New Years Resolutions

I usually don't make resolutions... but I decided instead to make more of a 2009 goal list. They aren't life changing ambitions, rather some fun things I've been thinking about lately. I heard once that if you write down your goals you are more likely to accomplish them... so...

1. Learn to play the guitar - I've had a guitar since I was a senior in High school with great ambitions of learning and I think it's about time I get around to it.
2. Learn to Knit - I have always wanted to learn how to do this. Making all those blankets really sparked some interest in making things... I am also going to try sewing some pieces of clothing for myself.
3. Get fit - I really would like to get into running... I'm not completely out of shape, but I've never been really fit. I consider being able to jog or run for a significant distance... without passing out... fit :). I saw an interview a few months ago with Howard Stern's new wife (I can't remember her name). She runs a lot of marathons and was explaining how she can eat practically anything she wants due to the amount of running she does, and I thought... that's reason enough for me. :)
4. Take ballroom dancing lessons - I have actually talked Pat into this. I think this would be a blast, and a really good way for Pat and I to spend some time together without Brooks being our center of attention.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas.. and have a wonderful 2009

We had a very quite and happy Christmas. Brooks wasn't quite into the present thing this year. But we had a great time watching him play with all the toys once they were opened. Hopefully next year he'll be a little more into the tearing of present wrapping. Pat and I had very meager means this year for Christmas, as many of you I'm sure can relate. We actually ended up using our change jar that we've been filling for the last few years. We spent what we could on our family, and then of course spent the rest on gifts for Brooks. In light of that, I made a lot of gifts this year. In all it added up to, a growth chart for Jack, Blankets for my four youngest nieces and youngest nephew and one for B (which actually didn't get finished in time). It was quite an undertaking and wasn't helped by the fact that I got started just after Halloween. I think next year I'll start a little earlier. I didn't get a chance to get many pictures of the blankets just a few and two of the growth chart. It really made my Christmas this year to make that stuff. I felt like I was really putting more love into all the sewing and painting then just going out and buying toys and clothes.

Pat and I have had a pretty busy year with Brooks birth and a few other challenges that have come our way. We are so grateful for all our family and friends who stand by us and continue to be such a wonderful part of our lives. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and have a wonderful 2009.




Jack's growth chart, this was really fun to make. It has a frog at the bottom and then says... Growing by Leaps and Bounds :D






One of the better pictures of the blankets I actually took a picture of. I made my this one for Hailey, sister's little girl. They were all pretty much the same except different colors. I signed each one with their names and a little iron on patch. They turned out really cute!

Christmas cards

We had some family pictures taken this weekend so I can get my act together and send out Christmas cards. B has been such a character lately, and the day we took pictures he decided to make this face the whole time. It cracks me up every time I look at it. Just wanted to share :). I can't believe Christmas is a few weeks away!! AHH!!








Here are the family pictures...
















I also wanted to add a picture from Thanksgiving of all the girls and the three babies.

More...

Sorry that last post the font ended up REALLY big, for some reason I can't change it... anyhoo I just wanted to add some stolen pictures :D. My afternoon with Ky, so fun and the one of Brooks and Shae.. sooo cute!! Yes I always cheese it, I just can't help it! Especially when I'm with Kylene, she just makes me smile :D LOVE you Ky!!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving always seems like the busiest weekend of our lives. Pat's older sis and family come down for the weekend and we try and spend as much time as we can with them. We never get to see them enough. We Miss You GUYS! There little guy is three months younger then B and he is so stinkin cute. I got some really cute pictures of him over the weekend. It's so weird to have grandkids at Pat's mom's house this year, but also so much fun! We had dinner at Pat's mom and had a ton of fun playing with all the babies. Pat had to work on Friday so I went and took some family pictures for Erin and went to St. George to visit my really good friend Kylene. We went to the coolest park over by Green Valley, with all these crazy toys. Of course I did not bring my camera :(. Sat we took a nice trip up to Zion, the tram stopped running so we got to drive into the Park. It was a really nice day! Sunday we had aspirations of cleaning the house but ended up just lounging most the day instead :). My parent's anniversary is the 27th and usually falls on Thanksgiving so they never do anything, but this year they decided to go to Kauai for a five day vacation. It was a little sad not having them here this year; however, I'm sure they were not dissapointed since it was rainy most the weekend and 85 in Kauai. Here are some pictures of our weekend.

B loves his books









Jack and B... Ahh!









Happy Turkey day, Erin bought all the boys matching bibs, so cute!









All the boys and their dad's.. John and Alex, Kyle and Jack, Pat and Brooks.









Erin and B









Brooks loves these wood blocks Nana has












Jack is such a cutie!








My favorite family picture of them.

Fun in Zion

Funny Moments

So B is going on the 8th month mark. He is getting more and more personality every day. Here are just a few of the most recent things that we've really had a laugh over:

He really wants to pull himself up to stand on everything these days, so the other day I was picking up the house and he had crawled over to the sliding glass door in our bedroom. I was going about my business and I heard him start to scream. Not "I'm in pain" type of scream, but like an "I'm mad" scream. So I peak my head around to look to see what he's doing and he's on his knees, both hands flat on the glass door, and he's screaming. I think because he can't figure out how to stand up. Then I totally get this image in my head of a mime in that imaginary box trying to get out. That's kind of what he looked like. Sorry no picture, I didn't grab my camera quick enough.

He has also been hitting a lot too. It's mostly mom while I'm trying to breast feed. But the other day I was changing his diaper, and he swung down and hit his wiener... and started laughing. So he kept doing it and laughing after each time... until he swung a little too hard and then he just looked at me with this shocked look on his face. I was laughing SO hard. No picture for this one either, for obvious reasons.

Pat found this very amusing... he kept taking B's picture, over and over. Because the flash was making B laugh and squint. I thing Pat was just trying to permanently blind our child. This photo is one of 15. When I downloaded our memory card the other day, Pat had some explaining to do :).

Halloween Fun and Recent News

We had a lot of fun on Halloween. Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday. Yes, even more then Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love the Holiday season (who doesn't?) but there is just something about Halloween... We were the cast of the Wizard of Oz, can you tell? Pat is the Tin Man, I'm Dorothy, and B was the cutest Cowardly Lion ever!











So... I've been saying forever that I was going to get some video of B up here, but I don't think it's happening anytime soon. I decided to post a series of pictures instead. First a little background... So he has been doing this little creep which we've dubbed the "army crawl" since the five month mark. I thought for sure he'd be crawling by six months. Then the seventh month mark rolled around and still no real crawling going on. At about a week after he turned seven months we got on film an actual crawl. Just a few moves up on his hands and knees. So then we thought for sure by the weekend he was going to take off and just be crawling like a mad man. Well he still is getting up on his hands and knees for a little bit, but is mostly doing his belly crawl. So a few days ago we are all in the living room and B decides to do this little trick....
























Do you like our barricade? We had to get inventive... what is it with dog food? I swear it's like a magnet for babies. We need a gate so bad. Anyway... We could not believe that B pulled himself up a few days ago. He hasn't even really crawled yet! We can tell he is so ready to be on the move though, he get's so frustrated with his limited ability to get around. It's a little sad that he's getting so big so fast... I wish they could stay little for longer. Before I know it I'm going to have a toddler!! (sniff). Oh by the way... B is NOT a nickname for the little man. I just don't like using his name on here :)

Oh, also. B has two more teeth coming in. So the count is six.