In Stitches

Thanks alot Orvis. Here I am trying to implement discipline on my little one and he was NOT HELPING!! It sure is hard to think about why you are in Time-Out when your dog sits on you! That is why we love him, he makes us laugh, both of them.

Poor Orvis  had a little accident in the backyard. Here is our Conehead puppy with 16 stitches on his foot. He's milking it all he can:)

Love all of you! and Happy Holidays!

Love the Pippins

Cheat'n Steal'n Pumpkin Peel'n

Happy Halloween!

So, Halloween morning we wake up and those perfect pumpkins on our front doorstep were gone, yes, gone, stolen, (I think I saw Gabe's little one smashed on the street corner). Gabe was upset, but I was a Momma Bear. I was so angry, but obviously there was nothing I could do about it. One thing I love about my sweet hubby is that we have the same view on child raising. We took the experience to remind us that among the many things we try to teach Gabriel, one of them is respect for other people's property. 

 It's like that 8 year old kid who was taking McCain signs off of people's property. One guy rigged up a shock fence (just a little one, like  when you stick your tongue on a 9v battery). The kid went to cross his property and got a surprise. Now, if that were my kid I would ask him what he was doing on someone's property and there would be consequences, but no, the dad showed up, probably the one to tell his son to take down the signs.I don't know of all the details, but he chewed the property owner out. I am thankful for my wonderful parents who taught me respect for others and their things.

Okay, blah, blah blah. 

Jake was able to get off of work early and come treating with us. It took about seven houses for Gabe to get the hang of it, but he had a blast. Oh, my proud Mommy moment would be that all the other kids were running across the yards and through flower beds, and Gabriel would stick to the driveways and walkways.

As we started out he learned that he didn't like going up to doors with other kids. One time he "biffed" it because he was trying to beat a ten year old to the door.  The next house Gabe stayed next to me by the road and said that he wanted to wait til they were done. That made me laugh. He's a smart one. His Indiana Jones costume was a hit. I was surprised I didn't see more of them. Our last stop was Nana and Papa's house where Gabe helped Papa pass out candy. Great fun night! Love you all!

Birthday Boy!

Around six months ago if you would have told Gabriel that he was getting so big he would have cried. If you would have told him that he was turning four he would have given you a dirty look and a protest. Somehow, on a ride with Daddy, everything changed. They drove by a BMX type track with dirt bikes doing jumps and tricks. Gabe got excited and Dad proceeded to tell him all about it and that when you get big you can do things like that.  Im not too excited about having a kid stoked to fly through the air on a dirt bike, boys will be boys and now he brags about getting bigger like Daddy.

There seemed to be some confusion on the cake. Apparently from standing next to the cake it looked like a water land mass and the animal candles were drowning in the water. After someone said, "oh, it's an elephant", most had to take another look. Amanda and I decided you had to see it from above, maybe it was Mark that saw it first since he has the best aerial view.

Gabriel loved all his presents and you were all so generous. Thank you everyone who came and we missed those who couldn't make it. Love you all!

The First Snow?

  So a couple of Sunday's ago I looked out the window with Gabriel and told him that it had snowed. "It's Christmas!" he exclaimed.

  I love to see how his little mind interprets things sometimes. 

  Thinking that normally in the winter, especially in OCTOBER, that the snow normally melts by noon, or so, we didn't get out there a shovel before church. Wow, was I wrong. This picture was taken after church when Gabe insisted on helping me with shoveling the driveway. How can a mother argue with that? Jake was at work, so Gabe and I got on our gear and went to work. He did a decent job actually. Followed right beside me for about 30 minutes then started to wander and throw snowballs. I love that this is the pose that he does in the snow, I'm not sure why.

A Pumpkin for Pumpkin

My mother taught me to look for deals on things you are buying. I don't always put that into affect since my father taught me that when you want your oompah-loompah now, you buy it.  Great memories of driving through Florida on a childhood trip trying to find the best price for gasoline, come to my mind. We needed gas and we finally find the gas station with it 2 cents a gallon cheaper than the one 5 miles before. 

Gabe went on his first fieldtrip with school. I was able to go with him and see that he is taking after Papu (my dad). We were charged a set price and you can pick ANY pumpkin you want. Some were really smart and brought their strong daddies to help get the ginormous ones. I tried hard to get Gabe pick one of a larger size, ya know, get more for your money, but he wanted this one, and he is so proud of it. 

This is Gabe's friend Andrew. He LOVES Andrew and is not afraid to tell him. This is hard, since we want our kid to express his feelings. We've been trying to tell him that it is okay to tell family that, but with friends just to say "I really like hanging out with you" or something..

Here is our Friend, Trish's daughter Hailey. 

Circus Freak

A big Hoorah! For Papu! Thank you for the fun day (Grammie's Birthday) of The Circus and Crown Burger. From $12 cotton candy with a fun hat to the coolest trick with 7! yes, 7! motorcycles racing around in the cage of death. The elephants were so much fun, I could have watched them for much longer.

Conor fell asleep in protest to the excitement.

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Here's what it is like to try and get them all to hold still after cotton candy, popcorn, soda, and lollypops! 

I love the look on Annie's face! And if you look carefully Papu, Mark, and Eli are in the background, Grammie is behind the camera.

Conor was so happy on the way home!

Thanks again Papu! Tons of fun.

Mad Gabey, Glad Gabey

Hello, everyone. Gabe started Preschool a few weeks ago. I am so happy! the first day was a little rocky. So here is Mad Gabey.

And here is the second day of Preschool where  all morning long he said he was excited for school. Glad Gabey. He loves it.

Cops and Robins

Okay, so I think Gabe is pretty a funny kid and here are some things he's said/done that prove my case.

We were at the park the other day and Gabe, who makes friends very easily, started playing with a kid named Nick whom was about twelve. Nick was very kind to Gabe and had some play hand cuffs and got alot of the kids on the playground involved in a friendly game of "Cops and Robbers" after a little while Gabe told Nick that he didn't want to be a cop anymore he wanted to be the "Robin".

Another one was the morning before Chase's beautiful service and I was talking to Gabe about the importance of being reverent throughout the  services. He asked where Chase was and I told him that Chase was in heaven. He thought about it for a minuted and then asked where heaven was. I pointed up and he asked me, "Is heaven in your hair?".

After the service Gabe was having a serious case of the little boy jitters and we were in the foyer. There is a ramp there and as Jake and I were talking with people Gabe tried to run down a steep ramp that was close by. I told him sternly not to run. He looked at me and plopped on his behind and proceeded to try and slide down the carpeted ramp saying, "WEEEE!!". It was one of those moments where you can't let your kid see that you have the giggles while you attempt to lecture them on reverence and what is appropriate. 

Gabe has been going through a super-sleepy phase this last month and has been falling asleep in funny places.

A Trip to Idaho

A walk with Ggma.

We started out in Island Park. Gabe and I loved spending time with Grandma and Grandpa.  

 

We went for a walk one of the days. We turned around because I saw a very fresh moose print. When Gabe asked why i made the mistake of telling him the truth. The whole way back he kept looking over his shoulder like a moose was going to charge us on the trail at any moment. It was pretty cute.

He loved waving to Grandpa when he went for the paper and then he would just stay at the window and gaze. Yes, my energetic little guy would just gaze.

He loved Ggma reading to him and loved playing games with Ggpa. Gabriel wore them out with his little boy craziness. 

We had so much fun going to the Playmill where we saw "Hello! Dolly!", a quick drive through the park were Gabriel thought the geysers were super cool.

Then we went to Menan to spend time with Pauline, Colby, and Harrison. Also we got to hang out alot with Grandpa Erv and Grandma Debbie.

Harrison is such a sweet little guy. He is such a good baby, he is calm and happy and is so blessed to be in Pauline and Cody's family. Colby is super sweet to him and loves to help with his little brother.

Colby and Gabriel were so cute together. They play so well and are the best of buddies. 

Grandpa Erv (When Gabe says it is sounds like "Erb"), kept getting sleepy, but that didn't stop Gabe from enjoying his company.

Gabriel got to help Grandpa water his garden. He grows everything and does a great job. Tomatoes, potatoes, corn, squash, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, and much more. He also has a bunch of cows and just got two new little milk cows. I told Jake that when we need our food storage we'll just go hang up there and we'd be fine. 

Colby was more interested in the machinery than the mud. Cody would be proud.

It was Gabe's first time to Bear World. I admit it was pretty boring, but would have been worth it if Jake could have been there. 

We saw a boring and rare white elk with a huge rack on his head. We got to feed a old trumpeter Swan and a bunch of nasty Rainbow Trout. Gabe got to get germy and pet a bunch of freakishly big chickens, deer fawns, a grumbly pig, and a few stinky goats. Okay, it was a blast, I'm just trying to make Jake feel better for not being able to come.

Here are some of the baby bears. I WANT ONE!! They are SOOOO cute and cuddly looking. They are pretty fast too. One got out of the electric fence they have on the inside and was book'n it to get over the chain link to the river. About five rangers were able to catch him, but it was pretty exciting.

Here's my little Bear. He had so much fun with Grandpa Erv and Grandma Debbie. He got to come home with a bear that he got to see get stuffed and named him "Spanky". Thanks Grandpa and Grandma!

Happy Birthday Me!

Jacob is the BEST! I now it's been a few weeks, but one step at a time right? For my #28! we went for a drive up the canyon and set up camp for a few hours.  We had KFC, which I will never eat again cause I threw up (no, I am not pregnant), but felt much better after a doze in the tent and sitting in the FREEZING cold water of the South Fork. 

Gabe made me this adorable card later on that day and it made me cry because he did a very good job. 

Jacob ordered me Bsinger which is coming out next month and he let me pick out a new Brighton Wallet that I love. 

Thank you sweetie for a great day with our little family, it was so much fun.

The last few weeks

Please Click on Matt and Addy's blog for the announcement of their beautiful baby boy.

I love that the 3rd of July is a day of fun at the EagleWood Golf Course in Bountiful. We had a yummy dinner at Amanda's then we parked at Grammie's and walked to the golf course. Fireworks were fun with glow lights and bouncy balls. The kids love wrestling with Uncle Mark.

 This last week I was at Girl's Camp. Our theme was Survivor. Jacob was amazing and was able to get off work all four days. I admit that I was a little depressed on Tuesday leaving my two guys, I guess three counting Orvis, but I only missed him in the middle of the night when I could have used a warm body to snuggle with. I slept better those few nights than i do at home.  I realized that when I am at home my mind is going a mile a minute and I always feel there is stuff to do. 

  Our days were filled with tubing down the shallow river and bumping my behind on a hundred rocks, camp fires, and crafts.  It was great to get to know these fun, spiritual, and happy young women.  This is Annie (Gabe's favorite) and Megan presenting the rules of camp as some foreign guys with great accents. I was laughing pretty hard. 

Here is my good friend Trish McPhie. She is the girls' favorite advisor. She is hilarious and many times too loud, but keeps us all in line and laughing. She is incredibly dedicated to the Young Women's program and is a hoot to be around. Trish and Jake actually worked together at Convergy's and Feature Films for Families a while back, so it was friends from first meet. One of her daughter's Hailey, is going to be in Gabe's  preschool.

Here is Gabe ready to help Daddy with stuff in the garage.