42/365

Our House. On the Couch. 6:00 PM 

This is what happens when the little guy doesn't get a nap

41/365

Avery's prayer tonight went something like this.....
     "Heavenly Father. Thank you for this day. Thank you that I got a Beautiful Red Rose from Carter...."

Valentines Day is in the Air!

Her little friend Carter was at the rose shop with his dad and said he wanted to get a rose for Avery.  

So...this cute little kid came up to the door (not wanting any help from his dad) and gave Avery a beautiful red rose.  Avery's got a big smile on her face, gave him a hug.. they played for a second and then Carter was out the door.  Pretty cute. 

(a side note... this little romantic was also Avery's First Kiss! A cuple weeks into preschool I was driving them home from preschool and Carter said, "Avery, do you remember when I kissed you?"

(They both giggled)

Ahhhh!!! My daughter has already been kissed. And she now has gotten a rose! 

40/365

Past midnight and I'm still up working on the computer. i have some cute pictures of my spoiled baby, but I'm too tired to download them. So... instead I'm just going to post avery's bday invitation I've just spent an hour working on. Kids birthday parties are so much fun. She's super excited for her special day!

(I know this is a lame post... but some day, it might be fun to look back and see old birthday invites)

39/365

My Two Best Friends Growing Up...
 I know they would do ANYTHING for me

For Example:

Today Cindi (cutie on the right) came down to have lunch with me and our girls had a play date together.  When she asked what she could bring, I told her an electric drill and a hammer because we'd be building cabinets downstairs for my kitchen.  Well.... this amazing domestic diva showed up at my house  Mormon "Extreme Home Makeover" style!  Homemade cinnamon rolls in one hand, power tools in the other and a  purple tool belt around her waist! I wish I would have taken a picture.  It was awesome!!  I couldn't stop laughing.  She actually has her own tool belt! (and uses it too!)
We have know each other since the 3rd grade and have been friends ever since.  She just recently moved back to Utah and it has been so great having here close.  Not too many people have the privilege of having a friend like Cindi.  She comes over and we talk and have a good time, but she doesn't sit still... she's up doing dishes with me, helps me with cakes, fold clothers, or in today's case... nailing boards together.  (wow.. now reading this... she probably thinks I think she's my housekeeper :) ) I love that we are so comfortable together that it's just like she's in her own home when she's here.  No matter how many years have passed by since we've seen each other... and rarely talked to each other.. when we get together, it's as if we've never been apart.  It's these friendships that mean the world to me.
Love ya Cindi... can't wait to see you in your purple tool belt again!

38/365

Today was just one of those days....

laundry.  picking up after kids. work stuff. needy baby who likes to be held all the time. more laundry. homework. snow storm (grrrrrrrr).

We did shake it up a bit and went to a Beach Party at Kaden's school tonight.  The kids LOVED dancing and showing off their moves.

37/365

Sunday filled with making paper kites and flying them in the front yard.

I love my life.

36/365

A Beautiful site for my tired of winter eyes.....  Come on little daffodils, you can do it!

35/365

Date night at Home Depot and IKEA only can mean one thing.........

WE ARE STARTING OUR BASEMENT!!!!!
                                         (again)


Thank you. Thank you. Thank you dad for always being there to help and get us motivated.  I love you.
I hope I will be like you when I grow up.

34/365

I will be sad when the day comes when they don't want to have sleepovers together... hopefully it won't be anytime soon.

and I gotta admit... I'm going to be even more sad when I don't get a sleepy little boy coming in to cuddle and fall back asleep at 6 am every morning

(What a good little actor he is... we had to re-create the moment.  I didn't think Brian would be too happy with me if I woke him up in the wee hours to take a picture)

33/365

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!

4 Kids.  

ALL have gone skiing before they were 4 months old. 

I think dad's more happy than the babies, but it's the very beginning of wonderful special memories hanging out with dad.  

As a side note........ Check this out.  (My kids look NOTHING like eachother) :)    What do you think?

Connor 2011

Kaden 2004

 

Here's how the others are doing:



Kaden is becoming the "big man on the slopes".  Today was the first day Brian took Avery and Kaden up together.  Well... maybe I shouldn't say together because Kade decided Brian and Avery were too slow for his style.  He ditched them and skied all day long on his own.  (look at that toothless smile)

Avery is doing awesome! This is her 3rd year doing the ski's on her own. She's figured out how to stop and turn, and can go down the hill all on her own.  She loves to race Brian down the hill and is a little mad that she's not quite tall enough to get on the lift herself so she can go alone. (I am very happy she is too short.  My 4 year old does NOT have to go on the ski lift alone!!! Ahhhhh!!! and you know Brian would totally let her do it)

 

And then there's Bright.... 

He thinks he's as big as the other two and was fighting for his turn.  He was only up there for a couple runs, so he didn't have ski's.  He kept telling us his ski's were "lost" and we needed to go get some in the "room over there" (the lodge).  When we left for the day, he saw the lifts had shut down and he told Brian to go fix it.  Then he gave Brian some batteries he had brought with him in the car (weird, I know) and told him the lift needed new batteries. (could this kid be any cuter?)

32/365

Went to dance today to watch these cute little girls.....

But the real show were these two!! 

Posing for the camera, giving hugs, playing ball and sipping water out of the drinking fountain! McKinley and Bright have been coming to dance with us for months now and they finally realized they could have fun together! 

31/365

Wow.. last day of January! I did it!! Actually have 31 posts for 31 days.  I'm really loving this blog.  I look back at previous posts all the time and smile at the pictures.  Just imagine how fun it is going to be in a few months to look back on all the things I would have other wise forgotten.

Today I got into my "list mode" and went a little "chart happy".   I get this way every couple months where I feel like I can't do anything good enough unless I make lists and charts and plans and goals.  I literally sat down and wrote 7 different things I needed to make a chart for...

   ** Weight Chart (gotta lose the weight. I hate how I look/feel right now)
   ** Daily Job Chart  (for me and my kids)
  **  Daily Schedule  (of course it's scheduled to the minute of every moment.. why do I even think this        
                                    is going to work?  It never does...yet, i still make a chart)
  **  A video game/computer game schedule where the kids have to earn coins to play their games
  **  Paying Bills Chart
  **  Getting out of Debt Chart
  **  Goal Chart
   Oh, AND  I decided I needed to start couponing, so I'm meeting Jenni tomorrow so she can give me all the inside scoops on how to get a box of cereal for 25 cents and maalox for free.  Ya this is something I'm really going to have time for in between making all my charts! :)

hmmmmm.... looking at this all in one place makes it me realize one of two things:
     Either I'm a little obsessive .... uhhh... you think????  (I'm so not going to be able to sleep tonight.. I'm going to be thinking of my charts and what else I need to work on)  

                                       or
  
     I've bit off more than I can chew for one week.

Maybe a better plan would be to work on these a little at a time

31/365 part 2

funny...

as I ended my previous post, I "published" it and an ad on blogger popped up for "free children's job charts"

hmmmmmmm.  My computer is pretty sneaky.

30/365

Most Sundays we get the privilege to have Kaden's Famous Brownies

 today was no exception.

If you haven't had the opportunity to try these famous brownies... well your missing out.  He uses "secret ingredients" to make them "extra rich" (kaden's words... not mine)



This time he made them ALL BY HIMSELF with no help from mom or dad.  He's becoming quite the pro.  His brownies are oh so good!

29/365

Oh the joys of potty training.
He came up with this pose all on his own.  Pretty cute I might say....

and he's a pretty good shot too! 

28/365

It's my turn for late over!!!!!

Kids. Kids. Kids Everywhere!!!

10 kids under the age of 8

Boys playing the Wii..

 Girls having a makeup party and listening to an ipod... an ipod?? Really?? Do you SEE how old they are?

 Toddlers watching Team Umizumi upstairs and playing on the lovesac

 Baby asleep (finally)

The beauty of it is that they are all pre occupied and I can actually get online and blog about it.

Some late over nights are better than others... this one is not so bad.

I love that my kids best friends are their cousins.  

27/365

I love my little helpers.

Avery is such a great big sister. She LOVES to help me with Connor. Especially at bath time.

26/365

Today we stopped in to say hi to Grandma and Grandpa K

I feel so blessed that my kids have the opportunity to get to know their great grandparents.  

5 out of 8 of them are still with us.  

I love you both. 

You have brought so much joy and happiness into my life.  I am better because of you.

(more great pix of other great grandparents to come!)

25/365

This didn't happen today, but I wanted to take a sec and say how much I love my wild, stubborn, sweet, funny, adventurous, spunky, confident, beautiful little girl....who has the cutest belly laugh you have ever heard.
It's contagious.

24/365

Had an amazing conversation with this little guy today......

and he laughed... actually laughed! 

(moments like this that I'm glad I'm posting something everyday... how would I ever remember this moment if I weren't doing this?)