Just as we are

Update

2010-12-10T14:15:00.025-07:00

I haven’t updated for a long time so I will do some catch up. This is more for me but you can enjoy our last few months in the speed version. Zach finished up his soccer season. I am not sure how long this sport will last. He LOVES the idea of playing soccer but not so much the actual playing. We will see how the spring season goes before we sign him up for another year.

Early in October, Aaron and I got away for the weekend. We went to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch our Indianapolis Colts play. One of Aaron’s colleague’s is related to a coach for the Colts and was able to get us some incredible tickets. We were close enough to get great views of the team, including Austin Collie (ex-BYU player). It was a wonderful experience!

Zach learned to tie his shoes as part of his kindergarten homework. His motivation was the Mario poster he got for his room. I am definitely not opposed to bribery. It works so much better than nagging.

We also did Halloween. Carving pumpkins, our annual carving party with our friends, and of course trick or treating. This year they were Mario (of course), a puppy and a kitty. That was not the winner of the votes, however, I am sure Abby will pick a princess as soon as she can say the word so I decided to not make her one this year.

We had family pictures taken. It was a cold day and the twins did not take their proper morning nap. It wasn’t as successful as I would have liked but we got some good shots.

We had Thanksgiving and fished at Great Grandma’s pond.

We once again decorated a tree for Festival of Trees. It was the most popular tree because of the snow machine. But what matters most, the tree went to a family that needed a little extra holiday cheer and the money went toward Primary Children's Hospital.

We decorated for Christmas and tried to keep most decorations out of little hands reach. The good part is the twins don't like the tree and don't go to close to it.

We had our first encounter with Santa. Ian and Abby are in their stranger anxiety phase and so Santa is not a person they like.

Ian and Abby have learned a lot of new tricks. They crawl up and down the two little steps from our family room to the rest of our house. Down the stairs is the most entertaining because they go head first, sometimes it is controlled and other times they roll. Neither one phases them.

They both pull themselves up onto everything. Abby was first and would use that to put herself in jail. Instead of going to the stairs, she would crawl to where she could see me and just pull herself up and cry until I came to get her.

They both do their own version of crawling. Ian’s is a lot of upper body pulling and Abby’s is a more efficient army crawl. They will both attempt a real crawl but quickly go back to what gets them there the fastest. Just for fun, we have baby races. They are evenly matched but Abby gets distracted easily.

Abby also learned how to be a frog.

We also do baby wrestling.

Abby discovered how to open the cabinets and unload them. Ian was content to just play with the things she unloaded.

Ian still only has two teeth while Abby is working on #7 and #8. Teeth aren’t the most important thing. Neither is hair, which Ian has a lot more of.

And now just some other cute pictures that we have take.

Nine month stats:

Ian is 28.7 inches tall (75%)
22.2 pounds (75%)
head circ 18.4 inches (85%)

Abby is 29.6 inches tall (97%)
21.3 pounds (85%)
head circ 17.8 inches (80%)

More teeth

2010-10-14T15:40:00.003-06:00

Ian is getting his teeth!! Just like Abby, he is starting with two teeth on the bottom. Abby is working on her fifth tooth. I will miss the toothless grin. (I know you can't see them very well in the picture, but they are there.)

Two teeth

2010-08-31T14:28:00.008-06:00

Abby has two teeth. We just discovered them Sunday morning. She seems to be very proud of her teeth and smiles very often to show them off. Ian is still waiting for his teeth.

Voting

2010-08-19T21:55:00.002-06:00

I am trying to decide what to dress the twins up as for Halloween. I know it is only mid-August but I feel like the last six months have flown by and if I don't decide soon then I will miss my chance. I have narrowed it down and put the poll on my sidebar. I know that I only have a few years that they will not give me an opinion so I can make them coordinate. I would like Zach to be in the theme but he won't make up his mind so that is not part of it right now.

Zach

2010-08-18T13:15:00.019-06:00

This post will be all about Zach. He has been up to a lot lately.
He graduated from Preschool. They had a program where they sang some songs and each child recited a nursery rhyme of their choice. Zach chose Baa, Baa Black Sheep. He did a great job! He was ready to graduate and can’t wait for kindergarten, which he starts in a week.

Zach took swimming lessons in June. I was not sure this would work. He had a strange fear of water and would freak out if you got water on his face in the bath. So bad he has almost jumped out of the bathtub. Much to my surprise, he did great! He put his face in the water, floated, learned swimming strokes and even braved the slide. This gave me some very proud mom moments.

On June 19th, he turned 5 years old. (sigh) I can’t believe he is that old. He had a swimming party with some of his cousins. And then he had a Super Mario Bros party with some neighborhood friends. They decorated mustaches, ran an obstacle course to save the Princess from Bowser, had a Yoshi relay race and then ate toadstool cupcakes. Then on his birthday evening he choose a tepanyaki style dinner and Toy Story 3.

One of his birthday presents was a trampoline. He loves to jump on it, especially with the sprinkler under it.

Zach has been growing up a lot lately. We are amazed at how mature he is becoming. He has been trying new foods like trout, lamb, sushi, and more. This is a big step for a kid who could live off bacon, ramen, and tuna fish. He has recently decided that he wants to be a photographer when he grows up. He is a great big brother!! I can frequently find him trying to entertain the twins and they LOVE to see his face. They are usually much happier babies in the car when he is sitting in between them. As grown up as he is getting he can still find plenty of time to make us laugh. We are very lucky to have him!

Four Months

2010-06-28T22:25:00.011-06:00

(I started this post Monday night but Blogger and I were having a disagreement about my edited pictures. In the end, Blogger won because I wanted to have a post and don't have the time to figure out why it didn't like my cropped pictures. And that is part of the reason why it didn't post until Tuesday night.)

So technically, Ian and Abby are 4 1/2 months but I didn't want to post their pictures until we went to the doctor so that I could also post their stats. They have just started to really grab at things that are near them. They find enjoyment in their toys and their hands. Anything that comes near their mouths is fair game to go into their mouths. They have also started to really notice each other. I wish that I could hear the little thoughts that they have to see if they know what their relationship is. They are both morning babies and we usually wake to soft coos. I am not a morning person but they do put a smile on my face when they greet me with a big grin in the morning. They are becoming more fun and we feel so blessed to have them.

Abby
Height: 26.2 in (90%)
Weight: 17.3 lbs (97%)
Head: 16.3 in (50%)

Abby is our little wiggle worm. It is fun to see how she is laying in her crib when she wakes becasue it is never where we put her down. She is very careful about who she shares her smiles and laughs with, but has the most coy look when she gives up a smile. She is our sleeper, she can be layed down awake and will fall asleep and has also had a few nights when she has slept all night long. We have not trained her, she just came wired that way. She is very strong and holds herself very well. Abby is definitely our princess!

Ian
Height: 25.8 in (75%)
Weight: 16.8 lb (80%)
Head: 16.7 in (50%)

Ian is our kicker. I think he stays lighter than Abby because his legs rarely stop moving. He loves to share his smile and giggles even in the middle of the night. He is not the best sleeper because he is afraid he might miss something. He is also our talker and he has found his voice so many of his babbles are very loud.

On a side note, Aaron bought these t-shorts for them at the end of the football season. He bought 6mo thinking that they would fit them come this football season. They won't still fit in September. The error comes from the fact that we thought we would be getting smaller babies since there were two of them. Boy were we wrong!

Three months

2010-05-19T17:41:00.007-06:00

We can not believe how fast they are growing. Time flies when you're having fun!

Ian

Abby

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T22:32:00.002-06:00

Zach filled out 2 questionaires for Mother's Day. I am not sure if any suggestions were made or if he answered all of them by himself but I wanted to share.

From preschool:
My mom is special because... she makes me dinner
I like it when my mom... does my laundry
My mom can do many things! I think she's best at... getting tatoo's off me
My mom has a pretty smile! I like to make her smile by... doing good tricks and taking care of the babies
My mom is as pretty as a... horse
My mom is smart! She even knows... how to find the birthday stuff on the computer

From church:
I know my mom loves me because... she hugs and kisses me
My mom's favorite thing to do is... ground me from the Wii
My mom is really good at... getting tatoo's off me
My mom is 34 year old (I am really only 31)
My mom is really good at teaching me about... talking (he means that I correct his grammar like the "th" sound)

I don't know exactly what goes through his head but I am sure he means well. It does give me a good laugh!

2 months and Kindergarten

2010-04-21T22:27:00.005-06:00

To make it easier on both me and Aaron, we decided to take all three kids in for shots at the same time (ha ha ha). What a fun time!?! Here are everyone's stats.

(this picture is of him watching the babies take their first baths, with his nose pressed against the glass)

Zach

Height: 44.2 in (90%)
Weight: 46 lbs (85%)

Ian

Height: 23.1 in (50%)
Weight: 12.1 lbs (60%)
Head: 15.3 in (25%)

Abby

Height: 24 in (95%)
Weight: 12.9 lbs (90%)
Head: 15.1 in (40%)

Everyone is doing great and growing the way they should. We cannot believe how big the twins are already. It is hard to think that they started out so little. Zach is now ready for kindergarten and can't wait to start.

Happy Easter

2010-04-07T19:34:00.001-06:00

First time to church

2010-03-24T19:56:00.001-06:00

One Month

2010-03-16T21:34:00.006-06:00

It is hard to believe, but the twins are already one month old. Time flies! Abby is still taller, but the are fairly equal in weight.

Abby

Ian

New nephew

2010-03-10T18:30:00.003-07:00

My sister-in-law and I happened to be pregnant at the same time. So close that are due dates were only a day apart. Ian and Abby came early, but Parker waited almost until his due date. He was born March 3 and weighed in at 9 lbs 1 oz. We couldn't wait until we could get all three babies together. The picture below is the result. Ian and Abby are 3 weeks and Parker is 3 days.

Two Weeks

2010-03-05T14:07:00.006-07:00

Technically they are three weeks, but I haven't posted their two weeks stats.

Ian
6 lbs 9 oz
19.2 in

Abby
6 lbs 8 oz
20.7 in

They seem to be growing at the same rate. Which is a relief. They have different body types and personalities so it has made it harder for us to tell that they are each getting what they need. It is hard to believe that they are getting bigger.

Big shoes to fill

2010-02-24T16:34:00.005-07:00

This may not be a general reference for everyone, but around our house it is. I wanted something that could really show how little Ian and Abby are. They are laying next to Aaron's size 13 shoe (that is 13 inches).

Abby

Ian

WE ARE HERE!!!

2010-02-17T22:16:00.005-07:00

Life has been busy but here are the basics. I promise to give more information and pictures soon. We are all doing well. We are very grateful that they were born heathly and were able to come home with us.

Born Friday, February 12, 2010

Ian Edward
2:51 pm
5 lbs 10 oz
18 inches

Abby Kaylin
2:52 pm
5 lbs 7 oz
19 1/2 inches

Update

2010-01-31T19:58:00.013-07:00

I know I am sick of seeing my last post, so I think there may be some people out there that may also be sick of it. I have been terrible about this blog, not that I haven't thought about it, but just the actually posting. So humor me with the small synopsis of the last 4 months.
October:
The witches at Gardner Village

Annual pumpkin carving party with our friends.

My little pirate who just loved trick-or-treating this year.

November:
We had an unusually warm start of the month and we don't get many leaves in our yard. We were able to rake up a small pile for some fun leaf jumping.

My grandma's fun fishing pond on Thanksgiving. One of my favorite memories as a kid that thankfully is still done.

A little brotherly love on Thanksgiving.

December:
Festival of Trees. Our tree this year was name "A wish to be a Christmas tree".

Yes, we got some snow. Zach loves to help his dad with the shoveling.

Decorating the tree.

A visit with Santa.

Making and decorating cookies for Santa.

Zach was so excited to open a present on Christmas Eve but was really upset that it was just pajama's. He thought we were all crazy!!

Zach only asked for 2 things for Christmas. First, Super Mario Brothers Wii.

Second, a sled.

But he was also excited to get a Snuggie just his size.

Other highlights of December all include Zach. Zach really got into Christmas this year. We watched tons of Christmas movies and the old classic Rudolph became his favorite one. As soon as we got in the car, he asked for the Christmas music to be turned on. He loved all of the lights. He was my favorite thing about Christmas time helping me to be as childlike as I could be.
January:
Watching a lot of football. Routing for the Colts and watching the opponents that we might have to face.

Other highlights:
-Trying to get a nursery ready. It has been acting as a play room and catch all.
-Actually talking about names for these two little babies who will be joining us.
-Continuing to watch Zach grow and mature. He is very excited to be a big brother.
-Aaron and I celebrating 11 years of marriage.

Things to look forward to in February:
-The Super Bowl and the hopeful win for the Colts.
-The twins making their appearance. With great hopes of them being healthy and not to little.
-Hoping that Zach likes being a big brother as much as he thinks he will.

Drumroll please

2009-10-07T13:20:00.002-06:00

We are having a boy and a girl. Zach has told us from the very begining that he was going to get a brother and a sister, and he was right. The both look heathly and are growing at the same rate. Now it is time to think about naming them. We have put off any talk of names since it is such a struggle for us, but now we have to start thinking about it. I don't look forward to this process!

Soccer

2009-10-01T09:02:00.006-06:00

Zach started playing soccer this fall. So far he has liked it. Last Saturday he "made a score" (his words), that was his first goal in a game. He was so excited!

Go Cougars!!!

2009-09-09T14:17:00.009-06:00

This is where we were Saturday.

Watching this...

and this!

This was the outcome!

These were the seats occupied by OU fans.

What an amazing experience!! In the new Dallas Cowboy's Stadium, Aaron's company put in the bigscreen, which is 60 yards long. Because of this, they had a suite at this game. My husband's boss was kind enough to allow Aaron to play host to the R C Willey representative and his spouse that was going. They happen to be my parents, so it was a really fun vacation. The BIG screen is absolutely amazing and no picture can ever capture that. I had seen multiple pictures of it prior to walking into the stadium, and I was still speechless upon seeing it. We shared the suite with about 12 OU fans, but it was a fairly friendly atomosphere. It was so exciting to win and I have never felt so proud to wear blue!

Surprise!

2009-07-15T14:13:00.002-06:00

We are having TWINS!!! Yes that is correct; two babies are coming to our house. We are all so excited! Zach has already decided that he is getting a brother and a sister, and there is no convincing him that it could be different. I am not due until March 6 so that only makes me 6 weeks, but this hasn’t been much of a secret. We did invitro-fertilization (IVF) and so our families have been through it with us every step of the way.

IVF is a crazy but truly amazing process. I had a calendar that let me know what I had to do each day. I spent a lot of time at the doctor’s office being monitored. I had a large assortment of medicines to keep straight. Luckily, my doctor and his staff were amazing in helping me keep it all straight. The procedure went wonderful and they were able to retrieve a lot of eggs. Everything seemed to be sailing along smoothly except for a pain in my arm. Unfortunately, I got a blood clot. I have a preexisting “condition” that puts me at high risk of developing blood clots while I am pregnant due to the increase of hormones. My doctor was aware of this and was treating me with a blood thinner, but it wasn’t enough. It could have also been triggered by the IV I had during my procedure. It was scary but can be treated. I see an OB that specializes in my situation, so he feels it was very treatable. I had to be on blood thinners during my pregnancy any way, now it is just a higher dose. One of the cool and irritating parts of having twins, they will do an ultrasound every month. That makes my appointments much longer but it will be funn to see.

It has taken us a long time to be able to add to our family, but I have felt for a long time that we would be getting twins and Aaron and I have both felt very strongly that we were getting two. It never seemed right for us to say it was only one. We feel extremely blessed to be able to go through IVF and to get to bring two new lives into this world. We are slightly overwhelmed by all that twins entail, but feel that is something that we can handle. We have appreciated all of the love, support and prayers from all those who have taken this journey with us.

Now on to the next adventure!!

Zachary

2009-06-19T19:40:00.004-06:00

From this:

To this:

Today my baby turns 4. He will tell you that he is not my baby because he is a "big boy", and he is getting big. He is truly a boy who likes super heros, cars, video games, potato bugs, Star Wars, playing with his friends and being with his Dad. Lucky for him, he still loves to cuddly and he has a tender heart. He loves chocolate milk and bacon, and thinks you shouldn't have to eat anything else. We are so lucky and blessed to have him. He got to celebrate his birthday today in Disneyland with his Nana & Papa, aunt Sara and cousin Maddi, Mom & Dad had to miss out last minute for a very good reason that I will post about later. We miss him but know that he was so excited to turn 4 in Disneyland.

What a storm

2009-06-09T17:59:00.006-06:00

The sky is dark, thunder is rumbling, there is a river where my gutter use to be and hail is pouring out of the sky. What a storm!

Preschool Graduation

2009-06-03T10:08:00.009-06:00

Last week Zach graduated from his first year of preschool. He still has one more year before he has to go to kindergarten. They sang some songs and Zach recited "Itsy Bitsy Spider" into the microphone. He did a great job!

Field Trip #2

2009-05-02T10:02:00.012-06:00

The kids have been talking about animals all month so we got to go to Cabella's. We had a guide but she didn't talk much, mostly she just stood there while the kids looked. The teacher did all of the work pointing out different animals, she said that the other lady that takes care of the field trips was much better. Oh well! It was still kind of fun. I think one day I will take Zach back when I can actually talk about the animals and not have him focused on the shooting gallery tokens in his pocket.

Shooting gallery. This was the highlight of the field trip for most of the kids.

Ready to go!

Dinosaur Park

2009-04-23T21:02:00.026-06:00

With the weather so beautiful, we decided to go to the Dinosaur Park for a fun activity. We had so much FUN!!! What a special time to be able to have four generations all together. Thanks for the fun!

Big boy Jack!

Grandma and Grandpa, Grandkids, and Great Grandkids.

Measuring Zach's BIG feet with the dinosaurs.

Zach and Brooklyn

Max, Jack and Marley

Looking for fossils.

Yes, the sign is correct and he lives in my house!

Popsicles to cool down before heading home!

I know that was a picture overload, but I couldn't decide on fewer.

Playing

2009-04-21T17:59:00.009-06:00

Playing with blocks
The laundry basket was in the family room waiting to go back down stairs. Zach asked if he could dump his blocks in the basket while he was playing. I said that was fine, but when I returned I found him in the basket also. I am not sure that it would have been that comfortable sitting on the blocks but he didn't seem to mind.

Playing Mario Kart
He loves to play with his dad, but he also enjoys playing by himself. He is not very good but that doesn't stop him. He just keeps trying! And, at least, he hasn't picked up his dad's habit of playing with his tongue out.

Easter Evening

2009-04-15T11:23:00.010-06:00

One last Easter post and then I will be done. Easter evening was spent at Aaron's parents house. We had wonderful Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner, a big labor of love from my father in law Tom. Obviously I like holidays that revolve around food.

We watched home movies on the old projector. While Aaron was trying to get it set up, we were enjoying shadow animals and Tracy showing Maddie how Stephanie traced her kids profiles when they were younger. I admit that I was not excited about home movies, but it was really fun to see how our kids resembled their parents at a young age. To quote my husband, "I was just as obnoxious as Zach!" Plus it is always nice to see Tyler talk about Vanessa.

This is the dessert that I made.

Easter Brunch

2009-04-15T08:12:00.011-06:00

Every year on Easter we have brunch with my extended family. It is one of my favorite gatherings. My grandma makes delicious biscuits and gravy, my mom makes the best homemade sweet rolls and bunny rolls, and then there is always more tasty food that changes every year. I love breakfast foods!

The running of the eggs!

"Cleaning up" the plastic eggs!

My little family

My family

Easter Morning

2009-04-13T12:11:00.001-06:00

Easter morning was so much fun!! Zach really got into it this year and had this wonderful smile every time he spotted a hidden object. He really thought the Easter Bunny was silly!! He also informed me that the Easter Bunny drives a special car to bring his Easter basket. (These pics are from the new camera, Ash.)

Dying of the eggs

2009-04-12T07:34:00.016-06:00

Friday night we got together with some of my family to dye Easter eggs. It was crazy with ten kids all dying at once but that is what makes it so much fun.

Waiting to start.

Max and his Hulk hands!

Zach's version of Hulk hands! (He is a very clean boy!)

Field Trip

2009-04-01T10:53:00.012-06:00

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to go with Zach on his field trip. First, we went to the fire station. The kids watched a little movie all about fire safety and then one of the firemen crawled into the room in full gear. All but one of the kids did really well seeing the fireman completely dressed. They next practiced stop, drop and roll.

After that, they took them out to the garage and let all of the kids walk through the ambulance.

They also let each of the kids sit in the driver's seat.

And of course, they turned on the lights and sirens. Unfortunately, it was snowing outside so all of the sound stayed right in the garage. It was loud!

Our next stop was Cold Stone. They all got to see how ice cream is made and then sample some. The manager was also nice enough to give all of the kids certificates for a free kids ice cream.

Lastly, we went to Smith's. They toured the grocery store and learned about all of the different jobs that you could have when working at the grocery store.

It was a long day but the kids seemed to enjoy it.

Independence

2009-03-11T11:50:00.002-06:00

I have been slowly adjusting to the fact that Zach wants/needs his independence. It makes me sad because he is still my baby and I sometimes wish he needed me more or would allow me to still do things I love to do (picking out his clothes). Today he went further than I would like. He made his own bacon for breakfast! Don't worry, it was the ready crisp kind that he loves. He put slices on the plate, put them in the microwave and set the right time with only at little verbal assistance from me. He is such a big boy.

Family Fun Night

2009-02-24T10:06:00.013-07:00

We had a blast going bowling!!

Hair

2009-02-19T17:46:00.003-07:00

That is ten inches of my hair! That hair will be going to Locks of Love. If you don't know who they are, it is a company that uses donated hair to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy. This is the second time I have donated my hair. The first time was 5 years ago, shortly after my mom was diagnosed with cancer. February marks her 5 year remission, so once again I donated. It was harder this time because I keep my hair shorter than I use to. Now I just don't even know what I am going to due with it. It is a huge change but it was for a very good cause. Zach's first reaction was "Mom, you cut your hair funny!" but after a little while he told me I had a cool haircut. Aaron has yet to say anything. I am not sure if he doesn't realize he didn't comment because he was laughing at Zach's comment or if he doesn't like it. Oh well!

New Car

2009-02-13T08:57:00.007-07:00

This post is about a month over due but here it is. We got a new car!! New to us but actually used. This is a Saturn Outlook and seats 8. We were originally planning on getting a new car this summer but our cars registration was due in January and we weren't sure it would pass inspection and we didn't want to put any more money into it. We have been researching cars for awhile hoping that if the car companies didn't get their money then there would be some killer deals. Not quite the case, but we did get a really good deal since it had been sitting on their lot too long. So this was my anniversary gift since Aaron let me spend a little more money for the red one instead of the white one (I hate white cars for myself). I absolutely love my car and am so glad we were able to find a good deal so Aaron didn't make me get a mini van. Mini vans are fine cars but I am not a mini van kind of person.

Jack's Birthday

2009-02-08T08:25:00.008-07:00

Thursday was Jack's first birthday. (For those that don't know, Jack is my cousin's little boy.) We celebrated his birthday on Saturday at Jungle Jim's. Jack was trying to break into the bumper cars. He wanted to play with the big kids And my favoite moment of the day was watching my uncle Brad riding on the cars.

Super Bowl XLIII

2009-02-04T08:58:00.005-07:00

I meant to post this Monday but couldn't figure out how to add the video until when I was just getting busy for the night. So here it is.

This year I couldn't figure out who to cheer for during the Super Bowl. I became a slight Steelers fan when they beat the Chargers only because the Chargers beat the Colts (our team) to kick the Colts out of the playoffs. However, the Cardinals have Edgerrin James (former Colt) and a great underdog story. So when you don't know who to cheer for, cheer for the plays. The video clip was my favorite play.

(This is where I would have inserted the video clip but apparently it is no longer avaible and there are no other clips on youtube that I want on my blog. So if you missed it then you can look it up for yourself)

The clip would have been James Harrison's 100 yd touchdown.

He may not have been running super fast but I love that he never gave up. And it is no big deal that the medical staff had to come check and him or that he needed to be on oxygen for all of half time. He made an amazing play!

Now we have to say goodbye to football for 7 months. A sad time in our house.

Happy 10th Anniversary

2009-01-28T08:18:00.004-07:00

WOW!!! Ten years sure can fly by. Today Aaron and I celebrate our 10th anniversary and yet I can remember our wedding day like it was yesterday. To celebrate, we would like to share 10 random facts about the last 10 years (in no particular order):

1 - We have lived in 6 different places.

2 - We have owned 5 cars.

3 - We love theme parks! We have visited Disneyland 4 times and Disney World 3 times.

4 - We have had 7 different jobs, most of them were Nicole's.

5 - We have had 10 nieces and nephews born, Brayden was the only one already around.

6 - We have had 14 new TVs, you really have to consider Aaron's job on that one.

7 - We have been in 14 states together, Aaron has been in more but this is about us.

8 - We have been in 7 wards, 3 different ones while living in the same house.

9 - We have had 9 different phone numbers.

10 - Last but definitely not least, we have 1 wonderful little boy.

When I actually think about the last ten years, even though it hardly seems like it could have been that long, I know that we have been through a lot. We have had our share of trials, mistakes, successes, and many more happy times than all of the others. I look forward to the next 10 years and hope that when it comes to the numbers above we only add to about 5 items. So, Happy Anniversary Hubby and may the rest of our life be filled with fun, traveling, happiness, fulfillment, and a few more kids. I am glad that I chose to spend an eternity with you.

Happy Birthday

2009-01-25T09:26:00.002-07:00

Friday was Aaron's birthday. Unfortunately it wasn't the most exciting day since I had work to do. We planned on going to dinner at Outback Steakhouse (one of Aaron's favorites) but the wait was ridiculous when we called ahead for seating, so we ended up at The Mayan. We haven't been there for a really long time, but it was the most relaxing dinner for me considering we had Zach with us. Zach loved the show! For those who aren't familiar with The Mayan, they have a diving show that goes on every 10-15 minutes. There is some story behind it, but I am not completely sure what it is. Zach just sat on the end of our table and watched while he ate. It was great!

A little help

2009-01-24T10:35:00.002-07:00

So I guess my New Year's Resolution should have been to be a better blogger. I just need to make the time to do it. I do have some posts that will be coming up I just need to make some adjustments. What I need help on is the look of my blog. I am really tired of it. Where do you find cute blog backgrounds? Am I going to have to pay some fee to get cute ones? PLEASE HELP!!

Relief

2008-12-29T12:02:00.003-07:00

We just took Zach to the eye doctor and he doesn't need glasses. YIPEEEEE!!!!!! I am so excited if you can't tell. He has been doing some weird things lately that made us think he might need them and since I was 3 when I first got glasses we thought it was a good idea to check.

Zoo lights

2008-12-13T15:36:00.004-07:00

I was tired of being behind, so I am catching up today. So I have 4 new posts for today. I am trying to do better.

We braved the cold last night and went to Zoo lights. You can tell that the zoo went to a lot of work. Each of the kids got some special glasses to view the lights. They turned the lights into snowmen. I think the adults liked them more than the kids. Thanks Ash for putting our activity together.

The kids were a little disappointed they didn’t get to see the animals. This is a red panda and it is one of two animals that we saw. The other was a lynx.

Jazz game

2008-12-13T15:27:00.002-07:00

We got to go to a Jazz game Thursday night. One of Aaron’s dealers has season tickets and decided to not use his Thursday, so he offered them to us. It was a good game that kind of fizzled at the end, but the Jazz still one.

Yes, that is right; we were that close, row 15 to be exact.

Jedi training

2008-12-13T15:12:00.004-07:00

Zach got to go to a Jedi training birthday. My cousin Ryan really likes Star Wars. The party was great! They had an obstacle course, rocket launching, Yoda says, and a few other games. The kids had so much fun! Thanks for all of your work Jamie.

Our Christmas Tree

2008-12-13T14:53:00.003-07:00

This is our lovely tree. It is so tall that Aaron had to pull out the big ladder to finish the lights. And as tradition goes, my two boys put up our star. We decided to not use colored Christmas balls this year and to only use the ornaments that mean something to us. Our tree may be a little bare but we like it. Some day we will have enough meaningful ornaments that will fill a tree.

The Festival of Trees

2008-12-10T14:18:00.010-07:00

I am trying to catch up and do a better job than I did in October. Tis the season for many activities and this is the last one from November

Every year my family does a tree for The Festival of Trees. If you are not familiar with what the Festival of Trees is, it is an event where families, groups, businesses, or organinzations decorate trees, wreaths and even gingerbread houses to be auctioned off. All of the money is donated to Primary Children's Hospital. It is a wonderful opportunity for my family and we love the time we get to share planning and decorating. This year we chose to do a Chinese New Year tree and our tree was sold on the first night. Now it is time to start thinking about next year's tree.

Annual Tree Hunting

2008-12-08T09:29:00.014-07:00

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my family makes a small journey to go cut down our Christmas Trees. It is one of MY favorite traditions.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T08:59:00.019-07:00

I have to kick myself again. I forgot my camera on Thanksgiving so I only have pictures that other people took. But at least I have some of the annual fishing pond at my grandma's. It is what we all look forward to.

Waiting to fish.

Fishing!!!

The helper fish!

Birthday, Disneyland, and Christmas, OH MY!!!!

2008-11-30T09:31:00.005-07:00

That's right! I spent my 30th birthday with my two favorite boys in the "Happiest Place on Earth" during their Christmas celebration. It doesn't get much better than that. We didn't tell Zach where we were going because we wanted to see how long it would take him to realize that his trip to California included Disneyland. This was the reaction we were hoping to get on the first day. Not the case at all. The first day, we asked him where we were and he very matter of factly said "we're going back to Disneyland". No excitement at all. This video was on day two without any prompting.

The parade was so crazy at night. Zach was the only one that got to see anything.

There were so many fun pictures that I couldn't just pick a few. I won't feel bad if you don't want to spend the time watching the whole slide show. Zach's favorite rides were Space Mountain, Star Tours, and Buzz Lightyear. He was big enough to go on almost every ride and was willing to try any of them. He was so brave! It really warms my heart knowing that my child loves the rides as much as Aaron and me. It was SO much fun and none of us wanted to come home, but the money only lasts for so long.

October

2008-11-16T17:37:00.002-07:00

October had a lot that happened and I slacked off in posting. So here it is all in one slide show. We have: family fun night at the corn maze, Max's Halloween Birthday party, Witches at Gardner Village and a single picture of Halloween. I forgot my camera on Halloween so I missed all the wonderful moments.

Pumpkin Carving Party

2008-10-28T18:13:00.012-06:00

Every year we get together with our friends and carve pumpkins. It is one of our favorite traditions. Zach was extra excited this year because he said it was his Halloween party.

Zach does NOT like pumpkin guts, but I will continue to put his hand in them every year until he thinks it is cool!

Zach and the girls watching Mickey Mouse Halloween when they were done with pumpkins. Zach is the only boy until next February. (Sunny was sleeping so she missed all the "Kodak moments")

The whole group.

Just our family.

Hotel?

2008-10-14T21:08:00.003-06:00

I love Zach's imagination!!! Sometimes I have no idea what he is doing, but most of the time I do and have to participate. Now usually he is replaying his shows or going to preschool or super heroes, but today he was pretending to be his dad. What you see is him sleeping in his hotel room. Aaron's shoes were the door. He would pretend to sleep and then he would wake up and go to work. I guess he is missing his dad! (He comes up with these things on his own.)

Circus

2008-10-08T09:29:00.011-06:00

I have been waiting to post this for a week so that I could get the red eye out of the pictures, but Aaron has been very busy and hasn't been able to get me the photo software for my computer. I didn't want to wait any longer, so we will just have to deal with a little red eye.

I love the circus! Last year was Zach's first year and he liked it, so we went again this year. (I would have taken him even if he didn't get it last year.) We ended up having an extra ticket because my mom couldn't ever get a hold of my niece, so we took Leah since her parents would spend the night packing. It was much better this year. Ringling Bros. changed how they do the circus. They have been a three ring circus. It still is fun but there is usually to much to look at. This year it was basically one ring. They did bigger things that took up the entire floor, so you could actually watch the event. There was a few times when they had multiple things going on, but the were the same genre. I hope they keep this format from here on out.

They both loved their snow cones.

Leah loved the tigers! This is her roaring back at the tigers.

Zach wanted cotton candy, so of course my mom bought him some. But it did come with a cute hat!

Walk for a good cause

2008-09-25T11:21:00.007-06:00

On Saturday, September 13, 2008, my family participated in the 2nd annual Susan Sandoval Run for Ovarian Cancer. We lost my Great Aunt Kathi one year ago after a tough fight with cancer. We all miss you and attend the walk in your memory/honor. We know you are watching over us!

Annual Family Picnic

2008-09-25T11:00:00.012-06:00

We had a ton of fun at the picnic. The bounce house was very popular and it is great to have the kids all together. Gary grilled up some good burgers and hot dogs. Glad we were able to see everyone who came! Maybe next year more people will come because it doesn't get better than good food and good family.

State Fair

2008-09-17T21:58:00.000-06:00

Preschool

2008-09-03T13:46:00.008-06:00

Yesturday was Zach's first day of preschool. I cannot believe

that he is old enough to go. He has been looking forward to going for quite

a while. He was excited to wear a new shirt that was picked out just for school

and to wear his new school shoes. He is SO big!

He was a little excited!

This is where the teacher likes to take pictures at orientation so that
you can see how they have grown during the year.

He was contemplating how to color his apple for the tree.

Catch up!

2008-09-01T11:14:00.009-06:00

I am going to play catch up today. There have been things that I wanted to post but didn't make time to do. (I am still getting use to having a blog!)

Zach LOVES ties!! He gets very excited on Sundays when he gets to wear one to church. Sometimes he even asks to wear a dress shirt and tie in the middle of the week. I never would have thought that a little boy would tolerate, let alone love to wear a tie.

We had a pretty good rain storm on Sunday (and it is still raining). Zach got to play with the umbrellas in the rain with his cousin Mckenzie. They were having tons of fun and didn't want to stop. I can't blame them because I still love to play in the rain.

We are dog-sitting while my parents are in Canada. This is Foxy. Zach absolutely loves her and she seems to be taking care of him. Zach just layed down next to her and just giggled as she licked his legs. He will be so sad when she has to go home again.

A week ago we took the Front Runner. That is a double decker train that runs from Ogden to Downtown Salt Lake. Zach and I stayed at my parents in Farmington while Aaron was out of town. We took the train down the Gateway to see a movie. Zach really enjoyed riding the train.

A few weeks ago, for McGee Family Fun Night, we went miniature golfing. Zach loves to golf and usually just gets to play with his plastic clubs at home. It was much more exciting on a course where he could actually put the ball in a hole. He probably would have stayed all night long if we had let him. Aaron can't wait until he is older so he can take him "real" golfing.

Batman

2008-08-27T08:18:00.004-06:00

This was too cute not to post. Zach got some Batman underoos and he wanted to run around in them all day. Who am I to argue with Batman and his define suit.

He later grabbed his mask to complete the disguise and took the Batmobile out for a cruise.

This was too cute not to post. Zach got some Batman underoos and he wanted to run around in them all day

Proud to be an American

2008-08-11T09:04:00.002-06:00

If you haven't watched the Olympic coverage from last night stop reading.

I don't think Aaron or I has ever been as excited about an Olympic event then we became last night. The French should learn not to talk smack about us. The men's 4X100 relay was amazing and made me so proud that they are there representing my country. (I tried to add a you tube video clip but can't get it to load)

A few of Zach's favorite things

2008-07-28T10:58:00.012-06:00

His comfort. When he wants to snuggle, he likes to put his hand on your neck. It is his comfort and apparently he finds his own neck when he is sleeping.

Swimming. He is a little fish! He is working hard and kicking and floating.

Guitar Hero. He loves to "play" with his dad. He doesn't actually play but he doesn't know that yet.

Al-lagoon aka Lagoon. He comes from the blood of two people who absolutely love roller coasters and it seems as though he will also love them. He gets more brave each year. I can't wait until he is big enough to take on the big loop-de-loops he draws for me.

Sprinklers. He doesn't happen very often but he loves to run through the sprinklers.

Riding his bike. Our street is on a slight hill so he is really good and going down the street, but coming back is a little more complicated. We are working on it.

Mowing the lawn. He is training at a young age to be a "lawn nazi" like his dad.

Basketball. He got a hoop for his birthday and loves to make baskets.

Painting. He loves to paint and not just on paper. I will catch him purposely painting on himself.

"The fire place" aka Tepanyaki. If you are unfamiliar with what this is, it is like Benihana. They cook your food in front of you and entertain you while doing it. Zach just loves it!! In fact he can be found playing Tepanyaki chef at home.

Faces of Zach

2008-07-20T14:37:00.005-06:00

Zach LOVES the camera. I am able to get one shot of what I will have taken the camera out for and then he has to due new poses and have me take a picture of those. This is just a small sampling of what we have.

Fine. We're bloggers . . .

2008-07-14T21:57:00.004-06:00

Okay okay, you convinced us. We have a stinking blog - are you happy now??

We are terrible at corresponding, updating, family lettering, and writing - so be warned. However, we don't want to be shy in sharing info about our growing boy - Zach. So don't expect daily updates - we will not be blog-o-holics like some people we know (wink wink). You can expect the occasional picture and caption.

PS: If you have time, take a look at the poll posted which is a running bet I have with my sister-in-law. I won't tell you which response is correct so as not to taint the results. (You're going down Katy - and I'll know if you vote more than once . . .)