What if?

What if EVERYONE put up Christmas lights?

Think of how magical that would be to drive around during the holidays. An amazing sight for sure.

What if you didn't just buy yourself or your kids things throughout the year and we only got things on Christmas and birthdays?

Think of how rewarding gift giving would be. Everyone would be so appreciative of their gifts, because they have been waiting for so long to get it. Your kids would probably take better care of and appreciate their toys more if they didn't get new ones all the time. You've heard the expression, "I don't know what to get him, because when he wants something he just goes and gets it." What if you didn't do that?

When the going gets tough, the tough go to....

There are 3 places Mike suggests I go when I need a break. Often times (I mean, on rare occasion) when he comes home from work and I'm a tad Ornery he so kindly suggests, "Hey, after dinner why don't you run to Ross." He likes to be with me after I've come home from one of these 3 places. He seems to think I come home happier.

1. Zumba - I've jumped on the Zumba bandwagon and I am really enjoying the ride. It's so fun. I just go one night a week, cuz even though I know it's good to exercise during pregnancy I still can't help but think I might give that little one brain damage bouncing around like that too much. I do love it though.

2. The Doctors- My doctor makes me AND the baby feel like a champ each time I have my checkup. I know that is part of his job, but I still suck it right in. Why wouldn't I come home happy!

3. Ross- need I say more? Who doesn't like a good deal and a new article of clothing?

At least he doesn't tell me to go to hell right!?!

Happy ___th Birthday Mike

To celebrate we had 3 funerals in a 7 day period. I guess that's what we have to look forward to as we get older. People we know and love are dying. The reality of mortality. The dads of two of Mikes childhood friends passed away, which sometimes is like your own family passing. When you've known someone since kindergarten they are just like family. I like it when they get together, even if it is for a funeral or two.

 Mike, Tyler, Jason and Darrin

Then Mike had a birthday. I almost forgot about it. There were so many things going on, that was one of them, but as time marched on and it got closer I forgot about it. Mike had to remind me in a casual way. We go out to dinner with our home teachers every now and then and it ended up that we were going with them the night before his bday so I had my sis make him one of her great cakes and I surprised him with it after we ate. Happy Birthday my dearest of dears.

No Pets Allowed

We aren't really pet people, however I'll take a dozen of these

"Always" and "forever"

Sat night we did this fun progressive dinner with the ward so we got a babysitter. We really don't use a sitter all that much, cuz we just take them to our parents, but on occasion we use one of the great girls in the ward.

Well yesterday in church Ivan got this paper necklace thing with a family on it and it said, "families can be together forever." When we got in the car I said, "oh Ivan, it looks like you learned about families today in class." He said something along the lines of, "yeah, families can be together forever and ever and ever. Moms and dads get married and then you and me and dad and Jack can always be together. We don't have to have anymore babysitters." 

Then later when I was changing his clothes I said, "I'm so happy we get to be together forever." and he said, "did you and dad already get married?" I said yes. He said, "oh (in an upbeat, happy tone) then we can always be together and we don't have aaanymore  babysitters! huh mom"  we laughed and didn't bother clarifying there's a difference between being together "always" and being together "forever."

It's a ......

Ok, so I took the video off and put pictures instead.... with a quick explanation. From a couple comments I think there's a little confusion about the situation? Maybe because I haven't really said we are expecting. We are expecting. Thursday we went in for the ultra sound. I love my boys and would have a dozen if I could, but for some reason, if we were having our 3rd boy, I didn't want to discover it on the ultra sound. I'd rather see a cute boy outfit or something. So we had the tech write it on a piece of paper then we went to the mall and picked out a pink and blue outfit, took it to the gift wrap and gave them the paper with the gender written on it and had them wrap the appropriate outfit. Then we went to dinner to open it... and from the pictures you can see that what I mean by, "WE went to open it" is, "I opened it." Well someone had to video! :)

 Hmmmm, what'll it be? what'll it be?

Ahhhhhhh, it's a girl!! I must say we were really, really surprised and really, really excited to find out it's a girl!!!! We of course were gearing up for a boy and then in the ultra sound the tech had us turn our head so she could find out and then right after she said, "now I need to try and get a better look at his profile." We both caught the "his."  I had noticed she had referred to it as a "his" earlier in the ultra sound so I thought she must just always call it that, but then she had just looked at his parts so I thought that she slipped. Mike was for sure that meant it was a boy. I was 95% sure. We almost just decided not to go get the outfits since we already knew what it was. So to sum it up... it was a very, very fun surprise when I saw that pink edging on the outfit. It was an awesome feeling!

That was just the start of a great weekend. We planned our first over nighter, alone, since we've had kids. We had my mom and Mandy come to the house and stay with the boys and we went to park city. We left Friday morning and exhausted the outlets, hoping to get some Christmas shopping under our belt then we went to dinner at the famous pizza place on main street, which we actually wanted to find some place a little more unique, but it was cold and we were hungry and we settled. It turned out to be amazing. I don't use that word often. The pizza we chose was soooooo good. Mmmm it was good. I can taste it as I'm typing about it. :) Then we got us a nice big piece of chocolate for dessert.

 Now you may want to divert your eyes before you see the rest of our crazy night. When we checked in the guy told us we could park in the outside lot or in the underground parking, however the underground was first come first serve. Well seeing how it was a late 6:30.... on a Friday night.... in Park City.....when we were done with dinner and wanted to retire, we had our pick of parking spaces.  I know, it's crazy of us to stay out so late. I guess that's what happens at 35.

 We finished our evening with a BYU basket ball game and a wild scrabble match. Heavenly Father does love me, we are having a girl AND I beat Mike at scrabble. Normally when we play I start out ahead, but Mike makes the big finish. It almost happened again! I was way ahead the whole game and then at the very end he pulled ahead, however it got to where he couldn't form anymore words and I got 2 or 3 more in and beat him!!! man it feels good!

 On our way home the next morning we stopped at the blue plate diner in Sugar House and again had an amazingly delicious breakfast. All I had was a waffle, but it had fresh strawberries and for some reason it was better than any waffle I've had. Mikes omelet, also the best we've had.

Talk about a great weekend!

Happy Halloween 2011

Ok so with summer officially being over, we start the great season of holidays and traditions and snow and cold. It really is a fun time of the year. I feel like the holidays help make the cold winter less painful. I'm not trying to sound sacrilegious or anything, but lots of people try to stay away from the commercialized Christmas's that take place, and maybe we should? but I feel like I have a love for the Savior year round and I say bring on the fun, the lights, the presents, the decorations, the music, of Christmas. It sure spices up this mortal life we live. That was just a tangent... anyway, back to Halloween. The weather was nice this year, no rain, no snow. Gardner Village puts on a great witch display.

Lisa brought pumpkins to grandma's house and I'm glad, because I don't get into pumpkin carving (on my own) as good as I should. It's nice to have someone help me along. We had a great time carving pumpkins.

and baking the seeds. My favorite part.

The finished products.

Provo city does this fun little Halloween boat ride on part of the Provo river. There was lots of fun pumpkins to see and a funny pirate who told funny pirate jokes. We may do it again next year.

This is us on our way to our ward Halloween party. I'm nothing. My mom just had this pink wig and pink fake eye lashes, so I partook.

 Halloween night we got Ivan in his costume. He and Jack sat down in the hall and were talking. About 5 seconds later Jack came wondering over telling me, "shhhhh." So we let him sleep an hour or so.

.

Then Mike took the boys out trick or treating. Jack is a penguin, but the outfit had feet in it and we've had to cut out all the feet in his pajama's cuz he doesn't like them, soooo he didn't wear the costume, just the hat. And people still gave him candy ;)

Jacey and her mom and dad trick or treating our house

ANOTHER great Halloween. Until next year!

and a few of the bigger things....

Jamie turned the big 4-0!! We threw her a surprise party. Everyone brought a thought or story about her and we read them all and it was a great time!

Happy 40th Birthday Jamie

Tara got married!! Mike's (and mine) niece Tara married Sean. Congrats to the darling, happy couple

Aunt Becca and Marv left for China!! Goodbye party before Aunt Becca and Marv moved to China for a year to teach English. Best wishes.

Hillary got married!! Mike's (and mine) other niece Hillary married Kevin. Congrats to the other darling, happy couple

Kristian and Malori had their first baby!! Mike's (and mine) nephew Kristian and wife Malori welcomed little baby Dawson to the world. You're right, I'm not old enough to have nieces and nephews getting married and having babies. Stop it already!!!

I tell ya, it's been a busy summer!!

Well with Halloween just around the corner I guess that means summer is officially over. Just a few smaller things to record that kept us busy this summer....

Sleep over at grandma Young's

Murray pool while Edie was in town. My kids actually got in the pool on their own free will

Jensen turned 4 and had his 3rd Thomas b-day party

All the kids, BUT mine played on the slip and slide

Until the end, when all the kids were done- then Ivan wanted to play on it. I mean walk on it

We still tend Jacey once a week

We went to the Ute Stampede. This year we went earlier in the day and played up the canyon before the rodeo

The cousins on the Balle side (minus Justin, Cody and Brittany)

I had to keep this picture for 3 reasons. 1- it shows Ivan's need to get a feel of my arm any chance he can. 2- it looks like I'm a fountain of knowledge, teaching my son. "Yes dear, the sun is a big ball of gas floating in the universe, around which the earth revolves 3- I want to remember how I manage to get one strand of hair to stay in a pony tail

We contemplated whether or not to cut Jacks little duck tail. We didnt'.

We sat in strollers in the back of the truck

We signed up for Itty Bitty soccer and attended 2 of the 6 session

For some reason I love these running pictures of Ivan. He's not the fastest kid on the block, but he sure has form when he runs and it seems like all the pictures I get capture him in mid-air. I like it

He'd rather show the coach is toy lion than play soccer

We rode motorcycles with Micah

Nielsen got chickens

And now we are ready for winter