Four Wonderful Years Together!

Dinner at the Mandarin with no kids and then 31 cent ice cream at Baskin Robbins, topped off with a trip to the library for a potty training video, who could ask for a better Anniversary? Today we celebrated our 4th. To say it out loud doesn't seem that long when you compare it to how long we've lived, but it is a pretty good percentage of our adult life spent together! I look back at our wedding and think how wonderful it all was and wish I could fit back into that dress!! I love my hubby and cannot think of anyone that I'd rather be with. He is such a good man, an active father and a hard worker! Here's to another 71 years. (By then it will be an even 75 and we will both be pushing 100!) Love you babe! :)

St. George Vacation

We just got back from our little vacay to Southern Utah! And although driving in the car for 10+ hours is not my ideal "fun" we still enjoyed ourselves. The kids did really well on this trip, though I am not apt to get into a car with either of them for a long ride anytime soon! The stress of packing and getting out of the door by myself was almost enough to make me not want to go, but we made it! My generous Aunt and Uncle allowed us to stay in there second home down there, it fit our needs perfectly! (Thanks Kent and Lisa!)

The first day we went to a dinosaur museum. It was really amazing! The building was built over the site that the fossils were found! It was a retired Dr. who was clearing his land. He was cutting out large rocks to sell as landscaping rocks and one of them fell off his backhoe. It was then he noticed a large dinosaur track on the back. The rest is history! They have a huge stone with many dino tracks and can tell a lot about the animals by how close their foot prints are, etc. Truly amazing! Too bad the kids weren't as intrigued as Dave and I were!

The next day the Allen's came and we went to Zion National Park for a hike. We put our girls in the double stroller and had 2 back packs for our baby boys. After a picnic lunch where Hailey got bit by a horsefly and had to freak out about it, we prepared for the hike. We left our map in the car (that was our first mistake) and were relying on someone elses map on the bus ride. We found one that looked leisurely enough to push the stroller on. We crossed the bridge and had the option of left or right. A nice British girl who had just hiked both told us the left would be better for us. (that was our second mistake, listening to a young girl whose belly was hanging out of her cut-off shirt! She odviously has no idea about kids and strollers needing to roll on relatively flat surfaces!) We headed off and the hill got really steep, we kept on thinking it would get better and easier when we got to the top...it only got more challenging to get over the roots and rocks in the trail. Dave and Jeff were lifting the stroller over all the obstacles and it got to the point that we were carrying the stroller more than pushing it! We kept thinking, "it has got to get better, let's just keep going!" We finally gave up and ditched the stroller on the side of the mountain, taking out only waht we needed. The girls were now forced to walk. After carrying them for part of it we got to the middle falls. I let go of Hailey's hand to turn and get water and Hailey bolted for the edge of the cliff that drops off to the lower falls! Luckily Jeff was right there and grabbed her arm before she went off the side! I think she just wanted to play on the chain that keeps people from going over the edge, but it scared me! Hailey and Deon loved jumping in the puddles and then Hailey fell in! Everyone aroudn her laughed and we had to take off her wet pants and socks. Dave, Erica and I went the other way down and Jeff went back to get the stroller. As we went down the other way was so much easier! A nice, large paved gently rolling trail that we could have pushed the stroller down!! UGH! The primary song came to mind "Choose the right!" We should have gone right in the first place! Oh well! The girls did well and we only had to carry them all the way down! It is funny to laugh about it now!

Thanks to the Allen's for such a fun weekend!

Hoppy Easter!!

What a great day it was! I know it is awful to get this excited about matching outfits for the family, but I love it! We got a lot of compliments today at church and my boys looked especially handsome! It took 4 years of marriage, but I talked Dave into wearing pink!! Wahoo!!

Complete with an Easter Egg hunt, a family dinner and a visit from the Easter Bunny, who could ask for more?

Presters is now one!

Today was Prestons first birthday, it was one year ago today that we were at the hospital and we were chillin' waiting for him to come with the IV antibiotics dripped into my vein. I still just cannot believe that he is one, my baby already had his first party. I decided to make it a family affair this time and keep it smaller and cheaper. Preston has not been feeling really well lately and slept through the first part of his party. I took him to the Doctor on Monday and it turns out he has an ear infection, poor baby. But he had a good time, the chocolate cake smeared all over you know the good stuff about turning one. I was amazed that he actually "got" this whole opening presents thing, he would rip and was actually interested in the present and not the wrapping! He got some cute things, his favorite was from Uncle E-- a sports center interactive toy with baseball, basketball and football, it is right up his alley! We on the other hand got him a savings account. I know, I know, BORING. But he really has so many toys, especially since he is our second and he will do just fine without another one from us. He got a sandbox and picnic table from Grandma and Papa, we are now locked into having a certain amount of living space for all the kids toys!

Preston loves to play patty-cake and babble. He will eat any fruit, but not so keen on the veggies. He is not walking yet, but couch cruises really well. He is already fast enough at crawling and getting up the stairs by himself. He got his first haircut today too and except for the stylist nicking his neck with the clippers he did really well. I wish I wouldn't have had so much cut off, but he is a handsome little man now. (And for those of you looking to cut your kids hair I would completely reccommend going to Cookie Cutters haircuts for kids, it is an amazing place and so accomidating for kids.) So glad that I have my little boy and I love that he is in our family.

It's all about Hailey!

My little girl is getting so big these days! We have a lot of fun together. She is able to communicate really well and we go on adventures together. She pops off with the funniest comments and we wonder where she comes up with half of that stuff. Her new talent is "Name that Tune" you can sing a song from just about any Disney movie and even if she has only seen it once or twice she can tell you what movie it is from. She is also really good with remembering names, and then recalling them without prompting. She is a joy! But as much as the joy, she can he a terrible, tantrum throwing two year old, gotta bring us back to reality sometimes! :)

Prester's first time swimming!!

It is spring break all week for my mom and little cousins. We are loving it so far! We went to the pool yesterday and it was the first time for Preston! Here are a few pics of Preston's reaction. He didn't like it at first, he tried to walk back out! But once he realized that it was water and he could splash it, he really liked it! (I love the swim shorts, they are almost calf length! )

My cousins and the kids!