Living Our Crazy Life!

The Smith's October

2011-11-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

Fall is my most favorite time of the year. I absolutely love it. The weather becomes cooler, the leaves change, and there are a lot of excuses for cuddling. :) So, maybe that is why I chose to get married in October... Anyway, this year Bryce and I decided to ditch the cooler temps, and spent our 7th anniversary in Phoenix, AZ. We had a great time. Here are some highlights.

Bryce standing below a cactus. These babies were HUGE! Our 4- wheeler guide stated that they kill a number of people in Arizona each year.

This is me 4- wheeling. We don't spend our anniversary doing sappy things... we are after adventure.

Bryce and I posing for a pic. I have to admit I was surprised at how beautiful the desert really is. I was really hoping to see a rattlesnake or a tarantula. However, despite the 100 degree weather, it was too cold for the snakes, and not quite mating season for the spiders. I was a little bummed.

Going out for the night. To be honest, we did not do much the 4 days we were gone. BUT, that was what so nice. We were able to do whatever we wanted. So, we ate a lot of good food, saw a lot of movies, and slept in... to about oh 8am. ( Some habits are harder to break) :)

Once home, our Halloween Celebration began. I love Halloween. It is my most favorite holiday. Therefore anything "halloweeny" there is to do, I want to do it. However, my one Halloween tradition I will not compromise on is Thriller. Thiller is a dance theatre show that I was introduced to even before I married Bryce. I have not missed yet. Once I see Thriller, it finally feels like Halloween. :)

And with my obsession, I have converted other fans. My bro, Jeff and his wife Lesha.

Thriller can be a little intense for young ones, so to get my kiddos in the mood for the season, we went on a Halloween Cruise on the Provo River. My kids loved it!

Waiting patiently for our turn to board the boat.

Our fearless captain... no tip though, because we were attacked by pirates!

Enjoying the cruise... or should I shall river row.

Despite the Pirates, we made it back all alive... I guess our captain was not that bad after all.

Everyone posing outside the cruise.

And that night I finally let me kids start wearing their halloween jammies. I think they are adorable.

The weekend before Halloween we ran non stop. It seemed it was one party after another. We all had a wonderful time though.

Going Trunk- or -Treating with friends. Brylee was Rapunzel this year. Her cute friend, Paislee was Raggedy Ann.

Parker, or should I say Luke Skywalker, crosses light sabers with his friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi, or on a regular day, Jaxon.

Easton, our little squirt turtle, tried to eat the candy as fast as he received it.

Our little Rapunzel is in awe at how easy this whole trick-or-treating thing is. A few little words and BAM... Candy!

The next day we headed into my Grandpa's house. We had a nice lunch, and had a chance to play with cousins. However, the highlight of the day was playing in the leaves.

Bry showing off her Halloween outfit.

All my kiddos decked out for the day.

My kids and my cute niece and nephew. My sister themed her family as "Alice in Wonderland."

Parker enjoying the leaves.

Easton and his cousin, Leah, enjoying the leaves. Leah is my cousin, Celeste's daughter. They are about a month apart in age. however, this is the first they really played together.

Everyone seemed to get in on the leave action though...

After a yummy lunch and good times at Grandpa's house, we headed to Lagoon for Frightmares!

Parker trick-or-treating in the hay maze.

Catching a few rides. This ride is so old, I rode it as a child. I don't know if that makes it nostalgic, or a life hazard.

Posing with Cleopatra in the kid friendly haunted house.

And fianlly the day I was counting down to arrived. Halloween was here!

Parker in his school costume parade.

Brylee wanted to be part of the parade too, so Grandma Marsha walked her around. She was happy and proud to be so big.

All ready to go Trick-Or-Treating. The weather here in Utah was beautiful this year. My kids lasted almost 2 hours.

Easton started saying "Trick-or-Treat" It was my most favorite memory from this year. It took me 10 minutes or so of wasted video to finally get him to say it on cue, but now I get to have that cute little trick-or-treat forever.

Parker taking some time to humor Mom, and allow her to take a picture.

Our neighbors, the Mundens, transform their basement into a haunted house. It is incredible. There are no people to jump out and grab you, just decorations, so the kids loved it. I think Parker went back 3 times.

The night came to an end, and here are their spoils. Parker made out with the most. Mostly because he could to 3 houses to the 1 Bry and Easton could do.

Bry is so excited.

And sweet Easton, once again is trying to eat it faster then he accumliated it. Happy Halloween everyone. We hope it was great for you!

Catching Up...June-September

2011-09-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

I go back and forth if I should keep up on our blog... But since its the closest thing I have to a journal, I thought for now, I better keep it going. So, now I get to play some serious catch up. Its been a crazy Summer... here are the highlights!

This summer we purchased season tickets to Lagoon. The kids would go everyday if they could. :) We always have so much fun, and love when our friends can come with us!

JULY!!! We spent the month jumping from family function to family function. Here we are enjoying a BBQ with the Atkinson Family.

We had an early 4th of July at Grandma Janna's house. Easton does not know what to think about the sparkler.

4th of July! We started the day with a Parade. We then had a BBQ at Grandpa Saunder's house. We then headed back down south to do fireworks with the Harvey Family. It was a full day, and I felt all we did was eat. :)

This was the first year that Utah allowed large fireworks. We took advantage. Thanks to Dave...who put on an awesome show!

This summer, I along with the Fam, had a first. We went to a Demolition Derby! It was so much fun, and you could not ask for better people watching. LOL!

Parker ditched us to sit with the ladies. Luckily my friend, Katelyn, was willing to humor him.

Parker's Birthday Party! We had it a few days before his actual birthday so family could be there. He went to classic skating to play in the bounce houses. Since Star Wars is his latest obsession, of course that was the party theme. I can't believe that my Parkie is 5!

At the end of July we went to California to stay at New Port Beach. One of our favorite activities is bike rides to Huntington Beach. While at Huntington Beach we love to eat at Fred's! It is the best Mexican food.

Parker is 5! Parker turned 5 while we were in California. He thinks that having his birthday at the beach is awesome.

All my kids are beach bums...maybe we should rethink the living in Utah thing.

Some highlights from our week... icecream walks each night, breakfast at Charlie's Chili, Pizza at Bj's, and playing with cousins!

We returned from New Port Beach, unpacked, washed, and re packed to leave to San Antonio, Texas. My Dad lives there currently, and we went to spend some time with him. I will preface these pictures by saying Texas was in a heat wave, and its August.... so YES, we are HOT! It was 107 each day we were there. Dad... we really love you!

Downtown San Antonio

The Alamo

Taking a boat ride on the RiverWalk

Visiting some Caverns

The Father and my Sibs

Panning for Rocks... a highlight.

Sea World... San Antonio

Sea World Rides!

Feeding the Dolphins

Easton is showing Mom all the fish

Easton loved, I mean loved Shamu! He was so excited to get one.

Another mommy milestone. Parker is going into Kindergarten. We went to see who his teacher would be and visit the school.

Of course, Brylee can not be left out. Brylee started Pre-School. She was not quite 3, but after meeting her, they made an exception. She is so excited!

Fall... also means its back to Soccer games on Saturday mornings. Parker is all set.

As a farewell to Summer, we spent a day at the zoo. As a special summer promotion, the zoo had been infested by dinosaurs. They looked so good, that my kids were scared of them.

Parker's first day of Kindergarten. So many of the moms were crying...I however was not. I love my son, but I am so happy he is finally going to school, I only wish we had all day Kindergarten. What is up with this 3 hour crap. :)

Labor Day Family Reunion. My kids had so much fun this weekend. Easton had all the sticks he could ever want. Brylee did not have to get her hair done, and Parker could run around with his cousins looking for snakes.

This weekend did have one sad moment... my cousin, Kaden, left for his mission the Wednesday following our reunion. We will all miss him, but it will be especially hard for Landon.

Our little princess turns 3! True to her nature, she wore a skirt, and sparkly shoes. We had a princess party....at stinky chuck-e-cheese. She is lucky we love her so much.

St. Geroge Trip, minus Mom

2011-06-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

During the first week of June my family took a trip to St. George. I was unable to go due to some conflicts in my schedule, so Dad had all the kiddos on his own. Luckily my sisters and sister-in-law were there to lend a helping hand.

The kiddos enjoying the sun. It was super hot for them, especially since its been rainy and cold up at home.

All dressed up and out to see "The Little Mermaid" at Tuchan Theatre.

Easton relaxing in the pool.

My bro-in-law, taking our whale for a ride.

Unfortunately, it was a one way trip for the whale. Poor Shamu.

Parker and Bryce posing for a pic to send to Mommy.

Best Cousins... Brylee and Aubrey.

Twiners! Easton and Casen getting ready for bed, and realizing they have the same jammies.

Parker's Pre-School Graduation

2011-06-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

We have reached a milestone... Parker is done with Pre-School! Yay Parker! At the end of March, we went to his class for his graduation.

Parker, Easton, and I. I was working the day of his graduation, so I left work and ran to his school and then back to work. Unfortunately, I was late getting away, so I arrived late to Parker's graduation. As I arrived, I saw that they were watching a movie, so I thought I could just sneak in... oh no! Parker noticed when I walked in, he stood up, and loudly announced, " Mommy you just missed it all." So much for sneaking in late.

So, I did miss the program, and the video of pictures from the year, but, I made it in time to see Parker get his diploma. And thats what counts right?

Parker and his teacher, Mrs. Mower.

Parker and his best friend, Jack.

Our crazy family. We are so proud of you Parker!

Wicked Girls Trip!

2011-05-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love, Wicked! And I love, love, love, Girl Trips, so this past weekend was a dream when I got both! I saw Wicked for the first time last Summer in New York City, and I became a loyal and enthusiastic fan. Therefore, I wanted to share the experience with my fam. So, for Mother's Day I took my mom and sisters to see Wicked. Since, it was not playing in Salt Lake, we road tripped it to Boise, Idaho. The drive from Highland, Utah to Boise, Idaho is about 5 hours. Our "Girls Trip" consisted of 8 lovely ladies in 2 vehicles. Though I am not a fan of driving, we had a great time. Thanks to Shari and Steph, I was caught up on the whole season of Celebrity Apprentice. We feel for you

Meatloaf!

Outside of Twin Falls is Shoshone Falls. It is the "Niagura Falls of the West." However, unlike Niagara, these falls will dry up throughout the summer. So, the prime time to see them is during the spring run off, and lucky for us, that was just the time we were driving by.

Our group posing by the Falls, however, we are so large, we are blocking them! Lol!

My Mom and sister-in-law, Lesha.

A picture of the Falls... they were pretty impressive.

A rainbow over the bottom of the Falls. I think my Grandma wanted in on this girl trip too. Miss you Grandma!

I spent two years going to school in Idaho. So, I still have many friends who live there. One of my best nuring friends, Lisa, lives outside of Boise. We met for lunch and to catch up.

Some of the group having lunch with Lisa and her two daughters.

These 2 cute girls are Lisa's daughters. I wont list there names, but the one on the left just turned 9! That amazes me, because I have known her since she was a baby. I can not believe how fast time flies. Her daughter on the right, I met for the first time today. I can not believe that Lisa and I have gone that long without seeing each other. I need to do better.

That night we decided to live it up, and so we went to dinner at the Melting Pot. It is one of my favorites.

My Mom enjoying her Mother's Day gift. Love you Mom!

After dinner we caught a movie and went back to our hotel to sleep. I was not feeling well, so me and Nyquil bonded, and Steph and Jami had girl talk. Supposly, I fell asleep mid sentence... From what I heard, the other rooms had a good night too.

The next day we had lunch at "Old Chichago." They had excellent pizza. I wish I could have tasted it more. I was still not feeling well...but it was Wicked day, so nothing was stopping me.
R-> L Steph, Jami, Me, and Jenni.

The other side of the table. My mom, sister, Shari, and sister-in-law, Lesha.

A picture of the stage. Cameras were"strictly forbidden" so I was risking getting kicked out of Wicked...

We are all ready. Mom, Katie, and Jenni all smiles.

Shari and Lesha are first timers, so they are so excited.

Steph and I are pumped too. Yay! The only downer about this day, was now our girls trip was over. However, I am making plans for another one soon. And the musical, Wicked, was as wonderful as the first time. And, I already know when I will be seeing Wicked again... Jami and I have tickets for Salt Lake in August 2012. ( Yes we are sick, and a little obsessive.)

Easton's First Birthday!

2011-05-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Easton spent his birthday day cheering me on during my bike race. However, that night was all about him. We went to dinner at his favorite place, Zuppas, for dinner. The whole Atkinson Clan joined us as well. It was yummy, and Easton loved it! We then went to play at Chuck-e- Cheese. And finally, we had rented a swimming pool, for swim party with the whole fam.

Here he is trying to decide if he likes the strawberry.

Yep... he liked it!

The Whole Fam Damily!

Ok... yes we went to the dreaded Chuck-e-Cheese. And though it is chaos, and smells like feet, I got two weeks worth of good behavior from my older two, so we went. And of course, Easton loved it!

Here, is my one year old, enjoying the rides. The scary thing is, I use to go to Chuck-e-
Cheese for my birthdays as a kid. 30 plus years of Chuck-e!

Easton and I.

Brylee, cousin Casen, and friend, Paislee enjoying the simulator.

Easton enjoying yet another ride.

Winning the jackpot with Daddy.

So, Bryce's Birthday is one week before Easton's. To simplify the trips to our house this year, we had Bryce's cake at Easton's Birthday. Its a little cheesy, but its the thought that counts right?

Easton's Birthday Cake. He did not have a Nemo birthday, but its the closes I could get to "ocean" theme. It was made of all cupcakes. And no, I did not make it. Harmon's did. :)

Easton's very own smash cake. Another wonderful thing about Harmons. They provide this cake for free. I have gotten one for all my kiddos. They think they are awesome.

My table center pieces. And yes, its a real goldfish. I know, I was a little out of control, but the fish were a hit! ( And they all went to good homes.)

Our party room.

Posing with Grandpa Smith

Bryce spent quite awhile trying to hang the fishing nets, so I wanted to show off his hard work.

The treat table.

So we all know that I am not the artsy crafty type. So, this is a proud moment for me... I made the candy dishes. I think they turned out really cute.

Let the party begin!

This is the pool we rented. The kids love it. Especially the water slide in the back left corner.

Big Brother Parker enjoying the water! All my kids are fish!

Brylee heading down the slide with Aunt Lesha

All smiles after getting off the water slide.

There is that crazy tongue... he has his eye on something....

Yep... he is after the fish! He loved them. ( Your welcome Easton)

Showing off his " 1" Bib

Mom bringing out the cake.

Happy Birthday to You... Notice Parker posed to blow out his candle.

Easton wants to eat cake.

Bryce taking a minute to blow out his candles.

The time has come... first just a little taste.

Intermission... to try to ditch the corny hat mom bought me!

Posing with Great- Grandpa Saunders.

We had a full house. Thanks to all our family and friends who celebrated with us. We love you!

What goes better with cake then ice cream bars. Or just for once did I choose easy. :)

Easton posing with his aunts, Jenni and Lesha.

Now he is getting the hang of it. Thats my boy.

Still so cute, even with a messy face.

Both fists... I could not get enough of him. He was having so much fun.

Cake was everywhere... in his ears, nose, hair, and all up his arms.

The cake after Easton was done with it.

He wants cake everynight for dinner.

With all the parties over, mommy steals a kiss before bedtime.

A few days after Easton's party we got around to opening his presents. He was so spoiled. Of course, Parker and Brylee were willing to help.

Easton loves, I mean loves, balls. Someone knew him to well. He loved this set.

Posing with all his loot... Thank you everyone!

Riding his 4 wheeler from Grandma Janna.

The family enjoying all the new gifts. Mommy and Daddy got Easton clothes, shoes, and a new wagon to ride in. He loves those too! Happy Birthday Easton! Love you!

My Baby Is One!

2011-05-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

It is hard to comprehend how fast time really passes until you have a baby. Though Easton is my third child, he most likely is my last, and my only hope that is I savored every moment I could this past year. So, here are my highlights from this year. And in about 30 secs, you can spend that first year with us as well.

April 2010: I am very pregnant, and very anxious to be done. At this point we are still excepting a surprise.

May 7th... at approx 7:30pm my water broke. We rushed to the hospital. Don't let my smile deceive you... I am hurting! Less then 2 hours later, our baby boy joined our lives at 9:15pm.

My first look, and of course I thought he was beautiful.

My little boy is 1 day old.

1 Week old. ( Yes I was already spiking his hair.)

The following pics were taken by my good friend, Kellie. Her company is Elements Photography. I am slightly biased, but I think she does a fabulous job. These were all taken when Easton was about 2 weeks old.

My little man is now 1 month old.

1 1/2 Months Old

2 Months Old

3 Months Old

4 Months... and the tongue has been discovered, and it will become his trademark.

Easton is 5 Months!

So big at 6 Months!

So serious at 7 Months!

Mr. Chubby Man... 8 Months!

9 Months already! And so Handsome!

10 Months!

11 Months and smiling with Momma!

11 1/2 Months and enjoying a ride at Disneyland!

12 months, and Easton is 1!

Along with growing up, Easton had a very busy year filled with "Firsts." Here are a few of our favorites.

Easton's first vacation. We visited upper state New York. Easton is about 4 weeks old

Easton living it up in New York City!

Our first "almost" accident. Way to go Dad for putting the seat belt on.

First Halloween... he was my little Spider Man!

First Thanksgiving! Puffies... they are umm umm good!

Easton's First Crazy hat that mom thought was adorable.

First time with Santa. The anxiety passes a few moments after the pic was taken.

This is not really a first... but it is one of my most favorite pics, so I threw it in here. Is he not so adorable!

First Christmas!

And his first New Year!

First trip to Disney World.

First Hair Cut.

First nap on the Beach!

First Easter!

And, his 1st Birthday! Happy Birthday Easton! I love you!

My "Golilocks" Bike Race

2011-05-09T14:57:00.001-07:00

Back in January a friend of mine at work, Lari, invited me to ride with her in an organized bike ride called "Goldilocks." It is an all women, non-competitive event. I have never been a big bike rider, but it sounded fun, and it would keep me active. So, I was in. And a bunch of my other friends from work decided to join too... yay!

The morning of the event! Its 6:30 am and we met in front of our work building for a picture. Intermountain LIVE campaign provided our bike jerseys. They were super sexy...LOL!

Can you tell this is an all women event, ran by women??? There was color everywhere. Balloons, banners, and even table cloths! It was fun, and well organized. :)

My kiddos spent some of my race time at a park playing. This park was one of my pit stops. They were so patient. Especially Easton... it was his first b-day, and he spent his morning supporting mom!

Here is my birthday boy! Love you Easton!

Me riding into pit stop #3. We were 32 miles into our ride.

I am excited to see my kiddos!

My riding buddies, Lari and Heidi. We chose to ride 40 miles. The rest of our group did 20.

Look how cute! My kids held these signs as we rode in.

Posing with my hubby and birthday boy!

The finish line! We made it! The last 10 miles were grueling... it was so nice to be done. The 42 miles with stops took us about 4 hours.

My kids giving me some flowers.

Easton was suppost to be ringing the cow bell, but he decided it tasted better then it sounded.

Our welcoming party. Thanks to all my friends, and their families who waited for us to roll in. It made a difference having your support. Especially Lari's hubby and son, who offered constant support and water. ( They pretty much followed us in their car.) And to Heidi's fiancee, who bought us Popsicles. It was a yummy, cool treat on a hot day.

Our group posing at the finish line.

And one more pic by the Goldilocks banner.

Yay! We did it! Congrats to everyone. All those early, cold, and sometimes wet, practice runs paid off. :)

Viva Las Vegas!

2011-05-03T19:13:00.001-07:00

LAS VEGAS!!! The last few months have been rough for Bryce and I... so for our birthdays, we decided to spend some time together in lovely Las Vegas. ( Ok its no Maui, but who has time for that?) We spent 3 days in Vegas, which was enough, but we had plenty of fun! Here are the highlights.

Bryce on the strip... we were ready to play hard, but was Vegas ready for us? Lol!

The best thing in Vegas... hot chocolate at the Bellagio Cafe. It is our favorite breakfast place. Everything is good here. But the hot chocolate is wonderful!

Bryce's favorite... raspberry stuffed french toast. Its way yummy too.

Right outside the Bellagio Cafe is there atrium, which is always filled with fresh flowers. This was a duplication of an art piece done completely in flowers. It was amazing.

Bryce and I standing in front of the ______ tree. I can't remember the name. Oops!

Our new discovery... the sugar factory. They sell all types of candy, and these bling suckers, but their restaurant is awesome. We had crepes, and they were great. We glanced through their menu, and the offer red velvet pancakes for breakfast....

Ready for a night out on the town...

Bryce and I taking a photo op... Ummmm... I think this was like the 15th picture attempt. Traveling as a duo limits the photo ops.

A close up... This night was our birthday celebration!

Dinner at the SW Restaurant in the Wynn Resort. It was the best filet mignon I have ever eaten. It was 60 bucks, but still the best filet ever! LOL!

This night we went to see Le Reve, which is a cirque de soleil. The acrobats were amazing, all done in the air or water. I also love their circle stage. But, the plot is confusing... and that drove me nuts. It bugged me so bad, that night, after getting back to the hotel, I googled it. I wanted to know the plot.
Guess what... there is no freaking plot! Reve in french means dreams. So the whole show was based on dreams, and your interpretation of dreams. What the #$%^!!! I guess my right brain is seriously lacking, cuz there was no deep interpretation for me.

Bryce and I waiting for the show to begin.

Le Reve stage... it was impressive.

So when we walked out of the show, a nice old man, who was wearing multiple cameras, offered to take our picture. ( I was having difficulty in having both the fountain, and us lit.) He was a genius, and took this great pic. Thank you mystery old man!

So, I need to preface that Bryce did not want this pic posted... However, I did it anyway. Bryce has been working on getting a six-pack, and he is just about there. Pretty darn hot for 42 huh! Maybe he will out live me after all. :)

Bryce and I on night 2. I was feeling kinda crummy. So, thanks Bryce for being patient with me. I took a cat nap, and we went to see David Cooperfield. His show was amazing.

The NY NY Hotel. This is where we stayed. It was so much fun! There was no dancing on the Coyote Ugly Bar this time though... I save that for trips with Jami and Briana! Love you girls!

The other half... Has anyone else ever wondered why the resorts in Vegas are so big! I have decided its so you get lost in there, and they can keep you hostage forever.

Bryce outside the Copperfield show. Of course the forbid your cameras from entering the show, can't have you getting evidence of their tricks...

Me outside Caesars Palace... Bryce and I had been shopping. He liked the fountain.

Having a virgin drink at Margaritaville. It was Mango, and so good. As you can see, a lot of our trip was about food. We love yummy food! Plus we are crappy gamblers, so we go to Vegas to eat! HaHa

All our April Birthdays!

2011-05-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

So, for those who know our family well, know that we have 4 out our 7 birthdays in a 3 week period April to May. Needless to say its party after party after party. This year we finally got smart and left the party decorations up all month. :) So, I will start with Kaylie... since her's is first. Kaylie turned 19 on April 16th.

We had dinner with Kaylie and all of her roommates at Cracker Barrel in St. George. We were a crazy group. G-pa and G-ma Harvey were able to join as well. It was a fun night.

Oh sweet Bry... She was still not feeling well, so her and I made a sad face picture. The most depressing part... she is not pulling a face. That was the expression she wore all day.

Cracker Barrel messed up our order... so we got free cake, or should I say that Parker got the free cake. :)

A Harvey tradition is playing Heavy Heavy Hangover... so here, G-pa Harvey is giving her a bump on the head.

Parker and his big sis, Kaylie.

Our crazy family...

Kaylie and all her roommates at Dixie.

Singing Happy Birthday to Kaylie at her apartment.

Kaylie's roommate was sweet and made her a Banana Cream Pie for her b-day.

My Birthday... was April 24th, and I turned 31. Do I look middle aged? As I told a friend, I really would rather be 21 forever! However, sometimes I feel like I am 50, so I guess 31 is a good compromise.

My Grandpa Saunders and I.

I may be 31, but G-pa still thinks I need my birthday spanking...so I got it. Thank heavens he got tired after two. LOL! :)

Since my Birthday fell on a Sunday, we ate out the night before to celebrate. We went to one of my favorites... Tepanyaki!

My crazy group...

The whole fam! Thanks for your love and support you guys!

So, I grew up with Birthdays being a big deal... and I guess I have put that pressure onto Bryce. So, though my birthday was on Easter, he really wanted it to be special and feel like it was my b-day. So, my day began with breakfast in bed. Parker and Brylee thought that sounded like fun, so they joined me. ( This will be the only pic I ever post without make-up, so enjoy.)

Later that day, after the Easter stuff, my family and friends came over to have dinner. Here we are chillin'

Cake time... we have a running joke in my fam... my cake is always ugly. We don't try to get ugly cakes, they just kinda turn out that way. This year Bryce asked for sunflowers, and we got dandelions! Oh well, it still tasted awesome!

Parker wanted to assist in blowing out my candles. However, as we were singing, we was picking frosting off my cake. So, after the candles were out, I took the frosting, and about 2 secs after this pic was taken, I wiped that frosting all over Parker's face!

Do I look happy... because I am. My birthday must haves... Harmon' s chocolate cake with non-dairy whipped frosting. And bubblegum ice cream from Farr's Ice cream in Ogden. The are two major loves in my life.

Bryce wanted to get me 31 Fire and Ice Roses for my birthday... however there was a complication, and the roses he ordered were sold... so, we got these instead. They were no Fire and Ice, but they were free... so I guess it will do.

Enjoying Cake and Ice Cream.

My balloons.... this is my kid's favorite part about birthdays.

On April 30th, Bryce turned ??? Would he want you to know? JK The ripe age of 42. The kiddos wanted to take him out to lunch, since we were doing dinner with friends. We went to Pizza Factory.

Bryce posing with Easton. Easton's birthday is one week after Bryce's. Can you believe he will be one! Crazy!

Dinner with our Friends. Thanks for sharing the night with us.

Bryce and I.

Happy Birthday Bryce! We love you!

Our Easter Celebrations

2011-05-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

With Easter falling on a Sunday this year, it seemed we celebrated all weekend long. We had so much fun! Here our the highlights...

Grandma Janna gave each of the kiddos something for Easter. Easton got a box of 10 board books.

Brylee got a Disney princess play book.

Parker got word flashcards to assist him in continuing to learn to read. Brand new box, and he already knew 2/3 of them. Smarty Pants!

SAUNDER'S FAMILY EASTER PARTY

Easton playing at the Saunder's Family Party.

Enjoying Pizza with Mommy...His cheeks are so full, he can hardly smile.

Parker showing how much he loves his cousin Aubrey.

For dessert we had my Grandpa's homemade hot fudge. This is my most favorite treat! Thank you so much Grandpa! I know you did it for me. :)

So, I am so not crafty, but luckily many in my family are. :) My Aunt Paula, made these adorable bunnies, that my kids thought were totally awesome.

Kaylie and Ty took some time to hang with us as well.

True to Saunders tradition, we play a game. This year... Minute to Win It. Here we are all picking representatives.

Me...running the show. Would you expect anything else???

Grandpa you are such a good sport. Grandpa trying to get the cookie into his mouth without using his hands.

My cousin, Shane. He won a round where you had to pick up pasta with a spaghetti noodle. ( Sorry I am not a avid Minute to Win It fan... I don't know the name of all the games.)

My cousins, Celeste, and Jessica. I think they are playing "Hanky Panky." Celeste won by cheating.... she pullled them all out at once, instead of one at a time. Nice strategy cuz.

The Annual Saunder's Easter Hunt. This event has occurred every year I have been alive. However, this was the first year without my Grandma. I'm sure she was there though. Brylee finding some goodies.

Parker has got this down, and we can hardly keep up with him.

Easton and I trying to keep up with the rest of them. It was so blasted cold and windy. Did not feel like Spring at all. Bummer.

DYING EGGS AT GRANDMA JANNA's

Ready... Set... Let the Messes Begin!

Parker wanted all his eggs in dyes all at the same time. However, he also wanted to have all his eggs be blue... Problem is he has 8 eggs, and there is only 2 cups of blue dye... His Solution, put 2 if not 3 eggs in each cup of blue. He did not see a problem with dye over flowing onto Grandma's counter.

Then my sweet Bry does not quite get it... Meanwhile Aubrey looks like a professional egg dyer.

Our crazy group. I have this desire to have my kids experience everything that a holiday has to offer. Then, as eggs are cracking, and dyes spilling, and eggs are turning brown from being placed in every color, I find myself asking, "Why are we doing this?"

Easton and Casen were not invited to dye eggs, so they terrorized Grandma's playroom.

The finished project... Not to shabby for a 2 and 4 year olds. ( And a little help from their mommies...if not they would have all been pink or blue.)

EASTER MORNING

The kiddos discovering their baskets. They were so excited. However Brylee was hesitant until she knew the Easter Bunny was gone.

The Easter bunny had a dose of reality this year, and consented to give the Smith children a low key Easter. Therefore, Parker got some candy and a new Nintendo DS game.

Bry-Bry got a new princess movie and some treats. She was most excited about her bubble gum.

Easton got a Baby Einstein video and some sucker treats. Poor baby still has only 2 teeth.

So, Brylee unwrapped a cookies and cream chocolate bunny. She then proceeded to leave it on the coffee table. About 5 minutes later, she is whining that her bunny is missing. I look around, and this is what I see... Easton crawling as fast as he can with the bunny in his mouth. Needless to say, he was disappointed that he did not get a chocolate bunny in his basket.

EASTER = NEW SUNDAY CLOTHES!

Parker looking handsome in purple. He would like it to be known that he "hates ties." And his mommy would like it to be known, that the tie was adorable, and so he had to wear it.

Our sweet Princess. She looked adorable. She had pink shoes with rosebuds on them, as well as a Easter purse. ( She is spoiled...guess thats what happens when you are the only girl.)

Really... can he get any cuter. Don't you just want to squish him? He is so chubby you can't see his tie. :)

There they are... the loves of my life. And yes, I admit it, I did coordinate their outfits to match. I'm crazy OCD like that. :) ( For all my friends laughing... you laugh because you do the same thing! )

Happy Easter from the Smiths!

A quick hug for me from the kiddos. Easter was also my birthday.

The Smith Boyz... at least Bryce can never deny there his. :) Can we say Mini Me, and Miniest Me?

EASTER EGG HUNT

At this point, Mom and Dad took off to Vegas and left the Aunts and Uncles in charge of the egg hunt...The kids patiently waiting.

Looks like Kaylie and Ty were enlisted to hide the eggs.

Looking for those last eggs.

Bry and Aubrey hoping to find some eggs.

Bry and our family friend, Jaxson, claiming their eggs.

Parker in full sprint...

Bry found one... that or she is picking my flowers again.

Easton is not a greedy man... he is so happy to have just one egg.

Parker, not so much. He wanted an arm full. Guess the pink ones were the eaisest to find.

And Bry has sucess too... Guess we can call it a good hunt, and a great day!

A day at the Beach!

2011-04-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

We took a day to play at the beach. True to our tradition, we had breakfast at Charlie's Chili. They are known for their sour dough french toast, but I would suggest their omelets. Yummy! The beach front restaurants are all pretty small, and we, along with our friends filled half of this one. Everyone waiting to order...

Bryce and Easton at the Beach. Easton loved it!

And of course, Parker wants to live on the Beach, so I guess its safe to say, he loves the ocean!

I think Landon was drowning in the sand... I am not quite sure. Teenagers should come with instruction manuals.

The boys all playing in the sand. Look, even Easton thinks he is part of the group.

Bryce and I... enjoying the sun.

This is the life... Sun, Sand, Surf, and Snoozing!

2011-04-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

I have loved Disneyland since I was a little girl. And now that I have 3 young children, I have even more excuses to go! Yay! During our week in Cali, we spent two days at Disneyland and California Adventure. Though very tiring, we had a blast! Disney is going Retro... Not sure how I feel about that. :)

My kiddos...at least 2 out of 3 are looking. Notice Parker's poor eyes. His very responsible mother, let him get sunburned the day before.... Sorry Parkie!

Oh, moments like this melt my heart, when I see that they actually love one another.

I think we are on the Snow White ride...which is way disturbing by the way. But, Bryce's is face is classic, and I could not resist putting this on here. :)

Riding the Casey Train. I think I have been to Disneyland over a dozen times, and never ridden this ride. It was a Disneyland 1st for me, and of course the kids loved being locked in the monkey cage.

So this pic is just for my memory's sake... My kids have to have their hair done everyday... its just something I have to do. With Bry, I can go crazy...but most days she is patient with me. However, I was amazed at how many comments I heard about her hair. And at how many people stopped us, to look at her hair. So, here is the front. ( And yes the crooked bows are driving me nuts.)

And here is the back. I know it looks impressive, but its actually quite easy and quick. That is as long as Bry holds still... thats the hard part. :)

See how happy Parker is... that lasted oh, a whole 3 secs... Then, the ride started and we were going crazy on the Matterhorn. Parker and Brylee both rode it. ( yes I am cruel.) There were no tears, but the looks of horror on their faces when we got off, were classic. Needless to say, they did not like the Abominable Snowman, and they refused to ride it again.

So, I am a big picture taker... trust me, I only put a fraction of what I take on here. ( you are welcome) But, this one makes me laugh. Bryce finally thinks to take a pic, but I am already on it, taking one of him and Parker. But if you all wonder what I do all day... thats it, hiding behind the camera. :)

The Toy Story ride... we waited in the longest, hottest line for this ride. I think it was a 50 min. wait... Not bad you say... you stand in that line with my busy, impatient, tired children, and we will see how you fare. :) It was painful. But, it is Parker's favorite, so I did it. And now Parker you have proof that I love you!

Guess who wants to walk... my almost 1 year old does... He was so happy if I would let him down to walk around like this. I am just waiting for him to take off and do it on his own. It makes me sad too... cuz my baby is walking. I wish they stayed little longer... its so unfair how they grow so fast... if I have to be prego for 9 months, by darn they should stay little and cuddly for at least 9 months. :)

Bry attempting to show me her "cute shues." She is obsessed...wonder whos fault that is???? I blame Bryce.... Lol!

Bry and Grandma on the Toy Story Ride.

Easton thinking he is such a "big" boy. Riding the Merry-Go- Round.

All Parker wanted was one of these big suckers... And, he ate it all that night. Thats so disgusting, I know.

So, by the end of our second day, Brylee was not feeling well... in fact she was pretty sick. But, I have to laugh at this pic... see how she is putting her hand to her forehead like that... that is exactly what I do when I am sick or in pain. In fact I think I have a picture from the day she was born when I look just like that, while I waited for my epidural. Its crazy what your kids inherit.

Spring Break Days 3 and 4

2011-04-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

So Day 3 we spent at the pool. We thought we were getting a nice tan, but most of us ended up burned on some area or another. :) And then that evening we went to one of our favorite places...BJ's Pizza!

Easton is all smiles. Who could resist this kid... I know that I can't.

From the day he was born, he has been my happy baby. I love this kid so much!

My other handsome boy, who is almost 5! Wow time has flown.

I'm not sure what Brylee is doing. When I asked her, as I blogged this, she said, " It's my shark face." Too bad she is not very scary.

The gang at BJ's Pizza. It is the best. I highly recommend it. The pizza is the best I have ever had.

After dinner we went to play on Balboa Island. The kids love the little arcade that is there, as well as the rides. Bry is a natural cheat.

Mom hanging with Easton. He loved the lights and noise in the Arcade.

True to my core, of not wanting to fail, I chose to play a game that you won no matter what. Plus, it took little skill or coordination... all I had to do was a roll a ball down a ramp. Easy enough. :)

And of course, Janna plays one game of Deal, No Deal, and wins the blasted jackpot! Way to go Janna!

Oh how sweet...I am such a nice mommy, taking my little girl on the longest Ferris ride ever! I swear that the ride attendant thought he wanted to see me puke. I think we were on that ride over 15 mins. No lies. Around, and around, and around. Needless to say, I denied wanting ice cream after getting off the Ferris ride. Brylee... this is proof of how much I love you!

Parker and his buddy, Jack. Do Not let those sweet little faces deceive you. Together these two spell T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

Ohhhhhh... aren't we cute. JK I can't get any taller heels though, or Bryce will develop a complex. LOL!

Grandma Janna and Easton. She was trying so hard to show him the seals in the bay. However, if it does not make a lot of noise, or have bright lights, it rarely grabs Easton's attention.

Nothing is more beautiful then the sunsets at Newport Beach. We are on the tail end of this one, but it was gorgeous!

Love the Grants! Thank you so much for being our travel buddies.

One last pic... by now Easton is no longer looking, Bry is crying for me, Parker wants to bolt and go catch up with Jack, and Landon is just Landon. But check out my hair, not sure if Easton got a hold of it, or the wind, either way, I think it looks cool.

Spring Break Days 1 and 2

2011-04-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

Let Spring Break begin....The lovely Utah spring weather once again reminded us why we were willing to drive 10 plus hours, with 3 young, impatient children, in hopes of finding the sun at the Beach. The weather as we packed our car to leave.

Bry... she is driving her 4-wheeler to the Beach. She did not want to wait for us! Quite the tower of luggage! I guess that is what it takes to get a family of 7 on vacation, plus Grandma, and a friend! I just loved that we were driving, so my bag could be as heavy as I wanted. :)

The group all settled in... here we go!

Easton was happy as long as he had a sucker. Good thing I brought a bag of 300!

Bryce and I trying to get in a wreck, as we take a photo op.

We spent 2 days in St. George. The weather was just awful! It was actually colder there, then in Highland. What a bummer. But, the kids had some fun hanging out with Kaylie, and seeing where she lived and went to school. Kaylie volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and she took Parker and Brylee to one of their events.

Bry and her cute Easter Bunny ears.

Parker and Kaylie... the weather was so dreary, that the kids did not last long.

On Sunday, we made it to California! Our first meal there... In and Out! I know its not the novelty it once was, now that we have them in Utah, but it seemed like a good idea to keep the tradition anyway.

Our view from our hotel room. The blue at the top, is the ocean. Our condo sits up on a hill, away from the beach, but its warmer here, so its a nice compromise.

A look at one of the pools at our resort. Its beautiful huh, and you are all jealous too. :)

Bry checking out the Koi fish in the pond outside the front of the resort. This is one of the highlights for the kids.

Finally, the sun! Chillin by the pool... Bryce and Parker.

Brylee, eating her lunch.

My favorite vacation meal. I don't know what it is about vacations, but I love eating junk food! Here is my fav, a Mango smoothie, and Nachos. No pool sitting is complete without it.

Parker and his friends, playing in the pool.

Brylee's face says it all... we love Newport Beach!

Conference Weekend

2011-04-03T11:27:00.001-07:00

So, the other night on the news, the weather man said that based on the past, we have a 70% chance of rain or snow over Conference Weekend. And true to that, this was the view from our front door this morning. I should mention, that yesterday it was 70 degrees, and my kids were wearing shorts. Got to love Spring in Utah!

For all my friends, that don't live in Utah, this is how we do Conference.... PJ's and relaxation. :) Sorry for all of you, that attend in Stake Centers and such. I would not want to fight my kids for 8 hours! Here is my adorable baby, who is almost not a baby anymore. Last year at this time, we were still casting bets over if he was a girl or a boy, and I was praying he would wait until May to come. He is so sweet, and I love him sooooo much! I do not know what I would do without my little sweetheart.

Each year it seems we get fixated on something. Puzzles, Sudoku, Scrap booking. This year it was the dreaded Rubik Cube. Shari had to get online and get the instructions. Cheaters!

Jenni, pretending to listen, while playing Farm Frenzy on my I-Pad.

Maybe I will be considered a bad mom, but I don't require my little ones to watch conference. So, thanks to Walt Disney and the timely release of the movie Tangled. It kept Parker and my niece, Aubrey happy and quiet, while we got through the first Sunday session. They have a love hate relationship. Today it looks like the love won out. :)

Ok, so true to us... even on a spiritual day, my kids can be counted on for some good laughs! Being a pediatric nurse, I decided I would teach my kids the correct anatomical terms for body parts. (Trust me, you would be amazed at what some parents teach their kids.) I have also been open to answering my kids questions about their bodies. Well, it came back to bite me today. Here is Brylee posing with her " Bobs." Its no typo, she calls them "Bobs."She said, " Mom, I am big now, and now I have my bobs." My only thought is, I hope they stay that perky honey.

Disney World 2011

2011-03-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

In January we took a quick trip to Florida to escape the Utah snow. I am not sure who was more excited, me or my kiddos. We spent one week enjoying the sunshine. Here are some highlights.

Here we are posing with Minnie. As you can see, Brylee was not thrilled about the characters. This was her reaction the whole week.

Our two little princesses. They turned heads wherever they went. People thought they looked so cute.

Brylee wants to live here. :) ( Me too, sweetie.)

This ride is not for mommy... unless you think its fun to watch me lose my lunch. So, that left Daddy to be the spinner. The kids loved it. Posing with Princess Belle. Did you notice that Brylee is not screaming.... she adored the princesses and the fairies, just the masked characters did her in.

Me and the "sistas" riding one of my favorites.

Our day at Universal Studios...which I must admit is seriously lacking when compared to the park in California.

So, Shari and I earned a free 20 bucks, giving our opinions about plastic containers. I am sure they are sorry that they even asked.

Ohhhh... these two are in so much trouble when he gets big enough to sit on them.

Brylee, looking at a map....she thought she was the boss.

Bryce and I on the Safari ride. Notice that none of our children wanted to sit by us.

All the kiddos posing with Pochantas.

The crew waiting for a parade. The parades were definitely a highlight for the kids. However I got so annoyed that we would get seats up to 2 hours early, just to have some people come and try to sit in front of my kids at the last moment. Needless to say, there were a few words exchanged.

Ok, here it is... Harry Potter World. I grew up a little ahead of the Harry Potter phenomena, but my siblings were obsessed. So, we spent a good amount of time here. And, though I am not obsessed, I have to admit, its really cool.

Easton and I having "Butter Beer." It is actually really good.

So, we did all the usual fun things, but sometimes it is the simple things that kids have the funniest doing. Here, we happened upon a jumping fountain. And despite the fact it was cool, we let them go crazy.

Hollywood Studios... we are posing with the Incredibles.

Bryce spouse napping me, for at least one pic...

Fighting over Grandma...

Here we are on Splash Mountain for like the 5th or 6th time. :) It was Parker's most favorite.
Of course, when he saw it, he did not want to go on it, but I am a mean mom, and I make my kids try everything at least once, especially, before they tell me they don't like it. This is the one attraction we waited the longest for... meeting Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. We waited almost two hours. ( yes we are nuts) Its way to bad that this Flynn looks nothing like the cartoon Flynn. I have a cartoon crush on him.

Easton taking time to flirt with the fairies.

As many of you know, I love Disney Land and Disney World. They are happy places for me. And, I am thrilled that my kids love them too. It will be a sad day when my kids complain when I want to take them to Disneyland, so for now... I am relishing in it.

Hi... Did you miss me

2011-03-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

Hi all... I know I have been a bad blogger lately. I guess adding a 3rd baby to the mix, did take some adjusting, as well as we kept living our busy, crazy lives. Not to mention that I returned to work after only 6 weeks of maternity leave, and have worked 3-4 days a week since. :) It does not leave much time for my sweet little ol' blog. So here is our run down of 2010.

In May, Kaylie graduated from Lone Peak High School. She is currently attending college at Dixie State in St. George. She is working on her generals, and hopes to get into Radiology Tech school.

JUNE: For Kaylie's "Senior" trip, we went to New York with our neighbors and friends, The Grant's. We had such a great time. It almost felt like two trips in one. The first half we spent in upper New York, visiting Niagara Falls, and some church sites. The last half we were in New York City.

Here we are, sleep deprived, freezing, but smiling in front of the Falls. They are impressive.

This is the family home of Joseph Smith. Ummmm.... its way to small for this Smith clan.

We are standing in the Scared Grove. I was so surprised at its size. It's huge. However, there is definitely a different feeling there. Easton even seemed to respect the reverence of this area.

Time Square Baby.... need I say more. :) We stayed at the Marriott hotel right in time square, there was always so much going on. While we were in NYC, we saw Wicked, and now I am an extreme fan. I highly recommend it.

Here we are eating at the famous restaurant, Serendipity. The frozen hot chocolate that they are known for is worth the 15 bucks a cup. But better then that, Tom Cruise ate dinner right next to us. Now, that is awesome.

We became masters of the subway. It was a blessing to our feet.

The Statue of Liberty.

JULY: During the month of July we were gone more then we were home. However, on July 4th, we blessed Easton. We had an impressive crowd. Thanks to all those who supported us this day.

Bryce did a firework show for my fam and the neighborhood.

On July 25, my sweet boy turned 4. He had a Toy Story Birthday, basically because he was obsessed. We spent the day at the Dinosaur Museum.

The last week we spent at New Port Beach with the Harvey Family. Here is Kaylie and her boyfriend, Ty, playing in the sand.

To say Parker is obsessed with the ocean, is an understatement. I am afraid this trip was the beginning of a love affair.

Little Easton enjoyed the trip too....he got held all day long.

Bry had a fabulous time too. In the beginning, she did not like the feeling of the wet sand on her hands. However, after a week of beach sitting, she got use to the idea.

Easton and Landon bonding. Part of the New Port tradition, is bike rides. We take long bike rides all over the place. Here we stopped for an ice cream treat.

AUGUST: We spent resting from all our vacations... is that sick or what. :) However, Parker began playing soccer. It was the best time. They are hilarious. Not many goals are scored, but we have a ton of laughs.

I know I am his mom, but I think he is so handsome. :) First day of pre-school. And no, I am not one of those moms who cries. I was so excited he was going, I only wish it was 5 days a week instead of 4.

SEPTEMBER: As I have done for 30 years of my life, for Labor Day, we attended the Saunder's Family reunion. The difference about this year, is that we were in charge. And, we honored my Grandpa. It was a fun weekend, but I was glad when it was done. Here we are posing in our cool shirts.

I love this picture, and I will cherish it forever. During this time, my Grandma, was super sick. We actually had to get her released from a nursing home, so she could spend the day with us when he honored my Grandpa. Her memory was so-so, and she usually did not know who we were. She knew she loved us, but was confused by not recognizing us. For this brief moment, she knew me, had called me by my name, and asked to see my cute baby. I will never forget that time.

Guess who is soooo naughty.....but soooooo cute. Brylee turns two! And she had a "kitty hello" birthday. She does not say Hello Kitty. We spent the night at classic skating, and had so much fun.

I waste no time sticking my kids in beds. So, a few days after her birthday Brylee was moved form her crib to her big girl bed. She loved it.

OCTOBER: Well, I made a commitment, and stuck to it. In October Bryce and I ran a 10K. My sweet kids cheered us on. It was a blast. And stinkin Bryce placed 1st, and hardly trained. I guess that is what happens when you are in the 40 + category. J/K Babe.

Sporting our awesome shirts...Spending a day at the Dibble Farm. ( Thanks Steph) Parker loved jumping bale to bale.

Brylee picking out her pumpkin.

We even got one just Easton's size. After all Halloween and Fall are mommy's favorite, and she has to go all out.

Another Halloween tradition... Thriller! I have gone to Thriller for the last 9 years. I introduced Bryce to Thriller when we got married, and he is hooked. Now, each year, our group grows. Its awesome, and not Halloween without it. (Thanks Jami for this addiction.)

Bry and Aubrey at the Saunders Family Halloween Party...the were so happy to match. I wonder if they will feel the same at 16?

Here is my Mom's crazy group. L to R My niece, Aubrey, my Nephew, Casen. Then Parker, Easton, and Trouble aka Brylee.

We went trunk or treating at the cabin, as part of the party, and so that all the cousins could see the costumes. My grandma had so much fun handing out candy. This is the last time we spent with her, until the night she passed away. So, it was a very special weekend.

Halloween Night... Parker was Batman.

Bry- Bry was "super gurl"

And keeping with a theme, because I am a nerd like that, Easton was Spiderman. Here are my cute super heros.

NOVEMBER: On November 4th, my grandma passed away. I only mention this, because she was so very dear to me. Our relationship was so special, and even now, 6 months later, I am not used to having her gone. The other conflict that I was faced with, is that very next day, Bryce and I were to be on a plane to Hawaii. Our time away alone is like marriage therapy for us, and we desperately needed it. It was one of the most difficult decisions for me to make, but in the end my Grandpa asked me to go, so I went. Therefore I missed my Grandma's funeral. However, I did ask my Mom to speak at her funeral, and I did. Thanks to my sister for reading my talk. :) And thanks to my Grandma...she sent me a rainbow everyday in Hawaii until the day she was buried...and it was time for me to stop worrying about being home, and enjoy our vacation.

Bryce in front of the USS Arizona.

Me climbing through the ship. They are huge. So much space...its a little decieving. I still don't know if I would want to live on one for months at a time though.

The Hawaiian Temple. We happened to visit during the open house, so it was fun to see the inside. It is smaller then our temples in Utah, but so beautiful....very tropical.

Here I am eating one of my favorite treats. Pineapple Whip... I know of only two places in the world you can get it...at the Dole plantation in Hawaii, or at Disneyland. Guess I will just have to visit both often, so I can get a taste of this treat.

One of our more Hawaiann looking pictures.

Thanksgiving...We had dinner with the Smith Family at Jill's house. It was a full house, but we had a good time.

DECEMBER: So, this post was getting way to long, so I cut it down... we did a lot in December, Festival of the Trees, parties, parties and more parties. :) Skip to Christmas Eve...

Bryce and I joke that our room and bed are a gathering place. Usually by morning we have two dogs, and 2 children in bed with us. So, as a joke we took this pic, with evryone cramming into our bed.

Christmas Morning...and yes I make all the kids wait on the stairs, because thats what my mom made us do. So, here they are...waiting. Easton would rather be in bed though.

Merry Christmas!

Parker out in one of our "blizzards"

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year... we just chilled at home, played games, and ate lots of junk food. All my kiddos, except Easton, made it to midnight.

Easton's First Week

2010-05-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

May 7th... Day 0... Easton's Birth Day!

He looks a lot like his Daddy... and his brother, Parker.

May 8th... Day # 1... Chilling at the Hospital.

He is so fun to cuddle. He is also a good little eater.

May 9th... Day #2... Mother's Day!
We get to go home today! Yeah... mommy can't wait to sleep in her own bed.

May 10th... Day # 3... Love being home.

May 11th... Day # 4... 1st Doctor Visit

We had to go check Easton's bili level and wt. He looked great, no blood draw needed, and he is back to his birth wt already. That means he put 2 ounces on each day since leaving the hospital.

May 12th... Day #5... First Bath

Easton had his first bath tonight. Mommy even spiked his hair... is he handsome.

May 13th...Day #6... The siblings return.

Parker and Brylee had been staying with Grandma Janna the last few days. They came home today, and we no longer have peace and quiet. Easton has also had to be patient with their constant prodding.

May 14th... Day #7... 1 Week old!

I can't believe how fast it has gone. He is already losing that newborn smell. It makes me sad. He continues to eat well. We are working on the sleeping well thing... :) I may be biased...but I think he is the cutest thing ever.

Its a BOY!

2010-05-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

On the night of May 7th, while at a family BBQ, my water broke! It was 7:12pm. I mention that only, because in less then two hours, I would be holding my new baby. Bryce and I arrived at the hospital at 8pm. ( Thank you to Aunt Dorie who took Parker and Brylee for us.) I was already contracting every 2-3 minutes, and they hurt! The smile in this picture is deceiving. At 8:15pm, we still had no nurse, and I was really hurting, so Bryce went and asked someone to come in and check me... I was a 7! I then had 3 nurses, and things got all crazy.

They paged my doctor, and the anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist came right away. (Bless him) However, I was so close to delivery that he warned that my epidural would not be very effective... he was right... dang it! I was able to relax a little, but then the baby started having some problems. My contractions were so hard and fast, that he would drop his heart rate. Though our nurse was doing her best to keep a calm voice and act like nothing was wrong, I recognized her panic. Heck, I'm a nurse too, I do the same thing when my patient is acting naughty. Then, came the O2... it did not help the baby much, the heart rate continued to drop, and got as low as 30. ( Scary huh) It is now 8:45ish... still no doctor, and so they page for the resident, and the NICU staff... and now I am starting to panic.
I will spare you all the delivery pics... He made it safe and sound. My doctor walked in at about 8:50ish, and I was a 10. We started pushing. It was a little rough for me, because I could feel a lot of it. But, I was so worried about his heart rate, I refused anymore medication, and did my best to push him on out. And no, I will never be an advocate for natural child birth! :) Easton David Smith entered the world at 9:15pm. He was 7 pounds and 10 ounces, and 21 inches long. Unlike my other children, he came out screaming, letting us all know how upset he was about this whole thing.

He was perfect. It was a little surreal to hold him for the first time. I had been whining for weeks about wanting him here, and now I was holding him. The nurse let me know that I was on the TOCO monitor for a whole whopping 58 minutes. This delivery was a little fast...even for me.

Parker was thrilled to have a new little brother. It was what he wanted all along. Brylee heard him cry outside my door, and seemed to know from then that her baby was here now, and no longer in mom's tummy. She loves him, but to her his name is "Baby" Now the fun starts as I see how it goes balancing 3!

Guess Who is 18 Months...

2010-03-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that Bry- Bry is already 18 months. It has gone by sooooo fast! She is such a happy kid, and we love her so much. Here she is, already thinking that she needs a cell phone.

Her favorite people to call, are grandma, Aubrey (her cousin) and Nenni, (her aunt).
She is still a blondy with her bright blue eyes. At her 18 month check -up she weighed 22 lbs and was 31 inches long. She is a little on the slender side, and so the Doctor asked if she was a picky eater... Bryce and I both had to laugh, because for those of you who know Bry, she will eat anything, and anytime of the day. She is just an active little thing.
So, at 18 months, are little princess has truly become one. She loves her"cute shoes" and when her hair is all curly. She loves playing with her kitchen, and is often found pushing her babies around in their strollers. She is a little on the independent side, ok thats a lie, she is alot on the independent side. She wants to do everything herself, especially if Parker gets to do it by himself. She is also quite the talker. I figure she is using 40-50 words regularly. ( Our pediatrician was hoping she said 15.... I think she used 15 in front of him. :) Of course her favorite is "NO." And a close second would be "Naack" Which of course is "snack" and is always said at a higher pitch and volume. She loves to sing, with her favorite songs being "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and "Popcorn popping on the apricot tree." She is also showing some intrest in potty training... do we dare hope she will be that easy????? After our Parker expirence, we are in no hurry... She is a smart little thing, and we have our hands full. Yet, we can't imagine our lives without her... love you Bry!

Smith Family Update

Since I have been slacking, and have not blogged in about 4 months, I will catch you up. First, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Our 2010 has been non-stop. In January, Landon turned 16. Yes, we have two teen drivers in the house... But, between you and me, he makes me way less nervous then Kaylie... even today. :) Also, in January Bryce and I were able to escape to Cancun for a week. It was a fun and very relaxing vacation. I really needed it. Thank you to the Harvey Family for making it possible, and being such fun travel companions. February flew by with sick kids... Bry having it the worst, getting, pneumonia, RSV, and two ear infections. And may I just mention that Augmentin, an antibiotic, should be removed from the market. Nasty stuff. Even my Bry, who eats anything, spit it out. ( Thank you to Mandy and Jami for the Hershey syrup idea... it got me through those last few days.) Thank heaven for the olympics... at least I had something to watch while we were home bound. And here is March... and its half over.... along with all this craziness, I am working full time, and Bryce is playing stay at home Dad, as well as building some houses. Kaylie is preparing for Graduation, and has been accepted to Dixie State College, in St. George. Landon, turned 16, has had his first date, and asked a girl to Prom. More on this to come. Parker attends Pre-school three days a week... and might I scream from the roof tops is finally potty trined! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! He has been doing the peeing thing for almost a year... but we just got him to poop on the potty. Its been two plus weeks and I have not had to change a poopy pull-up. Its been paradise. For those of you who know my family better, my little bro, Jeff is getting married in two weeks. So, things have been nuts in preparing for that. And to top it all off... I am 31 weeks pregnant. The baby will be here in May. ( I am sorry to those who are just finding this out... I have not said a lot about it.) The baby's gender is a surprise, so cast your vote... Boy or Girl. We are excited to find out. Despite our crazy life, we know we are blessed and feel support and love from all of you. We hope all is well with you and your families, and I am commiting to being better at updating my blog. Thanks for checking in on us. :)

Our Whirlwind October...

2009-11-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

Wow! I can not believe that the holidays are here. Where did Fall go? Our lives have been pretty crazy since school started again. In September I began a new job. I moved out to the Same Day Surgery Department at the new IHC Riverton hospital. It is still Primary Children's... just a little closer to home. My commute is now only 20-25 minutes, verses the hour plus it took me to get to the SLC Primary's Hospital. There are no words to describe opening a new hospital. It was a lot of work and a lot of hours. I am so grateful to Bryce and the kids for being so patient with me during this transition. The new hospital opened on November 2nd, and everything has gone smoothly. It has been a nice change. So, with all this work, of course we took some time to play. So, for two weeks in October, we went on a cruise, and then played for a week in Disney World. I listed some highlights below. We had a wonderful time! You are all welcome to join us next time!

Our Cruising Party! Dinner the night before we got on the ship. There was 19 of us all together. My family of 6, both of my parents. ( yes, they are still divorced. weird I know.) My two sisters, and brother. My brother-in-law, and sweet niece. My bro-in-law's parents, my aunt and uncle, and my grandparents! We had a blast!

Setting Sail... my kiddos were hoping to see some dolphins. We were out of luck.

Our Ship. Royal Carribean's Freedom of the Seas. It was massive. It also had a little of everything. Ice skating, rock climbing, and even a wave rider.

Our first stop, Labadee, Haiti. It is Royal Carribean's "private" island. It is actually a compound, protected from main Haiti, but we loved it. There was so much to do, and the water was warm. The ship also brought lunch to the island, which was nice. I think this is the day that Parker fell in love with the beach. He asked to go to the beach everyday after his visit here.

One of the Formal Nights. Our family enjoys getting dressed up, well maybe with the exception of Landon. :) Our favorite memory of this night was the family dance in one of the clubs. The kids had a blast dancing and playing with balloons that they dropped.

Jamaica baby! The kids stopped to take a picture with one of the locals and his donkey, Dolly.

Climbing Dunn River Falls! What a once in a lifetime experience. I bet you are thinking you can't do it huh... well look close at the pic. My 3 year old, and my 78 year old grandma did it! Ok, they did half of it, but they were troopers. Way to go Grandma! You rock!

The Fam, posing in the Falls. It was such a fun day!

Grand Caymen. Part of the group posing in front of "Hell", Grand Caymen. The other half went swimming with the stingrays. Hell is an awful looking rock formation.

The turtle farm in Grand Caymen. Parker got a kick out of holding the turtles. Oh, and he did not want anyones help.

Bry- Bry petting a turtle that was bigger then her.

Cozumel, Mexico. Kaylie and Parker swimming with the Dolphins. Only bummer, this is as close as they would let me get. But, they had a wonderful time.

We spent the day at a national park. We had awesome snorkeling, the beach, swimming with the dolphins, and a pool. There was also gardens, and ruins to look at. We all found something to do, and had a wonderful time.

Our last night... it is always emotional for me. Here is our waiter staff. They were so good with Parker and Brylee, who did not enjoy 5 course meals.

Our last night. I will not miss the cramped space. I am standing at the door. What you see, is what you get. :)

Disney World! Kaylie and Landon flew home to return to school, so it was just Bryce, I and the two little ones. Some of my family stayed too. And my brother's fiance flew out to join us. We started at Epcot. Needless to say, it was the kiddos least favorite. But, they have some awesome character signing opportunities.

We attended the "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party." It was well worth it. Brylee and Parker got a ton of candy, plus they have characters out that you never see. For example, we saw the characters from Tarzan. The kids are encouraged to dress up. This year Parker was buzz lightyear. Could not resist this photo op.

Sea World. Bryce and Parker riding the whales.

She is so my daughter... sharing a Carmel apple.

Our classic Mickey Mouse picture. Would it be a trip to Disney World without it?

This is one of my favorites... and trust me, there are a lot. We saw any character we could. Parker got more joy form seeing the characters then doing anything else. I bet 4-5 hours out of our days were spent in character lines. No kidding! Parker flexing his muscles with the Incredibles.

Another favorite... the Cars! After this picture was taken, Parker stood alone for one. Just then, Lightning McQueen reved his engine. It was loud. Parker must have jumped a foot, and immediately burst into tears. It was so sad, and funny at the same time. I think the 40 or so people in line got a kick out of it too.

One of our favorite rides of the week. The toy story ride. Parker is cruising around with Grandma.

I think this was the kids favorite park. Disney's Animal Kingdom. Posing with Minnie.

Our last day, last night, we closed the trip with the classic, Disney Electrical Parade.

We got home just in time for Halloween. This year, Brylee was a ladybug. Parker was Buzz Lightyear. And not pictured is Landon. He went as a "Real man" He wore a mustache, and chest hair. :)

This is the first year Parker and Brylee went real trick or treating. The past two years we have been spoiled my neighborhood trunk or treats. It did not take them long to figure it out though. However, being 1 and 3, I think we made it two blocks and they were done.

My two little skeletons! I will not be able to match them for long... so I am taking advantage now.

Kaylie's September

2009-09-27T15:02:00.001-07:00

Kaylie is having a ball this fall.... ( ha ha) She has been to two Homecoming dances. One to Lone Peak and the other to Pleasant Grove. Her date for PG's Homecoming, Nick, is pictured with her below. ( sorry I could not get the underline to go away. )

Bryce, Parker, and Brylee, watching Kaylie's Powder Puff game.

Powder Puff... for those who do not know, its when girls play football. It is meant to be flag football, but these girls did not get the memo. If you think football without pads would be fun to watch... you should check this out. :) Bloody.

Smiling...despite being ripped off by the refs... go Lone Peak!

Brylee's 1st Birthday Party!

2009-09-27T14:53:00.001-07:00

Bryce and I wanted to make a tradition of having a big 1st Birthday party. For Brylee, we did the same as Parker, and rented a swimming facility. She had a big Luau Party. It was so much fun. Thank you to all of you who came to support and give her love on this day. We are so blessed to ahve family and friends who love us so much.

Brylee all decked out for her Luau!
Soaking in the pool with Dad.

Back when Brylee was born, I had 3 friends who also had babies within about two weeks. Here are those crazy 4, all at about age 1!

Brylee, taking her first bite of birthday cake...

Brylee, 5 minutes after taking first bite of birthday cake. She was not shy.

Our Sweet Princess Turns 1!

2009-09-27T14:42:00.001-07:00

Can you believe it???? I can't. Seems just like yesterday that I brought her home, and wondered how in the heck, am I going to do this two kid thing???? And now one very short year later, she is my walking, talking, big girl. It almost is unfair how quick it goes. We love you so much Brylee, and are so happy to be parents to you! You are our Princess!
Enjoying her new playhouse. She is thinking that birthdays are the greatest!

So, she loves, I mean loves, to talk on the phone. Here she is getting one more birthday wish. I think that "hi" was one of her first words.

So, after much thought on what she might enjoy for her 1st Birthday, we decided on the State Fair. It was a good choice. She has a blast. Here she is riding the ponies. We had people stopping to watch her because she was having such a great time.

She was not sure if she liked the big slide or not. However, being the torturous parents we are, we had her ride it 3 more times.

Bre and Tom's Wedding

2009-09-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

So, back in August, my cute niece married her sweetheart, Tom. I know its really weird... I have a niece who is just a few years younger then me. However, they are adorable, and we loved spending the day with them. Congrats you guys! We love you!

Our family... I did my best to color coordinate for the Wedding pictures. Bryce and I were in green, Kaylie and Landon in yellow, and the babes in red. I thought it looked great. Parker thought he was hot stuff in his new suit. :)

Parker turns 3!

2009-07-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

What can I say... 3 years ago, I was looking at this precious little face. If only I had known what I had in store. The day I had Parker, my life changed. And it continues to do so. He is one of the greatest things to ever happen to me. He challenges me in ways I could have never imagined, and loves me in a way that I did not know existed. There are oh so many days when I think I would sell him cheap... but then those quite moments when he whispers, " I love you Mommy" and gives me kiss, I look at that sweet face, and think I can not contain all the love I have for him. He is my boy, and I love him more then anything! Happy 3rd Birthday Parker!

His precious little face now. Enjoying a birthday lunch, of his choice, at Mc Donalds.

We spent the day at the Dinosaur Museum with some friends.

His favorite part... playing Dinosaurs on the mat. ( Good thing that Aunt Shari got him some for his birthday.)

So, I want birthdays to feel special and be a big deal. So, my kids get pretty much whatever they want on their birthday. Here, Parker plays with not one, but three pterodactyls. He needed 3, because he is 3. I guess I had that one coming.

Enjoying time with his friend, Jaxson, and cousin, Aubrey.

Word World Birthday! And cuz its 100 plus degrees... icecream cake for everyone.

Parker posing for me, so I can see his cupcake.

What sugar rush would be complete without a little candy from the Pinata???

Where on Earth haven't we been... (July)

2009-07-26T14:44:00.001-07:00

Ok, I can hardly believe that July is over... Summer is on the downhill slope. In just the next few weeks we will be back to school, and hopefully back into some kind of routine. Here are our July highlights.

4th of July!

Thanks to my sis for the cute tu-tu.

Parker thinking he is the boss of the fireworks.

Bry and I doing her first sparkler.

Watching the fireworks at Granite High School the night before.

Cooling off.

Both of my kiddos are fish.

My sweet girl turns 10 months old, here are her 9 month offical pics.

At 10 months, Brylee has mastered the stairs, as long as they are going up. Here she is showing off.

Miss Independent also likes to hold her own bottle.

The middle of July, we spent a week in Denver with my Dad. He had us on a full schedule, but we had a lot of fun. Here are some of our favorite things.

Dinner at White Fence Farm.

The Denver Zoo.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Dinosaur Something or other. They charcoal the tracks so you can see them.

The Rocky Mountain Aresenal.

Parker looking for animals while on the aresenal.

Landon and Bry sliding at the Traildust Restraunt. This has been one of my favorites since I lived there 18 years ago.

Parker on the slide. This really was a genious idea. Put a slide in the middle of the restraunt. The kids play the parents eat in peace... its a happily ever after.

The gang outside the Restraunt.

Elitch's Amusement Park. Parker riding with his cousin, Aubrey.

Bry and I on the carousel.

Some craft place... can't remember the name. Kaylie made a frame, Landon did Tye- Dye, and Parker just made a really big mess.

Rockies Baseball Game!

Grandpa Mike with all his Grandkids... Kaylie, Landon, Parker, Aubrey and Brylee

24th of July! We attended the Ogden City Parade and BBQ'ed at Grandma and Grandpa Saunders house.

Enjoying the Parade.

Our big cowboy!

Our little cowgirl.

Bryce and I.

Where on Earth haven't we been... (June)

2009-07-26T13:47:00.001-07:00

June was just nuts for us... when Bryce and I sat down and thought about it... we were gone more days then we were home. Here are some of the highlights.

Smith Family Campout

Parker enjoying his breakfast.

Brylee and Bryce...

Landon taking time to relax with Bry.

Sisters... just taking it easy.

In the middle of the month we spent a week at Park City. We swam, ate, but mostly just took it easy. It was a nice break.

Main Street, Park City

Parker's 1st ride on the Alpine Slide.

Bry-Bry patiently waiting.

Since we were short on beds... Parker slept in the tub. ( We are awesome parents huh.)

Our baby girl, is not such a baby anymore. At 8 months, she is sporting an attitude, crawling, and making friends everywhere we go. She is quick to wave and smile at everyone.

Bry- Bry at 8 months!

Still has gorgeous blue eyes!

Crawling... No Prob!

Here comes trouble!

St. Thomas!!!!!!! So, at the beginning of the month Bryce and I were able to spend a week in the beautiful St. Thomas! We along with my dear friends, Kellie and Justin, had a wonderful time, without the children. Here are just a few highlights, there is just too much to post about, so I am limiting myself.

The Virgin Islands. Looking out from St. Thomas.

Dinner at Blue Bird's Castle... I would highly recommend eating here.

One of the castles on the Island. The pirate statues here, inspired characters that are in the movie, " Pirates of the Carribean."

Swimming with Sea Turtles.

Bryce feeding the Iguana. They are everywhere over there.

Hiking in the rainforest. Highlight here... a spider as big as my fist. It still makes me shudder.

The baths at Virgin Gorda. Really super cool.

Where on Earth haven't we been... (May)

2009-07-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

May 2009:

Bry gets her first "Pedi"

Not to bad...

Bry also expirences "getting her hair done."

However, she is obessed with the twin in the mirror.

Brylee is 7 months!

Sitting up all on her own, and gettin ready to crawl.

Sooooo Big!

Bryce drummin at his 40th Birthday Party!

Bryce and his siblings at his party.

Friends and Family hanging out at the Party... thanks to all who came. :)

Bryce and his girl at his Party.!

Parker discovering just how much fun mud and water can be.

He was having so much fun, he did not want to levae out the neighbors...

4 generation Pic from Mother's Day

My munchkins and I on Mother's Day.

Kaylie going to Prom

Kaylie and her date.

Just the 4 of us hanging out on the train at the zoo.

This is Parker's favorite spot to have his pic taken.

I think this was our 3rd trip to the zoo in May...

Go Utes Go! GO Utes Go!

2009-04-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

Nationals!!! It has become a yearly tradition... my friends and I attend the NCAA National Gymnastics Championships. During the winter we attend the home meets at the U of U and lucky for us, the Utes rock, and they make it to Nationals each year. Sometimes we get to go fun places like LA, but this year it was held in Lincoln, Nebraska. A little boring... However, since we all decided to pro-create at the same time... we had four 7 month old babies with us. So, that made the trip pretty exciting. :) Thank you to Wendy who spent the whole week as our "extra set of hands."

Left to Right: Me and Bry, Briana and Zander, Jami and Anna, Mandy and Evelyn, and Wendy.

This is how we looked all week. We were well recognized. How do you miss 4 women carrying 4 babies... you don't!

Dinners were a little crazy... some restaurants did not even have enough high chairs.... Guess we took living in Utah for granted.:)

Our future Ute fans... They were so popular... that there was a photo shoot at the team party just for them... people are nuts... now my kid will bee plastered all over the place. :)

My little fan... all in red with the tattoo. She is so cute. She was such a trooper the whole trip. Especially when I got home and found out she had a double ear infection.

Me and my girl. This trip was a little nuts, and at times we all questioned our sanity... but in the end, I am grateful to spend time with dear friends. And, to have these memories of time with just Bry and I.

Easter Pic's

2009-04-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Parker and Brylee siting with the Easter Bunny at Parker's school.

Parker and his basket. He was very excited about his play dough.

Bry- Bry and her basket.

New sunday clothes for Easter. They match... of course. :)

Parker's first easter egg dying...he had green fingers for days...

Bry's idea of dying easter eggs.

Posing during our hard work.

Brylee hunting eggs with the help of Grandpa Mike.

Parker had this down...

Enjoying the nice weather. Kaylie and Landon are not in any of the pictures due to them baking in the Caribbean Sun on a cruise with their mom. We were jealous.

Bry-Bry is 6 Months!

2009-03-17T16:56:00.001-07:00

Wow, 6 months goes by fast. It has been so much having my baby girl. Brylee is the best baby. She is so content, unless of course she is hungry or tired. At 6 months, she is sitting up, and loves rolling and playing with toys on the floor. She also smiles and laughs all the time. She is also enjoying trying new foods... she thinks that baby food is alright, but would rather reach for and try to eat things off mommy or daddy's plate. She also responds to her name, which Parker thinks is so great. He is constantly calling her name to get her attention. She dislikes her carseat, so car rides are always a choir of cries. But, take a look at these pics, who could not fall in love with her????

St. Patricks green at the zoo...

2009-03-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

So, my sis and I went to all this trouble to get our kids something green to wear for St. Patrick's Day. However, then it dons on us... no one will even see our kids on St.Patrick's Day. Obviously, its on a Tuesday. :) So, this past Saturday, we got them all festive and we enjoyed the wonderful weather at the zoo. My Parker, is soooo in love with the zoo. It is his happy place.Here we go. We got the kids a cart that they could get in and out of easily. It was a great idea, however we had many lessons on why we don't get out when the cart is moving...

At the elephant exhibit. My sis is taking the pic from below the kids.

This is their favorite. The Zoo carousel.

One of the many make-up hugs from the day. Parker and Aubrey spend so much time together, they fight like siblings.

Me and my boy, checking out the bears.

Parker and Aubrey with their Aunt Jenni.

My girl... getting her first taste of cotton candy... and like her mommy, she loves it!

Another not so good idea...we are lucky there were no blood wounds after this, but hey, at least I got the pic. :)

Grandma Janna! Can I say more. She is our kids favorite. Can ya tell?

Pics of the Cousins

2009-03-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

Here is my little man... I can't believe how big he is getting! Yikes!

My niece, Aubrey, for those who know her... can you believe that she is holding still???

There she is... my little princess. Wow time flies. She thinks she is so big...

This picture should be considered a small miracle... two toddlers, one baby, all of which had to wait for over an hour, and were hungry... oh and the Disney store was across the hall. :)

The kids kept loving on Brylee, so we finally just had the photographer take their picture. This is Brylee's reality... she gets lots and lots of love from her brother and cousin, Aubrey.

Look is already 5 months!

2009-02-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe, but Brylee is 5 months! Wow, its gone so fast. At 5 months she is so fun. She smiles all the time and is gaining a little personality. Oh, an boy, does she have some attitude. She loves to roll on the floor, and play with toys. She is also enjoying her bouncer and excersaucer. She loves to kick her socks off, and she is getting very good at it, I might add. :) She also reconizes her family. She grins whenever she hears Bryce, Parker, or I. She has not quite learned Kaylie and Landon's voices, but they are not in her face as much as we are. She has been eating cereal for about a month, and we just started veggies. She loves them. Our little baby is growing up so fast.

How I love spending the long WInter....

2009-02-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know, I know, I am wearing Red and it appears that I am cheering for the U of U as is Brylee, well.... its all True! Despite being raised "Blue" ( for those of you outside of Utah, it means I was raised to love BYU) I love the U of U gymnastics program. And for the last 6 years have had season tickets with my friends from work. Not only do we attend all of the home meets, we also love to go to Nationals. This year we will be visiting the great state of Nebraska...( I hope they have something to do there...) It has been the best girls night out. We grab some dinner and then attend the meets. No a bad way to get through the winter. And of course, we take the babies with us. So, to show our support, Briana made U-T-A-H Onesies. Let me just say... our kids are the hit at the meets. And, just a side note, all these little ones were born within 15 days of each other. And, no, we did not plan it. :) From right to left: Brylee, Zander, Anna, and Evelyn.

I hate, I mean HATE, Potty Training!

2009-02-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

So, the last few weeks we have been "patiently" potty training Parker. He is now 2 and ½. So, yes, I think he is old enough... :) And, when Brylee came along, changing 14 plus diapers a day just got old... So, here we are, 4 weeks into the process of potty training and can I just say, it is the worst thing I have had to do as a parent thus far. It just plain sucks in my opinion. I wish there was a way I could pay someone to do it. :) Any takers???? Anyway here is a run down...if you are interested. Week 1: Went like this... I put Parker in "big-boy" underpants, bribed him with stickers and treats, and ta-dum... it worked like a charm. He had one accident, from then on he told me when he had to go potty, he got a sticker, he got a treat, and mom was smiling because no more diapers. However, Mom (being me) also went back to work this week, which put Daddy in charge... No problem... Daddy gave out stickers, gave treats, and cheered, clapped, and acted like a goof. We were so happy... Parker was happy, life was good. And I really started thinking, this potty training thing is not so hard... ( For that thought alone, I am now being punished.) So, here comes Week 2: Mom, decides to ask Dad how the whole #2 thing was going... Dad has a blank look, "what #2 thing," he asks... Mom then clarifies, has Parker pooped in the potty? Dad responds... Parker has not pooped at all. A Big Fat Uh- Oh echoes through the house. With the excitement and accomplishment of the #1, we had neglected, the more important #2! Yikes! So, we bribe, plea, cry for Parker to do the #2 on the potty... no luck, the harder we pleaded, the harder he held... so, no poop. Mom, being a nurse, and a human being, knew it was a little unhealthy not to poop for 6 blasted days! So, she makes a trip to the pharmacy, she shows Parker the suppository, explains where it goes, he does not care, and well, still refusing to poop, mom administers the suppository. ( These details, I will leave out.) An hour later, ( the stupid box said 15-30 mins.) Parker is still holding, Parker is crying, Mom is crying, and well... no luck. Finally, with a little yelling I must admit, Parker finally goes. Yea! So, like all the books say, that was the hardest part... smooth sailing from here... NOT! Parker goes another 3 days without going #2. Again, we plea, bribe, joke, and even threaten to no avail... we again are left with no choice but a suppository. After, 2 hours this time, moving the "little" potty in front of the T.V. we finally get a small result. However, the next morning, in his pull-up from the previous night, he unleashed. Mom was just glad he was all cleaned out. So, mom reads and reads, asks all her friends for advice, and researches. Mom and Dad decide to let Parker just do #2 in the pull-ups. Bring on Week 3. So, mom asks Parker to tell her when he needs to go #2, and she will put a pull-up on... he does and this works, and Mom's anxiety starts to evaporate. However, this potty training bliss lasts only two days. Then, potty training lost all its excitement. Parker could care less about the treats, and who needs stickers, and he could care less that mom and dad sing all these silly songs while he is on the potty. When he had an accident, and he had many this week, he could care less. In fact, I think he did it on purpose, just so I would put him in the tub...Again! One day he would do so well, and then the next it would be accident after accident. Mom threatened to throw the "big boy" pants away if he had an accident, and he looked at her and confidently said, " Daddy will buy me more." How smart he already is... So, here we are at week 4. Now Mom and Dad, two competent adults ponder how they can not convince their two year old to poop, or use the potty. Its all in Parker's control. If they take him to the potty, he goes, but otherwise, when the urge hits, he'll go where he is standing... and sees no problem with that. Mom has considered bagging the whole idea, but all those she talks to tell her this is normal, and one day it will just click. SO, until the day it "clicks" Mom will be losing her mind, And so, if you see me, you'll know why I have gone crazy. :) I hate potty training!

Our January Thus Far... z

2009-01-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month, Bryce and I got together with some of my friends from the college days... this picture is of my friend Jake, and he is holding Noah, Brylee, and Paislee. Noah and Brylee were born on the same day, and Paislee came only 4 days later. Crazy... seriously don't drink public water in the month of December... you'll end up with a September baby. :)

Enjoying the Snow... Bryce was our official reindeer.

Parker's first big "Uh- Oh" Moment. And no my kid can't be like other kids, and hit the wall, oh no, he likes more permanent art....

Our plantation shutters are now colorful.

Oh, and he did not want the wood window box to be left out...

Now, you maybe be wondering where Bryce and I were during this time... Oh, well, we were just outside the room, we were booking airline tickets, which took a whole 10 minutes. I also had a proud mommy moment, instead of yelling, I laughed and ran for the camera... And, I do not normally let my child run around half dressed, but this past week we have been potty training... and well, with every 30 minute trips to the "potty" I was tired of the whole re-dressing thing.

Landon turns 15. We celebrate by hanging out at the Skybox for dinner and games.

Brylee hits 4 months. Stats: 12.8 lbs, 25 inches long. She is long and lean.