Kate

What a great time of year to have a new baby!  I was a little nervous to have a baby around Christmas, but it was so nice to be able to stay home and enjoy it all!  Kate is such a great baby! She never cries (unless she's in her car seat), and she has started to smile a little.  I have to admit that I am a bit addicted to her.  Travis always tells me that I need to put her down, but I feel much better when I am holding her.  I also need to admit that I found myself smelling her socks the other day... is that the sickest thing you've ever heard?  I wonder if they make a support group for people like me?  Check out this picture and judge for yourself if you'd be able to resist?

Our Little Angel

I wanted to post some more pictures of Kate.  She is such an angel, if I do say so myself!  I just can't believe that she is 10 days old already :(  She is a really good baby, and as you can see, we all adore her!

Tyler has been the one to surprise me.  I am glad to see that an 8 year old boy can have such a tender heart.  There is obviously a bond between Kate and Tyler already and I am so grateful that she has an older brother that will always look after her.  

Emily is a good little mother.  She has been such a great helper.  She loves to help give her a bath and is always right there with a diaper when I need it.  She says that Kate looks just like her (even though I think she looks a bit like Gavin), and cried the other night because she thinks Kate is growing too fast (I wonder where she hears that???)

I must admit that I was a little nervous about Gavin, but he has been really good (knock on wood!)  He loves to hold her for about 30 seconds and then moves on to something else.  He likes to talk t0 her, but always says the same thing... "Hey, Kate!" or "Hey Baby!"

Our new arrival

We finally had the baby!!!  Kate was born (rather quickly) at 8:59 p.m. on December 8.  My water broke at 8:00 p.m., and we didn't get to the hospital until 8:30.  Lucky for us that we made it to the hospital in time (not in time for an epidural though)!!!  She weighed in at 8 lbs. 13 oz., and was 21" long.  She is such a sweet baby and we are truly blessed to have her as part of our family.

The Name Game

Well, our baby girl will be born in 15 days, and we still don't have any ideas for names.  We went out with some friends on Saturday night, and it was suggested that I take an online poll (thanks for the great idea Blake!!!).  Anyway, if any of you have any great baby girl names, send them our way!  Any ideas will be VERY helpful!

Yummy Sugar!!!

I found Gavin in the pantry today.  He had figured out how to open my big bucket of sugar and was eating it by the tablespoonful.  Thank goodness it wasn't as big of a mess as it could have been!  When I asked him what he was doing, he said "Yummy sugar"!  However, he was a little disappointed when I didn't want to sample it.

Napoleon Dynamite!

Travis has a new nickname for Gavin.  He has started calling him Napoleon.  Since it snowed a couple of weeks ago, he has been insisting on wearing his snow boots day AND night.  I only hope that when I take him out in public, people will understand that some things are just NOT worth the fight!!!

I asked Gavin to go get dressed this morning while I was in the shower.  I had to laugh when I came out to find him dressed like this!!!  He was so proud of himself!

Yes... he even sleeps in them!

I FINALLY got a haircut!

So I finally did it!  I chopped my hair off.  I have been wanting to do it for months now, but had finally had it and went through with it.  When I got home, Gavin looked and me and said "what happened mommy?" He says that he likes it better short, but Tyler and Emily don't.  A few years ago this really would have bothered me, but it feels so much better!!!  It was also really nice to wake up this morning, tossle it a little bit and call it good.  If any of you are contemplating it, GO FOR IT!!!

Halloween Night

Tyler isn't one for dressing up.  The wig was stretching it for this year. He didn't even want to wear baseball pants to complete his outfit. However, notice the fabulous pumpkin! He figures he went to over 100 houses and was very worn out by the end of the night!  Maybe that's because he "forgot" to wear socks!!!

Emily wanted to be Jasmine this year.  Thank goodness I chose to buy her costume instead of making it because on Halloween night, she changed her mind.  She decided to be Sleeping Beauty (last year's costume).  She was in such a hurry to get out trick or treating, I didn't get a decent picture of her in her costume.  Emily got tired about 1/2 way through and had to hitch a ride home with some friends.  She had a great time sorting and counting her candy.

Gavin's costume was truly fitting for him since he can be a little monster. He LOVED his costume and had lots of fun scaring everyone around him.  He wouldn't answer to Gavin, only Stitch.  He was very excited to go trick or treating.  He went to our next door neighbors and took several treats from the bowl and thought that he was done.  He was in for a surprise when he discovered that every house had treats for him. He didn't make it to very many houses, but he had just as much fun answering the door and filling his bag with treats from our own house.

Carving the Pumpkins

Tyler did a great job on his pumpkin this year.  He was really grossed out scooping it out, but he spent over two hours putting the finishing touches on it.  I was really surprised how patient he was.

Emily didn't hestitate to dig right in.  She wanted to do everything by herself, including the carving which made me REALLY nervous!

Gavin was interested just long enough for me to take this picture, then he was off and playing with his cousins!

Happy Birthday Emily!

Emily had her 6th birthday yesterday.  Unfortunately for her, it wasn't very happy.  She was coughing Wednesday night, so I kept her home from school.  It all went downhill from there.  Her cough got really bad and she began gasping for air.  I took her into the doctor and found out that she has pneumonia.  I felt so bad when I tucked her into bed and told her happy birthday, because it wasn't.  She tried to put on a happy face, but she didn't even feel like eating her birthday cake.  She is doing a little bit better today, so we will celebrate again when she feels up to it :(

Gavin's first horse ride

Travis went hunting yesterday so we went up to his parents to wait for him to get home.  As Grandpa Paul was unloading the horse trailer, he grabbed Gavin and put him on one of the horses.  He had so much fun!  He kept saying "Mama, Gavin's riding a horse!"  It was so cute!

Poor Emily

We were cleaning the house this morning and I gave the kids the task of taking on their own rooms.  Tyler did pretty good, however, Emily put up quite a fight.  After about an hour of whining and complaining without me giving in, she came in and said "Mom, I am just really disappointed in you".  Poor little girl!!!

Black Island Farms

We went to Black Island Farms Friday and had such a great time!  Here's some pictures from our day!

Tyler loved the big tube slide.  He doesn't usually show much emotion so it was really fun for me to see such a big smile on his face.  Don't get me wrong, he is a really happy kid, but he is usually pretty serious about things.  He also had a great time shooting the paintball guns.

This is Gavin's latest smile when taking a picture.  Every time we try to take a picture of him, this is what he does.  Gavin loved the animals.  He is still talking about the chickens and goats.  The first thing he said to me this morning was "I want to go to the farm".

Emily's favorite part of the day was the animal train.  She would ride the train, get off, and get right back on again.  She must have ridden it 20 times.

My favorite part was the pig races.  They were hilarious!!!  The little green pig won every time!  We had such a fun day, but we were all exhausted by the time we got home.

Gavin

Gavin was tagged.  Here are 5 things you may not know:

1.  Gavin is very mischievious.  

I am sure that most of you know this from reading my blogs.  He cannot be left alone even for a minute!  He simply can't be trusted.  I had to leave him with Travis yesterday before Travis got the opportunity to shower.  He asked me "What am I supposed to do with him while I shower?"  I had to giggle a little bit when I thought of the mess that Travis would have to deal with.  I often wonder what runs through Gavin's head and how he thinks of half of the things that he does.  I found a perfect quote from Walt Disney that sums Gavin up well. "When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do."  AND HE DOES!!!

2.  Gavin is always happy.  

He is smiling from the moment he wakes up to the minute he goes to bed.  He loves people and is very friendly.  He is very hard to discipline when he looks at you with a huge smile on his face.  I think his sweetness is what makes some of our days bearable!

3.  He loves to play outside.  

He has already figured out the deadbolt and child locks that we have put on the front door.  If I turn my back for even a second, he bolts.  My neighbor has brought him back twice.  One of those times, Gavin went and knocked on her door, and told her he was hungry.  She took him into the house, gave him some crackers, and brought him back home before I even realized that he was gone.  Mother of the year???  Thank goodness for good, honest neighbors.  Thanks Carrie!!!  

4.  He adores his brother and sister.  

He is constantly imitating the things that they say and do.  I can't believe how fast he has grown up.  The boys share a room and we are getting ready to move Tyler into his own room.  I know that Gavin will struggle with him gone.  He has a hard time going to sleep until Tyler is in the room with him.  It is so much fun to hear them in the bedroom talking and giggling.

5.  He is quite a little daredevil.

You really have to be alert with Gavin around.  He jumps off tables when you're not really paying attention, just hoping to be caught.  He jumps from the coffee table to the couch and loves to ride his bike no hands down our slanted driveway.  I am quite surprised that we haven't had a serious injury yet with him.  I guess it's just a matter of time.  He sure keeps me on my toes!

Once again, I could go on and on.  It's sooo easy for me to talk about my kids since I think they are each so wonderful...  

Gavin, you are such a special kid.  You have such a great personality.  I can't imagine how dull my days would be without you.  I love your sense of humor and the fact that you are so adventurous.  You are truly the happiest boy I have ever seen and I hope that you always stay that way!

I tag:

Lexie

Kaden

Brooklyn

(I think all of our other blogging friends have been tagged!)

Emily

Emily was tagged!  Here are 5 things about her that you may not have known:

1.  Emily loves to cook.

Emily is often found in the kitchen mixing up all sorts of creations.  Her favorite thing to make is scrambled eggs and she is actually really good. She loves to please her family by cooking for them (especially her dad). She even washes her dishes when she's done!

2. Emily has a FUN personality.

If I could only pick one word to describe Emily, it would be FUN!!!  She is often very silly and has a great sense of humor.  The best thing about her sense of humor is that she doesn't really realize that she is being funny.  A quick story... we had her in dancing lessons, which I was sure that she would absolutely love, being a princess and all.  After her first dance recital, she told me she didn't like dancing.  I asked her why and she said that she would rather take boxing lessons instead!

3.  Emily is very talented.

Emily is successful in everything she does.  Things just seem to come naturally to her.  She played soccer again this year and had improved dramatically since last spring.  She is very fast and coordinated and made quite a few goals.  She did great in T-ball and could often hit it from the pitcher instead of the tee.  She loves to sing and dance (as long as it's not in a dance class), and can't wait to take tumbling lessons. She has been riding a bike without training wheels since she was three and loves to ride her scooter.  She is a great student and is already learning to read.  

4.  Emily is pretty accident prone.

When Emily was three, she fell running up our driveway and knocked her front two teeth out.  I think that it was the worst day in my life.  A couple of years later, she tripped over her shoelaces and knocked them out again.  We have to watch what she eats very carefully, because if they fall out again, they are STAYING OUT!!!

5.  Emily is very sweet and caring.

Emily is such a big help to me.  She has learned to change Gavin's wet diapers and is quite a little mother to him.  She is very excited for the new baby to be born, and can't wait to have a baby sister!   

I could go on and on about Emily.  She is so much fun to be around and all those who know her absolutely adore her.   Emily, I love you very much!   I couldn't ask for a better daughter.  I am so proud of you and know that you will accomplish many great things!

I tag:

Brookelyn W.

Bryson S.

Kaydee B.

Kenzie B.

Megan C.

The 8's

Since I am always the one to take pictures, I don't have many with me in them.  I was hesitant to include a picture, but since Gavin is with me, I guess it's OK.

8 SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH:

• CSI
  
• CSI New York
  
• Survivor (my VERY favorite!)
  
• 24

These are the only shows I watch unless you count Sesame Street, Go Diego Go or Curious George.

8 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:

• The Spaghetti Factory
  
• Javier's
  
• The Greenery
  
• David's Kitchen
  
• Union Grill
• La Ferrovia
• The Timbermine
• Piccolo Brothers

8 THINGS THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY:

Yesterday was such a lazy day, and Travis was sick, so this is what I did:

• Baked cookies with the kids
• Played games with the kids
• Went on a walk/bike ride
• Watched conference
• Took a nap
• Colored with Emily
• Read my book
• Enjoyed a bubble bath

8 THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO:

• The birth of our baby girl
  
• Preparing to run a relay marathon with my friends in May
  
• Finishing our basement
  
• Painting our house
  
• Fitting into decent clothing
• Fall weather
• Camping next spring
• Losing 30 pounds!

8 THINGS ON MY WISHLIST:

• A healthy baby girl
• New running shoes
  
• A germ-free winter
• A happy family
• To be caught up on my housework
• A family vacation
• Successful kids

I TAG:

• Brooke
  
• Cally
  
• Jamie
• Lisa
  
• Lori

I'm supposed to tag 8, but I don't have many blogging friends.  If any of you are reading this, you really should start blogging!

Tyler

Tyler got tagged in a game of "Kiddo Tag".  What a fun thing!  Once you're tagged, you're are supposed to tell 5 things about that person that others may not have known.  

1.  Tyler is SUPER smart.  Sometimes it is a frightening thing for me.  I'm afraid that he's already smarter than I am and he's only in the third grade.  He is reading on a fifth grade level and doing really well in school.  His mind is very practical and analytical.  Sometimes people ask me what I've done to help him... believe me, it's all him!

2.  Tyler's dream is to play in the NFL one day.  It makes me feel like a bad mom every year when he begs to sign up for football.  I keep telling him next year for sure!!!  I worry because he is pretty small and really not an aggressive kid.  It makes me really nervous to think of him out on the football field.  I did find a flag football league in Clearfield which I'll probably let him play in next year.

3.  He is a very patient brother.  Especially with Gavin.  The boys share a room and Gavin is really good at destroying all Tyler's Lego creations.  He never complains and is always very helpful.

4.  Tyler loves the outdoors.  Anything from football to baseball, soccer, running, biking and fishing.  He loves to camp and shoot his BB gun.  He is definately an outdoor kid.  He completed his first mile race in May in under 11 minutes.  I am confident he could have finished faster, but I kept telling him to pace himself.  He is anxious to run again next spring.

5.  Tyler is very caring and compassionate.  He honestly cares about those around him and is very easy to get along with.  I think that's why he has so many friends.

Tyler, you are such a great kid.  You have so many talents and endless potential.  We love you so much and I am very lucky to have you as my son!!!

I tag: 

Spencer B.

Cody B.

Ryan S.

Brynnley W.

Jensen Pond

We went to Jensen Pond today to feed the ducks.  The kids had so much fun!  The ducks were very well fed, as there were only 12 of them who got to share an entire loaf of bread.  The most memorable thing about today is I finally got Gavin to wear a hat AND look at the camera.  I was so excited to finally get a picture of his face that I took 38 pictures of him in the hour that we were there!  I love watching my kids have so much fun and hope that they always enjoy the simple pleasures in life. 

FYI

Just in case anyone was wondering what takes blue and green Sharpie off of a computer screen... Clorox wipes and LOTS of scrubbing.  Gavin strikes again!

Back to School!

School started today!  I am not sure if it was harder sending a third grader or a kindergartner.  I can't believe how fast they have grown. They looked so cute in their new clothes with fresh haircuts.  

We made sweetrolls last night to eat for breakfast this morning (Way fun!  Could be the start of a new tradition).  They had a great time packing their backpacks and choosing just the right outfit for the first day.  Tyler had an especially hard time deciding which navy blue shirt to wear (every shirt he chose was a navy blue t-shirt with some kind of ball on it).  They were very anxious to wake up this morning and get off to school!

Emily only went to kindergarten for 1 hour, and she doesn't go back until next week.  I imagine that is when the tears will start!

What a Day!!!

We were getting ready to go have some fun today when Tyler frantically came running screaming that Gavin was in trouble.  I rushed to see what was wrong and found bright pink (almost red) fingernail polish all over the family room floor.  I started cleaning it up and realized that he was pretty quiet.  I found him on my bathroom counter spreading hand soap all over the mirror.  For sanity's sake, I had to leave the mess and GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!

Today made me remember a day about a month ago.  Travis was at his meetings and we were going camping the next day.  The kids were in the house playing as I was in and out trying to get the trailer packed.  I was probably busy for about 15 minutes.  When I came to check on things, this is what I found.... Gavin had taken a bottle of baby lotion and dumped it all over the floor, a bottle of Desitin was smeared up and down the walls (have you ever tried to clean up Desitin? What a mess!). He had taken all the popsicles and ice cream sandwiches from the freezer and they had melted all over the La-Z-Boy.  And my personal favorite, he filled the bathroom sink with 1/2 bottle of shampoo and toilet paper, clogged the drain, and turned the water on.  By the time I found it, the sink had overflowed, the bathroom floor was covered in water (and bubbles) and the drawers had both filled with water.  I didn't even know where to start with the mess.  I amazed myself that I was able to keep my cool.  I've said it before... someday I am sure that I will find this funny!

That Famous Preston Night Rodeo!

We had a blast during our annual trip to Preston, Idaho. We attended the rodeo 2 nights, went to the sidewalk sale and the parade where the kids filled three big grocery bags full of candy. Emily and I got to see the bus driver from Napoleon Dynamite and she thought that was really something special!  We had such a great time and made lots of memories!

Tyler spent lots of time playing with Legos.  I wonder why things are so much funner at Grandma's house?  His highlight of the trip was when he got to ride with Uncle John in the big water truck to water down the rodeo grounds.  He thought that was pretty neat, and I am sure that it was an experience that he will never forget!

Gavin is still talking about Waldo the steer.  This picture is kind of funny because when I took it I didn't realize that he was kneeling in manure! GROSS!!!  Somehow he survived.  I guess what I don't know won't hurt me!

I was surprised when Emily didn't hesitate to pet the horses.  She had a blast spending time with her cousins that she doesn't get to see often enough.  She cried for two days after we got home because she missed Bailey so much!

Bridger Lake

Our family went camping last week at Bridger Lake.  We had such a good time. It was great to get away from all the daily distractions and spend time together as a family.  We spent lots of time biking, fishing, throwing rocks into the lake and playing games together.  We had lots of yummy dutch oven cooking, and our favorite part, smores by the fire.  

I am fairly confident that Travis' favorite part of the trip was his daily afternoon nap with Gavin.

Tyler learned to bait his own hook this year.  He was really grossed out at first, but by the end of the trip, he was an old pro!

Emily loved riding her bike around the lake and tossing rocks onto the lily pads.  On the first day, she outfished Travis and the boys!  

One morning as we were fishing, Gavin was particularly stubborn.  He insisted on holding his own fishing pole.  Travis finally gave in and figured it would be easier to replace a broken pole than to fight him over it.  Travis would cast his line out and Gavin would reel it in as fast as he possibly could.  Gavin started saying "Daddy, fish!  Daddy, fish!"  Travis glanced over to see a fish flopping around on the bank.  He had actually hooked his own fish and reeled it in all by himself.  We were all so proud!

Funny Emily!!!

I wanted to add one more thing today before I forgot.  Emily and I were reviewing her letters and sounds today (we haven't been very good this summer).  We got to letter C and she couldn't remember what sound it made.  I told her I'd give her a clue, so I turned the flashcard over to reveal a cat.  She didn't hesitate before saying "Meow, Meow".  It was hilarious.  It still makes me laugh!!!

While the cat's away...

We had TONS of fun this week.  Travis went fishing with his dad and brothers, so the kids and I decided that we needed a week to play too.  We took a trip to the zoo, went swimming, watched movies, picnics, parks, pizza and ice cream, rode bikes, played with cousins and friends, late nights (mornings too), and we topped it all off with popcorn and snacks in my bed.  I guess I shouldn't make it so much fun when dad leaves.... when is your next fishing trip Travis?

Our trip to Hogle Zoo

We really enjoyed our trip to the zoo.  The kids had a blast!  I had a hard time getting any decent pictures of Gavin because he wouldn't turn his head away from the animals long enough for me to snap a photo.  Gavin loved the "dragonraffes" (giraffes), and snakes, but he was most fascinated by the big, fat, ugly, toxic toad.  What a typical boy!  Tyler loved the snakes, lizards and penguins, and Emily was especially excited that she was almost as tall as an orangutan.  No trip to the zoo is complete without seeing the gorillas eat their poop - now that's a nice thing for the children to witness.

Baby Girl

We found out this week that we are having a baby girl.  Everyone is excited!  Emily's reaction was so fun!  She squealed for joy and hugged my tummy.  Later on she was jumping up and down shouting "A baby girl, a baby girl".  Gavin quickly joined in with her, although I am sure he has no idea what that means.  I am due on December 15 and am feeling really good.

Gavin

Gavin turned 2 the end of March.  He is very mischievous, and Travis often calls him "Taz".  I found him on the kitchen table today and before I could help him off, he jumped into my arms saying "I trust Mama".  We have our hands full with him!  Despite his curiosity, he is truly the sweetest baby I have ever seen.  He constantly has a smile on his face and loves everyone he meets.  He loves to play soccer and baseball, go for rides in his wagon, and is obsessed with cars.

Emily

Emily is 5 years old. She is ready to start school next month and is very excited! Emily is very outgoing and has lots of friends. She loves to swim, dance, ride bikes, and play sports. She likes to play outside and help me take care of Gavin.  Emily is a huge fan of Hannah Montana, High School Musical and the Jonas Brothers.  She is a sweet little girl and is definitely full of life!

Tyler

Tyler is 8 years old now.  He is such a good boy.  He loves to read, play sports (especially football), and ride bikes with his friends.  He enjoys running and completed his first mile run in May.  I got to run with him and was so proud when he finished in under 12 minutes!  His favorite thing to do is shoot his BB gun, and he has become an accurate shooter!  He is a good student, and succeeds in everything he does.  He is very patient and loving and is a great big brother.