Christmas Eve

Included lots of boereg
Sledding and snowboarding with the cousins.

And a new tradition... an 'ugly' sweater fashion show from Susan's own extensive and impressive collection.

"They're worth more if there's a picture on the back!!!"

We just had to take a Christmas family photo too.

A love letter about vomit (photos NOT for the weak stomached).

Dear Greg,

You are my hero.
Not only because you will volunteer to clean up kid vomit in the middle of the night when I just can't do it one more time, but because you do it ingeniously, wisely using gear from your various hobbies (so as not to smell nor hear said vomit).

I love that we giggled between dry heaves as Jack slept ignorantly in his bed. I love that we're in this crazy thing together. Vomit and all.

Love,
Jen

Has anyone seen the remote?

Seriously. It's disappeared. GONE. I've looked everywhere. There's even a $10 cash reward on the dang thing (which is driving Charlie crazy that he hasn't found it yet). I know Isaac dragged it away and tucked it in something for safe keeping (hopefully not the bag of recycling that is ever waiting by the front door to be taken out). If it somehow showed up at your house let me know. It would save my sanity.

From Greg

Photos from the Dominican Republic

Every once in awhile you come across something that makes you stop in your tracks and think. Really think. In the midst of the chaos of the normal stuff- making dinner, working, keeping the kids from damaging the house and each other while you are 'busy'... everything stops. Well, not really, that's all still going on but I stopped. I rarely stop and that's usually where my problems begin. Last night while I was shutting down my computer I took a quick look and found that Janae had posted photos from the Dominican Republic. She was one of the volunteers that went with IASK with Greg in November. She is a fantastic photographer. Her photos are powerful. Today I'm focusing on what's really important. View her photos HERE.

In a few weeks, IASK will officially be reporting on this trip. If you're interested in getting involved please join us. It makes a difference.

How old are you, Isaac?

I love this guy and he loves french fries and impromptu birthday lunches with Grandpa at Chadder's. He loves being chased by his dad, dancing (even if it's to the sound of a nearby car alarm), saying "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" to people outside, and the "roll it, roll it" part to Patty Cake. He loves crawling all over his brothers when they are kind enough to lay on the floor. His thighs? Still quite chunky. He weighed in at 24.5 pounds this morning (before the french fries). See those teeth? Watch out, he bites. Toes are his favorite. His eyes are green. He gives great big hugs when you pick him up after a nap... which usually end with a bite to the shoulder or collar bone or even your cheek.

Happy Halloween

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Thanks, Mel, we had to do one ourselves!

Dance, baby

Isaac's favorite thing is Greg's phone. He yells at it until someone turns the music on for him. Then he cries and cries when someone takes it away.

For. The. Love.

Boot Camp

Isaac finally decided to climb the stairs yesterday.
So, today, we're doing a sliding-down-the-stairs boot camp.

Happy Sunday

10.4.09 Reading the Sunday Funnies to the boys' is a new tradition not to be missed. It's good times.

Simple pleasures...

Thought from the other room: "I wonder what's making Issac laugh like that?" 9.23.09

Isaac's first game

9.19.09

This is my 12th BYU football season with Greg.
Walking into the stadium with him still gives me butterflies. The roar of the crowd and the smell of polish dogs conjures up the best memories. Otso & the Imperial March. The tossing of the tortillas. Cramming into 'The Beast' because of the handicapped parking pass...

As a baby, Charlie was riveted by the games. Stunned. Silent. Didn't move. Jack was more into the treats and entertaining the crowd around us. Isaac was like a little bit of each of them then slept through the miserable ending (while I played with Greg's fancy new binoculars searching for Melissa & Casey).

How cute...

...is this dress?

I like this...

I like this post I just read about what to do for kids that are bullied at school.

You know you've been a bad blogger when...

...at the end of the summer you scroll your blog page down a bit and see pictures of your kids playing in the snow.

Y.U.M.

I ate this today at Rubio's.

Grilled Garlic Herb Shrimp Gourmet Taco — Corn tortillas topped with toasted cheeses, habanero citrus salsa, grilled garlic herb shrimp, crisp bacon, cilantro/onion, cotija cheese, creamy chipotle picante sauce and avocado slices.

It's a little bit of bacon brilliance.

This made me smile..

Ready for a new season?

Created by Nick Rakich.
You saw it here first.
Go Cougs.

The Mommy Uniform

I liked THIS post.

Pardon my moment of insanity...

... but I'm not going to Lagoon tomorrow.

The 2 for 1 thing is tempting though but I think I'd rather just stay in bed all day and read. Maybe lay by the pool.

Get a pedicure.. massage... that type of thing.

Maybe meditate.. take up yoga.

Eat dark chocolate covered almonds by the handful.

Contemplate life.

I just might be turning 30 tomorrow...

... and to celebrate we just might be going to Lagoon.

The weather will be beautiful.

It's the last week before school starts.

And it's Channel 2 News Viewer Appreciation week = 2 for 1 admissions.

Come with! It'll be fun!

Word to Sport...

Sport,

It was so good to see you... even though it meant being eyed creepily by water toting waiters all night.

What you want to add to your side bar is a new gadget called a 'blog list'. THEN, you won't have to look at the same post of mine about, well, what it is that you need to add to your side bar (as I make no promises of returning to blogging anytime soon).

Crazy how 10 years just flies by like that..
Your friend,

Toad

P.S. Send me that picture and I'll add it to my post. Nothing worse than staring at the same post that doesn't even have a picture!

Charlie was on TV!

Watch for him in the orange shirt.
It's brief, but he was thrilled.
Poor Jack though... once again... didn't make it in the shot.
Jack watched the clip over and over and over looking for himself... he thinks he found his sleve though.

WAIT! WE FOUND JACK! 30 SECONDS FROM THE END OF THE CLIP RIGHT ATER CHARLIE it shows a group of kids. The girl on the bottom with the flower in our hair is our friend, Grace, and Jack's face is all the way over on the left edge of the screen.

Thank you, Tom & Leslie for the tickets! We LOVED it!!! And we'd be happy to return your Redbox movies ANYTIME!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Things I love...

...book club.

All I said was that I started Zumba.. and the conversation turned to THIS.

AND THEN... There was a the bitty-two-booty line dance. I'm just sayin'.

It's good times. Oh, and good books:

Has anyone else been so busy...

..that you have to look at your digital camera to remind yourself what you've been doing?

If I were to blog right now...

..I might post about how fat my baby is but that it's so cute he took first place in the Art City Days baby contest.

..or that I just bought a new washer and dryer but the dang things still don't fold and put away the laundry which I'm sure will be my demise. Death by laundry. It's seriously going. to. kill. me.

..my garden. I've blogged it every year and wouldn't you know - we got some more surprises this year!

..my sweet softball skills.

..Zumba - my latest exercising.. uh.. thing.

..the last can of Dr. Pepper that taunts me from my fridge every time I open the door. I don't have a problem... I just really really like it. There is nothing more delicious to me than that perfect blend of 23 flavors.

..my little swimming boys.

..my need for simplicity in my life.

Maybe another day. Today I'm leaving you with my favorite picture. Charlie took it while he was with Greg and Jack fishing last month. Isn't it perfect?

Matchy Matchy

The results of the summer hair cuts. All the boys match Isaac now. Jack tried talking me into it, but left me alone when I told him I'd look just like Uncle Andrew without my hair.
True story (Sorry, Drew ☺).

May 3, 2009 - Haircuts... again?

We begged charlie to keep his for school the next day. He wouldn't. I told him we wouldn't let him do it when he was a teenager and he whined, "but I want to have a mohawk when I'm a teenager". Typical.

May 3, 2009 - 6 Months Old

Isaac.

6 months old. 20 pounds.

Hefty.. but happy.

Loves his big baby car seat since he long outgrew his infant one.

We also made our first trip of the season to the Provo Farmers Market. Our favorite thing to do every Saturday.

April 29, 2009 - A sure sign of spring...

... the first grasshopper. Could we be any happier?

April 16, 2009 - Spring Break?

One lovely spring morning we woke up to this:

Not your favorite Spring break weather but well, we do live in Utah. Then, the hero of our story, Greg, decided on a spur of the moment sledding trip (work schmurk)... and the little people rejoiced.

A hot chocolate request was phoned in before the little people returned from their outing. I used the final scoop out of the canister to make it and thought, "there, now it can't snow any more". And it hasn't. The end (of winter). I hope.