Happy Birthday To You!

Happy Birthday Dear Mother of mine!

It is hard to imagine that just one short year ago we were celebrating your birthday in the hospital wondering if you were ever going to be the same. Your head was shaved, your feeding tube was inserted and you were obsessed with the color pink. I kinda wanted to post a picture of you at your last birthday party but then I thought you might not forgive me. Remember when Tara and I came to speech therapy with you and she asked you to see how many of the United States you could remember? She said most people could only get 20 or so and you said "I can get all 50!" Oh how hard we laughed when you started singing "50 Nifty United States"! The past year has been challenging and difficult as we have watched you heal and work and challenge yourself to be well. I could not be more proud to have you as my mother. I could not be more grateful to still have you here, calling to check on me and see if I"m doing ok. I love how you are still doing singing telegrams. You are a wonderful, shining, loving, spiritual example to me. I am so sad to not be coming down there this week. But I don't want to cry at your party! I hope you have a wonderful birthday and many, many more!!!


A little message from the kiddos:




P.S. Earlier today when we were looking at Tara's post Owen said "Awww man, I really wish Grannie was here right now. She knows how to make everyone's smiles light up!" Too true!

P.P.S. Your birthday present is on it's way. I took a picture just so you could see. I finished it, I really, really did (It only took me about 3 years!). And here's proof. I hope you like it! And I think we can deduce from this board that the months of March, June, July and August are off limits for any more birthdays. Haha, just kidding!

Where We Pretend It's Spring

This is us pretending that it's Spring-

we are so desperate to be outside

breathing fresh air and absorbing sunshine

that we brave the 50 degree temps!

And yes, the kids think it's warm enough

to go out without coats on.

And for us, it kind of is.

(Yes, I know he's wearing two different shoes,

I couldn't be bothered to find his other one.)

The Star Wars Brigade

The other day I caught these three running through the house making those gun noises that boys are just born knowing how to make. I think they were trying to catch Darth Gracie or something...

Seeing Swans

On Friday evening, Kris' parents had us over for pizza and took us on a drive over by the R Mountain.

To see these beauties-

Swans

Hundreds of them

They must be migrating north for the summer?

It was quite a sight to see. There must have been hundreds of them hanging out in this field.
We even got to see a couple of deer. Do you see them?

Au revoir beautiful swans. It was lovely seeing you.

Have a nice summer!

Sharp Shooters

Kris couldn't resist the beautiful weather on Saturday afternoon so he asked me if I wanted to go shooting. I didn't really want to, I was exhausted after watching Mia this weekend and having Matthew's birthday party and Colby was just ready to go down for a nap. So he took the three oldest kids who were all eager to go. They all had a lot of fun- especially Dad!

Katie G

Matthew
Owen

Don't mess around with these guys!

Birthday Boy!

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Birthday donuts!

(I guess they get pretty excited over it.)
Party Time!
They had a great time playing laser tag, miniature golf, and making their own frozen yogurt treats.

I can't believe my oldest is 11!

Didn't we just celebrate his 10th?

Am I old enough to have an 11 year old?

I don't really feel like it.

But I'm so happy to have Matthew in our family!

We love you! Happy Birthday!

Trim

Lately I've been brave (and cheap) by cutting my boys' hair. Armed with some tips from Michelle and her dear mother-in-law, who herself had six sons, I am determined to become a pro- just like my mom. She cut all of our hair without ever going to beauty school. I have done the older boys a few times and I think I've done a pretty good job, at least as good a job as they do at the beauty college most of the time, which I realize sometimes isn't saying much. But, I haven't ever done Colby's hair and he has been needing a cut desperately for awhile. He's only had his hair cut one other time and that was just with the clippers by Kris right before his sister Hayley's wedding, five months ago. So today I just dove in and he was pretty good a little squirmy, especially in the end but all in all, I think it turned out ok. Usually my mistakes are easy to hide. Tara, don't look too closely- I'm sure you'll find all my mistakes!

Before:

Don't take any pictures of me!
You can see he really needed a haircut.

And after.

Beautiful brown eyes.

Little pouter.

He's been kind of cranky today so he was pouting the whole time and I couldn't get him to smile for me.

Lazy Sunday

Ok, I'll admit it (and I NEVER thought I would)- I kinda like early church.

Who doesn't love a long, leisurely Sunday afternoon filled with

Pirates of the Carribean Monopoly and stuffed animals?

Rollin' rollin' rollin'

Colby is 18 months old now- my baby is 18 months old! He's in nursery and hating it cuz he loves his mama so much. He's talking a little bit more each day. I love it when he says "Hi Dad" with such enthusiasm. I love it when he says "Eeeeya" when his cousin Mia comes over and how he says his own name "ColbEEEEE." He is such a total stinker right now, too. Like the fact that he's a total garbage digger, climbs on everything, dumps out the kitty food and water all over and sometimes in the litter box, and he throws trantrums like a paid professional. In spite of his misbehaviors he fills our home with so much happiness. He is loved by all his siblings and he makes us laugh all the time. Oh how we love you so, ColbEEEEE!!!

We have these old fashioned roller skates that Kris' grandma left behind and Colby likes to get them out of the cupboard and use them. Here's what he does:

P.S. He's learned how to take off his pants and he likes to do it all the time, so that's why he's pantsless.

We Be Los!

I don't really have any qualms about hiding my slight lack of enthusiasm for all things scouting but alas, I have been blessed with four sons and so it is my destiny to endure many, many years of the fine scouting program. And trust me, I do believe it is a fine program. Teaching many valuable things to my young sons. It's just so much work and I'm kind of lazy, I guess. It's sure a good thing my boys have been blessed with a good daddy who is willing to help them with all their scouting needs. (It's good for him!) Needless to say in spite of my obvious complaining about scouts I was seriously distressed last week when I found out that Matthew would be receiving his Webelos award along with about a million pins and it just so happened to fall on the same night at the same time as the very first stake camp meeting. Since I happen to be the Ward Camp Director and have absolutely no clue as to what I'm doing I felt like it was kinda imperative that I attend. I had known about the camp meeting for about a month, I found out about the pack night and all the awards Matthew would be receiving only 3 days before. I was frustrated with my dilemma. I don't want to have to choose between my child (and dang it! I wanted to be there for him to put on my mother's pin!) and my church calling. I seriously wanted to cry and I may have shed a few tears along the way. I was going to try and just attend part of the meeting that was hopefully only going to last 45 minutes (yeah right it was almost 2 hours) and zoom over to where pack meeting was being held and arrive just in time for the pinning but alas, it was not to be and so Dad had to fill in for Mom (and wrangle all the kids), he got my pin and the joy of being there to share in Matthew's glory. Which I suppose since he was the one who did all the assisting in the earning of the award is appropriate. I'm still bummed I missed it! But, way to go Matthew! I'm so proud of you for working so hard!

Proud Father and Son

She really isn't taller than him (yet!)
The pinning of the mother's pin on the father...sniff.