Pinky & the 3 Little Pigs

Our Florida Trip

2012-01-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

We did it!!! We made it to Florida, had a great time at the hotel and the parks. Thought I would share just a few pics from the trip.

The waiting has begun.....Again

2011-12-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

The kids had a great Christmas this year. They were so excited about everything they opened and very grateful. The big surprise came from Grandma and Grandpa. They are taking the whole family to Disneyworld and we leave on New Years day. We will also be going to Kennedy Space center and Universal studios. I helped Julia make a new countdown calendar for the trip, she can't wait! It has been an exciting few weeks. I will also add that Charlotte is sitting up all on her own, learning to use a sippy cup and saying mama when she is really tired or hungry.

Waiting for Christmas

2011-12-23T08:43:00.001-08:00

2011-11-25T07:52:00.001-08:00

So, I've been a little busy since Charlotte was born. She is such a wonderful, sweet baby but 4 kids is a bit crazy! Thought I would put up a few pictures of what we have done over the past few months. These are Charlotte's 4 month pics taken by her Aunt Allison. About time to do the 6 month pictures now. Doesn't she look like a doll?

Mike and his Dad ran the St. Geoge marathon together - this was Mike's first and he did so well. So proud of him!!! Then we drove to SLC to visit my sister and brother in-law and my Mom also came down from Rexburg to see us. We toured Temple Square, went to General Conference with the boys and went to the Dinosaur museum which the kids absolutely loved.

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678962344867492242" /> Our annual trip to the local pumpkin patch and the kids all dressed up for Halloween!

Here is my big girl Julia, 4 1/2 years old and in pre-school this year. She is also doing ballet and tap dance. She loves to help with baby Charlotte and is such a great sister!

Charlotte Ruth Taylor

2011-06-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

So she's finally here! I will have to include delivery details later. For now here are a few pictures of our sweet girl. Born 6-3-11 7 pounds 10 oz 20 1/4 inches long. The kids are in love with here and spend all their time fighting over who get's to hold her!

Spring Piano Recital

2011-05-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

The boys played in a piano recital last weekend. They both did a great job. I am so amazed at the progress they have made over the year.

Hyrum turns 8!!!

2011-05-11T07:00:00.001-07:00

Hyrum turned 8 - such an exciting age! He is such a funny and loving and smart kid. He really wanted a party at Chuck E Cheese - a kids dream - a parents nightmare! We took him and a few friends and actually had a great time without too much drama or chaos! He had fun so I guess that is what matters most. I added a few pictures of our silly boy over the years. Seeing him smile always makes me smile. He has such a love for life and we feel so blessed to have him in our family.

Arrow of Light

2011-05-11T06:56:00.001-07:00

Ethan has finished Webelos and received his Arrow of Light award last Friday. He has been so lucky to have really great leaders all through his cub scout career. Now he moves on to 11 year old scouts and Hyrum begins cubs!

One month to go!!!!!

2011-04-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

Some of our favorite bows
Baby shoes!!!

I love this bedding with the birds and owls

Baby girl crib
Julia's Bed

I can't wait for our little girl to arrive. I especially can't wait for the need to use the bathroom every 45 minutes to be gone! I have been really lucky so far and am still pretty comfortable though. We started getting the house ready back in March so everything is done except for setting up the cradle. We painted Julia's old room and moved Ethan in there. Painted a dresser and desk for Julia and bought a big girl bed. Then we also finally painted the hall bathroom after being in the house for 6 years. I feel like I have cleaned out every cupboard, closet and drawer to organize things and make room for another person in this house. It seemed so big when we moved in and had only 2 kids! Now we are using up every inch of space. And in case I didn't mention it, this girl is already spoiled! We love shoes and headbands!

Easter

2011-04-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Mr. & Mrs. Moore

2011-04-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

Mike and I traveled to St.Maries Idaho this weekend for my sisters wedding. We had a nice time seeing my family and I was so glad that we could be there to see Samantha on her special day. She looked beautiful in her dress and I have to say that our family rocked it with our amazing dance moves at the reception! We had a great time and Mike and I enjoyed a weekend together without our kids before #4 arrives.

Happy Birthday Princess!!!

2011-04-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

Last week we celebrated Julia's 4th birthday. Wow, the years are flying by. I had to take a minute and say a few things about this amazing little girl. She has been a blessing from the moment she was born. Bringing joy and laughter and PINK to our home. I LOVE having a daughter. The princesses and baby dolls and bows and ruffles make me smile. Julia is a bright, imaginative little girl. Always make-believing and dressing up. She loves to help me cook and put away the laundry. She makes up her own songs to sing and is a mermaid in the bathtub. She is always saying something funny and we love her so much. She is also strong willed and a drama queen but I wouldn't change any of it. I can't wait to do this all over again with our next little girl! Happy Birthday Julia!

Disneyland

2011-04-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

What a day! We wanted to take the kids to Disneyland before the baby is born. We ended up going on the hottest day so far this year! 90 degrees and 8 months pregnant walking around Disneyland is not my idea of fun. But we do this stuff for our kids right?! This was Julia's first time there and we kept it a secret that we were going until the night before. She calls it Princessland and couldn't wait to see princesses and Mickey of course. She was a trooper and did great until after the World of Color show at California Adventure. It was an amazing show! But by about 10 pm she was pretty grouchy! One of my favorite parts of the day was waiting to have a picture with Winnie the Pooh and she wanted to tell him that she was getting a new baby. So sweet! She loved the tea cups and Soaring over California - not impressed with Pirates though. The boys and Mike rode some of the "bigger" rides like the Matterhorn & Space mountain. We had to split up and make sure that everyone got to do what they wanted. So this trip made me realize a few things about Disneyland:
*The happiest place on earth turns to the grouchiest place on earth once you've been there for 12 hours
*I do not want a season pass - why anyone would do that to themselves more than once every few years is beyond me
*3(almost 4) year olds cannot wait in a line longer than 45 min.
*When you finally get to the front of the line someone will have to go potty ( it might even be Mom!)
*sometimes the tram ride to the parking lot is the best ride of the day
*But... When it's all over the fun memories stay with you forever!

Triathlon

2011-03-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

So the boys and Mike,Grandma,Grandpa,Pam and Jonathan all raced in a sprint triathlon last weekend. It was held at the Los Alamitos army base. It looked like we would have rain all day but as we arrived the sun came out and it was nice except for the wind. Ethan did a half mile run, mile bike ride and 50 meter swim. Hyrum did a half mile run, half mile ride and 50 meter swim. The adults did a 5K, 12 mile bike ride and 200 meter swim. It was fun to cheer everyone on and see them finish what they had trained so hard for.

Busy Boys

2011-02-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

The boys both entered the science fair this year. Ethan grew his own rock candy and Hyrum explored what would brake up a nail the most. They both worked hard and Ethan earned a first place award while Hyrum got a second ( not bad for his first year)! They are both smart boys!

Ethan played a duet last Sunday at Redlands Univ. for a piano festival. It was a good experience for him. He and his partner received medals for Honorable Mention. They played Broadway Lights. I am so proud that he is brave enough to get up and preform in front of judges.

Julia started sucking her thumb at 3 months old. We were thrilled because before that she was a screamer and hard to console. Well, 3 1/2 years later it isn't so cute and we can't get her to stop. We tried bribes like getting a new big girl bed or going to Disneyland but it didn't work. Now we have gotten mean! I had to buy the horrible tasting stuff to put on her nail and I hope it helps.

Being a Mom Is............

2011-01-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

Do your kids ever drive you CRAZY???? Mine seem to be having a really hard time listening to anything I say. To start last week off, the boys broke a plate in the kitchen because they thought it was a good place to wrestle. It is like they don't remember we have any rules in our house! Went to Costco with the whole family on Saturday morning. I would not recommend this to anyone. It was so busy, but I had coupons that were about to expire so we had to go. Anyway, the real problem was that the boys wore their Heelies (the shoes with a wheel in them) . I told them before we went in that skating in crowded Costco - cutting people off, falling down in front of people etc. wasn't allowed. Do you think they listened? NO! Mike threatened to make them take their shoes off and walk in their socks and I finally sentenced them to a time out as soon as we got home. An hour later they had eaten lunch, Julia was put down for a nap and I told the boys to go play outside and if anyone slammed the door coming in or out they would be in trouble. They kept coming in saying they were bored and wanted to play video games instead. It was beautiful weather out and they had friends to play with so I did the only thing I could think of - Locked them out! Am I the only Mom that always feels like a bad guy? Sometimes I just wonder what is going on in their little brains!

Catching Up

2011-01-22T16:47:00.000-08:00

Playing in the leaves at Granny and Papa's.
Nerd day at school!
My family on Christmas Eve.
My mom brought a bunch of hats for Buddy so he could get in the Holiday spirit!

This pillow pet brought tears to her eyes!
Hyrum finally got a DS! He was sooooooo happy!

Disney on Ice
Snow in the Desert!

Wow.....the end of 2010 flew by and I have really neglected this blog. We went to Idaho in November to visit family, had Thanksgiving with Mike at work, my family joined us here in California for Christmas,we found out that baby #4 is a girl,celebrated the New Year with everyone having the flu and now 2011 is as busy as ever! The boys are both doing science projects( lots of work for Mom). Ethan is super busy with piano - Cert. of Merritt is coming up and he is playing a duet for a festival at Redlands University. Both boys and Mike are training for a mini Triathalon next month. Whew.......I am trying to start planning the bedroom situation since someone has to share now. Life is as busy and exciting as usual! I am posting a few pictures of the fun we had over the past months, enjoy!

Credit Card Fraud

2010-11-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

I should be writing about the joy of the Holiday season, but I just found out that our credit card has been stolen.....again. Does this happen to anyone else? This is the second time in the past 4 months for us. Our card was used for some online purchases and to top it off our address changed. The credit card company said they received a change of address notification from the post office, so they changed it without calling to verify things with us! If you are a thief you don't have to be too smart since the companies that claim to be secure don't really seem to have good safety measures in place. This has happened to us several times in the past few years. Once with our debit card which was used to buy about $500 worth of stuff at Sears about 1 week before Christmas. Definitely not a good time to have your account tapped into! I have had enough! I rarely shop online and now I will never shop online. What a pain!

Fall Fun!

2010-11-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few weeks. The boys went on a campout and Grandpa and my brother were able to go along and add to the fun! Mike made some delicious dutch oven desserts for everyone and the kids had a fun time shooting the BB gun. We took a trip to the local pumpkin patch for our pumpkins which we didn't carve. We added Mr. Potato head parts to dress them up instead! Julia dressed up as Sleeping Beauty for her Ballet class and the girls did a "Witchy" dance for the parents. So cute! We went to our ward Halloween Carnival and the kids loaded up their bags with prizes, cookies and candy! So much fun! P.S. We are headed up to Idaho this week to go to my nieces Baptism. So excited to see everyone!

Piano Recital

2010-10-21T15:14:00.001-07:00

The boy's did a great job at their recital last Sunday. This is Ethan's 2nd year playing and Hyrum has only been playing for 3 months. They both did a great job.

Ballet for Julia

2010-10-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

I have been looking forward to this day for years! Julia finally started ballet. She had a great time and it was so fun seeing her and all the other little girls in pink! She calls herself a "ballet girl"!

Oak Glen

2010-10-13T15:26:00.001-07:00

We made the annual trip to Oak Glen this week. Loved the apples, cider and especially the apple donuts. Now we are waiting for some fall weather.

Primary

2010-09-17T08:32:00.001-07:00

We had our Primary program last Sunday. The kids worked so hard to learn their songs and speaking parts. Ethan even played 'Keep the Commandments" and did such a nice job. He is a brave boy! Julia and the nursery age kids went up to do sign language to "Follow the Prophet". She was very serious about doing her part and worked hard to get it right! The songs are always so touching and sweet. I loved it so much this year. Mike was on duty but he came over with his crew and snuck in the back to watch the kids. So glad he could be there too.

Night Swimming

2010-09-17T08:29:00.001-07:00

The kids love this time of year. It is still warm enough for some night swimming when the busy day is done. They had fun jumping off of the wall together and posing for me!

Helping Daddy

2010-09-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

10 years old!

2010-08-26T22:45:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that 10 years ago we started our family and the days of quiet ended! Ethan has brought us nothing but joy, laugher, pride and happiness since the day he was born. He has always been a people pleaser and so easy to get along with. He is a quick learner and we are so proud of his accomplishments in school, sports and piano. I couldn't ask for a better big brother for Julia and Hyrum. He steps up and is my helper when Dad is away. I have included pictures of his past years in school. It is fun to look back and see how he has grown. I am so lucky to be his Mom! Happy 10th Birthday Ethan. Hope the next 10 are just as great!

Back to School....Again

2010-08-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Another year has begun! Ethan is in 5th grade and Hyrum in 2nd. Time sure flies by and they grow up so fast. Ethan is in soccer, piano and scouts. Hyrum did not want to play soccer this year but we did start him in piano lessons. So far so good! We are looking forward to a fun and busy school year!

The Queen Mary

2010-08-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

Mike and I took a mini vacation before the kids were back in school. We went to Long Beach,CA to stay on the Queen Mary. We really enjoyed taking the tour of the ship and all the old fixtures and art deco style of the room was great. But, it is an old ship and the walls are paper thin! We listened to the people next to us talking until after midnight! Mike finally said " Give it a rest already!' Our neighbor replied :" Jeez, I didn't know the walls were so paper thin." Then they kept talking. We went to the front desk, complained and were upgraded to a HUGE suite! It was a funny night! I would definitely recommend visiting the QM for a tour but don't stay the night if you are hoping for a good nights sleep!

Julia's Haircut

2010-08-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

I couldn't take the hair in the eyes any longer. About a week ago I gave her bangs. I have to say that I like it on her more than I expected. What I don't like is that she looks more grown up now!

Road Trip

2010-08-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

We took a 2 week RV trip with 3 kids and 1 dog through 5 states! It was a blast! I am so happy that we were able to make some great memories together as a family. The 1st day we went to Pismo Beach. Overcast but warm. The park had a playground and lots of other kids to play with. We roasted marshmallows and stayed up late playing games.

Day 2 we set out for the San Miguel Mission. Ethan did a report on it so we wanted to see it. Then up to Petaluma to an amazing KOA. We had a great time here. There were tons of kids and a fun bouncy pillow to play on. The next morning we drove through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate bridge. I about had a panic attack on those tiny streets in such a big RV. Glad Mike drives a firetruck for a living! It was foggy but clear enough that we could see the bridge, the city skyline and Alcatraz.

The Redwoods were amazing! The trees were so beautiful and the park we stayed at was woodsy and very private. The slug we found at our site was almost more amazing than the trees. It was huge and the kids called it a banana slug! We had fun riding bikes and playing at the playground at this park.

We got to Long Beach , WA after passing through Astoria. Astoria is such a cute community with old houses on the hillside. We crossed a really long bridge. The weather in Long Beach required winter coats! We saw a whale skeleton assembled on a boardwalk, went to a lighthouse and played at the beach.The beach on the WA coast is so different from the CA coast. Sea grass, cold weather in July and no seashells to be found. It was fun to get the little cousins all together.

After the reunion we headed to the Tri-Cities to see my Granny and Papa and an Aunt and Uncle there. The kids had fun playing and swimming with cousins. Julia loved these duckies that she fell asleep with! Buddy was happy to be out of the RV and have a yard to hang out in for a few days.

What would a summer vacation be without a stop in Idaho? We stayed right on the Snake River in Homedale, ID. We saw pelicans on the water and found a snake in the bushes near the bathroom! The kids had a ball running through the sprinklers at this RV park! Mike made yummy chicken pot pie in his dutch oven.

Truckee was our last stop before home. Warm weather, swimming at the lake, a trip into town for the street fair and dinner at Burger Me! A restaurant that Guy from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has visited.

Here we go.....

2010-07-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

We have been busy preparing and packing for our upcoming trip to Washington for the Havens Family reunion. We are so excited to be taking an RV up the CA coast, to the Redwoods then on to WA for the reunion. Then we will head to the Tri-Cities to see more family and back home through Truckee. The kids are beyond excited. Some of my favorite childhood memories were camping with my grandparents. I hope we can create memories that are just as special with our kids. We are looking forward to hikes, bike rides, playing games, exploring and all the goodies that go along with camping like s'mores. See ya all in 2 weeks!

Happy 4th!

2010-07-12T08:27:00.001-07:00

2010-06-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

So, first of all, we said goodbye to the puppy because he bit Mike last night. I feel like the meanest parent in the world. The kids were all in tears. I just couldn't live with a dog that bites. What if it had been one of the kids? This experience has made me realize what an amazing dog Buddy is. He is calm, gentle, low maintenance and trustworthy. On a happier note, the kids are taking swimming lessons right now and having a great time. Julia is like a little fish! She loves to do bobs and she puts her head in and swims. She is also starting to kick off of the wall. Hyrum is learning to dive and does a great job when he is serious and dives in instead of doing a flip! Ethan is diving, treading water and improving his strokes. They sure love the water! It is fun to see them progress so well.

New doggie!

2010-06-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

Here is our new friend! We adopted him from the local animal shelter. He is a miniature dachshund. Only 10 pounds and is 1 1/2 years old. He is very calm and gentle and the kids( especially Hyrum) are enjoying him. They follow him around the house as he explores and try to get him to play!

Raging Waters

2010-06-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've seen Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure many times and so it was great to finally go to Raging Waters! We picked a perfect day, sunny but not too hot and not crowded. The kids had an amazing time. Ethan has brave and tried several slides his favorite was the Speed racers. Hyrum rode Thunder Rapids with Ethan and me. You all sit in a huge tube and we got soaked! After that Hyrum stayed with the smaller slides. Julia liked the kiddie pool and by the end of the day was brave enough to try the slide. Mike and Ethan both tried the wave maker. It is like surfing. Mike said it was fun but a lot of work. We had a great time and will probably do it again!

Pickin' Cherries

2010-06-19T09:03:00.001-07:00

We were lucky enough to be invited to pick cherries at the Woll's orchard. The kids picked a lot, trying to fill up their buckets. They are delicious Bing cherries. I love the Oak Glen area. So much green and a quaint feeling there.

End of school...Begining of Summer

2010-06-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

So we made it to the last day of school. Ethan (holding the yellow certificate) earned an award at the end of school. Hyrum did too and he was given the"Whopper" award by his teacher for always having a "whopper"of a story to tell! We went to the spray park with some friends yesterday. The kids had so much fun so we stayed for 4 hours! Then they still wanted to swim after dinner. I guess they can't get enough of the water!

Home improvements

2010-06-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

I feel like it never ends! Cleaning,organizing, making things better around the house. These last few weeks we did a few projects. A light over the kitchen table ( it took me 5 years to find one I liked!). Shelves and a work bench in the garage to get all the junk off the floor. And finally, I found a way to get my grout clean, I painted it! The house is looking good now!

Hyrum's Butterfly garden

2010-06-07T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hyrum wanted a Butterfly garden for his birthday. For the last 2 weeks we watched the caterpillars grow and then make cocoons. Then we waited for them to emerge. All 10 of them made it out alive! We watched them for a few days, feeding them sugar water, and then said goodbye to Fly-guy, Mario, Sonic, Bowzer and all the others.

I Hope They Call Me On A Mission......

2010-05-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

We took a quick trip to Rexburg (driving at night) to spend a few days with Tim before he goes into the MTC today. It was so good to be there. I helped him pack up his room and get a few last minute things ready. He gave an amazing talk on Sunday. So calm and composed, his thoughts were put together so well. He is ready to be out there sharing the gospel and I am soooo excited for him and happy that he made the decision to serve the Lord. The kids had so much fun, as usual. They went with Papa to Father's and sons outing. Camped out in the bunkhouse almost every night. Went to the neighbors house that is an animal rescue. Mike went paint balling with my brothers and friends. I got the chance to do some wedding dress shopping with my sister Sam. It was a busy and fun filled weekend. We had a great time with everyone and can't wait to get together again at the reunion this July! Oh, and it snowed while we were there!

Rexburg...here we come!

2010-05-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

We are heading home today. Back to good old Rexburg, Idaho. Going up to say goodbye to my brother Tim. He is leaving for the MTC on Wendsday and then on to Mesa, Arizona. It will be good to see everyone: brothers, sisters, grandparents etc. I love going back to Rexburg. It is so slow paced and quiet compared to California. And the best part is always eating at my favorite restaurant, Fong's!

HOT

2010-05-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hyrum Owen Taylor or HOT turned 7 on Saturday. The day he was born changed our lives forever. At 1 day old he went into surgery and spent 2 weeks recovering in the NICU. He showed us his stubbornness and will to live from the very beginning. He is still a stubborn boy that has a love for life and finds the fun in everything. He has an amazing, contagious laugh and I can't forget his ability to roar! Hyrum makes sure that our lives are never dull. He is an excellent student, is reading chapter books and loves to draw. Happy Birthday Hyrum, we love you.

Mother's Day Tea

2010-05-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

Ethan invited me to the fourth grade tea on Friday. It was so cute. They sang, played a video with pictures of all the kids as babies and served us cookies and drinks. It was special to have some time together. I am lucky to have such great children.

Princess hair & Princess scooter

2010-05-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

Julia got a Princess scooter for her Birthday last month and she is already really fast on it! No fear. I guess that is what happens when you have 2 big brothers! She told me that this hairdo is Snow white. I was thinking of a different princess, but she is the boss!

A Wedding

2010-05-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

He were in Santa Barbara this weekend for Heather and Jerry's wedding. Jerry is one of Mike's oldest friends and it was great to be there for the wedding. Nick flew in from Nashville to be there also and the guys enjoyed catching up on things. The ceremony took place on a bluff overlooking the ocean. It was a beautiful site for a wedding.

Roses

2010-04-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

I love my roses. I was inspired by my Grandma Linda's beautiful rose garden and so I have a few bushes of my own. They are in full bloom right now and it is fun to go out with Julia and cut some for inside the house. I don't know that I do the best job taking care of them, but I enjoy it.

Ragnar Relay

2010-04-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Mike, his Dad, Uncle, 2 cousins and brother-in-law were part of the 12 man team called the Cucamonga Crazies. They ran 200 miles from Santa Barbara to Dan Point. This is the second relay Mike has run with his Dad and they had a fun time. Mike got to run down Hollywood Blvd at midnight. Now who wouldn't love that!

Some of Ethan

2010-04-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Ethan and Dad built a really good car this year for the Pinewood Derby. It was red and gold and #100 on it in honor of the scouts celebrating the 100th anniversary of scouting. He also had his first soccer game of the season on Saturday. They are the Silver Bullets and tied 1 to 1. Ethan played a really good game.

Julia turned 3!!!

2010-04-09T16:40:00.001-07:00

Wow...how time flies! I remember 3 years ago not daring to believe she was really a girl until the moment she was born and I saw for myself. This little girl has brought so much joy to our lives. She likes to sing and make believe. She is always the princess and the rest of us play the roles of prince, witch, dragon and fairy. After every meal she eats she tells me she is big now and ready for school. She knows the words to a few Mama Mia songs and is so cute when she sings them. Overall, she finds a way to make me smile everyday and I don't want her to grow up and go to school. Selfish, I know. We had a fun B-day party with a pink cake that she helped me make. Mike's family joined us for dinner and and a party. Julia now has a play kitchen and loves to cook pancakes. She also got a princess scooter and rides it when we go to get the mail. Such a big girl!

Easter Sunday

2010-04-09T16:35:00.001-07:00

We had a nice Easter. Mike was home which always made's things more fun. The kids were spoiled with all the toys and treats that the Bunny brought. They found eggs outside and then they hid them inside for each other over and over again. We had Easter dinner at the Taylor's with all the cousins and another egg hunt. Mike and I were some of the few people who felt the earthquake at his parents house. It was a rolling feeling - reminded me of being on a cruise ship! Hmmmm....Time for another cruise I think!

Having Fun on Spring Break!

2010-04-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

So , Mike and I got away to celebrate our 11th anniversary. We went to Vegas for a few days and ate at our favorite restaurant, Boa, followed by Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio. The show was amazing and we had a fun time away from the kids. We took the kids to Knotts Berry farm this week. It was my first time there and it was a lot of fun. Ethan was even brave enough to go on some "real" roller coasters with Mike. They loved it. I rode a kiddie coaster and that was exciting enough for me. They go back to school this Monday, but I wish they would be home for 1 more week!

The Wizard of Oz

2010-03-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

The kids' school put on The Wizard of Oz last week. Ethan helped make the set and controlled the lights when the tornado came and the witch melted. Hyrum was Uncle Henry and had a few speaking parts. They both did a great job and it was a lot of fun to watch!

Elder Bruton

2010-03-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

Just found out tonight that my brother Tim will be serving a mission in Mesa, Arizona. I am so excited for him and so happy he has chosen to go on a mission. I look forward to writing to him and seeing him grow over the next 2 years. He reports to the MTC on May 26th.

Part 2 - Crazy Life

2010-02-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

Thursday: AM Clean house for Presidency meeting in afternoon - this is every Thursday from 3:30-5:00. Both boys have play practice (The Wizard of Oz) until 4:00. As you see this creates a little problem with me being able to pick them up while having my meeting, luckily I have a good friend that helps me out. PM after a quick dinner we go to Ethan's basketball practice from 7-8 in a very stinky gym! Everyone is tired by the time we get home.

Friday: AM Get the kids off to school, hopefully with all their homework done and prepared for their spelling tests. I take a minute to relax! PM celebrate because there is no homework tonight. Ethan has piano lessons at 4:15. Julia and Hyrum sit in the van and watch a DVD while I listen to his lesson. We get home for dinner and sometimes have family movie night.

Saturday: AM Clean the house. The boys clean their rooms, sort laundry,dust and do dishes. I do most of the rest. When Mike is home he helps of course. Then he go to basketball games. Last week they were at the same time at different locations. Mike was working and so this makes for a problem since there is only 1 me! His parents drove up from Rancho to see the boys play and help me out. PM If Mike is home we try to go out because we need it by the end of the week!

Sunday: AM Sleep in till 7:30! We have 11:00 church right now. All I can say about Sunday is that it is supposed to be a day of rest but if you have kids,a calling and a husband that is gone half the time it is hardly restful!

So, there you have it. My week in a nutshell. Somewhere in there I do the laundry, help with homework,piano,read to kids,play make believe, give baths,sing songs,find lost toys, feed the dog,go visiting teaching and remember to kiss my husband! I love my busy life!

Our Crazy Life....Make That My Crazy Life!!!!

2010-02-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

I was thinking back to the good old days when the boys were little and we stayed home all day bored. Now I never have a day to just be home. If you are interested here is a look at our weekly schedule! Now I won't write the obvious (breakfast, bus , lunch , dinner etc. just the extra that is taking over my life)!

Monday: AM I help in Ethan's class, pick up Julia from babysitter (she is only 2 blocks from the school). PM This is one of the best evenings because we are actually home and can have family night together.

Tuesday: AM I help in Hyrum's class.It is so fun to be with these first graders all morning! Pick up Julia and go home to get some work done. PM Ethan has play practice at school.

Wednesday: AM This is the day I go to the grocery store and Target etc. I try to get started by 9:00 so that we are home in time for lunch and Julia's nap. Pick the boys up at 3:00 from the bus.PM Ethan has cub scouts 4:45-5:45. This is in the middle of our normal dinner time so I drop him off,we come home and eat,pick him up and he eats alone when he gets home.Poor kid!

Highlights from Christmas

2010-01-05T08:34:00.001-08:00

Ethan, Hyrum & Julia with Granny and Papa.

My brother Daniel, the night of his Eagle court of honor.

Our dog Buddy, in the holiday spirit!

The kids at the Las Vegas airport all ready for the flight to Idaho Falls.

My sister Valerie had a baby boy, Jaxon,on Dec.21 while we were there visiting.

The kids trying to sled in the back yard but there wasn't much snow.

Julia loved putting on her snow "soup" to go outside and play!

The boys with Papa Don. He entertained the kids with magic tricks and they were amazed.

My Dad dressed the kids as the 3 wise men for the reading of the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. They were so cute.

This is on Christmas morning and they are sitting in new chairs that Granny made them for Christmas.

Ethan trying out his B B Gun. He was so excited about it!

All of the Grand kids together at Val's house. They all did a little talent for a family talent show.

We had a fun time seeing everyone again.

3 Day's 'Till Granny's House

2009-12-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday our ward finally had the Primary Program and the boys both did a wonderful job. We are now very busy getting ready to leave this Sunday to fly to Rexburg,Idaho for Christmas with my family. I will be flying with all 3 kids and Mike has to stay behind and work on Christmas Day but he will be able to join us the day after Christmas and he has some skiing planned so that makes things all better!

This was our families first attempt at a Gingerbread house and while we had a lot of fun, I'm sure our technique could use improving! Today is the last day of school for Ethan and Hyrum and we are looking forward to all the fun times that await us in Idaho with Grandparents,Aunts,Uncles, Cousins and the snow!!!!!

Mike's New Station

2009-12-09T08:17:00.001-08:00

Starting in January Mike and his Captain will be working at this station in Victorville, only a 5 min drive from home. We are soooooo excited because he has never worked this close to home and it will be nice for me to be able to take the kids to visit when he is on duty. It is a really nice station but a very busy one. He worked an over time shift there this week and they had a fire at In 'n' Out. What a tragedy! Don't worry, the whole thing didn't burn down, just some roof damage. It should be open again soon!

Skatin' Time!

2009-12-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

So, our kids are totally into roller skating! They love to go anytime we get the chance. It really is a fun way to spend family time together. The last time we were there Julia wanted her own skates too. She walked around in them and had a great time until she fell and then the waterworks came and she was done skating! She was still fascinated by the lights and music and all the other kids there though. It really is a fun family activity. If you haven't been skating with your kids I would encourage you to give it a try.

Togetherness and Thankfulness

2009-12-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a nice day at the Taylor's and the kids had a great time playing with their cousins on Thanksgiving. It was really nice to have Mike home with us this year. The boys spent part of the day playing frisbee in the backyard with the Uncles.

At the boys school they had an Egg Drop the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. You had to package an egg so that it wouldn't break when they dropped it off the school. Here is Hyrum's.... it survived the drop only to be broken a few moments later on the classroom floor!

This is a shot of Ethan's falling... the parachute must have done its job because his survive the fall!

The Joys of Life

2009-11-20T15:45:00.000-08:00

So I am going with some friends to see New Moon this Saturday night and I have been looking forward to it all week! But, I can't help but wonder , is it kind of pathetic that a 30 year old mom gets so excited about seeing a teenage vampire movie? Oh well, I guess no matter what age you are forbidden love is still alluring and taking a little time to do something fun for yourself is a good thing!

Jeff & Kaley Browning

2009-11-08T15:53:00.001-08:00

Mike's sister was married yesterday and it was such a beautiful, fun, busy day for us! The kids are such show-offs and were always posing for the photographer. They had a blast dancing at the reception. Ethan did the worm and Hyrum was break dancing. Julia danced with everyone and mimicked their moves! It was a beautiful reception and we are so happy for Kaley and Jeff.

Piano Recital

2009-11-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

Ethan had his first piano recital on Sunday afternoon. He played a duet and 2 songs with a quartet. He did such a good job! We are so proud of what he has accomplished in only 6 months of lessons. Grandma,Grandpa,GGMa and GGPa all made it to the recital to hear him play. We had a nice dinner at our home afterwards. It was a really good day!

Trick or Treat

2009-11-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

Julia is absolutely in love with Tinkerbell right now and so naturally she dressed up as her for Halloween. She won the award for Prettiest Costume at our church carnival. She was such a little trooper going around our neighborhood trick or treating. She ran the whole time trying to keep up with the boys.

Ethan was a Star wars clone trooper. He went to a friends Halloween party on Friday night. They did karaoke and played games. He felt very grown up to stay out until 9:30.

This is Hyrum the Vampire at his school party. I went in to help and had a lot of fun helping with the crafts and games.

I love these Mr. Potato head pieces for the pumpkins. It is such an easy way to decorate without a mess.

My 3 little pumpkins all ready for church. I realized that I had dressed them all in the same color and thought it would make a cute picture!

Fall Break

2009-10-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Trying to keep the kids busy and happy during the 2 week fall break is always a challenge! We had Daddy home for 2 days in a row this week and we went to Oak Glen to see apples, pumpkins and animals. We bought cider and apple doughnuts, it was a fun day. Yesterday we took the boys roller skating for the first time and they loved it. They were so sad when it was time to leave and even with all the falling down they were good sports and couldn't get enough. I have to say that it was scary for me to be on skates again after who knows how many years! But we really had a fun time together and will be back there soon. Here are some pictures from last weeks trip to Lake Havasu. It was 110 degrees the first day we were there! I love having that last taste of summer and by the time we came home it was 60 degrees and windy at home. I guess fall is finally coming.

Ethan had a Rain gutter Regatta for scouts a few weeks ago. It is the first one they have done and he had so much fun getting the boat ready. His boat and his blowing skills did great and he won second place! It was fun to see all the kids compete and have a fun time racing.

Trying to Cope

2009-09-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

We went to church yesterday and the stake presidency was sitting on the stand. Everyone was asking each other, Do you know what's going on? What are they doing here today? So when it is the stake Presidents turn he says that they are making boundary changes to the ward , he then puts a map up on the projector for us to see the changes and our neighborhood has been taken out of the ward and put in with another, smaller ward. Mike has been predicting this for years because we live pretty far away from the rest of the members in the ward , I guess I never believed it would really happen. So, we are supposed to attend the new ward right away, This was our last Sunday with our friends. It was a shock . I sat and cried during sacrament meeting. Mostly because the ward we are moving to has a primary of only about 8 kids! It is going to be hard to be happy about this.

Grandparent's Day,Ice cream & Golfing

2009-09-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hyrum was able to invite Grandma & Grandpa to come to his class on Friday for Grandparent's day. They did some activities together and and he had made some special things for them to take home. This is a pictue of the kids eating Grandmas homemade ice cream on Labor day. They were so cute all lined up together!

A cute picture of Julia. A few days later she colored this wall and the whole hallway with red crayon! What a doll!!!!

This is Ethan at his golf lesson. He is really loving it. I think it makes him feel so grown up.

Ethan Turned 9!

2009-08-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday we celebrated Ethan's 9th Birthday. He was thrilled to get golf lessons! What a grown up boy he has become. He was invited to have lunch with the school principal on his Birthday and had a great time. Thanks everyone for all the calls and gifts.

I had to add a picture of my sleeping beauty. She gets bigger everyday!

I wish I was sound asleep like her! This has been a longgggg week. Trips to the vet, Ethan's big day, back to school night, cub scouts, piano lessons, and a Primary activity! Whew, all that on my own while Mike is in Nashville to visit friends. Now I am ready for a break!

When should you say Goodbye?

2009-08-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Here is our sweet dog Buddy! Yesterday I took him to the vet because he was in so much pain he could barely move. I thought he had re injured his hip(it was broken as a puppy). The vet did x-rays and found that Buddy has some pretty bad back problems. Something that can't be fixed with surgery, but can be helped with steroids and pain meds but it will be a problem for the rest of his life. They also found that he needs a left knee replacement. Since his right hip was broken as a puppy he has been using the left leg to protect the right hip and now his knee is in terrible shape. So, the big question we now face is how much work do we put into this dog to patch him together and what quality of life will he have from here on out. It was a hard day yesterday. Dogs like Buddy are rare, patient with the kids,calm and loving. I would hate to say goodbye.

1st Day of School

2009-08-12T15:10:00.001-07:00

Once again, I've sent my boys off to begin another school year. They wanted to wear matching clothes on the first day of school! Ethan looked so good in his new red and black glasses. He started 4th grade this year and is really liking it so far. Hyrum is in 1st grade and his teacher is gone on maternity leave. He is supposed to have a long term sub for the first 6 weeks and we are only in the 2nd week of school and his sub was given a permanent teaching position in Kindergarden and now he was a new sub! I am worried about how many teachers his class will go through this year.

Julia has her backpack and was ready to go to school along with the boys. She cried when we took her out of the classroom!

Mike was able to arrange his schedule so that he could help me take the boys to school that morning. He likes to be there to meet their teachers too.

Princess Julia is all about dressing up lately. She tells me she is a princess and is special. She likes to wear princess shoes and dress' all day(and night) and I love it!

Back to Shaver Lake

2009-07-24T18:41:00.001-07:00

Ethan loved using Uncle Mark's kayak

Julia helping Grandpa drive the boat

Julia and Isabelle

The kids went on a treasure hunt. Here they are about to set out to find the next clue!

Ethan, Hyrum and Julia out for a family boat ride to find some ducks to feed.

What would a family picture be without at least 1 unhappy kid!? Hyrum didn't want to ride on the boat but we are mean parents and made him go anyway.

The Rich Taylor Family. Everyone was there this year and it was a lot of fun.

Gavin, Roxy and Hyrum on Uncle Sam's boat.

Lake Silverwood and the Beach

2009-07-24T18:33:00.001-07:00

We have had a busy couple of weeks. Before leaving on the annual family trip to Shaver Lake, we got in some time at the beach with friends of our. The kids all had a great time. While at Lake Silverwood, Ethan finally knee boarded and he loves it. We are so proud of him!

Happy 4th America

2009-07-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

We had a really nice 4th of July this year. The only thing missing was having Mike home with us. I love this picture of Julia with Grandpa, she gave the best smile of the day sitting with him! I took the kids to a pancake breakfast at the chuch then we went to daddy's fire station to say hello. The kids had to play on the engine for a while and then we drove to Bobi and Rich's house for swimming and a BBQ. The kids had so much fun seeing their cousins and eating homemade icecream. That night I took them to the local fireworks show and we even did a few sparklers together. It was a fun way to celebrate this great country we live in.

Julia and cousin Isabelle in the matching tops I made them. They looked so cute together!

At Dad's fire station...Julia being silly as usual.

My 3 little firecrackers!

Legoland

2009-07-08T16:39:00.001-07:00

About a week ago we took the kids to Legoand. It was our first trip there and the kids had a great time. All the rides are made out of legos and our boys were the perfect age to really enjoy it. Julia was able to go on a few rides and she loved the splash park which was really fun. We had a great time and stayed until it closed!

The RAGNAR Race

2009-06-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Mike, his dad and some friends were part of a 12 person team that ran the Ragnar this weekend. It is a relay race from Logan to Park City, Ut that is 188 miles and took their team abot 32 hours to complete. Part of the novelty of this race, is coming up with a creative team name and dressing up to run and decorating the vehicles. They were the Scipio Hog Callin' Time Runners. They played "music" at the start line before the race and drew a lot of attention to themselves and ended up being voted most likeable team ( or something to that affect) and will be receiving trophees for it! Mike had a great time and will probably run again next year. We were really proud of all the work he put into preparing for the race, he is awesome!

End of School

2009-06-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hyrum's class had a parents day last week where they invited a parent to come and see what they have been doing all year. His teacher had a memory book for each student and we watched a DVD slideshow of all they have done this year. The kids had made me an apron with their names signed on it as a thank you for helping in the classroom this year. I can't believe Hyrum has graduated from kindergarden, I will have so many special memories of the past year.

Ethan finished up spring soccer and had a fun team party where he received a medal. It is nice to be done with soccer and cub scouts for the summer. He still has piano and swim lessons to keep him busy though.

Ethans class learned a lot about the Westward movement and had a hoedown and mock Oregon trail hike just before school ended. They sewed the hats and skirts they are wearing- it was quit the project but I enjoyed being a part of it. Mike got to be there the day of the hike. Ethan really had a good year and will be moving on to fourth grade next year!

Busy Springtime

2009-05-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

These past few weeks have been crazy. Mike served on a jury for about 3 weeks and had to drive back and forth to Barstow everyday to do it. He also made pinewood derby cars for both boys and hosted a great event as cub master. I wasn't there because Julia had the flu. We are now looking forward to celebrating Hyrum's birthday this week. School is getting close to the end and I am excited to be going on field trips with the boys classes and also getting Ethan started in piano lessons this summer. I had to share this picture of Julia ready for Cinco De Mayo!

2 Years old

2009-04-21T07:45:00.001-07:00

I don't know how she went from such a tiny baby to being my big girl in just 2 years! Julia had a party with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Kaley to celebrate turning 2. She also saw the doctor and is still tiny and weighs only 23 and 1/2 pounds and is 33 inches long. We love having her in our family - she always makes us smile!

Spring Pictures

2009-04-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

Niagara Falls

2009-04-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Mike and I had a wonderful trip together in Niagara Falls. The first picture of the falls is taken from our hotel room-we had an awesome view! We spent 4 days there and then went on to Palmyra, Ny and stayed at the Martin Harris home with a missionary couple from our ward. We really enjoyed seeing the church historical sights and the day we went to the sacred grove there was no one else there. It was a wonderful, relaxing trip.

10 Years of Bliss! or something like that!

2009-03-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

So it all began in Rexburg, Idaho a little over ten years ago when I asked Mike to dance and he said no. If only he had realized then that he would be paying for that answer all these long years later! He proposed to me on this little bridge at the nature park and we were married 4 months later.

It was a beautiful, sunny March day for Idaho and there was no snow on the ground.

We lived in Rexburg a little over a year while Mike got his Paramedic degree and I worked as a beautician. Then we moved to California and welcomed our first child Ethan.

Only 3 years after we were married we were lucky enough to buy our first home. It was definitely a fixer-upper! This is the stove/oven from the kitchen -scary! We put so much work into that house and loved being homeowners.

Mike spent 10 crazy weeks in the fire academy and still worked nights at AMR to give us an income. We were both thrilled when he became a fireman in July 2002.

Here he is after a 36 hour shift!

This is us with Ethan waiting to go into a Wiggles concert. I remember watching their shows over and over again!

After only about a year and a half in our first home, we bought our second home and 2 weeks later added another son to our family, Hyrum. Our sweet Hyrum changed our lives and tightened our bond like we never imagined. He had surgery at 1 day old and spent 2 weeks recovering in the NICU. Bringing him home from the hospital was one of the happiest days of my life. He taught us so many lessons like love, patience, faith and hope. What a blessing he is to us.

A year later we celebrated our 5 year anniversary in England, Scotland and Ireland. It was an amazing trip. We love traveling together!This is outside Kensington Palace.

We spend time every summer at the beach or the lake. It is time that we treasure with the family. Summer 2004

The boys were such good playmates and grew so fast. Easter 2005

Hyrum is definitely the mischief maker! Here he is sitting in a cat box right after we got kittens. They keep us on out toes.

We were blessed to buy a brand new home in 2005. We were so happy to not have to fix up another house. Mike prepared to become an Engineer with the fire department and passed the test the first time. He makes me so proud with how hard he works to support us.

Through the years there are the trips to Rexburg every winter for sledding and skiing! We love to go home to visit my family.

Mike and I were finally blessed with a little girl, Julia. She has brought our family so much joy and made us feel complete. I love to look at our family and think back at all we have done in the past 10 years. It is amazing how the time has flown by. The ups & downs have made us who we are today and I wouldn't change a thing. I could not have asked for a better husband to share my life with. He is my best friend and an amazing partner in this crazy life. We are spending our 10 year anniversary in Niagara Falls ( we leave next week). I am still so excited to spend time with you Mike and I love you. Love, Rebecca

Emergency

2009-03-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

So last week was filled with the kind of excitement that no parent likes. Sick kids and a trip to the ER were on the agenda. Hyrum started a fever about a week and a half ago and then got a terrible cough. This went on for about 5 days then one night he woke up coughing and barely able to breath, I told Mike he should go to the Emergency room. They spent 2 1/2 hour there and found out he had pneumonia. (The same night Julia had come down with a fever a thrown up on Mike while I was out to dinner with friends. )Mike and Hyrum got home at 5:30am and Mike had to go to work that day after having no sleep. I had to go to the local pharmacy with the 2 sick kids to fill Hyrum's prescriptions and when I got there they said one of the drugs wasn't approved for children under 12. So the pharmacist calls the ER to talk to the DR and verify that Hyrum needs this drug or see if it is a mistake and the hospital says they don't have a doctor by that name working there! I spent an hour and a half waiting while they called each other back and forth trying to straighten the mess out. The kids were exhausted and grouchy and it was one of those moment where in sucks to be a parent! I have to report that everyone is healthy now and Hyrum is happy to be back to school. Who knew he would have been begging to go back to school again!?

First prize

2009-02-14T16:28:00.001-08:00

Ethan entered the science fair for the first time this year. He worked so hard and was able to win a first place medal. Way to go buddy!

Weekend Away....With the kids

2009-02-14T16:19:00.001-08:00

We were lucky to get away last weekend and go up to Nevada to visit and old friend of Mikes. We saw so many deer it was amazing-they were all over in peoples yards. The kids loved it! We did sight-seeing in an old mining town Virginia City and then went to Lake Tahoe for a day. We rode the gondola up the mountain for a view of the lake. It was a cold,snowy day but we were glad we took the ride for the pretty views. It was a fun weekend to get out of the normal routine and renew friendships with old friends.

Screamer

2009-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

I know she looks so sweet and innocent, but Miss. Julia has turned into a terrible screamer. She is driving me absolutely crazy with the constant shrill screaming. The boys think it's funny and encourage it. No wonder I have so many headaches!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

So, this year I hit the big 30. But,I have the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for and he took me on a surprise getaway to Las Vegas which really didn't made turning 30 seem bad at all. We stayed at an amazing resort south of the strip and it was great to be away from the smoky casinos. On New Years we went to Boa a restaurant we have been to once before and I was thrilled to go again. I even tried sushi for an appetizer- I will never do that again- but the rest of the meal was amazing. We did tons of shopping which I rarely get to do anymore because of the kids and I splurged on a pair of Coach shoes! The next day Mike had arranged for massages at Mandalay Bay Spa. It was such a relaxing day. I also had a steam wrap and enjoyed the hot tubs, steam room and other amenities at the spa. I could have stayed all day. We had such a nice time away. I feel recharged & happy to be home- and ready for the boys to go back to school! Thanks honey for being so thoughtful. Celebrating my Birthday at BOA at Caesars Palace.

Having Fondue at Ethel's chocolate shop - amazing chocolates here!

View from our balcony at Tahiti Village Resort.

Snow Day!

2008-12-18T12:53:00.001-08:00

Wow! Apple Valley has been turned into a winter wonderland and the boys had their first snow day! It started snowing early Wednesday and kept going all day. Even I was surprised as it kept piling up ( at least 6-8inches here). I could barely get my van up the driveway after getting the boys from school when school was cancelled. We are really enjoying the novelty of it. But there are the down sides too, like our dish wouldn't work because the snow was piled up on it. Mike called a friend to come and sweep it off last night and so the boys are happy to have cartoons back. And shoveling the walk is no fun especially when you don't have a real snow shovel. But the kids are so happy and we will probably never see snow like this again!

Family Pictures 2008

2008-12-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

Accomplishments X 2

2008-12-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

There are 2 things that have happened that I am excited about. First, Julia has gone without a bottle for 5 days now! All of you Moms that have experienced breaking a baby from a bottle know how hard a time this can be and we are happy to have made it almost a whole week now with almost no crying at all! She is so grown up now. Second, it is my turn to brag a little. I have reached a goal I set a few months ago and lost 20 pounds! I feel great and am proud to have accomplished the goal I set for myself. It can be so hard sometimes to get rid of the extra weight that sneaks up on you between pregnancy's, and I finally did something about it. Yeah for me!!!

Thanksgiving Celebration

2008-12-02T09:03:00.001-08:00

This year we spent Thanksgiving at the Taylor's home in Alta Loma . It was so nice to have Mike home and not be traveling this year. Here are a few pictures from dinner at their home.

This is a "sea" of pilgrims and Indians enjoying their feast together. Mike went to Hyrums Kindergarten class to help and he was exhausted when he got home! Hyrum is at the head of the table smiling.

In this picture they are pretending to be on the Mayflower. Hyrum was chosen to climb the ladder and yell " land yo!" He had so much fun!

Camping Out

2008-11-25T08:07:00.001-08:00

Mike and the boys joined our ward for the annual "Turkey Shoot" camping trip and had a great time. They camp in the desert in tents,deep fry turkey for dinner,do skits for entertainment,don't go to bed until 11, go shooting in the morning, and come home exhausted!

The Flu

2008-11-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

Over the last week and a half we have all had the flu. Poor Julia had it the worst and for the whole week and a half. It is not easy to have sick kids. It really makes you appreciate having everyone healthy. Here's to a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving!

Literacy Week

2008-11-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago the school held Literacy Week along with the book fair. On the final day the kids can dress up as a favorite character from a book and bring that book to school for a chance to win a certificate for the book fair. Ethan was a Knight and took a Magic Tree House book where they go back in time to a castle. And, last minute Hyrum decides he wants to dress up too. I found a Johnny Appleseed book on the shelf and knew we had he makings of that costume and so he was happy too! The librarian was the judge, and both of my boys were winners from their grades. Mike and I were so happy for them.

Halloween Time

2008-11-04T14:27:00.000-08:00

What can I say.....We had a great Halloween this year. The boys had fun at school with their party's and carnivals and I had a lot of fun helping out in Hyrums class. Hyrum really liked having his face painted at the carnival.

Buddy

2008-11-04T14:11:00.001-08:00

So,we have been really busy lately and I haven't even mentioned the latest addition to the family! Our 4 year old rottweiler Labrador mix Buddy! He is a gentle giant weighing in at 93 pounds and we all love him. We went to visit my family in Idaho the beginning of October and Buddy belonged to the family next door. We have met him on previous visits to Idaho and saw what a good natured and calm tempered dog he was and we knew that the owner was rarely around to take care of him. So, my Mom asked if we could take him and they said yes. He is a good match for our family. This is me and my Mom and the boys freezing at my brothers football game. It snowed the day we drove home. Brrrrrrr!

Trying to fing a way out of the straw maze.

Hyrum, Ethan and one of their cousins Zachary.

Julia Kathleen is 18 months

2008-10-24T09:38:00.001-07:00

Wow! How time has flown. Our baby is an independent little girl big enough for the nursery now. She likes to push dollies in the baby stroller, feed herself, put on her shoes, climb into the tub, go down the slide,and watch baby einstein dvd's . She says a new word every day ( sit down is the latest one) and we can't believe how grown up she is.

Home from the hospital

2008-10-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday evening both Pam and Isabelle were released from the hospital. The baby had been let go from the NICU Friday evening into Pam's room after she had improved how much she was eating and they took her out from under the light for being jaundice. So, now they are finally home enjoying some time together.

Baby Isabelle

2008-10-15T06:52:00.001-07:00

On Monday morning we welcomed our niece,baby Isabelle, into the world with a rush of emotion. She is 6 pounds 11 ounces 19 inches long and has a head full of dark hair! After about 6 hours of labor the baby's heart rate wasn't stable and they took Pam in for an emergency c-section,Jonathan didn't even have time to call anyone and let they know what was happening. The baby wasn't breathing when she was born and was sent off to the NICU. Then doctors discovered that Pam had suffered a jagged tear to her bladder that was causing severe bleeding and they began surgery to stop the bleeding and do necessary repairs. This was a very critical and scary time and she spent hours in surgery and lost a lot of blood. Mike and I were able to see them on Tuesday morning. Pam is looking good but is in a lot of pain and has only been able to hold the baby once. Baby is being watched probably for 1 more day to make sure she eats well and isn't jaundice. They will probably be in the hospital until Friday. I know that a lot of you that read our blog are long time friends of the Taylor family and would like to know this information. Please send your prayers and well wishes on to Pam and Jonathan at this time, they are going through a lot. Seeing their baby in the NICU brought back all the memories of our son Hyrum being there and it is a hard thing for a parent to go through. We love you Pam, Jonathan and Isabelle and we hope you are all home soon!

A special day

2008-09-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

Just a few family pictures of those that joined us to celebrate Ethan's baptism on Saturday. It was such a special day and we shared a lot of nice memories with our family and friends that were there. Thank you for all the cards and phone calls - it ment so much to him.

LA County Fair

2008-09-20T08:03:00.001-07:00

We finally made it to the fair! We have been talking about going for the last 3 years or so and haven't been able to find time to go. This week we took the boys out of school a few hours early and away we went to find the funnel cake and BBQ! Ethan volunteered at a demonstration and then found out that he would be holding a snake! He was so brave. But the look on his face was so funny.

The boys tried these trampolines with a harness.You can do a back flip if you are brave. Of cource the kids just jumped up and down the whole time and Mike & I talked about how our parents never would have paid for us to go on something like this because it is a "waste of money"!

The good old slide on the sratchy sack. This is always a favorite ride.

This is the indoor Winter wonderland. The boys must have gone sledding for a good half hour & the best part is you climb up stairs to get to the top of the hill. How easy is that!!!

Riding the tractor in the big red barn, We liked seeing all the animals. Julia called everything a puppy!

Ice cream! We know the way to this little girls heart! It was a really fun day for everyone. The kids won some goldfish (yea!) and Mike and I were really glad that we had a good family day together.