The gloves are off...the socks are on!

The boys do this thing where what ever happens to be on TV at the time they go down to the playroom and get the corisponding toy and try to act the part. If we're watching Toy Story, out come the cowboy hats, Mr. Potatoheads and Spaceships. If we're playing guitar hero they get their stick horses and pretend that they are guitars. It's pretty hilarious. Last night Dustin was watching "The Contender" a reality boxing show. The boys really got into it. Alex found his boxing gloves in the toy box (I'm surprised he did considering you cant even get in the toy room right now...it's a disater area!) and Dallin put his socks on his hands and they went to town. What will they think up next?

It's a Jolly Holiday!

Sense the kids were out of school for Presidents Day we dicided to hit the pool and see if we couldn't burn off some of that "all boy" energy. Aunt Julie came along...and we are so glad she did. Four little boys and one big pool is a lot for a mom to take on by herself! We had a blast and it seemed to do the trick...they are all passed out on the couch...even Derrick...wahoo! :)

Time flies when you're raising kids...

This month is flying by! Nothing particularly out of the ordinary is going on at our house. We have finally setteled back into life after all the Christmas festivities and it's back to work and school. A few funny things worth noting though...

Zeke is getting so big! I've really tried to pay attention to all the little things he is doing and learning. It's amazing how much they change in one day. Where does the time go? He's just as happy as he can be. He loves the jumper...I'm afraid he's gonna jump right out of it though one of these days. He is slurping up the baby food...his favoriet is sweet potatoes and appelsauce...YUMMY! He's figured out how to slobber, we keep plenty of bibs on hand. He's smiles at everything, he's always laughing and smiling. The other night I woke up about 3:00 a.m. and heard him in there just babbeling to himself. It was so cute...until at about 5:00 a.m. he was still doing it and waking everyone else up! Derrick calls him "Foppy" which I think is his rendition of "Floppy" that he heard Dustin say one day. It's cute though

Speaking of Derrick, he came up to me today and said, "Hey Mom...look!" then he stuck his tounge out and rolled it. I didn't know 2 year olds could do that, but he was pretty proud of it so we took a picture. He's a riot! His new favorite thing it getting himself dressed. No help from Mom. Let's hope potty training goes that well this spring.

That's a wrap!

Christmas has come and gone and it's nice to have things back to normal. As we reflect on the recent year there are a few things we have come to realize...

We are so BLESSED! So many times we have been blessed this year! A new baby, healthy, happy kids, a warm place to live and a good job to name a few. How could we ask for anything more.

The realization that life isn't about things but small moments. People...family and friends are at the heart of it. We love you all and hope to see you again soon.

We still believe! It's been so fun this year to watch the kids contemplate the true meaning of Christmas and that wonderment in their eyes...I know that I will miss that someday. Alex staring at the nativity scene for hours, Dallin asking a million questions about how Santa gets to every house, and Derrick being happy with all the excitement in the air.

The church is true! We would be nowhere without it. I can see the truth of it in my children's eyes, and we feel the spirit in our home. We need that extra shot in the arm each week to maintain composure. In these troubled times I am so glad to have a "lighthouse" to look to while trying to teach and raise good kids. We are so grateful for good parents that had the patience to teach us such valuable things to pass on to our kids, and who are still leading by example. We hate to think of where we would be without that strong foundation in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

It's Tradition!

We decorated gingerbread houses this weekend, it's one of the boys favorite traditions and they had a blast! Including Dustin, he got way into it, he even put "stucco" (sprinkles) on it. We made them with chocolate milk cartons from the school...way easy and fun! Pictured above are some of the highlights. Notice Alex's bald spot...hard to miss. Zeke's new favorite thing is sucking on a sock. Don't worry...it's clean. I put one of his own socks on his hand like a glove to occupy him while I was helping the boys with the house decorating and he loved it. He didn't make a peep for half an hour, and the best thing is the sock soaks up all the slobber so when you take it off he and the walker are clean as a whistle. Pretty ingenious I thought. I know it's pathetic, but when you're a mom and you find a little break like a slobber soaker-upper, it makes your day...LOL!

Remember when... Derrick went running out of the room and tripped over a box and said, "Oops! Sorry 'da box'." Like it was his best friend or something. We had to chuckle over that one.

"In the meadow we can build a snowman!"

It's been so warm here lately that it really didn't feel like Christmas and I've really been missing the "winter-wonderland" of home in Salt Lake. Santa delivered early this year for me and we got some great snow. I couldn't go to sleep I just wanted to stay up and watch it fall...it was so peaceful and bright! The funny thing was to get the phone call before the snow even started falling that school was cancelled for a "snow-day". Back in my day up north this would have been considered a "skiff" and to school we would trudge. I was grateful though, it gave us a chance to catch up at home and the boys went out and played.

On a funnier (well it will probably be funny someday, right now I'm not very happy about it) note, I found a glob of hair with gum in it in the bathroom garbage the other day and didn't think much of it. I had had the "Achievement Day" girls over the night before and assumed it belonged to one of them. Nope...I'm not that lucky. Later on I discovered Alex was missing most of the hair on the top of his head. Someone had obviously helped him with the task, but no one will fess up right now. I guess we can check the "gum in your hair" off the list of things that your kids do to drive you crazy! What a character that kid!

Remember when... We were driving in the car and Alex said, "Well...if we're gonna build a snowman we have to have a carrot mom!" Very matter-of-factly. He'd seen plenty of freshly built snowmen that day driving around town and none of them had a carrot nose, it must have disturbed him...LOL!

Dallin Turned Six!

Our cute little Dallin was born six years ago on December 9th. Time flies when you're having fun. I can't believe he is already six and going to school. He has been such a good kid, I've really been spoiled being his Mom. I hope his little brothers turn out as well as he has. We love him so much and are so grateful he is part of our family. All in all he said he had a great day. Strawberry cake is his favorite, so we tried our best to make a "pink cake" as manly as possible. Aunt Kristi did an awesome job with the limited tools I provided :) Happy Birthday Dallin!

It was bound to happen sooner or later...

Well with four boys living under one roof it was bound to happen sooner or later. Last Wednesday Dustin got a call from Alex's preschool teacher that he had split his chin open on the jungle gym. Dustin went and got him...I was at the elementary playground...and he steri-stipped him up. We thought it would be o.k. - then that afternoon he went to a Birthday Party at Jumpin' Jacks. He must of cracked it open there, because he came home and the band aid was all bloody again. By the next morning it wasn't looking so great, so I took him into the doctor and they super glued him shut and sent us on our way. That afternoon Derrick bumped into him and it oozed a little more...later that night again Derrick crashed into him and sent it bleeding again...poor Alex! We took all the bandages off that the doctor had put on and it didn't look good. More steri-strips...more bandaids. The next morning he had a horrible rash from the bandaid that the doctor had used, we think he had an allerigic reaction to the sticky stuff on the bandaid...it looked painful. Now we are to the cortizone and neosporin stage...and it's finally getting better. What a trooper he is...not tears no complaining. We are so proud of our tuff little guy and thankful all this happened after family pictures! :) LoL!

Alex Turned Four!

Alex turned four on Tuesday. I can't believe how grown up he is already! His favorite thing about his birthday was the candy decorations on the table and the Ice-cream cake from Dairy Queen! Alex loves sugar...a major food junky :) We are so proud of him and all the life that he brings to our house. He is always singing so new song from school or one that he's memorized off of TV. It's hilarious! We love you Alex!