enjoying the journey

Ahhh...Summer at Last, But Wait

2011-05-30T20:44:00.003-06:00

The weather is telling me different! The kids are out of school. It is officially summer, however it has been raining for the last month it feels like. Although, I am sure I will be complaining about the heat in no time! Ha!

My goals for the summer are:

*to not have anything extra on my plate so I can focus on my family and my home.

*help my hubby get through his summer classes. Yes folks he has gone back to school to finish up his Bachelors. Only 8 classes away. Can you say studd??! I am so impressed with him!

*Get my house organized to my liking

*run a half marathon

*just be spontaneous and play with my 3 adorable boys!

Oh how I love summer so much! Bring on the flip flops, sno cones, pool, sunglasses, and the SUN!!! :-)

Yes, It Is Really Me!

2011-04-07T15:44:00.003-06:00

I have taken a very long blogging hiatus. PTA really has taken over my life. It has been so fun and stressful all at once! The school year is almost to a close, so the end is in sight. Plus I think my family will be happy to have my full attention again! :-) I really don't know where to start, so I will start with the present. I have really been thinking about my Mom a lot lately. Probably because the 3 year anniversary of her death is just days away. You never get over the death of someone close to you. You just learn to live with it and deal with it. My mind still often wanders to her and how I wish she were still here. There is a void in my life with her gone, but I know I will be with her again someday. Hooray for the Plan of our Heavenly Father. He loves us and has made a way for us to be together forever. I am so grateful for that!

My mom and I when I was 7 or 8

Me, my sister, and Mom when I was a Junior in High School. My sister had just returned from a mission

It May Be A While....

2010-09-08T21:04:00.003-06:00

until I update my blog, because

PTA HAS TAKEN OVER MY LIFE!!!

:-)

1st Days of School

2010-08-24T10:29:00.005-06:00

Carson started pre-school last Wednesday. We started the day out with his special breakfast.

then the standard photo. He was So excited. It is fun to see him be able to have his own things now. He is such a cute kid!

Colby's first day of 1st grade is today. Last night the Magic School Bus stopped by and dropped off some school supplies for Colby.

Colby's special breakfast!

First Grade!

waiting at the bus stop

boarding the bus to ALL day school. *sigh* SO bittersweet!

Colby was SO excited for school to start. He woke up multiple time during the night to see if it was morning yet. Then he was literally doing this happy dance all morning long that had Nate and I rolling! He is such a special boy and I know he will do awesome this year!

Good luck to my boys this year!

2 Many Reasons Why I Love Joshie!

2010-08-23T21:24:00.002-06:00

Joshie turned 2 at the beginning of the month. Ya, 2! I can't get over it! Where has the last 2 years gone? He is a little boy now. No more baby. Talking more and more everyday. Super independent. Stront-willed. Sweet. Cuddly. Got a good set of lungs. And mimicks everything his older brothers do! We love him so much!

the 2 year old!

The birthday boy and daddy!

Joshie at McDonalds

Colby

Carson. Why does it seem I have so many pictures exactly like this? Oh ya, he never looks at the camera! :-)

Colby and his baby brother

Joshie and his happy meal. The boys only get happy meals on special occasions. So they were elated to get them!!!

Joshie and his train cake.

Yes, it is a store bought cake and I am ok with that! It was one crazy week and I have to say, it was nice not to have to slave over making a cake! :-) I don't think Josh minded one bit.

Mickey Mayhem!

2010-08-23T21:02:00.006-06:00

Carson turned 4 last month. The boys get birthday parties every other year, so this year he wanted a Mickey Mouse party! It was WAY too much fun to plan!!!!

the party invites

and here is what the actual invite looked like

the party shirts we handed out to every guest to wear

the party favors

the contents of the party favors

the party decor

the cake

the friends

the fun!

the indestructable Mickey Pinata

the Grandparents!

the Aunt and Uncle!

the Family!

the Birthday Boy!!!

Happy Birthday Little Man!!! We love you so, so much!!!!

2:10:25...Woo Hoo!

2010-08-23T17:41:00.005-06:00

I have SO many other things to blog about, but I have to get this down while it is still fresh in my mind. Saturday, I ran the Hobble Creek Half Marathon. I actually did it! It was so great! Other, than it starting late, everything went well! I felt good the whole time. The last 2 miles were in the 90 degree heat, so I was definitely feeling it then, but I pushed through and finished right at my goal....2:10:25. Yay!!!! My family was there to support me, and that seriously was the highlight of it all. They were there to share in this accomplishment that I have been working towards for so long. I love you all so much!!! Caytee and Jon ran it too. Jon ran ahead right out of the gate. He is way too fast for us! Caytee and I ran the first 5 together, then split up. It was such a neat experience. I am SO glad I chose to do something I never thought I could do! Such a confidence booster!

my boys waiting for me with water in hand

I SO needed that. They were waiting at the water station at mile 10. Mile 9 was a tough one with the heat and some hills, and I was beginning to lose steam. Then I saw my hubby and kids and in-laws waiting there cheering me on. I don't think they will ever know how much it meant to me and what a boost that was for me!!!!

Colby showing me the sign he made as I was running away.

Here I come down the home stretch, desperately wanting that finish line to magically appear!

Caytee, Jon and Me post race

The signs that Colby made for me. So sweet!

My incredible, supportive family!!!! (Carson did NOT want to be in the picture. That stubborn little thing!)

Celebrating Carol!

2010-07-22T10:20:00.009-06:00

We threw a surprise party for Nate's Mom last month. She turned the big 6-0! I think we got her good! The whole family was there. Nate made a video of her throughout the years. He did a great job on it! It was a fun afternoon! She is such a wonderful woman and it was so much fun to do this for her! We love you Carol!!!

All the party decor. You can click on it to view it bigger.

just after she arrived....giving hugs

I think there are tears in her eyes! :-)

She looks happy!

Neal and Carol....love them!

Carol with her Mom and sisters...beautiful ladies!

Neal, Carol and their children. From left to right- Chad, Crystal, Nate (the most handsomest one!), Neal, Carol, Jon, Caytee, Curtis

The C* Siblings!

The whole C* Family!

whole family shot again

Neal and Carol with their 10 grandchildren

The C* Ladies

C* Ladies again

I heart this picture!!! Cousins!!! Logan, Julia, Colby, Carson, and Brady

our sweet family!

*Thank you to Caytee for providing the photos. And thank you to Aunt Shelley who was our AWESOME photographer!!!

Summer Fever

2010-07-13T10:03:00.004-06:00

Summer is in full swing and we are loving it!!! Colby just finished up Tennis lessons and his first year of T-ball. He LOVED both of them!!!

Good Times

2010-07-13T09:39:00.005-06:00

In May, just after school got out we were lucky enough to have a visit from my Dad, Sister, and two neices. It was SO fun having them!!! We did much and had much fun!

We chilled

showed our silly sides

We ate

We hiked

relaxed in some natural hot springs

Rachel conquered the waterfall! Just call her She-Ra!

We visited Temple Square and Park City

We rode scooters

We had such a great time with them!!!

Please come back soon! :)

The Graduate

2010-05-21T14:13:00.003-06:00

Colby graduated Kindergarten today. We were a little worried that he wouldn't pass! :-) Not really, he is too smart for his own good! I will miss his class and his wonderful Teacher. Good thing I have two more kids. I sure hope they get her too. She is wonderful! Colby and his Teacher, Mrs. Comte

The family. This picture pretty much depicts our everyday life. Colby posing nicely, Carson making a silly face, Josh wanting to do his own thing, and Nate and I just smiling through it all. Yep, pretty much our lives! I love these people more than anything!

*photos courtesy of my good pal, Jana Norman. Thank you!!!! Since I am a lame Mom and didn't make sure the camera batteries were charged. Nice! But we did record it all.

Oh, The Insanity....

2010-05-11T13:21:00.005-06:00

mine, that is!! I was planning to run a half marathon in August. My sis-in-law, Caytee and Bro-in-law Jon were talking about running the St. George Marathon. So, I thought, why not. I am doing a half anyway, may as well go all the way. So, I put my name in with Caytee not knowing if we would be selected, since it is a lottery system. Well.....We got in! Holy cow! I am SO nervous, but so excited! Excited because I am accomplishing something I never ever thought I would. It is such a cool feeling! So, I will be running my life away this summer training!

I think I really may be insane! :-)

Chickens!

2010-05-11T13:16:00.003-06:00

Our family has grown by 6 hens. Here is a picture of the coupe, not a very good one, but you get the idea. They are already laying eggs which is SO great! We haven't bought any eggs in over a month. Nice! The boys love them, especially Carson. He is their primary caretaker. He is hilarious! It is fun!

Farewell

2010-05-11T13:05:00.002-06:00

In March I went up to Washington to help my Dad get packed up for the big move. It was a GREAT visit! We got a lot accomplished including having som fun!

lunch with my beautiful sisters!

Slumber party at the house. This was our make shift table since most of the furniture was gone. We had a YUMMY dinner made by Rhonda! This is me and the sibs. Love them to pieces!!!We sacked out in the living room. We stayed up until....3 am, I think. Ya, we paid for it the next day! :-)

The fam. Our last picture together at the house.

I am so glad I got to go. It was so great to spend some last moments in a house I LOVE and spend time with people that I love SO much!!!!

Teef!

2010-05-11T13:03:00.002-06:00

Look who lost his two front teef!!! He just keeps growing up, that one!

Nope.....

2010-03-17T09:19:00.002-06:00

they aren't getting pinched today!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

*what is Carson doing in this picture?!
gotta love him!

Start Your Engines!

2010-03-17T09:11:00.003-06:00

Last Friday the Kindergarten classes did what is called the Kindy 500. All the kids need to make a cardboard box car with their parents. Then at school they take a "road trip across America" and learn of some of its history. They made stops at Mt. Rushmore, The White House, The Statue of Liberty, Abraham Lincoln, the American Flag, and the Liberty Bell. I got to go help out and it was SO much fun!!! The kids had a blast! What a creative idea for learning! I love it!

Colby requested a mail truck, so here he is! Some people really decked out their kids' cars, but we just kept it simple and I think it still turned out cute! Colby was very happy, so that is all that mattered!

They paraded around the school to show off their cool vehicles!Here I am at my station....the Liberty Bell!

It was such a fun day of learning, and when we returned home I was worn out!!!

Moving On

2010-03-04T09:31:00.006-07:00

My Dad sold our house. Well, it is his house, but I still consider it mine too since I grew up there. I love that house! I am sad to see it go, but am SO happy for my Dad to move on. So many great memories there, like.......

numerous family gatherings

decorating gingerbread houses. I think this was the year the tradition started.

Just being plain old goofy,

Christmases. My Mom made them so special and magical!

Dark tag!

soaking in the hot tub

my Dad scaring the kids on the front porch every Halloween. He would come up with something new each year.

and......the rust colored carpet

A house is just a house until you fill it with family, laughter, gatherings, tears, and most of all, love. It then becomes a home....a sanctuary. This was my home for many years and I love it! I will miss it.

I Love a Project!

2010-03-01T12:23:00.002-07:00

I made this for my good friend who is having a baby girl this month. Let me tell you, it was SO fun to do something girly! I love these covers! I wish they were around when I had my boys.

Olympic Spirit

2010-02-24T20:16:00.005-07:00

I LOVE the Olympics. Always have. So, I have been glued to the tv watching all of the events! Thank goodness for DVR. I thought in light of the Olympics, I would post some old pictures of when I had the, once in a lifetime, opportunity to attend the 2002 SLC games. What a COOL experience!!!!

My good friend Heather and I got tickets last minute to the Women's Combined Downhill event

We also attended a Medal Ceremony where the band Lifehouse performed. That was SO cool!!! Here we are with Heather's brother and his wife. Oh ya, and it was FREEZING too!

But I have to say that the BEST part of the 2002 Olympics, and why it holds a very special place in my heart, was getting engaged to my Honey, Nate. He totally surprised me. SO AWESOME!!!!! Here is a pic of us just after he got down on his knee and popped the question.

There is something so special about the Olympic spirit. And when you get to experience it in person, it is something you will NEVER forget!

He's 100 Days Smarter

2010-02-19T08:18:00.002-07:00

At Colby's school they make a big deal about the 100th day of school, so I thought we just make it a big deal at home too. He celebrated at school and at home! Colby loves the special little things, so I did just a few simple things to make the day special for him.

we started off with breakfast

then lunch

and he wore his 100 shirt.

It was fun! And something I had never heard of before. I don't remember celebrating the 100th day of school as a child, but it was fun to do with Colbs! Way to be 100 days smarter! We love you!

A Yummy Valentine"y" Treat

2010-02-08T13:25:00.004-07:00

This is a fun and yummy Valentine treat that I thought I would share!

Cinnamon Popcorn

2 bags of light butter microwave popcorn
1/2 cup butter
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
2 (6 ounce) packages cinnamon red hot candies

Heat butter, corn syrup and red hot candies in saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir continuously. When all melted, pour over popcorn and stir until evenly coated.

Put parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Pour cinnamon popcorn on cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Put in oven @ 200 degrees for 1 hour.

Put popcorn in airtight container and enjoy!

Sweet Joshie

2010-02-07T20:30:00.004-07:00

Oh, our sweet Joshie!! He is 18 months today. What?! Where has the time gone?

At 18 months he:

is walking....finally!
waves goodbye
is the best cuddler in North America
says: cracker, bye-bye, dada, mama, car, cup, hi, Joshie, and uh-uh while shaking his head no (really the cutest thing ever!)
is a climber
goes crazy when Daddy gets home
is the most loveable 18 month old around!
loves our family group hugs at night
gets into the dishwasher WAY too much
melts mommy's heart on a daily basis
wishes he was a big kid like his brothers
is one content little man!

and, oh, how we love him so!

Cause For Celebration!

2010-02-02T08:34:00.003-07:00

I know what you all are thinking when looking at this photo, 'didn't she write about Carson being potty trained months ago?' The answer is yes. However, we had a relapse in the potty department, but now I think we are back on track. And all I can say is WAHOOO!!!! I made this chart for him to give him some incentive, and, boy, did it work! So, guess what we will be doing??? Celebrating at Pirate Island. We are so proud of our Carson for being such a big boy! Way to go, buddy! Love him!

She's Ready To Pop...Almost!

2010-01-31T13:27:00.008-07:00

We celebrated my Sis-in-law, Caytee and her upcoming Motherhood. Carrie, Crystal, Carol and I

planned the shindig for sweet Caytee. It was entirely too much fun to do! It was such a fun

theme to work with! The theme was "She's ready to pop!". I found the inspiration from here . So

we did everything "pop" related....popcorn, cake pops from bakerella (so cool! you must try!),

popcorn chicken, bubble gum and everything was red and white. There was a great turn out and

it was great to see everyone! Caytee is going to be one fantastic mother! *

*Click on the collage below if you would like to see it bigger

The M* Girls

The C* Ladies....minus Abbs (We missed you!)

The whole group of C* girls

The C* Sistas....minus Abbs, again. (We really did miss you!)

What Have We Been Up To Lately?

2010-01-24T21:53:00.003-07:00

Playing this game we got for Christmas! We are addicted.

That Man of Mine

2010-01-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

I love him!

Released

2010-01-04T14:50:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I was released from the Primary. I knew it was coming as I had just passed my 3 year mark and I was ready. Ready to have that load lifted off of my shoulders. So, why when I am actually released do I feel no sense of relief but sadness?! I am SO going to miss those kids and being with them every Sunday. It has been such a wonderful experience and I have learned and grown so much! Yesterday as I did my last Sharing Time, I shared with the kids my love for them and how much I was going to miss being with them, while blubbering all the while. I looked back at my Colby and there he was wiping tears from his eyes. Oh my goodness. Could my heart melt anymore?! And having some of the children come and give me a hug and tell me they are going to miss me. It has been a hard, stressful at times, wonderful 3 years that had to come to an end sometime. I am sure there will come a time when I will feel the relief that comes with being released from such a taxing calling, but for now I will just be sad and oh so grateful for the priviledge of serving those beautiful children.

Christmas Catch-Up

2010-01-04T14:13:00.006-07:00

Oh, Christmas, how I love it! Love the family, the food, the fun, the vacation, remembering the Savior....just everything about it!

We went to the annual M* Christmas party up in Logan. So much fun!Joshie and Caytee

Carson and the cheesy grin

all the boys downstairs playing video games. Did we expect them to be anywhere else? :-)

Grandma Colleen and Joshie

After that, we headed home to decorate gingerbread houses with my WA family over Skype. Carrying on the tradition!

Then Aunt Nae came to celebrate Christmas with us, Yeah! Colby and Nate were off of school and work. It was so great! Uncle Jon came and spent Christmas Eve night with us.

Here is Colby's letter to Santa

Christmas morningOh, the Christmas aftermath. Love it!Then the yummy fruit pizza. Another tradition!Over the break we did some bowling.

And now it is over. Such a bummer!

A Decade In Review

2010-01-01T15:02:00.003-07:00

This morning as I was getting ready for the day, I was thinking about how we are starting a new decade and leaving one behind. I thought of all the things that have happened in the last decade and couldn't believe how my life has changed! For good, of course! So, I thought it would be cool to list all those things here!

Witnessed 9/11, well from the TV atleast.
I got married to Mr. Perfect for me
Bought a home with my husband
Birthed 3 beautiful, lovable, wonderful boys
Went from a working girl to a stay at home Mom (which I LOVE!)
Saw my Mother pass on from this life
Learned that my birth Father is a bit of a mystery
I learned to sew (and am still learning)
Saw new places....Puerta Vallarta, Cabos San Lucas, Mazatlan, Pennsylvania, D.C., Denver, San Diego

This past decade has brought trials and immense blessings! Here is to a new decade and new challenges, experiences, and blessings!
HAPPY 2010!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T12:08:00.001-07:00

I hope you Holidays are just wonderful!

Capturing the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

I loved this video so much, I wanted to share it. Just click on the following link:
The Christmas Spirit

An Honor

2009-12-15T15:12:00.004-07:00

A few days ago we honored my Mom on her birthday. She would have been 66. I am going to say it again.....I MISS HER! We all do and love her SO much and look forward to the day when we will be reunited with her again. So, how did we honor her? With double chocolate Dove ice cream bars. Her favorite! There were many occasions that we would have one together. I miss that!
and Dibs, too. This is one of the only things she enjoyed and could eat in the last few weeks of her life.
It was a good day!

First Snow!

2009-12-15T15:00:00.002-07:00

Joshie's First Haircut sniffle sniffle

2009-12-15T14:55:00.004-07:00

Joshie's hair was getting SO long! I LOVED the curls, but it was just getting out of control. I couldn't resist with these pics!

He still is stinkin' cute, even if he doesn't have any more baby curls!

It Has Been So Long!

2009-12-15T14:41:00.001-07:00

Oh my goodness! It has been WAY too long since I have blogged. The Christmas Season hits and life gets CRAZY! I need to catch up! Let me start with Thanksgiving. At which I did not take one single solitary picture (lame!). Chad and Abbi came into town the weekend before and were here through Thanksgiving. Nate was nice enough to let me have his BYU football ticket so I could go with Abbi and Caytee. Here we are at the game. Love those ladies! We are just missing Chrys and Carrie, then it would be a complete C* girls picture! (photo courtesy of Caytee)

We spent Thanksgiving at Nate's parents with all his family except for Chrystal. We missed them! It was a great day with yummy food! It is just fun to be with the family.

A "Wicked" Weekend Getaway!

2009-11-16T14:16:00.004-07:00

We went to Denver......ate yummy food, shopped, learned that some revolving doors require pushing, napped, walked around downtown, froze our tush's off, and most of all....saw "Wicked"!We frequented the 7-Eleven for hot cocoa and slurpees, where we learned 24 oz. of hot cocoa is way too much! ugh! My Hubby is so good to me! He planned this whole trip back in the Spring as a surprise. He knew how badly I wanted to see "Wicked". I love him! And, "Wicked"...... SO AWESOME!!!!!

Thank you Caytee and Preston for sharing the experience with us!

And a BIG thank you to Carrie and Carol for caring for our boys while we were away! :-)

I Had To Laugh!

2009-11-09T11:45:00.003-07:00

This morning when I went to write something on the calendar, I noticed Colby had added something for me on the 14th and 16th. Here is a close-up of each. I wrote Denver on there and Colby added "Colby and Carson go to Bradys" (he forgot little Joshie!) And please notice the smiley face! My favorite part!Then he wrote "go back". Again, notice the frowny face this time.

This kid continually makes me smile! And you can tell he is not at ALL excited to go have a couple of sleepovers at Brady's. He LOVES him!!!!

Wicked....Here We Come!

2009-11-08T20:11:00.005-07:00

Well, it has been a week! With Nate being sick, my schedule was totally thrown off. He is now back to his normal self. Yay! That Swine Flu is bad stuff! Joshie had croup and now has a cold and is pretty much miserable and crying about 80% of the time. So unlike him. I am ready for him to be back to his normal self! Poor little thing! Now I just hope we can all be healthy! It is amazing how you take your health for granted!

I am happy to report that my 3rd Primary Program is behind me. The kids did absolutely AWESOME and made me cry just like every other time. Something about children, and the spirit they can bring to a room. Such an amazing thing. I was so proud and happy to have been a small part of it! I have such a great group in Primary. They are just incredible and am so happy to serve with them!

Now I look forward to a weekend away with my Honey to go see Wicked in Denver! Wahoo!

Nate planned this whole trip as a surprise, including the childcare arrangements. He is just about the BEST ever! It couldn't come at a better time!

So this week I will be counting down the days!

Ugh!

2009-11-02T16:20:00.002-07:00

This blasted thing has entered our house by way of poor Nate. Halloween night he started feeling some symptoms and the by next day was feeling MISERABLE. We are grateful for Nate's brother, Chad (who just happens to work in the CDC in the Influenza division...so nice!) who is always a phone call away with help! We love him!!! He was able to get us some Tamiflu and now hopefully Nate can be on the mend. Wish us luck and a big THANK YOU to Chad!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-30T19:53:00.003-06:00

H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N ! ! !

From Mario, Luigi and Elmo

3 Reasons I Smile Everyday

2009-10-29T09:49:00.002-06:00

Oh how these 3 boys have changed my life in so many wonderful ways. Each one is unique and special. I love them SO much!!!! They make me smile everyday!

First School Picture

2009-10-25T15:19:00.003-06:00

Colby's Kindergarten picture. Not too shabby for his first school picture! Man, he is growing up!

There's A 6 Yr. Old In The House!

2009-10-18T19:42:00.004-06:00

This cute kid turned 6 today. Ugh....why do they have to grow up?? Alas, he is and there is nothing I can do about it, except celebrate it!

We started the festivities off Thurs. night at a new place called Pirate Island. It is like a Chucky Cheese, but pirate themed of course. It was a bit crazy, but the boys had fun, and that is all that matters! Some of the family came and Colby got to bring his buddy Tanner.

Today, Colby got the "You are special" plate.....

had some Luigi cake upon his request......

and he got to ride his NEW bike.

and Joshie thoroughly enjoyed the festivities as well! (had to throw this pic in!:)

All in all it has been a great celebration of our special boy, Colby. This is one amazing kid! He blows my mind on a daily basis with his intelligence, love, sensitivity, humor, and tenderness.

I love you my big boy Colbs!!!! I love you all the way to the moon and back! Happy Birthday! We are SO proud of the boy you are and are becoming!

Thinking Christmas

2009-10-06T14:32:00.002-06:00

Now, now, now....please don't scorn me for talking Christmas when Halloween is still weeks away, so hear me out! Over a month ago my mind has started reeling about Christmas gifts. Crazy, I know! I like to make many of my gifts, so I have to think ahead or else I am STRESSED at Christmas time. This year I decided (since my goal is to simplify) to start early, so that I can hopefully have everything done and just ENJOY Christmas and all that comes with it, and have more opportunities to do things for others. I have already accomplished much and am feeling really good about this year!! Yeah!!! Now, I have been inspired by two of my Sisters-in-law about how to do Christmas for my kids. I LOVE it!!!! It will be less stressful, less money and less stuff! So here it is....the 4 rules I am sticking by for Christmas gifts for my boys.....

1. Something to wear
2. Something to read
3. Something they need
4. Something they want

easy peezy, lemon squeezy!!!! well, hopefully! :-)

Such A Talker......Now

2009-09-18T09:37:00.004-06:00

I love Carson......
not just because he can be sneaky......goofy......and just plain adorable.......But because he talks so well! He has worked so hard and done so great on his speech. His speech was delayed. On his 2nd birthday he was only saying a few words. A lot of the reason he was having speech issues was because of this:

he is a thumb sucker. So we put him in Speech Therapy and a playgroup and he improved leaps and bounds. He is now all caught up with just a few articulation issues, but is doing so AWESOME!!!! Now we can't get the child to be quiet. I love it!!! I am just so proud of him. He is a little STUD!!

His phrase of choice right now is, "oh snap!"

Proof!

2009-09-10T21:55:00.001-06:00

Luckily a wonderful lady from our ward was there at the 5K to cheer her daughter on, so as we finished she snapped our picture too.

See we really did do it!

Joshie's 1 Yr. Pics

2009-09-09T10:51:00.000-06:00

We Did It!

2009-09-09T10:32:00.003-06:00

This past weekend was our City's celebration. Nate and I decided to run the 5K on Monday, at the last minute. Without really being prepared, I was nervous, but WE DID IT!!! Our first 5K and running event all together and we weren't last! It was so fun to do it with Nate. We pushed Joshie in the stroller and he loved every minute of it. Nate did so awesome. I was so proud of him! I have always wanted to do something like this and now that I have, I am less intimidated and I think I am hooked. We are planning to do a 4-miler on Thanksgiving and then my goal is to run a half marathon in 2010. Wish me luck! It feels so great to accomplish something that you have never done before. Unfortunately we didn't get any pics. What was I thinking not documenting this with a photo?! The best part of the whole event was doing it with my Honey and Best Friend!

Carson, Carson, Carson!

2009-09-03T13:32:00.004-06:00

Carson did this again. This time around was not as pleasant and easy as the first. So after:

one Pedatrician
one Ear, Nose and Throat doctor
multiple "tools"
a screaming, fighting 3 yr. old (this kid is freakishly strong!)
a shot for sedation (I cried. So NOT fun!)
one wonderful husband who came to my aid after my teary eyed phone call
a wonderful Aunt Carrie who watched our other 2 boys

2 hours later we were left with an extracted popcorn kernel and this banged up, bloody right ear. Luckily there is no damage to the ear drum, just the inside is scratched up. I was emotionally exhausted by the end. Poor kid. I think he will really NEVER do that again......atleast we can hope!

A New Baby

2009-09-02T22:53:00.003-06:00

A new little one will be joining the C* family in March. Now, now don't get ahead of yourselves! We are NOT having a baby! However, this cute couple is and it will be their first! Hooray for Caytee and Preston (Nate's little sis and hubby). We are thrilled for them. Congrats to you guys and we love you!

New Beginnings

2009-08-26T09:25:00.004-06:00

Colby started Kindergarten today. He insisted on riding the bus and was not the least bit scared about it. I promptly got in the car and drove to his school to make sure he was ok and to get some pictures. But lets be honest.....I didn't go there to make sure he was ok. I knew he was, it was for my sake! As I watched him get on the bus my heart and eyes swelled. My heart swelled with a contradiction of emotions. Such joy and such sadness. Such joy because he is SO ready and confident, and this is a milestone of new-found freedom. I am so proud of him! And sadness, becuase it means he is growing up and won't be at home with me anymore. I have to hand him over to others that I hope take good care of him and love him as much as I do.

*Big SIGH*

Colby is ready to go!

Colby and Carson are spotting the bus stop

waiting for the bus with the kids

no Colby don't go!

look closely beyond the sun glair....he is SO ready!

sitting at his table in the classroom pointing at his name tag.

We love you Colby! Good luck this year!

Well, atleast I have my mornings to spend with these 2 aborable boys! I can take that!

Nothin' But Love For the C* Family!

2009-08-18T10:57:00.002-06:00

This past June we took some family photos. Thanks to Abbi's Sis-in-law, Jessi. She did such a great job! Thank you!!! I sure love these people! Here are some selections of the shoot.
I love Nate and this picture of us!

Cheeser!

2009-08-17T18:12:00.002-06:00

Carson's 3 year pictures. He has the cutest smile!

ONE!

2009-08-09T22:27:00.004-06:00

This sweet boy turned 1 this weekend!

I think he likes it!

Oh, I love my Joshie so much!!!!

SWEET is the best way to describe our Joshie. He is the most pleasant little human being on the planet. And he is a TOTAL blondie! Love it! This boy makes my heart smile on a regular basis. Heavenly Father blessed us with his sweet spirit at just a time when we needed it! We are so grateful for him and love him to pieces. Happy Birthday Joshie!

The Boys' New Toy

2009-08-06T10:46:00.003-06:00

Nate bought the boys a little 4-wheeler this last weekend. Colby went to check it out for the first time and he came back and said to Nate, "You are the best Dad ever!" It was cute and they are so excited about it! And Colby is a pretty good driver. Check out the video of him in action below.

A Little Blue

2009-07-29T17:23:00.004-06:00

I have been feeling down and a bit sad lately. Wasn't quite sure why.....then I realized my heart still hurts from losing my Mom. I guess the heartache just doesn't ever really go away. It may subside for a time, but then it seems to find its way back. And right now it is back for a while. I guess it is hitting me because Carson just had a birthday, Joshie is about to turn 1 and Colby starts Kindergarten in a few weeks. All things I wish my Mom could share in. Events that I wish I could get advice on and just see and hear her excitement. I know I seem to be a broken record, but I MISS MY MOM! It is truly faith and family that gets me by in my "down" times. This quote gives me such comfort:

“Irrespective of age, we mourn for those loved and lost. Mourning is one of the deepest expressions of pure love. It is a natural response in complete accord with divine commandment: ‘Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die.’ (D&C 42:45) Moreover, we can’t fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”

Elder Russell M. Nelson, April 1992

Determined

2009-07-24T10:12:00.002-06:00

I am determined to get this child trained in the potty way! So......I have resorted to stripping him down to nothing! Wish me luck, because I may be cleaning up some extra messes today. Oh please no! I sure hope not!

Can't Get Enough Of It!

2009-07-23T22:39:00.002-06:00

The boys and I watched Prince Caspian the other day, and now I am obsessed with this song! I can't get enough of it! I just love it! Take a listen and see if you love it too!

Look At Me, I Am Thwee!

2009-07-22T10:43:00.007-06:00

Once a month we have been having a combined Family Home Evening with Nate's family. It was our turn to host and Carson's Birthday happened to fall on a Monday. So we were able to do both! Carson was SO, SO excited!

He got this Lightning McQueen helmet that he wore for the rest of the night. Hilarious!The Sheriff that he has been playing with pretty much non-stop since he got it. Thank you, Papa!

This picture just makes me laugh! Colby got him the bat and ball with his own money. He is so grown up!

Aunt Nae and Harlie joined us via Skype. Here are the boys giving her a shout out! Isn't technology just awesome!

Here is the birthday boy just before blowing out his candles. And, yes, still wearing the helmet! :)

Aunt Nae was still with us and Papa joined in as well to sing him Happy Birthday. It was really neat that they could be a part of it. Carson loved having some of his family there. Thank you to all who helped make his day that much more special! We love you!

Now, if I can just get him potty trained! Oh, such a challenge!

Oh! And P.S. Colby lost his 3rd tooth that night, too. And, yes, Rhonda he LOST it on his own. No yanking on my part! tee hee!

Carson...Oh, How I Love Thee!

2009-07-20T22:26:00.004-06:00

With today being Carson's birthday, I have been thinking of all the things about him that make me happy.

I love Carson because he is self-less
I love Carson because he calls a swimming suit a "swimming soup"
I love Carson because he is crazy and energetic, and he has two chipped front teeth as proof
I love Carson because of the way he loves his brothers
I love Carson because of his great belly laugh
I love Carson because he gets excited over EVERYTHING
I love Carson because he is a goof
I love Carson because his response to anything Colby says is "ya, me too!"
I love Carson because he lights up a room
I love Carson because his smile makes me happy
I love Carson because he has worked SO hard to broaden and improve his speech over the last year
I love Carson because when putting him down for his "birthday nap" today, he said, "come snuggle me, Mama." and we fell asleep together
I love Carson because he gives zerberts (thanks to Papa!)
I love Carson because his voice reaches an octive I didn't know existed when he gets excited
I love Carson because he teaches me something new everyday
I love Carson because he loves treats just as much as I do
I love Carson because of his love for life and people
I love Carson because he is tough with a tender side
I love Carson because he often has to sleep with a toy car
I love Carson because the first thing he says when waking up in the morning is, "where's Colby?" and the second thing he says is "where's Daddy?"
I love Carson because he is Carson!

Phew!

2009-07-19T21:01:00.002-06:00

So Carson really wanted a Lightning McQueen cake for his birthday this year. Since the big day is tomorrow, I thought I would get the cake done today. I am not going to lie.....this took hours! But, Carson LOVES it! So it was totally worth all the work! Happy Birthday to my Carson who is turning 3!

The Wait

2009-07-17T11:05:00.002-06:00

Grandma and Grandpa invited Colby over for a sleepover. He was MORE than excited! I think the pictures below tell you enough. He waited out on the lawn for who knows how long, with stuff in tow, for them to pick him up.I love his excitement for life! Oh to be a kid again!

When It Gets Too Hot Outside.....

2009-07-10T23:22:00.001-06:00

We build forts inside!

Comfortable....really???

2009-07-09T22:18:00.002-06:00

Every once in a while when I go to check on Joshie when he is napping, this is how I find him: He is sitting up then just falls forward to sleep. How can that be comfortable?? Babies and their limber bodies. How come we can't stay that way as we get older!

4th Oh July!

2009-07-08T09:53:00.004-06:00

4th of July has become one of my favorite holidays! We had fun at the Freedom Festival, starting off with the hot air balloons at 6:30 in the a.m. It was so early, but so cool!

We then hit the parade! Here are the boys with their cousins, Landon and Brady, on the walk to our "spot".

Josh just being cute as usual!

Colby and Brady had it figured out! They put their chairs in the wagon. Genius! Oh, and notice to Brady's right.....their is my mother-in-law in her awesome newspaper hat to keep the sun out. Again.....genius! Must run in the C* genes!

Nate plugging Joshie's ears when the loud sirens went by. And Grandpa and Landon, too!

Joshie finally just couldn't take the excitement anymore and crashed on Nate's chest.....awwww, precious! Again notice my mother-in-laws awesome hat.....so cool!

We then headed over to Nate's parents for a BBQ and Nate's cousin built the coolest rocket launcher. So all the kids made their own rockets and then we sent them flying! Here is Nate helping Colby with his.

Here is everyone looking up at the rocket!

Nate and his boy, Carson with a crooked smile that appeared in just about every picture that night. What? Where did that come from?!

The cousins hanging out in the back of Preston's truck! Hope you don't mind, Preston! I think they only made a couple dings on it.....just kidding! :-)

It was a great day, full of fun activities, yummy food, and great family. Hope you all had an equally wonderful 4th! God bless America!

Hangin with the WA Peeps....Part 4

2009-06-30T19:41:00.005-06:00

To wrap up the trip, we went to the Beach (WA Coast). It was great fun! We stayed in a beach house with all my siblings and their families. It was fun to all be together! The big boys went boogie boarding (I have no picture proof), while the little boys played in the sand (which they could have done all day long if we let them!), we played games and just hung out!

Papa duck and his little ducklings following behind. I absolutely LOVE this picture!Uncle Cory and JoshieThe Sibs with Dad. What is Mark doing??? Whatever it is, it is dang funny!

Just the Sibs!

The Boys with my bro, Mark. I love this picture, too!

Some of the gang at a lookout point.

Carson saying, "I'm cold!"

Me and my sweet, adorable Joshie!

The whole crew just before we had to make the LONG drive home!

It was a wonderful trip overall! Thank you to all who made it so special.

Oh ya, and Colby lost his SECOND tooth while we were at the beach! Such a big kid!

Hangin With the WA Peeps....Part 3

2009-06-30T19:20:00.006-06:00

One day we took the train down to Portland for the day. My dad and sisters, Renae and Rhonda joined us. The boys had so much fun! They loved riding on a real train!We stopped off at a cool doughnut place that Renae had heard about called Voo Doo Doughnuts. They have the craziest concoctions! Colby and Carson are showing off their picks. Some cute shots of the boys as we walked.....and walked.....and walked! :-)We went to the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). Such a cool place!!! They had a CSI exhibit where you could go and solve a crime. Really cool! And they had a whole room just for young children with all sorts of stuff to play with. The kids had a ball!

Hangin' With the WA Peeps...Part 2

2009-06-29T13:39:00.005-06:00

We watched my nephew play some baseball.....

went to Pump It Up since my sister-in-law and her husband own it, we got hooked up!!! :-) The boys totally LOVED it! It is the coolest jumping place ever! It is right next to Michael's off of 38th in Tacoma. (little plug there for ya, Rhonda!)

Grandma "E" came for a visit. Love that lady! And notice Carson on the ground....he refused to be photographed.
Dinner with my good pals, Kell, Tiff, and our brown friend, Dee Dee (and I am holding Kell's new little one...so cute!) It was fun to get together with old friends!

And we got to see the my mom's grave marker. Didn't it turn out just beautiful?! It is so striking in person. Being home and in the same house where most of my memories of her lie, was hard, but so great at the same time. I still miss her everyday. Especially when my kids hit milestones or do something that I know she would love and appreciate. I just want to be able to pick up the phone and tell her all about it and hear her amusement and excitement on the other end. I will just have to tell her all these things at a later date. I feel her close every so often.

My heart aches for her.

Hangin' With the WA Peeps...Part 1

2009-06-26T09:23:00.004-06:00

We were able to head up to WA to visit with friends and family for 10 days. It was so fun! We packed a lot in to those 10 days, so I have to post the trip in increments. Our stay started off with my neice Ryann's High School Graduation......

Here she is walking the stage like nobody's business (she looked beautiful!) to accept her diploma. :-) and the top of some guys head.

passing the time at the graduation with some Tootsie Pops.....mmmmm....tootsie pops!

The proud parents of the graduate!

Papa and Colbs

The whole S* Clan. Such a good lookin family!

Nae, Ryann and Me

Papa and Ryann

Ry and Colby

Now she will be off to WAZZU (Wash. State Univ. for those that don't know the WA lingo, tee hee :-)) in the fall. Congrats Ryann!

Hangin' With The C* Fam

2009-06-08T09:11:00.007-06:00

This weekend was packed with excitement with the the C* Clan. First we stayed in a Hotel in the city with Curt, Carrie and Boys. Cool thing was we happened to run into Crystal, Dale and Fam who were staying at the exact same hotel and same floor! Crazy. What are the odds??? We did some swimming......Then Saturday morning we took family pictures, which will be posted later. Jesse (Abbi's sis-in-law who is totally ADORABLE, by the way) took our pictures and did a fantastic job!

Then we headed to the C* Family reunion. It was so much fun!

We played softball,

some tennis, some volleyball (not pictured),

visited with fam,

did the pinata thing, the kids LOVED the candy,

even Grandma took a crack at the pinata. Go Grandma!

We rested

and Carson spent nearly the entire reunion bare foot. That kid! Can't keep shoes on him for anything! :-)

Then that evening a bunch of us went to the ReAL (MLS soccer) game, where David Archuletta (for you American Idol fans) performed. It was a lot of fun! I am so grateful for the C* family. They are all amazing in so many different ways! I can honestly say that I am so proud to be a C*! And I am grateful that my kids can be a part of the C* legacy.

Look-a-likes?

2009-05-31T15:40:00.002-06:00

Take a look at these 2 pictures. The black and white is of Colby and the colored one is Josh in virtually the same pose and hat. Do you think they look alike?

The Tooth Fairy Is On Her Way!

2009-05-28T11:57:00.003-06:00

Yes, you guessed it.....Colby lost his 1st tooth!! So exciting! Although it is just additional proof that he is growing up....sigh!

Here is the new Colby with tooth in hand!

He is modeling his tooth fairy pillow with the tooth inside.

This is the pillow I made for him that I just finished yesterday. Good timing!
What is the going rate for teeth these days? When I was a kid it was a quarter! :-)

Zions!

2009-05-28T10:46:00.006-06:00

While my Dad was here we took out our new tent trailer (new to us, atleast!) on its maiden voyage. We ventured down to Zions National Park. Can I tell you that this is one of the COOLEST places ever! We all had so much fun exploring the scenery, outdoor life, and bugs, namely the thousands of caterpillars that Carson was OBSESSED with! We met lots of cool people, mostly foreigners. I think it is so cool that we have so many National Parks here in our backyard that people travel thousands of miles to see! If you haven't been to Zions, you should go. It is definitely a must see and must experience!

Carson is modeling our new trailer

Papa is very comfy in the traier

3 cute boys in their element

Colby covered a lot of miles on that bike exploring the campground.

Here we all are at the end of the River Walk trail (trail to the entrance of the Narrows)

cool shot

if you look really close in the middle of the picture, you can see two rock climbers. This was completely fascinating to me. Major EXTREME sport. Some even sleep on the cliff. Just hanging there! Crazy, if you ask me!!!

Cars Cars

A cool shot from the Emeral Pools hike

Isn't Joshie so precious sleeping there on Nate! He slept the whole way down from the Emerald Pools hike.

AHHH!

The boys climbed up a rock

The men before our exploring

Carson had to push the stroller, and would let you know if you tried to take over that HE was pushing the stroller. So strong-willed, that one is! :-)

At the entrance of the park

Close Call....Way Too Close

2009-05-26T09:07:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we went to place some flowers on my cousins grave in honor of Memorial Day. On our way home we were driving on a 2-lane highway and Nate and I were looking over to the left admiring a house. We both turn to look ahead and 2 cars collided literally RIGHT in front of us. The sound of the crash filled the air and debris flew all over while one car went spinning around to one side and the other was sent to the other side crashing into a fence and ditch. We swerved in between both cars avoiding them and the debris that had hit the ground. We immediately pulled over as our hearts were racing as fast as possible and myself about in tears fearing that there may be some seriously injured people. Nate ran over to each vehicle to check the state of the passengers as I called 911. The boys were sleeping in the car, so I stayed close to it to make sure the boys were ok and didn't wake up. The passengers in one of the cars was fine. The car that got sent into the ditch had some injuries- cuts, bruises, etc. and one man felt like there may have been some internal damage. So, we think all is ok. Atleast they were when they were taken to the hospital.
I have been playing this back in my mind over and over again. I keep thinking how lucky we were to have been spared. If we had just been 2 seconds earlier, we would have been a part of it. After getting the people off in the ambulance and filling out a witness statement, we headed home. I looked at my husband and my boys and said a little prayer of gratitude that we were protected. And I was so proud of my husband who, without hesitation, made sure those people were taken care of while we waited for the ambulance and police to arrive. It is an experience that I will never forget and have definitely learned something from.
Life is precious and fragile!

"Smile, it enhances your face value!"

2009-05-24T21:24:00.005-06:00

The title of this post is a favorite quote of mine from the movie "Steel Magnolias". Who doesn't love a smile? I know I do. I even had a smiley face on the top of my Graduatoin cap. A smile is contagious. A smile can spark a new friendship. A simple smile can turn someone's bad day around. A smile can ease someone's burdens. A smile is a language that is understood universally. Think about how you feel when someone smiles at you, even a stranger in the store or wherever you may be. And I think that it is so interesting that a smile is the first thing a baby learns to do and is the first connection you have with them. And their incredible response when you smile at them. They just beam back at you. One of life's precious treasures!!! It makes me think of a song we would sing when I worked at a Pre-school:

"If you chance to meet a frown, do not let it stay.

Quickly turn it upside down and smile that frown away.

Noone likes a frowny face. Change it to a smile.

Make the world a better place by smiling all the while."

A smile is worth a million bucks, well, priceless, really. So enhance your face value and smile at 5 strangers (or even your family) today and see what response you get.

Make the world a better place by smiling all the while! :)

Graduation

2009-05-21T22:44:00.004-06:00

Colby officially graduated from Pre-school today. So cute! He did such a great job and is so excited to be heading off to Elementary School in the fall.

Before the ceremony

The Graduate

With his good buddy, Tanner with his wonderful Teacher, Ms. Tonya
A family shot. Notice Carson is missing. We couldn't get him to stay still long enough for a picture with us. He was too busy playing, but......
I did get a picture of just him. And a stinkin' cute one too! :)

Colby is in the middle

7 Years Ago.....

2009-05-18T15:42:00.002-06:00

today, I married the most perfect man for me! Everyday I am more and more grateful for the gift he is in my life! And I am pretty proud of the family we are building. We make a good team!

Papa's Visit- Tulip Festival!

2009-05-14T14:17:00.005-06:00

My dad (Papa) came to visit us for 10 days and we had a BLAST with him!!!! He was such a great help, made some killer MCB's and had some fun outings! One thing we did was hit the Tulip Festival. I wasn't sure what to expect, and it was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!! And so much fun! We spent 3 hours exploring and admiring the beauty. The kids had a ball! Warning: LOTS of pictures to follow, sorry! :-)

I Love Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T17:00:00.001-06:00

Nothing is better then having my boys fix me breakfast in bed and make into a smiley face! and the beautiful artwork from my kids is by far my favorite!

Joshie At 9 Months

2009-05-08T09:17:00.003-06:00

My oh my how time flies! Josh is now 9 months and is all over the place! He isn't crawling yet, but he wiggles and rolls EVERYWHERE! He is always smiling and giving hugs and kisses (my favorite!) The boy is the sweetest thing on the planet, and I am not exaggerating! He has blessed our family in so many ways! I love this little guy with all my heart and soul. How could you not? :) (see below)

Sunflowers

2009-05-07T14:30:00.003-06:00

I have always loved sunflowers because they make me smile. They are bright and cheery and yellow. Don't you just feel happy looking at this picture?! Another reason I like sunflowers is because they follow the sun. They are always pointing towards the sun and basking in its beautiful, pure light. I think it is such a great symbol for us to always be following the Son and bask in His beautiful, pure light. Then we, too, will be bright and cheery and make others smile!

My Latest Project

2009-04-22T12:16:00.004-06:00

I saw this great idea to make silhouettes of your kids. So I thought they would be perfect for our Master Bedroom. Here is the finished product:

The How To:
I printed their names on white cardstock. I then took profile pictures of each of the boys and brought them up on the computer and just traced the outline onto paper for the pattern. Then traced onto black cardstock. Cut them out and taped (you could use glue as well) them onto the white cardstock. Then Framed them. Easy peasy! And it hardly cost a thing! I already had all the paper. I just had to buy the ribbon and frames which I got on sale for $4 a piece! I think they look so cool! Nate even complimented them. And if he is complimenting my home decor it must not be too bad! :-)

When I Grow Up.....

2009-04-19T16:59:00.004-06:00

(photo courtesy of Lindsay Shields)

When asked "what do you want to be when you grow up", this was Colby's response......

"a tennis player!"

He is a true C* boy!

A Coupon Addiction!

2009-04-15T12:40:00.002-06:00

I have become addicted to shopping with coupons. You find the sales + coupons + rebates and you save so much money! It is awesome!!! I just bought all of these items for just under $27. Pretty cool! It is a little sad that couponing is such a highlight of my life. Oh my! :)

2009-04-12T15:28:00.001-06:00

HAPPY EASTER!

"Special Remember Nana Day"

2009-04-11T15:00:00.007-06:00

Today marks the 1 year Anniversary of my Mom's passing. It has been an emotional and special day. I decided a while back that I wanted to help the boys remember Nana on this day every year. So I decided that we could attach a note to her on a balloon and send it off. Nate thought it would be cool to go out to breakfast before the send-off, since that was something we rarely do, so it would be special, too. So.....we started the morning off for some grub at the IHOP.

Nate looks like he is half asleep. (hee hee) I assure you, he wasn't! :)

We all went and picked out our balloons. Then we got the balloons ready and called my family who were going to do the same thing at Mom's grave marker.

We all released them together. It was really special and neat. I wish we could have been physically there with the rest of my family, but this was close enough.

Here is Colby all excited about the balloons in the air!

I was glad that we were able to celebrate her and remember her today. I miss her. I have grown so much through the experience of her death. She is an amazing woman and left me so many gifts!

It's done!

2009-03-31T19:47:00.004-06:00

I love to make quilts for my babies. Here is Joshie's that I finally finished! Yeah! I think he likes it!

Gosh, this kid is cute!

Heartache

2009-03-29T23:00:00.003-06:00

This is one of my best friends Pam (I call her PJ) and her husband Anthony. They are two of the happiest, most wonderful people. They have 3 adorable boys, then in November they had........ a beautiful, precious baby girl who they named Felicity. They were so excited to finally have a baby girl! Felicity returned home to her Heavenly Father, suddenly, this last Thursday. We were able to attend the funeral yesterday and I was in awe of how in her short 4 month life, she left such an impression on so many people. What a special spirit she is. (She would have to be to have parents like Pam and Anthony....they are awesome!!) We don't know why we are given the trials we are and what we are to learn from them. I think this would be one of the hardest trials to bear.....losing a precious child. My heart is breaking for my dear friends. I love them SO much and hope they are finding the peace they need. Pam had the greatest quote on the program for the Funeral service, it says.......

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened".

I think this totally encompasses Pam and Anthony. It is going to be a long, hard, heartbraking road ahead, but in the end they will be smiling because Felicity happened and has blessed their lives and will continue to. That is just the wonderful type of people they are.

I love you, PJ, and admire you so much!

Want To Play Amazing Race?

2009-03-25T21:58:00.003-06:00

Those that watch the Amazing Race will appreciate this post.

Colby and I love to watch the Amazing Race together. Yesterday we had my nephew, Landon, over. I was in the bathroom cleaning and heard the boys playing in the kitchen. And this is what I heard:

The boys running around and then, Colby would say, "Landon, congratulations you are team number 1." and then, "Carson, I am sorry you are the last team to arrive." and he continued on with this depending on who approached him first.

I couldn't help but laugh! Watch out host Phil, Colby could be after your job!

I'm Not Lucky.....

2009-03-18T15:46:00.006-06:00

I AM BLESSED!

We did a little St. Patty's Day celebrating.

The day started off with a visit from the Lucky Leprechaun who left some treats in the boys' shoes.

We then had green oatmeal. Which the boys didn't eat very much of. I don't blame them, it looked pretty gross! :0) I was so bummed because I was planning to give them Lucky Charms and totally forgot about it!

The they had shamrock shaped sandwiches for lunch.
And then for dessert we had a shamrock cake.

And how blessed am I to have these 3 sweet and adorable boys....

and this handsome, AWESOME husband?!

I am not lucky.....I am tremendously blessed!

Kindergarten, Here He Comes!

2009-03-18T14:56:00.002-06:00

Well, I signed up Colby, today, for Kindergarten. He asked me if he gets to start school tomorrow. He is that excited. Luckily I still have 5 more months to prepare myself to send him off to Elementary school.

Why can't this handsome boy.......

stay like this forever? *sigh*

Quality Time With My Hubby

2009-03-16T22:04:00.004-06:00

Friday, Nate and I were able to go out on such a great date! I am so bummed I forgot my camera....so I will have to use substitute pictures!

We started off riding the scooters to......

play some tennis.

We then had some dinner,

and a movie.

We were able to go out carefree and not stress about getting back at a certain time. It was seriously so GREAT!!! THANK YOU Chad and Abbi for spending time with our boys so Nate and I could have some re-connecting time...just the two of us!

Disneyland!

2009-03-09T22:36:00.008-06:00

We spent last weekend in Disneyland and had a FABULOUS time! We were able to meet my sister Rhonda and her fam, Jim, Ryann and Carter, (We missed you Rachel!) and my Dad. It was a quick trip, but the kids had a blast! And let me tell you, it is WORK to haul 3 kids around Disneyland! :) But we had fun!

Rhonda, Nate and Colbs lovin' Disney

Josh was a trooper and did Awesome!

Colby was a lot happier than he looks. :)

Me and my Pops and the top of Joshies head

Ryann, Jim and Carter

Colby and his Papa (LOVE this picture!)

Colbs and Cars ready for another day in Disnyland!

Carson was so excited meet "Ightning" and Mater!

Colby is a total poser!

Carson with his Autie Rhonda and Papa

Me and my Honey and again, Joshies head!

Carson is just to stinkin' cute! He couldn't get enough of it all.

The boys with you know who...."Mickey House" as Carson says it!

Look how handsome this boy is! Just can't stand it!

Two brothers in "happiest place on earth" heaven!

Pounding the Disney pavement!

Carson Strikes Again

2009-03-04T14:12:00.004-07:00

THIS

(a popcorn kernel)

=

A trip to the Doctor.
What will he do next?

Disneyland

2009-02-24T20:27:00.001-07:00

We are in need of some magic!

Valentines

2009-02-18T23:09:00.005-07:00

I finished the little Valentine backpacks for the boys just in time for the big day (or actually on the big day)!

Then I made this for Nate with Colby's great help! It has swedish fish in the sea. I know....cheesy, but oh so fun!!!

Then Colbs made me one too! Isn't it so cute. Man, I love that kid!

And our Valentine's Day would not be complete without me making Nate the biggest Rice Krispie Treat heart around!

The boys gave me some of "my favorite things". I felt like Oprah.....it was awesome!
It is so great to know and feel the love we have for one another in this house!

This rocks!

2009-02-15T13:37:00.004-07:00

Thanks to my friend, Jessi, I have discovered this website. You can create your own font using your very own handwriting and install it on your computer. I think it is about the coolest thing EVER!! Here is my example:

Try it out! It is VERY addicting. You can do doodles or whatever you want. It totally rocks and best of all.....it is so FREE!

The Best Valentine Date!

2009-02-13T11:42:00.006-07:00

My Honey planned a great Valentines date for us last night. We went up the canyon and snowshoed.

We held hands

Got a little exercise

Nate built us a fire.....

with his mad fire building skills!

We relaxed by the fire

had some yummy hot cocoa,

some Valentine's chocolates,

and just hung out PEACEFULLY, just the TWO of us. We then warmed up at a nice restaurant and had dinner PEACEFULLY!
Simply heaven! Thanks, babe, for an awesome adventure and night! I wouldn't want anyone else as my Valentine!
Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

Valentine Project

2009-02-12T15:54:00.004-07:00

This is my current project for the boys. You put them on the back of the kitchen chairs and put Valentine's goodies in them. Thanks to ourscoop blog for the pattern.

enjoying the journey

Ahhh...Summer at Last, But Wait

Yes, It Is Really Me!

It May Be A While....

1st Days of School

2 Many Reasons Why I Love Joshie!

Mickey Mayhem!

2:10:25...Woo Hoo!

Celebrating Carol!

Summer Fever

Good Times

The Graduate

Oh, The Insanity....

Chickens!

Farewell

Teef!

Nope.....

Start Your Engines!

Moving On

I Love a Project!

Olympic Spirit

He's 100 Days Smarter

A Yummy Valentine"y" Treat

Sweet Joshie

Cause For Celebration!

She's Ready To Pop...Almost!

What Have We Been Up To Lately?

That Man of Mine

Released

Christmas Catch-Up

A Decade In Review

Happy Holidays!

Capturing the Christmas Spirit

An Honor

First Snow!

Joshie's First Haircut *sniffle* *sniffle*

It Has Been So Long!

A "Wicked" Weekend Getaway!

I Had To Laugh!

Wicked....Here We Come!

Ugh!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

3 Reasons I Smile Everyday

First School Picture

There's A 6 Yr. Old In The House!

Thinking Christmas

Such A Talker......Now

Proof!

Joshie's 1 Yr. Pics

We Did It!

Carson, Carson, Carson!

A New Baby

New Beginnings

Nothin' But Love For the C* Family!

Cheeser!

ONE!

The Boys' New Toy

A Little Blue

Determined

Can't Get Enough Of It!

Look At Me, I Am Thwee!

Carson...Oh, How I Love Thee!

Phew!

The Wait

When It Gets Too Hot Outside.....

Comfortable....really???

4th Oh July!

Hangin with the WA Peeps....Part 4

Hangin With the WA Peeps....Part 3

Hangin' With the WA Peeps...Part 2

Hangin' With the WA Peeps...Part 1

Hangin' With The C* Fam

Look-a-likes?

The Tooth Fairy Is On Her Way!

Zions!

Close Call....Way Too Close

"Smile, it enhances your face value!"

Graduation

7 Years Ago.....

Papa's Visit- Tulip Festival!

Joshie's First Haircut sniffle sniffle