Trip to California

Back at the beginning of February we had the opportunity to go to California for my Grandpa's 90th Birthday.  We were suppose to take the train, but two days before we were to leave we received a call to say that our train was canceled.  There had been huge snow storms back east and the train was stuck! We had a choice, we could take the train on Sunday night and miss two days in California or drive.  We chose to drive. I tried to make the journey a little more exciting for the kids by mapping our route on the roof of the car with a matchbox car stuck to the roof that we could move at we moved. It worked out pretty well.  Once in California the kids got to see their cousins whom they haven't seen since summer 2009.  They had a blast together! We got the chance to see Todd and Jackie's house and just relax in the yard.  It was fun! We also got to celebrate Grandpa Walter's 90th Birthday!(see above post, their were too many pictures)  All too soon it was time to say goodbye and head home.  The kids had a blast and still talk about the time with their cousins.

Here is the car map, I marked some of the things we would see and the gas stops too.

Annie and her cousin Annaleigh hit it off right away and were hugging and holding hands.

Grandpa Walter out pressure washing the deck.  It is so great to see him have so much strength and energy at 90!

Annie having a blast running from Mommy.

Kyler at the park in Old Town in Sanoma.

Annaleigh playing at the park. 

The kids really enjoyed ice cream after playing at the park. The weather while

we were in California was beautiful, almost 80* everyday!

Todd and Jackie have a player piano and the boys had a great time with it. Kyler especially liked it and played roll after roll over and over again.  He was so exhausted by the end of the day.

Edwin brought his karaoke and the kids really loved singing together. There were many kid songs to choose from, I think the favorite was the ABC's.

The adults also had great fun with the Karaoke.  We stayed up late laughing and singing.

The kids all had a great time playing outside together.  They played chase and tag and soccer and just had a great time playing.

Kaelyn and Ellarie heading for a drink.

Annie and Annaleigh playing in a puddle of spilt water.

Grandma, Michelle and Ellarie.

Edwin Norilyn and Kaelyn

Bow Holder

Annie has way too many bow...Which I must admit is my fault I keep making them.  So I decided I need a better way to keep them organized. After looking at many different ones, I decided that I would make a tutu bow holder.  I was very happy with the way it turned out.  The only thing that may have been better was to make it a little bigger because her bows almost filled it up and lets face it they are too fun to make I am not going to stop.  Kyler said I now need to make one that will go over Annie's head to match!

Before the bows

With the bows

                           

Conner's 7th Birthday!

I can't  believe my little Conner is seven! He has grown so fast and I have so many wonderful memories. Conner is a very bright boy with such a tender heart.  He is so brave and always willing to help in his own little way. He had a fun little party.  He had his cousins over to spend the night on Friday.  On Saturday grandma and PopPop, Lisa and Sharon came for cake and ice cream.  He had a blast! On Sunday Conner gave his first  talk in primary.  I was so proud of him. He got up there and did it all himself! He didn't even want Daddy to hold his picture for him! He has really come a long way from the little boy who wouldn't let me leave preschool.  I  just can't believe how fast they grow! We love you Conner!

Conner and Brian on Conner's first birthday. January 16, 2005

Conner's cake, Lego Indiana Jones. Conner is very into Legos.

Klyer, Logan, Karson, Conner and Aidan with Indy.

Opening presents

Everyone singing to Conner. The boys thought the candles looked like snakes, which made them all laugh because everyone knows Indy hates snakes!

Blowing out the candles.

Daddy and Conner learning to play guitar.

"Yes,More Legos!!" All he asked for for his birthday was Legos.

Conner Lost a Tooth!!

Conner's tooth became loose back in the middle of October.  His permanent tooth has been growing in behind.  At his last dentist visit they said if he didn't loose it in the next few weeks it would need to be pulled.  He was scheduled to have it pulled on Thursday and it popped out on Tuesday night! It became suddenly loose on Monday after months of not getting any looser.  He was so excited to finally loose a tooth...he could not stop smiling.  He was the very last kid in the class to loose one...They have a chart in his classroom.

 Monday night, the night before it fell out. Daddy tried the doorknob trick...but it didn't work.

 He was so excited, I grabbed the camera right away to catch the huge grin!

Here he is with his tooth in his tooth pillow, ready for the Tooth Fairy!

Annie is 18 Months!

I can't believe that it has been a year and a half already! Annie is growing so fast! She now can climb just about anywhere, the pantry, the kitchen table, the coffee table, the couch....her latest obstacle has been to climb on to the bar stools and the kitchen counter....I am sure it will only be a week before she has mastered that too!
She has really started talking and says so many words and repeats me all the time...her favorite words are NO!, wash and baby....she also says Concon for Conner, Guy for Kyler and Dadee...no Mommy :(...She does say mum mum...but that means pick me up... Oh well, I know she loves me....maybe it is because I am never gone so she never needs to call for me.  She went to nursery for the first time on Sunday and loved it...she saw the toys, looked at me and said "pay?, pay." (meaning play) and never looked back.  But I did get a nice hug when I came to get her.

 I love this picture!

 Here I tried to do Annie's hair.  It took about 20 minutes to get it in and I think she had it out shortly after I took the picture...

 Annie in the little kilt that Michelle and I wore.

 Annie loved the Christmas tree and spent a lot of time looking at the ornaments on and off the tree.

This reminded me a little bit of my self as a little girl.  Annie is sitting on the heater vent and looking at the tree.  My favorite thing to do at Christmas time when I was little was to go behind the tree and sit on the vent and look at the tree. Like mother, like daughter...so sweet!

Snow!!!

We have had a few snow storms in the past month but never enough to really make it possible to go sledding.  But on Wednesday we woke up to about 7or 8 inches and it continued to fall all day.  Brian is on vacation this week so we went up to our favorite sledding spot...We even took Annie.  It was a lot of fun and we all got soaked....it was very wet snow and it just kept falling! I am very glad we didn't wait until today to go because the high today was 23...not including the wind chill....I know because Brian gave me a fancy new weather clock for Christmas!

Mommy and Annie

 Daddy and Annie sledding

 Daddy pulling Annie.

 Annie all decked out in her snow gear and trying to walk...she gets very frustrated with the snow.

 Kyler ready to go!

Conner and Kyler hiking up the hill.

Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We went up to Kaysville and had a big family party and dinner the weekend before. We had a great time with cousins and it was very laid back. This allowed us to stay home on Christmas day which was a first for us. On Christmas Eve we made sugar cookies and read the Christmas story. On Christmas the first one up was Conner and he waited for his brother and sister to wake up...he waited almost an hour...he was so patient, I was very impressed! We had a relaxing day opening presents, putting things together and playing with toys. Steve and Val came for dinner and to visit for a while. It was a truly memorable day.  We are are so very blessed.

 

Annie with her favorite Auntie Sharon.



 The kid table. Ready for dinner.

 Conner and Karson with their new blanket buddies.

 Aidan and Kyler helping PopPop open his present.

 Conner decorating cookies on Christmas Eve.

Kyler decorating one special for Santa.

 Christmas Morning

 Conner's guitar from Santa.

 Kyler's GIANT remote control crane...it is bigger then him!

 Santa brought Annie a baby doll and a chair....she takes her baby everywhere!

Conner and Kyler opening their new Toy Story  storybook....I think we have read almost half the stories already! 

 Mommy, Daddy and Kyler with the gift he made us (Conner took the picture)

 Mommy Daddy and Conner with the gift he made us (Kyler took the picture)

PopPop Steve reading Annie her new book from Grandma Frances and PopPop Tom. 

Kyler's Program and Helping at School

Kyler had his program last week and I was so proud of him! He got up there and sang and sang....I could even hear him! He also had a little speaking line which he said loud and clear.  It was fun to see how he has grown. He did a great job!

Kyler in his elf hat ready to go.

Kyler with his teacher after the preformance.

The next day I had the opportunity to help with Conner's class party.  He was excited to see me and ran and gave me a hug the minute I ran in the class! That meant a lot from the boy who wanted me to hug him in the car before he got out at school even in preschool. I was in charge of the craft we made bead icicle ornaments which were a big hit! The kids and the teacher loved them.  It was good for me to see a room full of 6 and 7 year old kids a week before Christmas...it made me realize that although my boys can be crazy, they really are good kids.  I need that reminder every so often.

The boys with "Buddy" the snowman, we built together.

Update

It has been a while since I have posted anything.  I had a nice quite birthday, Brian surprised me with a Kitchenaid mixer which I have been having fun with.  Conner did a grandparents day program where he did a wonderful job. He sang his little heart out.  Kyler has been busy with school and loves sing and helping.  Annie is as busy as ever and into everything! She climbs on the table, climbs the pantry if  it is open and helps her self to whatever food she can open. I stay busy with the kids am amazed how smart they are.  Brian is plugging along at work as usual and had some late nights to get some projects done.  The holiday season has kept us busy, but has been fun! Annie loves the tree and the ornaments, the boys have surprised me with knowing what they wanted to get their Dad for Christmas and  are excited for him to open them. Brian and I had the chance to go to his work party, which was a dinner at the Roof (a fancy restaurant on the top floor of the Joesph Smith Memorial Building).  We had a good time and had very good food. The boys also got to preform with Grandma Val in a Christmas Choir concert.  It was a lot of fun to watch and I think they had a good time too!

Grandma and the gang

The kids preforming on stage.