Birthday Week 2010

Well, birthday week is over and all 3 of my babies are another year older! Yes, they are still my babies and we love them so much. We celebrated their birthdays separately this year. We had Dino, Curious George and Butterfly parties! We had a lot of fun but now I am de-toxing from all cake and good food.

Andrew on his 6th birthday, April 14th.

He's pretty excited about his gifts.... Happy 2nd Birthday Carson, April 16. Loved blowing out candles on his rice-krispie 'cake'.

Talking to Grandma and Grandpa Boise on Skype while Carson opens their gift.

Brooklyn the morning of her 5th birthday, April 18th.

Brookie and friends at her Butterfly Tea Party.
Grandma Tamara didn't even know and bought her a butterfly dress,
matched the party perfectly.
All said and done...even if I had planned when I was going to have my babies I would probably have their birthdays close together....maybe. There isn't any pouting because they have to wait forever for their birthday...because it's not more than 2 days away! Thanks for all the birthday wishes and gifts. We love you all!

A Leap of Faith

Hey! It's been a while since I've update.... I had a particular event that happened a few months ago that I have been wanted to blog about. Meet Mason...my little brother, he is nine years younger but at least nine inches taller than me. He is truly and awesome person. We have never lived in the same house, we share the same dad but different mom's. He is a Senior at Hillcrest (Go Knights!) and over the past few years we have really gained a great friendship.

Mase with my kids...Anyway, to make a long story short Mason started taking the missionary lessons a few months ago. We were privileged to have them in our home. The first night of the lessons I sat down expecting to hear a simplified version of our church history. I expected to hear much of what I have heard the past 2o-some years. Wow- was I wrong. The spirit was so strong and he was in a teaching mood! Yes- the material I had heard before. However, the difference was the perspective I had of someone I dearly love learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time. Mason has been in wonderful friends homes and has attended church, however this was different. He was wanting to know for him self if this was the church for him. Well the result: my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been deeply strengthened. I am so blessed to be a member and to have the amazing support system that this Gospel provides me. And Mason......well it seems that he got that too!
Mason, with his friend Tanner (who baptized him) and the great Missionary's.
Mase, with just some of his friends that attended the baptism. So, on February 20th, 2010- Mason got baptized. It was an amazing day. I can't even express how much this experience has done for me. I have a deep admiration for Mason and his decision, at 18, to follow this path and follow his promptings to learn more about the church. Thanks for your great example Mason, We love you!!!

END OF THE YEAR UPDATE!!!

Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years!!! We have had a great 2009. I'm sure you all know but time flies! I sit here with a new year at hand and can't help but be extremely thankful for all I am blessed with, the good and the average. :)

For the first time in almost 3 years we had family pictures taken. Here are a few...it was freezing so we had to use bribery for them to get out of the car one more time for this one of all of us. We offered "the biggest, fattest Ice Cream they have ever seen", and gum for Carson. If you look close you can see the green between his teeth.
Merry Christmas from our bright house to yours. And Kev said he wasn't going to do lights this year!
The Sommer family sent an amazing woman home to heaven this holiday season. Grandma Sommer (Kevin's Grandma) passed away Dec. 30th. We had the opportunity to share Christmas Eve with the whole Sommer gang- this was the last picture taken with her. There are over 50 people with only a few missing. Almost everyone got to say goodbye and be here for the funeral. It was a bitter- sweet experience. We will miss her and I have truly realized now what type of impact being a good, loving, and hard working mom can make. It really does carry on through generations. This picture is proof!

Decorating the Christmas tree....and Carson continually un-decorating the tree, everyday!
We left Santa Grasshopper cookies and Mt. Dew this year!
Carson got a broom, he loves it! We decided he needed to start pulling his weight around here.

Sick baby....

Happy Halloween?!? This is the first year we haven't had a specific "theme", sad for me but fun for them. Yes, Kevin wore that (inflatable pumpkin)to work all day. ;)
We hope everyone's holidays were great, thanks for being a part of our lives!

Disneyland and such: Family Vacation '09

We just got back from a great trip, so much fun! We went to Disneyland for 3 days, Sea World, Laguna Beach, and took a day at the beginning to recover from the stomach flu! Yes...the flu hit me right as our plane was leaving IF...I spent the whole flight in the bathroom. It hit Andrew the last 20 min of the flight and Shawn (my brother) and his daughter right as we were landing! Kev and Brookie got it the next night. However, it went away fast and we were up and running the rest of the week. While we were in CA we got to spend time with my brother and sister's families which made it all the more fun! Kevin and I seemed to enjoy Disneyland and Sea World more this time, I think as our kids amazement grows so does ours!

The whole family at Bugs Life show, 3D. Brooke and Carson hated it, it was intense. :)

We waited in line for over an hour to meet the princesses but it was worth it. Andrew was a little hesitant at first but it didn't take him long to warm up to the pretty girls.

M-i-c-k-e-y M-o-u-s-e!

Kev, Brooke, my niece Ally and Andrew on Alice in Wonderland ride.
We loved riding the train around Disneyland, except when Carson was trying to jump off :)
The fam with Shamu- that was an amazing show, we loved it!
Kev and I with my sister Heather, my bro-in-law David (Todd), my brother Shawn and sis-in-law Leah at an awesome taco place near the beach.Kev, Carson and I at Laguna Beach....

My kids with my sister's kids, cousins are so much fun! Sad we didn't get all of the cousins in one picture!Time to start planning the next vacation!!! Who wants to come?

School, Pets and Summer!!!

Hey! Wow, this summer has flown by! It has been a great one! Andrew started Kindergarten last week....what an adventure (for me) he seems to be just fine. I love that he likes it, he even said his teacher is pretty. He is such a great kid! Carson is now walking and is as crazy and adorable as ever! Brooklyn is about to start preschool and is my little busy body princess. Today has been a day where I have reflected a lot on my beautiful blessings. Too many to count! However a Father in Heaven who watches over us, healthy and happy kids, an amazing husband, and wonderful family and friends who unconditionally love and support us......those are a few that top my list! Anyway, on to the pictures!

Andrew on the first day of school in his classroom.
New pets! So I was in favor for something a bit more exciting that the kids could play with. Dad won and now we have fish. However I kindof like them. They are Dalmation fish. Andrews is named Oreo, and we wanted Brookies to be Cookies 'n Cream but she calls it "Cookies, Ice Cream , Snow Cone fish."
Bath tub fun! We were at Grandma and Grandpa Boise's house (Kev's parents) and the kids decided to rev up the bubble bath by turning the jets on! It looked so fun I wanted to join them.
Good thing bubbles make this a censored picture!
Kids at the Melaleuca Picnic! Is is pretty much a full sized Carnival for the kids and a ton of fun!
My beautiful sister Heather, Brooklyn and her daughter Analiese. We look forward to their visit every summer! Heather had a princess tea party for the girls while we were camping, all the big boys were trying to get in on it too! They liked the little plates a cups :).
Brooke, Andrew and cousin Ally at Rigby lake, one of our favorite summer pass times.
Carson. Enough said.
Carson with the monkeys at the Zoo, not sure who was enjoying it more.
I hope everyone is doing well!

Summer Fun & Kev turns 30!!!

Although summer around here has gotten off to a slow start, we have enjoyed it! When we bought our house 41/2 years ago I remember watching all of the little neighbor kids play up and down the street, almost like one of those fantasy neighborhoods you dream about with the white picket fence. Anyway, I have loved that my kids are finally old enough to join in! However, Brooklyn is quite generous with giving away all of our Popsicles and treats so we are getting quite the little posse! Well, it has happened....Kevin hit the big 30! Funny actually, now any shortcomings or forgetfulness is blamed on his old age :). I threw a surprise party for him, it turned out great! The kids and I are so blessed to have him!

I had this cake made for Kev. It included most of his fav things: BSU, Dodgers, Pepsi, Golf and Melaleuca!

His employees had this cake for him on his birthday.... priceless!

So....for months Andrew has begged to have daddy and grandpa's haircut. I told him its the other way around...they would like to have his hair :). So for 2 days he got his wish (this is as short as I would go on top).
Nothing quite like a bare bum to welcome in summer!

My handsome little brother Mason...well, I should say "younger" brother, and Carson! We have loved having Mason go to Hillcrest and be so close by! He is a starter on the football team and is awesome, Go Knights!!!Cuties! Brooklyn with cousin Ally at the splash park, aren't cousins great!

Clowning around with friends! These guys have all been best buds since they were about 1! The Larsen twins, Ally, Brooklyn, Andrew and the Blanchard twins!

Happy summer to you all!!!

CELEBRATE!!!

What an exciting month April has been! We had Easter and then celebrated all three kids birthdays (twice)! I am almost coming down with "no more party" withdrawals. For Andrew and Brookies birthday party I made Superhero capes with masks for the kids. They all got to pick their own colors and customize them, lots of work but fun! Kevin set up a Superhero training camp for them which consisted of them shooting the Dinosaur that was eating a baby and throwing bombs at the bad guy (my beauty school mannequin). It was hilarious, he even showed up with his own cape. I love that guy! Anyway, we have had a ton of fun and we truly are lucky to have our 3 amazing babies (does a 5 year old still count as a baby?)!

Opening Superhero capes (I didn't get great picts).

Brookie opening presents....well, really everyone else opened her presents but she is still happy!

Kids opening a John Deer tractor.... we got it off Craigs list, what a hit! We can hardly get them off it! Andrew thinks Brookie is a CRAZY driver though, Kevin just said "she's a girl, they are all like that."


Birthday boy! We let Carson loose on his cake, it was so fun! I should be used to that by now but he is the only baby that has preformed for us! When Andrew turned one he kicked his cake and cried because there was frosting on his foot! :)
What a DELICIOUS baby!
This is just a fun picture, we were in Utah and took them to a Dino museum. Andrew loved it but the most exciting thing Brookie found was a "rolly-polly". She also wasn't convinced that this Dino wasn't going to come alive and eat her.
Well, we love you all!!!