easter sunday

I am pretty sure I attended enough church this Easter to warrant next Easter off...can't wait!!!

Though, I did find the trick for getting a semi decent picture with Dax...stick him in the crux of a tree...and he can't move...brilliant!

neighborhood bbq

To be quite honest I had been dreading this picnic for a while.  I am not one for meeting new people...going out of my comfort zone...making conversation.  But, Owen is on the HOA board and was part of making this 1st annual BBQ happen.  And it was a blast!  I met lots of wonderful people and enjoyed everyone of my conversations thoroughly...the kids made new friends...and I did too!

I guess I should go out of my comfort zone more often...we'll see...

I need one of these blow up slides/jumping things for my backyard...the kids were completely entertained the WHOLE 4+ hours we were there.

baptism day

I LOVE baptisms.

  

They were always one of my favorite things to attend when I was in the primary presidency...and now, it was my own daughter.  It was a day filled with so many mixed emotions...stress, joy, anxiety, pride, stress, love and more stress.  I had so many expectations for this beautiful day...and if I had to do the day over I would change SO many things...except one...the feeling that came over me as Taryn walked down into the baptismal font.  As I looked at her and her father together in the water...I fought back the tears...I was overcome with the spirit, an undenying feeling that He lives and loves me and my family...and I am SO lucky to believe, to KNOW, that I am a daughter of God who has been blessed SO greatly.

So forget everything else...all that petty stuff...it is not important anyway!

 

Isn't she beautiful??

Unfortunately, amidst everything going on...this is one of 3 pictures Owen took, I took none.  So if anyone has some they might have snapped...please share!!

a fun filled fabulous day

A super special birthday calls for a super special day...so that is just what we did and we enjoyed every minute of it together!

We started early in the morning with an amazing horse ride.  Taryn has been begging to ride a horse.  So this was the perfect occasion.  We are forever indebted to Aaron who pulled out all the stops for Taryn and took on a beautiful ride through the mountains. This was a first for me as well and I was surprised how much I loved it.

 

The views from the mountain were beautiful...

 

Taryn was a natural on the horse as well, she caught on quickly what to do and was pro in no time.  She took the hills up and down (which was a little scary) in stride.  I was so impressed with how calm and in control she was the whole time.  When we got back from the trail ride she got the horse running, well maybe trotting fast, around the ring and couldn't stop laughing.  She was having the time of her life and did not want to get off.  Her smile never left her face...until I made her get off the horse.  It was the perfect way to start this wonderful day!  Thanks again Aaron!

That afternoon, after our fun horse adventure, we picked up Taryn's friend, Hannah, and Drake and went to As You Wish, a pottery painting place.  The kids were in heaven and could have stayed there ALL day...though I don't think my bank account could have handled that.  They made super cute projects and we left with Drake planning his birthday trip to As You Wish.

After Drake's football game we had cake and ice cream and opened presents. 

It was one fun, fabulous day!!!

can it be??

My baby is 8!!!

Eight years ago, Taryn came to us unexpectedly a month early and we were not even close to prepared for what would come with her...the love, the joy, the admiration, the smiles, the laughter and her overall sweet special spirit.  Eight years later, none of that has changed and each day we learn and grow from our beautiful daughter that our precious Heavenly Father has entrusted to us.  It does seem quite overwhelming at times...but much of me believes she is here to help me learn and grow as much as I am here to teach her.

Taryn is our number one helper, she is always racing to help...though the ulterior motive of being "first" helps a little, but it is the thought that counts right? She will often come and ask me what she can do to help, whether it be making dinner, playing with Dax or Hadyn, or cleaning the playroom.  Some days I know I couldn't make it through without her. 

Taryn has such a special spirit that is hard to not feel.  She loves her Heavenly Father and loves to learn about him.  She is always the first to remind us if we didn't have family prayers, scriptures or FHE.  She remembers everything she is taught and can find ways to apply it in her life and share with her family and friends, a true example.  I heard her the other day talking to her good friend asking her if she wanted to "choose the right" because that is what Jesus would do and she wants to be like Jesus.  She then said to her friend "Don't you want to be like Jesus too?"  She also always has the most thoughtful FHE lessons and will always help Drake with his.  Those are some of my favorite moments, learning from my innocent children.  Why can't they stay this way? There is a reason we are told to be like little children...sweet, innocent, and full of a desire to do everything good.

Taryn also loves anything to do with art.  Coloring, drawing, creating anything, she loves it all...just ask her she will let you know she is an artist.  She also has begun to take an interest in interior design and picking out things with me...a girl after my own heart!

We are so grateful for Taryn for her wonderful example and desire to be good.  We couldn't ask for a better big sister, daughter and friend. 

Happy Birthday Bunky!!!  We love you!! 

those hard decisions in life...

What to wear?  How do you decide?  Especailly when you have SO many favorites?

Why decide?  Wear them all.  Hadyn has on 3 dresses and then her pajamas underneath...if only all decisions could be that simple.

and some more animals

Owen, Hadyn, Dax and I accompanied Drake on his field trip to the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium.  It was a definately a fun filled day, though I really just enjoyed having Owen with me.  This is not something he usually can do...but maybe (hopefully) things are changing...I guess only time will tell.  For now we will take what we can get.

Drake LOVED touching the stingrays...it was hard dragging him away from this exhibit.

And Hadyn was all about walking away from mom...oh, and the fish.  

I personally loved the zebras...I am pretty sure it is just because zebra print is so IN right now...is it weird that all I saw when I looked at the animals were patterns and designs?

Our fun group of boys...

so to sum it up...

lots of kids

lots of animals

lots of fun.

i almost wanted to take one home

I had been dying to take my kids to see my friend Tara's baby goats...especially after seeing how she pretty much delivered them.  I pretty much fell in love...okay maybe not so much with the goats (though they were dang cute) but with how much Taryn LOVED the baby goats...she couldn't get enough.  She cried the whole way home...begging for a goat.  I thought about it...for a minute.

Drake loved the goats too...I think he mostly loved chasing them...

and Hadyn just LOVED the goats "playground" she was like a little kid in heaven...no pun intended.

Thank you so much Tara and Cheryl for sharing your animals with us...and your goat's milk...mmmmmm good!!!!

i guess it wasn't meant to be...

So much for my SUPER cute outfits and the PERFECT setting...this was the only one worth posting...because it is classic Hadyn.  Maybe in 10 years my kids will cooperate...I really don't understand why Julia doesn't LOVE group shots...

my little mermaid

Isn't she cute...

the big "one"

You would think by now I would be prepared...that I would realize that time doesn't stop for anyone, for any child...but somehow, I am again amazed how time flies...and amazed my baby is already ONE!

Dax came into the world as my biggest baby at 9lbs 15oz and hasn't stopped growing since.  He is now a healthy 25lbs wearing all of Drake's old 2T clothes...and I didn't think I planned this well.  I couldn't love his cute, stocky, football build body anymore.  I love sweeping him in my arms and give him the  biggest squeezes I can...no worries about breaking this kid.

All of my kids are full of personality...and Dax is no exception.  He is full of energy, determination, laughter, love and smiles.  He doesn't stop for anything or anyone.  Being number four...being tough is a given.  He is wrestled, chased, pulled, pushed, dragged, and dropped.  You name it, it has happened and it doesn't phase him one bit.

  Dax took his first steps at 10 months and mastered walking 3 weeks later...he is one of my later walkers (only Taryn walked later - at 12 months), but not surprising, since he was happy crawling on hands and feet since 5 months...my little monkey.  He also scaled his first 8 foot ladder at 10 months, that was exciting!

Dax LOVES to be outside...that may be an understatment.  He will stand at the door and cry until you open it, and anytime he is upset all you need to do is bring him outside and he is happy again.  His face just lights up, he gets so excited, he can hardly contain himself.  He has mastered our swing set, up the ladder and down the slide...so I don't worry so much anymore when he is out there without me.   Dax is also a fish in the water...we took him swimming in my parents hot tub and he couldn't sit still swimming back and forth between my dad and me.  He quickly learned to hold is breath when he went under and was loving the pool...it will make for an interesting summer.

His smile and laugh are infectious, and something I don't think I could live without.  They both can change my mood in an instant.  We may torture him a little too much with tickling...but how can you resist that laugh?

His first few months of life were pretty rough...but he has made up for it all, he is the light of our life, he is adored, cherished, and loved by all of us...and I wouldn't trade ANY of it for an instant.

Happy 1st Birthday Bubba!

the celebrations

I should also know by now that things never go the way you plan...but yet again, a lesson I have failed to learn.

We started the fun day off with yummy pancakes...including a special "one" for our birthday boy...

...which he thoroughly enjoyed.  End of the successes for the day.

We next headed to Build-A-Bear before naps...Dax chose a super cute fluffy dog and was more happy with it not stuffed than stuffed.

Most people kiss the heart...in true Dax fashion...his goes in his mouth...

washing his new puppy...and the melt down begins...it is nap time

We skip everything else...take a quick picture and head home for naps.

  Thanks to Julia for filling me on the great Build-a-Bear secret.  You can bring your old bears/animals in anytime and they can wash them, brush them and they will give you a new box to bring them home in...nothing like free fun!

After naps we did cake and presents...after singing Happy Birthday, I looked away for a second and turned back to see Dax putting the candle out with his hand...and that was the end of that fun!

A little ice and water for the hand and he wanted NOTHING to do with the cake.

We tried again 20 minutes later...he was a little into it, but, still unhappy.  He didn't care much about the presents or anything else going on...so much for all the cute pictures I envisioned... 

Next time we will start and end with the birthday pancake and call it good.

addicted...

understand why?

mean mom??

Drake does not sleep in his bed.  I am not even sure why he has a bed...I can probably count on one hand the number of nights he has slept there.  He would rather sleep on the floor in his sisters' room then in his bed.  In an effort to make it less appealing I have told him he can sleep in there with ONE pillow and ONE blanket, that he has to bring in and put away himself.  This night he said he didn't want a blanket.  This is what I found when I went to check on them before I went to bed. 

I will never understand (nor would I have EVER even thought of the idea) how sleeping in a pillowcase is more comfortable than sleeping in your own bed. 

 Oh, to be a kid again.

my two cute little babies

Aren't they precious??

Don't ever say your 3 year old will never drink out of a bottle...I did...look what it got me.