Our Firstborn

My firstborn (in the wilderness, as Ephraim likes to add...well, he WAS born in Kentucky surrounded by lots of trees) has just turned four. Boy does time fly. Having children has changed our lives in so many ways. Gone are the days of last-minute movies at the theater, quiet, romantic dinners, and a clean house. Now we embrace Diego cartoons, cleaning up food from under the table, and lego injuries (have you ever stepped on one of those things?...ouch!). Eph and I were married for four years before we had kids and I can barely remember how easy we had it.

We no longer sleep in (Andy likes to run to our bedside at 6:30am shouting "It's the morning time...I want some chocolate milk"), we eat cheeseburgers at McDonalds instead of steak at Outback, and we find ourselves reading Llama Llama Red Pajama more frequently than the scriptures.

I remember fondly the day Eph and I welcomed this 9 lb 15 oz butterball into our lives.

I have loved watching him grow from a cherubic infant


To a fun and curious toddler


...and now into such a handsome, obedient little boy. I wouldn't have our lives any other way.

I don't put on birthday parties every year...so yesterday we grabbed a couple of neighborhood kids and took them to Jumpin' Jacks for a couple of hours. And then returned home for some cake and ice cream. Noah had the time of his life.

And thanks to Gma Nona and Gpa Randy for the Birthday Bikes. We now spend our days outside in 105 degree Southern Utah sunshine teaching our boys how to ride.


Happy Birthday Noah!...and bring on the next four years

I think we can handle it.

"Wookis"

Our "little" Lucas is rivaled by few and loved by many. At his two month checkup (which was one month ago...I'm so not on the ball), he weighed in at 14 lbs 6 oz and 24 1/4 inches long. That's 95th and 88th percentiles, respectively. And he doesn't show any signs of slowing down!

He has so far received many endearing nicknames: Hank the Tank (from the doctor), Chunky Monkey, Sweet Cheeks, and Wookis (as Andy calls him...we took the liberty to spell this phonetically).

He rounds off our family so well that Ephraim says we're done having kids.

We'll see about that.

Snackament Meeting

Maybe it's time to change our focus when my two-year-old refers to the first hour of church as "Snack"ament Meeting?

My Fathers

My husband is the best father I could ever ask for my children. And in the words of my children, this is why...

• He snuggles with us every day when he comes home from work
  
• He let us watch movies (that's why they never cried when I left for work)
  
• He has our blonde hair and blue eyes (remember, this is in the words of my children)
  
• He takes us in his car without car seats (hmmmm...)
• He has LOTS of muscles

I find it funny (but not surprising) that my children always cry for their father when they get hurt or are upset. I'm a red still working on the whole sympathy thing.

My dad...is the greatest example of love, laughter, generosity and kindness that I have ever known. I have many memories of growing up with my dad...riding with him and about four of my friends in his tiny little Fiero, accompanying him on speaking engagements, and watching him pull weeds from the garden in his suit and nice shoes...to name a few. My dad will probably never know how lucky I feel to be his daughter.


To my father-in-law and my grandfather... I count myself exceptionally lucky to have you in my life.

So You Think You can Dance?

One of the many fun times while visiting Ohio last week



And yes, Andy sustained another head injury in the fall

Come on...

Does anyone know how many times a kid can hit his head in the same spot and not experience some type of permanent damage?

Memorial Day

Memorial Day was a fabulous day. We spent the day eating yummy food with great family and friends and had lots of fun. But no holiday gathering is complete without an accident or two.

Poor Andy was the victim this time. Here's how it all played out...

Noah's thinking about the swing...


He's winding up...


And the swing... (notice Andy walking right into the bat)


Ouch! But he IS smiling. (the bruise on his head was from a few days earlier)