Live In The Moment

Star Student-EMILY

2012-02-13T14:41:00.002-06:00

In January, Emmy was chosen to be Star Student for her class. She was so excited and eager to help make her poster. In Utah, we were able to find some fun things for her poster to celebrate her.

She was thrilled to show off her fabulous pink poster, that had hearts and showed all of her favorite things and people!
Emmy listed some of her favorite things on her poster which included cooking, Halloween, Tasty Treats, soccer, books, nail polish, sleep overs, Lake Powell, the beach, school, park, art, flip flops, 4th of July and going to Utah. Also, on the poster there were pictures about her being a big sister which is a fact that Emmy LOVES. There were also pictures of our family, her and Ben (since they are twins) and Emmy when she was a cute baby!

Once again, it was so fun to go through her pictures to find the perfect ones to celebrate our sweet Emmy. We are so lucky to have her in our family!

Star Student-BEN

2012-02-12T12:58:00.003-06:00

In November, Ben was the start student at his school. Being a star student at school means you have many responsibilities like holding the flag for the pledge of allegiance, being the line leader, and being the first person to do things. Ben was very excited for his turn to be the star student. Also, for Ben's special thing, Brandon went to preschool and talked about the eye and being an optometrist. Both Ben and Emmy thought it was awesome to have their dad come to school.

I put together a poster for Ben to take to school to spotlight him and the sweet boy that he is.

The main thing that he wanted on his poster was when he went to the Ole' Miss and BYU football game with my dad. Also on the poster was Halloween, fishing, soccer, school, beach, Redbirds baseball, Lake Powell, the park, cars, going to Utah, books and games. I also put on pictures of Ben as a baby,, him and Emmy since they are twins and our family. Of course, I had to use yellow since it is one of his favorite colors (along with black). I was very happy with the poster and how it turned out. It was fun to do to spotlight our Ben!

Santa Came to Memphis

2012-02-11T16:15:00.004-06:00

The kids were thrilled to come home to Memphis and see the bikes and scooters that Santa left for them here. Hyrum has loved his bike and Ben and Emmy think they are pretty awesome on their scooters! The kids also had fun opening the awesome presents they received from their cousins in Colorado. Hyrum, Ben and Emmy were thrilled with the result!!

Utah Wrap-Up

2012-02-03T14:32:00.008-06:00

We had a fabulous time in Utah! We played hard and had fun!Lucy got in many Grandma N. snuggles. Grandma N. could get the biggest smiles out of Lucy.Hyrum had a mini school lesson by Grandma N. They both were in heaven!Papa took the kids to an awesome Mater Truck that was close by.Emmy worked on projects and got her nails done by Millie.The kids enjoyed playing with their Christmas Presents The kids made their Christmas trees Grandma T. sent.The kids had their traditional sleep over at Sean and Tracy's!Lucy had her fist bath in a big tub with Papa (he wore his swimsuit) and LOVED it!Lucy was full of smiles and laughs. She loved being held by everyone.We played games and read lots of books!It was a great trip to Utah and we loved every minute!

BYU Cougars and Yogurt Land

2012-02-01T17:09:00.004-06:00

One of the things the boys LOVED on the trip to Utah was going to the BYU basketball games with their Papa, Sean and Brandon. From what I heard they had a great time going to the game and really got into cheering for the team. Also, Papa treated the boys to a hot dog at the game, which they thought was AWESOME!!
While we were there in Utah, the boys watched the BYU bowl game with Papa and Brandon. Hyrum was so disappointed. He brought his BYU flag to take to the BYU games and forgot about it until the day before we left (which was when he was watching the BYU bowl game). I told him that he could hold his flag during the football game if he wanted to, he wasn't wild about the idea, but he decided that it was better than nothing. Hyrum got pretty upset when he thought that BYU might lose, but he soon became ecstatic when the cougars won.

While the boys were at the games, Emmy would go on wonderful trips to Yogurt Land with the girls. Yogurt Land is a wonderful place with yogurt and delicious toppings that you can pile high to make for a tasty treat. Plus, the best thing about yogurt land is that you get to eat the yogurt with a PINK spoon. Yes, those spoons came home with us and Emmy thinks they are fantastic. Yeah, nothing gets better than that.

Bowling and Kangaroo Zoo

2012-02-01T11:26:00.004-06:00

Two fun things we did during our time here in Utah was to go bowling and Kangaroo Zoo with some friends from my parents ward. The kids really enjoyed bowling. Ben lost focus after awhile and would have rather played the race car arcade game. Emmy I think was in heaven just to be playing with a girl . Hyrum could have played all day. He thought he was a pro since they did bowling in P.E. It was so cute to how excited he would get when he had a great frame. It is definitely something we will be doing again soon as a family.

Our trip to Utah wouldn't have been complete without some time spent at Kangaroo Zoo. The kids love it there and always have a great time.

New Year's Eve

2012-02-01T10:56:00.007-06:00

We were able to celebrate New Year's Eve at Mindy's house. Doesn't little Lucy look adorable in her leggings/skirt that Tracy and Sean gave her for Christmas! Like always, we have a fantastic time. There is always good food to eat, tons of people to play games and talk with. Since this year was the year of the dragon, Mindy had crafts out for people to make their own dragon. Emmy loved making her dragon with the cousins. The boys loved playing nintendo games with the boys. Lucy was content to be passed around and admired. We celebrated New Years a little early(if I remember correctly 9). Brandon picked up some fireworks at a local stand to do with everyone. The kids loved it, but I think Brandon probably enjoyed the fireworks most of all! It was a great night and the perfect way to end our trip to Utah.

Lucy at Three Months

2012-01-30T15:25:00.013-06:00

At the beginning of January, our sweet Lucy Lu turned 3 months old. The pictures of her in her blue onesie were taken on her actual birthday.

I can't believe how quick time has passed. Around her 3 month birthday, Lucy went to the doctor and she weighed over 15 lbs! Everyone who sees Lucy comments on how chubby her little cheeks are. However, it is her thighs that I think are the chubbiest and are so cute.Lucy is starting to lose some of her sweet hair. She has a ring of baldness around the sides and a toupee on the top. It also looks as if she has some red in her hair.Lucy LOVES having a bath. She has graduated to the big girl tub and she loves the extra room to kick, splash and push off.Lucy HATES tummy time and will only last a few minutes. This one doesn't surprise me, not one of my kids enjoyed tummy time.
Lucy tries to pull herself up when you hold her hands. She is actually pretty strong for her age (always has been).Lucy loves to stand and look around at everything. Lucy has also started to enjoy her bumbo chair and tells me stories while I do the dishes or make dinner.About the end of December, Lucy found her hands and they have been in her mouth ever since.
Lucy's first tooth poked through on January 23rd. She had been drooling a lot and a little cranky so I decided to investigate her mouth and found a tooth coming in on the top. I was shocked since she is a little young to be getting a tooth. However, my mother informed me that I was about her age when I got my first tooth.The kids still LOVE Lucy and are always telling me how grand they think she is and how much they LOVE her. Emmy still asks me quite often if she can hold her. Emmy also insisted the other day, when we were at the library, that we needed to check out some books for Lucy. One day in January, Hyrum was so excited to come home from school and "play" with Lucy. Lucy loves watching the kids play and run back and forth.

Lucy has really grown in her hand-eye coordination and loves to play with her toys. She is getting really good at swinging them around.Just the other day, Brandon got Lucy to giggle for the first time by bringing her toes to her face. She loves it when I raise her arms and tickle her sides. She does more grunting than giggling it seems. Lucy also likes it when I kiss her feet just like Emmy did.I love Lucy's big blue eyes.I love how Lucy smiles so big when she sees me. I love her little coos and stories she tells me. I love snuggling with her when she is fast asleep. Lucy wears, just barely, 3-6 month clothes and could use size 3 diapers, but we are finishing up the last few of the size twos. Nighttime, after the other kids go to sleep, is Lucy time. Brandon and I sit and play with Lucy from about 8 to 10 every night. It is the time when Lucy gets most of her baths since it is so much easier to bathe her without an audience. It is the time when we focus on just her and we love it. It is fun to see Brandon to sit down and just play with her for awhile. It is our Lucy time.

Lucy will sometime sleep from 11 to 6 or 10 to 5 at night, but most of the time, she gets up around 3 or 4 to eat.I am so lucky to be Lucy's mom. She is my angel. I love her beautiful smile. I love gazing into her eyes and smothering her face with kisses. I love to tickle my hair in her face. I love her heavenly fat rolls. I love how she leans her head against mine when I hold her. If Lucy had her way, she would be held all day.I love how Lucy will stop eating and smile and talk to me for a little bit and then go back to eating. I am so in love with her and pray that time slows down with my sweet Lucy.

Lights at Temple Square

2012-01-25T22:37:00.003-06:00

Visiting temple square was one of the fun things we did while we were visiting Utah. The kids have been asking to go and visit this temple for awhile. My parents, Sean and Tracy, our family and Millie all went together one night. It wasn't too cold that evening and other than being really packed, it was a fun night. Like always, the lights were beautiful. Brandon and I got our picture taken close to the spot where he asked me to marry him nine years ago. The kids loved the live Nativity at temple square that lights up as music is played. Also, it was interesting to see all the sights and sounds and talk about the symbolism of the structure of the temple. It was a fun night and a great addition to our trip to Utah.

Lucy's Blessing

2012-01-25T15:18:00.001-06:00

Lucy Louise was blessed on Christmas Day, by her father. I will never forget the sweet spirit that surrounded this special event in her life. As I was dressing her in her white dress I was so overcome with this spirit that this adorable blue eyed baby was the answer to the prayers and tears that I offered up to our Father in Heaven. While I was dressing Lucy, she was so happy. She cooed and talked and gave me the biggest smiles while I was getting her dressed. It was almost as if she knew it was a special day.
It was so touching for me to see all the men from our families who were there that came up to help give Lucy a name and a blessing. It was such an overwhelming sight.Lucy received such a beautiful blessing given by Brandon. Among other things, the blessing encouraged her to listen and learn how to follow the promptings of the spirit. Brandon also mentioned in the blessing about how much she is loved; especially by her mother. Lucy was also instructed to turn to the men in the circle for guidance during her life.Brandon's sister Lorri and her family came down from Kaysville for the blessing. We were so happy to have them there.After a quick stop at my parents house to change, we went to Lana's house to continue on our Christmas celebration. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to attend and support our family.

3 Generations 4 Generations

We missed having Brandon's parents with us for the blessing.

It was an amazing day!

Christmas Morning

2012-01-24T14:41:00.010-06:00

The kids woke up so excited Christmas morning. We met in my parents room to have prayer as a family before we went and saw what Santa brought everyone. Of course we lined up youngest to oldest before we could go out and see. We also sent Grandma N. and Nate out to find some seats to watch all the action.

As the kids came into the living room the shouted "HOLY COW!!" First the kids went to check out their stockings and see what Santa brought them. The kids were spoiled and received some awesome things from Santa. Ben and Emmy were so excited to finally have Angry birds like Hyrum. Ben and Emmy also received a watches from Santa. Hyrum found some Beyblades by his stocking and some other fun things. Both of the boys received Nerf Guns and Emmy received a barbie among other fun things.

Of course my kids received some books for Christmas that they instatly started to read.
The boys loved their BYU ties.
Grandma N. gave Emmy and Lucy some cute dolls for Christmas.
Grandma N. gave the boys some awesome hot wheels, Cars 2 games and toy banks that they can use to keep track of their money (the banks have been a big hit around here).The kids received a variety of fun movies from everyone. Some of them included Lion King, Cars 2, and Bambi.

Emmy stacked all of her's and Lucy's presents (she could tell by the wrapping paper). Emmy was so excited to show Lucy all her presents when Lucy woke up.Lucy joined us about three-fourths of the way through the present opening and was able to enjoy some of her presents. She received her bow and bracelet that she would wear for her blessing as well as hippo pillow pet, cute clothes and some fun rattles for Christmas Brandon and I were completely spoiled this year and received so many fun presents. I think Brandon's favorite was the Puerto Rico game I gave him.

Hyrum was so excited to pass out his artwork (that is on a magnet) to everyone. The kids also gave Millie and Tracy some gum. Papa received some blueberry pancake mixes from the kids. We gave my mom an 8 by 11 collage of pictures from the year and some special treats. Camille, Sean and Tracy and Brandon and I pitched in to get my dad a kindle which I heard he has really been enjoying. We gave Sean, Grandma N. and Nate some gift cards for the itune store.The kids are so cute when passing all their gifts out and always so excited to give.

One of the best presents of the day was when Sean received a wipe warmer from someone in Tracy's family for Christmas. We all got a good laugh out of that one.The kids received some fun binoculars from Millie.The boys received Monster Trucks from Sean and Tracy. Emmy received lotion and hand sanitizer and other girly things that she loves from Sean and Tracy. Emmy also received the "kissing picture" from Sean and Tracy's wedding that she has loved from the moment she saw it. The picture is now affectionately next to her bed. Lucy received wipes from Millie and an adorable skirt with pants from Sean and Tracy.The kids found their note from Santa telling them that he left Hyrum's awesome bike and Ben and Emmy's sweet scooters at our home in Memphis since it would be too hard to bring home on the airplane. The kids thought that was pretty awesome!The boys received an awesome race car track and another cool car toy that they have loved!Emmy has loved the Polly Pockets she got from my parents.Emmy was so excited for her big sister shirt and Lucy's little sister shirt. Emmy also thinks her soccer shirt is pretty awesome!It was a wonderful Christmas morning. I haven't done the amazing day justice and I am sure I left off some things. After we opened presents we then went to church where Lucy was blessed and enjoyed a Christmas Sacrament meeting. Next, we went to Lana's for the traditional Christmas Breakfast and then to my Grandma's house. It was a wonderful fun filled Christmas day.

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-01-23T10:08:00.007-06:00

I love Christmas Eve. There is always so much excitement and anticipation in the air. This past Christmas Eve was no different. For Christmas Eve my mom made a delicious dinner and wonderful dessert for all of us to enjoy. Grandma N. and Nate, my mom's brother, were there to celebrate with us. After dinner, the kids opened up their traditional Christmas Eve presents of pajamas. Emmy was so in love with her Hello Kitty night gown and slippers. She looked so cute. The boys received BYU pajama pants that my mom made for them. As you can tell by the pictures they thought that the pants were AWESOME! Lucy wore her Santa Loves Me Sleeper that she received earlier in the month. After everyone was in their pajamas, my dad starting reading the story of the birth of Jesus Christ from the scriptures. Everyone had a part to play. Lucy was baby Jesus, Hyrum a donkey, Emmy was Mary, Ben was Joseph, Tracy was an Angel, Sean and Camille was a shepherds and I think my mom, Nate and Grandma were the wisemen. I must say that I love hearing my dad read the story of Jesus. Ben and Emmy sang their Silent Night in Sign Language to finish the spiritual side of the night.
To end the night, the kids finished decorating their cookies for Santa. The kids were so cute as they went to bed that night. Excitement was in the air!

Pedicures

2012-01-22T19:17:00.001-06:00

On Christmas Eve, all the girls went to get our nails done! It is such a fun tradition that every time I go to Utah to visit my family, the girls go and get pedicures. Of course since Emmy came with the girls to get her nails painted when we went home in June, so she knew she would be able to go this time too. Emmy once again loved picking out the colors for her toe nails and finger nails painted. She picked green with red polka dots for her fingers and red with green polka dots for her toes.She was in heaven! After she was finished she had to come and check out what everyone else was having done. My grandma N. came as well and got her finger nails painted. It was such a fun morning to spend time with just the girls! Thanks again mom!

Grandma's Santa Party

2012-01-20T14:04:00.004-06:00

Every year my Grandma B. hosts a Santa party. This year, we were lucky enough to attend the highly anticipated evening. To start off, there are many different games for the kids to play while we wait for everyone to arrive. You can always find a friend to play with. Lucy was passed around and shown off since for many people, this was their first time seeing her. Lucy is 2.5 months in these pictures.Grandma N. was able to make it to the party.Lucy was wearing her Christmas dress for the year since on Christmas Sunday she would be blessed and in her special gown. Next, we have a fun dinner of pizza and other yummy food to eat. Then we gather around and sing Christmas carols in the living room. While we were singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Santa came bursting through the door.

Each of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren (who aren't married) are called up to sit on Santa's lap. Santa makes sure to tell a fun little tidbit about you before you can receive a fun bag from him. Emmy was scared to death and turned a deep red shade, but she was brave and able to get her present. Her eyes were as large as saucers while Santa was talking to her. I was so bummed her picture turned out blurry.Both Ben and Hyrum loved being called up to sit on Santa's lap.Even Grandma and Grandpa received a special gift from Santa.It is always such a fun night that puts a huge smile on my face. It was so much fun to be able to spend some time with the family.

Gingerbread Houses

2012-01-20T00:40:00.000-06:00

One of the fun things that we did in Utah was that we made gingerbread houses together. Everyone was divided up into teams. Ben and Papa were a team. Tracy and Emmy were a team. Sean, Hyrum and Millie were a team. Everyone was very creative using the candy to decorate their houses.
Cute Lucy was there to supervise.
Grandma N. was the judge and decided that everyone did a fantastic job and that it was a tie. Emmy and Tracy worked on their house for a very long time making sure they covered every square inch. This activity was right up Emmy's alley. All the houses turned out very cute and were fun to snack on through out our visit.

Lucy's First Bath Given by Grandma-Great

2012-01-17T14:40:00.004-06:00

In my family, all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren receive at least one bath from Grandma B. Little Lucy was no exception. While visiting Utah, during the Christmas season, we made a point to make sure to schedule a time at Grandma's spa for Lucy to get a bath. On December 20th Lucy was bathed by Grandma-Great (also known as the Hot Chocolate grandma in our house). Lucy was pretty good for her bath and enjoyed getting all lathered up and snuggled. After her bath, she fell fast asleep being snuggled by Grandma-Great. It was a great afternoon.

Early Christmas

2012-01-17T14:10:00.005-06:00

Since we went to Utah for Christmas, we had a little Christmas of our own right before we left. We exchanged gifts for each other. The kids were so excited and so cute as they were picking out and wrapping their gifts for one another. I loved the cute drawings that they drew for each other for Christmas. The kids were so cute and thrilled to show Lucy the presents they picked out for her.
The kids were excited about their presents from us. Hyrum received a bat. Ben was given a basketball and Emmy a princess barbie. The kids gave Brandon movies and I think candy canes. I gave Brandon a muffin pan. Brandon gave me a nice stand mixer that I have been enjoying. It was a great night.

Ben and Emmy's Christmas Program

2012-01-11T09:43:00.009-06:00

On December 14th Ben and Emmy's preschool did the cutest little Christmas Program.

Isn't she beautiful?

Everyone had a part to learn. Both Emmy and Ben did a fantastic job. You could tell Emmy was a little nervous but she did a fantastic job. The kids also sang fun Christmas songs. Once again, I love how you can hear my little kids singing their hearts out. They are so cute. They love their teacher Miss Lisa. She does such a great job teaching the kids. They also had a fun time making a cute gingerbread houses and a countdown chain for Christmas among other fun things. Both Ben and Emmy are so smart and love going to school.

Top 11 in 2011

2012-01-10T13:55:00.002-06:00

Before it is too much past the beginning of the year, I thought I would recap the year 2011 for our family. We had an amazing year!

1. First off, very soon into the year we found out, that after much prayer, that we were finally pregnant with our fourth child. We were so excited
2. We did many fun things as a family this year. We went to Nashville, saw the flooding of the Mississippi, went to the botanical gardens among other fun family activities.
3. We went to Utah for part of the summer and had a blast. Like always, the highlight of the trip is going to Lake Powell . Sean and Tracy got married in the Boise temple in June.
4. We were able to go to Texas for Thanksgiving and to Utah for Christmas.
5. I think one of the favorite things for our family is when my dad came to visit in September and we all went to the Ole' Miss and BYU football game. My kids still talk about it.
6. We moved to a new house. It is only the 7th move in our marriage
7. Brandon and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.
8. Ben and Emmy turned 5!
9. Hyrum turned 7!
10 Brandon graduated from Optometry school!
11. Sweet Lucy Lu was born into our family!

We had an awesome year!

Ward Christmas Party

2012-01-07T21:19:00.003-06:00

One of the fun things we were able to go to in December was the ward Christmas party. It was fun to talk with the other members from the ward. The kids always have fun playing with all the other kids. The primary kids sand some cute Christmas songs at the party. I love that Ben sings loud and proud. Emmy and Hyrum were also cute up there singing. Afterwards, the kids were able to go and see Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Ben said a monster truck or hot wheels. Emmy said she wanted a Barbie. Emmy still gets a little nervous around Santa. I can't remember what Hyrum said he wanted. Lucy's first experience with Santa. She wasn't a fan. It was a fun addition to our Christmas celebrations.

Miss Holiday 2011

2012-01-07T13:55:00.006-06:00

What type of Christmas season would it be if we didn't have the annual Miss Holiday party. Once again, my friends Whitney and Randi went all out. There was fabulous food, a white elephant ornament exchange, a runway for everyone to work their stuff, a flash mob and great friends. I have so many awesome and amazing ladies out here who I am friends with. Miss Holiday this year was the one and only Whitney AKA Elf on the Shelf! Santa Baby was Heather BaHumbug was Randi and the Chipmunks also won a category. I was going for the ugly sweater category, but it just wasn't meant to be.
It was such a great night that was full of laughs.

Christmas Fun

2012-01-05T09:29:00.007-06:00

Over the month of December we did many fun Christmas related things.

One of the things we did was that we wrote letters to Santa. Each of the kids wrote their own letter to Santa telling Santa what they would like for Christmas. Ben was so funny. He went and got his shirt that has a silly list to Santa on it and copied the shirt for his letter to Santa. On the other side he drew the things that we wanted from Santa.Emmy wanted to draw pictures of what she wanted for Christmas. She drew a scooter, an angry bird, a barbie and a flower pillow pet.Hyrum wanted a stuffed dog, a stuffed puppy and a stuffed kitty for Christmas. Ben said he wanted an angry bird for Christmas.
We started a new Christmas tradition by having an elf on the shelf.
We started a new little activity in our family called the ELF on the Shelf. Here is the story that goes along with it: "Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who is naughty and who is nice? The Elf on the Shelf – A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa know who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. This interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition is perfect for children and families of all ages.

The tradition begins when Santa sends his scout elves out to Elf Adoption Centers. Waiting for their families to bring them home, these patient elves hibernate until their family reads The Elf on the Shelf, gives their elf a very special name, and registers their adoption online. Once named, each scout elf will receive its Christmas magic and become a part of the family’s Christmas each and every year.

Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa. Taking in all the day-to-day activities around the house, no good deed goes unnoticed; these scout elves take their job seriously.

Each night, after the family goes to bed, the scout elf uses his magical Christmas powers to fly back to the North Pole. Once there, the elf will make his or her daily report to Santa and visit with elf friends where they will tell stories about their beloved families, play with the reindeer, and of course, sneak some of Mrs. Claus’ cookies!

Before the family awakes each morning, their special scout elf will fly back to their home from the North Pole. However, since these elves like to play games, don’t expect to find them in the same spot! While some like to hide in the freezer (probably because it reminds them of the North Pole) and others prefer to sit on the fireplace mantle or hang from the chandelier, these elves love to play hide-and-seek with their families.

On Christmas Eve, the scout elf will listen for Santa’s bell and then fly back to the North Pole until the next season, wishing every girl and each boy a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy."

So each night the Elf takes a new home before the kids awaken.

Our Elf was named Chippy by the kids and was in some silly hiding places like hanging from the blinds, on top of the tree, sitting in the wreath and swinging from the light. The elf even left the kids some donuts once. The kids would wake up eager each morning to find Chippy in his new hiding spot. It was fun to hear the kids talk to Chippy about things. It was such a fun thing to do that we will do next year as well.

We also made Christmas sugar cookies with the kids for one FHE during December. We also had one of our friends from the ward Jordan come over and join us. The kids love it when we make sugar cookies and always have such a fun time decorating them.

We love Christmas at our house and it was great to do so many fun Christmas things with our family.

Starry Nights

2012-01-04T22:24:00.004-06:00

Early in December, we went to Starry Nights here in Memphis. I found a coupon on line for half off and decided to get it for our family. There is a huge park/wooded area here called Shelby Farms. The trees and area were decorated with tons of lights. Each area of the park had a theme. We drove through the park looking at some amazing displays of lights while listening to Christmas music. Some of the lights had fascinating movement. Hyrum really liked the train lights because the boy in the window of the train looked like him. Emmy's favorite light display was that of "Bethlehem." Ben declared that all of them were his favorite. Here is what Lucy did during our family adventure. To end the night, we stopped at Wendy's on the way home and picked up frosties for the family to enjoy. It was a fun family night that was full of many smiles and laughter.

Christmas Tree

2012-01-04T13:35:00.004-06:00

On November 29th we decorated our Christmas tree.The kids were so excited to help and see their ornament from past years. Every year, the kids each receive an ornament of something that represents their past year. This year they received their ornaments in Utah. The boys each received BYU ornaments for their love of BYU, Emmy received Hello Kitty since she is such a big fan this year. Lucy got a little baby snowman in a stroller to represent her first Christmas. It was so much fun to decorate the tree as a family. It was a great way to start off the Christmas season.

Lucy's Pictures at Two Months

2012-01-03T12:39:00.006-06:00

All of these pictures were taken around the time Lucy turned two months old. As you can see, everyone still loves Lucy. Lucy has the cutest smile. I love Lucy's cheeks!
This picture was taken at Lucy's 2 month appointment. Lucy is so sweet. We are so blessed to have Lucy in our family.

Lucy is 2 Months Old

2011-12-27T17:21:00.003-06:00

At the begining of the month of December , Lucy turned two months old (yes, I am running a little behind). I took Lucy to her two month appointment on the 8th. She weighed 14 lbs which put her above the 97th percentile and 24 inches long which is the 95th percentile. Her head measurement came in at the 75th percentile. The doctor was very pleased with how everything is going for Lucy. The doctor commented on what a big girl Lucy is, which she is.

Lucy wears size 2 diapers and wears size 3-6 month clothes.

Lucy loves staring at lights. She has really enjoyed the Christmas lights this year.

Lucy really enjoys playing on her turtle mat she will play for a good chunk of time. Lucy also enjoys sitting in her bouncy chair and loves grabing at the toy birds that dangle down. Lucy enjoys watching everyone while sitting in her bouncy chair.

Lucy LOVES baths and is quite upset if you get her out before she has had enough time in the water.

Lucy LOVES to be held and rocked. She is still very snuggly and I LOVE it. I also enjoy kissing and giving her zooberts on her FAT neck. She has heavenly rolls all over and I love it.

Lucy has lost some of her her hair, but for the most part she still has a good chunk of hair that has a tint of red in it.

Lucy has BEAUTIFUL blue eyes.

Lucy has kind of slept through the night a couple of times. I have gotten up to put her binky back in and a few times that has been enough to hold her over until morning. Most of the time she is up about 4 AM to eat.

Lucy has really started to coo and "talk" to me a lot since about the middle of December. She has such a pretty smile that I love! When she really smiles, her eyes smile too.

Lucy has daddy wrapped around her finger. Brandon always loves to come home and hold our sweet Lucy.

Lucy still makes some little noises now and then while she sleeps.

I love the way Lucy smells. I love smelling her.

Everyone still loves Lucy and she receives many hugs and kisses from everyone through out the day. About the middle of December, Lucy was on her turtle mat and Emmy went down and laid by her. Emmy was telling Lucy over and over how much she loved her and Emmy asked Lucy if she loved her. It was so sweet to watch them and to see the happiness and love that they have for one another. I hope they always feel that way about each other. Lucy always has a big smile when she sees Emmy.

Also, earlier in the month Emmy would sing the Santa Clause is Coming to Town to Lucy when she would cry.

We LOVE our sweet Lucy and are so happy to have her in our family. I will post pictures of Lucy when she is two months old another time.

Hyrum's Openhouse

2011-12-16T11:54:00.003-06:00

I love how the schools here have an Open House night. The kids are able to bring their family to their school and show them around. Hyrum's open house was back on November 17th. I love how Hyrum gets so excited to show us everything. Ben and Emmy are also so thrilled to go and see the school. The first spot we went to was his classroom. He had some adorable work that he had done on his desk to show us. Hyrum then showed us to various places around his classroom like where they do the calendar and other artwork on the wall. Every year the school goes crazy and decorates everything in the school. Hyrum's classroom had a cool tree taken from the inspiration of the Magic Treehouse series.
Next, we went and visited his music teacher, P.E. teacher and art teacher. Everyone commented on what a great student Hyrum was and how they love having him in their class. The art teacher had paper on the table for the kids to color which the kids loved.
Lucy did a great job through it all and stayed happy. Lucy was a little over 6 weeks old in the picture below.
We are so proud of Hyrum and how he tries his best in school. We love you Hyrum!

Lucy's Daddy Time

2011-12-11T15:24:00.006-06:00

One of the many things I love about Brandon, is the fact that he is so actively involved with raising our kids. He considers it a priority to make sure that he spend some quality time with each of them. On November 12th, Lucy was having so much fun with Brandon on the floor after a long day, I couldn't help but take some pictures. They were loving each minute of each others company. Lucy gave Brandon some big smiles which caused him to smile and laugh and return. It was a precious moment.

End of Soccer

2011-12-05T17:43:00.003-06:00

November 12th was the last day of soccer for the season. First off, was Hyrum's team's end of the year soccer party. We had donuts, muffins and orange juice for everyone. Brandon once again coached Hyrum's team this year. He commented on how much he has enjoyed watching Hyrum play and improve over the years. Hyrum has had a great season! He really has enjoyed playing defense as a goalie and full back.After the soccer party, we went to watch Ben and Emmy play their last game of the season. I must say that Ben and Emmy rocked in their game. They did such a fantastic job. Emmy scored two goals during the game. Ben scored one goal during the game. However, he almost scored a second goal before someone on his team tackled him to the ground. Ben did not appreciate someone stopping him so close from making a goal. Next, came Hyrum's game. He played hard, had fun and finished the season very strong.To finish our packed morning, Ben and Emmy's end of the year ice cream party came next. Below are videos about what their coach had to say about them. They have been lucky to have Eric as their coach the past couple of seasons. He has been a great coach.Soccer this year was fun and kept us busy. The kids played great and had a fun time so the busyness was worth it in the end.

Hyrum Lost Tooth #3

2011-12-05T17:33:00.002-06:00

On the day of his seventh birthday, Hyrum lost his third tooth! We thought it was so awesome that Hyrum would lose his tooth on his actual birthday. This time at all he didn't even hesitate when it became a little loose. He wiggled that tooth right out! He had to check his bed twice in the morning to find the money the Tooth Fairy left him. The money was stuck in between his bed and the bunk frame.

When Hyrum was a little baby his first THREE teeth were on the bottom. His Papa called him Mr. Three Tooth. It seems only fitting that the first THREE teeth that he would lose would also be on the bottom.

Night at the Movies

2011-12-02T16:32:00.004-06:00

For Hyrum's birthday party this year we did a Movie Theater. I was looking for a simple but fun birthday party and this fit the bill. The kids were given invitations to the party that looked like movie tickets. The kids were told to bring their movie tickets when they came to the party. We rented Cars 2 from Redbox to show at the party.I must say, the house looked fantastic! We laid out our red skinny carpet out in front of the house for the kids to walk along the red carpet. Before they came inside, they saw the sign that I made which said "Welcome to Hyrum's Movie Theater." As the kids came through the front door, we punched their movie tickets (invitations). We had white Christmas lights lining the hallway to the living room. The kids had to walk through long streamers to come into the theater (living room).

While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, the kids did a word search of movie titles. Once the movie started, we called the children back one by one to go through the concession stand line after we had punched their movie ticket again. I think the kids thought the concession treats were awesome and came back many times during the movie. What Lucy did during the party.After the movie was over, we sang Happy Birthday to Hyrum and watched as he blew a candle out in the awesome cupcake that Brandon made. Brandon made the cupcakes look like popcorn. I thought he did an amazing job like always. Since the kids had a lot of treats at our house, we decided that they could take their cupcake home and their parents could decide when they could eat it.To finish the night, Hyrum opened his presents. Hyrum was completely spoiled by his friends and received many fun and exciting new things.

We are so lucky to have so many great friends out here in Memphis. Thanks again to everyone who came to help celebrate our Handsome Hyrum.

More to Love

2011-12-01T22:45:00.005-06:00

On Monday I took Lucy to the doctor to investigate her tummy. We had already tried gripe water, gas drops, me eliminating things from my diet etc. The doctor decided to try and put her on some medicine for reflux and so far it seems to have helped. Anyways, at the visit to the doctor my "little" almost eight week old came in at a whopping 13 lbs and 3 oz. (Bath time pictures are from this week).Mind you I just put on a clean fresh diaper and she was hungry. According to the doctor, she was above the 95th percentile and off the charts.

The pictures of her in the car are from her first road trip home from Dallas. I love her rolls and her cute chubby cheeks. Her neck is to DIE for. She is so stinking cute. I am loving every minute I have with her and praying that time slows down.

Hyrum is Seven

2011-12-01T14:54:00.010-06:00

In November our Handsome Hyrum turned 7! Every time I think about how old he is, I just can't believe how quickly time has gone.
Brandon made Hyrum Mickey Mouse Pancakes for breakfast as is our usual tradition. He even got some sausage and some chocolate milk to drink for his breakfast. Hyrum was able to open up cards he received in the mail before he went to school. He couldn't believe how rich he was.

The kids and I went to Hyrum's school to have lunch with him. We brought him a happy meal to eat on his special birthday day an donuts to share with his class.Lucy came too.When Hyrum met up with us at the corner we sprayed him with silly string. He loved it! Hyrum received a fun birthday crown from school.We went to Cici's, Hyrum's favorite place, for dinner. After dinner, we came home and opened his presents and had cake and ice cream. Ben and Emmy were so excited to give Hyrum the presents they picked out for him. Emmy picked a frisbee to give to Hyrum. Ben picked out an angry bird to give to Hyrum. Ben and Emmy both picked an optimus prime treat to give to Hyrum. Lucy gave Hyrum a Cars watch. Brandon and I gave Hyrum an Ironman 2 Lego set and a shirt. It was a great birthday. A fun night and day to celebrate our Hyrum.Oh how I love my Handsome Hyrum. He made me a mom. I have such wonderful memories of him growing up. For the most part, he has been such a happy child who is quick to smile and laugh. He is a great big brother. His siblings think that he walks on water. He is so sweet with Lucy. Always talking to her and is such a big help. Hyrum is such a fantastic reader and has improved already so much this year. His teacher has even commented on how much progress he has made and what a great reader he is. Hyrum does a great job with math. Hyrum still loves cars. Hyrum loves riding his bike and is always trying to do new tricks. Hyrum loves to play with his friends. Hyrum amazes me with his knowledge of the gospel. I love to hear Hyrum pray. His simple child like faith brings such a strong spirit when he prays. We are so lucky to have Hyrum. We love you handsome Hyrum.

Trip to TEXAS

2011-12-01T14:26:00.006-06:00

On November 22nd we took a LONG drive to Texas and stayed for five days. I think Lucy did okay being only 7 weeks old, but any trip with a newborn is hard and stressful. However, we had a great time in Texas. Brandon's parents were able to see Lucy for the first time. It was really nice not to have to worry to take Hyrum to school. It was absolute heaven for me to have Brandon around. The kids spent almost every moment that we were there with their cousin Alizabeth.The kids spent LOTS of time doing their favorite thing which is riding their bikes. The kids also LOVED going to the park which is close to my in-law's home. Brandon actually landed on his ankle wrong when playing tag with the kids, we think he sprained it. He is still in quite a bit of pain and has a colorful foot. I think the kids spent more time outdoors than in. The kids played lots of games. The kids really enjoyed playing SORRY. Ethel had the kids make homemade pizzas with her, which they enjoyed.We snuck in a trip to see my Aunt Marsha and her girls. She had such a delicious lunch of homemade pizzas and pumpkin cupcakes for dessert. It was so much fun to spend that time with her. The boys were there, but for some reason, I didn't take any pictures of them there.
We had a great time in Texas! Thanks again Grandma and Grandpa T. for everything!

Thanksgiving Videos

2011-12-01T10:34:00.004-06:00

In this post of videos of Ben and Emmy reciting their turkey poem on Thanksgiving that they learned at school.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-29T14:03:00.005-06:00

We were in Dallas this year for Thanksgiving. The food was fantastic and tasty! Ethel, Brandon's mom, did a great job fixing everything! The food tasted great. One of Brandon's favorite things his mom makes is orange rolls and she made them for Thanksgiving and he was in heaven!! It was nice to spend Thanksgiving with Brandon's family.

Little Lucy's first Thanksgiving Brandon and I have so much to be grateful for this year. We had our lovely Lucy enter into our family. We have FOUR beautiful, healthy, smart children. Brandon GRADUATED from Optometry school. Brandon was able to get into the residency program we wanted. We were able to MOVE into a beautiful home that has brought much peace and comfort into our life. We have the GOSPEL to help us and bless our lives. I really don't think our lives could be going any better. We give thanks and gratitude to our Heavenly Father because we know that all things come from him.

Lucy First Smiles

2011-11-21T22:28:00.003-06:00

Around Halloween Lucy started to really smile. At least I like to think so...maybe it could still be gas. It is so cute watching her trying to master the art of smiling. The two good pictures were taken Halloween day. The other one was taken about a week later with my phone. I love that she is starting to smile at me when she sees me. It just melts my heart.

Captain America and Hello Kitty

2011-11-19T14:34:00.007-06:00

On October 20th we had a smashing Hello Kitty/Captain America birthday party for Ben and Emmy. I tried to talk Emmy into having her own party, but she insisted on having her party the same time as Ben. In fact, she was quiet upset at the idea of having her party at a different time than Ben. As a result, we had one large birthday party.Emmy insisted on me putting fun whiskers on her cheeks for her party!
The party was held a little over 2 weeks after Lucy was born. Crazy? Yes! Thank goodness I had Brandon's sister Lorri and Brandon to help. The party wouldn't have been possible without them. Once again Brandon made the awesome cupcake cakes.At the party we played Birthday Bingo, Balloon Popcorn, Pin the shield/bow on Captain America/Hello Kitty, and the sock game. We divided the kids into two groups of boys and girls while playing the games. After we played the games. Ben and Emmy opened their presents from their friends. They received many nice things and were completely spoiled.The kids loved it when everyone sang Happy Birthday to them. Then we had yummy cupcakes and capri suns to drink.To finish the night, we played what time is it Mr. Fox until parents came and we got to cold. We then went inside and played with the balloons while the parents were arriving.

It was a crazy and fun party! Thank goodness for the help that I had! Happy Birthday Ben and Emmy!!

Sweet Ben

2011-11-18T10:42:00.006-06:00

Our lives wouldn't be the same without our sweet and happy Ben. One of my first memories of him is holding and rocking him in the NICU singing to him I am a Child of God as we snuggled close. There was such a sweet spirit in the room. It is one of my treasured memories about my sweet Ben.
Ben is such a ball full of energy. Rarely does he sit still. Most of the time he is running, skipping, jumping every where he goes.

Ben has quite the sense of humor and thinks many things are funny. He always has a smile on his face. He is a happy kid who loves life!

Ben loves to be silly and crazy and have lots of fun. He has a great laugh and always has a little sparkle in his eyes that testifies of his enjoyment.Ben is quite friendly and will go up to anybody and strike up a conversation.

Ben loves learning new things and always asks lots of questions.

Ben loves going to school. He is a FANTASTIC reader. He is so smart. When Hyrum does his homework, Ben hops up to the table with him and does writes Hyrum's spelling words with him.Ben and Hyrum are best buds. Ben thinks Hyrum walks on water and tries to be just like him.

Ben and Emmy have a special bond. They always seem to have a great time together (when they aren't fighting).

I love that Ben randomly tells me that he loves me many times. It just melts my heart.

I love his big brown eyes and long eyelashes.

Ben has been loving his cowboy boots recently and wears them often.Ben was concerned about my owie for a long time after I had Lucy. He asked me quite often if my owie was getting better.

Ben comments all the time about how cute Lucy is and that he loves her. However, he isn't a big fan of holding her.

When Ben sings, he sings loud. I love hearing him sing during primary.

When Ben gets really excited about something, he talks really fast and you have to pay really close attention to him or you can't understand him. He won't stop talking until he has said all he wanted to say. It is pretty funny.Ben loves to read.

Ben loves to play with cars.

Ben hates getting his picture taken. That is why he looks grumpy in most of the pictures that I take. The only way he let me take the picture below is because he has vampire teeth in.
We are so grateful to have Ben Boo in our family. He bring much laughter and joy into our lives. He is the funniest, cutest, smartest five year old boy we know! We love you Ben!

Beautiful Emmy

2011-11-16T14:23:00.006-06:00

Oh how I love my sweet Emmy! I remember looking at her shortly after she was born and thinking she was the most beautiful baby girl in the world. I loved her from the moment I saw her and nothing has changed. She still is beautiful and I still love her more than words can say.Emmy loves to draw, color, cut, paint, etc. Anything crafty, she loves it.Emmy loves her brothers and always wants to be part of the fun they are having.

Emmy loves going to school. She loves learning and having fun with her friends. Emmy is doing
such a great job reading. She can read/sound out many words and is progressing really well.

Emmy loves soccer and is such a fantastic player. She gets in there with all the boys and plays aggressive.Emmy loves to help out in the kitchen. She is always on my counter trying to help me with anything and everything I try to make.

Emmy gives such big loves. You haven't had a hug until you have had one from Emmy.Emmy is still shy, but will warm up after awhile. Emmy is also very scared of dogs. Terrified might be the accurate word to use in this instance.

Emmy loves to read and being read to.

Emmy loves all holidays and gets into them.

Emmy loves Lucy and is so excited to have a baby sister. Emmy will proudly show off Lucy to anybody and everybody. It is wonderful to see how much she loves her sister. She can't wait for Lucy to come and sleep in her room.How we love our dear beautiful Emmy. We are so lucky to have her as part of our family. She is smart, beautiful, talented, shows much love and kindness for others. She is the best five year old girl around!

Thankful Turkeys

2011-11-16T10:24:00.001-06:00

On November 14th, we made thankful turkeys for our activity for Family Home Evening. The activity was very similar to our thankful turkey last year except everyone filled up their very own turkey of what they were thankful for.
On Emmy's turkey she wrote:Mom, Emily, Prophet, Family, hearts, numbers, Thanksgiving, Happy Faces, Lucy, Emily, Jesus, Friends. Emmy also put adorable eyelashes on her turkey.
On Ben's turkey he wrote:Papa, Numbers, Temple, Lucy, Mom, Jesus, Hearts, Book of Mormon, Eyes, and more numbers.On Hyrum's turkey he wrote: Numbers, Friends, Grandpa, Grandma, Papa, Scriptures, Jesus, Family, Hearts, Temple, Thanksgiving, Home, Mom, Dad, Hyrum, Ben, Emily, Lucy, Book of Mormon.It was a fun activity to remind everyone to show gratitude for what we have been given. It was a fun night.

My Two Five Year Olds!

2011-11-15T13:16:00.000-06:00

Back in the middle of October, my cute Emmy and sweet Ben turned five years old. I can't believe it has already been five years since they were born. They were so excited to have their birthday and looked forward to it for many days.
They woke up to the traditional Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes for breakfast. At preschool that day, their teacher had a cute sign out for them that said Happy Birthday. Right before their school got out, I took cupcakes and capri suns to give to their friends in their class to celebrate their special day. Also, Ben and Emmy each chose a book for me to read to their class while they were enjoying their treat. I wasn't at all surprise with the books they picked. They each picked a Halloween book to share.

After Ben and Emmy's preschool was over, we went to Chick-Fila for lunch. Ben and Emmy's birthday again this year fell on Fall Break so Hyrum was able to go with us. Later that night, we looked at and read Ben and Emmy's baby books before the kids went to bed.

We saved the presents and cake and ice cream for the next day so Brandon and Lorri could celebrate with us. The kids received many fun things for their birthday.
It is such a joy to watch Ben and Emmy interact with each other. For the most part, they love each other and really enjoy each others company. They always have a buddy to play with and do a great job with imaginative play. It is fun to hear them as they play and giggle and laugh with each other.

I love that sometimes when they walk together they hold hands.I love how they are each others best defender. They bug each other all they want, but no one else better mess with them.

I love how Ben volunteered to scratch Emmy's back the other night for her (Emmy loves a good back scratch).

I love how Ben drew Emmy a hippo in her notebook because he know she loves hippos.I love how they snuggled up a couple of weeks ago to listen to our fun Halloween CD together. I am so lucky to be their mom! I am so grateful that they love each other!!

Early Birthdays!!

2011-11-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Before my parents left, we had a early birthday party for the kids. Each of the kids received their presents from my parents for their birthday.

Ben and Emmy each received a big kid back pack filled with fun and exciting things.

Of course there were books in the backpacks that needed to be read right away.
The kids also love the band-aids and toothbrushes they found.
Emmy has been wanting an umbrella forever.Hyrum's favorite present was his belt. He was so excited to get a belt and wears it all the time.
The kids received glow sticks from Sean and Tracy. Emmy also received lotion from them and nail polish. The boys received some cars from the movie Cars from Sean and Tracy.Camille gave the kids her soccer poster for the year and Halloween coloring books.

Grandpa Great sent the kids some money and a fun treat. Each child received the amount of money as how old they are turning. Grandma Great sent a bag full of goodies that we have already explored and enjoyed.

It was a fun night and the perfect way to end my parents trip out here to visit us in style!

Aunt Lorri Came to Visit

2011-11-14T12:39:00.007-06:00

On October 19th, Brandon's sister Lorri came to visit us for about a week. Lorri is amazing! She helped us plan and carry out Ben and Emmy's birthday party, played with the older kids, held Lucy, etc. We had lots of fun with Lorri. She took time away from her own family to come and see us and help me get back on my feet after having Lucy. We love aunt Lorri!!

Lucy's One Week Old Photos

2011-11-07T14:12:00.004-06:00

When Lucy was exactly one week old, one of my good friends out here in Memphis took pictures of Lucy's cuteness. I was so pleased with the results. I love how the pictures document her chubbiness and her kissable lips. While doing the pictures of me holding her, I was so overcome with the amount of love that I already felt for my beautiful baby. Lucy has such a sweet spirit.

If you live close by, you should check Mebs Photography out.

Lucy is One Month Old

2011-11-06T13:01:00.004-06:00

On the Fourth of November, Lucy turned one month old. She is such an adorable sweetheart who we all just love and can't get enough of. Lucy has daddy wrapped around her finger. I love her rolls, her new baby smell, the little noises she makes when she sleeps. She LOVES to be held and we all are happy to oblige! She is starting to smile. On Halloween I captured the first few pictures of her smile when she was almost four weeks old. Time has gone by so fast. I am so grateful for our little Lucy. Oh how we love our sweet Lucy.

(P.S. our camera broke the day after Halloween. Hence, the crummy pictures with my phone to document her one month milestone).

Halloween Night 2011

2011-11-05T17:21:00.000-05:00

The kids were so excited to get dressed in their costumes for Halloween. By the way, in the pictures below, they are standing by their pumpkins. Emmy was an adorable good witch. Isn't she beautiful? Ben switched to Optimus Prime since he could wear the awesome mask he received from Aunt Lorri and family for his birthday Hyrum was Luke Skywalker Little Lucy was an adorable skeleton. Notice the light pink heart. Her costume even glows in the dark. After Brandon came home from work, we went over to our neighbor's house with some other families and had some chili before we went trick-or-treating. When everyone had something to eat, we headed out trick-or-treating. The kids had so much fun and literally ran from house to house. They loved every minute of trick-or-treating with their friends. Little Lucy stayed asleep bundled up in her stroller. In the neighborhood next to ours, they give hay rides on Halloween. As we finished up trick-or-treating, Brandon took the kids on the hay ride while I took Lucy back to our friends house. The kids thought that the hay ride was awesome! After we had some tasty dessert at our friends house, we headed home with tired but happy kids. It was a great Halloween.

Trunk-or-Treat

2011-11-03T13:25:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, the 26th, our ward had their Trunk-or Treat! The kids were so excited to go and had been talking about the Halloween party for weeks!This year, Ben is a race car (driver), Emmy is a good witch again, Hyrum is Luke Skywalker and Little Lucy is a skeleton.

The trunk-or-treat did not disappoint. Our ward goes all out every year with a variety of games and activities for the kids to do.
Also, this year chili and hotdogs were provided which was fantastic since I didn't have to cook any dinner.

Lucy slept during the whole thing in her stroller.This year at the trunk-or-treat Emmy wasn't scared of any of the costumes.The boys once again, to my dismay, found the face painting booth and requested a full Iron Man face. I can deal with a few witches dots that Emmy requested to be painted on.
The kids were so excited to finally be able to do the trunk-or-treating part. They kept going around and around in the parking lot until everyone ran out of candy. Lucy stayed with Brandon at the car to pass out candy to everyone. It was a great night and the kids loved every minute.

Other Halloween Fun

2011-11-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

On October 27th, Brandon had the great idea to take the kids to a local corn maze. On Thursdays, the corn maze had free hay rides, bon fires and other fun things. However, that Thursday, it was rainy so the hay ride was canceled. Brandon did take things to make s'mores with the kids and I know the kids enjoyed that fun treat. The kids came home smokey and tired, but I think they enjoyed some time with dad.
On October 30th, the kids and I made yummy sugar cookies. Brandon was in charge of Lucy! The kids did a great job rolling out the dough and using the cookie cutters. They had a great time! Can you tell that Emmy loves this skirt? I got it on clearance after Halloween last year and she has worn it like crazy. I have totally got my moneys worth.The kids loved eating their creations at the end of the night.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T23:08:00.000-05:00

In the pictures below the kids are wearing their cute Halloween shirts my mom got them. Emmy picked out her outfit combination for the day. I decided that it wasn't that big of a deal that she wanted to wear everything Halloween if it made her feel pretty and festive. All three of the kids LOVE Halloween and were looking forward to the holiday.Lucy wore her BOO-tiful baby shirt. I maybe biased, but I do think she is a beautiful baby! Those cheeks and lips are so kissable!
I am planning on posting soon all the details about our Halloween fun.

Painting Pumpkins

2011-10-31T14:10:00.006-05:00

On October 24th, for Family Home Evening, we painted pumpkins. Earlier in the day, Ben and Emmy went with Lorri to pick out pumpkins. The kids picked out three big pumpkins and one small pumpkin. The kids were so excited to paint their pumpkins! They loved every minute of painting and made sure that they covered every square inch of their pumpkin with paint. I painted a pink L with purple polka dots and a yellow bow for little Lucy's pumpkin. It was a fun night and were happy that Aunt Lorri could be with us while we painted our pumpkins.

3 Weeks Old

2011-10-30T15:07:00.006-05:00

On October 25th Lucy turned three weeks old! Time has gone by so quickly. I am trying to capture every second with her. Lucy had a follow-up visit to the doctor on the 25th to make sure that she was gaining enough weight. Lucy gained a full 1 lbs 3 oz since her last visit to the doctor a week ago, coming in now at 9lbs 13 oz. The doctor commented on how you can tell that she has gained weight in her chin(s) and chest area. The doctor also called Lucy a big girl and that she was very happy with how Lucy is progressing.These pictures were taken on the 25th when Lucy was exactly three weeks old. Don't mind the wrinkles on the face, she and I were snuggling before these pictures were taken.Lucy still LOVES every minute of bath time...except anything that involves getting dressed.

Lucy goes to bed about 10:30 and wakes up about 3:00 or 4:00 to eat and then I wake her up around 9:30 or so.

I think Lucy has started to learn how to smile. However, maybe the smiles could still be from gas. She will smile at us numerous times when she is alert and awake.Lucy still LOVES to be held and snuggled.

Lucy gets the hiccups often. She also got hiccups often while I was pregnant with her.

I love the noises Lucy makes when she sleeps.

I think Lucy maybe my first child with blue eyes. I know her eyes can still change, but her eyes are much bluer than any of my other kids were.The kids still LOVE to give Lucy hugs and kisses. They also write songs and love letters for her.

We are so lucky to have little Lucy in our family!

Movie Night in the Tent

2011-10-28T13:33:00.005-05:00

For Family Home Evening one night in the month of October, on the 17th, we had a movie night in the tent. Brandon set our tent up in the play room and we rented a movie from redbox to watch together. The kids thought that it was so awesome to watch a movie and sleep in the tent. Brandon even slept in the tent up stairs with the kids. Lucy and I slept downstairs even though we did go upstairs for a time to watch the movie with the family. It was the perfect night for a sleep over in the tent since Hyrum's Fall Break started that day and he had the whole week off from school. It was such a fun relaxing night as a family.