The Cowan family

Uh?

2010-11-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

Does changing my blog template count as updating my blog?

Thought so. Just checking.

M

Mini Maestro

2010-03-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

B had her very first violin recital a couple weeks ago and did an awesome job. We are so proud of her and all she has learned in such a short amount of time. She has picked up the violin so quickly and is learning new songs every week. B loves to play, but is not a big fan of the practicing. Oh well, that's life, right? Here is her recital piece. It starts out a little rocky, but she finishes beautifully. Enjoy.

I Have An Announcement!!

2010-02-27T21:45:00.001-08:00

I know it has been a while since I have been on here...

and for good reason.
It is just not my highest priority right now and let's face it,

I never have anything very interesting to say anyway.
Wouldn't you say?
Well I know you are waiting for my big announcement so here it is.

Drumroll please......I am.....

A Terrible Blogger.

There, I've said it.
But the sad thing is, everyone already knows it.
Not much of an announcement, I guess.
I really am going to try and be a little better this year.
You know, the whole resolution/goal thing.

We'll see how it goes.

And since I can't post without a picture,
here is a shot of my little busy-body.
Love this girl.

Now you see them...

2009-08-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

now you don't!

This sweet little thing is ecstatic to have finally lost some teeth.

It doesn't bother her one bit that they didn't get loose first, or that she didn't get to experience the excitement/horror of pulling her own teeth out.

She didn't mind that she didn't get to twist them with her tongue until they were sideways, or that I didn't have to coax her to "just let me look at them" in order to get those dang things out.

And you know what...those teeth didn't mind either. Those stubborn baby teeth that refused to come out on their own...those stubborn baby teeth that wouldn't let the newer, prettier teeth come through. They wanted to stay and stay forever. So we did the only thing we knew to do...we yanked those babies out.

She couldn't very well have started first grade without having lost any teeth, now could she?

Back to reality...

2009-06-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

We just got back from here:

But before I talk about that I need to do a little catch up...again. Here goes nothin'.

Nate had surgery at the end of April. He has had some unexplained abdominal pain for the last year or so and surgery was our last resort. He has had multiple scans, procedures, tests...you name it. Our last resort, for now I guess, was an exploratory laparoscopy to find a possible cause. The surgery went well and they repaired a "sports hernia" that they thought was the source of the pain. We are about two months post-op and the original pain is still here...go figure. We would like to start looking into alternate medicine now. I am so tired of all the medication to try and put a "bandaid" over the pain, lets find the source already!

I was able to go up north to visit my family and see Wicked. It was absolutely amazing!! My sister-in-law, Ashlie, was able to get us tickets on the fourth row. (Thanks again Ash) I had goosebumps at the end of the first act. If I could just see even the first act again I would be happy. My friend Linzee and I want to become Wicked groupies and travel with the show, just so we can see it again and again. When it finally comes to Vegas...we are so there.

P turned 4 and had a great birthday. He got a motorcycle and he still loves it. Nate took him and his best buddy to the driving range and we ended the day at Pirate Island Pizza. P's choice, of course.

The kids all finished school with flying colors. B and A will be attending a new school next year. Although I love their school, we will be trying a new charter school this next year. It has an emphasis in performing arts and technology. I am excited for the opportunity, but we will miss our old friends and teachers. Change can be good.

My new favorite sound

2009-04-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today is her 11 month birthday.
How could you not LOVE this baby??

Tooth Fairy Trickery

2009-03-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

I found this note under B's pillow the other day.

It says:

Dear Tooth Fairy-

I lost a tooth today at recess and I went to p.e. and lost

my tooth. So do I still get the money and candy?

From B

P.S. I'll give you an extra tooth, please!

Now, I know that she hasn't lost any teeth recently,

especially at school. (Obviously we need to work on our honesty.)

And I am left to wonder where she might have come up with

any extra teeth.

I hope that Ms. Tooth Fairy isn't fooled.

In honor of Grandpa Dave

2009-03-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

We have pictures of my dad holding us kids like this.

It is only fitting that we keep the tradition going.

Oh how I wish he was here to meet my kids and love them.

Who knows....maybe he already has.

But I do know for sure that someday...he will.

Playing Catch-up!!

2009-01-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for waiting so patiently for a new post. I have now turned into one of those blogs that people don't check anymore because it is never updated. Sorry.

Allow me to back-track a bit. To prepare for the coming of my all-time favorite holiday (Christmas, obviously), we participated in the usual pre-holiday events, like....

*Searching the the perfect Christmas tree

*and participating in the usual ward nativity.
See my cute Mary?And see my cute little angel?

We also decorated our Christmas tree....

and played in some of our winter leaves.

In keeping with a new and extremely beloved tradition, I returned again to Las Vegas with my best friend of all time, Linzee, for a little Christmas shopping.

We even had a freak snow storm. They canceled school for the day and the kids had a great time playing. Without any snow clothes the kids were soaked and freezing, but they didn't care. We had so much fun.

We also took our usual trip to see our dear friend Santa Claus. What a guy!!

Of course, the actual holiday itself came and went....and we had a blast. We decided to do our own Christmas down here this year because it is becoming increasingly more difficult each year to transport an entire Christmas up north and back down again. We LOVED it!! It was so nice to have our own little Christmas and to be able to relax the rest of the day and enjoy our family. Christmas morning was so fun with the kids. They loved all of their presents.

B got a lot of what I thought were "grown-up" gifts this year....a new mirror to admire herself in, some fake nails, and, of course, the ever coveted hair extensions. She had those nails on first thing and was so cautious about them for a bit. Then, they started falling off everywhere and she was so concerned about those darn things. Although it was a little stressful for me, she loved every minute of it.

We decided to get A a doll house for Christmas this year. She has the ability to sit for hours and entertain herself with little dolls and such. I thought she would love it, but it wasn't meant to be. While she was a little excited for the doll house, she was over-the-top extatic for her own makeup set and spent a good part of the morning trying on every shade she could find. Go figure!!

I debated for a while on what we should get P for Christmas. I finally decided on some "indoor" toys so that the poor guys won't get so bored on cold days. He loved his race track and we heard those cars all day long. The brand-new batteries were completely depleted by the next day. Thank goodness he now has some toys that keep him busy.
And, of course, we can't forget our sweet K's first Christmas. She turned 7 months on Christmas day. She also made a haul with all her loot....all of which she could care less about.
We left for family's house the next day and spent the next week with them. We had so much fun being with both sides of the family. I will have to post other pictures later. This one is long enough as it is.

Bad....Bad Blogger!!

2009-01-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

No..I haven't forgotten that I have a blog. I just never get around to updating it. I really do have a lot to say, a lot of which I am certain you have no interest in hearing whatsoever. So...just letting you know that the Cowans are alive and kicking. We had a wonderful holiday, of which I will post pictures later. Right now....well, right now I just don't feel like it!

Calling All Super Readers.....

2008-11-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

For all who read my blog (all three of you)....

Christmas is quickly approaching and I am searching for some LEGOS for P for Christmas.

I know that some of you used to have them when you were younger and have now outgrown them (hopefully).

So...if anyone knows anyone who would be willing to sell me some legos I would love it.

Please leave a comment and let me know. Thanks

Everything But the Kitchen Sink....

2008-11-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

This morning, while getting ready for school, B handed me her Christmas list.

Here it is:

It says:

1- dog. puppy (never)

2- jewlry bracelets rings earrings (do-able)

3- moter scooter (Uh..probably not)

4- nail polish (definitely do-able)

5- fake nails (starting to laugh)

6- high heals

7- high school musicl three. soundtrack and movie

8- new clothes

9- hair exstenshons (uh...what?)

10- make up set

11-American girl doll

12- idog and ipod

13- my four front teeth (added as an addendum after talking to Daddy)

I laughed so hard I actually cried.

What's next...a nose job??

Hats

2008-10-31T13:54:00.000-07:00

It's been said that women wear many hats.

Chef, taxi driver, nurse, care provider, teacher, friend, maid, and many others.

Sometimes I find it hard to wear each hat, sometimes many times each day. Sometimes it is just too much responsibility.

Sometimes I get so busy that I forget to just be me.

Some day, soon, my girls will grow up and start trying on new hats. I hope that when that day comes they will remember to have fun with it and not get too bogged down with all the responsibility.

I want them to be anything that they set their minds to. I want them to be able to wear each hat with confidence. But I also want them to be loving, kind, responsible, respectful, and many things that we all want for our kids.

But for now, I want them to just be kids..to be carefree and have fun.

So, just for now, I hope that these hats will suffice.

For the Family

2008-09-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a while, but I seem to have an aversion to posting...kind of like my aversion to folding laundry. I don't post because I usually don't know what to say. In order to get some recent pictures on here for family I am just going to post pictures and not say too much.

'nuf said.

P had Cowboy day at preschool the other day. He thought it was the best. Of course he wore his boots, even though they are way too small for him. I thought that he made a great cowboy.

Has the Lone Ranger ever looked cuter?

B is losing teeth like a mad woman. She has two others that are pretty loose and she is trying her hardest to get them out. She loves the payouts from the Tooth Fairy. We need to keep our eye on her. She might try and knock a few extra out just for the cash! She is excelling in school and is one of the top in her class.

Love this baby! K is getting so big and I love watching each new stage. She has giggled a few times and is starting to bat at toys. Still not rolling over, but I think it has to do with the fact that she is never left alone long enough to try. Her siblings just love her so much they can't keep their hands, or lips, off her.

Oh, what can I say about my sweet A? She loves school and is learning so quickly. She loves to do her homework and is usually the one to remind me when something has to be done. She is completely her own girl. She is still content to play on her own and doesn't always have to be doing what everyone else is.

How Old Do I Look?!

2008-09-09T22:17:00.000-07:00

B: Mom, I want a pony-tail today.

Me: All right. Do you want a side pony?

B: Will it look cute?

(I sweep the hair to the side and show her)

B: Yea, like that.

Me: Did you know that I used to wear my hair in a side pony when I was in elementary school?

B: I know Mom (said with attitude), it was in the 60's.

Am I really that old? Maybe I just feel young at heart.

Hair Today...Gone Tomorrow

2008-08-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

I'm going for a shorter post this time.

Just had a baby. Wanted to feel better about myself while I am losing that extra weight. Figured that the hair was the only way to do that. Got too brave and went from this...

to this....

Still trying to get used to it. What do you think?

Hiking the volcano

2008-08-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago Brandon and Sharon came down to visit us. We were looking for something fun to do and decided that we would try our luck at the volcano. We have a small vent about 10 miles from our home and Nate has been dying to take the kids to the top. As we got there we noticed another man trying to climb and he was taking the front straight up. We saw him slip a few times and then make a run for it. We thought nothing of it at first and then later found out why. The front of the volcano is pure loose rock. You cannot take a step without slipping because none of the rock is anchored. It is a tough climb because it is also extremely steep. We tried to create our own switch-backs to avoid going straight up.

The kids all did really well considering. It was good that there were four adults to four kids. I front-packed K up the whole way. A was really worried and was holding on to someone else the entire time. B was pretty brave and tried it on her own for a while. P was the best though. When the hike got tough he kept saying, "Dis is not a fun bolcano. Dis is dumb." We couldn't help but laugh. It sounded so cute. After several stops for water we finally made it to the top. The kids loved it up there and the view was amazing.

Needless to say, we found another way down. Unbeknownst to us, there was another way up on a trail around the back side of the mountain. We were glad that we didn't have to slide down the front on our rears. It was a fun hike and the kids were excited to pick out their own lava rocks to take home. (Now where am I going to put three LARGE lava rocks?) Thanks Brandon and Sharon for coming with us and for helping the kids along the way.

B turned 7!!

2008-08-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that B is already 7 years old. She is growing so quickly. This year I told B that she could have a "friend party" for her birthday. We usually just have a family party since her birthday is in the summer and we usually aren't in touch with any of her school friends. This year I figured it was time for her to have some fun. We decided on a hula party and it was really fun. The kids made leis, played games, swam, and enjoyed treats. After the party was over a few of the girls stayed and played HSM karaoke on the Wii. They had a blast.
It is hard to see how grown up she is around her friends. They start worrying about getting splashed, about who sits next to who, talking, hugging each other. I thought that those types of things didn't happen until at least junior high. Time is flying too fast. Anyway, the kids had a great time and B loved it. Happy Birthday B!! We love you.

4th of July

2008-07-11T10:45:00.001-07:00

The 4th of July just isn't the same as it was when I was younger. Don't get me wrong, it still remains one of my favorite holidays, but it is just different. I hate being away from my family on the 4th. Gone are the days of the Provo parade, family bbqs, and not-too-hot-to-be-outside evenings. And the 4th just isn't the 4th without the cotton candy machine. I still love the new patriotic outfits for my kids, new hair bows, and the works. I still love the watermelon, salads, and desserts that come. But it just isn't the same without family.

This 4th we spent hanging out at home. It was too hot to take the kids downtown to the "carnival", which down here is nothing (if you can even call some bounce houses, a few snow cone booths, a large slip-n-slide, and a small train a carnival). We had a fun bbq with our next-door neighbors in the evening and then went outside to light a few fireworks of our own. The kids thought that it was great. I hope that someday they can experience what the 4th was like for me when I was younger. Ahhh, the nostalgia.
We decided to do a little fingernail fun for the 4th.

Who looks tired?? (and needs a haircut?)

Aren't those the cutest things you've ever seen?!

More of K. She is getting so big.

K's one month picts

2008-07-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

K is now six weeks old, but here are some of her one month pictures. She is still changing so much. This is for the grandmas.

The Kidlets

2008-06-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

So, it has been a while since my kids have had their pictures taken individually. It was about time that I got some taken, but I also wanted to jump on the newborn photo bandwagon and get some of Kamri before she grew out of her newborn look. I found a wonderful photographer here through a friend's blog...(I know that is called blog-stalking, but I loved her photos)..and I decided to try her out. She comes to your house to take the newborn photos and she also goes on location to take the older kids photos. I love the pictures that she took. She captured each child's personality wonderfully. Now comes the task of picking which of the 130+ photos that I like best. Here are a few of my favorites...

I can't believe I have four...

Precious Kamri

"The Posse"

"Big Sister"

"Mini Me"

"Mister Mischief"

And Baby Makes Six!!!

2008-06-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

She's here!!!...a little early, but she is here. Kamri Alizabeth Cowan was born Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 5:49 a.m. She was 7# 6oz and 181/2 inches long. She has a lot of platinum blonde hair that is just adorable. We are so excited to have her in our family. She has been such a good baby this past week. My recovery is going well and we are all getting along just fine. Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!
She is still just a little peanut and is the best baby ever!! We love her to pieces!!

Happy Birthday Porter!!!

2008-05-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today my baby turned three years old. I can hardly believe it. Time has completely flown by since he was born. He has been such a blessing to our family. It has been so fun to have such a great little boy as part of our family. He is such a little ball of energy and is always getting into things, but we wouldn't have him any other way.

We have been telling Porter for the past couple of days that his birthday was coming up. He didn't quite understand the whole time line, but last night Nate told him that he needed to get into bed and when he woke up it would be his birthday. Well, at two o'clock this morning I heard him come out of his room and climb up onto the side of my bed. He put his face right in mine, mind you it was dark, and whispered, "Mom, today is my birthday." I said, "I know, but it is still the middle of the night and still time to sleep. Get back in bed." He quickly used the bathroom, I tucked him back in and he was fast asleep...that is until around 6:45 or so. I thought that I heard him come out of his room, but I was still partly asleep. I then heard his room door close and I figured that he had gone back to bed because everyone was still asleep. Nope! 7:30 rolls around and he climbed back onto the side of my bed and showed me his mouth. It was full of something very sweet smelling. I asked him what it was and he promptly replied, "Candy". Great. I rolled (and I do mean rolled) out of bed and went to see what he had gotten into. I had just purchased a box of fruit-by-the-foot last night and had mistakenly left it out on the counter. Porter found it this morning and took it into his room and consumed five of them. Needless to say, this is how Porter started his birthday morning.

Poor guy.

Thank goodness the rest of the day went well. We let him open a couple of presents before we headed out to church. He was so excited to take his new "guy" with him.

After church was over he was able to open the rest and we had cupcakes and ice cream to top off the day. He got spoiled by his grandparents, as usual.

Thanks everybody for the nice gifts. He loves them. And Happy Birthday, Porter. We love you!

San Diego, Sunshine, Shamu, and Stones (kidney that is)

2008-05-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my mom and sisters decided that they wanted to go to Sea World during Spring Break. They stopped at our house for the night on their way down to San Diego. At the last minute (as in the next morning, an hour or so before they were planning on leaving) Nate and I decided that we would join them on their journey. We thought that it might be fun for one last little trip before the baby comes. As soon as Porter heard that we might be going with Grammy he decided that he had better get packed. This is what he thought was most important to take.

Of course, he had to bring his boots, which he already had on, his swimming board, and two shoes, both of which didn't match. What a character!

Well, we threw our stuff together and we were off. About a half an hour into the trip I started to not feel so hot and started getting a weird pain in my side. I just figured that I was sitting some-what uncomfortably in the front seat (pregnancy will do that to you) and was getting a little car sick. I hadn't been feeling well earlier that week, and I just figured that my antibiotics hadn't kicked in yet too. Long story short, the seven hour ride down was completely miserable. After we had checked into our hotel and got everybody settled I told Nate that I needed to go to the hospital. The pain in my side was unbearable and I knew that I needed some help. Twelve hours, four ultrasounds, a diagnosis of a kidney stone, and a lot of pain medication later they realeased me from the hospital and we were able to get back to our kids. Thank goodness for my mom who stayed with them through the night in our hotel room.

The day I was realeased was supposed to be the day that we went to Sea World. Instead, my mom and sisters took my kids to the pool and on a small jaunt to the beach while I rested. I was hoping that the pain medication, love me some Vicoden, would help me through the day, but it made me extremely drowsy. Another long story short, because of the many prayers and fasting of others (thanks everybody), I was able to have a better day the next day. We went to Sea World and had a great time.

We started our day by feeding the dolphins, which my kids were not too sure about. You have to touch them on the head first, before you put the fish in their mouths. Well, the awaiting dolphin sits there with its mouth wide open and all you can see is teeth. Needless to say, it took a bit of coaxing before they would touch anything.

We also watched the shows and the kids loved them.

Good 'ol Shamu. Although, I think this whale was really named "Corky". My kids were so entranced with this show. I almost teared up a couple of times just looking at their faces. It was just the perfect look of child-like amazement and wonder. I am so glad that they were able to see it.

They liked the dolphin show, but their all-time favorite had to be the sea lions. They still talk about bits and pieces of this show all the time. I think it was a little more interactive than the others and they remember quite a bit about it.

Of course, we saw the sharks....

fed the flamingoes....

tried to get the kids to touch the sting rays (that was a no-go)...

visited the sea turtles...

and touched the star fish.

We had a great day. We had a blast and can't wait until we someday return. I was blessed to have been able to walk around that day without my pain meds. (Thanks for all of your prayers and concern on my behalf.) We spent that night at my aunt and uncle's house in San Moreno Valley.

Porter was exhausted, but wouldn't let go of his new Shamu souvenier. I am so glad that we were able to go when our kids were old enought to remember the trip.

The return journey was long and uncomfortable for me, but we made it. Thank goodness, the next morning the stone passed and I was able to get some much needed rest and recovery after a week in pain. Miracles do happen.We had a wonderful trip and we are looking forward to when we can do it again and really enjoy ourselves. Thanks mom for letting us crash your party and for looking after the kids when things were looking bleak. We love you. Thanks also to my wonderful husband Nate who put up with everything and was very patient with me. He stayed by my side through the night in the hospital and wouldn't leave me even though I insisted that he return to the hotel to be with the kids. You are the best. I love you!

SPRING!!!

2008-04-09T11:04:00.001-07:00

So... you know it is spring here when the kids are dying to eat lunch outside every day and you have to put up an umbrella for shade. I love that spring comes here a little earlier than up north. It has been so nice to be outside with just a light jacket, and lately not even that. I am going to enjoy this weather while it lasts because the "hot season" is just around the corner. Spring, Spring, Spring...oh how I've missed you!!

Tu...Tu....Cute!!

2008-03-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

I had to post these pictures of my girls because I thought that they were so stinkin' cute. My friend wants to have a boutique at her house in the near future and I was trying to think of something that I could make for it. I came across some really cute tutus online and I thought that I would try and duplicate them. I think that they turned out really cute and my girls look absolutely adorable in them. Now....I'll just have to wait and see if anybody else in interested in buying them. Hopefully.....

I love this tutu. It is a halter tutu (immodest..I know. My girls already called me on that one.) I saw it online and had to try and make it. I think it turned out cute.

It can also be worn as a classic, longer tutu. Very versatile..don't you think? Can we see a little sass in this picture? Not my sweet Brin...no way!! (said with a very sarcastic tone.)
Sweet Addie. This is just a classic tutu. Very basic, but very fun and cute. This happened to be the same day that we cut her hair. We were experimenting with curl and she decided, after much whining about the time involved in the process, that she liked it. Good thing!!Can you see why we say that she has "Addie"tude?? What a character.

Preggo Mama!!

2008-01-26T20:03:00.000-08:00

It is about time that I blogged about my pregnancy. There isn't anything too significant to say though. I am 21 weeks along and everything has been great so far. I am finally starting to show, although some people would argue with that. You really wouldn't know that I am pregnant if I hadn't already told you. I think that I look bigger, but really it just looks like I have gotten fat all of the sudden. Most of the people in my ward don't know that I am pregnant yet. But that is because we only see each other once a week and I am in the Primary the whole time so they don't see me anyway. We did, however, find out a couple of weeks ago that we are having another GIRL!!!! I really did think that it was a boy. Babies seem to come in crops and those who are due around the same time as me are having a boy, so I just assumed that I was having one also. I had to step back and rethink when they said that it was a girl. I am excited for bracelets and bows again and for the cute clothes. Poor Porter, though. He will be totally outnumbered. It is a good thing that he can hold his own. He knows how to play cars and throw balls like it is his job. I will insert a picture, for my own documentation, so please pay no mind to the pasty, didn't get ready today, getting larger every day photo. I really do hate getting my picture taken...and for good reason. I am just not very photogenic. This picture, however makes me look bigger than I really am. I can still wear my regular jeans, thank goodness. I don't know why, but I was already wearing maternity clothes with my other three pregnancies by now. I love low-rise jeans!!! This is going to sound shallow, but I can still wear my size six Luckys....they must be my "lucky" jeans. For those who have asked I just thought that I would finally let you know how far along I am and what I am having. Sorry it has taken me so long. Oh, and I am due June 9th.

***If anyone has any good ideas for pretty girl names would you please let me know? We are totally stumped. I got nuthin'. I really like the names Cambria or just Bria. What do you think? Please give me some ideas!!

Porter's Evening 'O Mischief

2008-01-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

If you saw the last blog about Porter, then this post won't surprise you. I was talking to my mom today and she told me that I needed to update my blog. I let her know that I didn't have anything really good to blog about and I didn't have any new pictures to share. Well, little did I know, that while we were talking Porter was creating some new memories for me to write about. As soon as I got off the phone with her I heard nothing but silence. Well, in our house that can't mean anything good is happening. I listened down the stairs and the girls had turned on the t.v., but where was Porter? I heard a squirting sound coming from the bathroom and I knew that I was in trouble. Porter was in there spraying the hairspray directly onto his head and hands (his little arms can't reach far enough to spray the recommended distance of 1 ft. away). I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I am doing my hair. I am making a mohawk." Sure enough, he reached up and was pushing his hair into the center of his head. It was still wet, but was already starting to get crusty. I took away the hairspray and washed his hands, but he immediately went for my bathroom and told me that he needed some gel. I calmly explained that he didn't need anything else in his hair and he was on his way. I thought that then was as good a time as any to get the pictures uploaded onto my computer so that I could blog later. I wasn't at the computer for more than five minutes when Addie came upstairs with a popsicle and said that Porter told her that she could have it. Of course, I have to check on the situation and where is Porter??? He is hanging out in the living room with his very own red popsicle that he has treated himself to. The wrapper dripping red juice onto the floor and Porter licking away. I have to get my camera now because this whole blog of mischief will be even better with two examples, right. After fighting Porter for the popsicle, I get the situation under control and start to make dinner. All goes well of course. Well, not really. I again turn my back for a couple of minutes(you think I would have learned by now) while I try and find something to make for dinner.

In my temporary lapse of better judgement Porter decided to push a bucket of wheat to the refrigerator and tear off magnets and papers and whatever else he thought would be fun. Of course, I have to get the camera out again. This just keeps getting better. We get through dinner with only a few mishaps...noodles poured into the cup, dipping hands into the now noodly cup and flinging water and noodles everywhere. Where was I during all this dinner fun?? I stepped into the restroom for a few moments take care of some business. No pictures this time. I wasn't thinking this was funny. Well, dinner is over and we are going upstairs to get their pajamas on. I sit down at the computer to upload my new mischievious pictures and Porter is using my bathroom (we potty-trained last week). All is going well, I hear the regular sounds coming from there. However,I retune my ears just a few seconds later because I now hear splashing sounds. What the???

No worries, Porter is just plunging the toilet and splashing around. His pants are still down and he is having a great time. "What are you doing Porter", I say. "Nothing, just getting into trouble,"replies Porter. I, of course, take pictures and smile to myself. This one is a boy through and through. Well, that is the end of the picture taking, but not the end of Porter's mischief making. We got through the end of the night with only one incident of running around the house naked. Lucky me. I left a bit later to take a movie back and on my return I noticed the upstairs light on. I questioned Nate and he said he was sure that there were no lights on upstairs. I knew better, so I went on a search to find the culprit. I should have guessed. Porter was in our room, with the door closed (smart boy), and was pushing buttons on the computer. AAAhhhh!! He keeps me on my toes, but I wouldn't have him any other way. Well, a little less mischievious maybe, but just as cute.

'Twas the night before Christmas...

2008-01-07T21:11:00.000-08:00

We have a tradition that we started many years ago with our family. Nathan wanted us to go ice skating every year on the day of Christmas Eve. We have enjoyed it every year and as the kids have grown we have been excited for them to try on their first pair of skates. There have been times that we have gone alone but we have invited friends and family to join us several times. In previous years the Peaks Arena has allowed strollers on the ice, but for some reason they did away with that this year. It made it a little harder to keep all three kids up on their skates the whole time.

This was Porter's first year on skates and he did an awesome job. We let him walk around outside the rink for a bit while he tried to get his balance. We were quite impressed with his ability to walk so quickly in the skates.

We had a little help this year with the kids since we couldn't hold all three ourselves. My brother Chris and his wife Ashlie and my brother Anthony and his wife Ta hnee all came with us. We had a great time. I decided not to skate this year. I sat out with Ashlie and Mylie. It probably would have been all right for me to go, but I didn't want to risk falling and hurting the baby. Especially when I would be trying to skate and hold an unsteady child in my arms. Chris and Anthony were a bit help..thanks you guys.

The kids had a great time and we can't wait to go again next Christmas Eve.

Of course, later that evening we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and the kids were allowed to open their Christmas Eve presents. I say "presents" (plural) because I can never decide what to give them. I love the idea of giving them a new, nice book on Christmas Eve, but I also love the new pajamas....so, this year they got both. I know it is a bit superfluous, but hey, it is Christmas, right?? They loved the pajamas, but my kids love books even more (do they take after me or what?). As soon as the book were opened they each rushed off to their own space and began reading (Brinley), looking at the pictures (Adalynn), and asking for someone to read it to them (Porter). It was a great day.

It's that time of year.....

2008-01-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

Behind, again, in my blogging, but I figure "better late than never"!! Here were some of the things on our family "to do" list for the holidays.

1- Visit with Santa. (check)

2 - Find the perfect Christmas tree. (check)

3 - Decorate the Christmas tree. (check)

( Is this a kid tree or what?? All of the ornaments were eye-level to the kids and they rearranged

them a little bit every day. What is Christmas for anyway, huh?)

4 - Snack on - I mean decorate- a gingerbread house. (check)

5 - Exchange gifts with our bestest friends. (check)

Boy, were we busy, but we loved every minute of it.

GIRLS WEEKEND

2007-12-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

So, for those of you who have been to St. George, you know that there are not many places here to go shopping. No toy stores, a teeny-tiny mall, and not many surrounding cities to try out either. Last year my best friend, Linzee Hickman, another friend, also Lindsay, and I decided to head down to Las Vegas and get some of our Christmas shopping done there. We had an absolute blast, so we decided to make a yearly trip of it. Last year we just went down on a Saturday and spent the day there frantically trying to get everything done. This year we decided to go down on Friday night and get a good nights rest before the frenzy of the next day started. Our friend, Lindsay Sparti, had moved down there a few months previous and had offered to let us stay at her house. Linz and I were so excited to go. We looked forward to it for weeks. Anyway, when it came time to head out we were bursting at the seams.

It is amazing that when you find a good friend that you can talk for hours and never run out of things to say. Linz and I drove the whole way to Vegas, almost two hours by the time we got through traffic and down to the southwest end, and talked the whole time. We are so different, yet we have so much in common. I just love being around her. She is such an amazing person. I am so lucky to have found such a wonderful, life-long friend. Anyway, enough with the mushy stuff. After the drive we went to our friend Lindsay's, we call her Sparti to avoid confusion, and saw her new house. (Oh, how I am jealous of her fourth bedroom!!) She took us to a new bar and grill near her house. I got some wings, which didn't taste so well after driving for two hours on a pregnant stomach. Afterwards, we swung by the movie store and picked up "Hairspray" for our viewing pleasure. Chick flicks are so fun when you really get to watch them with a bunch of other girls!! We had a fun night and it was fun to see Sparti's family too. The next morning we got a slow start after our late evening the night before, but once we were ready we were off. A quick breakfast on the go and we shopped, shopped, shopped. A quick lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and we were off again. I wish that I would have taken a picture of the trunk of my car after the night was over. We were able to get a lot accomplished and we had such a great time. I love my friends. They make everything so much more enjoyable. After the shopping was done, or in all honesty, after the two of us tired and pregnant women were all shopped out we headed home early. I say early because the stores weren't closed yet, but we knew we had a big drive ahead and that we would lose an hour on the way back. We reached home a little after midnight and still had a little bit of energy to spare.

As you can tell, I am looking a LOT scraggly and very tired in the eyes, but we had a wonderful time. I can't wait until next year, or maybe we will try and make it to "Time Out for Women" in Vegas this year. We deserve it right?? A special thanks to the husbands for watching the kids for the weekend and allowing us to go and get a few things done kid-free. It was sorely needed and greatly appreciated. We love you guys!

My Crazy Little Man

2007-12-16T19:47:00.001-08:00

I know it's been a while and I am way behind. In my defense, I have been super busy the past couple of months. With my flu clinics to run, preggo sickness to get over and Primary callings to submit I have been a little weighed down. Things have been sliding for a while now and I am sure that they will continue until all of the holiday madness blows over. I am not sure I even know where to start. Where did I leave off? I have taken a lot of pictures lately with the intent to blog, but I never got here. Here are a couple recent pictures of Porter. He constantly keeps me on my toes with his little antics.

If this smile doesn't SCREAM "Did you say MISCHIEF??

I am so there!!" I don't know what does.

Porter took it on himself the other day to make sure that he was dressed. If you can't quite tell, those are running pants, cowboy boots and his Sunday tie. He must get his sense of style from his father!

Again, loves the boots, but still doesn't know the best way to wear them.

It is so hard to keep Port away from a full bathtub. At least he jumped in with his clothes on before he had actually been bathed. The other day I had him all dried off and ready for lotion. The second I turned my head he took off for the tub and dove back in. What a goof!

Port seriously is the biggest stud ever!! He is at such a fun age, but also a frustrating one. He never listens, is constantly bugging his sisters, and gets into mischief at the drop of a hat. But, when he is good he is so cute. I love listening to the new phrases and words that he comes up with, his smile can just melt my heart, and I love to hear him laugh. My favorite of his lately is "You better watch out, better not cry, better not pout, I'm TELLING ON YOU!!" I can't believe how fast he has grown. Love you Portis!!!

Halloween!!!

2007-11-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

The kids were so excited for Halloween to finally come. After debating for weeks what they would be we finally came up with a flapper, a witch, and a vampire. I usually try to make their costumes for Halloween, but this year I just didn't get it done. They are all store-bought, but not generic-looking like I feared. I went to Brinley's class during the day and helped out with her class party. I love to see her in her classroom setting and see how she interacts with the others kids and where she spends her time away from home. Her little parade was cute, but it was hot outside. They parade around their track outside. I remember parading around the classrooms when I was little, but here they do it a little differently.

Brinley picked out this costume as a last minute resort. I thought that she looked really cute in it. I think she was drawn to it because I was also a flapper this year. She didn't even know what one was, and neither did anyone else in her school class, but she wore it with pride. Well, she wasn't a big fan of the boa, she is very sensitive to things that itch, scratch, or tickle.

Addie was excited for weeks knowing that she was going to wear this costume. We pulled out our Halloween box early this year and the kids went through it faster than I remember doing it myself as a kid. Addie wore her costume for a while as a dress-up. I wouldn't let her wear it out of the house, for fear of tears and dirt, but she wore it around nonetheless. I put a little wart on her nose and I thought that she looked adorable in her black eyeliner and lipstick. What a cute witch.

Every Halloween I think of my dad when it comes time to paint faces and decide how to put the whole costume together. I know that my mom did a lot of the face-painting too, but my dad had a lot of great ideas of how to turn a good halloween costume into one that looked sensational. Addie just got a little bit of dark makeup and I don't think that Brin even got any makeup, but Port's was the best of all. He didn't even look like himself when I was finished with him. He looked so much older with all of his dark hair. I think that he got an extra piece of candy at some of the houses because he was so cute. He was very polite and always said "Trick-or-treat" and "Thank you". I think that he loved it. At the end of the night his little bucket was was so full and heavy, but he wouldn't let anyone even touch it to help him. He wanted to make sure that all of his candy was close by.

The kids made a haul with their candy. Port started in on his as soon as he got into the car. He had a piece of gum and two suckers in his mouth before we could even stop him. I don't know what we are going to do with all the candy, but they all had a fun time.

Carving Pumpkins

2007-11-10T09:05:00.001-08:00

So, I figured that it was time to update my blog. It has been a while and there are many things to post. I guess that I will start with our family night of carving pumpkins. I am not big on doing stuff like that, but I figured that it was important to keep the tradition going and let the kids have a little fun. Addie and Brin had a great time cleaning out the pumpkins and deciding what faces to carve. Brinley even found a few sprouts in hers. She thought that it was pretty cool.

Porter, on-the-other-hand, didn't like the feel of the pumpkins one bit. We tried to get him to put his hand in, but after the first touch it was a no-go. He let us clean it out and carve it for him. He did like the end result though.

All-in-all, we had a great time and the kids made some great pumpkins. Brinley carved her own design, with a little help in the drafting process, and the others simply requested that their faces look nice, not scary. We tried our best, but these were the best that we could come up with. Enjoy!!

Casting Call!!!!

2007-10-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

It is too bad that I have to use a generic-looking blog setup now. I guess that it is better than nothing. Hopefully I will figure out how to put up a decent blog. Well, my good friend Linzee told me that Gap is having their annual casting call. I don't usually enter things like that, but I figured that it sounded like fun. I thought that I would post the photos that I submitted so that you all can admire how beautiful my children are.

Beautiful Brinley

Adorable Addie

My Mischevious Porter

We Love Family!!

2007-10-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a whirlwind weekend. Anthony, Tahnee, Corey, and Skyler came down to visit for fall break. Corey and Skyler wanted to visit one more time before they left on their missions. We were so happy that everyone was able to come down and visit. We don't get visitors very often, so the kids were extatic too. They came down late Thursday night, after the kids were already asleep. The next morning it was like Christmas. Porter woke me up fairly early as he screamed, "Skyler's here!!" right into my face. The kids spent the early part of the morning jumping on everybody's bed and enjoying their company. We went to feed the ducks later in the morning. I don't know who had a better time, the kids or the "big kids". Anthony and Corey and Skyler were throwing bread with the best of them. There were a couple of swans that were pretty vicious and that chased the other ducks away from the food. Of course, the big boys felt bad for the other ducks and spent their time trying to throw food directly to them. It was good to see their "softer sides".

Here is the really mean swan. See how its feathers are arched as it

chases away that other duck. Poor thing!!

We also went down to Las Vegas the next day. We had a late start on Saturday morning and didn't get down to Vegas until about 12:30. We spent about four hours shopping at the Premium Outlets and then went down to the south strip. We stopped at MGM and saw the lion and then went to our usual haunts...the M&M factory, the Coke factory...it was great.

On our way down the sidewalk a lady stopped Corey and me and wanted to know if we wanted a catalog. She make sure that we knew it wasn't porn, but Corey and I just looked at each other, not knowing what to say. The lady asked us if we spoke English and we just stood there. Anyway, long story short, she really was handing us a map that showed the locations of all the hotels on the strip and a list of when all the free shows were. We were actually really glad to have it after a while and used it frequently when we were deciding where to go next. After the strip we headed to our favorite (well, not Nate's - he didn't eat anything) fast food joint- In-n-Out burger. It was time to head home after that, the kids were tired. The others stayed in Vegas for a little bit and went on the Stratosphere. We had a great weekend and were glad to spend time with our family.

"Hairs to you!!"

2007-10-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we went to visit my family and to be with my brothers, Corey and Skyler, as they went through the temple for the first time. Nate had a camping trip with his scouts so he wasn't able to come with us. On our way up I mentioned to Brinley that we should get her hair cut that weekend and surprise Daddy when we got home. Well, she asked to get her hair cut the whole weekend. I finally was so sick of her asking that I threatened to shave it all off myself if she mentioned it one more time. We have been growing her hair out for a while now and have just been waiting for the right time to get it cut. I have shown her the Locks of Love website and she is excited to be helping other children out. I think that she looks so cute with her new hair cut. Don't you?

Finally using technology

2007-09-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

I guess that it is time we finally created a family blog. I am constantly saying, "I'll send you some pictures," but I never get around to doing it. I don't know much about blogs, but I do know that I can post it once and whoever wants to see the pictures can. Sounds good to me. We'll have to see how it goes.