations from that drive were going straight to Las Vegas. That was a cool moment.

I finally bit the bullet and trimmed Dawson's hair. It was getting weirdly poofy and I kept bouncing back and forth because we have family pictures coming up, and I didn't want to botch his hair. But it turned out fine. That very first haircut is all I ever dare do myself because their hair is still so thin and fine that mistakes aren't very obvious. After that, I leave it to the professionals.

Sawyer's daily requested picture to view

Their position for most of conference.

Swinging between conference sessions.

Outside time in the pleasant fall weather.

Our latest FHE activity, a family craft. Tree by Dillon, Ghosts by the boys' feet, all the other basics by me.

We got invited to little Sam and Ellie's birthday party. The hats were a hit for Sawyer.

As was the frosting for both boys

Party favors!

This cute boy and his love for hats.

Some serious movie watching in the early, early morning before Dawson woke up.

He has worn that hat every day since the party. So funny!

On Dawson's actual birthday we did a sucker run to Boomer's because Dawson has a serious, deep-abiding love for suckers

My parents took Sawyer to a Cedar High football game and said that he had a blast running around, totally oblivious to the adults trying to walk around his craziness. And that he tried to play with all of the kids and, apparently, did a pretty good job of invading their personal space. Also, the hat.

We went to the "Haunted Homestead" which was a fun little family night put on at the local town museum. They had different stations with crafts, activities, and candy. Sawyer had a blast. And Dawson enjoyed being held for an hour straight.

His ghost that we made together.

Sitting in the BIG tractor.

Sucker, so he's happy.

We spent last Saturday hanging with our friends Dan and Amy and their cute kiddos. Our first stop was the Apple Fest in New Harmony...

He didn't get to actually ride the bull because he's too little but sitting on it was the next best thing until he had a meltdown because he got HANGRY, which is a very real thing for this boy.

Then we did Texas Roadhouse and ate way too much...

Cute baby friends Dawson and Ellie.

And we finished it off with a visit to the Staheli Family Farm...

We had to wake both boys up from their naps and Sawyer just needed some Dad cuddles to come out of his sleepiness.

I think if we had let him, he would have spent the entire time in this corn pit.

Rubber duck racing.

Some help from Sam.

Heaven for this jumping boy of mine.

He got TICKED when his group's time was up and he had to get off. In fact, he would get so immersed in every activity that he would get so mad when we would make him move on, until he discovered that the next thing was fun too.

The best swings.

Giant slide.

Hayride. Sawyer kept trying to get the driver to talk to him because he thought the guy was his Papa Steve. He kept saying, "Pa Steve! Hi buddy!" but would get no response since, you know, the guy's name wasn't Steve.

We threw a little party for Dawson's birthday and it had a monster theme. Because Dawson is our (favorite) little diva/monster baby. Kidding Daws! We love you. It just worked because his birthday is the same month as Halloween.

Monster cupcakes. Definitely hired out. I have no patience for baking.

Monster suckers.

All ready to party in his monster onesie.

He surprised me with how into opening presents he was. The gift bags were definitely his favorite. He liked to pull the paper out and chuck it behind him to get to the toy inside.