Merry Christmas

Look at these awesome Christmas photos.  The photographer is amazing and the kids are darling!  I couldn't be happier with them.  I just wanted to share them with everyone.  

Carter was a little sad which is very ironic because he is such a good baby, but everytime we get his pictures done he isn't a big fan- oh well.  

Santa's Workshop

Of course after all that Halloween sewing I just couldn't stop.  I saw this idea on etsy and modified it a little bit. It is a reversible batman/superman cape.  I made a couple for my friend and one for Kaleb.  I think Kaleb will love it.  Hopefully it will help him want to be a good guy rather than a bad guy :)  We have been watching too much Star Wars around here (which I never watched as a child) I think it is time to take a break from lightsabers and Darth Vader. 

Kirk was with me at JoAnns and we  saw this fleece BYU fabric.  He casually mentioned me making him a blanket so I went ahead and did it :)  I put fleece binding all around the edge.  It was a little bit harder to get it straight and even on both sides, but I figure the people using it won't be too critical.  

Christmas Crafts

I saw this on Martha Stewart (I think) and thought we would give it a try.  All we needed were some toothpicks (cut in half), a styrofoam wreath (found at the dollar store or Michaels), and a whole lot of gum drops.  The kids had a great time putting it all together.  They needed just a little help putting some of the toothpicks in the styrofoam but for the most part they did it all by themselves. 

6 months

Being 6 months has brought on some new things for Carter.  He now eats rice cereal, and tonight we mashed up a peach to add a little flavor to his cereal.  

He also got his haircut.  Dad took the clippers to the top of his head and Carter didn't mind one bit.  I held him and he just looked around and played while dad did the work.  

He also got more shots and now weighs 17lbs 6 oz.  He is 26 1/2" tall and his head circumference is off the charts at 18 1/2".  All of our children's heads were large.  We like to think they are just smart.  

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving (besides the fact that our computer decided to quit on us) and are now in the full swing of Christmas.  

Katelyn's turkey projects from school

Kaleb's thanksgiving crafts

Rare brain tumor

Today my life was put into perspective and I realized that even though my children can sometimes be naughty, or my house is a mess, or I don't have an overabundance of money, I really do have a wonderful life.

I was updated on the progress of my cousin and her children. Several years ago their 2nd child was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor/cancer. He underwent surgery and chemo and has been in remission since, which doctors say is rare. In September their youngest son was diagnosed with the same tumor and immediately had surgery and continues chemo. They tested the other children and the 3rd child had it as well. She had surgery the next day (this last week) and will have the same treatment as her brothers. Their story http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4790458 was featured on KSL this past week and is a reminder to me to be thankful for everyday, even though it isn't perfect. I wanted to pass the story along because they could use all the prayers and support, and it is a great reminder to appreciate what you have.

My heart aches and I cannot image what it would be like. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family.

Halloween Part 2

Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Superbaby had a great halloween. They got loads of candy which we will all enjoy. Now I can clean up my laundry room from all that costume mess and move on to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Happy Halloween

Go Super Heroes!!!


I love Halloween and all the candy!!! Today started out so fun. The kids got to wear their costumes to school. MacArthur had a parade with all the students around school and the neighborhood. It was so fun to see all the kids decked out and feeling so cute.

Okay check out that spiderman. The kids were convinced he was real. He totally acted like him too. I think I would have to work out for months before I attempted to get into a tight spandex suit. Maybe next year :)

For now I will just dress up like an old lady.

My Grandma

Last Friday night my Grandma Fresh passed away. She was 95 years old and lived a great life. Her funeral was today and the weather was beautiful. Most of the grandkids made it back to Emmett for the funeral. It was a quick trip but so nice to be there will all my family and see cousins that I haven't see for years. Families are so great!!!

Every year she would come down to AZ and spend several months with her children. While we were living with my parents for 2 years we got to spend lots of time with Grandma. My kids got to know her really well and she adored the great grandkids. She always smiled and giggled. We have great memories of her. Here are few of my favorite pictures of us together. I am so glad that she is finally able to give up her old body and mind and be herself again. We love you Grandma and will miss your laughter.


She was just certain that her oxygen machine would explode if Kaleb played with it. It was a constant battle to keep him from turning it off and on and playing with the tubing attatched to Grandma.


Grandma Dot fixed Katelyn and Grandma's hair in rollers and they were keeping eachother company on the porch while their hair dried.

Grandma loved to swing Kaleb and would swing him right to sleep.

Every year she left to go back to Idaho we were certain she wouldn't make it another year so my mom would have us take our "last" pictures with her every year. This really was the last picture my kids have with her.

Memory Lane

I took a trip down memory lane tonight and looked at all the photos on my computer while listening to my favorite Cure song ever "Just like Heaven. A picture is worth a thousand words and I am so glad I have so many wonderful memories and pictures of my kids growing up. The great thing about pictures is that usually I only remember the good and not the bad. So tonight my life seems perfect :) Tomorrow morning may be another story but tonight I am enjoying our family's fun memories. Since Halloween is just around the corner here are a few of my "perfect" Halloween memories.

2007 Katelyn wanted to be a princess (every girl's dream) and Kaleb was the cutest pirate ever!

2006- Kaleb was a firefighter with a very blue mouth and Katelyn was Strawberry Shortcake. This was the year we moved into our new house and so it was the only year that I bought their costumes (gasp).2005- Woody and Jesse from Toy Story. Our pictures this year were not great although the costumes were still very cute.

2004- Kaleb's first Halloween and probably one of my favorite costume years (2008 might be good competition though). Raggedy Ann and Andy were so cute. Again I wish I could go back in time and take better pictures, but I have learned my lesson and this year we had their pictures taken by a professional- to be posted soon.

Dear tooth fairy

Last Wednesday Katelyn lost her first tooth. She was so excited for the tooth fairy that she wrote her a thank you note and put it in the tooth pillow along with her tooth.

The note said:

Dear tooth fairy, I hope you like my tooth and thanks for the money and have a good night.

From Katelyn

How sweet to tell the tooth fairy thank you!!!

Yesterday as she was brushing her teeth before school her second tooth fell out. She left another tooth and note for the fairy. That is all the wiggly teeth around here for awhile.

Soccer

Kaleb has been waiting for months for soccer to start. Everyday he asks me if soccer practice is today? Needless to say, he really likes it, and he looks so cute with his cleats and shin guards.

Carter is 4 months

(Carter at 3 months)

(Carter at 4 months)

My little baby is now 4 months old. I can't believe how time flies but at the same time it feels like is has been in our family forever!!! He is the greatest little boy. He is always smiling, sleeps through a noisy house, goes to bed around 8:00pm and wakes around 7:00a.m., and pretty much just goes with the flow. His coos and laughs instantly make us smile. How blessed we are to have him in our family. The kids love to pick out his pj's every night and pretty much adore him and would do anything for him. Same with Mom & Dad.

At Carter's 4 month appointment he weighed in at 14#6oz and is 25 1/2" tall. He is in the 75th% for his height so hopefully he grows up to be tall like his daddy.

Tribute to Max

On Sunday we found a good home for Max. He left our home but of course there are plenty of things around our house to help remind us of all the fun (and not so fun) adventures we have had with him. After we took Max out to the car and said good bye for the last time we came back in and the kids ran for the T.V. to turn on their show like nothing had ever happened. Kirk and I sadly looked at eachother and couldn't believe he was really gone. He was really a great dog. But dogs just take time and responsibility and it's another thing to worry about. We miss him but know that someone else will love him and take great care of him.

Our shoes were one of his favorite things to chew as a puppy. Kirk is the only one to escape the shoe chewing. Max even chewed friends shoes when they came over. We can laugh now!!!

Kirk never got his shoes chewed but his hose was often a little shorter than the last time he watered. One day Kirk turned on the hose as he held the end of it and waited for the water to come on. After about 30 seconds of no water he looked down and realized Max had chewed the end of the hose completely off and Kirk was holding a 3' long hose that was attatched to nothing. Way to go Max. We all laughed (except for Kirk)

Katelyn loved Max. I would find them in her closet with the doors shut just playing. He was so good with the kids and especially the baby. He liked to lick Carter's toes and head (Gross- I would have never let anything like that happen with my first child :)

Everyday Max would go with me to pick Katelyn up from Kindergarden. Max would stick is head out the window looking for her. All the kids and teachers knew him. As we would pull up the kids would be yelling "hi Max". Katelyn loved being greeted by him everyday, and was very disappointed when he was too wet or muddy from the rain to get in the car.

Max is just 2 months old. What a cute puppy. Kaleb was terrified of him at first. Then they developed a love-hate relationship. One minute they would tease eachother, and the next minute they would be playing in the mud completely covered and having a great time. Kaleb also liked to share his dinner with Max.