Christmas Fun

I LOVE Christmas time!!!  The Spirit, the food, the parties, the music, the excitement...  I just love this time of year!  McKay is so happy and loving all the Christmas festivities.  He loves the Grinch and likes to pretend he's the Grinch with his stuffed animal puppy Max.  We love Christmas lights- after dinner every night McKay begs to go for a ride to look at lights.  And of course there's Santa- if you ask what Santa is going to bring McKay he'll say "a toy and batteries".  Pathetic I know but I am too cheap to replace all the batteries in his toys so he wants Santa to do it!  Logan is the happiest most easy-going little guy around.  He is just happy!  He is starting to eat real food now and thinks he is as big as McKay.  Here are a few of our Pre-Christmas pictures.

Santa came to our ward party.  McKay was a little concerned at first but then he warmed up and decided Santa was safe.  He was so excited!

 McKay so proud with his orange from Santa Claus.  He was all smiles!!

Every year we go with Matt's family to Temple Square to see the lights.  It was cold but not bitter cold so we could actually be outside.  It was packed with people and made us glad we don't live in a big city!  It was a fun night and a fun tradition to kick off the season remembering our Savior.

 Grandma and Grandpa with all the cousins

 McKay and his cousin Lizzy held hands all through Temple Square- it was the sweetest thing!

 Jingle Bell Rock Dancers!

I love these two pictures!  They are such sweet special boys- I am glad to be their mom (most days- they both happen to be asleep right now so life is good :-) !)

Merry Christmas!!

Rolling, Sitting, & More

Maybe someday I'll have a baby who is just content to be a baby, but so far both of mine have wanted to go from day one.  Logan is 3 1/2 months old now and getting pretty good at rolling and is almost mastered sitting up.  He can hold his own for a bit but is still so wobbly I don't dare walk away yet- plus McKay would love to tackle him if I gave him the oppurtunity!  It is fun to watch him grow and start to realize everything that is going on around him.  He LOVES McKay and watches his every move--I'm not quite sure if that is a good thing or not.  A wild crazy 2-year old boy isn't exactly an ideal role model sometimes...  McKay is as busy as ever and keeps me laughing (and sometimes frustrated) all day long.  He is so much fun right now and curious about everything.  He asks me questions all day long!

 Some days it can be dangerous to try to take a shower...Logan screams and McKay reaks havoc.  One morning, I come out of the bathroom to see McKay had emptied his bookcase on the table.  I tried not to get mad and asked what he was doing.  "I need to read these.  I didn't put them on the floor Mommy."  As if that was so much better!  I thought it was kind of cute at first that he needed to read them but now he thinks this is fun to do everytime Mommy showers- it got old fast!  But he does love to "read".  And since we read so much, he has some of his book basically memorized so he can "read"!

 Look at that baby belly!  He is a chunky little guy!

 Rolling off his blanket!

Happy Thanksgiving with the cousins

Sitting!!!!  Yes he is surrounded by pillows because he is so wobbly and topples very quickly but he is able to hold himself a little longer every day.  If I lay him flat he tries to sit up- he doesn't want to just lay and wiggle; he wants to be upright in the action.

Sitting under the Christmas tree

 We are in an art phase at our house.  We color every afternoon so I bought some play dough to try to brake it up- it was a hit!  I think Santa may need to bring us some more colors- ours is in high demand!

Snowy McKay & Smiley Logan

It's was the first real snowstorm and McKay was begging to build a snowman.  Matt finally gave in and McKay had a blast...

 Logan is 3 months old now and had his first haircut.  He really has needed one since he was born but I've been putting it off until someone told me what a cute girl I had...I cut it that night.  It's hard to cut a baby's hair since they don't really hold their head up or cooperate in anyway, but considering it all- he looks very handsome and boyish!  He is such a good baby...eats, sleeps, spits up, and smiles!  We love him and are so happy to have him in our family.  (a little blurry but it is such a great picture!)

Halloween

Happy Halloween! It was the year of the pirates at our house...

Pumpkin Logan

Pirate McKay

Sweet brothers out enjoying the fall leaves

Family Pictures

Family pictures are always an adventure, but when you add 5 kids under 5 years old...well I consider it a success if they are all looking at the camera- heck with trying to get to smile!  My sister's friend (kariannphotography.com) took pictures for us while Elise was in town.  They turned out pretty good considering most of the kids DID NOT want to perform...

Logan Blessing (with some odds & ends)

On October 9 we blessed Logan.  It was also Matt's Dad's birthday so we had a double party and enjoyed spending the day with family.  My sister Elise and her family were here so it was fun to have everyone together for a day.

 He wore the same outfit as Matt & McKay.  I was worried he may not fit into it, but he had a growth spurt just in time!

 Happy boy!  Logan is such a good baby.  He is just happy and content.  He is such a blessing in our lives.

The proud Grandmas

The traditional Halloween hayride at the barn.  McKay had a blast- even though it rained on us.

The last of summer...  Matt picked this beautiful rose for me as we cut back and pulled out all the flowers. 

I love this picture!  So my camera is all but dead so it is a challenge to get a good picture at all.  I told McKay to smile for the picture but by the time the picture took he was done posing and dancing away.  It was cute!

The favorite with all the cousins at Grandma Rowleys is the piano!

Those big eyes are taking everything in!

Kid Talk

I've been meaning to write down some of my favorite McKay sayings for quite a while now so I better do it before I forget them!

- McKay's favorite song to sing is "Rain, Rain Go Away".  He'll walk around singing it as loud as he can half of the day.  When Logan was born McKay really struggled with the change.  He started singing:  "Baby Logan go away. Come again another day.  McKay and Mommy want to play.  Baby Logan go away."  How sad but very cute!

- McKay was trying to reach his book that was under the bed and couldn't quite reach it.  He looks at me and says, "I need a Mouse-ka-tool, Mommy.  Oh Toodles!"  I think we may watch a little too much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, what do you think?!

- "Mommy I need my pants off."
"Why do you need your pants off McKay?"
"My legs can't see.  I need my legs to see."

- McKay has to act out everything we read or watch. We are on a pirate/Peter Pan kick right now so we walk the plank, swordfight, and run away from crocodiles quite frequently.  McKay will randomly run around crying, "Smee, save me!  Smee!  Smee!"  If you ask him what he's running from he'll tell you the crocodile...wouldn't it be great to have an imagination like that?!

September

I can't believe it's October!  Time has flown by.  Logan is almost 2 months and growing so fast...he's lost the newborn look.  It makes me a little sad but it is fun to see him grow too.  McKay loves Logan now!  He wants to help feed him, change him, and asks everyday "Can I play with Baby Logan?"  It has been a very welcome change and so sweet to see them together.  Matt is enjoying his job and not missing school at all.  It is the first time in his life (besides his mission) he isn't in school.  He comes home and is a little lost without having to go do homework!  I am keeping busy doing- well I'm not sure what exactly but there's always some project needed doing...laundry, dishes, changing diapers, grocery shopping, etc.  Here's September:

We've gone on lots of adventures but I've been terrible at bringing my camera along...  Here's McKay and his cousins up Bridal Veil Falls.  They had a blast.  It's so nice to be back with family to have friends for McKay and people to go on our adventures with!

Little Logan all styled up- don't worry within 10 minutes (literally) his hair is back up.  It doesn't lay down no matter what I try.  Good thing he's cute, wild hair and all!

The first smile picture I've caught!

Look how much they grow in 2 1/2 years!

Look how the arm is a blur- I'm afraid I have another thrower...  At least then McKay will have someone to practice with!

My boys

This was hilarious!  Logan was crying and I was bouncing trying to calm him down.  I look over and McKay is walking around with his hands in his ears.  I asked him what he was doing and he told me "Baby Logan too loud Mommy.  My ears can't hear."

Labor Day

It's official- Matt passed the NCLEX and is a Registered Nurse.  He got a job working full-time in the operating room at American Fork Hospital.  He starts in a week so I am living up the extra help for another week.  We're excited to start this new adventure and so grateful he will be able to provide for our family.

 We had a BUSY Labor Day weekend and are still recovering from a full weekend.  Sunday we went to Camp KoHoLoWo with my family and enjoyed being up in the mountains.  McKay- of course- threw rocks galore...

 We took a moonlight hike to Look-out Point.  Such a pretty view up there.  (notice the sweatshirts.  Where did summer go?  It is already feeling like fall!)

 Payson Onion Days is a big tradition with Matt's family so we spent Monday partying from the parade, to the carnival, to family lunch, and just hanging out with everyone.  Logan and I are still hermits but we did make an appearance for the lunch.  McKay dragged Matt around the carnival and parade.  They had a blast.  I made them take pictures so I could feel like I was there.

 Matt won this fish at one of the carnival booths.  McKay is so proud of it!

 Logan is officially one month old!  He is a good little guy (just don't ask me that at 2 am- I may have a different opinion...) and we are so glad to have him in our family.

 This was so sweet- the other morning McKay woke up and called from his room, "Mommy, where my baby Logan?  I need my Baby Logan."  So I put Logan on the bed by him and McKay sat there and talked and sang to him and kissed him.  It was so sweet I had to get a picture.

 One month old photo...  It doesn't matter what I do- his hair stands straight up.  If only I could put little bows in it!