Pancakes!

Owen loves pancakes for breakfast! It is really hard to resist the request when he gives me a big grin and asks me to make them. When I agree the boys all cheer and William says "panpakes!"

A Moment

It is quiet at our house this afternoon. The "big" kids are at school. Rod and the mutt are at work. Owen and Billy are painting with watercolors. Owen asked me with frustration "how do I paint a masterpiece?" Billy says his painting is "for you Mom, and Grandpa, and Daddy, and..." Just one moment I want to remember.

Plowing with Dad

The kids love to go out and plow with Daddy when it snows. After they clear the driveway (and a lot of neighbor's driveways) Rod will hook up the sled and take them up and down the street. They love it!

Christmas Morning 2009

Santa came! Christmas morning left everyone happy:

Even Hank had a present:Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2009

We always have a Christmas Pageant on Christmas Eve. The wise man brought the frankincense: Mary, Joseph, the Baby and the Shepherd were all excellent in the pageant:

We then got to open one present. It is always new jammies:

Daddy set up the train around the tree. He said it was one of his favorite traditions growing up:

Anna and Tani put out cookies for Santa. They always include carrots for the reindeer. There is some debate over whether Santa likes chocolate or pink milk the best.

Christmas Eve is so fun and exciting! The work is done. So much anticipation for morning. After the children were in bed we hung a sheet across the hallway to work on some final surprises without being seen. After a time Owen started crying in his room. He just couldn't go to sleep and was worried Santa wouldn't come because he wasn't asleep yet! We reassured him that Santa was still on the East coast and he had plenty of time. This year was really wonderful with the ages of the children: 8, 6, 4, and 2. I loved every minute!

Owen's First Primary Talk

Owen gave his very first talk in Primary! He helped me write it. It was about his "two Dads". He talked about his earthly father and his Father in Heaven. Owen had never spoken a word during Primary sharing time. He never comes up to help with the singing when it is his turn. He always gets too nervous even when it is a fun game. I really wondered if he would be able to do it. He was amazing! He did great! Very cute and obviously loves his Dad. Does it matter that the way we got him to do it was by bribing him with a trip to the "treat store"? I don't think so. I am very proud of him!

Rub a Dub Dub...

...3 boys in a tub, and who do you think they be? I don't think they will all fit much longer!

Cowboy Poetry with Grandad

We had another great night in Midway at the Cowboy Poetry Festival with Grandad! It was the horse show which was a lot of fun. Grandad always plans such fun activities. The kids love him!

Kylie and Halie are wonderful girls. Anna is lucky to have such wonderful cousins to look up to:

My cowboys (and cowgirl) watching the action from above:

We were so excited to meet Dave Stamey after the show. We listen to his music all the time. The kids were singing loudly along with him during his songs. It was pretty fun to get an autographed CD from him:

Halloween 2009

Halloween was a bit crazy this year. William's diagnosis left us all upside down. Then Rod came down with strep throat the night before Halloween. I continued on and somehow the kids had a great time.Our "Anna Rose Princess" was really beautiful. She fell in love with this costume and I was very grateful (everything else she had liked looked too old/teenage). We braided rosebuds into a crown on her head. Quite lovely!Tanielu was a ninja. I tried to dye his karate uniform but it came out gray. He liked it though. Pretty stealth!
Owen wanted to wear "something cool". None of our costumes on hand would do. I wasn't in the mind frame to make something so I took him to the costume store and this is what he picked: Optimus Prime Transformer. Very cool!William was dressed as an "el-fun". I thought he was adorable! He really got the hang of trick-or-treating quickly and wanted to pick his candy at every door. Love him!

Back to School 2009

School began early this year...August 17. Entirely too early for me...but Anna was excited to start third grade. She looked adorable heading off with her backpack:Tanielu started Kindergarten! I was so proud of him...so handsome and confident. He ran ahead of me into the school. He is still young though...he had me give him kissing hands before leaving. I found myself crying all the way to the car. I told Tani they were "happy tears." There is something joyful and sad about the way time keeps moving along. He will never be home with me more than now...he will just go more and more. That is the way it is supposed to be I guess.Owen started preschool at Learning Dynamics. He is excited to learn to read this year. He went right to class too...no problems. He said he felt like he wanted to cry but he just "tried really hard not to." My tough little guy!

New Puppy

We surprised the kids with a 7 week old Labrador retriever puppy the other night. He is so very cute. We picked him from a litter of eight. There isn't much that is cuter in the world than a litter of wiggly, white, lab puppies. We were able to meet his mom and dad. Mom, Daisy looked a lot like Chino but smaller. Dad, Walker was a cool old guy. I asked if I could bring him home. He reminded me a lot of Chino and looking in his eyes made me tear up. It took some work to decide on the puppy for our family. This little guy was asleep on his back when we arrived with the other puppies jumping all over him. A bit later he laid his head in Rod's lap and seemed to say "pick me." He appears to be pretty mellow and happy.

The kids were so excited by our surprise! We lined them up in front of the fireplace and had them close their eyes. William gave it away a moment early by exclaiming "puppy!" The kids squealed and surrounded him with love. Owen was overwhelmed and took a minute to join in. I think we may possibly win the coolest parent's award right now.

I don't think Peachy was quite as thrilled with this new family member. Hopefully the bird dog and the bird can work something out. We would like to avoid the "circle of life" lesson for now.The first night home went great. They all slept on the floor like a bunch of puppies. No crying but a few accidents. Crate training has begun. The only problem is the waking up all night long to "go out". He is just a baby after all. Feels a lot like having a newborn.
This is the spot the puppy likes to hide to get away from the kids...especially William who thinks you can sit on puppies. Pretty cute how the puppy can fit under the ottoman...before we know it he will be big.

Now we just have to decide on a name. Anna and Tani like Buddy and Bubba. I like Blue and Bo. Rod likes Jack (after our nephew). We will have to see what fits best. It always takes us a while with names. In needs to be just right because years are ahead of us with this adorable little...soon to be big boy.

Poor Owen!

Day one: Day two:

Day three:

Poor Owen! He pulled the dresser over on himself trying to climb and get something out of the top drawer. It was horrifying! Owen laying under a six drawer dresser. I had to lift it off the top of him. His legs were stuck in a drawer. I was sure they were broken as I unwedged them. Then Tani said: "Mom, look at his face!" Oh my! I rushed him to the ER to be checked. I was terrified of a brain injury. But no broken bones. He is OK. I am so thankful! Owen slept between us that night. What a special little boy. I am so very grateful he was protected and no greater injury occurred!

Memorial Day '09

What a fun day! I love my country and I love my family! We started the day with a ward breakfast and parade. First they had a flag raising ceremony. Then the kids had fun decorating their bikes. However, right before the parade Owen went missing. He had come home and locked himself in the house. I guess all the people and activity became a bit overwhelming for him. Luckily the breakfast was right across the street from our house. With a bit of reassurance he came out and rode in the trailer Rod was pulling and joined the parade.

Owen and Tani wore capes. Tani looked pretty cool riding his bike with the cape flowing behind. William was so cute. Could I just freeze him in his little Superman cape?
We spent the afternoon eating fried chicken and hiking in the canyon with our good friends and neighbors, the Pearts. What a blast! Tracy and Sean are hilarious and their kids are a lot of fun. I love holidays and spending time with people I care about.