so fast!!

WOW I just can not believe how fast January has gone! It seems like we just celebrated the New Year the other day. Since January has gone by so fast I can only imagine how fast this year is going to go.

I do have to say there are several things on my to do list (you know that list that never seems to get any shorter just longer all the time) well I have been able to cross a few things off. So I guess January was not a waste after all. And I do have to say that I am so ready for some nicer weather. I am so over this really cold weather!

Much Better!!

Shawn and I have been saying for a while now that we were going to start updating things throughout our house. Well not much has gotten done until now. Yesterday we decided we would start with changing the lights on the front of our house. The old, cheep, gold light fixtures on the house really needed to go. They have seen better days.

this is the before . . . . . .

and my AWESOME handyman changing out this fixtures

after . . . .

and this is what it looks like now. so much better!

Its amazing how much little improvements change everything. Thanks to my AWESOME handyman for helping make our house look a little better!

Dessing Up!

All last week our community celebrated Cowboy Poetry. There were several things going on throughout our community. Well each day the boys got to wear something cowboy oriented (like Monday was wear your cowboy hat, Tuesday was wear your boots so for and so on) and on Friday they were able to wear all of their cowboy gear. Well Bry decided to dress like this. . . .

no the bandanna did not cover his mouth all day he just thought it was cool to have on for my picture!

As for Kode he wore a button up shirt that day. He really did not want his picture taken.

All in all the boys really enjoyed being able to dress up all week long to celebrate cowboy poetry week!

Camping Fun!!

The boys are so excited to go camping that they decided to set up their own little campsite in the garage. They created their own campfire, a place for them to sleep and a sitting area with their own fold up chairs. And much to my surprise played out there for quite a while.

I know that I am ready for some spring weather. And when spring gets here we are planning on going camping. We just can not wait to break out all of our camping stuff and try out our new cab over! (well new to us anyway)

tHe NiNtEnDo Ds

Last night the neighbor boy called on Shawn's phone and asked to speak with Kode. We did not think much of it. Then about 20 minutes later he called again. I started to get a little concerned and said something to Shawn. (its unusual that anyone calls for the boys little alone the neighbor boy. he usually comes over to the house.) Then Shawn's phone rang again. This time it was the dad calling to speak with Shawn. Come to find out that the little boy was calling because he wanted the boys to play Mario-kart with him via hooking up wireless on their Nintendo DS's. (The dad wanted to know if Shawn wanted to play and if he knew what was going on. No Shawn does not have a DS of his own so he was not able to play) I was kind of surprised when I walked up to Bry's room and they were playing against the neighbor boys. I did not think that the wireless on those DS's reached that far. Its amazing what technology can do this day in age. (actually it scares me) Anyway the boys played for a while and they said that it was lots of fun!

Kode just making sure that both of them are hooked-up and ready to race!

both boys having a great time!

Our Trip to Salt Lake Part I

Our trip to Salt Lake was a great one! For the first part of our trip we went and stayed with Shawn's mom. We were able to see most of Shawn's family when we were up there. While we were there we played lots of the Wii, ate lots of food, went shopping, ate lots of food, and just enjoyed each others company!

we got this snowboard for the Wii for Christmas and it was a huge hit!

Rachel's little girl Hannah. It was so funny that everyone would only give her 1 or 2 crackers at a time. She finally decided that she was going to get what she wants as everyone was focused on the TV.

Kim, Rebecca, Hannah, Peggy, Rachel

Shawn and Dave catching fish on the Wii

Isaac, Bry, Kim, Jordan

Rachel doing AWESOME on the snowboard

everyone helping Isaac out on the snowboard

It was so cute that anywhere Bry went Hannah was soon to follow.

All in all we had a great time. I just hate that time has to go so fast. Thanks so much Peggy for letting us stay at your house.

My Little Cowboy!!

Well as of this morning Bry has decided that he is a Cowboy! So this morning he came to me and asked me which shirt he should wear and the conversation we something like this:

Bry: "Mom what shirt should I wear now that I am a cowboy" (he was holding up a long sleeve button up shirt in one hand and then he had on a thermal looking shirt, ooh I can not forget about the bandanna he was wearing around his neck and the hat was on his head. He wanted to know what I thought of either of them or so I thought)

Me: I said "well either would be fine."

Bry: "Aah NO mom Cowboy's wear both of them at the same time. One to look nice and the other is to keep warm."

Me: "OK well then why did you ask my opinion."

Bry: "I just wanted to see if you knew much about real Cowboy's mom."

Me: "I guess I don't know to much."

Bry: "Then he said mom I really need a horse because Cowboy's have horses."

Me: I began to laugh and told him "we are not having any horses around here. Use your bike as your horse."

Bry: "Well I will see if I can make a horse."

Then he was off to making him a lasso and figuring out how he was going to make a horse. I left for a few hours. When I came home there were 2 handsome Cowboy's in my driveway playing. (It was Bry and a little neighbor boy playing as if they were real Cowboy's) It was pretty cute. I just laughed! Here are a few pictures of them!

I have to say that those bucky-beaver teeth of his fit his style right now!

Bry and the neighbor boy Dalton!

(they both figured out that their big wheels were great horses. It gets them off to where they need to go in a hurry)

shoot-em-up!

That does not look very comfortable Bry!

Bry tells me this is how they look when they have to take a rest. There are no beds for them to sleep in. This kid is a character.

I often wonder where he gets his ideas from.

(as for Koda he wanted no part of this. he was busy hanging with Shawn)

Our Trip To Salt Lake Part II

We spent our New Years with my dad and step mom and my brother and his wife and their two boys and my sister and her husband. We had a great time. We went and had dinner at a pizza place then we all met back at the house and played the Wii and ate snacks. At about 10:00 all the boys went out and lit fireworks off on the back deck. (yea 10:00 is pretty late for little ones so we decided it was time to celebrate the new year) It was very cold out but it was still fun to see a little firework show. Then on Saturday we went back down to Grumpy and Mimaw's house eat brunch and go sledding. It was a fun filled day!

Warning there are lots of pictures here!!

While we were playing games and the Wii Grumpy and the little boys were making notes that they would stick on our backs. (and the instigator was grumpy)

and their notes would say things like "pinch me now"

While we were at Grumpy and Mimaw's house we played the newly-wed game! Mimaw and Grumpy came up with the questions and each couple was a team. First the boys would go out of the room and then Mimaw would read a question and then us girls had to write our answer down on a note card. Then the boys would come back into the room. Mimaw would read the question tot he boys and if their answer matched our answers on our note cards you would score a point. The team at the end of the game would win a Cash Prize!

This was a really fun game!

Trav and Mandi

Shawn and I

Mimaw

Jay and Harm!

Shawn and I came in 1st place! Thanks Mimaw and Grumpy!

The little kids really wanted to go sledding. So we took them to a park that was close to Grumpy and Mimaw's house. Everyone had a great time!

Shawn really enjoyed sledding until he slammed his head on the ground

Koda and Isaac

Bry

Trav and Alex

these boys were racing down the hill. the little boys were trying so hard to beet the big boy.

I don't think that both of these boys ever stopped!

Trav and Bry.

Bry said I could not see a darn thing because of all the snow going right into his eyes.

Koda and Isaac just loving sledding.

Grumpy was directed by Mimaw not to sled. Well he really is not sledding he was just bringing the tube over to the other side of the hill. (really!!)

Bry!

my boys!!

(Koda was not too happy to be taking any pictures. he just wanted to sled)

I just loved this picture!
Koda has his tongue stuck out catching the snow as it hits his face.

the boys taking a short brake

Trav having lots of fun

Kode was so good with Alex. He would sled down the hill with him and then . . . .

. . .he would pull him back up the hill

Thanks Koda you are AWESOME!!

Just Shawn and I hanging out at the bottom of the hill

taking a break

all of them going down together

After we were done sledding we went back to Grumpy and Mimaw's house and had chili and corn bread and our favorite Carmel Corn. What a fun day!

Thanks to Grumpy and Mimaw for such a wonderful time. We really enjoyed seeing everyone.