Nate's Birthday Ride to Antelope Island

Gratitude for Modern Medicine

I needed to clean off the top of my fridge and decided I should put together a montage of the winter season
medicinal aides that assisted me in playing Dr. Mom to my family.  I am so grateful for modern medicine which provides me with the ability to aleve pain and suffering of my children, (and my husband and I).  Everything in this photo was utilized in the past few months. And here's to hoping that we can leave it in the cupboard for many months.

Down Time with the Fam...

I just love days when nothing is going on, the TV is off and things just evolve...Nate lays down on the ground, Sissy Sue gets a mischevious grin as she picks up a couch pillow and before you know it every pillow in the house is being flung inbetween kids being tossed on the couches and mom is "safe", or the referee who keeps it fair and wipes away tears before throwing them back into the game.

Tag Teaming Dad

Ta Da! It's not easy standing on a moving balance beam!

Whew! After a day like this, you collapse as soon as you walk in the door. 

This photo deserves a post of it's own...

Like father like son.

Nate got the biggest kick out of seeing Baby C do this because earlier that day at work
 he had been teased about drinking so much milk.  

Family Time in the Spring

On a Monday in March I needed to squeeze in a run to prepare for the half marathon and Sissy Sue wanted to go on a ride so Nate decided he'd take the kids on horses and they would follow along with me while I jogged. I grabbed the camera as this would surely provide some Kodak moments I wouldn't want to miss... and I was right:)

Snack J decided that I needed someone to keep me company and that he would jog with me.  So cute, he can be quite thoughtful and sweet when he's in the mood.  So he jogged a solid .2 miles with me at a pretty good pace.  It's fun running with kids, and I look forward to taking my kids on runs with me as they get older.

Since this was one of the first "rides" of the year, Nate ponied Copper to help her get back into the swing of things, it's nice to have a horse you can throw a kid up on and not be too concerned about them getting bucked off.

Baby C LOVES riding with Nate and also can point a cow faster than you can say cow...Allow him to illustrate: "Dad-MOOOOOOO!!!!"

Now, there is a bull in this same field that Nate likes to antagonize and it's quite a site to see: the bull snorting, belloring, kicking up dirt-it really got the kids attention. Just one of the many benefits to being married to a cow whisperer. 

Well thank you Sunshine, someone's gotta smile for the camera ;o)

I was so tickled after the run, Nate had borrowed his brother Andy's tiller and got our garden ready for spring planting, the soil was so dark and rich, it was rewarding to see the difference from the first year we tilled up the grass for our garden 3 years ago.  A few days later Nate and the kids planted peas, spinach, corn, and carrots.  Nate's so good to let the kids participate in activities that probably would be easier to do by himself but he recognizes the value of teaching the children rewards of hard work. 

As always Baby C was there to watch Nate's every move and give him some pointers, "Dad" point, "dad!" point.

Overall it was a fun evening, one that we enjoyed being together as a family.

too cute not to post...

You know when it gets TOO quiet and it's time to go check on the littlelins... This is one of those moments....

What's funny is I have pics of all 3 of my kids washing up their masterpieces at this same age.  I'll have to put that together for a different blog. 

This is a diabetic friendly pie the kids and I put together for our neighbor whos father and favorite dog passed away.  Sissy Sue and Snack J also made their famous fridge hanging cards.

Sissy Sue is famous for taking pictures of herself and everything else in the house, but this one I had to post, it was just too cute to pass up.

How best to use a box:

The boys wanted to play Noah's Ark so we decided the blue tupperware box would be a good Ark and the lid would be the ramp.

I love how Baby C is right there with Snack J.  They are pretty much inseparable, unless Nate is around, and then Baby C is right by his side, especially if a horse is involved. 

Later that day I found Sissy Sue asleep in that same box.

Sissy Sue decided that it looked like a good cradle for the baby doll but Baby C thought someone needed to rock the baby to sleep. Sooo Sweeet.

betcha can't guess what he's saying right now...

A Trip to Idaho

This is how my trip starts, with a sunset in Ammon, Idaho.

Where my parents live, up in the hills, with beautiful sunsets and sunrises, and I got to enjoy both. 

I like to travel at night because the kids travel so much better. 

This trip is to bring my baby supplies up to my brother Josh and his wife Rachel who are expecting their first baby, a boy.  I won't be using them anytime soon, if at all anymore, and they are of better use with them, than in the shed.

In the morning Grandpa decides Snack J and Sissy Sue are old enough to flip Flap Jacks.

This photo is hilarious: It's the fascination on the boys' faces as Dad blows his nose.  Grandpa totally ate it up.  He then showed the boys how the hair that stopped growing on his head is now growing out of his ears.  Snack J actually tugged on some of it....EWWWW!

Yes I finally made it to the baby shower.  Sissy Sue came with me, and my sister Elisabeth watched the boys. She also ran 5 miles with me that morning, we ran up 21st street! It's quite an incline. 

So anyway,,,This is Rachel, my newest sister in law, who I went to Hawaii to see marry my brother last June.  It's been quite and eventful year! Check out my blogs of their wedding, it was the first time I had ever blogged.

Who are they looking at? Guess who just walked in....

Oh, look!  It's Josh, just arrived back from signing on with the Army! Rachel announces to the group their family's newest adventure and her grandma replys how proud they are of Josh providing for his family and serving the country.  Well said, Grandma!

Isn't this hand pieced quilt by Rachel's mom adorable!

Her mom was overcome with joy with the anticipation of the first grandchild.

I loved the decor: Nests with brown eggs all over the house.

It was well worth the trip, I'm glad I was able to make it. 

Sissy Sue and I stopped in Rexburg, my old stopping grounds to see the new temple.  So breathtaking.

It was getting dark, but Sissy Sue jumped out for a photo for me.

I planned on getting right back on the highway after driving past the temple but I "got lost", and ended up on the street the I used to pound day after day on the Ricks College Campus. 

This sign has changed however...:o) new name.) I had to get a picture of Sissy Sue here, I'm hoping to be able to use it as a before/after picture in 13 years...Nate would just DIE.

Baby C had a hard time falling asleep in his different bed in Idaho, I was only able to get him to settle down when I found the ball he kept asking for. He snuggled up to this ball like you would a teddy bear.  Cute boy.