Recap

Ok, so I'm not that great at blogging.  But never fear, I will not give up!

Having fun on the front lawn.

I suppose I should recap the last year a bit for you. 

   

at the hotel lobby in SLC

Katie entered the schools talent show with her 2010 recital piece, then in May performed her new piece at her recital and did fabulous as always.  She is now in 4th grade with many friends and bringing home excellent grades.  She goes strait to finishing homework after she gets home each day... most of the time :)

Hunter and Kevin get themselves ready for church.

Kevin finished his spring soccer season and can't wait to start up again this fall.  He also started 1st grade and loves that on Mondays he, Katie and Daddy get to ride bikes to school.  Makayla Y. was his love last year, but with her gone he apparently had to find someone new, so he has written down our phone number to give to Jaden (she was on his soccer team last season), so they can have a play date.

Kevin and Hunter love playing games together.

Hunter is now in Kindergarten, and likes riding the bus each day.  He is reading alright, and seems to enjoy his time at school, so hopefully it will stay that way and he will continue to be challenged. He still loves being my tester in the kitchen.

Just finished watching the magician at the farmers market in SLC.

Ammon has just started "talking" in the last couple weeks. He would sometimes say things to you, but nothing understandable.  Now, I can understand him say milk, but nothing else unless he is repeating, which is what he's started doing coherently in the past couple weeks.

Ammon and William at a pool party.

He likes to use the potty when his friend William does, but has no problem not using it so training is a ways off still.  He's just a social user.

Shelby and Jared are best friends.

Jared is as fat as always, or maybe more.  It's nice that he can share clothes with his brother who's more than twice his age.  As you might imagine he loves to eat.  He has not started walking yet but likes to stand and loves to dance to any music.

Posing with some pigs in SLC

I've been trying to keep up. :) I was called as the ward choir director; heaven help us.  I'm due in January with a girl this time.  Katie is especially excited, but she's always more excited than the boys for any new arrival.  We are still slowly organizing and getting out of boxes from our move a year ago, but every time

Bryan hangs a new shelf or makes drawers (installed last night) I get right to emptying boxes and filling them up.  Next is a shoe caddy, to get those off the closet floor.

Enjoying some lunch after cousin Doug's wedding.

Bryan has been busy building, there's always some project to finish.  He is still enjoying work and that's a good thing since he was called out quite a bit last week.  He is looking forward to a few campouts coming up, one with the 11 year old scouts which is one of his callings in the ward.

Collecting shells and then a walk on the pier at Seal Beach.

We spent a lot of time away from home over the summer.  Bryan's cousin got married in the San Diego Temple.  We spent over a week at his parents where he started tearing apart their kitchen.

Grandma Bernita holding Jared.

Our next trip was to Salt Lake for a weekend, to visit family and temple square, but most importantly to help celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa's 90th birthday's.

Jared dug right into his chocolate cake!

Then Becky and I drove with Katie and Jared to CA for Bryan's cousin returning from her mission in MI, so awesome!  That's where Jared turned 1!

At Desiree's shower, Katie wearing Aunt Britney's TP dress.

Next was back to Bryan's parents for more building kitchen cabinets, enjoying the CA weather and to party with family celebrating my brother Seth, getting married in the San Diego Temple.

Of course we geocached anytime we could!

We are doing alright with our regular schedule.  The kids have their to do charts I print each week, and I rotate the animal and chore they will be doing.

These girls love digging through the wet dirt.

Four kids, four animals: pig, dog, chickens & fish, of course I need to help Ammon with his, but it's been working well for a while now.  I guess when Jared gets old enough we'll have to get a goat or something. :)

Brotherly Love

Ammon loves his little brother Jared. Kevin was the same way with Hunter, getting his bottle or diaper and climbing in his playpen with him.
It's great watching them have fun with each other.

Happy Easter!

How can a child playing in a pool still be so dirty?

I love pictures like this, where I feel I caught a real smile even though they posed.  They are just having so much fun that it shows.  I love for my kids to have fun, I love to have fun with them.  I wish I was better at managing my time so I could better share the everyday adventures of our family.  But I suppose the most important thing is that the fun is happening, I often don't grab the camera in time, or even try when you are in the midst of those special moments, but those moments happen, and that is my first priority.

Kids are fun!

I've missed you!

The kids liked watching "Wimpy Kid"

Hunter's impression.

Hunter is 4!

A while back when Bryan asked Hunter what he wanted for his birthday he said "something wrapped in yellow"
"What do you want me to wrap in yellow for you?"
"Oh just go find something in your room."

Well, almost every present was wrapped in yellow, but most everything was made or purchased just for him.  Only Katie was the one who took him up on his offer, but went into his room to get it.

Smart girl, he's 4 he didn't care.

It was great to have so much family over, and he was in love with every present.

 

Ammon enjoyed decorating his cousin Talon with some ribbon.

I made him a strawberry bunny cake just like he asked and he told me how to decorate it.

 

  

He requested worms to be on his bunny.  There's also smarties scattered throughout, which I don't recommend actually eating with the cake, kind of yucky in my opinion.

Thanks to everyone!

Katie's Baptism!

I am almost a full month late on this post and I have no good excuse, but I will no longer procrastinate this one task, because I've always got plenty of other things I'm putting off.

Katie was baptized on February 6th.  She was first in the font before the 2 boys from other wards, and she was freezing!  She was shaking before she went under, and everyone was asking later if it was the temperature or her nerves.  After the baptisms she sang "When I Am Baptized" with her friend Katie.  We forgot to record it and I don't really know how it sounded because I was playing the piano.  I heard many compliments though.

 

  

  

  

  

We're so glad so many friends and family could share in this special time.  We felt the love far and near!

Our princess is growing up, and as always is an awesome big sister.

It's a BOY!

Once again, Katie is taking the news very well, and is always so excited to be a big sister again that the news it's not her first choice is a momentary disappointment.
For me this means I don't have to switch modes or wardrobes.  Only problem is we had a girl name all picked out since Hunter, where are we to find another boy name we like?  Bryan is still not giving in to John Jacob Jingle Hiner.  I have a few months to convince him though :)

Yeah for new toys!

Why do they make pants so long?  It's been a problem for a long time now.  Most of the time I'll take the lazy way out and just roll them at the bottom, but some won't stay.
Good thing I have a sewing machine now to feel all Suzy Homemaker and hem them up.  Task one on sewing machine complete.  Task two... we'll just have to wait and see, I'm a busy woman.

Birthdays!!!

Katie had an awesome party with a bunch of her friends.  She also got loaded up with so much fun stuff she hasn't registered all her webkinz or played with all her things yet.  She is now 8 which means we are getting ready for her baptism on the 6th of February.  All are welcome!
Here she is with a game the boys opened the next morning while she was away, and the plans for a puzzle Daddy's going to make for her.  So really it's a gift for him considering how much he loves making those things right now.  :)

 

It wasn't scary or anything, turning 30, but maybe it was because I didn't really think about it.  It was a few days later as Bryan and I were sitting doing stamping and sanding (I love it when the kids are in bed), that I realized if someone asks me how old I am, I have to say 30.  I told Bryan this and he said, "You don't have to say that."  Then I reminded him that I'm not a liar.  It's just weird to not be in my 20's anymore, that was a long run.  But the 30's will be just as long, and yet go by just as fast.
I'm so blessed, and happy to start a new year.  Especially with a sewing machine!!! Yeah!

All is well.

Had a Dr's appointment today and all seems fine. I'm about 14½ weeks and still haven't really gained any weight and am also much colder than everyone else all the time. Two symptoms I would love to have continue throughout the pregnancy, but for now I'll just enjoy enjoy them while I can. Even without the weight gain I'm probably not going to wear these jeans again. Baby's floating all around with a nice strong heartbeat, and after my ultrasound on Feb 1st I will get a new Dr at Caring for Women, because mine will start working at a different hospital. So far, Bryan is the only standard in the delivery room with me. That's fine it's really the anesthesiologist that I care is doing his job right!