Troy&Beth+3

Jackson's 8th Birthday!

2010-09-28T10:11:00.000-07:00

This is a big year for Jackson. He turned 8 and so he is excited to get to be baptised. This was also his year for a birthday party and he chose to have his cousins come over for a "video game party". We made it into a "Mario Kart" party and it was a big hit! The kids came in and built thier own nachos at the "nacho bar" and we played a we games. During the game time they rotated through a "pin the mustache on Mario" game, a "Bowser ring toss" and they earned gold coins to put into their mushroom pouches. Then we settled down and played some Mario Bingo and then we turned on Mario kart. We set up kids on DS's in the front room and so we had 4 kids in there. Then we had 4 kidson the Wii. Things were beginning to heat up and then as the kids took turns we had them go throught the "build your own Sundae bar" and make themselves a sundae. Then the kids took their coins and bought candy and toys out of my store to take home. It was a great might and all the kids seemed to have a lot of fun. Happy Birthday Jackson!

Let's go D-backs!

2010-09-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Our boys got a great opportunity to score some "sweet seats" to the D-backs game and got to go with dad. The "Boy's Night Out" was action packed -- as always! My kids are excited to go to the game not just for the atmosphere but mostly for the food. jackson always has to get nachos and Spencer will eat his wieght in Hotdaog if Troy doesn't stop him and then wash it down with as much frozen lemonade as possible. Payton is just happy to be sitting next to people he can attnept to entertain if the game gets slow. AT this particular game the kids did not dissapoint. Jackson got a ball -- which he scores about every time the lucky guy and Payton was taken by Baxter and he helped him to pump up the crowd. Spencer got to eat his huge hot dog and wash it down iwth his frozen lemonade. All in all a very action packed game for dad -- the seats were FABULOUS! This was a very memorable night for our boys.

First Day of School 2010

2010-09-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

This year is an exciting one for our family. Jackson is going into 2nd Grade and our Spencer is in Kindergarten. Payton is in Mrs. Moss's class this year and so this is our last year with a preschooler. We have had kids in preschool for the last 5 years and it is exciting to watch them grow. Jackson i in Mrs. Neese's class and Spencer's teacher is Miss Troy -- that's right Miss TROY. At least we won't forget her name =). They are growing up into great students and we look forward to another great school year! Plus, aren't they so handsome!!!

Payton's 4th Birthday

2010-09-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

Our little Payton had a Dinosaur party to remember. We had a good time. This kids came in and decorated their own buckets for our "dinosaur dig" and then we took them out to the sandbox (dinosaur nest) where they dug up dinosaur skeletons and jewels to take home. After that we went inside and had fun breaking open the pinata. We ended with cupcakes and the kids played outside with bubbles. Payton and his friends had a great time.

My Twilight Party!!

2010-06-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friends, we pulled off on AWESOME night of Twilight fun! It was so fun and nice to just relax and play some Pokeno with some girls friends. I am glad to have a birthday for a reason to party! Plus, everyone goes home with a gift so everyone wins in Pokeno! Here are some beautiful snaps of the night courtesy of CalhounInk. Guests could start off by becoming a vampire -- for those of you who are not into Twilight, the vampires sparkle in the sun.

We had an Italian Soda bar that was flavored with blood types and such but don't worry it wasn't real blood!

We made "Italiano" for dinner and the salad, bread and lasagna was all Fabulous! After we were full from food we stuffed ourselves some more with treats and one of them was the mini-cheesecakes! What a fun night -- Happy Birthday me!

Spencer's Preschool Graduation

2010-05-31T08:00:00.004-07:00

Our little Spencer. he has grown by leaps and bounds this year. He has had no problem making friends and with how great of a reader he is we know he is so ready for Kindergarten. He loves learning and I can't believe how far he has come in such a short time.

Payton's preschool graduation

2010-05-31T08:00:00.003-07:00

It bring new respect to preschool teachers to see them coral the

kids for graduation. It has been a great year and Payton has learned so much from being in a

preschool class -- now if we could just get him to behave a church =). Payton was not in a performing mood that night but he did "strike a few poses" for us and had fun with his megaphone and his ringpop. Good times!

Father's and Son's

2010-05-31T08:00:00.002-07:00

My boys were twice a lucky this year to have 2 father's and son's campouts. They look forward to being outdoors with dad and eating junk food. They got to have a marshmallow fight and sleep in the tent. then the next weekend they roasted hot dogs on a stick and got to go on the lake in the boat -- just the guys. Troy is a trooper to do all the set up and take down two weekends in a row but the boys will always remember camping with the guys!

Krispy Kreme

2010-05-31T08:00:00.001-07:00

What kids wouldn't like a tour and a free doughnut! The kids were excited to wear theri hats and see how the doughnuts were made. It was a good, short field trip and the kids seemed to have fun. The little girl, Megan, in the picture with Payton is better known a "Princess Peach" and Payton is known at school as "Mario" only when he says it he has an Italian accent. Pretty cute.

Jackson's Field Day 2010

2010-05-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

The school does a fun field day each year and Jackson and his friends have a good time being outside and trying out all the stations they have for them. The sponge race is fun with water and the potato sack race (with trash bags) is a fun way to get some exercise. I love the parachute and jumping rope but that's just me.

Primary Talent Show

2010-05-29T08:00:00.003-07:00

Our Primary held it's annual talent show and this year was the fisrt time all our boys could participate. Here is a little bit of payton's talent.
Jackson told some Laffy Taffy jokes and Spencer spent a lot of time doing some "color by numbers" It was a fun night to see so may hidden talents from the kids we see at church each Sunday.

Spring Training

2010-05-29T08:00:00.002-07:00

Our boys always look forward to going to the ball park. I think the younger boys just go for the food but regardless they seem to have fun. It was a bit hot but all in all we had a lot of fun together.

Payton's trip to the Firestation

2010-05-29T08:00:00.001-07:00

Payton's preschool class got to visit the firehouse and I got some cute photos of him. He was quite wiggly and moody this time but he managed to have some fun =). Preschool fieldtrips are always interesting and Payton feels so big to be a preschool student. It is neat to see him becoming his own little person.

Easter 2010

2010-05-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our kids had lots of fun at this Easter breakfast and egg hunt. they eat breakfast and hunted for eggs. Then they got to make a neclace of fruit loops to eat. Our kids mostly look through to find the broken ones so they can eat them but either way it is a good time.

Our kids are spoiled a bit with more than one egg hunt. My friend has a egg hunt eggstravaganza each year and the kids make out like bandits. Plus, my kids loved Sister mason's spaghetti and they had I think 3 helpings each. I guess this helps to balance out the 3 pounds of surgar they probably consumed =).

Our last egg hunt was on Easter at my brother house. Jaedon and Jace hid the eggs for the kids to find and what I thought would be a mall egg hunt was a rather large one -- great job guys. They boys were in heaven and then the tears errupted from Payton when he dropped all his eggs and the splattered everywhere on the floor of the car. He still ate the ones he found but I hope lesson learned -- holdon tight to the candy you want to eat =).

We did our traditional "Resurrection cookies" the night before Easter to help our famly remember the reason for the season. The kids remember so much and they so smart it makes me proud to be their mom. Here are some pictures of them enjoying the cookies.

It was nice this year to have time at home as a family for Easter weekend and watch Conference. Plus, it got rid of the candy faster because we were home to eat it and then move on.

2010-05-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Our family finally made it back to Disneyland and we had fun. We started off at Disneyland and then took a day off to relax at the beach. the weather was perfect and so we bathed in the sunshine and rested. Then we went back for another day of Disneyland fun. Spencer's favorite ride was Indiana Jones. We had to squeeze him in and he was just tall enough to ride. It was a good thing too because that was the one ride he was looking forward to the most. Jackson really liked Thunder Mountain and that is one ride Troy loves too. Payton wasn't a big fan of the fast rides but he was so excited to meet Mickey Mouse and he LOVED the Playhouse Disney show. He was amazed to see the characters he watches on TV come to life. We love the happiest place on Earth.

Our little bike rider!

2010-05-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Spencer was very reluctant to try to ride a bike. He had a few meltdowns with dad but after a some practice to build up his confidence he was off and riding! We are so proud of him and it is so exciting to have him wanting to get on his bike. he is getting so big and it is fun to watch him grow. Great job Spencer!

Finding the fun

2010-05-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is one of those times when I was glad that I had my camera in my purse. Troy and I decided to go shopping for some outdoor pots and so we loaded up the kids and set off. One of the places we stopped had a display of all these animals that the kids found very interesting. It was so cute to see them with these and they were having fun. Oh to be a kids again.

Good Young Friends

2010-05-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

I didn't want to say old friends because when I am with these amazing ladies I feel like a kid again. I have known some of these ladies since 3rd grade and we all went through high school together. I can say I love these beautiful women and it is so fun to reconnect with them at least once a year in person. We have all been through our own personal challenges and we are all different in a million ways but we share the same faith that binds us together no matter if we love "chick-flicks" or "sci-fy" when we are together we have a GREAT time. Christine, Carol, Bethany, Sherri and Becky thanks for being you -- I luv ya!!!

It's a work in Progress

2010-05-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

When we built our home a few years ago we had to wait for the courtyard to be in reality what we imagined it in our minds. This year we decided that we could do something small to move in the direction of an outdoor living space. Troy did most of the work but with the help of some fabulous tools we borrowed, we got the courtyard concrete stained and we are happy with the way it turned out. It rained for a a few Saturdays and postponed our plans but we were finally able to finish. The first coat looked like dried pee and we were VERY nervous but with a second coat it turned into what we wanted and now all we need are plants =). Here are some picture so you can see something Troy should be proud of. I am so glad I married a man who is not afraid to try to do things on his own and that he has the patience to research and see things through. Now we are one step closer to the goal. Good job babe.

Aunt Pam and Michele

2010-05-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Each year my aunt and cousin come down from New York to visit all of the family here. My kids love them to pieces and look forward to this because they get books from them and when they stay with us there are two more people to talk to and tell there thoughts too. Our guests are very kind to give them the attention they are looking for and with a few extra hands they don't always have to wait for mom. I try to think of something fun to do with them and this year we went to visit "Old Scottsdale". We ate lunch at Fudruckers -- because Michele loves her burgers and so do we, and then we looked in all the shops around the area. I was prepared for complaining and stuff but my kids LOVED it!! The boys were hilarious in all the art museums asking about the pictures and we got to look at lots of amazing art. My drawings are of stick people and rainbows and I am 30 so seeing something someone made out of some pain and a paintbrush is amazing to me -- the non artist! The boys all got to pick a rock at the rock store and they thought it was the best thing in the world. We walked around for hours and all of us had a great time. Plus, it was very "Arizona" for our New York visitors =). We only got through half of the shops so that will give us something to do next year. As always we had to stop at the train park for some rides and the kids dressed themselves that day so their outfits are quite "artistic", but we had a fun time.

The simple things in life...

2010-05-28T09:22:00.001-07:00

As a late Valentine's Day present a good friend of mine , who shall remain nameless (Kristine), gave my kids a sucker. Not just any sucker but a HUGE heart shaped sucker. They were SOOOOO excited because I will never let them get one this big due to childhood trauma. See, I ate one like this as a kid too fast and got sick afterwards so they kind of give me the creeps to look at and they make my stomach turn. This proves my theory that it takes a village to raise a child because even though I can not stomach them someone else loved my kids enough to pump them full of sugar for me =). And the look on their face really says it all. It does not take much to make my kids happy but with three boys ... the way to their heart is definitely through their stomach =). On a side note: no one got sick and no one ate it in one day which make it a win win!

Our fun in the Snow

2010-01-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

We try to take a snow trip every year and this year was fun because Spencer really loved the snow! All the kids had fun but Spencer was a sledding machine! He was fearless and I was loving watching him go to town!! Jackson was having fun but he kept getting stuck on a bump that would shoot him off the path down the hill and into a snow ditch -- which didn't make him too happy. Payton just climbed the "snow mountain" and sang songs while he threw some "snow balls" and had fun. It is so nice to have the boys start enjoying things instead of having to force the kids to have fun. Good times.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-26T13:18:00.000-08:00

Troy and I wonder each year how we will ever be able to top the year before. Santa helps out a great deal of course but this year was just as magical as years past. Troy and I got the boys some new furniture and a few things to decorate their rooms this year. They were excited and Payton has Batman, Spencer has Indiana Jones and Jackson has Star Wars. Then they got a new TV for their playroom and I think Dad was more excited than the boys but that's okay. The big stuff this year came in smaller packaging. The big boys got Nintendo DS Lites and Payton got a Leapster 2. Dad got a video game and that has gotten a lot of excitement from the kids. The boys got to pick out small gifts this year for each other and it was so fun to see them get excited to give and not just receive. Payton is still learning how to keep his presents a secret but that will come. The best part of Christmas is the time together and the excitement to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. As the kids get older the magic of the changes to excitement for more things for others and giving and that is so much fun to watch. Another great year and it is so nice to have Troy home with us. The boys and I love to just be together with dad and talk, laugh (trying to keep the potty talk down to a minimum) and eat.

Thanksgiving

2010-01-26T13:12:00.001-08:00

We got to host Thanksgiving this year and it was a lot of fun. Well, my kids of fun ivolves good food, which we had, good company, or course and time to relax and watch a movie. It was nice to just let the kids play and they played their little hearts out!! I thought they would need stuff to do but it turned out that a bunch of open dirt fields and a hollowed out tree were all they needed. They rode scooters and bikes around and the power wheels always make for a good time. They jumped on the trampoline and played in the tree fort Troy and the kids made a year ago and the neighborhood kids have made more inprovements when the weather is nice. I believe they can even park the gator in there now in their "garage" so they just ate and played like crazy giving us adults plenty of time to relax, talk and eat. It is great to have days when you know all you have to do is hang out and eat and talk. Good times!

Payton's Thanksgiving Program

2010-01-26T13:03:00.001-08:00

I got a chance to see Payton "perform" with his preschool friends all of their Thanksgiving songs on November 25, 2009. Payton was hilarious!!! They recited the Pledge of Allegiance and he sang his heart out and after each song he asked his teachers, "Now is it time for my sucker?" You see, they had promised him a sucker if they did well in the performance and that was all he could think about. Then afterwards he could not get enough pumpkin pie! I was laughing at him outside holding his plate and then at one point licking it -- man that kids makes me laugh!!

Spencer Turns 5

2010-01-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

My poor Spencer has to wait and watch other have their special day and so when his birthday FINALLY comes in November he can hardly wait!! He is actually tough to buy for because he is fine with anything that is his and so mom and dad work hard to "wow" him with something he wants that is not food related =). Maybe someday he wil be a chief or a baker. This year he got a big boy bike and his very own video game -- Ravman Rabbits. It is the perfect game for him because it is goofy and he enjoys it. He also started his own collection of Bakagans and got his own Legos. But Spencer was just as exctied to receive his own gumball machine that quickly was lacking gumballs. He is such a sweet boy and said his brithday was "the best one ever!"

We love living here!

2010-01-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

Every so often our friends from the orchard next door come over for a visit. This is Chris and Duke and the kids had a blast feeding him while we talked. I couldn't resist taking a picture to remember the moment

My Halloween Masterpieces!!!

2010-01-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Halloween started early at our house this year and I was sewing for a month to get things ready. It all started when I tried to think of something my boys could be together and knowing they love video games I tried to think of something "cool" for the big boys and still something for Payton to love. We ended up with Mario Brothers characters. I had some help from my neighbor who actually sews and from my Aunt Connie who can make things out of a pattern. I had to buy a pattern but really I just used a bit of trial and error to make these and it is something I am quite proud of! I never put myself into the "crafty" catergory so this was a big thing for me. I think they turned out pretty darn good too!! Jackson was Bowser, Spencer was Yoshi, and Payton stole the show (as always) as Mario.

Have some Cookie with your Sprinkles

2010-01-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

I am not sure how long we have been doing this but for a few holidays out of the year I get together with my Sisters-in-Law and my cousins along with their kids to decorate cookies. I provide the house and the frosting and the rest shows up for fun. It is great to be together since I grew up with no cousins or family close by to do things like this with. As I get to see my kids forming friendships with their extended family it warms my heart. Here are some messy pictures of big fun!!! It is so funny to watch the kids decorate and how some beg to eat all their cookies and some our off to play. Tyson liked his so much that he is pictured licking the sprinkles off his plate! The girls have theirs all pretty and the boys pile on as much as they can. Just thinking about it cracks me up!!!

Jackson and Spencer play soccer

2010-01-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

This year might be the only year that Jackson and Spencer get to play on the same sports team. We signed both the boys up with a soccer league and they had fun but I think the most import part for Jackson was winning and the most fun for Spencer was the snack after the game! Spencer tried hard when he focused on the game -- but most of time he just had fun with firends. Jackson played hard and did great! Over all it was a good experience and a stressful one for a mom that is quite competitive. It was painful to watch at times but fun to see how much they imporved at the end of the season. It was the first time both of them had played soccer and it was neat to see them doing something together. They are good boys!!

Spencer goes to the Farm!!

2010-01-26T08:57:00.001-08:00

I have been bad at keeping up with my postings but today is a good day to fix that so ... shortly after Payton went on his field trip Spencer got to go on one with his preschool. The date on the pictures is also October 1st, 2009. Spencer drove with Aunt Denise, Nate and Tyson -- which makes any day more fun =). This farm had tons of stuff for him to do. They did a corn maze and got to harvest vegetables out of the ground!! Spencer was so excited that he actually ate the zucchini he picked. They got to eat a sack lunch and ride on a little train. Spencer had a great time playing in the corn and seeing the animals. They even got to make corn meal by grinding up kernels. All in all it was fun with friends, cousins and a great day for Spencer.

Field Trip to Fry's

2009-10-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

Payton got to go on his first field trip with his Preschool class and he had a great time! They started out by tasting fruit and talking about why it is good for you. Fry's was very good about feeding them and keeping them moving. Then they moved onto the deli and tried some turkey and cheese.

They also got to check out the bakery and the seafood department where they got to touch a live lobster. They got to scan items and got a balloon and ice cream.

It was a fun morning and Payton was funny doing some Kung Fu Panda moves for all of them to help keep them entertained. he just cracks me up!!!

Family Pictures

2009-10-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows the Mortensen family knows we LOVE popcorn. It has been a taste passed down for a while know and it is border-line embarrassing the amount of popcorn we consume during a movie. So, one of my best friends took that love and captured it on camera. Lori Calhoun of "http://www.calhounink.com/" did a great job and here are the pictures to prove it.

Salvation Amry

2009-10-01T09:02:00.001-07:00

Troy gets to mingle with a lot of great people through his work and he was able to get the family involved with this year's community project. The salvation Army site was choosen to be the project this year that the Valley Partnership would help. Kids from the community got to come and help design the playground that would be built. We brought the boys -- who have been dying to see Dad's jobsite -- and here are some shots of them in creation mode. it is really fun to get to see good people coming together to help others and I am so glad that we get to teach these kind of lessons to the boys while they are young. I hope they will remember these things as they grow. It was a fun night and a good experience.

Ward Campout

2009-09-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we had a lot of fun camping with our ward family. The boys love to play in the fire and be outside with a reason to get dirty, eat marshmallows and cook food on the fire. Plus throwing the football around and play horseshoes is fun too. I think the hightlight of the night was when Troy discovered Payton to excited to sleep and when Troy told him to go to sleep he replied,"It's so beautiful in here!" Our boys love camping but they also love going to bed and sleeping in a tent. Jackson got to build a tree fort and had fun putting sticks and pine needles on the fire. Spencer got sting by a bee but had fun still playing with friends and eating junk food. Payton pulled the whole jug of water down on his head about 30 minutes after we got there so he has a few scabs from that -- but still had fun in the marshmallow wars and even managed to eat a few. We even got to see a real taranchala and I snapped a picture. They were sad to see us taking down the tent to go home. We got a little rain but not enough to spoil the fun. Camping and kids equals lots of work but loads of fun and laughs. We can't wait for next year!!!

Jackson Turns 7

2009-09-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Jackson just had his 7th birthday! he is quite the thinker these days. He loves to learn about sharks and anything really. He is really excited about Lego Indiana Jones and Legos and Backagans right now which is fun to see. He is getting too tall for all of his pants that he got at Christmas and I tease him that he needs to stop growing for a while. He says the funniest things and is comfortable jumping into any conversation that happens around him. I think he is a very entertaining kid and I love him so much. He tries hard to to what is right and works hard to make good decisions.

Happy Birthday buddy -- We love you!!!

First day of School!!

2009-08-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

This year was a very exciting one for our family. Jackson started first grade. Spencer goes to preschool and even my little Payton is in his first year of preschool! All of my kids are growing up so fast. So far so good -- everyone loves their teachers and school is great!

Payton is 3!!!

2009-08-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe my baby is already three but I am defiantely glad to say goodbye to diapers!!! Payton has such an amazing spirit of determination and I think it was brought out by his diffuclt first year of life. He was such a little trouper with his casting and bars for his club foot and the other day when he found his bar and shoes and wanted to put them on. Obviously he was too big but I am glad it is not the painful memory for him that it is for me. He has his dad's wonderful imagination and his mom's love of music. I also notice a love for art work which may mean he could get some of his grandma's talent to paint -- which we would love! It has been an amazing 3 years with him and this is just the beginning. He made our family complete with a small, medium, and large boy in the family. Happy Birthday Bwabwa! We love you!!

Utah Trip

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

We went up to Utah for my brother's wedding and decided to make a little vacation out of it. We had a really fun time staying with my cousin, Aubrey, and her family. We were able to do some really fun stuff there. On Friday we went to the Rec Center around the couner from my cousin's house and the kids had a blast. It had a Pirate ship outdoor playland as well as an indoor play area with a water slide and a lazy river. We had to force our kids down the big water slide a few times but Jackson decided it was fun and we were glad to see that. It is bitter sweet when you have to force your kids to do something you know they will enjoy but the reward comes when the finally come over to your side. Spencer did it twice with me but then he was done. He asked me if he could just do it once and I said "no, because the first time it will be new and the second time you will know what to expect so it won't be scarey" and he seemed to accept that so I was pleased. Spencer even smiled the second time down. After all of out water fun we got the kids bathed and fed and then the adults went out. (We had a babysitter of course) Troy and I, Aubrey and Chad went to see Angels and Demons and it was good but first we had to eat at Texas Roadhouse which is One of our favorite places.

Saturday was busy but a great day. We were able to attend the open house for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. (For those who may read this and are not members of our church -- anyone is welcome to walk through the temple during the open house. Once it is dedicated then you must have a recommend to enter) This was exciting for my boys who wanted to know what the temple looked like. It was beautiful and the boys learned a lot. Saturday evening was Chris wedding and it was small and beautiful. They seemed so happy and excited to begin a life together. We are excited to gain a sister-in-law and two more boys cousins. After we put the kids to bed Saturday night we played American Idol. We had lots of fun with the game and stayed up too late. It was worth it though.

Sunday was church and the glorious hour of 9am instead of our usual 2:00pm meeting time. It was nice to sit with Troy and be able to tag team the kids instead of being by myself with him watching from the stand. We came home and some took naps and then headed over to my Uncle Jerry's house for dinner. We had a good time just being together -- something we don't get to do enough. We watched a little Planet Earth and then went home for bed. Jackson and Spencer were given some "mystery scooters" that had been left at my uncle's for a while without claim and they were very excited to use them. Even Payton was giving them a try. It is so fun to see them excited about stuff like that.

Monday was another fun day for us. We were able to go to the Airplane Museum and the boys had lots of fun. It was hot outside so we were glad to see the planes on the inside as well. They also had an area for the kids to dress up in flight suits and get in the simulators -- Troy had fun with that too! Then we took the kids to a Brazilian BBQ place and had a big lunch/dinner. It is an all you can eat place that had waitors come around and cut off these great meats for you and it was sooo good. The boys liked the fired bananas for dessert and then home for our last night.

It was so nice to have some time away as a family and be able to relax a bit. We really had a good time.

Jackson Lost his first Tooth 7-12-09

2009-07-12T09:55:00.003-07:00

I know he will be 7 in September but today, July 12th, 2009, he lost his first tooth. It has been pretty wiggly lately and He did not want to eat his cereal this morning so I told him to take a rag into the bathroom and wiggle it till it came out. About 5 minutes later he came out with his tooth in his hand! He was so excited and wanted me to put it on the blog for all to see. He is growing up so fast I can't believe it! Now he can wear his hole with pride in the fact that he pulled it out all by himself. (hopefully he will continue to do it himself because it gives me the creeps to watch him wiggle it).

Fun with friends

2009-07-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

I forget my camera a lot when I leave the house so here are some pictures of the kids eating with their friends. You can count it -- 6 boys at the table. We feel lucky to have the Calhouns be in the 3 boy club with us and the boys are pretty close in age which make it very easy to have them play together. It is harder to get together due to more variables now that the kids are getting older and we are no longer in the same ward, but the kids always have fun and look forward to spending time together. Plus, any day with a Happy Meal in it is a good one!

Pop Tart Houses

2009-07-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

On July 5th I was tearing down a Pop Tart box and Jackson asked if he could use it as a house for his cars and I said "sure". We cut a door and then the decorating began. Spencer and Payton wanted in so we scrounged around and then every box was a door to imagination. Here are the "houses" they made and it kept them quite busy for a day and a half which made me a happy mom. I love to see them using their imagination and skills to creat their own fun!!

Payton's is mostly a collection of Cars stickers and foamies. This was the safest for him but I did make him a bath tub and he added bubbles.

Spencer got another box to add on to his and he liked being able to put his stuff through the door. He was the first one to decorate the inside and that opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

Jackson got really into it. After I took these pictures we cut open a cereal box and he added a pool and a backyard. He spent quite a bit of time and really enjoyed himself.

We have Trees

2009-06-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

It is funny how as you become a person that is married and then begin your family and own a home things that seemed so small like trees become very exciting. This past weekend we planted 13 trees -- 2 of the 24inch box trees and 11 of the 15 gallon size. Troy and I have been looking forward to getting in our landscaping and now we have begun!! The boys had fun watering the trees with dad and so I snapped a few pictures to capture the moment. I even took some close-ups of the trees so you all can appreciate the beauty. We spent many hours in the sun planting them and now the boys are asking when they are going to grow. Hopefully there will be more to come soon.

Swimming lessons

2009-06-29T13:50:00.001-07:00

Our boys have had fun learning how to swim. Bria has been great to teach them. Jackson is loving swimming on his own and diving to get things at the bottom of the pool. Spencer is a bit cautious still but he is getting more comfortable around the pool and is quite the splasher! Payton does not konw that he cannot swim without help and is quite the dare devil. He now likes to go under the water and scares mom and dad each time he jumps into the water wearing is ring. It is nice to swim with them now and we will be getting in a pool alot more this summer now that they are better swimmers.

fun at the lake

2009-06-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

The kids and I got a chance to have some fun on Saturday with Clint, Kristin and thier kids at the lake. Jackson decided he liked tubing by the end of the trip and Spencer still needs a bit of convincing. He smiled for about 3 seconds of his ride with dad on the tube. All of the boys enjoyed swiming and Dad helped them jump off some rocks to be a bit more adventurous. Kristin took some pictures for us becuase I never remember my camera -- thanks Kristin. It is fun to be able to relax on the water and drink some soda and eat some good food. We always have a good time with family on the lake.

talent show

2009-06-17T14:00:00.001-07:00

Our ward does a Primary talent Show each year and this year both boys wanted to do something. Jackson did his Yo-Yo tricks and he had fun preforming. He is getting a bit more shy these days but he did a great job showing off his skills. Spencer decided he wanted to wear his Scooby-Doo costume and that was it so I can up with the idea to have him do some dog tricks. He did a great job with Troy as his master/trainer and he jumped through a hoop and did other tricks to impress the audience.

Boys in harmony

2009-06-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

I have tried to be better about getting out the camera this year and getting some candid shots of my boys playing nicely together to help me remember that the don't fight all the time. A good part of the time they have fun and these picture help me remember they are kids --active kids-- that love to be outside jumping on the trampoline or killing ants. Dirty boys make happy boys!

Payton

2009-06-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

I can not believe that my little Bubba is almost 3!! Payton is so imaginative and even crackers come to life. He is very entertaining to talk with and likes to tell jokes and stories. Here he is in his "football Helmet" that is really a Knight helmet. We love our little man!

Preschool Graduation

2009-06-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

Spencer has learned so much this year. He never would say much when I would pick him up from school but I knew what they had for snack!! Then he would look at words and start to tell me what each letter was and he can say the pledge and all kinds of other little things that we just loved to see come out of our "little Schnitzel".

At the graduation Spencer got to get up and say that green is his favorite color and that he wanted to be Spongebob Squarepants when he grew up. Oh, and his favorite food is pizza. Here are just a few pictures to make a big step for my little snugglebug. He is growing up so fast!

Jackson's Rodeo Day

2009-06-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

Jackson had fun in Kindergarten this year. He learned alot about school and also about life and people. Here are some pictures from the kidergarten Rodeo Day and I was impressed that he was so willing to touch the animals in the petting zoo. I hate petting zoos!!! He also got to pan for gold and all kids of fun stuff. It was a fun way to end the year. He got some certificates after the rodeo for reading 100 books and passing off 100 sight words. He has learned so much.

Our little Getaway

2009-06-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

Troy and I got to go on a 4 day, Mexican cruise this year. It was the first time we had done anything more than a night without our boys. We got to go Kayacking and snorkeling On Katalina Island and then we just relaxed and ate lots on the boat. It was nice to not have to do anything we normally do during the week like make our beds and clean the kitchen. Instead we had sit-down meals 3 times a day and went into the steam rom and stuff. We even went down the waterslide on the boat that was freezing because they are filled with ocean water! It was a good time and it was nice to come home to the boys having missed us a bit -- not too much of course! They had a blast with their cousins.