Our Independence Day

We had a great fourth of July!  Sophia and I really got into the red, white, and blue of things.

We went to the parade in Kaysville.  It was hot, but we had a lot of fun!  Sophia did really well, and we kept her cool with a squirt bottle and lots of water to drink.

We hung out with family at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Later on we went to the Kaysville fireworks, which are always awesome!  Sophia didn't get much of a nap during the day, so it was super that she was so calm and happy all night.  I didn't get any pictures at the fireworks, but Sophia was more interested in the glow bracelets I brought than the noise and light in the sky.

It was a GREAT day, and by the end, we were all pooped.

Tim's Accident

So, for those of you who didn't see on Facebook, Tim was in a car accident last Friday.  He's doing really well; he just has a sprained ankle.  We're still waiting for the insurance to decide if they are going to total the truck or repair it.  We are so grateful that Tim is okay and that the Lord looks out for us always.  Pictures of the truck and Tim's pretty bruises are below, if you're interested.  Have a great day!

Childproofing

We finally finished childproofing the main floor a few weeks ago.  Sophia has had such a blast running around her new domain.  And she has found a few new toys!  :)

Such a happy girl!

Columbus, Ohio!

The end of May, we were privileged to to back to Columbus, Ohio to visit Tim's parents.  They are Temple President/Matron there until the end of next year.  Sophia did really well on all the plane rides, and we even got comments after the first flight that people didn't know there was a baby on board.  It was so awesome to spend time with Tim's parents, and Sophia got really good at saying, "Papa."  She will even say it now when she sees a picture of him.  Tim was nauseous most of the time from the humidity, a sinus infection, and just the travel.  He was a good sport, though, and came along to everything.

We went to some of the historic sites in Kirtland, which was really fun.

We also stopped by Lake Erie and let Sophia put her feet in the sand and water.  She wasn't entirely sure what to think of it.

And we got to see the Kirtland Temple.  (we weren't allowed to take pictures inside)

We drove to Indiana to visit with some more of Tim's family, which was a blast!

And we went to the conservatory to see the butterfly exhibit.  Sophia really liked trying to grab them.  ;)

One landed on TIm's leg.

We got to visit the temple where Tim's parents work.  It's a beautiful little temple.

We had a lot of fun and can't wait to see them again soon!  :)

And the winner is ...

Daniela Tapia!  Congratulations!  

You are the winner of the Bright Starts Giveaway!

Be on the lookout for an email from me to collect your shipping information for Bright Starts to get you your prize.  

Thanks to everyone who entered!  :)  If you would like to purchase this toy, it is available through Amazon.com, Toys R Us, Target, and Walmart.

**If I don't receive a response by Wednesday, June 13, 2012 a new winner will be selected.**

Bright Starts Having a Ball Pop and Roll Roadster

We were chosen to review one of Bright Starts' new products from their Having a Ball line of toys: the Pop and Roll Roadster!

Our little girl was so excited for a new toy!  She waited impatiently while Dad put it together.

It only required a small amount of assembly: popping in a couple of pieces, screwing together the gear shift, and putting in the batteries.

It came with three balls, which are designed to look like animals, though it doesn't really show up in the picture.

You just pop the balls in the hole in the "steering" wheel (it doesn't actually turn):

Then you can watch them move around in the hood:

Then you pull on the gear shift, and a ball pops out the front license plate!

It really is an ingenious toy!  Sophia loves it!!  There are so many wonderful sounds for her to enjoy.  She can push two buttons on the dash to get horn noises, car noises, and music; the gear shift makes sounds when pulled, and the balls trigger noises and music when they are dropped into the hole.  I love that the buttons are big and easy to push.  We have a few toys where the buttons are too difficult for her to manage on her own, so I have to push them for her, but these buttons are just perfect for her little hands.

She especially loves the music, and will push buttons until the music plays for her to "dance" to.

Being as small as she is, she can't quite reach the floor to propel it forward on her own, but she has a blast sitting on it and letting me push her around.

And she likes pushing buttons and playing with the balls.

My 10-year old brother even liked this toy when he came to visit!  :)

She will have to grow a little to fully enjoy this toy on her own, but it has already become a favorite.  There are only a couple of small cons to this toy:

-it doesn't come with batteries (but it only takes two AA)

-there is no on/off switch, so there's no way to stop the noise if you have a little button pusher and are annoyed by the constant sounds  (This didn't really bother me.  I think the sounds are cute, not too loud, and varied enough not to be monotonous.)

Overall, I love this toy, and so does Sophia.  I'm excited for her to get a little bigger, so she can handle it on her own.  It will be a much-used, much-loved toy in our house!

And the best part of all??  You could win one of these adorable, fun cars for your own little one!  Use the entry widget below to enter by "liking" Bright Starts on Facebook.  You can also receive an additional entry by "following" @BrightStarts on Twitter.  This giveaway starts May 24, 2012 at 12:01 am EST, and ends June 7, 2012 at 12:01 am EST.  The winner will be announced June 9, 2012.  Good luck!

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