Catch Up

Wow!! Alot has and is happening. Like I've told a few people, I think my ear is about ready to fall off after having my cell phone glued to it for the past 3 weeks. We got a buyer for our home. They're closing on the 17th of this month. We found a new home! It's a short sale and for once that statement is correct. From the time we looked at it (right after getting our buyers ready to sign a contract) to preparing for closing it's been just shy of a month. We close tomorrow. What a leap of faith this has been seeing as we will be the owners of 2 residences for about 2 weeks!! Let me tell you, it has taken alot of prayer and faith to get to this point and I'm sure much more to come. We got a good deal though and the payments will be alot less. It needs some work, but nothing major. We'll just dabble away at it little by little until all is finished. But it needs a good paint job and we'll have to do that before we move in. That gives us about 9 days. Let me just say THANK YOU, THANK YOU to EVERYONE who has helped already or will be helping us paint, clean, watch children, feed us, move us, etc. We REALLY appreciate it!!!

As for these pictures, there are a few of Halloween and just some random ones that have been on my camera for a long time now.

Something funny to mention: When we took the kids out trick or treating we stopped by a neighbors home who invited us in for a moment to give the kids their goodies. After receiving his treat Sam could see that there were still extras on this neighbors counter and was saying "but there's still other candy over there!" We told him that the other candy was for other trick or treaters and then asked him what we would say if the other kids came and there was no more candy left for them because he had taken it all. He titled his head back so he could get a good look at us from under his lion hood and matter-of-a-factly said "Sorry.......no candy!!"

Little witch, red riding hood, pep squad and fuzzy lion.

Li Li and Keeks first time eating at the table (didn't last long!).

Blankets I made for the kiddos for our trip to California just before Thanksgiving.

Little Boys

Me: "It stinks in here, Sammy, have you been tooting?"

Sam: "I did not! Maybe it was a skunk!!"

Me: "Yes, a skunk named Sammy!"

Sam: "I did not toot!"

Me: "How would a skunk get in here anyway?"

Sam: "Maybe he busted in here with a saw!" (As he demonstrates for me with his arm and a sheepish grin on his face)

Gardner Village

On Saturday my SIL, MIL and I took the kids to Gardner Village to see all the witches they place around the shops. The kids enjoyed it and got to pick out a couple of candy sticks for 20 cents each at Sweet Afton's. It was a warm day and it felt so nice to be out in the sunshine. There were lots of great places to take pictures and I got some good ones of my kids.

My niece Charlotte is a cutie!!

Luke pushed the ladies around for a few minutes.

I think Kaylee got some sunscreen in her eyes when she rubbed her face, poor thing!

Auntie Heather holding the injured Kaylee.

I LOVE this picture of Abby, I just wish she hadn't been wearing the watch.

Sam looks like a little ladies man!!

Isn't this the sweetest picture of Abby and her cousin Brooke?

Little miss Kaylee standing on her tiptoes while Leah looks on.

Leah found a pumpkin.

Life Lately

Well, lets see.............

Paul had his birthday yesterday complete with roast and mashed potatoes and pecan pie sans the corn syrup. Tried a new recipe and it turned out good I thought. He liked it too so it was a win, win. He didn't officially get anything from me for his big day except my home cooking. We're saving up for him to buy a GPS.

Kaylee took her very first steps last night!! Maybe I should say step since it was about one and a half of them, but still, we're making progress. Leah shouldn't be far behind since the girls tend to see one or the other doing something and eventually do the same. Kaylee is also our little puppy dog. She "begs", crawls around with things in her mouth and barks. She's also learned how to moo like a cow and she likes to climb up whatever she can. I've found her on the ladder to the bunk beds, the kids small rocking chair, the kitchen step stool and I even caught her trying to get a leg up to her highchair. She is also the more aggressive one who is more apt to bite and pull out her sisters hair.

Leah is talking up a storm. Mostly things I can't understand but her favorite word for several weeks now is "Hi". She says it all the time while waving and grinning. I've heard her mimic the words down and here several times. She's good at using her little pointer finger and has learned to point at the floor when she wants to get down. She is also standing up on her own now even though she hasn't attempted to take any steps yet, but she will take a wide stance and then with her knees partly bent she will start bouncing up and down. It's pretty funny to watch. She is also a back patter and when her daddy chases after her she will crawl towards him whereas Kaylee will crawl away from him.

Sam is being Sam of course. Saying all kinds of things that I often laugh at and think is cute but then forget because I don't write them down quickly enough. I'll have to be better at that.

Abby is doing well in school. She likes her teacher and just finished up her first book report last week. She's still reading all the time and has become a very good helper to me.

Things are busy around here. Paul has been working alot of extra hours on a side job for several months now which should be almost complete. I miss him and the time we get to spend together as a family. I can't wait for it to be finished. I'm just trying to get through the day to day with the kids. Well, that's it for now.

"My turn"


"Aww"


"Wait a second, I've been gypped!"


Daddy says: "Repeat after me; sharing is good, sharing is fun!"

Hilarious!!

Totally unplanned, but seriously funny!!!

Play Ball

A few weekends ago Paul's work hosted their summer party at Lindquist Field in Ogden. After free hot dogs and hamburgers we sat down to watch the Raptors baseball game (the kids very first). After about 1/2 an hour of pretty slow action we started getting the "I'm bored" comments and very restless, bawling babies. We held them off for a few more minutes with the free ice cream bars and then decided to leave. We stopped at 7 Eleven for Slurpee's on the way home. We're such awesome parents!!! Ice cream AND Slurpee's together, in one night, in a matter of an hour!!

First Day of School

Yesterday was Abby's first day of 3rd grade. She has Mr. Woodbury and he seems nice enough. She came home from the first day saying she liked school but that she didn't like riding the bus. I guess they have assigned seats and when she was sitting towards the back of the bus the 4th and 5th graders told her only they could sit there. Her good friend Emma was already sitting by 3 other friends so she felt like she had nowhere to sit. Hopefully today will go better. She is such a bright little girl and loves to learn and to read.

It's our 10 year anniversary today!! The photographer we hired for our wedding told us that when 10 years had passed he would give us the negatives to our photos for free. I remember Paul saying just a short time ago how back then he thought ten years seemed so long and now it is already here. We have a house and a yard to take care of along with 4 kids!!!

We've had some hard times. A job loss, medical problems, premature babies, car troubles and building of houses to name a few. But we've also had many good times and we are blessed to have the gospel in our lives. I believe that is why we have been able to weather the hard times when they have come and will come.

I'm lucky to have Paul in my life. He loves me for who I am even though I can be cranky and stubborn sometimes. A day almost never goes by without him telling me I'm beautiful. Here's to 10 more years and then some!!

These pictures are of our growing family. They start with the most recent and go all the way back to our engagement photos. Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did.

Scott and Savannah hosted a potluck and a water party. It was alot of fun. Thanks you guys!!!