Growing Good Golfers

SNUBA

2012-01-28T17:03:00.000-08:00

We learned in Maui that there is a thing called snuba. It is kind of a cross between snorkeling and scuba and since I have always loved snorkeling and wanted to try scuba (if I wasn't so afraid of it), this was the perfect cross. I went out with the boys and although they didn't go very far under the water, I went down about 20 feet. It was really cool and I was proud of myself for trying it! Plus, we got to see wonderful fish and turtles and have great pictures to show from it! The boys say that this was their favorite part of the trip too.

Hawaii Part 2

2012-01-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

Well, the last part of our trip was a blast. We snorkeled, swam at the pool, went and did snuba and enjoyed the sun! Alright, Billy did save a little girl in the pool and I lost my license, but since both of those turned out alright, it didn't damper the trip at all.

Hawaii Part 1

2012-01-17T22:52:00.000-08:00

The first half of our Hawaii trip is already over! We had a wonderful first day that we spent at Baby Beach. Then when we got back to our condo, we spent a few more hours playing at the pool. Perfect! Well, Monday was another story. First one boy started throwing up and a few hours later, the other joined. So, a day in Hawaii not spent enjoying much of anything-bummer. Today, though, the boys were better again and we had fun playing at the pool, going out to dinner and having shaved ice. Billy just got the sickness in the last few hours, and I'm crossing my fingers that as the last remaining person who has not thrown up in the family, that maybe it will miss me! Looking forward to the rest of our week.

First Haircut...So Serious

2012-01-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over already, but it was a great one! The boys were excited with everything they received (even underwear). Besides the trampoline fiasco, everything went wonderfully. I'm already excited for next year! Merry Christmas.

Basketball

2011-12-29T12:48:00.000-08:00

I Can't Believe He Is 8!

2011-12-22T18:03:00.000-08:00

Well, my baby just turned 8. It is amazing how fast those past 8 years have gone. For some reason, 8 just sounds old. Maybe it's knowing that I'm already almost 1/2 way done raising him. Or maybe I just feel older knowing that I have an 8-year-old!We had a great time celebrating his birthday. From his surprise bedroom makeover to the family party to a movie with the boys to his friend party. So much fun!

SANTA!

2011-12-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

Christmas Tree

2011-12-11T13:05:00.001-08:00

My favorite season has started...Christmas! Last weekend we went and picked out our Christmas tree. It was a little cold, but since we always have hot chocolate at the end, it was all good. The decorating with 3 kids going in each direction was a little hectic, but with Christmas music blaring, we had a great time.

My girl and me

2011-11-29T22:25:00.001-08:00

Our answer to prayer

2011-11-20T19:36:00.001-08:00

Our answer to prayer about a new kitty didn't come exactly the way I had prayed for it to come, but it did come, and in an even better way! After we had to return our previous kitty to the found owner that we only had for 5 days, the kids and I were really sad. I just didn't think that we would find one that was so mellow and so sweet. I prayed that God would just have another wonderful one show up on our front doorstep. Instead, he lead me to the place where my friend from high school is a veterinarian. When I realized she worked there, it was a great "coincidence". I had just seen her at my reunion in August and knew she was a veterinarian for cats, but didn't realize where she worked. When I got to the cat adoption place and saw her picture on the screen in the entrance, I was amazed. After seeing her, she told us about some foster kittens she had and we decided to take a look. When we went, my son loved the littlest brown/tan kitten, a girl, named Mary. He said he wanted that one and wanted to name her Olive. (I had told my friend that my son really had wanted an orange male kitty, but that I cared more about the personality). That night we were also going to go look at another set of foster kittens, but it was another 30 minutes away, and since he was happy, we decided not to go. Then, about a week later after taking a class, I checked my phone. I had a voicemail, an email and a text from my friend. She was certain that she had found the perfect kitty for our family (it was from the other foster home that we had not gone to visit the other night)! I explained the situation to my son that night and he wanted to go check out the new kitten, even though he already had a different one picked out. The next day, we met the sweet kitty, and of course, he came home with us. AND, yes, he was an orange male kitty! We named him Oliver, since Olive was a girl's name. He has turned out to be even better than Sam. He is so mellow. The kids carry him around with them whereever they go. He even tolerates the 2-year-old antics! I love that everything came together so well after the disappointment of just a few weeks earlier! What a blessing.

Soccer Season

2011-11-20T19:24:00.001-08:00

Well, soccer has come to a close and we have moved onto basketball. I really loved watching the boys play soccer this year. I was amazed at how much better D has gotten since just last year. He has so much energy and quickness and runs all over the field. He can kick the ball a LONG way and has a good sense of the game. He did score some goals this year, but only did it when I was not at his game-turkey! O's first year of soccer was also a blast. He is fearless and surprised us with his soccer skills. He was able to score a goal in almost every game, which was fun to watch. These young years of sports to me are just so much fun!

Birthday Boy turns 6

2011-11-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know how my sweet boy is already 6 years old, but he is. We had a great birthday celebration at Scotty's playhouse with many great friends. I got to go to his class and bring treats to celebrate. And, we went to a movie on his actual birthday! I'm so impressed how well he is doing in school this year as a big kindergartener! He amazes me everyday and I am so happy to be his mommy.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T20:21:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year and all the fun activities that go along with it. This weekend we had a great time going to the pumpkin patch. Since we waited until the last minute, I'm sure glad that the weather held out!

Arizona

2011-10-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

3 nights away + 100 degree weather + time alone with my hubby = priceless

When we planned our little getaway 2 months earlier, we had no idea how wonderful the weather would turn out when we got to Phoenix. It was wonderful. Except maybe the fact that I did get attacked by a jumping cactus while golfing the first day. If you have never heard of them, they do literally "jump" to stick to you with barbs that stick in your skin. When they are in your skin in multiple directions, the way to get them out is with a comb. I know, didn't make sense to me at first either. But, it worked, and it hurt! Now, 2 weeks later I have a weird rash where the cactus attached to me. I am assuming from the barbs. But, other than that little incident, a perfect break!

SAM

2011-10-12T10:14:00.001-07:00

So, this is our kitty that we had for 5 days. My son has been wanting one for quite a while and saving up money for either a tortoise or a kitty. A friend of mine called and said she found an abandoned kitty in her neighborhood that no one had claimed. She said it was the sweetest kitty and did we want it. We went over that evening and instantly fell in love. After swinging by petco and my son spending his own money on litter box, food, litter, scratching post, etc., the kitty came home with us. He was such a sweetheart. He let the kids push him in the stroller, carry him around in backpacks and snuggle with him while watching tv. Then, 5 days later, we get a call that a sign went up in his old neighborhood for a lost kitty belonging to a 9-year-old girl. I was so sad as I called to see if our Sam might belong to her. It was even sadder as I walked in to tell my son while he was snuggled with the kitty on the couch, that he no longer belonged to us. I cried with him as I told him. We got a good last hour with our kitty before the owners came and picked him up. My son was so brave as he said goodbye and so mature as he understood that if we lost a kitty we would want someone to call us. I was very proud of him, but it also broke my heart. I prayed that God would just have a sweet kitty come to our front door. He didn't do that, but instead when I went to visit a cat adoption place a couple of days later, I found out the veterinarian there was a good friend of mine from high school. We are now on the hunt for a wonderful kitty to come and join our household with the help of my friend.

August Beach Trip

2011-10-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

A very fun time for all as the whole clan got together for several nights at the beach before heading back to school for the fall.

1st day of school

2011-09-07T19:23:00.001-07:00

My Big 2nd Grader and Kindergartener

First day of school was a big success! Although my second grader wanted me to stay all day, my kindergartener told me I had to leave! Both were very happy after the day was over!

20th High School Reunion-Really?

2011-08-14T21:39:00.001-07:00

How did it get to be 20 years since I graduated from high school so quickly. I worked all year with 5 other gals to organize our celebration. At our meetings, we had fun catching up with each other and everyone else as we perused the yearbook. After all the planning, we finally got to enjoy the events this past weekend. And it was really fun! We had a great group of people show up at the various events and it was great to catch up with everyone. Can't wait for the next 10 years(or 5, if someone else plans it)!

Montana

2011-08-14T21:24:00.001-07:00

We had a great week in Montana. We golfed, went to the water park, went to a lake, camped by the pond (the boys anyway), jumped on the trampeline and played with Libby (the dog). We also enjoyed seeing Billy's high school friends while we celebrated his 20th high school reunion.

Black Butte

2011-07-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to take a trip. I look forward to it for weeks and sometimes months ahead of time. Unfortunately, there are some things I can't control. I can't control the weather (it definitely could have been warmer) and I can't control the health of my children (one sat around a good majority of the trip sick). But, the important part is that we spent time together and I have to appreciate the fact that I got to spend a little extra quality time with my healthy middle child alone. Something that middle children don't always get to enjoy. Also, on the trip, I was able to go out to dinner with my wonderful husband and enjoy some alone time for our 15th wedding anniversary. So, with all of that, I will look back on the good and try to forget the uncontrollable...

TORNADO TURNS TWO!

2011-07-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

So, my little sweetpea turned 2! I can't believe how fast the last 2 years have gone. She has grown up so much into her own little person. She is busy and independent. She is cute and funny. She is loving and lovable. She has an infectious laugh. With her speed, she always keeps us on our toes. We are so blessed to have her in our lives.
To celebrate the occassion, we had a bouncy castle at the house and friends and family over to celebrate. I loved the way K said, "Happy, Happy" each time we opened gifts or had some cake. She really got into the swing of a birthday party quickly. The day was perfect and we loved celebrating her wonderful first 2 years of life!

Baseball

2011-06-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

This baseball season was so much fun. Not only did Billy get to coach, but both boys got to play! It was just a great group of kids and parents and I so enjoyed going to all the games. O had a great way of reaching his hands out when he was safe on a base and even though he was 2 years younger than most of the team, he really held his own. D learned how to really whallop the ball into outfield. K decided she was just part of the team and sat with the boys while they were waiting to hit!

Kah nee ta

2011-06-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

We took a little trip to Kah-nee-ta after school got out for the year to celebrate. It's always great to get away with the family and spend some quality time together. We swam for hours at the warm pool. K loved the kids slide and went down so many times I can't count. She was a little pushy when the other kids in line slowed her progress, but being the littlest, she seemed to get a way with it. We came home exhausted, but happy for the time away together.

My Preschool Graduate!

2011-06-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Well, O is now officially a kindergartener! I can't believe how fast the time is going by. He's had such a great experience in preschool and I look forward to watching him grow! We are so proud of him.

Gardening

2011-06-03T13:46:00.001-07:00

Well, we got our garden in last weekend and since then have had nothing but rain. But, today, the sun is out and hopefully everything will start to grow. We even got some help from the kiddos!

EASTER!

2011-04-24T16:05:00.001-07:00

Phoenix

2011-03-26T12:29:00.001-07:00

We had such a wonderful vacation to Phoenix over Spring Break! Besides the sun, which was wonderful, we just had a great time hanging out as a family! The place we stayed had a great water park, where we spent hours! It's so great having the 2 boys swimming. I still feel like I need to be near them, but not necessarily holding on to them anymore. The kiddie area had a great 1 1/2 foot pool for the little one to play in and we actually got to rest in lounge chairs at times. Billy took the boys to a spring training game one afternoon, while the girls napped! The funny thing was that he may have tried to explain the whole autograph thing to the boys before going. At one point, D was crying because he didn't have any autographs, and then he was crying a minute later because he couldn't read the autograph he did get. Oh, the memories! We also went as a family to another game. Unfortunately, that was the one cold day and we didn't last too long at the game, but the boys did get a lot of autographs! I'm already trying to come up with a plan for next Spring Break!

Snow, Snow, Snow

2011-03-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

The snow came this year on the day that I was leaving on a girls weekend to Phoenix. It made for a hectic morning, but I always love the snow and had to try to enjoy it a little. Of course, the biggest boy had a great time!

And, he's reading!

2011-02-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

My first grader is in a TWI program right now learning Spanish mainly with some English thrown in. I was getting worried that he was getting too far behind in learning to read in English, so in the fall, I bought a book called Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons. I decided that since I was going to work on it with my first-grader, why not also go through it with my preschooler. I mean, it did say EASY! Well, the short story is that for 4 months I have been working on it and have made it through 44 lessons with both boys. I am quite sure I would not have the patience to home school my children and with that being said, it was a long 44 lessons so far. The other night, we decided to let D try reading some books to see if it was paying off. And to my delight, he did AWESOME! The look of pure joy on his face as he actually was able to read me a book made all the extra gray hair worth it! There actually isn't any gray hair yet, but that is surprising! The following night, we put the 2 boys in bed together and let the older one help the younger one, and once again, success. So, as I finish the final 56 lessons (it may take all year), I just need to remember these moments of joy!

Oregon Coast in January!

2011-01-30T18:55:00.000-08:00

Wow, when we planned a weekend on the Oregon Coast, we couldn't have asked for better weather. Mid 50s with no breeze. The kids had a great time playing in the sand, and yes, the cold water. They ran all over the beach and built sandcastles and trenches. At the hotel, we swam and swam in the pool. Even the littlest loved the pool with her life jacket and wings. What a great weekend away.

1/1/11

2011-01-01T23:24:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

Christmas Fun Continued...

2010-12-26T12:42:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was just so much fun. I think the excitement from the boys was contagious! The day before Christmas, D decided to write Santa a letter(apparently Santa gets mail quickly). To top off the list of requests was an elf as a pet. We gently tried to explain to him that he could have an elf as a friend, but not as a pet. He insisted he could have him as a pet. I so wanted to save the letter, but he labeled it with Santa and rode his bike to the mailbox and it was gone. I hardly slept at all the night before Christmas and first thing in the morning, D informed me that he had heard the reindeer and seen Santa's red suit. The opening of gifts and the morning was perfect. On our way to my parents to see the whole clan, D told me that, "everyone will be excited to see me because I have ALL the Christmas Spirit". Yes, I think he did. The dinner with the 18 of us was crazy fun and we came home exhausted. D's favorite gift was his Robot (art robot) and favorite part of the day was "hanging out with you". He knows how to complete my day. O's favorite gift was his movie and nails and favorite part of the day was Nemma giving him gifts. I'd have to say, one of my favorite Christmas's ever!!!

Christmas Fun!

2010-12-22T20:50:00.000-08:00

There are so many fun activities that come with Christmas time! Here are some of our activities and fun, including finding our Xmas tree, Santa visits (that the littlest wasn't so excited about) and school programs!

Really?!?!

2010-12-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

So, Billy was out of the house with my oldest and this is how the evening went...
First, O wasn't feeling so good, so while I was giving K a bath, he was laying on the bathroom floor. A couple minutes into the bath, I realize that K pooped in the bathtub. I rush to get her and the toys out before they are contaminated and while doing so, K runs away naked, slips on the bathroom floor and cuts her lip. All the while while attending to the bleeding and checking the teeth, I am thinking to myself, "I really need to get that poop out of my jetted tub, before it spreads out and ends up in the jets!" So, once again, K runs away naked while I grab the poop out of the bathtub. I then rush to find her hoping that she hasn't also peed all over the floor. Luckily nothing, but she makes it very difficult for me to get her diaper and jammies on. Ok, that done, I am going to help O with reading. After a few minutes, I realize that K is missing again and that the door to the stairs that is always closed is open. I rush to the stairs to see her precariously teetering on the top step with the tape roll from scrapbooking all over her hand. I grab her, bring her back downstairs and close the door. Ok, O, I can't help you right now. Since K has found the books, how about we read? No, she's just too busy getting ALL the books out of the shelf. Maybe it's time to get her ready for bed, but there aren't any bottles to be found. Probably in the car with Billy. Well then, a milk sippy will do. As I'm reading to O again, I look up to see K dumping her milk all over the floor behind the Xmas tree and down the vent. Time for bed, of course, after I clean up the floor and the vent with its little nooks and crannies. I'm not sure why I tried to brush her teeth on the way to bed except that I feel like that's my job, but you can guess how well that went...Finally snuggled up in the rocking chair and able to breath a sigh of relief. Poor O left to fend for himself in the meantime. Usually K points to her bed after a little snuggle time to signal that she's ready, but tonight as I try to lay her in bed, she cries and points to the rocking chair. I guess since she has been in charge this evening, I will snuggle a little longer. Her saving grace, as she falls to sleep in my arms is those sweet cheeks and perfectly innocent face!

Boys Birthday Party

2010-12-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

The boys shared their birthday party today. They spent about an hour decorating their cakes this morning in anticipation of the big event. It was a great success with pizza, cake, presents, friends and fun. The question I always have is...Why am I so tired afterwards?

The Kids I Love

2010-12-01T18:34:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving!

2010-11-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun Thanksgiving this year. We spent the time at Great Wolf Lodge with my sister and her family. The kids were in heaven with the water park, water slides and especially the wave pool. They spent hours swimming and playing. They had a great time seeing their cousins. And, although it was chaotic for the adults, just seeing the joy on the kids faces was worth it. If you ever want to see pure joy, it's a 1-year-old sliding down a water slide! She was as happy as can be and then joyfully had her older brother walk her back around to do it again. I love seeing the relationships of my children together start to develop and grow. Although we all came home exhausted, it will be a wonderful memory. Happy Thanksgiving!

Dedication

2010-11-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

Today, we had baby girl's dedication at church. She wasn't so sure what was happening and why she was being tortured and had to wear a dress, but she looked precious! Just love that girl!

I'm 5!!!

2010-11-14T17:04:00.000-08:00

Hot Chocolate, brownies, Phineas & Ferb snacks and grapes! Need I say more?

Field Trip to the Zoo

2010-11-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to get to join my son for a field trip to the zoo. The weather forecast was somewhat iffy, but we ended up enjoying very pleasant weather. The bus ride went well and we had a great time sprinting from animal to animal. A great time spent together and with friends!

Halloween!

2010-11-05T13:12:00.001-07:00

We had so much fun on Halloween. The weather was perfect. The kids were cute. The youngest wasn't thrilled about the whole getting dressed up idea, but she was a trooper. We had friends over for pizza before trick-or-treating and then we were off on a sprint to get candy! The boys ran from house to house and in the end, sold all their candy to me for $10 each. I'm glad they are learning about money and are willing to part with candy for it! Today they bought star wars legos with their money. Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-28T18:10:00.001-07:00

Well, I just can't help taking a ton of pictures at all the fall activities. The pumpkin patch being one of my favorites. We were so lucky to have a couple of chances to go to pumpkin patches and have such great weather! The cousins and my sister got to join us on one of our great outings. After playing hard in the sun, we had wonderful treats to finish off the perfect day.

Funny Quotes from D

2010-10-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

So, lately D has been making me chuckle with his latest quotes. Here are a few of them...

After missing his soccer game on Saturday, he was telling me all about it. Since he was playing against his buddy Aidan, he went on to tell me that Aidan did a backflip and scored a goal and then he did a handstand and scored a goal. Finally, he told me he was kidding, but clasping his hands together, says, "Dear God, can I please please please be on Aidan's team?" Oh, that boy.

Yesterday when I picked him up from school, he says, "Mommy, I am so embarrassed, but I am going to tell you anyway...I have a girlfriend." Who's your girlfriend? "Eva." So, I ask, did you ask her to be your girlfriend or did she ask you to be her boyfriend. "She asked me to be her boyfriend." Then the boys both got in a discussion about who their girlfriends were. Oh, I am so not ready for this.

He also just had his first sleepover. He really enjoyed it. My little guy is growing up so fast!

Soccer fun!

2010-10-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

So, my first grader is playing soccer for the first time. He is so cute and really seems to be enjoying it. He especially likes to play goalie and the first time he got the chance he pumped his fists and told his dad who was standing nearby, "you are going to be so proud of me." These pictures from his first couple of games are adorable and I think even Uncle "tickle guy" Steve (a sworn football fan/soccer hater) would have to say how cute he looks!

Just Make Me Laugh

2010-09-24T21:10:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, the boys rode their bikes well beyond the distance they can ride without an adult. When they returned, we grounded them from their bikes for one week. When they woke up the next morning, they found all the bikes locked up together with a bike lock, ensuring they could not be used. Instead of being upset, they thought it was so funny, that they proceeded to show everyone in the neighborhood and everyone who came over how they were grounded from their bikes!

Tonight, we decided to let the boys watch the "old" version of The Karate Kid. They were enthralled with it. O stood up after a while and took a bow to all of us, giving us all a good laugh. There was plenty of "karate" going on as well. I may come to regret this decision.

Yesterday, we lost K for a couple of minutes. I hadn't quite gotten to the panic state yet, when we found her upstairs with the door shut sitting in a chair at the table with a pen in her hand looking very pleased with herself. Really, is she getting so independent.

Sometimes I forget to write down the simple little things that happen in a day that just make me smile. These will be a reminder for me and a chance to smile again as I think back to these moments!

Getting So Big...

2010-09-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

I am getting so big. I play basketball. I play kitchen. I chase my brothers around the house and laugh at everything they do. I'm just my own little person. It goes so fast!

2010-09-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

We have officially made it through the first day of school for both boys. D seemed a little nervous and told me, "I'm a little scared", but he did great. O, on the other hand, didn't even want me to walk him in for his first day of school. I am looking forward to a good year of school this year for both of my boys and hoping that baby sister doesn't miss them too much.

Summer Fun!

2010-08-22T09:15:00.001-07:00

Since summer is coming to an end (bummer) and apparently I've been too busy to blog lately, here is a lot of pictures to fill in for the summer fun that we have had. From friends coming over to play and bbq and swim in the backyard to trips to Sunriver and Black Butte Ranch, we have had a great summer. At Sunriver, the boys loved the tandem bikes for bikerides and at Black Butte, they loved seeing all their cousins in one place. The backyard pool we put up has been a hit with the boys. And, last night we went to a local hot air balloon show. K is as busy as ever and saying a lot of words and showing how without even words, she can tell you what she wants! Her favorite current word is mama (what a good choice).

Jesus Watches Me

2010-07-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my sweet 4-year-old O told me that when he wakes up he sees Jesus watching him. He watches him while he sleeps until he wakes up and then he is gone. I asked him if Jesus ever says anything. "No" he replied, "He just be's quiet." What does he look like? "He looks like that thing we have that chomps on your fingers (while doing the motion)". Then he proceeds to show me a nutcracker we have sitting in the great room. From the mouth of babes...

I'm One!

2010-07-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

My baby girl turned one this month. We were able to celebrate in Montana and back home. I can't believe how fast this year has gone. One year ago, we were holding a sweet little baby that slept and ate and pooped. Now, we can hardly keep up with a busy one year old that can't sit still and seems to have a very busy schedule as she hurries from one activity to the next. She is starting to say words like hi, dada, mama and thank you. She laughs and chatters and smiles for everyone. We are so blessed to have her as our little girl. Happy birthday!

Montana

2010-07-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

We had a great trip to Montana! The kids were really good on the long long drive. The boys loved living at the ranch. They helped out with irrigation, checking the cows, rode 4-wheelers, rode the tractor, fished in the pond, played with Libby (or as O calls her Buddy) the dog, went horseback riding, jumped on the trampoline and enjoyed country living! Billy and I got some time to go golfing at some great golf courses and had a chance to go with Debbie and the kids to the water park in Missoula. Luckily we got to play for a couple of hours before the afternoon thunder storm came through. One night, there was a severe thunderstorm that we enjoyed experiencing even with the electricity going out. The second part of the vacation was spent at the lake where we also got to celebrate K's 1st birthday and Denie's 60th. The weather wasn't as nice as we hoped, but the kids got a lot of fishing, boat riding and rock throwing in while there. The time spent with family and playing games was wonderful and although we were ready to get home, we really enjoyed all the time we spent in Montana and already miss it. When I asked the boys what their favorite part was D answered, "Everything" and O anwered, "Helping Grandpa Dan and fishing."

Preschool Graduation

2010-06-15T20:21:00.001-07:00

It was so sweet today watching O perform with his preschool class at graduation. They sang 4 songs:If I were a, The ABCs, Teddy Bear and I'm a Little Teapot. He was so excited this morning, that he was absolutely goofy. I love this age and his enthusiasm. What a wonderful end to his first year in school. Afterwards we celebrated with a hot chocolate!

The Rest of May

2010-05-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

Although this has been a very wet month, we did have some warm days. We went to the park and baseball games and started our garden. The boys showed off their matching missing front tooth (1 each). I am looking forward to the start of summer and some warmer weather.

We officially have a 10 month old walker

2010-05-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

Well, she's gone from a few steps just a week ago to walking across the room. It's official, she's our earliest walker. Must be those brothers that she has to keep up with all the time!

Another Tooth Gone

2010-05-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

The boys worked and worked to have D's tooth come out. D actually wanted O to pull it and gave him lots of chances to do it. We had so much fun cheering them on. In the end, I had to give it the final tug, so that it wouldn't fall out while he slept and got lost or swallowed. It was so exciting to have D lose his front tooth, but sad at the same time. He is growing up so much and will never have that little boy look again as his big teeth start to come in.

Baseball Begins...

2010-05-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

We are having so much fun with the start of what I am sure will be many years of watching baseball. The boys are so cute in the uniforms! Every game there is something new and entertaining to watch as they start to learn the rules and how to play together. This will be a great season!

My Kiddos

2010-05-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

Really? The stroller is getting a little heavy.

My favorite time of the day is going to check on the kiddos right before bed. They are so peaceful and sweet. On nonschool nights the boys get to sleep in the same room. Trouble is they like to play usually until we have to come in and separate them.
Look mom, no hands! And K took her first step on May 2nd-exactly 10 months old.
Everyone in D's class got to take home Monito the monkey for a visit. We took him on a bike ride.
What is this green stuff? I think I will stay on the pavement.

Right after I took this picture of the kids in K's crib, D came sprinting in to tell me that O needed me. When I walked in the room all I could see was feet and legs sticking out of K's laundry basket. A little boy had fallen in face first and was stuck. Luckily he didn't get hurt, just scared, and I had to keep from cracking up too much.

Always one of my favorite moments of any day, when my sweet baby is asleep on me.

Elevator Project

2010-05-04T20:49:00.001-07:00

I just love the projects that D makes at home. This was an elevator that actually worked by pulling on a string to move the stuffed animal up and down. He is incredibly creative!

My Birthday Weekend

2010-04-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

I just had the best birthday weekend! Last night I got to go on a date with my hubby. We went to a clam bake and then very surprisingly, he serenaded me with karaoke, a happy birthday song. Amazing that he even did it! I got it video taped with my camera, but I was laughing and trying not to shake as he "sang". Then today, the boys were so excited to make me breakfast and give me my present that unfortunately I didn't get to sleep in, but got up early for french toast. It was so sweet of them, that it didn't bother me at all. Love those boys! Then, Billy and I got 18 quiet holes of golf in. It was a bonus that I shot an 81! Birthday nap time got fit in the day as well and it ended with the boys taking me to a movie-How to Train your Dragon in 3D. Overall, a wonderful birthday weekend!

Easter

2010-04-06T12:23:00.001-07:00

Visit to the Coast

2010-03-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

On this rainy day, it seems like a good time to post about our fun and tiring trip to the beach. A third MOBILE child definitely adds to the challenges of traveling, especially when she doesn't walk yet! The weather was very windy, so we probably only lasted a total of 2-3 hours of beach time over the 3 days. We spent hours and hours at the pool though. Even K enjoyed her time in the water, although she didn't last as long as the boys. D has really gotten very good in the water and spent half of the time diving under water to find the toys that sunk to the bottom of the pool. O is still wearing wings, but got more adventurous after a couple trips to the pool. It's always wonderful to get away with the family and enjoy our time together!

A Day in the Life of a 4-year-old

2010-03-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

Although I hadn't planned on posting today, this event just needed recording. While at work today, my crying child showed up with his front tooth 1/2 way out and blood all over his face and shirt and jacket. He had fallen at the grocery store with my mom. As evident from the picture, that tooth is no longer in his mouth. I decided this wasn't a job for a mom, so a dentist friend of mine helped me out! O cried until I told him that the tooth fairy was coming and that he was going to lose his tooth before his big brother! He decided that this made him "bigger" than his older brother and was quite proud of that fact. Owen was great as the tooth was removed and told me that we wouldn't be able to kiss for a while...so sweet. I wonder how much this will cost the tooth fairy?

Weekend with the youngest 2

2010-03-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Billy took D to Spokane for the weekend and I stayed home with the littlest 2 kiddos. I wondered how it would go with this combo, but it was wonderful. O really acted old and helped me around the house and with his little sister. We had time to play games, read books and go golfing. Both of the kids also slept really well, which always helps the mommy! I'm glad I got the chance to spend a little more quality time with them and I'm sure that the big boys had a great trip too. Right now, K is sleeping and O is taking a bath, ahhhhhh

Jello

2010-02-26T18:41:00.000-08:00

We had jello last night for dinner and I started to sing the watch it wiggle...song and my kids and niece and nephew looked at me like I was crazy. They had never heard it. So today I found one on youtube to play for them. The boys thought it was quite funny. The site also had songs from other products from the 80s. D was really impressed when he saw the atari commercial and wanted to play it. Funny-so much fun to play, yet so simple.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#playnext=1&playnext_from=TL&videos=fg-kXDSkQU4&v=9aa13vLXUr0

Grandma's Visit

2010-02-16T15:16:00.001-08:00

Grandma left today after a great visit. The kids got to spend a lot of quality time with her, playing games, reading books and watching movies. They were sad to see her go home, but are looking forward to our visit to see her this summer. Billy and I even got to go on our first date with just the 2 of us since before the baby was born. It was wonderful! Thanks Grandma!

D's latest works of art

2010-02-16T08:31:00.001-08:00

Picture 1: The robot he made at the office and at the base, his "tar" (guitar).
Picture 2: My valentine picture!
Picture 3 and 4: These are pictures of the puppy that he built out of a box and straws. The reason the head is back is because he is running SO FAST!

Picture 5: The treehouse that he is now determined he will build with a slide coming out.
Picture 6: Benny the Jet playing baseball with the stands in the background filled with people. For those of you that don't know, Benny the Jet is from Sandlot the movie.
Picture 7: A picture of himself at a party!

On The Move

2010-02-09T20:26:00.000-08:00

Sis is movin' and groovin' now. I don't know if I would quite call it crawling, but she sure gets to whatever she wants.

She's also a little diva. Out and about wearing her sunglasses!

Best Dream

2010-02-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

D comes running in this morning and tells me that he had the best dream. "Mommy, you, me, O, sissy and daddy were all in a golf tournament and we all won!" Love that boy!
Of course the other day he comes running out of school and tells me that he had the best day of school ever. I ask why and his answer is simply, "We had juice." I wonder if I am depriving him too much????

Thinking about it...

2010-02-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

I think I might crawl...No, I'll just shake my bootie and look cute!

Love

2010-01-30T12:42:00.000-08:00

Last night O says to me before bed, "Mommy, I love you so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so fifty thousand hundred times much! Isn't he sweet.

Basketball Camp

2010-01-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

D had his first basketball camp the last 3 Saturdays. He really had a fun time. The last Saturday of the camp, he got a t-shirt and more importantly a new basketball. He was so proud of it as he strode over to show his daddy. When he got home, the first thing he wanted to do was to shoot hoops with his new ball. That night, he curled up in bed with the basketball and there it stayed all night long and every night since then. The funniest thing is that I asked him to do something for me yesterday and he informed me that he really needed to go out and play basketball instead. If this boy gets any smarter, he will quickly learn that his basketball loving mama will let him get away without doing any chores ever if he says that he has to go shoot hoops!

Lazy, Rainy Sunday

2010-01-17T16:32:00.001-08:00

A great thing to do on a lazy Sunday-LEGOS!

2009

2009-12-31T17:24:00.000-08:00

Wow, as I look back at 2009, it's amazing that the year is already gone. Of course, the highlight of the year was the birth of our sweet baby girl. It doesn't take long to realize that you can no longer imagine life without her in it. The kids are all such buddies and I look forward to watching their relationships grow in the new year. Sis will no doubt learn how to get her brothers attention even more and they will no doubt learn how to keep her laughing and entertained. I have enjoyed seeing how much older D seems now that he is in school everyday. I am going to try and enjoy all the time I have with him, because come next fall, he will be in 1st grade and away from me all day during the week. O continues to challenge my patience and then give me the sweetest smile, hug and kiss. He is a very sweet 4-year-old and his independence has been nice with all the changes that have occurred this year. We have been blessed as a family of five and look forward to the growth of our children and all that that has to offer. Happy New Year!

Snow, snow, snow, snow, snow

2009-12-29T18:09:00.000-08:00

I could hardly stand it today when I woke up from my nap with my sweetpea and saw it snowing. The minute the boys got home, we rushed out to play in it. We built a snowman and had a snowball fight. And of course, when we came in, we had hot chocolate. The snow is suppose to melt by tomorrow, which is the more typical snow here. That is why usually (last year excluded), you play in the snow the minute it comes. Baby girl seemed to enjoy her first taste of snow.

Christmas

2009-12-25T21:13:00.001-08:00

This was such a great Christmas. Our first Christmas as a family of five! The boys were at the perfect age to enjoy the excitement and anticipation. They were very excited about Santa coming and we left out enough food for an army-cookies, gingerbread house, frosted xmas tree, milk, and carrots for the reindeer! Opening presents was a blast! They were out on their bikes, scooters and skateboard by 8 am in 28 degree weather. They were totally worn out by the evening and fell asleep almost as quickly as their heads hit the pillow. This may be my favorite Christmas ever!

SANTA

2009-12-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas Programs

2009-12-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

We had 3 Christmas programs to attend this year for our family. Both boys were in the church Christmas program and then they each had one for their schools. They both did a great job. O was very funny as he jumped up and down waving until D saw him during his program. He then came running back to me exclaiming "He saw me, he saw me." As did everyone else attending the show I'm sure.

A Quarter...Really?

2009-12-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

So, Friday night, D comes sprinting out of his room to tell us that O swallowed some money. O is crying and holding his throat. After some prompting, we realize that it's not a penny (it's the other color) and that it was probably a quarter. No wonder O's throat hurts. That's a big piece of money. He seemed fine after a while, so we finally got him back to bed about 10:30. The really fun part is that we are still "looking for it". Eventually we will find out for sure if it was a quarter, but until then, we get to enjoy the process!

Santa and Mrs. Claus

2009-12-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

We went to a great Mrs. Claus and Santa show on Sunday night at our golf course. The boys were just laughing as Mrs. Claus did her magic tricks. D kept thinking he was catching her doing them wrong and shouted out in his happy glee. It was wonderful to see them enjoying themselves so much. At the end of the show, Santa showed up for photo op and "wish lists". The boys brought homemade pictures for Santa and told him what they wanted. For D, it was all about Star Wars and legos. O didn't really know what to ask for, so since they had a bunny in the show, he asked for a bunny. When we got home, D sweetly told me that it was okay if Santa didn't bring him anything he asked for, he would like anything he got. What a sweet boy!

The Christmas Tree Hunt

2009-12-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

So, without too many problems (mainly with Billy), we got our Xmas tree today. It was a beautiful day, just a bit on the chilly side. Of course, we ended up choosing the tree the farthest from the truck, but it looks great in the house. The decorating is all done, with help from the boys, and I am now exhausted! We are ready to bring on the Christmas season.

D is a little devious

2009-11-29T20:00:00.000-08:00

We were talking about Xmas presents tonight and Billy told D, after being asked the question, that he hid them in his closet. Immediately after dinner, D started to sneak away. I asked him where he was going and he said to look for Pooh Bear in his room. I snuck back and followed him and caught him red-handed looking for Xmas presents. He thought he was so sneaky! Not 2 minutes later, he disappeared again. This time I caught him with his red desk chair stacked with pillows on top trying to see up in his closet. I scared him so bad, that he fell off the chair. What a little "Billy" I have on my hands!

Sweetie!

2009-11-29T19:51:00.001-08:00

My sweet little K is growing up so fast. She already weighs over 12 pounds and is now rolling from her front to her back. It won't be long until she is moving all over the place. Her smile and laugh are the most wonderful things!

O's Artwork

2009-11-29T19:47:00.001-08:00

These are O's recent drawings of the family. The second one has baby K in my belly and also out in the world (plus a couple neighbor friends). I love when the drawings start to represent real things.

Boys Birthday Party

2009-11-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun yesterday celebrating the boys 4th and 6th birthdays. On Friday, the boys had a great time decorating their own cakes. We had a wonderful group of friends and family show up to help us celebrate at Pump It Up! O is at that age that gets embarrassed when he is the center of attention. His rolled eyes and sheepish grins were priceless. I love that all the kids get so excited during the opening of gifts. Thanks to everyone that helped us celebrate my sweet boys.

DISNEYLAND

2009-11-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

We just got back from such a great vacation to Disneyland. The kids did great on the plane, which was a relief. They managed very well as they got tired at the parks. O absolutely loved all the characters and wanted to "hold" them all. During the parades he gave the cutest/shy waves to the characters. D was more daring and had a great time on rides such as Splash Mountain and the Rafting Ride at California Adventure. D and I went 4 times in a row on the rafting ride and it wasn't until the last go around that we both got soaked! Since it wasn't quite warm enough to dry off before the sun went down, we each got new clothes to stay warm. K was a trooper and let us drag her all over the place. Thank goodness for the parent pass which allowed us not to have to wait in all the lines twice while one of us stayed with her. We also spent some time at the Lego store in downtown Disney and got some great Star Wars Legos which occupied any extra free time that we had at the hotel. For some unknown reason, the boys decided to give themselves new names. O will now be known as Egg and D as Edder. Overall, a wonderful time with the family. I look forward to the next time we get to go.

Jedi Training

2009-11-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

Today at Disneyland the boys were able to do Jedi training. The Jedi master picks members of the crowd to participate. All I was wishing for was either pick both of them or neither of them. Luckily, he pointed out the 2 boys in red shirts to come out. Good luck that I dressed them the same. The main reason I did that was to be able to spot them easily in the crowd, but it turned out helpful for this as well. When the boy of the lady from Canada that I had been talking to before the show also got picked we gave each other a big high five. Billy thought we were so funny. Although later he told me he would have high-fived another dad if there had been one standing nearby. The boys loved getting dressed up in the gear and learning their moves. They then actually got to fight Darth Vader. O's eyes got bigger than I have ever seen them before, but they both loved it. So far the highlight of the trip!

D's Artwork

2009-11-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

I love when D gets going on a project. He got a new art book and drew pictures all night. Considering my lack of artistic ability, I am very impressed.

Halloween-SO FUN!

2009-10-31T22:39:00.000-07:00

LOVE the Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-24T09:53:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love going to the pumpkin patch. Of course, I love taking pictures because the colors are so great. But also, the activities are fun and the kids love it too. The rope swing was fun, but Billy and I quickly learned that we don't have the arm and stomach muscle strength that the boys do. They went on that rope swing 20 times at least, while we only lasted 2 times. What a fun afternoon with the family.

Very Creative

2009-10-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

D absolutely loves doing projects. Recently he decided he wanted to design a t-shirt. I think it turned out great.

Beach Trip

2009-10-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

I always love trips to the beach. We just had a couple great nights and days at the beach. We played in the water and sand on the beach, swam in the hotel pool, shopped and ate!