Hershey Park and train rides

Last week end we went to PA to visit Hershey Park and to go on a train ride. We left Friday night to drive up to PA. We stayed in Strasburg Pa at a Marriot (my parents wanted to stay in Hershey but all of the hotels were booked). Iain rode all the kiddie rides at the Park that he could go on. I've never seen my little boy have so much fun riding the kiddie rides he didn't want to get off. He would ask to get in line again just so he could continue to ride them. My parents and I wear he out so that he crashed in the stroller. So my parents and I walked around the park so that he could get a nap. We also went to chocolate world and bought chocolate and some other gifts for Iain and family. The next day we went on a train ride but before the train ride we went to a toy train museums. I was impressed by the shire number of toy trains that there are out there. Iain and my dad were in heaven while we were there. After we left the toy train museum we went to the train station to board our train. Iain's little face just lit up like a Christmas tree and his beautiful blue eyes got so big when he realized that Gram, Pop Pop, and Mommy were taking him on a real train. We had lunch on the train. Iain gave our tickets to the conductor. I was so excited that he was telling every one that would listen that he was on a choo-choo train. He loved to hear the train whistle and would laugh in delight whenever he heard it. There was a photographer that came around and let Iain wear a conductors hat for our picture. After we disembarked from the train we went to the train museum across the street. At that museum there were interactive stations that kids could actually try out how to shovel coal into the fire box, push buttons on the dash board of a train, and make the whistle sound off. After riding the train and playing at the museum he crashed on the drive back to my parents house.

Made it to VA...And the angels I meet on the way...

Well I woke up at 3:15am to finish last minute packing before we headed to the airport. I woke Iain up at 3:30am so that he could wake up Grandpa. We got on our way at quarter till 4am. Iain and I got to the airport at quarter after 4am. I was able to get through TSA rather quickly. There was a lady right behind me in line while we were in line with TSA who helped me get everything out of my carry ons and folding the stroller. I'm so grateful for the angels that Heavenly Father sends to me in places like this. Iain and I got to our gate with 45minutes to spare. While we were on the breeze way (well at the end of it) I was trying to get the stroller folded up so I could get Iain and I on the plane so we could get some seats. But I was struggling with folding the stroller and Iain was making a bee line for the door of the plane. One of the co-pilots saw what was happening and asked me if I thought Iain would like to see the cockpit. I told him that Iain would love that and that would make his day. I asked him if I should wait for him, the gentleman said that they would bring him to me at my sit. One of the stewardess's brought Iain back to me and about 5minutes later the co-pilot came up to me and said that this was a bit unorthodox but he took some pictures of Iain on his phone and would like my e-mail and/or number so he could send them to me, but he was unsure if he could get them to send because he had just gotten his phone and was unsure how it worked. I of cause gave him the information that he asked for. (And after we landed I got 2 text messages from a number I didn't know but it was 2 pictures of Iain sitting in the cockpit. I was thrilled that this man was willing to one take a little boy into the cockpit while I finished folding the stroller and two was thoughtful enough to take pictures of a little boy how was over the moon to be flying on a plane and send them to his mother as a sweet reminder of his excitement to be flying. Iain was bouncing in his seat the entire time and claiming all over me (pretty sure I'm going to have more busies on my hips and legs. It's not the first time and I know it won't be the last). We landed at Midway airport and had an 1.5 hours till we boarded our connecting plane to IAD. I changed Iain out of his pjs and into comfortable clothes and his harness (child leash) just so I wouldn't lose him in the airport (my boy knows how to get out of his seatbelt in the stroller). During this leg of our flight Iain watched Disney's Peter Pan and stayed in his seat the entire time. (Oh did I say that Iain had yet to fall a sleep). After we landed we headed to baggage claim. We passed Trace Atkins (way cool and no I didn't stop and get a picture but he said hi to Iain and told me Iain was a cute little boy. And that just made my day. I'm going to count that as another angel). I saw my brother PJ, we than got my suitcases and headed out to my mom. Iain fall a sleep in the van. So we drove around a little bit. Mom wanted to show me the new buildings on GMU's campus. Holy moly there is so much new construction on campus it doesn't look the same to me.

All Domestic and stuff...

So earlier this week I decided that I wanted to make home made jam. I have never canned in my life. I thought that it would be so hard but in truth it was quite easy. I made 14 jars of strawberry freezer jam to take with us when we move to Texas in July. I had all these strawberries left over but I didn't want to have my freezer totally full of freezer jam. So I made shelf jam. You have to cook it than while it is still hot you ladle the liquid into the jars. So I made 5 pint mason jars of strawberry jam and 3 pint mason jars of cherry jam. That's a total of 22 jars of jam. I want to make pear,orange marmalade jams, and salsa. Any one have recipes for any of those. So how knew that I was this domestic.

Oh yeah, Iain has croup. So this is fun. We are leaving for VA on Tuesday. So of cause he would get sick so close to us flying out of town. Hopefully he will be all better by the time we leave on Tuesday. I don't want to fly with a sick little boy.

Update...Its been a while I know.

Lets see... Where to start.

• I know it's June already and I haven't been heard from in over a month. Life has been hectic to say the least.
• First off, Julie (my sister-in-law) got married to her sweetheart, Dusty, on May 15th, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple for time and all eternity. Brian and I couldn't be happier for the both of them.
• The day we flow out from Denver. We stayed up all night packing and cleaning. I checked my e-mail it from the US Airways. And it said that our flight was leaving on time at 6am. But at midnight Brian got a text from them sating it was leaving at 6:58am. So we deiced to leave a little later than our original 4:30am (we left at 5:30am). Well since they delayed our flight getting through checking was a nightmare. The employees were splitting all the passengers into two lines, all the passengers that were supposed to be on the flight that was originally leaving at 6am were in one line and everyone else in the other. The other line was moving alot faster than ours (and there plane wasn't taking off till 9:30am and ours was leaving at 7:15am).We found out that the reason for our flight being delayed was for a mandatory layover for the pilots, total crap if you ask me. Well by the time we got up to the check in counter we decided to check both of our bags to make it easier to get through TSA. (Our second bag at the extra formula and food for Iain in it. So checking it wasn't made easily. but we knew it would make it a ton easier to get to our gate). It took us an hour and 45 minutes to get to check in and get our boarding passes. Than it took us till 7am to get through TSA. And all we had was a back pack and diaper bag (while a stroller too) but there were so many people that were trying to get to their gates. After we were through with TSA it took us 10minutes to get to our gate (and that was only because we ran the whole way). When we got to our gate the employee asked us if we were 'Mr. & Mrs. Bott', we said that we were we than asked if we could please board. She said no we could not. Because the plane was about to take off. We could still see people on the gangplank (breeze way). She didn't give us an explanation as to way we couldn't board just the answer of no. I was in tears at this point that I just broke down right there. Brian went to see if he could get us on another flight and I called my mom. I told her we couldn't get on our flight (also told about the e-mail, phone call, and text that we had gotten and everything that had happened at check in). My mom wasn't to happy with what had happened but was glad that Brian was trying to get us on another flight. All in all that day was a day I hope never to repeat.

My baby is turning into a Toddler

This is a bit late but while we were still in VA, the Sunday, before Thanksgiving, Iain learned to pull himself to up. Iain had only been crawling for about 2 1/2 weeks, and now he is trying to clime on the furniture and go up the stairs. Did I forget to mention that the next day he turned 7months old. He pulls himself up on everything now, seriously nothing stops him (well except Grandma Marlene because she doesn't want to see him fall). My sweet baby is into everything all the time. Iain thinks its a game to find new ways to get to the DVDs and Wii games, which are his favorite. The Sunday, after Thanksgiving, Nov.29th, we went to visit Leslie and Chris at their house. Iain was standing between Leslie's legs, (you know when you're siting on the couch and you stick your legs out in front of you and let the baby stand up on their own without killing your arms from holding them up), Iain decided to walk down to her legs and when he got to her feet he looked back at us and than took 4 running steps pasted her feet, than fall on his butt. Iain was so very proud of himself, but Leslie, Chris, Brian, and I were all shocked that he did that. Yet another reason I say that we are in trouble. Iain is doing things so fast and so early. On the teething front...Iain is working on his third tooth but his first top one.

Made it to VA

The plane part of our trip was uneventful. Iain was a dream for the flight. He slept for take off, both of them, and aafter he wake up, all he wanted to do was talk to everyone and bounce on Momma. The people that we sat next to said he was a dream and so good. They would love to sit by more babies that were like him. One gentalman said that he was a very intellent little boy by the way he was trying to figure out how to open the object he was holding. and the fact that he was stacking some of his toys on the tray in front of his. When we landed in DC he asked if he could carry one of my carryons to bagage claim. I ahad the stroller adn car sit at the front of the plane so he didn't have to carry it too far. But it was vey kind of him to offer a complet stranger help. At bagage claim, we were surprised by my Dad. I thought that I would have to call them and than wait till they got there. But I was glad that. Dad took the stroller and was talking to Iain and playing with him the entire time I was trying to figure out why my suitecase wasn't on the convarerbelt. The employies of the airport had moved it to an office beacuse I had taken to long to get out there to claim it after our plane landed. (Sorry for having to change a daiper). But I found it and we went out side to wait for my mom. My parents are so excited to see us, but most of all they are just excited to see Iain. He is the real reason that they are excited. I would be ecited too if I were them. I know they love me and want me here for Thanksgiving but he's their grandson and he's the first. After we got to the house PJ wanted to hold Iain. And Iain loves his uncle PJ. My Momma made hwer beef stew, which I love and we had dinner. Iain was so wirered and so excited that we let him play with the toys thst Poppop and Gram (my parents want to be call that) got for him to play with. But Iain was more interested in the dogs and their toys. (Who knew). Neither dog would have anything to do with him at that moment. We than got him ready for bed and he fall asleep and I wan't to far behind him. Ar 3am, Iain wake up scared beacuse he didn't reconize the moblie above him, so I picked him up and brought him to bed with me. And we slept till 8:30am. (Which if you know Iain is unheard of. If wakes up at 6:30 and wants to play). Friday, November 20th, Allie and Mallory came by to visit for a little while. We took some great pictures. My dad called his parents to see if they wanted to go out to dinner with us. They said yes of course. So after Allie and Mallory left, we drove to the Macoroni Grill at Fairfax Corner. Iain was such a ham most of the night. First of all my dad held him in his lap while we were ordering our meal, feeding Iain bread, which he loves, I guess dad wasn't giving him bread fast enough so Iain grabs the slice that dad was holding and stuffs his month. (It was so funny). If you have ever been to the Maccoroni Grill, you know that there is an employee that sings, Iain couldn't take his eyes off of her. He loves all types of music. My grandparents got the biggest kick out of him. They love his cheeks and all the faces that Iain makes. Basicly they are just in love with their great-grandson (now they want a great-grand daughter, beacuse my parents want a grand daughter now too. I have told them not for a little while and there is no gerentee that the next baby we have will be a girl, so be happy with Mister Iain). After dinner we came back home and Iain stayed up playing with Poppop till 10minutes to midnight. I'll post more about our first couple of days in VA later on, little man is a wake.