February

February is always our big birthday month.  We finished off January w/ Rebecca's birthday bowling party.  The kids were cute to watch try and throw the ball.. especially Bradford and Baya.  They love hanging w/ their grandma and aunts!  (uncles too, but lately harder to come by)

 Our renter moved out in January and we had filled again for March.  In between GG and Pampa Don came and had a visit.  Although nothing fancy, this little apartment has been a great blessing to lots of people.

 Baya got really scary sick w/ the croup.  She could not breath... and it was really scary.  We made two emergency visits in about 10 hours.  I have never seen any of our kids get it to this extreme.  It was a tough one. Bradford started the night later, but I used a lot of prevenative methods to off-set it.

 Bry had his big 34th birthday.. we did the usual w/ soup and breadsticks and then took all the kids swimming.  It was a lot of fun. He loves that Murray Pool and taking the kids on the waterslide.  Baya has now graduated to going down by herself!

 We took the kids to the Zoo and it was comical.  They complained the whole time.. I guess we are done w/ that for awhile.

 Valentines was fun.  Blakely dolled up Emma's old castleb V-box

 Look at this love of sugar love!!! So sweet!

It was really cute, they lined the 3rd graders up for a Valentines day manners luncheon. I couldn't have made a better match... here's hoping for the future... she was so embarassed!

 We did a little breakfast party for Blakley's 9th.  I had told her no party... but softened up in the end. She has such cute friends!

January stuff

We had an eventful January... 

Bradford started his serious shenanigans of getting into everything!  He sure is cute though!  I started having to move the bar stools and chairs out of the kitchen to keep any sort of order and sanity in the area.  I booked a condo for the week after the kids went back to school in Midway.  I know it wasn't the best week for timing, but I never can turn down a good deal!  Anyway, many people got use out of it so it was fun.  I took the kids up on the weekend w/ Kelsie and Lindsee and we swam, walked around the homestead and just chilled!  Nothing like trying to chill w/ 3 little toddlers-- ha ha!  Then, my mom, Kelsie, Lindsee and I had a girls night.  Then, some of my girlfriends came up and we had a girls night and just talked and talked.... I always laugh about that w/ my girlfriends from  high school.  There is nothing that can stop us from talking.  I had cards in hand ready to deal.. and just couldn't break up the chit chat!  But, I love to chit chat w/ them and it was fun to spend so much time w/ them.  Erin and I went cross country skiing at soldier hollow. It was comical as there was not an drip of snow anywhere to be found, but soldier hollow had been making it!  Then, Bry met me up there for the last night and we went scuba diving in the crater.  That was an interesting experience.  I sort of panicked I think because it was so dark.  But it was good to get in the groove again. 

 We had some crazy good weather for January!  Here we are just playing ball in the yard in our crocs and spring clothes... in the middle of January!

 I took the kids to the U of U gym meet against BYU.  It was fun to be all BYU'd up at the Huntsman center.  I love watching those gymnasts! Here the girls are one morning before school... cuties!

 Ellie and Bradford are quite the pair.  They like to follow each other around and try to do the same things.  She is such a little miracle in our lives!

 The kids loved swimming up in Midway... always happy when we can swim in the middle of winter!

Christmas vacation

 Christmas Vacation involved a lot of hanging out with family and chill time.  Blakely got an itouch for Christmas so this meant lots of self portraits by the kids and a lot of goofy shots~

 Sarah and Anna were here for about 3 weeks over the holidays so it was great to have some time with them and see them so much as we have really missed them while living in Connecticut.  It's kind of cute.  Sarah has a little thing for Baya.  She loves to have her play with her and buddy around.  Baya loves the attention Sarah gives her and they are little buddies.

 We went to Wheeler farm over the break.  It was really good weather.  The kids loved just piling on the machinery and hay stacks.  Bradford has become quite a handful and loved running around trying to get up in the tractors.  He is so busy... and only getting busier.

Daniel and Katie were both in town too from their schools.  It was fun to have time just to hang w/ them and the cousins.  Bradford looks especially cute in these funky glasses.  I love how Bry's sisters are always putting funny things on my kids for pics, or getting them cute outfits.  It's nice to have other people pay attention to my kids and give them some TLC.  Nice for mom to get small breaks too!

Lately

Whenever I get behind on my blog, I try and pretend that I haven't and just go back in time.  My memory is one of my strong points in life so I usually can catch up even if it's been a year or longer... but that is the worst!  Anyway, I worked like crazy to get my blog all updated right before Christmas because I had done a blog book from 2006-2008 on blurb and I absolutely loved the idea... but then I just really struggled to get the software working and was running out of time before Christmas and resorted back to My Publisher which is also good... But, really I just need to stay updated! So, I'm not going to pretend that I'm not behind because I am!  But, luckily this time I'm only about 3 months behind.  So, here goes the last 3 months!  

Christmas 2011-what a party

Christmas 2011 was really fun... busy and filled with love.  My birthday has become a big excuse for a party around here.  Bryan likes to make me feel like I bring it on myself, but the truth is... he wouldn't have it any other way.  We have been ice skating for my birthday- well, since forever. I love it.  But in the last couple of years, it has become kind of our Christmas party and we like our friends and family to come.  It's a lot of fun... unfortunately I don't have pics from that night, but Bryan went flying with Brandon (his brother) on my birthday before the ice skating... so here is a picture of him as happy as can be in the delta/skywest cockpit w/ his brother going from SLC to Oakland.  

 This year we split up Christmas into two nights again.  We did Christmas Eve at my parents on the 23rd.  The kids were tickled with a visit from Santa, lots of presents and a darling nativity.  My cute dad tries so hard to always have a spiritual aspect to Christmas programs.  We used to have a very beautiful program w/ lots of scriptures and songs and it was wonderful... but now we have 12 little kids running around and it's not happening.  He was patient and really tried hard w/ the kids this year to have a respectable nativity.  They sure make cute little wisemen and angels!

 On Christmas Eve we went to the Rasmussen's.  We also have a nativity here every year that is very kid friendly and Bradford even got into it this year!  The presents are a lot of fun and this family doesn't do it casually... they go all out.  The kids were spoiled by both sides so much that we could have ended right then and not had much waiting for them at home.  We are so lucky to have our families so close and so many cousins for the kids to pal around with.  This year has been a little off at the Rasmussen's because 3 of the kids and families moved away for different continuing educational programs.  We were so happy to have everyone home for Christmas and Baya and the girls were so happy to have their energetic cousin Sarah home to hang with.  Baya really looks up to Sarah and likes to be near her whenever she can.  

 Blakely opened about 25 books from her cousin Anna and it was so much fun to see all the thought and effort that went into every present.  She is so excited to get reading all those books

 Every year all the kids get Christmas pajamas.  This is a fun tradition they look forward to.  Us adults like it too!!! That is how I get all my cute jogging suits every year!

 We had Ranae and Grandma and Grandpa Whip and Shep show up for the escapades christmas morning.  Grandma Ruth was pretty disgusted when she showed up at 8:30 to a quiet and sound asleep house... I finally let Ranae wake all the kids up at 8:45.  We are so lazy around here, even on Christmas!  The kids were thrilled with their gifts and Bradford really loves all his balls!

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